Meritocracy and DEI are both good ideas in theory, and they're not mutually exclusive. The problem is both is in how they're implemented, or some in cases not really implemented but used as a buzzword to distract from how those ideas have been corrupted.

The words "liberal" and "conservative" have both been loaded terms in the U.S. for a long time, incongruent with their literal meanings.

If you're for regulations or conservation, you get labeled a "liberal".

If you're for laissez-faire, you get labeled a "conservative".

None of this partisanship really makes any sense. People of all ideologies seem to love calling out the other side's hypocrisy while continuing to practice their own.

It's almost as if these people aren't taking themselves seriously and are laughing at those who are.

"The only ones who hates Dei is portion of the white population who are afraid of white men becoming a minority. That's the crux of the issue."

Demonstrably false, for the reasons I mentioned above.

The problem with "DEI" is that in practice there are three different versions of it. One is really good in that it tries to include a broadly diverse group of people without equating traits with identity. Another is well-intentioned but comes across as patronizing, treating groups like "special needs" people. And the third one is just toxic BS, like the Robin DiAngelo crap.

The only reason that Republicans are able to capitalize on equating "DEI" with the third group is because Democrats routinely refuse to acknowledge it exists, much less call it out.

"Doesn't exactly square with the Village People."

It squares with the professional wrestling and country music culture. It's not really that different from when the left tries to appeal to disaffected groups of people with chips on their shoulders.

The Greenland thing is just a distraction. Even Bill Maher and Larry Wilmore see it for what it is and refusing to take the bait.

Speaking of Real Time, the topic of work-life balance came up in the same episode, and both the "Liberal" and "Conservative" guests agreed that it was silly that some Congressional staffers were asking for a 32-hour work week, and that there are some jobs where people should be expected to work more and be held accountable. Of course, the Republican guest tried to spin everything ideologically, but Wilmore made a good point that Jimmy Carter's biggest flaw was that he a micromanager and agreed with Maher that there were some similarities between Trump and Carter and the types of voters they appealed to.

There's a "see you next Tuesday" joke in there somewhere.

Can women be pegged?

"Biden can't just make it an Amendment. Is social media post. This is stupid."

It is if you take it at face value. But it looks more like low-key trolling to me.

"Take reaganomics, then do the opposite = happy life."

The opposite of one extreme doesn't necessarily mean a happy life. Have you ever met any Danes? They're pretty boring, largely because they come from a country that's really boring and drab.

The grass is always Greenland on the other side.

At least we still have Bob Barker.

Damn. It's been a privilege having a life that intersects with this great artist.

I'm glad we got another season of Twin Peaks out of him.

One group denies the existence of climate change. Another group accepts climate change as their lord and savior. What ya gonna do?

Remember Anne Frank was a Belieber.

Who is the I/me in this article, and why should we care? Is the article about the author or Thiel?

Hint: if your headline massively distracts from what the article is a about, it's not good journalism.

"'Yeah, nothing can be done."

What exactly do you expect to be done in this case? Do you want every state to have the same statistics? Are you advocating for more money to be sent to Mississippi to improve health care?

"Stay focused on protecting norms and institutions and not on the "gulf of America."

This embedded sm post obviously went over Zed's pointy little head.

"Guess he doesn't know that New Mexico is a state."

Just wait, he'll be talking soon about changing the name of that state to New America... and people will take the bait, just like they do every single time.

People around the world died from preventable complications related to all kinds of things during the COVID-19 pandemic. That Mississippi is a poor state with lower quality healthcare across the board is not really news.

"blockbuster report"

*facepalm*

It was worse than the battle of Carthage.

I was talking about the ideal of romantic love. I didn't know you were so "romantic". (Actually, it explains a lot about your behavior on this site.)

"F-off dude. Your 4 years of swinging off of the Dotard's richard is one of the reasons we're here today"

I'm sure this probably makes sense in your native language, but it does not in English.

How come only one of them has its own month?