Humanities in Revolt seeks to bring the questions, ideas, expressions, and insights of the humanities out of the ivory tower and into the wider public domain. Consequently, we make each and every essay post available to all subscribers without a paywall. This is a commitment at the heart of our objective, fanning the flames of humanistic biophilia: a compassionate and principled love of life.
Paid subscriptions are, nevertheless, deeply appreciated and vital to our growth. Currently, all funds generated by paid subscriptions are used to grow Humanities in Revolt’s readership. This strategy helps us defy social media algorithms that award inanely content and suppress bold, humanistic analysis like ours.
On November 20, 2022, 253 of you had subscribed. Our community of readers has grown to 837 as of November 20, 2023. Thanks to paid subscribers, the subscriber base for Humanities in Revolt has grown by 584 between November 20, 2022 and November 2023! We’ve also begun to receive a growing number of paid subscriptions.
To show our gratitude for existing paid subscribers and entice those considering upgrading their subscriptions, Humanities in Revolt periodically publishes audio and/or video of my talks and lectures. Offering these works exclusively to paid subscribers allows us to add something of value to the paid subscription option while also maintaining our commitment to making all essays available to all readers regardless of subscription status.
To be clear, we are well aware of the economic hardships many are experiencing. Housing costs in the United States are particularly devastating. Humanities in Revolt is now and will remain open and appreciative to all subscribers regardless of economic standing. Unpaid subscribers can contribute to our mission by inviting friends and family to subscribe, reading, liking, commenting, and sharing our work. Afterall, the goal, above all, is to engage in meaningful, life-affirming dialogue.
That said, those who believe in the work of this publication and are in the position to become paid subscribers are gratefully appreciated.
Video #2: Beyond Buzzwords and Oversimplification: The Meaning and Significance of Critical Thinking
I delivered this talk before the University Unitarian Universalist Society in Orlando, Florida, on October 15, 2023. Humanities in Revolt readers will find the subject familiar. The first part of what will be an ongoing series exploring the art of being a critical thinker was published on November 10, 2023.
Though many, particularly in education, talk of “thinking critically,” the concept is rarely meaningfully defined. Drawing on 13-years of study and teaching on the subject, I introduced attendees to some of the salient features of critical thinking and their implications for our day-to-day experience including how to maintain ethical integrity in light of current events such as global military conflicts.
“In contrast to the celebration of one-liner witticisms and acerbic social media mic-drops, critical thinking invites us to pass the mic; pass the mic of critique so that we can foster genuine dialogue.”
Critical thinking highlights the unreliability of our ordinary modes of thought and facilitates nothing short of integrity or wholeness in our lives. My contention, in short, is that our individual and collective well-being requires us to embrace intellectual humility and recognize just how easy it is to be wrong and how difficult it often is to be right.
Excerpt
“The problem we face is that we believe our perception of and thinking about the world is unfiltered: that we simply see the world as it is. And we’re frustrated that all these other people, these damn fools can’t see what anyone with 20/20 vision should be able to see…. We too infrequently appreciate that the facts of the world do not, by themselves, disclose their ‘meaning’ or ‘significance.’ To determine something’s significance or meaning, we filter it through one or more related interpretive beliefs….
“In contrast to the celebration of one-liner witticisms and acerbic social media mic-drops, critical thinking invites us to pass the mic; pass the mic of critique so that we can foster genuine dialogue. By conveying the underlying reasoning that supports our conclusions we offer others a window into something much deeper and more illuminating than a mere opinion; we help them understand us; understand the basis of our thinking. If we relinquish the narrow goal of egoistic victory, a reasonable and respectful dialogue may foster insight for each participant. It may reveal gaps and inconsistencies just as it may reveal compelling justification.”
New paid subscribers can view the first video, “Lessons of the Iraq War,” at the link below.
Lecture: Lessons of the Iraq War
Please share and like this post by clicking the heart icon.
Invite Dr. Nall to Speak
Dr. Nall delivers energetic live presentations and engaging workshops on the subjects featured in Humanities in Revolt. Those interested in booking a workshop or talk can get in touch through Facebook or by leaving a comment.
