Stocks rebounded today on a resurgence of risk-seeking.

The Dollar and the precious metals, along with the VIX, were lower.

The poor economic data from this morning was set aside with fresh rumors, for the hundredth time, of striking progress in the US-China trade talks. 

As a reminder, there will be the Non-Farm Payrolls report on Friday.

Outrage over the petty and careless and foolish things that other people do can be like a narcotic. It can become a preoccupation with the imperfections of others so that we can look down on them, and thereby feel so much better about ourselves. Thank God that we are better, the most worthy, and not like them. We are special— exceptionally gifted, and especially deserving of favor.

This narcotic selfishness and delusional pride blinds us to who we are, and what we are becoming. Truly, why do we look so hard at the speck in our brother's eye? It is so that we can ignore the festering sore in our own that distorts our true sense of things even more.

It can become addictive, an unfortunate habit, and eventually a way of life. There are places in the media and on the Internet, politicians, and pundits, that pander to this looking down upon other people, and of groups of people. They search far and wide, and expose the imperfections and faults of others, putting them into the most unattractive and unforgiving perspective. And thereby they shape and feed an exasperation with a caricature of 'the other.'

It is ironic. If you read the comments section on such sites, those places that pander to this sort of thing, you will find the least attractive and ignorantly distorted things being said, but with an intense sort of pride.

It can be very discouraging to see. But it is addictive to some, and pandering to it pays. And so it tends to flourish here and there.

What is the solution to this sort of trap? Don't do it. Do not read it. Do not fall into the sin of thinking that only you and a few people like you are worthy of creation. And if you are feeling truly brave, pray to God fervently to show your sins to you now rather than later. You may be surprised.

You are human and full of faults. And so you are most surely not most worthy. And fooling yourself into thinking that you are better betrays you into the snare of lawlessness, of treating your brothers and sisters as less worthy and deserving of mercy than you. And so you become less than human, while making yourself feel better, and puffed up with pride.

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

C. S. Lewis

Have a pleasant evening. 

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)