What I think is the best way of understanding privilege is what you get to overlook in your day to day life that other people don't get to. I remember I used to tell students about taking late night bike rides in Beijing and how freeing that is to experience, biking through a massive empty… Continue reading Floyd and Towards a More Useful Definition of Privilege
Category: Philosophy
Beaver Emperor
There once was a beaver who wanted to rule Japan, well first Japan and then the world. His plan was simple; first he would chew on trees and then! Then! He would continue to chew on trees, he wasn’t exactly sure how this would accomplish his goal, but he did not falter from his mission.… Continue reading Beaver Emperor
Guiding Principle
My guiding principle when teaching, telling a story, speaking with others, or well anything is pretty simple: People can tell the difference between real and fake. The world is, let's face it, a pretty dark place, filled with hypocritical self serving motives, that we largely mask and pretend are not true. That is why I… Continue reading Guiding Principle
Meditation Full Interview
Wendy: Would you please briefly introduce yourself? Rush: So I am Mr. Rush. I teach AP Economics and Advanced Economics. I have really wide set of interests, and I try to cultivate new interests all the time. Oh, and, if you don't know who I am, I'm the guy who walks around with a cane.… Continue reading Meditation Full Interview
Country vs People
Would people in Germany today be better off if the Nazis won? Would people in Japan be better off if Imperial Japan had won? In both cases I think it very unlikely. It is an easy mental shorthand to think of what a country "wants" by the actions of their government, or what is good… Continue reading Country vs People
How to be a Happy Sisyphus
This story is old enough that I finally feel comfortable enough sharing it. Sometimes it feels like I am cursed. I have a disease known as Ehlers Danlos III, which affects connective tissue, making it weaker. It isn't all downsides, as my extremely elastic nature has likely saved me from broken bones on more than… Continue reading How to be a Happy Sisyphus
What is a Moral Requirement?
You are walking home, in your pocket is the new iPhone XIII plus which cost you $2000, but it will be so worth it when everyone sees how cool you are. I mean the new phone is a bit big, and it is stuck in your pocket currently, but just wait until you get a… Continue reading What is a Moral Requirement?
Repugnant Repugnancy
The repugnant conclusion is one of the clearest cases of realms where our natural moral intuition won't work. It is very easy to picture happier people it is impossible to meaningfully picture more people. We can't even feel a difference between the idea of a thousand people dying and millions. Our intuition is important but… Continue reading Repugnant Repugnancy
Are True Altruists Monsters?
"Unbridled altruism is a huge vice of mine,’ he explained. ‘I simply have to do good. I am a sensible dwarf, however, and know that I’m unable to do everyone good. Were I to attempt to be good to everyone, to the entire world and to all the creatures living in it, it would be… Continue reading Are True Altruists Monsters?
Of Money
It is often said that money is the root of all evil. Let us then try to imagine a world where it doesn’t exist. Right now, every day, you interact with millions upon millions of people that are just as unaware of you as you are of them. The simplest product you could possibly imagine… Continue reading Of Money
