I've been thinking lately, in light of our political economic situation in the US, about a phenomenon that somehow insinuated itself into the American culture when I was a relatively young person, say 35 or so. The self-esteem of our children became, gradually probably, of paramount importance in all contexts--home, school, social, religious, athletic, whatever. It became increasingly impermissible to do anything that anyone could conceive might have a negative impact on our children's self-esteem. Do you remember this phenomenon? Is it still in play among young families?
At any rate, we taught our children that sporting events were not competitions, but instead were opportunities to try hard and to do our best, however feeble that might be; to not worry about winning/losing, but to enjoy the activity. At the end, no matter who won or lost, everybody was a winner. Everybody got a ribbon, or a trophy (of cheap gilded plastic), a pat on the back, an attaboy. And so we lost our ability, and failed to teach our children the ability, to distinguish quality from a lack thereof. Everything was equally valuable and laudable. I believe this phenomenon had a lot to do with the "dumbing-down" of our educational system. After all, we wouldn't want a student's academic failure to affect his/her self-esteem. So let's find a way to reward, and pass, everyone, whether or not they can read or add 3 and 2. We must not discriminate, even on the basis of competence. To do so verges on child abuse. Recently on the news there was the story of a teacher who duct-taped the mouth of a teenager who simply would not shut up in class. Newscaster/psychologists were outraged, demanding that the teacher be fired, that psychological help be immediately provided for the teenager lest her self-esteem plummet to the depths. When I was in first grade, my inappropriate conversation led to a scotch-taped mouth, coupled with sitting in the corner. I was embarrassed to even mention it to my parents, because it would reveal that I had done wrong in school. Was my sense of self-worth ruined forever? Well, not by that! There was no psychological help for poor little Nicky.
Is anything more at odds with the reality of the adult world than this phenomenon? A coddled, self-esteem stimulated child graduates grade-school in cap and gown, then from a dumbed-down high school with honors, then from a dumbed-down university magna cum laude, to enter the real world of cutthroat, slash & burn competition. What a disservice has been done to this young person. Do such young persons rapidly shuck off the illusions of youth and learn the game, or do they continue to believe that even their failures (not to be called that of course, because they tried hard after all) are worthy of promotion? Do they forever resent their parents, who failed to teach them the first thing about how the world really works? I think here of some of our politicians--yes, many young and of appropriate age--who achieve positions of prominence, rapidly destroy the progress made by their predecessors, then claim that what they have done qualifies them to run for president of the US (here think Tim Polenty; Michelle Bachman; George W Bush although a bit old; Sarah Palin (who quit her governor's post in Alaska)). Think of Christine whats-her-name in one of the Carolinas (the one whom Bill Maher so despised), Sharon Angle in Nevada. Think of our Arizona legislators now, and some of the bills they create. The self-esteem of these people is Everest high; their accomplishments are sand dunes, and in some cases sink holes.
Is the proliferation of i-devices (and i-marches) somehow tied to this phenomenon? I-phone, I-pad, I-pod, I-life. Is the increasing self-centeredness of American youth a consequence? Is this a world-wide phenomenon, or a creation of America? Is this related to the inexorable decline of the academic performance of American students (we're well down on the world list now)?
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Value of Zero
In our system of Arabic numerals we encounter the zero, 0, which we are taught signifies a value of nothing. Zero is null, void. We would balk at a salary of 0 dollars for a job well done. We would dislike a return of 0 dollars on a stock investment (but less than we would dislike a loss!). We would despair at economic growth of 0%.
A new ad for the Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car, suggests a new interpretation of zero: that indeed it can have inestimable value.
Consider some further zeroes; what is (or would be) their value?
0 gallons of gas per mile driven.
0 dependence on foreign oil.
0 ppm of CO2 produced by our power plants.
0 extinctions of species due to human activity.
0 starving human beings
0 mountains de-topped for coal mining.
0 deaths from black lung disease.
0 politicians clammoring to cut taxes on the rich.
0 politicians clammoring to grow the economy.
0 deaths in the United States from gun violence.
0 deaths in the United States from drug overdose.
0 oil spills.
0 terrorists.
A new ad for the Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car, suggests a new interpretation of zero: that indeed it can have inestimable value.
Consider some further zeroes; what is (or would be) their value?
0 gallons of gas per mile driven.
0 dependence on foreign oil.
0 ppm of CO2 produced by our power plants.
0 extinctions of species due to human activity.
0 starving human beings
0 mountains de-topped for coal mining.
0 deaths from black lung disease.
0 politicians clammoring to cut taxes on the rich.
0 politicians clammoring to grow the economy.
0 deaths in the United States from gun violence.
0 deaths in the United States from drug overdose.
0 oil spills.
0 terrorists.
Some Facts About Planet Earth
Here are some interesting facts about the good old earth, pirated directly and shamelessly from a recent AARP bulletin.
The planet is 4.5 billion years old.
As the India tectonic plate pushes against the Eurasian plate, Mt. Everest is getting higher by 3 cm per year.
More than 11 million species live on the planet; humans have named 1.7 million of these.
Oceans cover 70% of earth's surface.
Earth tilts 23.5 degrees on its axis, causing seasonal variation (many people still think we have summer b/c we are closer to the sun then)
Forests harbor 80% of our biodiversity.
The last decade (2000-2010) had th highest average temperatures on record.
Global temperature may rise by as much as 10.4 degrees (C or F?) by 2100.
More than 70 million barrels of crude oil are produced each day.
The 806 million cars and light trucks in the world burn 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel per year.
Every square mile of ocean contains 46000 pieces of plastic trash (can this be true?)
Extreme weather may force relocation of 150-200 million people by 2050.
Known species at risk for extinction today: 18300
Ocean temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees (C or F?) since 1970.
One-third of sea level rise is due to the ocean's higher temperature.
Sea level is predicted to be 3 feet higher by 2100.
Renewable energy provides 8% of total US energy. Other sources: petroleum (37%), natural gas (25%), coal (21%), nuclear (9%)
Source of greenhouse gases: electric power (35%), transportation (27%), industry (20%), agriculture (7%), commercial (6%), residential (5%).
In the last 50 years, the average price of a gallon of gas grew from 25 cents to $3.50.
In the last 50 years, world oil consumption grew from 21.3 million to 85.8 million barrels per day.
Average US house size grew from 983 square feet in 1950 to 2377 square feet in 2010.
The ozone hole is predicted to disappear by 2050, due to banning of freons.
The average American accounted for 17.7 metric tons (2200 pounds) of CO2 in 2009, down from 20.3 metric tons in 2005 (although still 4x the world average).
Biofuel could soon be used in jets--is this a good thing?
To tread lightly: buy and eat less meat; set your water heater at 120 deg; don't use your fireplace; reduce your shower time by 5 minutes; don't rinse dishes before putting in the dishwasher; use native plants only in your garden; bank online; wash clothes with cold water.
The planet is 4.5 billion years old.
As the India tectonic plate pushes against the Eurasian plate, Mt. Everest is getting higher by 3 cm per year.
More than 11 million species live on the planet; humans have named 1.7 million of these.
Oceans cover 70% of earth's surface.
Earth tilts 23.5 degrees on its axis, causing seasonal variation (many people still think we have summer b/c we are closer to the sun then)
Forests harbor 80% of our biodiversity.
The last decade (2000-2010) had th highest average temperatures on record.
Global temperature may rise by as much as 10.4 degrees (C or F?) by 2100.
More than 70 million barrels of crude oil are produced each day.
The 806 million cars and light trucks in the world burn 260 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel per year.
Every square mile of ocean contains 46000 pieces of plastic trash (can this be true?)
Extreme weather may force relocation of 150-200 million people by 2050.
Known species at risk for extinction today: 18300
Ocean temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees (C or F?) since 1970.
One-third of sea level rise is due to the ocean's higher temperature.
Sea level is predicted to be 3 feet higher by 2100.
Renewable energy provides 8% of total US energy. Other sources: petroleum (37%), natural gas (25%), coal (21%), nuclear (9%)
Source of greenhouse gases: electric power (35%), transportation (27%), industry (20%), agriculture (7%), commercial (6%), residential (5%).
In the last 50 years, the average price of a gallon of gas grew from 25 cents to $3.50.
In the last 50 years, world oil consumption grew from 21.3 million to 85.8 million barrels per day.
Average US house size grew from 983 square feet in 1950 to 2377 square feet in 2010.
The ozone hole is predicted to disappear by 2050, due to banning of freons.
The average American accounted for 17.7 metric tons (2200 pounds) of CO2 in 2009, down from 20.3 metric tons in 2005 (although still 4x the world average).
Biofuel could soon be used in jets--is this a good thing?
To tread lightly: buy and eat less meat; set your water heater at 120 deg; don't use your fireplace; reduce your shower time by 5 minutes; don't rinse dishes before putting in the dishwasher; use native plants only in your garden; bank online; wash clothes with cold water.
A New Political Party
We need a new political party with a platform of fundamental reasonableness and fairness. I propose we call it the "Party of Reason". I've started a platform with a few planks below. Please add planks in your comments.
Platform for the Party of Reason
1) All planks adopted by the party shall meet fundamental standards of reason and fairness.
2) Candidates for office in the US House of Representatives, US Senate, and US Presidency shall under no circumstances spend in excess of $1 million during a campaign for office. No corporate or labor union campaign contributions of any kind may be accepted by any candidate.
3) Representatives shall be elected for a single term of 6 years.
4) Senators shall be elected for no more than 2 consecutive or non-consecutive terms of 6 years each.
5) The President shall be elected for a single term of 6 years.
6) Terms of representatives, senators, and the president shall be structured to be mutually offset by 2 years.
7) The congress shall pass a totally restructured system of income/payroll taxation, which shall be contained in a document no more than 10 pages in length and shall be worded in plain English. Features of the system shall be
a) No income tax shall be paid by anyone earning less than a specified low amount (for example, $10,000/year).
b) Incomes exceeding the minimum amount shall be taxed in slightly progressive fashion to a maximum of 50%. All income, including capital gains and dividends, shall be taxed at the same rate.
c) There shall be no exceptions (loopholes) for any individuals under any circumstances.
d) Corporations, according to their status as "persons", shall be taxed at a slightly progressive rate based on annual revenues, to a maximum of 35%.
e) There shall be no exceptions (loopholes) for any corporation under any circumstances.
f) The congress shall make appropriate changes in payroll taxation so as to restore the long-term solvency of the social security and medicare/medicaid programs.
8) Congress shall pass a program of universal, single-provider health care similar to those now operative in many European nations.
9) The US defense budget shall be reduced within 5 years to 30% of its current level. Savings shall be applied to programs benefiting citizens.
10) The Congress and President shall immediately begin to tackle problems of real substance: our gross overdependence on fossil fuels; the development of alternative energy sources; the building of generation IV nuclear power plants; global climate change.
11) The Congress shall immediately inact a carbon tax (fee) on all fossil fuels at the source. The fee shall be based on the carbon content of the fuel, and shall be structured as a percentage of the market value of the fuel. One-half of tax proceeds shall be returned to the citizens as dividends; the other half shall be used to fund alternative energy development. The carbon tax shall be incrementally increased each year, with the goal to completely eliminate fossil fuel use within 24 years (by 2025).
12) CONGRESS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS PASSED BY IT without exception.
13) Adjust government employment ,including the military, to the private sector pay plans. Local, state, and county government employees should be included in this plan.
14)Foreign aid should be curtailed for at least 10 years until Americans can rebuild America.
Please add planks, or comment on those that I have generated.
Platform for the Party of Reason
1) All planks adopted by the party shall meet fundamental standards of reason and fairness.
2) Candidates for office in the US House of Representatives, US Senate, and US Presidency shall under no circumstances spend in excess of $1 million during a campaign for office. No corporate or labor union campaign contributions of any kind may be accepted by any candidate.
3) Representatives shall be elected for a single term of 6 years.
4) Senators shall be elected for no more than 2 consecutive or non-consecutive terms of 6 years each.
5) The President shall be elected for a single term of 6 years.
6) Terms of representatives, senators, and the president shall be structured to be mutually offset by 2 years.
7) The congress shall pass a totally restructured system of income/payroll taxation, which shall be contained in a document no more than 10 pages in length and shall be worded in plain English. Features of the system shall be
a) No income tax shall be paid by anyone earning less than a specified low amount (for example, $10,000/year).
b) Incomes exceeding the minimum amount shall be taxed in slightly progressive fashion to a maximum of 50%. All income, including capital gains and dividends, shall be taxed at the same rate.
c) There shall be no exceptions (loopholes) for any individuals under any circumstances.
d) Corporations, according to their status as "persons", shall be taxed at a slightly progressive rate based on annual revenues, to a maximum of 35%.
e) There shall be no exceptions (loopholes) for any corporation under any circumstances.
f) The congress shall make appropriate changes in payroll taxation so as to restore the long-term solvency of the social security and medicare/medicaid programs.
8) Congress shall pass a program of universal, single-provider health care similar to those now operative in many European nations.
9) The US defense budget shall be reduced within 5 years to 30% of its current level. Savings shall be applied to programs benefiting citizens.
10) The Congress and President shall immediately begin to tackle problems of real substance: our gross overdependence on fossil fuels; the development of alternative energy sources; the building of generation IV nuclear power plants; global climate change.
11) The Congress shall immediately inact a carbon tax (fee) on all fossil fuels at the source. The fee shall be based on the carbon content of the fuel, and shall be structured as a percentage of the market value of the fuel. One-half of tax proceeds shall be returned to the citizens as dividends; the other half shall be used to fund alternative energy development. The carbon tax shall be incrementally increased each year, with the goal to completely eliminate fossil fuel use within 24 years (by 2025).
12) CONGRESS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS PASSED BY IT without exception.
13) Adjust government employment ,including the military, to the private sector pay plans. Local, state, and county government employees should be included in this plan.
14)Foreign aid should be curtailed for at least 10 years until Americans can rebuild America.
Please add planks, or comment on those that I have generated.
A Solution to "Crises" in Social Security and Government Spending
I have suggestions for resolving the impending funding crises in social security, medicare/medicaid, and the federal budget in general.
Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid: all people who oppose these programs on ideological grounds (those who vote republican in general elections, probably about half of the voting population) should refrain from accepting benefits from the programs. They should instead pay their own way. This would immediately reduce expenditures of these programs by about half, generating a surplus in available funds. It would also allow these people to stop living life as hypocrites. These individuals would be allowed to stop paying taxes, because I am sure they will sorely need the money.
General federal government spending: All states that have elected conservative representatives and senators should forgo all federal funding for infrastructure repair/maintenance, education, health care, and disaster relief. Representatives of such states should be forbidden from introducing "pork" into otherwise responsible bills. These states should agree to live up to the rhetoric of their elected officials and cut themselves loose entirely from the tyranny of the federal government. Again, any other policy is hypocritical. If all of the conservative states would do this, we would probably be able to reduce the federal deficit in record time.
Come on, step up! All I'm suggesting is that you live according to your convictions!
Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid: all people who oppose these programs on ideological grounds (those who vote republican in general elections, probably about half of the voting population) should refrain from accepting benefits from the programs. They should instead pay their own way. This would immediately reduce expenditures of these programs by about half, generating a surplus in available funds. It would also allow these people to stop living life as hypocrites. These individuals would be allowed to stop paying taxes, because I am sure they will sorely need the money.
General federal government spending: All states that have elected conservative representatives and senators should forgo all federal funding for infrastructure repair/maintenance, education, health care, and disaster relief. Representatives of such states should be forbidden from introducing "pork" into otherwise responsible bills. These states should agree to live up to the rhetoric of their elected officials and cut themselves loose entirely from the tyranny of the federal government. Again, any other policy is hypocritical. If all of the conservative states would do this, we would probably be able to reduce the federal deficit in record time.
Come on, step up! All I'm suggesting is that you live according to your convictions!
The Paradox of Thrift
How about this conservative idea of a balanced budget amendment to the constitution, forcing the government to spend no more than it takes in each year in revenues? Do you think this is a good idea? The argument is that the government should behave just like an individual, or a family, in limiting its expenses to no more than its income. Seems like a good idea if you don't think about it too much.
There is an economic phenomenon known as the Paradox of Thrift, attributable (I think) to John Maynard Keynes. The paradox is that saving by persons and families, in order to improve their individual financial situations, hurts the economy as a whole by reducing consumption, which comprises 60% of GDP. Decreased consumption decreases business income, so businesses contract, laying off employees. This decreases incomes of individuals, which decreases consumption even more. The paradox: what's good for the individual, when done on a mass scale, is bad for the economy as a whole.
We are in this situation now (mid 2011). There is high unemployment; people are spending less; businesses are producing less, and not hiring; decreased personal and business incomes means decreased tax revenues for the government. This seems to require cutting government spending, which is demanded by conservatives. But this will only make this situation WORSE by destroying public jobs and providing less government stimulus to the economy. This will contribute to the downward spiral of jobs, spending, production, tax revenues, and so on. Cutting government spending in a recession is the worst thing that we can do. We need the opposite--to increase government spending to stimulate the economy, to increase money flow, to prod consumer demand, to in turn prod business production.
If we want to see a major recession/depression/economic meltdown, let's do what the conservatives want, and cut spending to the bone. Further, let's set it in stone by with a balanced budget amendment, which will deprive government of one of its main tools (fiscal expansion) for combatting recession.
There is an economic phenomenon known as the Paradox of Thrift, attributable (I think) to John Maynard Keynes. The paradox is that saving by persons and families, in order to improve their individual financial situations, hurts the economy as a whole by reducing consumption, which comprises 60% of GDP. Decreased consumption decreases business income, so businesses contract, laying off employees. This decreases incomes of individuals, which decreases consumption even more. The paradox: what's good for the individual, when done on a mass scale, is bad for the economy as a whole.
We are in this situation now (mid 2011). There is high unemployment; people are spending less; businesses are producing less, and not hiring; decreased personal and business incomes means decreased tax revenues for the government. This seems to require cutting government spending, which is demanded by conservatives. But this will only make this situation WORSE by destroying public jobs and providing less government stimulus to the economy. This will contribute to the downward spiral of jobs, spending, production, tax revenues, and so on. Cutting government spending in a recession is the worst thing that we can do. We need the opposite--to increase government spending to stimulate the economy, to increase money flow, to prod consumer demand, to in turn prod business production.
If we want to see a major recession/depression/economic meltdown, let's do what the conservatives want, and cut spending to the bone. Further, let's set it in stone by with a balanced budget amendment, which will deprive government of one of its main tools (fiscal expansion) for combatting recession.
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