The world is so full of doomsday prophets peddling fear--Second Coming, economic collapse, civil war, climate catastrophe.
Same old grift. Even Bitcoiners have that desperate gleam in their eyes, like gold bugs who discovered bash prompts.

I'd rather deal with today's mess than tomorrow's ghosts. Better to sharpen the skills that work anytime, any place: making friends across enemy lines, thinking clearly while helping others do the same, living simply, knowing what integrity really demands of us.

PLAINNESS: The meetinghouse had no altar, no cross, no stained glass—just white walls and honesty. It was the kind of place where your conscience could corner you in broad daylight. And if you were smart, you'd let it happen.

UNITY: Consensus was a dirty word in most neighborhoods. Like it was lose-lose. But the Quakers made it sing. No voting, no majority rule—just a room full of believers wrestling with the Truth until it pinned them all to the mat. Democracy with its sleeves rolled up and its hands dirty.

SILENCE: The meeting house was quiet as a grave at midnight. Two dozen souls sat in wooden pews, waiting for the Spirit to move them. In this racket, silence was the only currency that mattered. And brother, it was worth more than all the world's noisy bars.

This much is getting clear: AI serves those who already know how to think, dream, imagine. For those who can't—or won't—do the hard work of thinking, it becomes a crutch that weakens them further. I already feel the divide growing.

The Quakers had blood on their hands before they found their conscience. It wasn't just guilt that cleaned the slate—it was Black resistance that showed them the way out of the dark alley they'd been walking down for 120 years.

I like the company of people who work at getting it right, even when they fumble. Next best thing to being perfect is knowing when you're a fool and doing something about it.

https://www.friendsjournal.org/black-resistance-to-quaker-enslavement/

This resonates. Used to be a devoted NPR listener until the performance became too obvious (10 years ago) - same with TED talks. There's something off when it feels scripted. It's not just NPR though. Watch someone claim to be a free thinker then discover they're into Bitcoin, CrossFit, carnivore diet, and Zyn, (bonus points for testicle tanning).

Checking too many boxes.

https://afriendlyletter.com/why-i-think-npr-will-survive-but-why-i-dont-really-care/

The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit created by Congress in 1984 to promote peaceful resolution of international conflicts through research, education, and direct peacebuilding support worldwide.

Faith communities created it, Trump wants to dismantle it.

https://religionnews.com/2025/05/23/as-us-institute-of-peace-is-ordered-reinstated-people-of-faith-must-support-it/