Granted. But how does that negate caring about a person's true feelings? I'm merely stating a fact. Arguing a feeling's utility, doesn't negate its existence.

Interesting. I didn't get that impression of Jezebel. I'm pretty sure they've covered trafficking pretty well here. Although, if they have been over-accentuating the positive by covering these kinds of testimonials more often, I can see why it would be annoying. Hopefully, they can strike a better balance with…

Kant's categorical imperative is hardly straightforward logic. It makes some assumptions. Morality doesn't have to be consistent. Role-based morality or situational morality can be just as logical. Kant's morality assumes a slippery slope, proposing the absurd situation of a behavior being conducted by everyone. …

I didn't say it does anything for them. Just pointing out that that statement was false. Consumers care.

Precisely.

So, if I want to become a tailor, I should take into account the millions of sweatshop laborers around the world as well?

As a consumer, I disagree. I care about what the performer is really feeling.

Because even though it isn't real, it still leads to the same jingoist mentality. Just because the object of a belief might not be real, doesn't mean the belief itself and the consequences of the belief aren't. Mainstream Christians and Muslims have way more influence in world politics than the Amish, so no I don't…

It is not acceptable to promote a belief system that divides the world into the saved elect and the damned with no proof but an old compilation of scriptures and authoritarian rantings from the pulpit. I don't care how ancient and revered a tradition it is. Appeals to tradition, authority, and popularity don't…

So, what is this better alternative to democratic government you are proposing? Why pick on one type of powerful institution and not any of the others? Like corporations, private businesses, the various organized religious organizations like the Roman Catholic Church, terrorist groups, actual organized crime…

So, cherry-picking the Bible? Let me ask this then: If certain parts of the Bible are acceptable to modern Christianity, but other parts are not, then why not eliminate the offending passages? There are plenty of parts of the Bible that can be used to justify hate, mainly the doctrine that anyone who doesn't accept…

You malign the powers of government, but fail to mention the powers that fill the vacuum government leaves untouched. Democratic government is the only powerful institution that is beholden to the voter. All other private institutions need only heed the dollar. The only reason one form of powerful organization…

Frankenstein was more of a science fiction novel than many that bear the same label today. There were no appeals to magic as to how the monster worked, only science. Oscar Wilde didn't only write fantasy stories, but he exemplified the temperament of the fantasist to a tee. Bulgakov's "The Fatal Eggs" is a fine…

Seems to me, this person is just confusing the definitions of "fantasy" and "wish". Might not understand the implications of his or her misinterpretation.

A fantasy (not a wish) is just a mental visualization of an imagined event. It has nothing to do with wanting to make it real. One can have horrific or paranoid fantasies as well as pleasurable ones. Even the pleasurable ones aren't necessarily wishes. Sometimes a pleasurable fantasy wouldn't be pleasurable if…

Well, according to Lincoln: "The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend." By that standard, the Borg are indeed the nearly perfect enemy. Isn't that what they are seeking to do through assimilating you, make you their friend? In order to make them the perfect enemy, they just need to beautiful. …

Yep. Plasma is the hottest state of matter when the electrons separate from the nucleus (i.e.: ionized). This is the most common state of matter in the universe (because stars are made of it).

So, when is the debunkery on this debunkery article coming out?

Solution: an actual giant beanstalk that grows faster than it can be ripped apart.

Wait, what? Government-funded religious indoctrination? What part of separation of church and state don't you understand?