The Advanced Generalist

Civility is often spoken of as a common ground of respect, courtesy, and restraint. But civility is not self-sustaining. It is not a rule written in stone. Civility is a fragile byproduct of a deeper connection to one another through healthy communication. Without it, civility loses its foundation and becomes a matter of interpretation. When communication breaks down, civility becomes a weapon of subjugation instead of a bridge to a brighter future. And in a world where mistrust, propaganda, and division often dominate our public square, the consequences are devastating. Healthy communication is about clarity, context, listening and understanding, yet today we are often drowning in noise. In the United States, governmental communication has often shifted into a constant performance of shock and dominance—tweets, soundbites, and viral moments designed to provoke rather than to unite. In such an environment, civility no longer means honest debate; it means controlling the narrative. Civi...

Jesus was not a man of comfort, conformity, or compromise. He walked dusty roads with the poor, ate with outcasts, touched the untouchable, and spoke truth that rattled the powerful. His life was a revolution of compassion, a radical invitation to reorder society around love, justice, and humility. Yet in the President’s America, his message has been softened, diluted, or ignored—replaced with values he himself challenged at every turn. Jesus taught that the meek would inherit the earth. He blessed the peacemakers, promised comfort to those who mourned, and uplifted the poor in spirit. In contrast, the President often glorifies dominance, aggression, and winning at any cost. Where Jesus embraced weakness as strength, the President prizes self-assertion and power. Jesus turned the other cheek, rejected vengeance, and called for forgiveness not once but seventy times seven. The President too often answers insult with insult, harm with harm, retaliation with retaliation. Mercy is treate...

When we think about oppression, the natural focus falls on those who are suffering: the silenced, the marginalized, the exploited. But what we often overlook is that the very people who maintain oppressive systems are also trapped by them. Fear doesn’t stop at one side of the divide — it circulates through both. In America today, we are witnessing a form of fascism that thrives on division, mistrust, and control. It convinces the powerful that their dominance is fragile, that any sign of equality or liberation for others is a threat to their survival. In this way, oppressors are ruled by the same fear they use to govern others. The oppressed live with fear of punishment, deprivation, and violence. The oppressors live with fear of losing control, being outnumbered, or facing retribution. And in this zero-sum game, humanity itself becomes collateral damage. This is the tragedy of fascism: it creates a system where nobody is truly free. The oppressed cannot thrive, and the oppressors c...