My latest piece is up on Catholic Match, wherein I advise people to get into fights: Our Lord says, “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Unfortunately, we have a tendency to confuse ‘peace’ with simply the avoidance of conflict. But there are two ways people avoid conflict; the first is … Continue reading Catholic Match Piece on Why Fighting is Good For You
Thoughts
Realist Catholic Climate Declaration
WM Briggs, Statistician to the Stars, presents the second draft of what a Catholic Declaration on Climate ought to look like. Short, sweet, and to point: The Magisterium of the Catholic Church has no, and should not have, an official position on the earth’s optimal atmospheric mean temperature, nor on the best rate of change of … Continue reading Realist Catholic Climate Declaration
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘How to Keep a Job’
Since I've been preoccupied with job-hunting and related issues lately, I thought this week we'd take a look at Coronet's (yep, them again) film on How to Keep a Job. Meet Ed, an 'ambitious' young man who is laid off from his current job and sets about applying for another one. At his interview, he proceeds … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘How to Keep a Job’
Talking Dying Franchises at ‘The Federalist’
First article in a while is up on The Federalist, talking about why dying franchises matter: The imaginative power of Star Wars’s IP has been systematically stripped away into a confused and contradictory mess loaded down with contemporary politics. The simple, yet rich story of the originals (and even of the prequels, for all their faults) … Continue reading Talking Dying Franchises at ‘The Federalist’
Whistling for Dogs at the Everyman
This week at The Everyman, I discuss the 'Dog Whistle' trope: For instance, if a candidate talks about ‘States’ Rights,’ that is a signal to white supremacists that he’s secretly in favor of bringing back segregation, because back in the day segregation was partially justified on the basis of ‘States’ Rights.’ Therefore, any mention of … Continue reading Whistling for Dogs at the Everyman
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Welcome Back, Norman’
For this week, we have the introduction to one of Rifftrax's most, ah, 'beloved' figures: the one and only Norman Krasner. The best way I can describe the Norman films (of which four have emerged so far) is "Imagine an American take on 'Mr. Bean,' as written by Jean-Paul Sartre." They're about the misadventures of … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Welcome Back, Norman’
CM Post on Breaking the Rules
My latest Catholic Match post is up, wherein I advise people to break the rules in dating: You are a unique soul. The person on the other end of the screen is likewise unique. You are both looking for someone who might be the One. There’s no formula for that; no system, no instructions, no … Continue reading CM Post on Breaking the Rules
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘The Myths of Shoplifting’
This week's offering takes us back to the affluent, synthesized world of the 1980s to learn the truth behind common misconceptions of shoplifting. Like most of these shorts, it's actually makes a pretty good point, though while being melodramatic and heavy-handed, which makes for a good combination for the Rifftrax crew. The short depicts a … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘The Myths of Shoplifting’
Talking Strength at Catholic Match
Here's one that was percolating in my mind for a while before I was able to put it up; discussing the concept of strength, some reasons men should seek to acquire it, and, as a byproduct, the contemporary tendency to prioritize comfortably ambiguous ideas of 'inner strength' over, you know, the kind you can't fake. … Continue reading Talking Strength at Catholic Match
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Courtesy: A Good Eggsample’
So, let's do one from the 'completely insane' school of educational shorts. This one is well-summed up by Kevin right out of the gate as "Batman villain Egghead's brief foray into educational films." That actually would make a lot more sense than the idea that this was seriously intended as an educational film. Basically, it's … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Courtesy: A Good Eggsample’
Serpent's Den 