Dreher's thesis in Live Not By Lies is that Western society, and America in particular, is sliding towards a soft totalitarianism. A totalitarian state is "one that aspires to nothing less than defining and controlling reality." Soft totalitarianism appeals to pleasure and comfort more than threats of pain and punishment. It's more Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and less George Orwell's 1984. This soft totalitarianism, argues Dreher, will be supported by a nexus of big business (Fortune 500 companies and others), big tech - social media, and consumer habit data collection mechanisms in … [Read more...] about Live Not By Lies
Culture
Isaac Newton on Intelligent Design
"But though these bodies may indeed persevere in their orbits by the mere laws of gravity, yet they could by no means have at first deriv'd the regular position of the orbits themselves from those laws...This most beautiful System of the Sun, Planets and Comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being." Isaac Newton, General Scholium from the Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1729) More in this great lecture: https://youtu.be/64WpGhpjkHg … [Read more...] about Isaac Newton on Intelligent Design
Is Specialization Hurting the Liberal Arts?
The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point is experiencing a budget shortfall to the tune of $7.9 million. A year ago they cut $12 million from their budget. But with enrollment continuing to fall, six liberal arts majors are now on the chopping block. Including history. Students in these majors would be allowed to complete their programs. Many of the faculty would stay to teach liberal arts courses to students in other disciplines. But some layoffs are expected. The proposal has caused alarm. In 2015, Governor Walker supposedly tried to remove the phrase “search for truth” from the … [Read more...] about Is Specialization Hurting the Liberal Arts?
More Students Seeking Help for Anxiety & Depression
Katie Reilly, for Time magazine, writes that "Record Numbers of College Students Are Seeking Treatment for Depression and Anxiety — But Schools Can't Keep Up." An excerpt: "Between 2009 and 2015, the number of students visiting counseling centers increased by about 30% on average, while enrollment grew by less than 6%, the Center for Collegiate Mental Health found in a 2015 report. Students seeking help are increasingly likely to have attempted suicide or engaged in self-harm, the center found. In spring 2017, nearly 40% of college students said they had felt so depressed in the prior year … [Read more...] about More Students Seeking Help for Anxiety & Depression
Interview with Tommy McGregor (The Transmission)
Tommy McGregor works with The Transmission, a ministry geared at helping parents and students with the transition to life after high school. It was a pleasure to speak with him this morning about how students can prepare to thrive at college. The Skype interview was part of a Senior Summit project that The Transmission will be releasing in a few weeks. Update: The Senior Summit, an online video summit about the transition to the challenges of college life, is now available as a free resource. … [Read more...] about Interview with Tommy McGregor (The Transmission)
Ben Sasse – The Vanishing American Adult
Do we really need another book about entitled millennials? Or about the helicopter parents who raise these precious darlings? Senator Ben Sasse’s The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis — and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance exceeds expectations. It challenges both parents and our culture, offering compelling and timely solutions. The Problem Sasse has no issue with adolescence. The problem is one of perpetual adolescence — an indefinite period in which youth are passive and aimless. Why is this so common? In part because teens today are used to an unprecedented … [Read more...] about Ben Sasse – The Vanishing American Adult