Perspectives

The system is broken. Look around and you will see a society that may seem as if it is striving toward lofty ideals: equality compassion sustainability. However a look below the surface— a look at the far-reaching implications of all our collective choices— shows that something fundamentally opposed to these values is actually occurring.Due to the corruption of a … [Read more...] about Change your heart change the system

The digital age is upon us. Have you been to the movies lately? We no longer order popcorn from a menu but from a cascade of digital screens that animate the tasty treats above our heads. Movies themselves have literally morphed into another dimension straying from their apparently outdated two-dimensional counterparts. Then there is the concept that used to be known as a … [Read more...] about Digital age cheapens real interaction

Every year the Pepperdine administration reviews the Student Handbook its go-to policy document on the "dos and don'ts" of student life. This year the Associate Dean of Students kindly forwarded me some of the early proposals for changes to the 2010-2011 edition two of which have potentially devastating implications for students' freedom on campus.The first is a minor yet … [Read more...] about Handbook changes limit civil liberties

A threatening paradox has imposed itself on the United States during the past half-century. We've become more technologically advanced scientifically informed and adept in the clinical realm of health care— yet the incidence of diseases like breast cancer prostate cancer childhood leukemia asthma and autism has shot up. And we can't explain why. Also paradoxical is that … [Read more...] about Toxic chemicals merit swift intervention

As the human population optimistically rises while natural resources diminish at frightening rates one must wonder: "What will the future urban centers of the world look like in the coming century?"Good old-fashioned materials such as lumber and steel are unrealistic options as the need for shelter and city-centric infrastructure spikes alongside the rapid urbanization of … [Read more...] about Novel material offers hope for green building