Morning Reading, selected articles of interest from various publications.

The silence of Mammon
[…] Most hard-headed business people are no doubt reluctant to make these arguments. They are more concerned with balancing their books than with engaging in worthy debates about freedom and democracy. But they would do well to become a bit less reticent: the price of silence will be an ever more hostile public and ever more overbearing government.
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Commercialism Only Adds to Joy of the Holidays – By Onkar Ghate
I’m an atheist, and I love Christmas. If you think that’s a contradiction, think again.
Do you remember as a child composing wish lists of things you genuinely valued, thought you deserved, and knew would bring you pleasure? Do you remember eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas morning and the new bike, book, or chemistry set you were hoping for? That childhood feeling captures the spirit of Christmas and explains why so many of us look forward to the season each year.

You may no longer anticipate Christmas morning with that same childhood excitement. After all, even if you still make a wish list, couldn’t you just go out and buy the items yourself? Yet the pleasure of exchanging gifts as a token of friendship and love remains. Particularly when you receive (or purchase) a gift that could come only from someone who knows you well—say, a shirt that broadens your style or a new wine that becomes one of your favorites—it serves as a material reminder of a spiritual bond.[…]
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Lina’s comment: Exactly so. I am also a Christmas-loving atheist.