To explain why people are divided by politics and religion, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explores the principles of moral psychology. The key differences between liberals, libertarians, and conservatives are in the six moral foundations: Care/harm, Liberty/oppression, Fairness/cheating, Loyalty/betrayal, Authority/subversion, and Sanctity/degradation. Liberals value the first three. Libertarians value Liberty the most. Conservatives value all six equally.

Haidt suggests that liberals have a harder time understanding conservatives than vice versa because liberals don’t see how Loyalty, Authority, and Sanctity have anything to do with morality. Haidt wrote this book in 2012; therefore, his suggestion might be convincing then. Reading it now, however, I don’t buy it. The Republicans have shown again and again that they have lost their morals, their principles, and their goddamn souls to the authoritarian. They bowed down to him and stood with him even if he embarrassed them. Take Ted Cruz for example. Even when his father and his wife were insulted, Cruz had no spine to stand up for his loved ones. It’s a damn shame.

Haidt ends the book with this statement, “We’re all stuck here for a while, so let’s try to work it out.” I say, “Good luck with that.” Barack Obama tried to work with the Republicans when he first became president and where did that lead him? Republicans always wanted to hold power, but they didn’t want to do anything. The country is deeper and further divided in the past four years. If we want to work it out, we need a president that unites us first.

The book is an intriguing read, but it doesn’t apply to the current political turmoil. We are now living under a leadership that has no morality.

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On June 20, Herman Cain attended the idiot-in-chief rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma without wearing a mask. Two weeks later, he tested positive for coronavirus. Today, he lost his life to the virus at 74. It’s a damn tragedy that could have been avoided. The idiot-in-chief has a hand in this. His rally his responsibility. I hope the Republicans wake the fuck up and realize that this virus is not a hoax. I also hope that they can see how idiot-in-chief continues to let the virus kill Americans. We need to put a stop to this incompetent, heartless leadership.

Spent the last few late nights tightened up Vietnamese Typography. Every page had been updated, but the recommendation page got the most attention. I wanted to make the Vietnamese specimen for each typeface more prominent. I also added a list of information for each typeface. I got rid of the rating. It doesn’t seem necessary. I also featured two new typefaces from Okay Type. Harriet and Alright came highly recommended to me by a Vietnamese type enthusiast. I really love Harriet. I might license it for the future design of this blog.

I had the pleasure of working Stephen Nixon on adding Vietnamese diacritics to the latest expansion of his Name Sans. Nixon writes:

By popular demand, Vietnamese is now supported! Thanks to Donny Trương for his excellent resource on Vietnamese Typography, as well as for his specific review of the Vietnamese characters of Name Sans, which helped reveal some opportunities to make them more natural & unified. This was a push, but totally worth it for all the people it will enable to make use of Name Sans! This adds Áá Àà Ảả Ãã Ạạ Ăă Ắắ Ằằ Ẳẳ Ẵẵ Ặặ Ââ Ấấ Ầầ Ẩẩ Ẫẫ Ậậ Đđ Éé Èè Ẻẻ Ẽẽ Ẹẹ Êê Ếế Ềề Ểể Ễễ Ệệ Íí Ìì Ỉỉ Ĩĩ Ịị Óó Òò Ỏỏ Õõ Ọọ Ôô Ốố Ồồ Ổổ Ỗỗ Ộộ Ơơ Ớớ Ờờ Ởở Ỡỡ Ợợ Úú Ùù Ủủ Ũũ Ụụ Ưư Ứứ Ừừ Ửử Ữữ Ựự Ýý Ỳỳ Ỷỷ Ỹỹ Ỵỵ, plus the relevant stylistic alts (e.g. stylistic set 1, Rectangular Caps).

The new release also comes with a variable font that holds 33 font files from display to text. Name Sans is still a work in progress. If you are a type nerd and have’t licensed Name Sans yet, get it now before the price goes up in the next release.

Spike Jonze’s Her is a romantic love story between a man and his computer. Played by the incredible Joaquin Phoenix, Theodore Twombly was going through a divorce while working as personal-letter writer. His life changed when he installed a new OS and fell in love with an AI, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Their intimate relationship felt real. The film is both imaginative and moving. I am glad I caught it before Netflix removes it tomorrow.

It has been fascinating to see Joe Biden rising in the polls while staying on the down low. I have not heard anything from Biden, except for the coverage of his VP pick. On the other hand, his idiot opponent kept running his mouth and his fingers and had yet to get any traction. His poll numbers continued to slip, which drove him crazy.

My advice to the Biden campaign to pick a VP who could take on the idiot and let Biden continue to stay low. Wouldn’t that be a great strategy? Biden would be better off staying away from the media. The more he opens his mouth the more embarrassing gaffe he is going to make. So just let idiot sabotage his own campaign and handover the presidency. Biden just need to stay focus on the real issues that help American people.

In term of voting in November, I had applied to vote by mail in Virginia. As soon as I receive my absentee ballot, I will cast my vote. I will check Democrats straight up and down. I am so tired of the spineless Republicans who are afraid of the idiot than working for the people. Fuck them. I hope the Republic party will grow some spines after Trump loses the general election and Democrats gain control of the Senate.

I deactivated Facebook again 10 days ago. I dipped in and out of the platform to check on friends and family members.

The constant feed of misinformation, however, depressed the hell out of me. The urge to correct fake news posted by my own family members was simply too much. It got to the point that angry posts from supporters of the idiot in the White House had taken over family activities. I needed a break.

I am more relaxed not getting caught up in the fake news cycles. I must admit. Facebook had hooked me in. It’s an addiction that’s hard to kick off. I will try to stay off the platform as long as I can.

After enjoying Offil’s Weather, I wanted to read more of her work; therefore, I picked up Dept. of Speculation. In a coincidence, I was having some marriage issues and the novel feels right at home. For example:

For most married people, the standard pattern is a decrease of passionate love, but an increase in deep attachment. It is thought that this attachment response evolved in order to keep partners together long enough to have and raise children. Most mammals don’t raise their offspring together, but humans do.

Offil’s writing is worth savoring every word and her storytelling is moving and funny. Best of all, the novel can be read in one sitting. I am warming up to reading more fiction.

A dear friend and a longtime reader of my blog had emailed his advice on marriage. He and his wife have been married for 39 years. They had gone through fights as well and he shared some of his personal experiences. For his privacy, I won’t share his personal information, but only his advice, which I find helpful. I hope you can learn something as well.

Couples fight. No exception. Since fights are unavoidable, a couple has to know HOW to fight, and how to wrap up a fight. Most couples lack this skill.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, “Is this person worth it for me to try so hard?” But in our case, the next equally important question is, “Are my children worth it for me to try so hard?”

In my case, I find that by trying just a little harder (it’s not that bad in the grand scheme of things), by loving without demanding to be loved back, by being honorable without being proud, I can be ready for death whenever it occurs—which is necessary with the current plague.

Now, if you still love her, spend more time with your wife and be gentle with her, and ask her to be gentle with you. Tell her you are certainly not perfect, and even though she is better than you in many ways, but she is not perfect either. Yet two imperfect people can still have a perfect union, if they help rather than hurt each other. They have to be allowed to have their own little crazy moments and be forgiven later. We all need this kind of forgiveness.

Lastly, you seem to work too hard. I hope you and your wife have time to exercise. It’s harder to be happy if you’re not in good shape.

Thank you TD for reading and reaching out. I appreciate your advice.