Daily Archives: July 5, 2020

While others look upon an eclipse as a catastrophe and disaster waiting to strike, we rationalists look upon it as a natural occurrence to be viewed and enjoyed," Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (Fira) and managing trustee of Aid Without Religion Trust, wrote in a press release circulated ahead of the event. Similar plans are afoot for 5 July, when a lunar eclipse is set to occurfollowing the solar eclipse on 21 June and another lunar eclipse on 5 June.

At a time when the public is consumed by fear, panic and misinformation regarding the covid-19 pandemic, with many clutching at the straws of superstition and rituals, defiant gestures as such these send out a strong message.

For years, the 90-odd rationalists associations across India affiliated to Fira have publicly denounced the belief that some activities are harmful to undertake during eclipses. Debunking myths about eclipses is one of the many activities that are part of their mission. The rationalists have shown up miracles" performed by godmen to be bogus; they have explained supernatural" phenomena using scientific principles; and, in general, tried to inculcate a rational temper among ordinary people.

Not surprisingly, the tireless crusade of the rationalists against blind faith has met with violent opposition from lobbies that have felt threatened by their sobering influence. In the last seven years alone, four activists and rationalistsNarendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare from Maharashtra, M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh from Karnatakahave been murdered openly. Nayak, who is often called the macho man of rationalism" and a one-man institution", has narrowly escaped multiple attempts on his life. Currently, he lives under police protection at his home in Mangaluru.

Its not all doom and gloom, though. The rationalists efforts have also brought about slow change in the social fabric. In December, a samosa-eating party was organized in a village in Goa where an enthusiastic crowd of 100-150, mostly youngsters, came together to view a solar eclipse, following safety protocols. Until a few years ago, there was much more reluctance to participate in such gatherings," says R.G. Rao, president of the Goa chapter of Fira. Even college and school teachers used to take the day off and stay homesome of them still dobecause thats what tradition demands."

Now, while the elderly remain hesitant about crossing the line, the youth are open to taking bolder strides. I have friends employed in high places who agree with me that theres no rational basis to their beliefs," Rao adds. But such is their conditioning since childhood that they feel guilty if they dont follow rituals dictated by tradition." Education is no guarantee of a rationalist mindset. People can be literate in physics, chemistry and medicine without being truly educated," as Nayak tersely puts it.

Faith versus fact

As early as the 17th century, European astronomers understood eclipses to be natural phenomena and explained their occurrence scientifically. But the primal fear of these occurrences goes back to millennia and is alive and kicking in the 21st century. In Hindu astrology, Rahu, a fearsome demon, is believed to swallow celestial bodies, casting a pall of darkness over the world. Eating during an eclipse, it was believed (especially in the pre-electricity era), was inauspicious. Women were told not to cook or chop vegetables. Pregnant women were asked to stay indoors. A miasma of myths accrued gradually.

What I have found is that more often than not these rituals are rooted in scientific reasoning. Over time, unfortunately, the reasoning is forgotten and what is left is only a ritual practice," says Simran Lal, CEO of Good Earth and Co-founder of Nicobar. For example, the belief that you should not look at an eclipse is actually backed by sciencelooking at an eclipse without the eye-aids that modern science has only now made possible can lead to irreversible damage to the eyes, including loss of vision."

But to hold on to these myths in the 21st century, with the hindsight of science and technological progress, is unwarranted. The hype over the latest triple eclipse, for instance, is largely unfounded. Contrary to the belief that such series of eclipses occur after hundreds of years, the phenomenon was observed as recently as in 2018 and 2013.

As a rationalist, Rao says he walks the talk. When he addresses the public, he carries a photograph of his 22-year-old daughter to show the audience. I tell them that my wife chopped vegetables, cooked, ate, stepped outside, looked at the sun and moon during eclipses with adequate protection while she was pregnant. There is nothing wrong with our daughter. People are welcome to medically test her if they like," he says.

But during an unfolding pandemic, injecting such a scientific temper into the public can be tougher than usual. With no vaccine or reliable cure against covid-19, people are understandably desperate for whatever glimmer of hope they can find.

In the early days of the pandemic, many Indians who were stuck overseas reached out to us," says Shivani Hariharan, co-founder and head of the Mumbai chapter of The Ochre Tree, a brand that is dedicated to energy healing, meditation, spirituality and other self-development programmes". Our focus was to remove their fear psychosis, which was causing stress and anxiety in them," she adds. The clients who already had covid-19 reported an improvement in their conditions after a few sessions of healing, alongside medical treatment, Hariharan says. Their recovery time was quicker than expected.

The link between stress and a compromised immune system is an established fact. But seeking relief in cures that are not clinically proven, or have no sound scientific basis, can be a tricky business. Since the early days of the lockdown, Indias political classes have offered a range of placebos to people. Drinking cow urine, chanting Go, corona, go" in public, violating physical distancing, taking the names of favourite deities for half an hour at homethe list goes on. The latest entrant into this fast-growing club of such cures is Coronil, an alleged panacea promoted by Baba Ramdev.

This explosion of false cures and beliefs is symptomatic of the times. Superstitions have a way of flaring up when people are at their most fragile, mentally. Since 95% of those affected by covid-19 recover on their own, it is easy to make wild claims about the efficacy of drugs that havent undergone clinical trial," Nayak says. By applying their research on patients with no co-morbidities, these quacks are bound to get successful results. But who wants treatments for mild and moderate cases? I am much more interested in the effect of these treatments on the 5% who dont recover on their own."

The steady 5%

It is not just the ignorant" or uneducated" sections that are vulnerable to pseudo-science. When politicians and other influential people make unsubstantiated claims, they create a panic situation among the masses," says Sudesh Ghoderao, secretary of national and international coordination at the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (Mans), founded in 1989 by Dabholkar. For over three decades, Mans has been running campaigns across Maharashtra using slogans, posters, workshops and social media to counter myths and superstition. At present, with physical distancing norms in force, its modus operandi has shifted to webinars to train volunteers.

Ghoderao is also cognizant of the mental health costs of living through a pandemic. He admits that daily stressors may push people into seeking relief in unscientific beliefs. Mans has been working with a collective of mental health workers called Manasmitra, which is providing counselling and mental healthcare support across rural Maharashtra during the pandemic," he says. In Goa, too, a major target audience for the rationalists is the rural population, especially women. If we can educate one woman, she can pass on the knowledge to many others," says Rao.

For all the dangers they have faced over the decades, the rationalists have succeeded in bringing about tangible legal changes through their campaigns. The Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, which was passed after years of activism by Mans, has proved especially useful during the pandemic in protecting health and sanitation workers from social ostracization. Mans volunteers are helping victims to file police complaints and also alert the police about violations of the law.

About 85% of the people we address during our campaigns appear convinced by our arguments but a majority of them revert to their old beliefs the moment they leave the meeting," says Nayak. They cite personal majboori (compulsions) as being inimical to altering their ways, he explains. Our target is the steady 5%, who hold on to our ideas and dont change their minds."

Subscribe to newsletters

* Enter a valid email

* Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Read the original post:

Can India's rationalists stop the total eclipse of reason? - Livemint

Independence Day: July 4th. Wave the flag. Set off fireworks. Celebrate.

For many people, patriotism is easy. All it takes is being born in a country, something everyone accomplishes. Then, wow, what a great country. Wave the flag. Set off fireworks. Celebrate. USA, Albania, France, Australia: it doesnt matter.

But Lincoln wisely said more than just a new nation on this continent was founded. He described it: Conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. This was unique at a time of monarchies, theocracies, castes, feudalism, aristocracies, censorship and the like.

The Declaration of Independence did not claim sanction by divine guidance, but, reflecting the rationalism of the Founding Fathers, instead purposefully explained its basis and reasoning because, as it states, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

July 4th is a day for Americans to recall not only the long fight for independence which succeeded the declaration, but the revolutionary thoughts, ideals and goals of our forefathers who broke from engrained tradition.

It truly was a revolution in thought. Soon after, the French had their revolution, much along the same philosophic lines, and abolished the aristocracy, the accepted calendar, state religion, etc. It was a tumultuous time, much more than simply separating from England.

So I think it patriotic to demand more from my country, to earn my patriotic zeal, than just the accident of being born here. I think it appropriate each year to reflect upon what remains to be done to achieve political liberty and equality for all. Rather than slaver unconditional praise, I choose to exercise my political liberties to advocate for further progress of my country toward those goals.

The Founding Fathers would, I believe, expect much more than My country, right or wrong.

They would demand: Right the wrong.

Jed Somit is a resident of Kapaa.

Follow this link:

Founding Fathers would demand: 'Right the wrong' - Thegardenisland.com

Dear Reader, (Including those of you who had a crush on Jennifer instead of Bailey from the WKRP crew, you traitors),

Thats some bad hat, Harry.

Thats a line from Chief Brody in Jaws. An old dudenamed Harryannoys Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) by making fun of the chiefs mild aquaphobia while he is trying to spot a shark that will likely eat another kid.

Brody responds, Thats some bad hat, Harry.

Now, Ive seen Jaws many, many times. And its not like I had actually forgotten the scene. But it wasnt until I saw it at drive-in last weekend that I connected the dots to Bad Hat Harry Productions, the production company founded by Bryan Singer, responsible for many of the X-Men movies, The Usual Suspects and the TV show House. They werent hard dots to connect. The companys original logo was literally a drawing of the Jaws scene.

So those are easy dots to connect, and I failed. If I were a member of a pop culture-obsessed offshoot of the Yakuza, I might have to remove the tip of my pinky as penance. Fortunately, thats not the case.

But Ive got other dots to connect (warning: Dot connection addiction is dangerousyou have to know where to draw the line). As I mentioned on the podcast the other day, watching Jaws during a pandemic was interesting. Obviously, the movie is not an intentional allegory about a virus that wouldnt hit until nearly five decades later. But its hard not to see some of it that way. In particular, nearly every scene with the mayor feels awfully familiar. Watch this:

Dreyfuss is basically an epidemiologist explaining that the shark doesnt care about the crucial summer months for Amitys economy. And theres the mayor playing, well, not quite Donald Trump, but certainly one of dozens of Republican politicians looking for excuses not to listen to the scientists. Dreyfuss says he found the tooth of the shark in the hull of a boat. And despite being informed that the owner of the boat, one Ben Gardner, wasto use a scientific termeatenby the shark, the mayor wont believe any of it because Dreyfuss cant produce the tooth. I mean, maybe Brody could have brought Ben Gardners head?

Anyway, what really gets the mayors goat (presumably so long as the goat doesnt go swimming) is the fake news contained in a vandalized billboard.

Remember, a bunch of people have already been eaten by the shark. But closing the beachesnot the bars, not the restaurants, just the beachesis too terrible a thing to contemplate, so the mayor and most of Amitys residents simply pretend theres no shark. It feels amazingly familiar.

The one scene where the mayor isnt analogous to our moment is when the moral enormity of his reluctance finally hits him and Mayor Vaughn comes to his senses.

We havent had that scenenot really. Some of the politicians and pundits who ridiculed those who took the pandemic seriously in March have changed their tunes. But none of them, as far as I know, have admitted to any serious failure, moral or intellectual. Most of the people who said its just the fluor something similar have either stuck to their guns or just gone silent. And, until about a month ago, this asininity was disproportionately a partisan affair. But you cant have asininity without an assand an ass, just like the old French General Assembly, is divided on a left-right spectrum (lets forgo the easy quips about what this says about the center).

Prior to the George Floyd protests, Jaws worked mostly as a parable for a big chunk of the Republican party, starting with Donald Trump. Shark repellent is for cucks and cowards! This is just a typical shark season, you stupid galeophobes! You just want to use this shark to defeat Mayor Vaughn in the next election!

But then the tables turned. The Richard Dreyfusses, righteously dismissive of the bourgeois and commercial concerns of the gentry, suddenly insisted it was fine to get in the water. Hell, while youre at it, defund the lifeguards and tear down the lifeguard towers!

Not only did they say it was fine to get in the water, they said it was fine to stay in the water indefinitely. Was there a single prominent public health expert who initially supported the protests but, after say, the second week, said, Okay you made your point?

If there was, I missed it.

Covid, Chapter 2.

I never thought Donald Trump deserved much blame for the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in the U.S., or even for our faltering early responses. America rarely gets anything right on the first try. As Winston Churchill reportedly said, You can always count on Americans to do the right thingafter they've tried everything else.

President Trump often says that he saved millions of lives by closing down travel from China. He didnt really close down travel as much as he claims, but what he did was better than nothingand given that he was condemned for it by Biden and many other Democrats he has every right to brag about it. But the move surely didnt save millions of lives. The EU didnt ban air travel from China (or anywhere at all) until mid-March. Theyre doing much better than the U.S. Oh, and Italy closed down travel from China before the U.S. did, how much good did it do them?

The only point to closing borders during a pandemic is to buy yourself some time. We wasted whatever time Trump bought us. When he says he saved millions of lives, it is only to make it sound that were lucky to have lost only 131,544 Americans (as of this writing). Thats a quarter of the global reported COVID-19 deaths. America, the richest country in world, with 4.25 percent of the world population, is punching way above its weight

This chart alone tells the tale:

The romantic pandemic.

In Suicide of the West I argued that perhaps our biggest problem is romanticism. Romanticism is a complicated term because, for even the fairly educated layman, it conjures everything from painting and poetry to Lifetime Movies of the Week. Even Isaiah Berlin, who literally wrote the book on Romanticism, considered offering a clear definition of the term to be a trap.

For our purposes, Romanticism as a philosophical movement was all about the primacy of emotions and feelings, a rebellion against reason and rationalism. Romanticism, Joseph Schumpeter observed, arose almost immediately as a part of the general reaction against the rationalism of the eighteenth century that set in after the revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Hegel described it as absolute inwardness. When Blake wrote, A Robin Red breast in a Cage / Puts all Heaven in a Rage, the cage he had in mind were the coldly scientific rules and codes of the Enlightenment. The hero of Franz Sternbalds romantic novel Wanderings declared: Not these trees, not these mountains do I wish to copy, but my soul, my mood, which governs me just at this moment.

Donald Trump is an amazing example of one form of the romantic spirit. He often says his instincts are more important than expertise and experience. He even recently told Sean Hannity that he always believed talent is more important than experience. He famously explained in a deposition that the best metric for measuring his net worth was how he feels about himself any given morning. (Im not even going to get into the Romantic roots of modern nationalism, including Trumps version of it). His response to the pandemic has been a textbook case of romanticism trumping (no pun intended) reason. The virus will just disappear because he feels that it will. He scorns masks because he feels that wearing one is a sign of weakness.

But our problems are so much greater than Donald Trump. One of Jonathan Haidts Great Untruths is Always Trust Your Feelings.

A word about feelings.

Let me interrupt my extemporaneous diatribe for a moment.

Im okay with telling people Always listen to your feelings because I think your feelings and instincts tell you important things. A lesson I learned too late in life is that fear alone is never a good reason not to do anything. You need to ask yourself why you fear something. Sometimes your fear is well-placed, other times its not. You need to use your intellect to figure out the difference.

Which is to say, theres a difference between trusting and listening, because when you listen you still have the option to say No. Think of all the things youve learned to do or succeeded in doing because you didnt listen to your feelings. Would you have learned to swim? To dive into water? Ride a horse? Pet a dog? Gotten or stayed married? And then theres the problem of bad feelings. Suffice it to say, that if everybody did whatever their feelings told them to do in a particular moment, groin punching would be our national sport (Tonight on ESPN, The Ocho!).

Woe, woe, feelings.

Okay so where was I? Oh right, Haidts Great Untruth. I think so many of our problems these days stem from the fact that Americans, regardless of ideology, trust their feelings too much. If you find yourself throwing punches or having what looks like a nervous breakdown, because a private business asked you to wear a mask during a pandemic, youre listening to your feelings too much. If you think its outrageous to open churches in a pandemic but awesome to occupy City Hallbecause that will end racism or somethingyou should stop trusting your feelings.

More broadly, so many of the policy disputes we have these days seem to have less to do with things like math or experience and more to do with feelings. It just feels like disparities in male-female pay across a wide variety of occupations can be explained solely by sexism. It just feels like we should be able to afford a Green New Deal. It just feels like abolishing the police should work.

I think intellectual honesty requires admitting that people have been saying Go with your gut for a very long time. Even Obi Wan Kenobi said trust your feelings a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (personally given how far away the nearest galaxy is, I always thought the second far was gratuitous). And, I suspect that feelings always played a bigger role in policymaking than we might like to think. I mean, FDR set the price of gold based on what numbers he thought were lucky.

The difference now is that were not just telling people to trust their own feelings. Were creating a worldview that other peoples feelings are sovereign. The intentions of the offender do not matter, only the feelings of the offended. Even when the offenses happened doesnt matter. Five minutes ago or five years, its all the same. An official at Boeing was just forced out of his job for being wrong about something 33 years ago.

Instead of clear rules, rationally conceived and universally applied, the new rules are opaque, emotionally conceived and subjectively applied. If we lived under some fickle absolutist king, who arbitrarily decided what was offensive, outrageous, or even criminal, wed all recognize the illiberalism of it. But when a mob arbitrarily rules the same way, we call it social justice. Its really just the tyranny of feelings.

Various & Sundry

Goldberg update, four-legged and two: I finished writing this from the front passenger seat of the family funwagon barreling toward NYC. Were spending the Fourth with Grandma and Fafoon (Id watch that cop show). The quadrupeds are in good hands with Kirsten and she will be sending proof of life both this weekend and next week when we go to Alaska. Pippa continues to roll sporadically in stygian foulness. Zo continues to make outsized threats to critters. Ralph is warming to me, Gracie remains demanding. And I gotta go.

ICYMI

Last weeks G-File

Last weekends Ruminant

Pull out your Remnant bingo cards, everyone; its time for The Parties Are Weak!

Politics infects everything: NBA Edition

The weeks first Remnant, with return favorite Kevin Williamson

The members-only Midweek Epistle, in which the culture suddenly comes over to my side on the legacy of Woodrow Wilson

My appearance on Dan Crenshaws podcast, Hold These Truths

The weeks second Remnant, with the mellifluous Niall Ferguson

What if we voted like Belgians for a day?

The rest is here:

Isn't It Romantic? - The Dispatch

Those who took the 16 Personalities quiz and come up with the Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging personality traitsareamong the rarest personality types around, making up just 2% of the population.

RELATED:Pokmon: Which Eeveelution Should You Pick For Your Zodiac?

The Myers-Briggs INTJ personality type is associated with some of the most capable people, acting as an enigma to all who think they know them. People with this personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, curious but focused. They love applying creativity and rationality to everything they do, working to the beat of their own private, complex inner minds. Heres an INTJs perfect Pokmon team, based on their personality type.

This Pokmons brain constantly grows, multiplying an infinite number of brain cells. This means Alakazam is one of the smartest Pokmon in the world, with an IQ that is said to be around 5,000.

INTJs approach life like a chessboard, always planning every move with precise consideration for the consequences. This personality type frequently outsmarts their opponents and peers, achieving any analytical goal they put their minds to. INTJs are also quick and imaginative, utilizing their strategic mind to improve their knowledge and plan for unforeseen abilities. They are the human equivalent of the move Future Sight, which makes Alakazam a perfect fit for this Trainer.

Alakazam is also said to remember and foresee everything that ever happens in history, as confirmed by the Pokmon Mystery Dungeon series. This ability will play to an INTJs highly curious nature, allowing them to see things from many different angles.

INTJs are often called the Architechs of society, referring to their hard-working and determined nature. They get stuff done, and they get it done well. If something takes their interest, they will see it through to the end, often putting in long hours and intense effort. The burly Machoke might seem like a contrast to the psychic strength of Alakazam, but this juxtaposition perfectly encapsulates the two sides of an INTJ.

INTJs are goal-oriented and if tasks lead to something clear and relevant, they strive to accomplish those tasks. If players pick up a copy of Pokmon Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald, they will be able to see a team of Machoke helping the player move into the Littleroot, which sums this personality type up perfectly.

Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Pokmon created by science. If players read the records found in Cinnabar Island's Pokmon Mansion, they can learn some details about the origins of Mewtwo, which somewhat explain its arrogant, vicious, and judgemental nature.

Born from a pregnant Mew, Mewtwo was restrained and analyzed in the Mansion, where evil scientists conducted gene-splicing experiments that eventually led to thePokmon destroying the Mansion and escaping. The experiments made Mewtwo extremely vicious, with a powerful disdain towards humanity.

RELATED:Pokmon: The 5 Best Legendary Groups (& 3 The Worst)

Its common to see an INTJ taking their confidence too far, believing that intelligence is what determines another persons worth. They sometimes believe that their analytical abilities set them apart from everyone else, which can come across as arrogant. This superiority complex is similar to Mewtwos, who believes they are the strongest Pokmon in existence.

INTJs also have complete confidence in their thought processes, which often leads to them rejecting other peoples opinions. Rational arguments are almost by definition correct, Mewtwo really probably is the strongest Pokmon in existence. However, emotional considerations led to Ash and Pikachu defeating Mewtwo in the anime. In a heartbreaking scene that scarred an entire generation, Ash sacrifices himself to stop Mew and Mewtwos battle. Illogical, yes, but it worked.

Ashs Charizard in the anime is renowned for originally loathing highly structured environments, breaking the rules, and ignoring Ashs commands whenever he could. This obstreperous nature is indicative of INTJs, who hate blindly followinganythingwithout first fully understanding why.

This dislike for authority is not nearly as strong as their dislike for authority figures who go around forcing others to obey laws and rules if they dont understand the purpose of the standard themselves. Power-hungry individuals should stay well clear of an INTJ, for their sake.

Charizards independence epitomizes an INTJs creativity, logic, and confidence. Ashs Charizard isnt afraid to stand on their own and take responsibility for their actions if he believes Ashs commands are wrong or irrational.

This Pokmon is the epitome of high self-confidence its glare can halt its opponent's movement in their tracks. INTJs trust their rationalism more than anything else so when they decide on something theres very little reason to doubt it. They will hold their ground and refuse to hold back.

RELATED:Pokmon: Which Grass-Type Are You, Based On Your D&D Alignment?

This honest, direct style of communication plays into their overly analytical personality. Serperiors noble stance channels the same vibe as an INTJs critical tone and their high level of picky thoroughness when dealing with others. Its a shame Serperior cant learn Mean Look to stop everyone except for extremely loyal and understanding friends, from fleeing.

This powerful Psychic/Fairy-type Pokmon is the embodiment of an INTJs open-mindedness, as long as the points are argued well. Gardevoir is also a Jacks-of-all-Trades, much like an INTJ, boasting impressive base stats and a powerful bond with its trainer, whom it will protect with its life.

If this Pokmon focuses its training on maximizing Special Attack and Speed to invest in its offensive capabilities, it can protect Alakazam from troublesome Dark-types with access to Moonbeam and healing moves like Healing Wish. Because of an INTJs open-mindedness, willpower, independence, confidence, and planning abilities, this Psychic-type Pokmon is a must for any INTJ team line-up.

NEXT: Which Pokmon Starter Suits You Best Based On Your Zodiac Type?

Next Pokmon: The 5 Ugliest Grass-Type Pokmon (& The 5 Cutest)

Sara Heritage is a freelance journalist for The Gamer. She is a First Class Honours graduate in Television and Radio from the University of Salford. You can find her searching for Raymond in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and looking forward to the day where she can get an irl cat of her very own.

More here:

Pokmon: The Perfect Party For An INTJ | TheGamer - TheGamer