Superstition among a nation of proud atheists

I find myself frequently perturbed by the nuisance of meeting students to write in their little books--their "indexes".  They are a passport sized book recording their coursework.  And, I confess that recently I failed to show up at a pre-arranged meeting.  (Originally I was to give a test at that time, but as no one signed up for the test, I erroneously concluded that there was no reason for me to show up.  I forgot about the student I'd agreed to meet, operating on the assumption that other students would show up to take a test.)

It's a nuisance to arrange a time to meet (see note), and it is a waste of time to write in one.  The grade has already been recorded in the University computer system, and it is, in fact, also a nuisance to be sure that the date of examination recorded in the little book matches what's been entered into the university computer.  (Note:  Yes, office hours/ or a scheduled hour should avoid the need to arrange a time.)

Pointless.  The persistence of a nineteenth century bit of technology when a perfectly acceptable 21st century replacement exists.

I have, in less charitable moments, imagined there might be a sad room filled with people who have no other job in life than to monitor these little books.  And I have even gone so far as to contemplate the mean thought that they have been so affected by this redundant expenditure of energy that they are no longer able to do anything useful.  But, I think that is unrealistically cynical.

However, it is a mystery why Czechs persist in this particular waste of time, energy, ink, and paper.

Especially as I've know Czechs who imagined that their mere atheism somehow guaranteed them access to higher standards of human reasoning than religiously minded individuals. As if mere denial of the existence of god or gods sufficed to guarantee clarity of thought. 

If nothing else, the continuing existence of these annoying little books proves that atheism alone does not guarantee clarity of thought, or the choice of reasonable institutional policies.  (I do not find it convincing to suggest, as someone once did, that in the event of a nuclear war or other disaster, these little books would survive.  Any disaster that wiped out the university's computers would equally deprive us of these lovely little books.)

Nor, for that matter, need atheism automatically free anyone from a variety of erroneous thoughts and prejudices.  Contemporary psychology catalogues various forms of irrationality from an exaggerated tendency to believe one is in control (the illusion of control) to various errors involving statistics such as failing to consider the sample size.  Mere atheism does not guarantee anything except, I suppose, freedom from some of the errors made by some theists.  The persistence of this particular institutional peculiarity --the "index"--strikes me as little more than an absurd piece of irrationality or superstition, as silly as the silliest of religious rituals, and wholly unworthy of existence, and something which should make any self-proclaimed fan of rationality blush with embarrassment.

The unhappiness of others

For those who are more-or-less satisfied with their lot, the unhappiness of others seems to be an offense.

I haven't got in mind the excesses of the wealthy.

I am thinking about relatively ordinary people who notice that the system isn't working for everyone, and rush to find a quick explanation to move the problem out of sight.

In the USA, I often noted a related trend--the conviction that others were getting hand-outs that they didn't deserve.  In those cases, I always wanted to ask about the hand-outs that were invisible, such as taxbreaks and other benefits for the wealthiest.  

In the case of the discomfort at the unhappiness of others, I am thinking of a young woman who recently told me that Czechs have enough money, but spend it foolishly--on alcohol or cigarettes or fashion.

Plainly, alcohol can be an addiction, but I'm more inclined to suggest an analysis along the lines of what I once read in a book about poverty by an American sociologist.  The question is why people turn to drugs, of whatever sort.  And, the answer is that there's something their society doesn't provide them.  As for fashion, I'd want to remind the complainer that huge sums of money are spent promoting fashion. 

But, most of all I'd like to challenge the individualist perspective on social problems which unrealistically insists that people have more power than they really do.  There are powerful forces (including the mainstream of economics) which encourages people to ignore the very fact of social classes.

I have to say, however, that the breathtaking swiftness with which the relatively well-off attack the character of the relatively less well-off bothers me.  It's too fast and too easy, and it always leaves me a little sad and disappointed whenever I see this  thought disease.

toward a broader perspective

Having difficulties with my accommodation and those who provide it,
it is helpful to recall that:
I started the academic year signing a rent contract contract which specified that rent was due on the same day as (according to my employment contract) my pay was issued.  But, then, in the course of the year, the authorities decided to change the date when pay was issued. (Which I suppose means they violated the contract.) It was moved to be a couple days later than originally specified.  So, rent and pay were no longer in harmony.

Yet, the lady who receives my pay did one day remark, as if it were a strange and bizarre curiosity, that I typically don't pay her on the day that the rent is due.  That is, I don't pay on the due day since the time when I am paid later.

All the more bizarre is the fact that I actually rent an accommodation from my employer.......

Of course the change in pay date was unnegotiated and not discussed.  So, that tells you something....

fighting for survival

I had gotten myself settled down to read some philosophy.
But I've just learned that the Authorities at University Housing
will not allow me to register my accommodation as the mailing
address for a Business License.
To teach English (and thereby to make extra money to supplement my
now diminished University pay) I have to have a Business License.
The denial was off putting as it came with no explanation,
and the suggestion that some higher power prevented the
person from granting my request.
I have tried to explain that my ability to eat depends upon this.
I am afraid I am upset.
There was no explanation or reason offered, only the rather hollow
suggestion that they couldn't do anything about this......as if they deserved
my sympathy....

Germany's debt

Germany's debt after World War Two was forgiven......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SJhDl1z7RY

To be accurate, one has to recall that American firms have been accused of benefiting from slave labor.  One American company helped the Nazis set up a primitive computer system to keep track of prisoners.  Prior to the war, Churchill was enthusiastic about Hitler and Mussolini....

Here a link to Tariq Ali discussing the subject:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SJhDl1z7RY

In the Czech Republic recently, the President has created a certain amount of controversy by pointing out that a celebrated journalist had written a story about Hitler, calling him a "gentleman".  If this is true, it would seem that the famous Czech journalist was following Churchill's lead....

rude and stupid

As a sort of follow-up to yesterday's post....

Below a link:  A  journalist at the BBC interviews Yanis Varoufakis, the new Greek Minister of Finance.

She interrupts him, and insists on reducing everything to stupid dichotomies. I also detested the very pictorial and imagistic lead-in.  It reminds me of the crap that The Guardian has chosen as a format.  --As if we need to constantly be bombarded with pictures without which headlines would not make sense.

This is also something of a counterbalance to Varoufakis' absence on a recent Czech TV spot during which the European representative's remarks at a news conference were fully featured--and Varoufakis' words were not heard. (Here I indulge the fantasy that someone is reading this blog.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&x-yt-ts=1422579428&v=BiIO4YciewU#t=860

just another day

In Prague, as I entered a passage lined by shops and stinky fast food, I heard a woman's voice pleading, "help me!".  At the other end, I saw a person in a coat, on the floor, surrounded by three or more large policemen.

I shook my head and saw a sad faced response from the vratnice.

Upstairs, I asked a young friend what had happened.  She said, in a disapproving voice, it was a homeless person who had become "hysterical".

There is another shop beside the one which rents the two-wheeled menaces that terrorize the pedestrians, and I imagined it was its employees or proprietors who had complained.  Later, I saw them leaving, large in their generous coats--or perhaps obese people made even larger in their warm coats.

I am sure the homeless woman enjoys no such luxuries, and I felt it was obscene that she had been thrown out, especially if by that crowd of people living with smug comforts.

As I left, I spoke to the vratnice, saying that she had probably only wanted to stay inside outside of the cold.  He agreed, saying that inside, in this little mall or shop-lined passage, it would be more pleasant than out in the cold.

My young friend felt no such sympathy.

I think of that homeless woman together with the garish sign that flashes news around the corner at the British super-store.....Yesterday it told us that the Greeks had "refused help" from the EU.
Help?  No. The Greek government has refused to continue with a lie.  And, it is a case of democracy versus the bankers.

What pure propaganda to describe it as a refusal to take "help"!

Just like the Czech economist writing in today's paper that the American economy had recovered.  He was responsible enough to cite the relevant statistics, but he did not consider statistics or arguments pointing in the other direction.

These are the things I think of when I think of Prague.  I don't think about its "beauty".