Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Pigeon
“Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the bird is going to shit on the board and strut around like it won anyway.” - Shannon L. Alder
Amathia
Amathia - "Unlike simple ignorance (agnoia), which is an empty space or lack of exposure that can be cured with a book or an experience, amathia is a conscious choice to reject evidence and resist correction."
"Instead of using intelligence to seek truth, an amathic person uses their intellect and knowledge as a tool to defend existing beliefs, egos, or tribes."
"Socrates viewed amathia as a primary moral and intellectual failure—and the most dangerous form of ignorance—because the individual smugly believes they already know enough and refuses to recognize their own limits."
"Stoic philosophers like Epictetus regarded amathia as a core source of human error and evil, born out of poor character, pride, and ideological rigidity rather than a lack of mental capacity."
"Instead of using intelligence to seek truth, an amathic person uses their intellect and knowledge as a tool to defend existing beliefs, egos, or tribes."
"Socrates viewed amathia as a primary moral and intellectual failure—and the most dangerous form of ignorance—because the individual smugly believes they already know enough and refuses to recognize their own limits."
"Stoic philosophers like Epictetus regarded amathia as a core source of human error and evil, born out of poor character, pride, and ideological rigidity rather than a lack of mental capacity."
Wičháŋpi Wóyute
Medium: Star Feeding: A Native American Ritual for Adoption’s Deepest Wound
"Lakota healers understood something modern therapy still struggles to grasp. A wound kept inside grows. It does the opposite of heal: it multiplies. A wound kept inside shapes everything around it like a seed planted in the center of a life."
Monday, October 26, 2026
'Ye Soldier's Tale'
My other brand new solo classical guitar release, 'Ye Soldier's Tale' is music written during the Renaissance music era.
Sunrise
I go out for an early morning walk on most days, and this was sunrise today, Monday morning. It's rather beautiful.
Why
I asked AI Gemini for five reasons why some people want other people to fail.
AI Gemini:
It is a sobering aspect of human nature that someone else's success can sometimes trigger a desire to see them stumble. When people root for others to fail, it is rarely about the person who might fall; instead, it is almost always a reflection of the observer's own internal struggles, insecurities, or worldview.
Here are five solid psychological reasons why some people want others to fail:
1. Relative Deprivation and Insecurity
Human beings have a strong, often subconscious habit of evaluating their own worth and success through social comparison. When someone close to them achieves a major milestone, it can involuntarily highlight the observer's perceived shortcomings or lack of progress. Rather than putting in the difficult work to elevate themselves, wishing for the other person to fail is a psychological defense mechanism that narrows the gap, making the insecure person feel temporarily equal or safe from inadequacy.
2. Protection of the Ego and Self-Image
Witnessing a peer succeed can feel threatening to an individual's self-esteem, particularly if they operate under a rigid, zero-sum mindset—the belief that the world has a strictly limited amount of success, happiness, or status to go around. In this view, someone else's win feels like a personal loss. Hoping for a downfall is an attempt to protect the ego from having to confront uncomfortable questions about one's own ambition, talent, or effort.
3. Resentment Over Perceived Unfairness
Sometimes, the root is a sense of grievance—whether justified or distorted. If an individual believes that someone else achieved success through luck, favoritism, or unethical shortcuts rather than merit, bitterness can take root. The desire for that person to fail becomes a craving for cosmic justice or karma, where the observer hopes the universe will correct what they perceive as an unfair imbalance.
4. Schadenfreude and the Relief of Pressure
Schadenfreude—experiencing pleasure or satisfaction at another's misfortune—often flares up in highly competitive environments. When someone who appears competent, confident, or constantly successful makes a mistake or fails, it humanizes them and relieves the intense social pressure others might feel to measure up. Seeing an "overachiever" fall can provide a temporary, comforting release from the anxiety of competition.
5. Misery Loves Company
People who are profoundly unhappy, stagnant, or unfulfilled in their own lives often struggle to witness genuine joy or thriving in others. Success acts as a mirror reflecting their own dissatisfaction, which can breed quiet resentment. In these cases, wanting someone else to fail is driven by a desire for uniformity—if everyone else is struggling or grounded too, the unhappy person feels less isolated in their misery.
AI Gemini:
It is a sobering aspect of human nature that someone else's success can sometimes trigger a desire to see them stumble. When people root for others to fail, it is rarely about the person who might fall; instead, it is almost always a reflection of the observer's own internal struggles, insecurities, or worldview.
Here are five solid psychological reasons why some people want others to fail:
1. Relative Deprivation and Insecurity
Human beings have a strong, often subconscious habit of evaluating their own worth and success through social comparison. When someone close to them achieves a major milestone, it can involuntarily highlight the observer's perceived shortcomings or lack of progress. Rather than putting in the difficult work to elevate themselves, wishing for the other person to fail is a psychological defense mechanism that narrows the gap, making the insecure person feel temporarily equal or safe from inadequacy.
2. Protection of the Ego and Self-Image
Witnessing a peer succeed can feel threatening to an individual's self-esteem, particularly if they operate under a rigid, zero-sum mindset—the belief that the world has a strictly limited amount of success, happiness, or status to go around. In this view, someone else's win feels like a personal loss. Hoping for a downfall is an attempt to protect the ego from having to confront uncomfortable questions about one's own ambition, talent, or effort.
3. Resentment Over Perceived Unfairness
Sometimes, the root is a sense of grievance—whether justified or distorted. If an individual believes that someone else achieved success through luck, favoritism, or unethical shortcuts rather than merit, bitterness can take root. The desire for that person to fail becomes a craving for cosmic justice or karma, where the observer hopes the universe will correct what they perceive as an unfair imbalance.
4. Schadenfreude and the Relief of Pressure
Schadenfreude—experiencing pleasure or satisfaction at another's misfortune—often flares up in highly competitive environments. When someone who appears competent, confident, or constantly successful makes a mistake or fails, it humanizes them and relieves the intense social pressure others might feel to measure up. Seeing an "overachiever" fall can provide a temporary, comforting release from the anxiety of competition.
5. Misery Loves Company
People who are profoundly unhappy, stagnant, or unfulfilled in their own lives often struggle to witness genuine joy or thriving in others. Success acts as a mirror reflecting their own dissatisfaction, which can breed quiet resentment. In these cases, wanting someone else to fail is driven by a desire for uniformity—if everyone else is struggling or grounded too, the unhappy person feels less isolated in their misery.
Friday, October 23, 2026
'La Volta'
I've got a brand new solo classical guitar track out today. La Volta is a dance from around 1600. I hope you enjoy it.
Kennedy
"One person can make a difference, and everyone should try."
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
"Persons are judged to be great because of the positive qualities they possess, not because of the absence of faults."
All quotes by John F. Kennedy
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
"Persons are judged to be great because of the positive qualities they possess, not because of the absence of faults."
All quotes by John F. Kennedy
Life
From AI Gemini:
The 1946 film 'It's a Wonderful Life' with Jimmy Stewart, was scrutinized by the FBI during the Red Scare in the late 1940s, though it was never formally or officially banned or denounced by the bureau as an institution.
The background to this unusual piece of cinematic history involves a few key elements:
- The Context: Following World War II, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) launched a sweeping campaign to root out alleged communist subversion and propaganda in Hollywood.
- The Informant's Report: As part of this effort, FBI agents and informants reviewed numerous films. An internal 1947 memo recorded the opinion of a studio source/informant who claimed that Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life contained "communist tendencies".
- The "Subversive" Logic: The rationale behind the suspicion sounds absurd in hindsight. The bureau's notes argued that the film attempted to subtly malign the capitalist system by portraying the wealthy banker, Mr. Potter, as a cruel, grasping villain. Investigators also worried that highlighting the struggles of the "common man" and pitting a small cooperative building-and-loan association against a wealthy corporate titan could foster anti-capitalist sentiment.
- The Outcome: While the FBI logged these concerns and shared information with HUAC, the committee ultimately chose not to take action against the film’s director or writers. Despite the paranoia of the era, the movie was never suppressed and went on to become one of the most beloved holiday classics in American history.
The 1946 film 'It's a Wonderful Life' with Jimmy Stewart, was scrutinized by the FBI during the Red Scare in the late 1940s, though it was never formally or officially banned or denounced by the bureau as an institution.
The background to this unusual piece of cinematic history involves a few key elements:
- The Context: Following World War II, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) launched a sweeping campaign to root out alleged communist subversion and propaganda in Hollywood.
- The Informant's Report: As part of this effort, FBI agents and informants reviewed numerous films. An internal 1947 memo recorded the opinion of a studio source/informant who claimed that Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life contained "communist tendencies".
- The "Subversive" Logic: The rationale behind the suspicion sounds absurd in hindsight. The bureau's notes argued that the film attempted to subtly malign the capitalist system by portraying the wealthy banker, Mr. Potter, as a cruel, grasping villain. Investigators also worried that highlighting the struggles of the "common man" and pitting a small cooperative building-and-loan association against a wealthy corporate titan could foster anti-capitalist sentiment.
- The Outcome: While the FBI logged these concerns and shared information with HUAC, the committee ultimately chose not to take action against the film’s director or writers. Despite the paranoia of the era, the movie was never suppressed and went on to become one of the most beloved holiday classics in American history.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
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