This date – Wednesday, July 12, 2017 – has been designated by several organizations as a “National Day of Action” regarding the future of the Internet. A large number of websites and companies have planned a protest against the attempts by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to undercut the current Internet freedom we enjoy. The issue is what most of us know as “net neutrality”. (more…)
…Say Something
We expect the ordinary. As much as we crave excitement and thrills, as much as we would love to live on a steady diet of novelty, we usually assume nothing special will happen in our lives. All those controversies we read about happen to other people—until they happen to us. Those of us in lower Manhattan on the morning of September 11th, 2001 certainly have had a change of heart on this matter. Some of us—including some of us in the seekingGood collective—hold positions “inside” various government, educational and financial organizations in which all kinds of things could occur. These potential events include a variety of nefarious machinations that should be brought to the light of public scrutiny.
ProPublica, one of the best, most respected investigative journalism organizations, has done much to shine a light on shady dealings in various corners of society. They have provided specific methods so we can anonymously submit to them anything we might uncover.
So if you see something…
A New Normal
Have you ever heard the phrase “defining deviancy downward”? In the early 90’s, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan sparked controversy by using this phrase to address what he and others believed was a devolution of our socio-cultural standards. Essentially, Moynihan suggested that we were allowing behaviors previously defined as “deviant” to become accepted as “normal” behavior. He suggested that American society was beginning to accept what was previously unacceptable. In a May 23rd video, Robert Reich describes various facets of contemporary instances of what he sees as defining deviancy downward, a devolution that is occurring right before our eyes.
As always, this seekingGood blog encourages you to think for yourself. Better yet, do some research to expand your knowledge of this issue of devolving values. Perhaps you do not agree with these ideas at all. Especially if you do agree, you might want to take a look at a dissenting view which appeared in a 1994 edition of Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture.
Robert Reich is an American political commentator, professor, and author. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997. If you find this video interesting, you might want to check out Professor Reich’s YouTube channel for frequent videos of this kind, posted under the name ResistancE is FertilE.
NOTE: This video was originally posted on YouTube on May 23rd, 2017. Mr. Reich makes references to what were then “current” events.
Monitoring News Bias
You want to know the “truth”, right? As such, surely you spread your reading across news sources of varying political perspectives, right? One can only hope your quest for truth is, indeed a quest and not self-administered salve to soothe intra-psychic fears about your future and the future well-being of those you hold dear. “Truth” is larger than that.
Should you venture into the wild, attempting to get differing perspectives on current events, how can you know if what you are reading is valid? If understanding the political leaning of any given site is important to you, check out Media Bias / Fact Check.
Seeking Good 