chrysanthemum

Much to write, much to wash, much to witness. Notes along the way:

Today's subject line is from Gregory Warren Wilson's Thinking About Plantains in the Rain.

Happened to try some fried plantains during lunch with a friend at Whole Foods. They were a bit too dry, but I'd also loaded my plate with brisket, mashed potatoes, chopped scallions, and other tasty things, including a dessert called "cherry dumptruck" (which I think may have been a crisp with other fruits and bits thrown in. In any case, it was good).

"The hottest, rowdiest haiku contest in the South" is taking entries until July 31. (There's been a call for bumper sticker suggestions, too - not sure when the window closes for that one. Here's the City Paper writeup of the 2008 fest.)

Also from the City Paper: longtime political reporter Liz Garrigan compares Metro Council then and now regarding attempts to legislate GLBT protection.

Via one of the TennisWorld moderators:

A good citizenry is informed, serious about things that are worth taking seriously, and not liable to be led off course by demagogues. (Everyone doesn't have to be like this, but you need a critical mass of people who are.) But I've always thought that a good citizenry is also composed of people who assume, until proven wrong, that many of the people who disagree with them are acting in good faith.

This matters for policy: you're unlikely to choose sound policies if you assume that anyone who disagrees with you is a depraved, corrupt imbecile. It's hard to learn anything from people you have completely written off. But it's also corrosive to any kind of community or dialogue to assume the worst about large numbers of people you've never met. It makes you less willing to try to take their problems seriously, and to try to figure out how they might be solved, or to try to understand what's driving them.

...it's just corrosive to democracy if people are not willing to extend the benefit of the doubt to one another. Besides, it's uncharitable and wrong, and besides that, perhaps some people would survive in a world in which no one was ever more generous to them than they deserve, but I am quite sure that I would not.

- hilzoy at Obsidian Wings

On today's NYT op-ed page, Tracy Kidder eulogizes Claude Niyokindi, a young man who was the driver for Burundi's Village Health Works.

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2009-07-22 6:34 PM skein upon skein looped along the shore Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (0) Share on Facebook	Much to write, much to wash, much to witness. Notes along the way: Today's subject line is from Gregory Warren Wilson's Thinking About Plantains in the Rain. Happened to try some fried plantains during lunch with a friend at Whole Foods. They were a bit too dry, but I'd also loaded my plate with brisket, mashed potatoes, chopped scallions, and other tasty things, including a dessert called "cherry dumptruck" (which I think may have been a crisp with other fruits and bits thrown in. In any case, it was good). "The hottest, rowdiest haiku contest in the South" is taking entries until July 31. (There's been a call for bumper sticker suggestions, too - not sure when the window closes for that one. Here's the City Paper writeup of the 2008 fest.) Also from the City Paper: longtime political reporter Liz Garrigan compares Metro Council then and now regarding attempts to legislate GLBT protection. Via one of the TennisWorld moderators: A good citizenry is informed, serious about things that are worth taking seriously, and not liable to be led off course by demagogues. (Everyone doesn't have to be like this, but you need a critical mass of people who are.) But I've always thought that a good citizenry is also composed of people who assume, until proven wrong, that many of the people who disagree with them are acting in good faith. This matters for policy: you're unlikely to choose sound policies if you assume that anyone who disagrees with you is a depraved, corrupt imbecile. It's hard to learn anything from people you have completely written off. But it's also corrosive to any kind of community or dialogue to assume the worst about large numbers of people you've never met. It makes you less willing to try to take their problems seriously, and to try to figure out how they might be solved, or to try to understand what's driving them. ...it's just corrosive to democracy if people are not willing to extend the benefit of the doubt to one another. Besides, it's uncharitable and wrong, and besides that, perhaps some people would survive in a world in which no one was ever more generous to them than they deserve, but I am quite sure that I would not. - hilzoy at Obsidian Wings On today's NYT op-ed page, Tracy Kidder eulogizes Claude Niyokindi, a young man who was the driver for Burundi's Village Health Works. Read/Post Comments (0) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top
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