Notices by M. Grégoire (mpjgregoire@mastodon.club), page 25

@DialMforMara @gemlog @Canageek
Let me make my objection to "Progressive" as a political label more concrete. Consider free trade.

Le crucifix a été retiré du Salon bleu | ICI Radio-Canada.ca
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1216308/crucifix-retrait-salon-bleu-assemblee-nationale

#qcpol
#religion #laïcité

@fitheach Is it true there are no trees in the Highlands?

@interneteh @noelle @Eramdam Let's throw them in jail when they commit crimes.

@ink_slinger When I see things like that, my suspicion is that there's some ideological pre-commitment, and people don't want to let reality disrupt their beliefs.

We all do this to some extent...

#Ideology

This is probably good advice for how to teach your children to read; I trust Prof. McWhorter.

Less useful, but very interesting, is to realise that according the article, research has identified a successful teaching technique, but there is wide opposition to putting it into practice. Why do schools resist #phonics instruction?

Phonics, Not Whole Word, Is Best for Teaching Reading - The Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/phonics-not-whole-word-best-teaching-reading/591127/

#JohnMcWhorter #reading

@puffinus_puffinus @GreenandBlack I'd also like to discuss.

@georgieboy @checkervest Oh, in my household we install Netflix periodically when there's something specific to be watched, and then cancel the subscription. Right now it's not installed. I'll try this out next time, and if it works then maybe we'll maintain the subscription.

Not much free time for me these days anyway: I have young children.

@georgieboy Adolph #Coors, John #Labatt, Adolphus Busch and Arthur #Guinness walk into a bar. "Give me a Coors," says Adolph. "A Blue, please," says John. "I'll have a Bud," says Adolphus. "And water for me," says Arthur.

Concerned, the first three ask Guinness what's wrong. Aren't you feeling all right?

"Well," says Arthur, "I saw that you three weren't drinking #beer, so I thought I'd abstain as well."

@dredmorbius Alas, if we offer our help or compassion, they are likely only to become more upset.

IRL, maybe one could slip the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius under the door...

@georgieboy @checkervest Thanks so much! That's tremendously useful (at least if it works in Canada).

#Netflix

@dredmorbius Some people seem to be angry all the time; I see them on social media, though I've never met someone like that in real life. How do they avoid burning themselves out, I wonder?

@gemlog @Canageek No, I'm not sure what the right word would be for the policies of Bernie Sanders either; it's not really full socialism, but it does seem to head in that direction w.r.t. the US status quo.

On the other hand, I've always disliked "progressivism", with its implicit idea that society has one direction in which it is supposed to go. Isn't it obvious that society mostly passes through cycles, and that often the trend is to new and bad?