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Social Action: A Geek Friendly Series of Analogies

It is inspiring to hear so many stories about an increasing number of individuals at the grassroots arising to make their communities a better place. Reading these stories, one gets the feeling that instead of getting discouraged, we are learning, little by little, to overcome challenges and obstacles to social action. This approach also seems… Read More Social Action: A Geek Friendly Series of Analogies

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World Peace: It Just Might be Even Simpler that We Thought…

I previously blogged about how stifling it can be, having too many ideas, and how it has led to periods during which I would not post much, if anything. I have entered such a period again. I blame my awesome friends for the amazing, eye-opening conversations we have been having! One recent conversation in particular… Read More World Peace: It Just Might be Even Simpler that We Thought…

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Of What Use Art Thou, Anger, in Contributing to the Fight against Injustice?

Engendering Equality wrote a post last year about the sustainability of anger as the force behind social mouvements. Anger, it reads, is a very interesting emotion. (…) In one regard, if you take a look at the current state of the world today, how can you not become angry? (…) Yet at the same time… Read More Of What Use Art Thou, Anger, in Contributing to the Fight against Injustice?

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You Can Row All You Want: Reaching the Goal of Global Peace Requires Unity

Let’s face it: most people in the world are kind, loving and caring people whose voices are not heard over the sometimes deafening roar of the prejudiced, the materialistic, the greedy, etc. And even these people are not inherently evil; it’s just that because of a lack of moral education, they fell into some pretty… Read More You Can Row All You Want: Reaching the Goal of Global Peace Requires Unity

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Small Things Lead to Big Changes: Counting to a Million Begins by One

We are living in a very interesting time in history. On the one hand, humanity has come very far in a matter of years; we are achieving things we could not even dream of, and have the tools and instruments to create a harmonious world. And yet on the other hand, we cling to old… Read More Small Things Lead to Big Changes: Counting to a Million Begins by One

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Refusing to Undermine One’s Integrity: The Role of Dwelling and Self-Doubt

The culture of backbiting and gossip is clearly an unhealthy one, and while it is (relatively) easy to stop talking about people, it often does not mean that we are not thinking about other people in a negative light. I have seen, in the last couple of months, how poisonous these thoughts has been to… Read More Refusing to Undermine One’s Integrity: The Role of Dwelling and Self-Doubt

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There is No Such Thing as a Stupid Question, only Stupid Reasons for Asking Questions

The title of this post pretty much sums up this week’s thought. There is no such thing as a stupid question, because we are all trying to figure out what life is about, and we are all at different places in our understanding, and we should all help each other advance on the path of… Read More There is No Such Thing as a Stupid Question, only Stupid Reasons for Asking Questions

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Personal Boundaries and Selfless Participation in Community-Building: Not A Dichotomy

An increasing number of my friends have been focusing on learning more about creating harmonious communities in which each individual can fulfill the purpose of his/her existence, that is, to know and to worship God. As the number of people involved in the process of community building increases, so do the various point of views… Read More Personal Boundaries and Selfless Participation in Community-Building: Not A Dichotomy

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The Curious Case of the Realistic Yet Optimistic Sahar

People often ask me how can I both read currents news, and be so optimistic about the future of humanity. The easy answer would be to say that I am a Baha’i and I have faith. Not that it’s not true; however, I also believe in the golden age of humanity for many other reasons.… Read More The Curious Case of the Realistic Yet Optimistic Sahar

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These are Not the Tiaras You Would Want Your Toddler to Wear: Why the Sparkle of TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras Worries Me

Until a couple of weeks ago, I had never even watched a single one of its episodes, and was already horrified by its central concept: TLC’s show Toddlers and Tiaras documents pageants in which little girls, some as young as one, dress up (or down, at times) and, their faces caked with makeup and bodies… Read More These are Not the Tiaras You Would Want Your Toddler to Wear: Why the Sparkle of TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras Worries Me