“For the first time in history, all peoples on earth have a common present.” Hannah Arendt, 1957
Have I already cited this before? I had it saved in my “diary” (which is basically the word document that I rely on a lot, and have talked about before, when it reached 555 pages… see, my memory is getting slightly better. I said I’d probably mention it again when I reached 666 pages).
I should write a note that I have already cited the Arendt quote. But I still want it to feature prominently in my diary, so it is highlighted when I am contemplating about the world these days. Which is a lot, even though I have not written an op-ed for ages. I think I had one published somewhat recently when someone helped me write one.
Coronavirus was a rude awakening to our interconnectedness. To people on earth having a common present. But the amount of information and research being shared is also one side of the interconnectedness equation. And once the vaccine is developed, production and distribution will also be crucial components of it.
Well, on other fronts, my memory is getting better (despite the attempt to stall it the doctor. I won’t even go into what his actions resulted in, or what his motivations were). And despite the guy who can’t get his head out of the bottle, or the bottle out of his ass! But such a pivotal incident will not be forgotten, even by a mentally handicapped, or memory-impaired, guy!
But I have neither started work on my proposed book (it will be an epic if one considers how long I have been planning on it without writing a single word). Or even started writing my reflections on articles I read. I swear I will do that today. I am still coming to terms with the nature of blogs. Thinking of it as a process of a larger piece or work probably is much better.
A Monday passes by with no information from the Social Service via Facebook Inc. Pvt. Ltd. Nor have I heard from folks I was hoping to hear from with the registration of KADAM. The problem right now is I would need somebody to help me budget everything. The minutest thing. I am sorry, little massas. This idea has no shoving bottles up asses, or murders. Or even slavery. So, naturally not in your scope of things.
A Public Service Announcement: People Who Are at Increased Risk for Severe Illness https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-increased-risk.html
Articles read: New Yorker: The Woeful Inadequacy of School-Reopening Plans [We wasted the summer, while President Trump sowed distrust and promoted heedlessness. What’s left now is to see what can be salvaged.] by Amy Davidson Sorkin https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/17/the-woeful-inadequacy-of-school-reopening-plans (excerpts: A video of Trump claiming, last week, that children were “almost immune” was taken down by Facebook for violating its policy on dangerous COVID-19 misinformation… The most thoughtless voices, exemplified by a Wall Street Journal editorial last week entitled “School-Opening Extortion”… glad to see Wall Street Journal called out for its ultra-capitalist outlook!)
The Economist: [Trouble in the cosmos] A Russian satellite weapon shows the danger of hazy rules in space [Experts want to clarify how the laws of war on Earth apply beyond it] https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2020/08/09/a-russian-satellite-weapon-shows-the-danger-of-hazy-rules-in-space
Washington Post: A coronavirus vaccine won’t change the world right away [Soaring hopes for a shot may spark resistance to simple strategies that can tamp down transmission.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08/02/covid-vaccine/
The Woke Left v. the Alt-Right: A New Study Shows They’re More Alike Than Either Side Realizes by Zaid Jilani https://quillette.com/2020/08/03/the-woke-left-v-the-alt-right-a-new-study-shows-theyre-more-alike-than-either-side-realizes/?v=322b26af01d5 (did not finish, but I’d still appreciate a recommendation on what to read about the whole “woke” thing)
(Not really that good, but still… some folks might find it interesting. Especially people looking for criticisms of “wokeness”, which in my understanding is just being aware about the various ways in which discrimination has been normalized) The Roots Of Wokeness [It’s time we looked more closely at the philosophy behind the movement.] by Andrew Sullivan https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/the-roots-of-wokeness
Words Dissemble, Words Be Quick 