by Chris Billowsin Spirit Speculations0 commentstags: Change of Mind, Defining Life
“Hi my name is Chris and I am a recovering ideologue.” No, I am not intending on starting a self-help group like Alcoholics Anonymous for people who are turned off to political and religious ideology, but this blog post is a bit of a confession. Like many, attending University for me was a time of exposure to many new ideas and systems of thought. I came across a multitude of theories in psychology, sociology, history, science, and various other courses. I started looking for a system of thinking that was consistent and had an inherent integrity. I was influenced by socialism during my Social Work and Labor Studies courses. I was influenced by spiritualism during my Religion courses. While individual ideas came, evolved, and went I was convinced that that ideology in some form was the tool and method in which to solve the world’s problems. It was that conviction that inspired me to help form the Green Party. That is where I participated in and promoted the view that it was just a simple matter of convincing everyone to think Green, or ideally adopt a Green ideology, and then we could solve the environmental and social issues plaguing Canada. […]
by Chris Billowsin Political Ponderings0 commentstags: Change of Mind, Human Condition, Human History
Welcome to my first ever blog post! I hope to post on a range of topics that intrigue me. Adam Bellow states correctly that nepotism has been with human history since the beginning of our species. He states that biological nepotism is the basis of social cooperation and became the main tool that has allowed our species to thrive and colonize the planet. The biological drive to care for one’s relatives has evolved complex patterns of social reciprocity that not only allowed for society to be created, but for civilization to flourish. As Westerners, we have been socialized into believing that nepotism is a bad thing. To most of us, nepotism is synonymous with corruption and familial self-interest. Bellow explains in 420+ pages that nepotism has redeeming qualities, has played a critical role in the development of every historical figure, and that we are fooling ourselves if we think it will go away. Starting from the nepostic practice amongst animals, moving on to ancient cultures, and then to the modern era of the political dynasties in American politics (the Kennedys and Bushes), Bellow explains through literary reference and analysis how nepotism has helped humans thrive. Bellow pulls off a […]
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