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A thought experiment: Person L is a left wing random citizen who thinks of himself as a science oriented progressive/humanist and believes we should wear masks. Person R is a right wing public figure who thinks covid is something close to a hoax and no reason to change behavior. [more inside]
posted by Kevin S at 11:45 AM - 40 answers

Seeking a quote to the extent of, "a man is most himself in his private company" or "the truth of a man's worth can be seen in his private actions"? [more inside]
posted by Wichienmaat at 12:46 PM - 8 answers

A Facebook post has been making the rounds lately, and I'm trying to determine the actual origin of a quote that's being attributed to Baruch Spinoza. [more inside]
posted by akk2014 at 11:19 AM - 8 answers

I have a strange nook in my bedroom that I decided to put my meditation cushion in for sitting practice. Here is a picture of the nook in question. How can I make this space extraordinarily pleasant and conducive to meditation practice? [more inside]
posted by vocativecase at 9:33 PM - 22 answers

Pretty sure I read an article about this. I mean literal large wooden wheels, in I think medieval churches? Maybe later. Maybe not called wheels of fortune. Definitely don't mean wheel-like rose windows or drawings of wheels, which are the main things that come up when I search for this.
posted by lgyre at 8:22 PM - 11 answers

Like so many people, I put a lot of pressure on myself and beat myself up for mistakes. I'm trying to remember things like: failure is human, no flower blooms in all seasons, nobody's perfect, etc. Also, I'm a very visual thinker. At the suggestion of my coach, I would love a piece of art to hang by my mirror to remind me to be kind to myself. It can have words or not. (I have a reminder on my fridge to breathe, it is this print and it's great.) Looking forward to any suggestions!
posted by Threeve at 10:39 AM - 11 answers

Hi, AskMe. I ran into a particularly frustrating argument today in the context of my game accessibility work and would love to know how folks respond to it. Details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 7:15 PM - 22 answers

What scenario makes it okay for God to create a world like ours? I'm looking to hear from people who have found a way to live in this strange world and still maintain hope in a good God (specifically concerned with evolution and the problem of natural evil, earthquakes, disease, predation, etc.) [more inside]
posted by ygmiaa at 4:43 PM - 29 answers

Can you point me to a good book on the history and establishment of the four Marian dogmas of Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, the Assumption, and being Mother of God? (Or maybe four books?) [more inside]
posted by kensington314 at 2:09 PM - 4 answers

I've just read some of Camus, the Myth of Sisyphus. I like what he said about nature and beauty ... [more inside]
posted by falsedmitri at 3:39 PM - 2 answers

Have you ever lost your identity? How did you recover it or rediscover who you are? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:44 AM - 10 answers

Maybe 4-6 months ago someone left a comment on the blue that linked to a really interesting discussion about the historical practice of Roman religion. It discussed, among other things, the separation between personal or local gods, and the state gods which required larger state sacrifices. The website has a dark red background. I'd love to find it again but it's long gone from my internet history.
posted by Naib at 5:10 AM - 1 answers

I'm looking for the source of a quote that refers to "a unity vaguely comprehended." Someone mentioned that the source might be Joseph Keppler but that's not for sure. Any help?
posted by captainscared at 3:40 PM - 2 answers

I live in the US, in a state where infection rates are increasing. My school district has made it clear that we are expected to teach in-person this fall, and they are taking a few inexpensive safety precautions. My friend thinks I'm a jerk for quitting. Am I? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:52 AM - 56 answers

It seems pretty common in metaphysical/new age/to some extent even psychotherapy type environments. The basic idea is that doing what you want is actually good for everyone, because mostly we all just want to survive, be healthy, have friends, live in safe, functional communities where other people also have their needs met, etc. So the goals aren't that morally unusual, but the idea that we will get to this point by pursuing self-interested desires, without any specific moral framework, is what's somewhat unique about it. [more inside]
posted by lgyre at 6:53 PM - 21 answers

I recently had a handful of plant medicine experiences that have me wanting to explore some spiritual ideas, but I'm overwhelmed at the places to start. I'm looking for some writings or other resources that might explain the ideas I've encountered. Ideas include: Ancient Memories, Experiences outside of time and space, generational trauma, astrology, tobacco, and Ram Dass [more inside]
posted by jander03 at 1:16 PM - 4 answers

I'm working on a piece of writing about how a particular industry needs to have a values shift. I had thought about opening it with the well-known anecdote "two wolves fighting" anecdote, where the moral is that the one that wins is the one you feed. But when I went to look up origins, turns out it's a piece of evangelical glurge that gets passed off as a "Native American" story. I don't want any of the associations of that on my piece. So, do you know of another short anecdote with a similar moral - that you need to make a choice about which values to invest in? Thanks for your help.
posted by Miko at 2:43 PM - 13 answers

Trying to ID an SF novel that I probably read around 82 or 83 and probably got from the Yongsan Army Library in Seoul, Korea. Very sure it was SF, and possibly dystopian or post-apocalyptic but not certain. All I really remember is one idea about people being paid for work based on a set of various factors. [more inside]
posted by Awfki at 6:05 AM - 7 answers

I am looking to boost my appreciation for the magic of the world. Specifically, myths and magic and make believe that are tied to a sense of place and a sense of history, and foster my personal feelings of belonging in the world. Examples of what does this for me: American Gods and Neverwhere, Little, Big by John Crowley, Robin Wall Kimmerer, a friend's Beltane celebration. Things that don't work for me include astrology, tarot, and personal rituals, but are in the right vein. More specifications below the fold: [more inside]
posted by Grandysaur at 3:45 PM - 25 answers

With the world as it is, and synagogues around the world live-streaming, I thought I'd explore some interesting bits of the Jewish world that I wouldn't normally have access to... [more inside]
posted by spbmp at 4:29 PM - 6 answers