[N.B. I originally wrote this article in 2012 and it has been by far the most popular of anything I've written on this site. Occasionally I'll update it, but to the best of my knowledge, it's still one of the most in-depth studies into the topic of Honorary Alabama Colonelcy.] Most people are familiar with … Continue reading Honorary Colonel in the Alabama State Militia
An Argument with a Book: Reading Jeremy Lent’s The Patterning Instinct
I probably would never have found Jeremy Lent's The Patterning Instinct on my own. It came into my orbit through a series of conversations I was having with ChatGPT about systems, patterns, culture, and the ways ideas become embedded in civilizations. I should probably add a disclaimer here: I am not a member of the … Continue reading An Argument with a Book: Reading Jeremy Lent’s The Patterning Instinct
How Much of Me Is Already Public?
I recently came across a prompt that asks ChatGPT to analyze you as though you were a person of interest. The prompt originated with a Reddit user and was picked up by UNILAD Tech. I tried it on myself, and the result was surprisingly good. It described me as a technically capable systems thinker with strong … Continue reading How Much of Me Is Already Public?
The House That Homer Built
When I was a teenager, my dad moved into a small house out in the country. It wasn’t much of a house. A single-story concrete-block house in Gandy's Cove. The kind of house you could pass a hundred times without ever wondering who lived there. Not long after he moved in, one of the neighbors … Continue reading The House That Homer Built
Kudzu and Its Ilk
It was planted to stop erosion. It fed cattle. It was praised by experts and promoted by the government. Then it crossed the fence line. Today it covers forests, barns, telephone poles, and most of my backyard. Kudzu never asked permission. Neither does power. Every generation invents a new reason to surrender an old liberty. … Continue reading Kudzu and Its Ilk
The Pen in the Drawer
I recently started a new job. Like most new jobs, the first week was filled with orientation, unfamiliar faces, and the slow process of making an anonymous cubicle feel a little less anonymous. The top drawer in the cabinet under my desk became the natural place to keep my notebook. For the first few days, … Continue reading The Pen in the Drawer
The Free State of Trust
Several years ago, not long after my wife and I moved to Winston County, Alabama, I was talking with a longtime member of the community. During the conversation he said something I’ve never forgotten. “It doesn’t matter how long you live here,” he said. “You’ll always be an outsider.” He didn’t say it kindly. And … Continue reading The Free State of Trust
On Heroes and Hero-Worship in the Information Age
I recently listened to Thomas Carlyle's On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History. It is one of those books that has acquired a reputation few people seem interested in challenging. Mention Carlyle today, particularly in academic circles, and before long someone will invoke the "Great Man Theory" as though the matter has been settled. … Continue reading On Heroes and Hero-Worship in the Information Age
