Ideas, opinions, politics, humanities
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Even the Pope can be sometimes right
I am not only an atheist, but I also dispute central tenets of Christianity. I believe neither in a theistic nor a deistic God, and I also have serious doubts that Jesus Christ existed as a historical figure. In my opinion, he either did not exist at all, or the figure is based on someone…
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Banning a political party is no solution
Banning a political party may look like a solution. In reality, it creates a dangerous political precedent. A government first bans the extremists. Later, another government may ban the socialists, communists, nationalists, environmentalists, or anti-war movements. Eventually, the political establishment can outlaw anyone who threatens its power. Without free political competition, no real political change…
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I am against the death penalty. What about war criminals?
I am absolutely against the death penalty (for the record, it is scientifically proven it has either no effect at all or very little). Even if you have tortured and killed 100 children. Yes, you should get a life sentence, but we are not going to torture you. But what about war criminals? Famous American…
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USA’s and China’s AI Race. NATO buys scrap from the USA
Artificial intelligence will shape the twenty-first century. Anyone who still doubts that reality ignores the biggest technological revolution of our time. AI will transform the job market. It will reshape education. It will redefine healthcare. Above all, it will revolutionize warfare. That is exactly why the United States and China compete so fiercely. The race…
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We hate human rights and NGOs? Go and live in Russia or China
People in my country increasingly hate NGOs. They applaud every budget cut, every political attack, and every resignation of an NGO leader. They want the government to stop funding civil society and redirect every available crown to sports. That sounds attractive until someone asks a simple question: who will help the people whom the state…
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What is democracy? The rule of the people or the super-rich?
“Democracy is a system of government where power is vested in the people, who exercise it either directly through referendums or indirectly through elected representatives.” This is what Wikipedia says. During my formal studies, I was told there are lobbyists influencing politicians. And this process can be honest or truly dishonest (influencing for the benefit…
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When a freethinker has amnesia and is close to death
I always thought I was lucky that I don’t live in a third-world country where all of the human rights are broken. No torture, no persecution, no prospect of imminent death. Well, I was wrong and should actually inspect how horrible psychiatric care is in my country, and of course, if I am able, to…
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The secret psychology of dictators
Dictators do not emerge randomly. They emerge from deep psychological mechanisms rooted inside human evolution, fear, hierarchy, social instability, tribalism, domination, and mass psychology. At first glance, dictators appear inhuman. People often imagine them as monsters born fundamentally different from ordinary individuals. However, reality looks far more disturbing. Many psychological traits visible in dictators exist…
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Why revolutions always end in corruption
Revolutions begin with moral outrage. People rise because they believe society has become intolerably unjust. They see corruption, inequality, oligarchic control, repression, poverty, censorship, police brutality, foreign domination, or complete institutional decay. Consequently, revolutionary movements emerge with enormous emotional energy. At first, revolutions appear morally pure. Crowds gather in streets believing they fight for freedom,…
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How did the West make the world religiously radicalized?
Modern religious radicalization did not emerge from religion alone. Instead, it emerged from collapsing states, foreign interventions, geopolitical competition, economic dependency, identity crises, propaganda systems, and prolonged instability. Nevertheless, many mainstream narratives simplify the issue heavily. They present extremism as if it appeared naturally inside certain cultures or religions. However, this explanation ignores how global…