PHILOSOPHY: “The Need for Approval Makes You Invisible” / Einzelgänger ☮

Why the need for approval and external validation penalizes authenticity. As Jim Carrey once said: “Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world. Don’t let anything stand in the way of the light that shines through this form. Risk being seen in all of your glory.”

PROGRESSIVE INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM: “No one ever makes a billion dollars. You take a billion dollars.”~ AOC” / NowAOCThis News ☮

‘No one ever makes a billion dollars. You take a billion dollars.’ — AOC pulled no punches when discussing income inequality, capitalism, and the ultra wealthy’s grip on power in the U.S.

CANNABIS: “Study Sheds Light on How Weed Fights Stress” / Secular Talk / Kyle Kulinski ☮

Scientists have identified a molecule in the brain that may help to protect the body from anxiety, and could help explain people’s use of marijuana in times of stress. In a study conducted in mice and published in Neuron, researchers looked at the molecule 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). This molecule is involved in a connection between the amygdala and frontal cortex. These parts of the brain are responsible for regulating emotions, memory and empathy, among other things…

POLITICAL COMMENTARY: “Racism and the Soul of America / Eddie Glaude Jr. / 09.13.2016” ☮

Eddie Glaude Jr. is the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University and Chair of the Department of African American Studies. He is the author of the award-winning book In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America and co-editor with Cornel West of African American Religious Thought: An Anthology. His latest book is Democracy in Black: How Race Still Governs the Soul of America. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse College, a master’s degree in African American studies from Temple University, and a PhD in religion from Princeton University. His scholarly pursuits and public service have been informed by his years growing up in the coastal town of Moss Point, Mississippi.