Five predictions about the future of reproduction. Just so we are abundantly clear, I believe all of these developments represent a decline in our world, not “progress.”

(h/t)

The Muppets play Bohemian Rhapsody.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlxozJh2JNo]

What he said:

The culture’s attitude is Hefnerism, basically, if less baldly chauvinistic than the original Playboy philosophy. Sexual fulfillment is treated as the source and summit of a life well lived, the thing without which nobody (from a carefree college student to a Cialis-taking senior) can be truly happy, enviable or free.

Meanwhile, social alternatives to sexual partnerships are disfavored or in decline: Virginity is for weirdos and losers, celibate life is either a form of unhealthy repression or a smoke screen for deviancy, the kind of intense friendships celebrated by past civilizations are associated with closeted homosexuality, and the steady shrinking of extended families has reduced many people’s access to the familial forms of platonic intimacy.

Yet as sex looms ever larger as an aspirational good, we also live in a society where more people are single and likely to remain so than in any previous era. And since single people have, on average, a lot less sex than the partnered and wedded, a growing number of Americans are statistically guaranteed to feel that they’re not living up to the culture’s standard of fulfillment, happiness and worth.

As this CBC article notes: Harper won’t fund abortion globally because it’s ‘extremely divisive’.

“We’re trying to rally a broad public consensus behind what we’re doing, and you can’t rally a consensus on that issue, as you know well in this country,” he said.

“We have taxpayers’ money and we have great needs”

Exactly.  So then why on earth are we funding abortion at home, here in Canada?

I’ve posted before on Jackson Doughart.  He is an intelligent commentator and I often find his pieces in the National Post poignant and refreshing.

Well, in collaboration with several other writers, he’s started a blog.  The Hustings.

And as I suspected, it’s poignant, refreshing and intelligent.

You can sign up for a Friday “round-up” of the topics and arguments covered on the site from the past week, complete with direct links to the site for pieces that may interest you.

They have only been publishing for a bit more than a week, but they have already posted 25 articles.

Help promote the blog, read it, send feedback and boost their page views etc.  You can view it here.

And, of course, I especially liked this article that discusses

the issue of abortion policy in Canada, with Jackson Doughart seeing a bright spot for the pro-life cause in Justin Trudeau’s dark new mandate.

Grin.

I read two articles today. Both touched on women’s rights and sexism. One dealt with actual sexism. The other – not so much. Let’s juxtapose an excerpt from each:

First, from the Globe, Omer Aziz writes about honour killing and hatred of women:

What are we afraid of? Can we, for one second, acknowledge that there is a cultural problem here, or will we continue to sanctimoniously blame all of this on ‘those other men over there?’ Within five kilometers of my home, I can think of at least two cases of such extreme, impenitent misogyny. In one case, a Pakistani father beat his daughter after he discovered her long-distance relationship. In another, the case of Aqsa Parvez, her brother strangled her to death with the father’s consent because she objected to wearing the hijab. Everywhere there is an honour killing – a human sacrifice – there is a woman breaking off the chains of tradition. There is a woman demanding the right to live as she wishes, and in her way is a man demanding she get in line.

Next, from the Post, the story of 14 year old Tallie Doyle and her mother, Andrea Stokes, who fight for Tallie’s right to show off her black bra straps in school:

Andrea Stokes, Doyle’s mother, defended her daughter and said her outfit was not “provocative.”

Stokes said she takes issue with the wording of the school’s dress code that lists “appropriate” ways to dress, which she says is up for interpretation. The school’s policy is also sexist, Stokes says.

“I allowed her to go to school with her bra straps showing because it’s a rule I was willing to break,” Stokes said. “There’s nothing about it that is offensive. I don’t want my daughter to feel shamed for the fact that her bra strap shows.”

I’m not even going to comment. I’m just going to sigh.

Sigh.

Sex selection abortion is being made illegal in the UK:

What a beautiful, beautiful article:

I’m telling you that the best decision I ever made was keeping that baby! Yes, absolutely. Guy was a delight from the start — so good, so bright, and I can’t imagine my life without him.

I struggled, sure. We lived hand-to-mouth, but it was really heart-to-hand. Guy had love and laughter and a lot of good reading and poetry as a child. Having my son brought out the best in me and enlarged my life. Whatever he missed, he himself is a great father today. He was once asked what it was like growing up in Maya Angelou’s shadow, and he said, “I always thought I was in her light.”

Years later, when I was married, I wanted to have more children, but I couldn’t conceive. Isn’t it wonderful that I had a child at 16? Praise God!”

Good reminder to Look UP.

We’re getting more of these reminders now to use “social” media less and interact more. But this one was particularly good. It’s on a Czech newspaper site, but all in English. (You can read the Czech subtitles if you need to.)

A new video clip from Signal Hill. It is well done.

It is to advertise their new pregnancy quiz. I failed! Please, however, be advised that if you choose an answer it will push you immediately to the next question, ie. you don’t get a chance to reassess. (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.)

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC7v7xwPwx0]