If you read a textbook-style account of conflicts centering around the Protestant Reformation(s), it'll probably focus on theological disputes: justification by faith, the lay chalice, baptism, the meaning of "hoc est corpus meum," predestination... kind of thing.

But a lot of the most persuasive work – at least IMHO – on religious conflicts in the 16th and 17th cautions against focusing too much on "ideational content."

There are a variety of pitfalls here. One of them is that most of the people fighting over religion probably didn't to that point by carefully weighing the finer points of theological disputes. Dynamics of community, identity, and ritual probably played a more important role.

I've been thinking about this as we approach election day. American politics scholars understand very well that, for most Americans, partisanship drives ideology. Scholars of ethnic politics see familiar patterns in U.S. political polarization (cc @sstroschein2).

Political movements embrace conversion (!!) narratives as validations of their beliefs, and the converted stress ideas and epiphanies. But it doesn't take much poking around to see the crucial role if identity, belonging, and social affirmation.

How will you be remembered?

We are now 5 days out from the most important election in the history of our country. I want to share a few quotes from previous Q drops that we have been given, in hopes of firing you up even more than you already are.

In 1937, a trucker got frustrated waiting for his cargo to be unloaded. He later sold his company for $1.1 billion.

Here’s the story of how Malcom McLean made a billion dollars and which startup could be following in his footsteps. (Inspired by our episode with @laurabehrenswu)

In the early 1950s, the shipping industry was a dying business.

New York’s docks were handling half as much domestic cargo in the early 1950s as they had been in the depressed 1930s.

In thirty years, no one had invested significant money in coastal shipping.

Why?

As McLean found out, loading ships was difficult and slow.

A truck or train would deliver items to the port. Each item was unloaded separately, recorded, and carried to storage.

When a ship was ready, each item was taken from storage, counted again, and hauled on-board.

The cost of this labor was significant. As one expert at the time explained:

“A four-thousand-mile voyage for a shipment might consume 50 percent of its costs in covering just the two ten-mile movements through two ports.”

Yet, despite the industry’s issues, it felt little pressure to change.

Foreigners were barred from operating domestically. Cartels ran international routes. And gov. subsidies eased the pain of labor costs.

Reshaping the industry needed an outsider.

Enter Malcolm McLean.

In the next @NewYorker, I look at a culture of retribution against whistleblowers under Trump—and a new complaint implicating CIA director Gina Haspel and Donald Trump’s nominee for the top legal job in the intelligence community in a retaliation campaign.

In the complaint, a DOJ lawyer claims the retaliation came after he uncovered a secret CIA surveillance program and a practice of lying to prosecutors to conceal its use in criminal cases. The scheme was corroborated in hundreds of pages of emails, transcripts & other documents.

Experts said the concealment may have broken laws and undermined convictions. The FBI told prosecutors that the CIA information, which resulted in numerous prosecutions, came from FBI investigations, named after the Pirates of the Caribbean films, into a fictional crime group.

As the DOJ lawyer, Mark McConnell, raised his concerns to superiors, he faced what six officials said was a retaliation campaign by CIA leadership. Intelligence officials were furious.

CIA officials repeatedly called for repercussions or consequences for McConnell—Haspel allegedly personally joined those calls, though the agency denies it. McConnell’s lawyer, who also represented the Ukraine whistleblower, called for an investigation into Haspel’s role.

Heard on @cafedotcom Insider with @PreetBharara and @AnneMilgram that the voter turnout in this election is expected to be the highest since 1908. Here's who couldn't vote in 1908. THREAD 1/14

Women. 19th amendment passed in 1920 granting equal access to the polls for #womenvoters. 2/14

Native Americans. The Indian Citizenship Act passed in 1924 granting #citizenship for all Native Americans (that's some audacity that the original inhabitants of this land were not citizens🤨). Some western states still didn't fully allow Native Americans voting until 1948. 3/14

Chinese immigrants granted access to citizenship, and therefore voting rights, through the Magnuson Act of 1943. 4/14

In 1961, residents of the NATION'S CAPITOL are allowed to vote in presidential elections thanks to the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution. 5/14

99.99% motivational books belong in the trash can.

There's only one you need to read and that's

The Education of a Body Builder by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Here are the most impactful quotes from it.

[THREAD]

Before long, people began looking at me as a special person.

Partly this was the result of my own changing attitude about myself.

I know that if you can change your diet and exercise program to give yourself a different body, you can apply the same principles to anything else (1/2)

The secret is contained in a three-part formula I learned in the gym: self-confidence, a positive mental attitude, and honest hard work. (2/2)

What I had more than anyone else was drive. I was hungrier than anybody. I wanted it so bad it hurt. I knew there could be no one else in the world who wanted this title as much as I did.

Thread – Why the Latest Pelosi-backed $2T Stimulus Bill Went Nowhere

1. The Dementiacrats have been holding more virus relief hostage in order to force Republicans to cave and vote for another $2T Dementiacrat porkulus bill instead.

2. Senate Dementiacrats have voted against the Republican’s $500B relief bill targeted at REAL PEOPLE (small business and the jobless) multiple times.

3. A $2T virus relief bill was ramrodded through by House Democrats in March through July when it was signed into law by the President. It contained junk that had nothing to do with virus relief but was the price that Republicans had to pay to get relief to suffering Americans.

4. Dementiacrat bill that San Fran Nan wants to push down our throats now contains $2T more of this crap, as well as relief directly targeted at Blue states to cover pension shortfalls and other past Dementiacrat mismanagement.

5. It’s no wonder why Republicans are telling her to “piss off” on the latest $2T porkulus bill.

***How to get supervisors interest at first glance (for MSc and PhD Positions)***

I know you have seen many threads about writing supervisors from my big bosses @drhammed @olumuyiwaayo but I just like to share a template/format here that works too.

***Read On***

I have been sending emails to supervisors since I was a 1st year MSc student @ubcforestry @UBC and I can say I have at least 70% success rate (positive response) and if you want to know the steps; then you have it here.

2/n

1. Use catchy subjects: I know some people still think it doesn’t matter how they write the subjects of their emails but will tell you, it matters. Should I call it negligence when you don’t even have a subject when writing a professor that receives about 300 emails per 3/n

day? (because my MSc supervisor at UBC receives about 300 emails per day). You need something that will catch their attention. I know there is no one way answer to this BUT you can use something like “Statement of Research Interest”, “MSc/PhD Candidacy in Wood Drying”

4/n

or write a subject based on the advertised position. You just want them to open that email and read.

2. Research Experience/Skills: I have noticed that most of the profs like it when you talk about your experience/skills working on several projects in that field, laboratory 5/n

Our new immigration levels plan for 2021–2023 sets out a path for responsible increases to the number of immigrants to help the Canadian economy recover from #COVID19 and lay the foundation for future growth. Highlights of the plan include: THREAD

A focus on how immigration can help our economy, with approximately 60 per cent of immigrants to be chosen under economic immigration programs.

A continued focus on innovative approaches where communities and businesses are encouraged to work together to welcome immigrants in communities across the country to help meet worker shortages.

A renewed commitment to improve the processing of immigration applications, including spousal applications, by maximizing digital solutions.

An increase in admissions over the three years of the plan to make up the shortfall in 2020.

What has been happing not only N America but N the world is what’s called a social Paradigm Shift. There 2 ways to experience that, 1. Thu knowledge - education
2. Thu experience - living the event. The world is going through the biggest Paradigm Shift N human history. U R here

@POTUS @DonaldJTrumpJr @FLOTUS @EricTrump @IvankaTrump @realDonaldTrump President Trump, let me start by telling you that I am as MAGA as it gets. I’ve been to rally. My husband, my daughter and I have already cast our vote FOR YOU. However, we need to talk about your rhetoric

In Academia, people aren’t always supported when they need it. I want to share what @WesternU did when my husband died right after the pandemic shutdown. It should be shared with other uni’s as a model for empathy and proactive care when someone is in crisis.
1/
#AcademicChatter

Your 20s are the most important years in your financial freedom journey

Avoid these mistakes

// THREAD //

There is a mental model known as the map is not the territory.

Here’s how it works and why it’s one of the most useful concepts to understand for everyday life.

👇👇👇

Some quick reactions to the new lockdowns in Europe.

1. The degree of uncertainty is much higher than in the first wave. In the first wave, the (incorrect) belief was that the infection rate would quickly decrease and remain low thereafter.