The Alzheimer’s debacle was already a generation. Perhaps a timely retirement or two would have cut that short.
When I have the privilege of working with new college graduates, they get me out of my old modes of thinking. And they are quite talented. We will still have college graduates in four years.
Granted, if you believe there is a significant risk that the United States falls into irreversible autocracy within the next four years, the analysis does change. However, I just don’t buy it. There are two branches of government that check the executive branch. Trump has been elected as a lame duck with no possibility for a second term.
While I still don’t think it’s likely, there’s always the possibility that I’m wrong. The conversation is shifted to a slightly different topic at this point, but going back to the NIH and the NSF, they aren’t exactly democracy’s bulwarks.
Considering 90s norms for the present is interesting. I see social taboos that I’m grateful we’ve revised, though that social progress is not what you’re talking about, I understand. But I would still say that you can’t step in the same river twice, and that the red lines of yesterday might or might not be important today.
>though that social progress is not what you’re talking about
Right! but its a point that we can acknowledge. We've made progress on overcoming some taboos. Hmm, in a way, we've overcome taboos here as well, its ok to be an asshole politically.
So the question becomes one of utility and morals - some taboos were ok to remove, others were not.
You can use that to compare how certain red lines have moved more in accord with your values, and others are being breached.
Either way, this is a tool for you, and others who read this, to look to their own values and judgement, and decide objectively if they should reasses and start responding.
From my experience, the answer is heck yes. For people who are in a constant state of gradual escalation, their red lines get massaged fully out of shape, and you look to your peers to see if you are nuts.
Which is why the idea is for you to judge the red lines for yourself, against your own ideals.
At least thats what I am thinking by brining that comparison up. The 90s werent so far away that they couldnt be used to compare agains today.
When I have the privilege of working with new college graduates, they get me out of my old modes of thinking. And they are quite talented. We will still have college graduates in four years.
Granted, if you believe there is a significant risk that the United States falls into irreversible autocracy within the next four years, the analysis does change. However, I just don’t buy it. There are two branches of government that check the executive branch. Trump has been elected as a lame duck with no possibility for a second term.