While I’m an elder, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to dying, that is until my brother, who’s 20 months younger, announced in...
Thinking About Death
While I’m an elder, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to dying, that is until my brother, who’s 20 months younger, announced in a recent late-night phone call that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. (To preserve my brother’s [...]
Pat Taub
Arlie Hochschild4
Domestic Violence Month, Wes Anderson Film, Respecting the Homeless & More!
Domestic Violence Month October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, which coincides with a new Netflix series, Maid, about an impoverished young woman, who, with her toddler daughter, flees her abusive husband. Initially she rejects seeing herself as a victim of domestic violence because, while her husband smashed in walls and verbally abused [...]
Pat Taub
Have We Forgotten How to Talk?
“We’ve forgotten how to talk to each other,” laments Sherry Turkle in her latest book, “Reclaiming Conversation.” Turkle lays the blame on smartphones, which have largely replaced in-person conversation, where “talk” is relegated to texts and emails. These short, scripted exchanges in cyberspace have replaced the deep connections [...]
Pat Taub
The Older Woman Warrior
Who’s the older woman warrior? She’s the older woman, who believes in doing her part to make her community and the world a kinder, more just place. She cares deeply about the planet her children and grandchildren will inherit. She’s not afraid to stick her neck out. She figures she doesn’t have much to lose given her advanced age. [...]
Pat Taub
Understanding Trump’s Appeal
Most Liberals I know scratch their heads in disbelief over Donald Trump’s candidacy. Even though he’s now imploding, what he represents won’t necessarily go away if he loses the Presidency. Chris Hedges in a recent Truthdig column, warns us that if we don’t address the concerns of Trump’s constituency, another right-wing demagogue [...]
Pat Taub