The Presumption of Health
In the spirit of breaking down legal distinctions (like that between religious opinion and philosophical opinion), I would like to propose another legal principle for consideration, which may already exist…
Shaming the Shamers
Here's a question: Does shaming work? It seems propitious that I wrote about obesity and a certain virus prior to this story about an Olympic paintball player being kicked off…
Authoritarianism and The Body-Count of Positivity
After over a year of being told that we must wear masks -- "not for your health, but for other people" -- it seems we are now being told more…
Inside Bo Burnham
Bo Burnham's "comedy special" Inside is a fascinating and masterful production, not merely for its film technique and music, but for its insight into the psyche of its creator and…
Speaking the Warpath
But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. A bad usage can spread by tradition and imitation even among people who should and do know better.George Orwell, Politics…
Deputizing the Citizenry
My home state of Washington recently implemented a mandatory mask law. As has become customary, the law is passed with an initial insinuation that it would not be enforced: The…
On Wearing the Mask
There is one argument against wearing masks that I haven't heard anyone else making: masks are inherently anti-social. Our sixth amendment guarantees us the right to be "confronted with the…
A New Normal?
I have seen multiple signs saying "we're going to get through this!" These signs convey what seems to be a common feeling and attitude: that COVID-19 is a temporary state…
A Hypothetical Dialogue
An elderly Italian man hugs a Chinese national in solidarity against racism. He contracted Coronavirus and becomes seriously ill. Examination all but certainly determines that his condition is mortal. In…
On the Coronavirus
It seems fitting to be writing about the coronavirus after having gone to a concert on Monday, perhaps the last to be permitted for a while in my county. The…