continued...

I maintain that cultures are the most dangerous human behaviors on earth. It takes hundreds of years to significantly change a culture and, often, a cataclysmic event to trigger change (major war, environmental disaster, etc.).

We, the open-minded and more tolerant, are not well equipped to fight viral cultures. We don't adopt fanaticism. We only fight when absolutely backed into a corner. We tolerate.

Progressivism, Communism/Fascism, hero worship, victimhood, fanatical religion, fanatical social movements, etc. are viral cultures that can destroy us. We had better prepare for a long struggle.

Thank you.

Dr. Sowell,

I look forward to reading your new book. I apologize if this post is already covered in your other articles or book.

Dr. Douglas R. Hofstadter, College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science at Indiana University in Bloomington, has written many explorations of cognition and the order of the physical universe. (See Godel, Escher, Bach; An Eternal Golden Braid). While this is pretty obscure in context, there is an extremely important point to be made.

Hofstadter coined the term "information virus" which we use today to describe destructive computer programs on the internet. Hofstadter meant it in terms of human learning and used the invention of fire as an example. Once...

See "Hooray" post.