As much as I applaud Mr. York for coining a new ‘-ism,’ I think that ‘sexyism’ has been around for a lot longer than ‘racism’ and perhaps even longer than ‘sexism’ – although who can know for sure. Certainly the Greeks had some conception of the power of pretty people in a work environment. I recall hearing …
Author Archives: Jefferson Benavides
Concur: Anyone Who Has Sense…
The classics can be a good introduction to fundamental topics. However, those who have dissented with Mr. York ignore the opportunity cost of slogging through a sprawling work instead of looking to contemporary examples. Because the classics have been drilled into us from an early age, we confuse their comfortable integration into our own lexicons …
Concur: Hell is Other People Holding the Door
Although I agree with Mr. McArthur that conventions like door-opening are only white-washed sepulchers for an original kernel of respect and concern, I would also say that they purport a subtle form of social violence on unsuspecting strangers. Mr. McArthur insightfully points out how the waiting door-holder inconveniences the approaching door-holdee who must speed up …
DISSENT: OUR OWN PRIVATE IDAHOS
It’s reasonable to some extent to say that there is nothing wrong, as Bill states, with the Pope reading about Catholicism. But I would be troubled by a Pope who only reads pre-Council of Trent theology (Catholic though it may be). The Pope is, as many of us are, subject to the institution to which …
Essay: Tainted Goods
I s anyone intentionally immoral? At the very least, we justify ourselves before taking that next step into moral decay. But much of the time evil is accidental. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any less evil. I entered the Asian antique store on a whim. No sooner had the bell hanging over the door signalled …