C.S. Lewis, in a passage I can’t now find, comments that there ‘surprisingness’ is a different thing from ‘being a surprise’. The latter is simply a question of reaction; it’s subjective and, by its nature, can only come once. But ‘surprisingness’ is a quality in the thing itself, the quality of being so structured as … Continue reading Surprisingness
Thoughts
Thoughts on ‘Sing 2’
I liked Sing a lot more than I expected, and in fact found that it only got better upon reflection. So, naturally, I decided to check out the sequel to see if they managed to keep to the same level of quality. Honestly, this one's even better. Some time after the events of the first … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Sing 2’
Friday Flotsam: Another Odd Fact, Villains, and Agatha Christie Quotes
1. An odd rollercoaster of a week; I had some days of great consolation and happy productivity, and others of intense depression and extreme lethargy, where I simply could not seem to get anything done. At the moment I’m mostly okay, but yeesh, I really feel the need of a change. 2. Got into an … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Another Odd Fact, Villains, and Agatha Christie Quotes
Sunday Thoughts: On Humility
I think one of the biggest challenges in religion that we face today is getting into the subordinate mindset. At least I find it so. Between science and liberalism, we're used to standing in an ostensibly superior position, where our judgment and our opinions are what really matter. We expect to be able to 'see … Continue reading Sunday Thoughts: On Humility
Thoughts on ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’
2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog was a lot better than it really had any right to be, borne along on a tide of audience good-will, easy-going charm, and a fun throw-back performance by Jim Carrey. I was pleased with it and looking forward to the promised sequel. Well, now I’ve seen the sequel (actually, I saw … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’
Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
1. Had a car accident last weekend. No one hurt, thank God, and really not more than a fender-bender. Only, my fenders ended up much less bent than the other guy’s (he hit me, but no one really at fault; just a bad situation involving merging and unexpectedly stopped traffic), so I felt bad about … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
Standard of Living
"The standard of living has never been higher." You hear this a lot, especially from conservatives. The average person has never been wealthier, never has lived longer, never has had so many conveniences and so few dangers. His jobs and homes are more comfortable. He has access to high-quality medical care. The poorest of the … Continue reading Standard of Living
Reflections: First Principles
Note: I've been toying with the idea of putting together a series of essays of my worldview and thoughts on different subjects. Partly as a way of working them out myself, and partly just for the interest. Below is a draft of the first installment. No one starts from first principles when developing a worldview; … Continue reading Reflections: First Principles
Friday Flotsam: Psych Days, Recreation, ‘The Living Shadow’, and an Interesting Fact
1. One thing I would recommend to any fellow sufferers from depression or related problems is not to be ashamed to occasionally take off ‘psych days’ to try to recoup yourself, especially if your job is a source of strain and unhappiness (which, I may be cynical, but I think most jobs these days are). … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Psych Days, Recreation, ‘The Living Shadow’, and an Interesting Fact
Thoughts on ‘Flatland’
You have almost certainly never read a novel like Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott (under the name ‘A. Square’). It depicts a two-dimensional world, and the narrator’s experience of being granted visions of other dimensions. About two-thirds of the book consists in simply describing the nature and some of the … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Flatland’
Serpent's Den 