Bright light behind the slightly ajar door. Abstract background
The glow from the television gathers in the doorway at the end of the hall.
“I can’t believe what he just said.”
“Honey! Come listen to what the asshole just said.”
“Jesus Fucking Christ.”
“Can someone please just get rid of this motherfucker already?”
His words crash through the door into the hallway, bouncing off the walls like a whisky-soaked drunk double-dipped in anger.
“What the fuck is wrong with this country? We fought a goddamn world war to prevent this crap from spreading. Now we’ve got this mother fucker proselytizing fascist propaganda from the goddamn motherfucking White House.”
“Honey!!!”
She grabs a beer from the fridge and takes a long, hard swig before retrieving a half-smoked pack of Winstons from the junk drawer. She started smoking again after the election.
“Yeah, I heard,” she yells towards the hall.
“But what can we do?” she whispers surrenderingly and takes a drag.
Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
Query1: Do humans seek facts or do they rely on information sources that confirm their existing biases?
Great question! Human behavior regarding information-seeking can be complex. People often demonstrate a tendency known as “confirmation bias,” where they favor information that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs and overlook or dismiss information that challenges those views. This can create echo chambers, especially in today’s digital age, where algorithms can amplify content that matches one’s interests and biases.
However, this isn’t the whole story. Many people actively seek out factual information and strive to consider multiple perspectives to develop a well-rounded understanding. Some individuals are more inclined toward critical thinking and skepticism, which helps them scrutinize information sources more carefully. In the end, it seems to be a blend of both tendencies, influenced by factors such as education, cognitive styles, and the information environment.
Query2: What human traits and characteristics lead them to actively seek out factual information to overcome confirmation bias?
Certain traits and characteristics can drive individuals to actively seek out factual information and overcome confirmation bias:
Open-mindedness: People who are open to new experiences and perspectives are more likely to seek out diverse sources of information and consider viewpoints that differ from their own.
Intellectual Curiosity: A strong desire to learn and understand the world motivates individuals to gather accurate and comprehensive information, even if it challenges their beliefs.
Critical Thinking: Individuals who engage in critical thinking are skilled at analyzing information, evaluating evidence, and questioning assumptions, which helps them identify biases and seek out reliable sources.
Humility: Recognizing one’s own limitations and the possibility of being wrong fosters a willingness to update beliefs based on new evidence.
Empathy: Understanding and valuing others’ perspectives encourages individuals to consider information that might contradict their own views.
Education and Awareness: Higher levels of education and awareness about cognitive biases can empower individuals to actively seek out factual information and strive for a balanced understanding.
These traits and characteristics can help individuals navigate the vast amount of information available and make informed decisions. Do you see any of these traits in yourself or others around you?
Query3: Which nations are best at teaching students how to think critically?
Several countries are recognized for their strong emphasis on critical thinking in education. Here are a few notable ones:
Finland: Known for its innovative education system, Finland emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and student autonomy. The Finnish curriculum encourages students to question, analyze, and engage in deep learning.
Singapore: Singapore’s education system is highly regarded for its focus on critical thinking and creativity. The curriculum is designed to develop students’ analytical skills and encourage them to think independently.
Canada: Canadian schools prioritize critical thinking and inquiry-based learning. The education system encourages students to explore, ask questions, and develop their own understanding of concepts.
Netherlands: The Dutch education system promotes critical thinking through project-based learning and collaborative activities. Students are encouraged to think critically, solve problems, and work together to find solutions.
Australia: Australian schools emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is designed to help students develop the ability to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions.
These countries have implemented educational practices that foster critical thinking and prepare students for the complexities of the modern world.
Regarding the suppression of critical thinking to promote religious values and belief systems, some countries do indeed prioritize religious indoctrination over critical thinking. For example, in certain countries, religious education is heavily integrated into the curriculum, and questioning religious doctrines is discouraged. This can limit students’ exposure to diverse perspectives and hinder their ability to think critically about different belief systems.
My input:
You’re probably wondering what questions about critical thinking have to do with politics and the troubled times America is in.
Have you ever wondered why President Trump publicly stated, “I love the uneducated?” or why the Trump administration is so fixated on getting rid of the Department of Education? or why Republicans are pushing legislation on the state level to incorporate Christianity into public schools?
I contend that Donald Trump and the MAGA-infected Republican party understand a population of critical thinkers would be disastrous to their platform and agenda and that the dumbing-down of future generations is critical to their existence.
An electorate of religiously indoctrinated citizens who can’t think critically is susceptible to lies and manipulation. For example, an uneducated electorate stuck in their own confirmation bias without the intellectual wherewithal to differentiate fact from fiction or the ability to pick apart half-truths and misinformation inserted into political speeches and policy statements might vote for a convicted felon and self-acknowledged sexual abuser and send our democracy into a tailspin.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told Americans the way to learn how he feels about any issue is to read the Bible. ‘That’s my worldview, that’s what I believe.’ The increase of religiosity in the Republican party should be a huge red flag to Americans who cherish living in a secular and pluralistic society. The GOP’s embrace of Christianity as a national religion is a genuine threat to the American way of life and critical thought. Religion tells you what to think, not how to think.
The dumbing-down of Americans by Trump and the MAGA-infected Republicans is purposeful and strategic. It’s part of their long game to remain in power for decades.
Free thinkers and progressives better come up with a strategy of their own to counter this or we run the risk of being ruled by an American Taliban.
Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
Query1: What strategies are used to turn a democracy to an autocracy and how many of those strategies has Donald Trump used in his second campaign for the US presidency?
Turning a democracy into an autocracy typically involves several strategies, often used in combination. Here are some common tactics:
Extending Executive Power: Strengthening the executive branch’s power while weakening checks and balances, such as parliaments and judiciaries.
Suppressing Dissent: Restricting freedom of speech, assembly, and press to silence opposition and criticism.
Controlling Information: Manipulating media and spreading misinformation to shape public opinion and maintain power.
Capturing Elite Support: Gaining the backing of influential groups and individuals by offering political favors and economic benefits.
Undermining Democratic Institutions: Weakening institutions that uphold democratic principles, such as electoral commissions and courts.
Exploiting Populism: Appealing to nationalistic and populist sentiments to rally support and create divisions.
Crippling Opposition: Discrediting, intimidating, or legally targeting political opponents to reduce their influence.
Regarding Donald Trump’s second campaign for the US presidency, he has been accused of employing some of these strategies. For example, he has been known to challenge democratic norms, criticize the media, and promote conspiracy theories. However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for one individual to transform the system into an autocracy completely.
My input
You’d have to be pretty dense not to see that Donald Trump is following the autocracy playbook pretty closely.
In terms of the following statement from Arty, I have some thoughts:
However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for any one individual to completely transform the system into an autocracy.
In theory, this is correct. The US political system is indeed set up with checks (judicial and legislative) that are designed to prevent a malevolent person in the executive branch from dismantling democracy and instituting an autocratic dictatorship. But these systems are only as effective as the people in them. When members of the judicial and legislative branches lack the courage to check the executive branch — or if they support the autocratic goals and objectives of the executive, the system does not work.
Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious Elon-Bezos-Zuckerberg are really quite atrocious We need to fight them in the streets and call them on their grossness Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious
We cannot be afraid to speak at what is being done Trump’s a bully and freak who wants to shock and stun with fascists in our government, this isn’t a dry run And so we have a song to sing, a song that must be sung
GO!
Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious Elon-Bezos-Zuckerberg are really quite atrocious We need to fight them in the streets and call them on their grossness Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious
It seems a lesson wasn’t learned from Hitler’s evil days when you lose democracy, your freedoms slip away when oligarchs and fascist pigs try to steal away everything you’ve worked hard for this is what to say
Hey!
Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious Elon-Bezos-Zuckerberg are really quite atrocious We need to fight them in the streets and call them on their grossness Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious
Now’s not the time for sitting back or fretting in dismay Be courageous in your deeds and learn to seize the day Don’t go hiding in the weeds or worse just weep and pray, take to the streets to fight misdeeds while singing all the way
Hey!
Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious Elon-Bezos-Zuckerberg are really quite atrocious We need to fight them in the streets and call them on their grossness Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious
“I’ve washed this towel twice and still can’t remove the puke stain.”
His wife Mary stands at the top of the stairs, gently shaking the unfurled towel at her husband, who sits with his back to her, hunched over his “work-from-home desk,” even though he’s been out of work for 10 months.
The vet called it megaesophagus, a condition in which the esophagus is unable to move food into the stomach efficiently, causing their aging dog to vomit frequently. His wife displayed the artistic consequence of their dog’s medical condition for her husband to see.
Planting his bare feet on the protective matt under his office chair, he spins towards his wife, her pretty, puzzled face resting atop the puke-stained towel.
He studies the stain. “Let’s change Pepsi’s name to Pollock and sell her work online.” Then, in the next breath, he squints and quips, “Hold on a second… what the hell . . . I think I see Jesus’s face in that puke stain!”
“Ha-ha, very funny”, still, she turns the towel 180 degrees, tilts her head slightly, and studies the stain.
“Our lord savior, perpetually pictured in Pepsi’s puke! — or Pollock’s puke if we decide to move ahead with the name change,” her alliterative husband continues with a self-satisfying grin.
“This could be the financial windfall we’ve been waiting for!”
“It’s a laundry version of the miracle at Lourdes… the Tide Pod that Spied God!” He slips effortlessly into one of his riffs, wagging his finger enthusiastically above his head.
“I’ll call the Vatican and local paper; you work on logistics for backyard tours.”
She chuckles, turns on her heel, and heads down the stairs.
He’s unfazed by her absence.
Once he starts ranting, it’s got to run its course, “like diarrhea,” she would often say.
“We’ll need to erect a clothesline for the bath towel shroud of Jesus!”
“Maybe by the vegetable garden in the back, in front of the doubting toms and holy basil,” he shouts while spinning back to his work desk.
Halfway down the staircase, she responds sarcastically over her shoulder, “I’ll get on that right way,” tossing the rolled-up towel into the clothes hamper at the bottom of the stairs.
The morning sun finds its way through crowds of whispering pines and stoic oaks before crashing onto the skylight, splashing the inhabitants below in ghostly shadows of needles and oakleaf.
Peering over his coffee cup, he clears his throat – brushing aside the silence.
“We don’t fuck in the shower anymore.”
He takes a sip.
She raises an eyebrow, but not her eyes, working her butter knife methodically, like a skilled artisan, covering every nook and cranny of a slightly burnt English muffin.
A second passes.
“Fuck in the shower?” she scoffs incredulously, “Hell, I’d settle for a dry hump in the driveway.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” He takes another sip and studies his wife across the table. “Still pretty without makeup,” he thinks to himself.
Lifting her head, she takes a bite and shoots him a toothless smile, which he returns instantly (with a wink) before heading to the sink with his coffee cup.
“So,” he says, “What’s the plan today?”
She floats across the kitchen floor, meeting him at the sink, “I’m thinking of going to Mom’s to help in the yard.”
“After that, I’m free as a bird.”
“Maybe we can shower then?”
Standing directly behind him, she places her hand lightly on his lower back and slides her plate onto the kitchen counter before walking away.
He marvels at how she’s kept her figure. With his hand on his belly, he begins to second-guess his shower comment.
It’s their anniversary.
“By the way,” she says over her shoulder. “We’ve only done that like twice – maybe 3 times – in 30 years of marriage.”
He detects a hint of disappointment, and that famous quote from Cool Hand Luke, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate,” plays on a loop in his head.
He wonders momentarily how many shower opportunities he’s missed out on.
The space between them has grown exponentially since the kids left, and lately, he wonders if it’s even navigable.
The kids were a bridge.
Now, the person he fell in love with is this spotty, blurry-edged figure on a distant shore, and he’s pretty sure that’s how he appears to her as well — spotty and distant, lost in his coffee, fantasizing about fucking in the shower.
In a strained and slightly desperate tone he pushes his words towards her “Strange how time clouds our perception of reality,” as if words can fix what feels irrevocably broken.
After more than eleven years of love and devotion, we had to put our beloved Pepsi down on Sunday.
Over the next several weeks, I’ll miss the routine I had with Pepsi for the last eleven years – all the daily interactions – from when I woke to when I went to bed.
Our pets affect us in ways that the people in our lives do not. Our relationship with them isn’t complicated by ego, insecurities, or pettiness. There are no traps, tripwires, or pretentiousness because our pets love us unconditionally. More significantly, they allow us to love with no contingencies—something we’re incapable of doing with people—no matter the relationship.
So, when our pets die, that pure and unblemished love and devotion disappears from our lives. The grief is so profound that it wrecks us for a time.
How We Came to Know and Love Pepsi
In 2013, months after losing our lab, Walter, to Cancer, I found myself searching for shelter dogs. As I remember, it was just a whim; I had no intentions of adopting.
I have no recollection of what I typed for my Google search – but I ended up on this Facebook post:
The post included a link to this video, showing Pepsi and a shelter volunteer:
Unfortunately, as often is the case with Pitbull and Pitbull mixes, a NYC animal shelter put this sweet girl on their kill list.
As I watched the video of Pepsi, I felt an immediate obligation to contact Second Chance Rescue to get her off “the list.” So, I corresponded with them through their Facebook page, which initiated a sequence of events (filling out an application, putting down a deposit, and having a consultant visit our home to ensure it was a suitable environment) and ended with the ASPCA transporting Pepsi from Brooklyn, NY, to the Mystic Aquarium parking lot in Mystic CT, where she went from a dog on a video to a cherished member of our family.
Second Chance Rescue of NYC rescues and rehabilitates critically injured and neglected dogs and cats and those at high risk of euthanasia.
Pepsi was our first experience with the pitbull breed. The consultant from Second Chance Rescue told us that Pepsi should be the only dog in the household. We quickly learned of her distrust of other dogs, but of people, her affection was undeniable. She developed a strong bond with our family almost instantly, especially with my wife, Meg.
Pepsi’s mood spanned the spectrum from stoic and intimidating to warm and loving.
Her smiling eyes could melt the coldest of hearts.
She was loving, observant, doting, and intelligent. She was also deaf and, thus, the quietest dog we’ve ever owned.
I work from home, so Pepsi was my constant companion for more than 11 years. She loved resting on the recliner next to my work desk, stretching out on our bed, sleeping and sunbathing on the patio, going for walks, lounging in the yard, and crunching on carrots.
She chased squirrels and bunny rabbits and killed a groundhog behind the shed one summer.
If Meg was outside, Pepsi wanted to be outside. She would dutifully follow Meg to her gardens and lie down in the shade while Meg weeded, planted, or watered. When Meg was done, she would follow her back into the house. Every time Meg went to the bathroom, Pepsi would follow her. If Meg locked the door, you could hear Pepsi knock her head into it from the living room. If Meg happened to leave the latch off, well, she had a visitor.
We will miss Pepsi deeply – we’ll miss seeing her navigate the swivel chair as she walks from the kitchen to the living room in search of hugs – we’ll miss the gentle snoring and weight of her in the bed – we’ll miss the sound of rhythmic hopping as she descends the staircase from the upstairs bedroom to the kitchen, ending with the slight sliding and clicking of her nails when she reaches the kitchen – we’ll miss watching her morning routine, slowly walking the perimeter of the yard, we’ll miss the thump of her tail on the bed or the recliner – we’ll miss how she helped connect us as a family – I think that’s the most magical thing a family dog does – they connect us because we all love them in the same way.
Dogs bring out our humanity and kindness in ways people don’t.
Even before putting Pepsi down, I said that she’d be my last dog. This time around, the slow decline was more challenging to deal with emotionally and physically. In her final months, Meg and I carried Pepsi from room to room, putting off the inevitable as long as we saw a spark of life or tiny moments of enjoyment—until the day they no longer came.
Maybe my feelings will change over time, and my longing for a dog’s love will outweigh the sadness I know I’ll feel when we part. For now, I’ll simply cherish what I had with this wonderful dog.
I’m so grateful for Pepsi’s love and companionship to our family, and I will never forget her.
bendingtheneedle 