Science Vs. Morality

I consider myself a rational person. I am a huge believer in the scientific method because it is the only method we have to determine truth. Science, after all, is just a fancy Latin word for knowledge. 

Now the thing about science is it is separate from morality. Morality will give direction on right and wrong, science deals in factual evidence.  Science cannot tell you if it is right to kill someone or not. Morality, or religion which is mostly just a moral framework, deals with such matters.  

This way of thinking is why I detest when a science magazine turns away from science and deals with morality, especially when they go against science to make a point. 

This is what National Geographic did in an article on Indigenous peoples in their most recent issue. I have read every word in every issue of the magazine since about 1985 and I can see a definite trend away from science and toward moralizing. 

I'll also state I have a huge interest and a fairly strong  educational background in anthropology so it isn't as if the subject is uninteresting to me. 

So what was wrong with the article? Essentially it made the case that indigenous people are far better than us at managing the environment, have more moralistic societies, and are, well, simply superior to modern people in all ways. 

Somehow the authors missed that slavery was widespread among Native Americans. As was war and torture and human sacrifice. Native peoples also often caused large scale environmental catastrophes. 

Sure there were and are pockets of indigenous people who live in harmony with the environment and their fellow humans but that doesn't make them any different from anyone else. 

So why am I writing about it here? Mainly because one of the "characteristics' of native people the article said we needed to bring back was matriarchal society. Really? Indigenous people are no more or less matriarchal than other people. More to the point, why on earth would a society dominated by women be better than one dominated by men? Are we so narrow-minded we cannot aspire to equality rather than one gender dominating another?

Easy Money

In a T-Mobile class action lawsuit regarding a data breach, lawyers emerged $78 million richer while customers only got $25. In my experience this is the norm. 

This is exactly the kind of case that causes the public to scoff at class actions. My client gets 25 bucks and these attorneys are walking away with $7,000 to $10,000 per hour." - Attorney Robert Clore

The lawyers, of course, claim they they worked a massive number of hours on the case so their costs are justified. But anyone who has worked closely with lawyers knows just how often billable hours are padded, often egregiously so. The reality is that there is little incentive for lawyers not to pad their bills because there is almost no negative consequences in doing so. The risk for the lawyer is near zero while the reward is very high. 

In my case I tried to get details on what exactly my lawyers were billing me for because it didn't seem like they were doing much but they simple refused to provide anything but the most vague explanations. 

I have also worked with patent troll lawyers who didn't even attempt to justify the hours they billed. 

It is easy money if you are willing to commit the crime. And always keep in mind, it is a crime. 

The Value Of Prenups

Never sign a contract with someone who is rewarded for breaking it. That seems obvious but it happens all the time when people get married.  

I recognize the laws as written are mostly fair but the reality of how they are implemented is otherwise. Over 98% of alimony payers are men. Which is a heck of an incentive for a woman to divorce a man. Also a reason to commit fraud and perjury. Which is exactly what my ex-wife, and worse her lawyer, did in order to get vast amounts of money out of me. And note I paid 100% of the expenses for the kids who predominantly lived with me for the first few years after the marriage ended and then chose, on their own, to live 100% with me as soon as they could. 

Many believe people who get prenuptial agreements are somehow less committed to the relationship. The reality is a prenup removes one of the biggest incentives to end the marriage thus making divorce less likely. 

Sexual Misconduct By Lawyers

More evidence lawyers are often treated as being above the law, NPR reports sexual misconduct allegations against lawyers isn't uncommon. but punishment is tricky.

I would wager committing fraud in family law cases takes the top spot for crimes committed by lawyers but sexual misconduct I suspect is right up there. The reality is that lawyers are often de facto immune when committing crimes and other unethical acts so, guess what? Many do so. 

Do you think people used to committing and getting away with fraud, are more or less likely to commit acts of sexual misconduct? Many people, including many lawyers, tell me the crimes committed by lawyers in my case are just the way the system works. They think fraud is no big deal. They are wrong. People who commit fraud are way more likely to commit other types of crime including sexual ones. 

We have laws to ensure a fair and just society. When those laws are not enforced equitably, all crime increases.