I return to the idea of entropy, this time as a measure of the increasing randomness in the universe, and I relate this increase to our gradual loss of social cohesion under the influence of individualism, to the breakdown of language in our culture, and to our carelessness about Covid.
I continue my look at the sources of our present cultural impasse by examining in detail the incompatibility between an egalitarian democracy and individualism by examining the notions of rights and choice and how non-democratic hierarchies promote individualism.
Today's intelligence: An historic investment in land and water conservation programs that would leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money for New Mexico is under consideration at the Roundhouse.
Today's intelligence: the progress of bills introduced in the New Mexico House to create a better-run and less politicized state Department of Game and Fish and to get tougher on crime
New Mexico in coordination with the US Geological Society look for "critical minerals" at Copper Flat Mine in an effort to expand mining.
The exposition of recent changes in reading and writing leads to this excursion on a breakdown of what we used to think was the social function of language. That postulate is discussed by analyzing the comments to this series of articles as symptomatic of that breakdown.
Today's intelligence: bills to expand voting rights, better support creative artists and reduce underage access to firearms are under consideration by the New Mexico legislature.
I've weighed the way three institutions have historically unshaped our idea of democracy as a model of human relations. I now turn to look at how these cultural tendencies impact public discourse and our apparent inability to settle any public issue.
The validation of a personal, individualistic point of view in American culture to the exclusion of an objective, shared, and collective perspective constantly puts us at odds with one another because individuals normally disagree in judgement, interpretations, and opinions.
Continuing my discussion of our turn towards individual points of view to the exclusion of larger concerns, I propose that in the last half century, American education has focused on student subjectivity pushing the culture towards individuation rather than cohesion.
Today's intelligence: an argument for timely state investment in our Strategic Water Fund and a recent trend of shootings at the Albuquerque offices or homes of Democratic elected officials
Continuing the series "Assaying Entropy," I continue to develop a description of how the original idea of democracy in America was altered due to the influence of undemocratic structures. The last essay dealt with corporate hierarchy. In the present piece, I discuss the military influence, militarism, and the frontier mentality.
