Ah, the three-arrow anti-fascist flag. How original. How brave. How utterly, mind-numbingly redundant. Congratulations on taking a stand against fascism - welcome to the club, population: everyone with a sliver of sense. Really, we should give out medals, or perhaps participation trophies, to recognize such a daring stance. I mean, it's not every day someone comes out against a universally despised ideology that's been out of fashion for about three-quarters of a century. But wait, there's more! Not content with simply opposing fascism, these flag-flyers have to go one step further. They're not just anti-fascist; they're anti-fascist with a flair for drama and a desperate need for a political hobbyhorse. So, they wave their flags, equating their neighbors and the local PTA with the specter of 20th-century dictators. It's like saying you're against human trafficking by putting a 'Kidnappers Suck' bumper sticker on your car. Yes, we know. Everyone agr...

 By Matthew Hayward Human behavior is a fascinating dichotomy: those who adhere to rules without question and those who challenge the status quo. This divergence isn't just about personality traits; it's deeply rooted in our psychological makeup and societal conditioning. The Comfort of Conformity For many, following rules offers a sense of security and order. It's a psychological safety net. We're taught to obey from childhood – it's a survival mechanism. The mantra in schools, homes, and workplaces is often the same: follow the rules, and you'll succeed. This adherence is further reinforced by societal norms and the desire to belong. After all, there's comfort in conformity, in being part of the majority that doesn't rock the boat. The Thrill of Rebellion On the flip side, there are those who question and push boundaries. Why? It's not just rebellion for rebellion's sake. It's about a deep-seated need to understand, seek out reasons, and no...

By Matthew Hayward   Imagine a bright sunny day, the decent of blooming flowers in the air, the temperature soaring into the 90°s. Hikers ascend mountain trails, their faces glistening with sweat, and in the midst of this natural splendor, you spot an individual with a mask firmly in place. Similarly, in a bustling park, a lone cyclist pedals by among joggers and picnickers, mask on, despite the sweltering heat. Such sights prompt an immediate question: Why? In a post-pandemic world, an intriguing trend surfaces as mask mandates lift and faces emerge from behind their coverings. A significant portion of those still choosing to wear masks hail from the LGBTQ+ community. But what drives this continued embrace of masks? Historically, masks have played a role in the LGBTQ+ community's fight for rights and acceptance. The story of Dr. Henry Anonymous stands out as a poignant example. In an era when homosexuality was deemed a mental disorder, this psychiatrist, a gay man himself, donne...

By Matthew Hayward  If the truth leads to conclusions that society would deem as uncomfortable or even morally reprehensible, should the pursuit of truth be abandoned because it threatens to shatter our comfortable illusions? Should we instead focus only on what is going right? Is it ethical to disrupt the carefully constructed comfort bubbles of those who choose more insulated paths? Or is the ethical choice to bring light to darkness and truth to falsehoods? I argue that the truth is inherently good, and therefore, it must be sought, regardless of the consequences. This also means challenging the Noble Lie, that societal good can only be maintained through deception, and embracing the courage of intellectual honesty. As we look around our fractured world, we witness a growing sense of anger, fear, and disillusionment. Societies are splintering into warring factions, each proclaiming, "We are right, and you are wrong." While these divisions are often driven by cultural, poli...

When will they awake? by Matthew Edward Hayward Posted by Matthew E Hayward on 06/19/09 Last updated 04/06/10 Is it all a bad dream? For some, ignorance is bliss, but for those who have a greater understanding, the direction in which we are headed is troublesome. From left to right, pundits feed us catchphrases and slogans, eliciting emotions and furthering our thought pattern associations. From subliminal messaging to outright propaganda, Americans have either become overestimated and apathetic as Naomi Klein's shock doctrine or partisan controlled automatons working to propagate the divide for corporate interests.  What I found shocking to learn is that often, the more educated one is, the more susceptible to propaganda they become. Contempt becomes a powerful defense to those who have invested vast amounts of emotion into their foundational beliefs. Pride as well as other mental defenses help us to maintain our comfort bubbles.  (see group think) What is tr...

By Matthew Hayward I just found this paper I wrote a couple of years ago for my Writing 101 class. Author Edward Hallowell observes a fast-paced and overstimulated society. The society that Mr. Hallowell discusses is the one in which we live. Though we agree that modern technology can be used for great things, we must recognize that it also negatively affects many people, allowing it to direct their lives rather than simply assist them. Modern life, as Hallowell writes about in Crazy Busy, details the effects of what I believe to be a larger problem. We need to be more aware of the trickledown effect of the controlled and manipulated evolution of the technology boom. While Hallowell does a terrific job categorizing things that take up time by explaining what we can do to fight back against the Gemmelsmerchs, (a word made up by Hallowell to describe "the ubiquitous force that distracts us from whatever we're doing") (57), he does not at any point in the book discus...