Golden Shield

We usually read stories regarding, for example, the Great Firewall of China, with the confidence that our contentious, open society is immune from that sort of control. It is, therefore, un-nerving -- in a Matrix-y way -- when we bump up against an apparently American analogue.

Bill Simmons, explaining Lebron's latest meltdown, writes:

Remember when Wade tore into LeBron with three-plus minutes remaining in Game 3? When he yelled at him for eight solid seconds? When there was genuine anger in his eyes? When he did it right on the court, right in front of the other players, right in front of 20,000 fans and 10 million TV viewers?

The answer is, strangely, "no". 20,000 fans may have seen it, but it was not televised and not to be found on Youtube.

While there are certainly many people who would enjoy that video, its absence doesn't threaten our civilization. But it does raise the question of what else are we missing...

Circumcision

San Franciscans have stirred controversy by putting an anti-circumcision ordinance on the ballot. Adorably named "intactivists" argue that infant boys have a right to keep their foreskins intact.

The debate is not quite much ado about nothing. Circumcision is not, simply, an old tradition or the sign of our covenant. It has a clear symbolic meaning: We are created imperfect. As such, it stands clearly against that contemporary theology that teaches "God makes no mistakes."

The opposition to tradition, in this instance, is also an opposition to science. For example, Russell Crowe's tweets argue "Who are you to correct nature?" and "'human' science has caused too much damage" (they also argue: "Why don't you sew up your @$$?").

In the end, the contemporary assertion is tied to the understanding that we are the best -- or primary -- judge of ourselves. We can easily experience ourselves as "on the right track" -- if you do not then "just love yourself and you're set" -- but we are often not experienced by others in that way. The (hard) scientific and religious traditions command us to confront the world outside our heads.