Author: sbarefoot

http://www.confrontingmediocrity.com

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals: Fifteen Years Later, Still a Bad Idea

October 31, 2025

I first wrote about Direct To Consumer Advertising (DTCA)of pharmaceuticals in 2010 [1]. I wanted to revisit the topic to see if things had changed in 15 years. Not much, There are still only two countries in the world that allow DTCA – the United States and New Zealand. The US is responsible for 99.9% … More Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals: Fifteen Years Later, Still a Bad Idea

When Facts Collide: Plato, Nietzsche, and the Politics of Perspective

October 5, 2025

“Truth is not changed by what we believe.” — Plato “There are no facts, only interpretations.” — Nietzsche Plato insisted that truth is eternal and absolute, existing independently of our beliefs or perceptions. Nietzsche turned that idea upside down, arguing that all truths are perspectival — shaped by the standpoint of the observer. This clash … More When Facts Collide: Plato, Nietzsche, and the Politics of Perspective

The Chaos Around Us: Panarchy and the Cynefin Framework

September 29, 2025

Introduction History shows that societies don’t march forward in a straight line—they cycle through growth, rigidity, collapse, and renewal. The question isn’t whether these shifts will happen, but whether we stumble through them blindly or face them with open eyes. That’s where two powerful frameworks come in. Panarchy helps us understand the deep, underlying processes … More The Chaos Around Us: Panarchy and the Cynefin Framework

Political Agendas and the TikTok Algorithm

September 22, 2025

The official line on U.S. control of TikTok’s algorithm sounds benign. By “U.S.,” I mean the federal government—or the corporations it influences or directs. The purported benefits include: National Security / Foreign Influence ConcernsThe fear is that China, through ByteDance or Chinese law, could compel TikTok to share data or manipulate its algorithm to push … More Political Agendas and the TikTok Algorithm

Facts are Fluid and Truths are Relative

September 21, 2025

Discussions between people, especially political discussions, often go off the rails because each person begins with their own set of facts and truths seeing each as absolute. But what if facts can be fluid and truths can be relative? The issue then should not be hopelessly debating each person’s facts but understanding why their facts … More Facts are Fluid and Truths are Relative

The Devolution of the United States Government

July 24, 2025

“If a faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the republican principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by regular vote. It may clog the administration, it may convulse the society; but it will be unable to execute and mask its violence under the forms of the Constitution. … More The Devolution of the United States Government

The “Bubblefication” of Society

July 11, 2025

Living in Bubbles I have always found utility in living within bubbles. Long before Australopithecus introduced bipedal locomotion, I suspect its precursors discovered that small-group living offered clear survival advantages. It’s not a stretch to imagine that these early tribes had shared worldviews that differed from the tribe across the holler. These bubbles—tight-knit groups—provided security … More The “Bubblefication” of Society