Archives for posts with tag: Collective identity
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Will Ukraine crisis hasten decline of Russia’s global image?

April 13, 2014 //
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By reading the comments at the bottom of this post one would get the feeling that the current Ukrainian government is nothing but a bunch of islamists and that Russia deserves kudos for standing up to western bullies…
Well…the Ukrainians are anything but islamic, bar the Tartars now living in the Russian occupied Crimea, and Putin is not standing up against any bully but trying to get some more elbow room at the bully convention he, and others, is currently attending.
And the rest of us, middle of the road people, will continue to stay in the sorry state we currently dwell as long as we’ll let others speak for us, unchecked. I understand why too many of us are so disheartened but this is exactly where the bullies want us to be and the longer we stay here the harder it will be for us to climb out of here.
So get hold of your shoe laces, pull yourself up and let’s go.
Don’t ask/wait for guidance. You already know, deep in your hearts, what is it that you have to do.

PS I must also mention that there is a big mistake, albeit a common one, to conflate the image of a people with that of those who temporarily rule that people. Yes, there is link between the two, but they are not the same thing. Not even when the rulers are democratically elected and so much less so when we are discussing a country that finds itself under a totalitarian regime.

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Categories politics, Psychology, yes but

Liberty of expression or hidden agenda?

April 10, 2014 //
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I just found out that there is something called MGIMO, a Russian school for diplomats, and that a professor who used to teach there has been sacked for publishing an article in which he equated the annexation of Crimea with Hitler’s 1938 Anschluss. (You can read that article, translated in English, by clicking here)

I did that by reading an article from The Moscow Times, published more than a month after these events have taken place and whose apparent point of interest was the state of turmoil prevalent at MGIMO.

Now, that I finished reading, I am left with a nagging question. What is the real purpose of this article? To demonstrate, against the prevalent feeling, that there still is some ‘freedom of expression’ left in Russia or just to ‘discreetly’ remind us that  “MGIMO has seen at least one other prominent expression of public protest against the government’s actions. In 1956, 18 Hungarian students left MGIMO to protest the advance of Soviet troops into Hungary. Nothing like this happened after the annexation of Crimea, according to Silantyev, who said there were some 1,000 foreign students from about 55 countries studying at MGIMO.”?

Well, Hitler might have acted differently, had Chamberlain and Daladier responded more appropriately to his opening gambits…

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Categories politics, Psychology

Bingo!

April 10, 2014 //
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A great article on why Pay Transparency really works:

“Huet-Vaughn concedes he has no idea why this happened. But he has a great theory: We don’t care as much about the amount we make as long as we know we’re not being taken advantage of. And not knowing what other people earn is, de facto, a breeding ground for doubt.”

Well, this feeling might actually kick in only after a certain ceiling has been penetrated but this is a great insight, nevertheless.

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Categories Psychology, yes but

Robots

April 7, 2014 //
2

The sole characteristic that makes us what we are, human beings, is our ability to ‘get out of our selves’ and to make decisions as if their outcome didn’t matter to us. In other terms we are able of cold blooded reasoning.
I don’t say this is easy – it involves quieting down our emotions – nor that everybody is able to do it. In fact almost nobody is able to do it consistently yet here we are, all the better just because of this particular ability of ours.

I find it extremely strange that some of us, in fact too many of us, are willing to give up this special ability, for different reasons.

Some try to introduce self driving cars, in the name of safety and to increase the capacity of existing highways. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-03/the-problem-with-self-driving-cars-they-dont-cry

Some others came up with software to grade students essays. http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/automated-essay-grading-software-stirs-debate/d/d-id/1111035?

Not even the stock market is immune to these developments. “High-frequency trading practices” – robots, that is – have become widespread enough as to create concern. http://www.aboutschwab.com/press/issues/

As you’ll notice if you read those articles there is no clear majority as yet, for or against this phenomenon. Pros are carefully weighted against the identified cons and then advice is given by the authors. Unfortunately none of them distances himself far enough from the brouhaha to notice the somber fact that by allowing so many automatons to take over our lives we not only basically give up our individual autonomy but also we give up more and more of the opportunities we have to exercise our capacity to decide for ourselves.

It is indeed increasingly safer and more profitable, in the short term at least.

But is it really good for us? For our ability to cope in unforeseen/unforeseeable circumstances?

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Categories 1989 and the Global Financial Crisises., Psychology

Sitting together on a train were Pres. Obama, George W. Bush, a little old lady, and a young blonde girl with large breasts

April 6, 2014 //
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Excellent post.
Obama failed to fulfill, by far, both the promises he made when he run for president AND the hopes/illusions nurtured by those who voted for him but holding him accountant for all the misery that befell on the regular Joe is a little too much.
This kind of mistakes is very costly. Those who forget that the daily actions of each and everyone of us aggregate into our common destiny tend to believe that we might change our fortune simply by changing the leader.
History has proven, time and again, that we’ll keep making the same mistake until we’ll eventually understand what went wrong. And start doing ourselves what needs to be done instead of looking up to somebody above us to direct our actions.

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Categories 1989 and the Global Financial Crisises., politics, Psychology, The world as described in jokes

Noah and the flood.

April 4, 2014 //
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I expect you all know the story of the flood.
For those who feel the need to refresh their memories here is the original version.

Lately people have given up reading so some guy felt the need to use another medium in order to convey the essence of this story. Or just saw a good opportunity to make a buck? Maybe both? Anyway…

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Reactions have started to flow: “Why our Youth Group won’t be going to see Noah!”
Make an effort and do read that post. It’s really worth it.

Then somebody put THE question: “Does anyone really believe there was an ark?”

Here is my answer:

Yes, I do believe there was an ark, only it wasn’t ‘made out of wood’.
In fact I see the entire Bible as a very powerful metaphor.
Coming back to this particular instance, for a considerable amount of time people thought that children come from God and that intercourse was just for fun.
By specifically asking Noah to bring animals in pairs the Bible makes it perfectly clear that even if God’s will might have something to do with the whole process for a child to appear two parents of opposite sex are a must. Besides ‘the Word being spoken’ some actual, ‘material’ conditions must be met for anything of substance to come into being.
Furthermore, the fact of the matter is that Noah basically saved himself. It was he who build the ark. God could have ‘miraculously’ saved him, alongside some animals but no, he had Noah do all the work.
I understand this passage of the Bible as a warning: don’t expect anyone to do your job for you and it is you who are the sole responsible for the well being of the world around you.

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Categories 1989 and the Global Financial Crisises., Psychology, The world as described in jokes

Pe ce se bazeaza increderea

March 26, 2014 //
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Pe timp si pe experienta lucrului facut asa cum trebuie:

 

“Surowiecki ne spune că un sistem fiscal eficient se bazează în primul rând pe încrederea contribuabililor: în primul rând în Guvern că foloseşte banii judicios şi, în al doilea rând, în faptul că toată lumea respectă regulile jocului şi nu încearcă să trişeze. Dacă această încredere este erodată, atunci întreg sistemul se clatină şi merge către colaps”, punctează Gabriel Sincu.”

http://www.money.ro/aletra-72prc–dintre-antreprenori-considera-ca-mediul-fiscal-s-a-deteriorat_1257701.html

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Categories aici sunt banii dumneavoastra, Culture, Economy, politics, Psychology, Tara din care traim

Shared thoughts

March 24, 2014 //
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Or none of the above…
I share my thoughts simply to encourage other people to think differently than anybody else!

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Categories Psychology, The world as described in jokes, yes but

Cum e cu ‘rostul’.

March 23, 2014 //
1

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A incercat sa construiasca capitalismul in Romania si n-a reusit dupa cum nici parintii sai n-au reusit sa construiasca socialismul.
N-a mai rezistat asa ca a plecat pe alte meleaguri.

Dar nu s-a scarbit atat de tare incat sa nu-i mai pese si sa nu se mai uite inapoi.
Ne-a lasat mostenire o radiografie foarte exacta.
Iar acum, la ceva mai mult de patru ani distanta, radiografia asta este inca si mai actuala, daca se poate asa ceva, decat atunci cand a fost facuta.

Cum procedam?
Plecam cu totii? Si atunci cine mai stinge lumina?

Sau intelegem o data pentru totdeauna ca ‘Batrinii’, ‘Pamantul’ si ‘Credinta’ nu pot face totul. Ei s-au straduit si ne-au pus la dispozitie roadele muncii lor. Atata au putut! De acum incolo e treaba noastra. Degeaba ne vaicarim sau dam vina pe celalalt.

“Rostul” nu este ceva care poate fi mostenit la nesfarsit. El trebuie luat cu grija de la ‘Batrani’ si reconstruit de fiecare data folosind cu ‘Credinta’ toate resursele pe care ‘Pamantul’ acesta generos ni le pune la dispozitie.

Ne uitam in jur sa vedem pe ce putem pune mana ca sa ne apucam de treaba si pe cine ne putem bizui? Daca da atunci primul pas, adica cel mai greu, catre iesirea din rahat este ca si facut.
Ii chemam inapoi si pe cei care au plecat dar carora inca le mai pasa si care au invatat cate ceva pe acolo pe unde au fost? Ce bine ar fi, in cazul asta am iesi si mai repede la liman.

Ne opreste cineva?
Adica altcineva in afara de temerile noastre?

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Categories politics, Psychology, Tara din care traim

“It’s the law!”

March 23, 2014 //
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“Furthermore, the bill clearly prevents an outside agency, such as the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, from opening an investigation into an allegation that the WPD has already ruled upon.”

I don’t know exactly how penal law works in Kansas but in general there are provisions against people who make malicious complaints which are made with the intent to harass, knowing exactly that those complaints are not really justified. Anyway such provisions should cover everybody, not just the policemen, and extending them to include all false complaints, even those made in good faith, is preposterous.
But even more dangerous is the fact that this law would transform WPD into a self governing agency shielded from outside scrutiny.
If that quote accurately describes the bill and the bill is passed into law then that’s it, the WPD agents will basically be able to do whatever they see fit without having to answer to anybody about their actions….

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Categories politics, Psychology
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