On tolerance and prejudices

How many people are truly and genuinely openminded, displaying a natural all encompassing understanding for any behavioral trait or characteristics that deviates from the norm? Raise your hands, I’m curious who you are.

I hear people muse about the social injustice in our society, they are outraged that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, but they are still unable to show any kind of basic understanding that some people have less money to spend than they do. They have never bothered to get to know or befriend people from lower social classes.

I hear people criticize racists and homophobes. Dare to express any kind of discomfort and you will experience their holy anger at your narrowmindedness. “How can you…???” is their prefered way to start their I-am-holier-than-thou-attacks. I wonder how many of them really do have gays or people from other races as friends.

They place a lot of expectation and pressure on other people while rarely being able to fulfill their own in moral drenched demands.

I think this world would be a better place if people were allowed to admit that they are not perfect, that they have prejudices and are hesitant regarding things that might disturb their little peaceful world. Do I think prejudices are good, something to strive for? No, I think that to a certain degree some are quite human though, which is not the same as condoning oppression, violence or hatred. By not being allowed to admit unease and discomfort, people …

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Dan Smolin asks whether you are a victim of investment pornography.

Dan Smolin writes some persuasive posts on the topic of investing.   I'm categorizing this post under "snake oil" because of a point that Smolin repeatedly makes:  that virtually every investment professional's claim that he/she can help you beat the market is false.  Dan often does a Q&A.  Here's a…

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There might not be a “plausible” way out of this country’s financial mess.

There might not be a plausible way out of our country's financial mess.  That's the opinion of Kevin Phillips, a former republican strategist who works as an economics commentator.  What are the main problems?  [P]hony Washington statistics and warped market measurements make it doubly hard to tell. The federal Consumer…

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