[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
When “Accredited” Isn’t Enough
A young student asks a simple question: Is this college accredited? The answer is yes. The better question is never asked. In the American imagination, accreditation functions as a kind of institutional seal. It suggests legitimacy, baseline quality, and a degree that will carry weight beyond the walls of the issuing school. It is a … Continue reading When “Accredited” Isn’t Enough
Never Trust, Always Verify
There is a phrase in cybersecurity that, once heard, is difficult to ignore. Never trust. Always verify. It is presented as a principle of good design, a response to hostile networks and persistent threats. But like many such principles, it carries with it a quiet assumption, that trust, as a default posture, is no longer … Continue reading Never Trust, Always Verify
The Age of Authentication
There is a quiet shift underway in how we are expected to exist online. It does not announce itself with the force of a new technology, nor with the clarity of a single policy. It appears instead as a requirement, a small prompt during account creation, a field to be filled, a box to be … Continue reading The Age of Authentication
How and Why Do Myths Arise
I have noticed that modern people speak about myths with a certain confidence, usually while participating in them. The word itself is often used dismissively, as though a myth is merely a falsehood displaced by more rational understanding. We contrast myths with facts as though the distinction resolves the matter cleanly and permanently. And yet … Continue reading How and Why Do Myths Arise
The Robot Monk
A humanoid robot named Gabi reportedly took Buddhist vows this week at a temple in Seoul. The headlines wrote themselves almost immediately. “Robot monk.” “AI converts to Buddhism.” “Humanoid takes vows.” The story circulated with the predictable mixture of fascination, amusement, and mild existential discomfort that seems to accompany nearly every modern AI milestone. At … Continue reading The Robot Monk
The Company One Keeps at the End of the World
There is a particular kind of question that appears harmless on its face and yet carries more weight than intended. The “zombie apocalypse” prompt is one of these. It is usually asked in jest, often answered quickly, and almost never revisited with any seriousness. Who are the three people you'd want at your side in … Continue reading The Company One Keeps at the End of the World
Arete and the Meaning of Excellence
The Greek word arete is often translated as “virtue,” though I have never been fully satisfied with the equivalence. Virtue, as we tend to use the term, carries a moral tone and sometimes a certain stillness, as if it were something one might possess and set aside. Arete, at least as I understand it, seems less settled. It … Continue reading Arete and the Meaning of Excellence
