The Increasing Normalization of Censorship and Canceling

"Fantasia" -- Collaboration with Dream by Wombo

The title of this blog post comes from an interview with Jordan Peterson titled Jordan Peterson: The radical Left is guilt-tripping the West into oblivion.

The description for this podcast: Dr Jordan Peterson discusses how to win the culture war, with insights from Soviet and Nazi dissidents who stood up against tyranny and compares their struggles with clampdowns on free speech today. He sits down with The Telegraph’s Steven Edginton in a wide-ranging discussion from why Britain was a miracle for the world to whether he is addicted to Twitter.

Best quote so far: "Courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought."

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I continue to be fascinated with the ways AI can be used. The above was my intro to a blog post about a Jordan Peterson interview with Steve Edginton. You can read what I began to write initially. I intended to draw attention to some insightful quotes. The first that jumped out at me is cited above.

Then I changed my intent by having ChatGPT rewrite the same introductory comments but in different styles. Here are the results of making this request. 

Formal and Analytical Style:
In this thought-provoking podcast, Dr. Jordan Peterson delves into the strategies for prevailing in the ongoing cultural conflict, drawing upon the experiences of dissidents from the Soviet and Nazi regimes who bravely opposed oppression. By juxtaposing their struggles with contemporary challenges to free speech, Peterson provides insightful commentary on the current state of societal discourse. In an engaging conversation with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, topics range from the exceptionalism of Britain on the global stage to Peterson's contemplation on his own relationship with social media, including his reflections on the scarcity of genuine courage in today's world. Amidst this exploration, Peterson's observation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" resonates as a poignant reflection on the complexities of human nature.

Conversational and Reflective Style:
So, picture this: Dr. Jordan Peterson, right? He's diving deep into this podcast, talking all about how we can actually win this whole culture war thing. And get this – he's using stories from these real-life heroes who stood up against some seriously messed-up regimes like the Soviets and Nazis. It's wild, man. Plus, he's chatting it up with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, shooting the breeze about everything from why Britain's kinda like this miracle for the world to whether Peterson's got, like, a Twitter addiction. And hey, you know what's got me thinking? That line he drops about how "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" – it's hitting me right in the feels, you know?

Sensational and Provocative Style:
Brace yourselves for the ultimate showdown in this electrifying podcast as Dr. Jordan Peterson unveils the secrets to victory in the culture war! Prepare to be blown away as Peterson draws inspiration from the harrowing tales of dissidents who dared to defy tyranny under the shadows of Soviet and Nazi rule. But hold onto your hats, folks, because the shock doesn't stop there – Peterson isn't afraid to tackle the hot-button issue of free speech crackdowns head-on! And in a no-holds-barred interview with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, Peterson spills the tea on everything from Britain's global significance to his own social media habits. And if you thought you'd heard it all, think again – Peterson's revelation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" will leave you on the edge of your seat, questioning everything you thought you knew!

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So, what's the point? My intent was actually to share this observation: it takes courage to speak out and take a stand. Would you agree? 

Related Link: What Good Am I?

What good am I if I know and don’t do If I see and don’t say, if I look right through you --Bob Dylan

Hood Ornaments

There are probably dozens of reasons people love cars. For many it is simply the memories associated with them. Cars take us places we might not otherwise have been. Occasionally even over a rainbow.

Another reason people, usually guys, like cars is the power they emanate. Guys with muscle cars come to mind here... or the Fast and Furious tuner crowd.

Here at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, it is clear that cars used to be more than vehicles to take you places or extensions of one's machisimo... They exude style. From the lines and curves of the form itself to the embellishments, the vibrant colors and chrome ornamentation, there's really nothing like it in the world, a splendiforous breath taking, dream making wonder.

To me, one of the most fascinating elements on so many of the older cars, is the hood ornament. Many car manufacturers embellished their designs with a symbol which the car wore like a badge right on the front center portion of the hood. Along with the grille, the hood ornament often helped give a car its distinctiveness. Many used it as their primary brand identifier.

When we lived in Mexico, I purchased a hood ornament for my '72 Ford station wagon. It was not a great car in terms of style, but that chrome eagle in flight sure made it feel cool to me.

So for today I just wanted to share with you a couple hood ornaments which I saw yesterday. Feel free to click on each image to enlarge. And just out of curiosity, in what kinds of ways do we ornament our lives today?