In my last post I went through the cultural developments that led to the basis of our modern understanding of authority detailing the historical shift in religious and political viewpoints. Eventually we have come to understand in the modern context a delegated authority that tends to come from the will of the majority of individuals rather than the historical notion of a top-down delegation. Historically the factions that have understood a more top-down delegation were...
In every one of my friendships there comes that one moment. That one moment when they find out I’m a hip-hop fan. It’s actually more than fandom. It’s probably closer to obsession. Most people don’t expect it. I’m pale and have red hair. I study theology and have an intense love of all things sci-fi. I was homeschooled from first grade until I graduated high school, and I grew up in conservative evangelical churches in...
Since the twentieth century, no topic has shaped the philosophical conversations more than the question of authority. It is not that the topic wasn’t brought up previously, certainly the Reformation and the Revolutions in America and France centered on the topic, but the fervor with which the debate raged in academic circles during the twentieth century (and 21st for that matter) is unique in the course of the Great Conversation. There are probably two reasons...
Megadeth has recently released their fourteenth album, Super Collider. An event like this is a big deal for me because Megadeth is my all-time favorite band. I’ve seen them live three times; I even caught both a guitar pick and an arm band from Dave Mustiane at one show. Classic metal is my staple when it comes to music, and Megadeth has been far more consistent than any other metal band in creating solid music. For...
I’m still stunned. . . Tim Lambesis, the frontman for one of my favorite metal bands, As I Lay Dying, was arrested on May 7th for soliciting a hitman to kill his wife, though the hitman was actually an undercover detective. Last week Lambesis was released (May 30th) on $2 Million bail. He has another hearing on June 10 and could face up to 9 years in Prison. Lambesis has pleaded not guilty; his lawyer said that steroids clouded...
Let me begin with a bit of full disclosure. I’m black. My wife is white. And we’re going to have our first child this summer. This commercial obviously hits close to home. That being said, the following post about the Cheerios commercial is, surprisingly, not going to be about race or the ensuing “shitstorm” it’s causing online. If you haven’t already heard, the commercial shows a biracial child asking her white mother a question and...
This past Saturday was Day One of the online conference that I had been co-organizing with some of my officemates from St Andrews. It was both exhausting and exhilarating. Because it was designed to be an international conference, my day began at 6am local time in California and ended at 4pm local time. During this time period I heard papers presented live from South Korea, Australia, Scotland, Canada, Arizona, Michigan, Maryland and Texas. And all...
Being socially conscious is hip. In the past few years social media has made advocating a particular cause convenient and, dare I say, prestigious. Need proof? Scroll through your Facebook friends and see how many of their profile pictures include the pink equals sign on a red background for marriage equality, an image with a red “X” marked on the back of the hand, or perhaps a face with red tape over the mouth. Perhaps you or...
This week as I was perusing my Facebook news-feed the following quote surfaced: “Humans motivated by lofty ideals are capable of inflicting great suffering with a clear conscience.” – Paul Hollander The concept intrigued me, but I was immediately curious about the original object of Hollander’s critique. Is he interested in the effects of “lofty ideals” as such, or was there something more particular that he had in mind? I was interested to find that in its...
My friend Adria Murphy writes for me this week, with thoughts on materialism, treasure, and the wisdom of Wendell Berry: The jewelry store in my mother’s neighborhood was going out of business. Sale prices intended to empty the shop of its shining inventory, handwritten on construction paper, obstructed our view of the otherwise impeccably clean display cases. The contents of the cases were simple, classic, and costly. Sapphire stud earrings and delicate diamond tennis bracelets–tasteful,...
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