Rabbit Holes ad Infinitum: Musings and Research

  Power beyond Reason J.M. Rogers …             Logic and reason, like compassion and empathy, are of little use to World Leaders. Idealism, rooted in personal passions, whether radical or calcitrant, holds sway in the court of leadership. Intellectuals, artists, laborers, and invalids, are mules of the teamster, teamsters who themselves labor under the demands of privileged landowners (old money). To claim the existence of established processes conducive to the amassing of power, whether derived from scholarly study, political campaigning, or fanatical complicity with established societal orders, is farcical and delusional. True power rests in the whims of those who reside in seats of S upreme Authority,  Seats long filled and seldom vacated. Whether such Seats were attained as a result of heritage, political corruption, nepotism/cronyism or, as is typically the case, a combination of these factors deconstructs the no...

  Why We Fight J.M. Rogers             It is commonly thought that wars are matters of strategy and tactics; that they are logistical affairs that hinge upon military execution and the brilliance of leading men whose boldness compels a force to victory; that the classical sentiments of honor, bravery, and selflessness, are the eternal motivations that drive soldiers to fight family and nation; that war is a trial of good and evil where justice is the primary goal of all involved. And yet, when studying the subject of war more closely, it becomes apparent that most, if not all, of the strategic details, are only discussed amongst a small, avarice-bound cohort; that ordinary soldiers dismiss the praises of honor, bravery, and willful self-sacrifice; that the only justice is peace; that all men are capable of evil. If these time-honored tropes are not the motivating factors for humanity’s bloodiest exchanges and if most of t...

  The Rising Anti-Work Movement J.M. Rogers ...             As Millennials and Gen Z continue to resign en mass, the phenomenon once dramatically referred to as “The Great Resignation” is looking more and more like a soft workers’ strike. Having worked constantly since my 15 th birthday, I have encountered many dejected employees. As a retail manager during the late 2000s (me being in my twenties then), I often found it difficult to understand why so many of my workers were disinterested, detached, frequently absent and non-responsive to coaching strategies formulated by psychological professionals who tailored the strategies around empowering and motivating individuals. However, the opposite result was the typical outcome. For some time, I felt that the problem must lie in my execution of the coaching sessions. Surely, the issue must lie in some lack of technique. But, after around a year of applying various approaches, s...

   The H.L. Hunley : The Disappearance and Rediscovery of the Confederate Submarine J.M. Rogers ... The mysterious disappearance of the H.L. Hunley’s crew following its successful attack on the U.S.S Housatonic on the evening of February 17, 1864, has beguiled the American public for over 150 years. Today the intriguing vessel’s hull and display of artifacts silently prod the minds of curious viewers from the confines of their freshwater desalination tank in the Warren Lasch Conservation Center (formerly the Charleston Naval Yard). Why did the Hunley sink? What were the actions of Lt. Dixon following the bombing of the Housatonic ? What occurred during the crew’s final moments? How did the precedent that Hunley and McClintock set in naval technology affect subsequent warfare? As archaeologists and conservators began the laborious task of preserving and restoring the ship following its surprising rediscovery in 1995, the story of the Hunley began to unfold, often pro...