Mr Nobody

On Star Wars, the Last Jedi

From a letter to a friend. Normally these movies are fairly good, but I think this one leans too heavily on commentary on other stuff, current films and feelings and criticism, which will date it ultimately (compared to the others). I don’t think the most recent SW films will have the forty year staying powerContinue reading “On Star Wars, the Last Jedi”

Warning, spicy meatball: in defense of oral sex

Spicy meatball warning!!! Explicit content. I just can’t be bothered with innuendo or euphemisms, so I’m just going to be radically explicit. This is actually a heavily edited version of the original. So if you’re easily shocked, imagine the first draft. The rest of the world is shoving a cheap and shallow, explicit version ofContinue reading “Warning, spicy meatball: in defense of oral sex”

Why evolution is hard for average people to swallow

I think the primary objection many people have to the theory of evolution isn’t the process itself or its vast time scales. It’s the attendant philosophy. One of the core tenants of evolutionary theory is that it has no intended goal, no purpose, no design in mind, no ends. It is an undirected process aimedContinue reading “Why evolution is hard for average people to swallow”

Balancing sin and grace

Buddhism preaches a gospel of the cessation of pain. And its techniques, including meditation, contemplation, and letting go have a lot of value. And there are many other philosophical and psychological systems that are also focused on freeing your mind from the pain and burdens of the world, our guilt and fear and sadness. TheyContinue reading “Balancing sin and grace “

Why are men obvious and women opaque?

There is a small matter that works at my thoughts, demanding attention. Obviously, the way we approach our need for one another can and has resulted in some terrible abuses. Because it’s such a powerful fundamental aspect of our identities, because it’s so tied to our life and survival as a species, its a prettyContinue reading “Why are men obvious and women opaque? “

How should we regulate sex?

It’s a difficult subject to tackle, how we should approach sex. Sex, both as an identity and as as an activity, I mean. Yes, societies have done various things throughout history, but generally they’ve let instinct and necessity dictate the terms. And on the side, once they’ve paid tribute to what need to be doneContinue reading “How should we regulate sex?”

On confession and absolution as a therapeutic technique

The confession of sin, followed by the acceptance of absolution, is a very sophisticated therapeutic technique. We face our shadow, affirm our inner monster (to use some Jungian terms), and we receive forgiveness (we affirm our inner light, our divinity). We gain knowledge but also gain the means to not be trapped by that knowledge.Continue reading “On confession and absolution as a therapeutic technique”

What is romance?

Friendship is the enjoyment of lives lived in parallel. Romance is the desire to unite your story with someone else’s. We enjoy drama and excitement and a sense of occasion in that unity, we want it to have a sense of occasion. There’s a delight in the ritual and in performing the rites of significance.Continue reading “What is romance?”

Tricky modern terms

The tricky thing about using terms like “marginalized” or “disenfranchised” to describe certain groups of people who aren’t doing as well as some other people, is that it ends a discussion that perhaps needed to be had before the current discussion could even begin. By labeling them as marginalized or victimized or disenfranchised, you’ve alreadyContinue reading “Tricky modern terms”