Top Posts of 2017
Everyone seems to do these kind of lists at the end of the year, but mine will not be based on web traffic, but on my own preference. So “top” means “favorite.” This list in some ways is only meaningful…
On Star Wars and the End of Childhood Imagination
These reviews of The Last Jedi from the Free Beacon and The Washington Post express most of my thoughts on the movie as a movie. The Disneyfication of Star Wars (e.g. “We’re going to win this war not by fighting…
On Dopamine Hijacking
Yet another study shows a correlation between social media usage/screen time and teenage depression. The negative effects and social complexities related to social media continue to grow. While correlation certainly does not imply causation, there has yet to be a credible study showing an opposite relationship between social media usage and mental health.
The recent disowning of Facebook’s impact on society by its former executives has received a lot attention, with former company president Sean Parker stating that Facebook’s newsfeed and ‘like’ system are a “social validation feedback loop that exploits how human brains work…
On the Reformed and the JDDJ
On July 5th the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) joined the JDDJ. The WCRC’s statement of association, like the World Methodist Council, adds areas of distinct Reformed emphasis on justification. These additions are both far superior to anything produced in the original JDDJ or its subsequent additions, while simultaneously being the most disappointing additions…
