Systemic Racism: Few topics are as contentious at this moment as systemic racism. My belief that it is real, but overstated, generates attacks from just about everyone. Consequently, I’ve been hesitant to say anything. This article by David French – while not perfect – leads me to make an exception.
Not so Fast: If you are sick of 2020, do NOT read this Atlantic discussion with Peter Turchin. He is the Russian-born UConn academic who gained attention in 2010 after his math models predicted social storms in 2020. (He says the next five years will be worse.)
Another Approach: If you want to ignore Turchin and keep making fun of 2020, click here for another meme.
Black Friday: Since Black Friday ads started running before Halloween, I lost my chance to launch my annual preemptive strike against the commercialization of Advent. I am tempted to just repeat last year’s Black Friday advice and move on – i.e. if you are going Black Friday shopping, please be a decent human being and turn your phone horizontal before filming fights. But I can’t help myself. Let me at least repeat the Advent Conspiracy refrain: Spend Less. Give More. Love All.
This Week’s Question: Election maps make it clear that big cities vote blue and rural areas vote red. My question is: Will those leaving big cities (e.g. NY, Chicago, etc.) turn rural areas blue or will they change to red?
Without Comment:
- According to this New York magazine article, “roughly 30 percent of American women under the age of 25 identify as LGBT;” (for women over 60, that figure is less than 5 percent).
- According to this FBI report, religious and racial persecution in the US rose to its highest level in 2019, with 6 out of 10 religiously motivated hate crimes being anti-Jewish, 13% anti-Muslim, 4% anti-Catholic and 1.4% anti-Protestant.
- During 11.11 (China’s equivalent of Amazon’s Prime Day) on‐line retailer Alibaba did $56 billion in sales in the first 30 minutes it was open. (That figure compares to $10 billion in total sales for Amazon over their two-day Prime sale.)
- NBA player James Harden has turned down the Rockets’ offer to make him the first $50 million-per-year player.
- According to this annual tech study, if your iPhone camera had been built in 1991, it would have cost you $540K.
- The Mayo Clinic just announced that 900 of their staff have tested positive for COVID.
- McKinsey & Company estimates that pandemic-related school closures will lead to one million additional high school dropouts.
In News About News: In his book, Stop Reading the News, Rolf Dobelli recommends that we stop reading the news (obvious, right?). But just to be clear, he’s not saying stop reading and start watching. He is arguing that constant updates about what is happening right now obscures the big picture, gets risk assessment wrong, is a waste of time, is invented by journalists, destroys our peace of mind, kills creativity, gives us an illusion of empathy, encourages terrorism, and more. I am not recommending you stop reading the news so you can read Dobelli’s Stop Reading the News. I am recommending that you dial back on the news so you can dial up on Scripture.
Depression and Anxiety: Last week I heard from three therapists. The two who direct clinics were scrambling to hire more counselors. The one with a solo practice has never had so many new clients. You may lack professional training, but that shouldn’t stop you from realizing that just about everyone you meet is having a hard go of it and is headed into disappointing holidays. Find ways to quietly serve and spread joy.
RIP: Two spiritual leaders of note passed away this month, Richard Lovelace, whose book Dynamics of Spiritual Life, is one of two books Tim Keller has been recommending for thirty years and Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. The latter’s 2002 book The Dignity of Difference was one of the most electrifying and clarifying things I ever read. Though the second half disappointed, his explanation and analysis of globalization and its effects held me in a trance. You can read his WSJ obit here. We need more Lovelaces and Sacks.
Closing Prayer: Look on us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls disappear before the beams of your brightness. Fill us with your holy love, and open to us the treasures of your wisdom. You know all our desires, so bring to perfection what you have started, and what your Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek your face, turn your face to us and show us your glory. Then our longing will be satisfied and our peace will be perfect. Amen. Augustine (354-430)