$ jlc (10,317)

"Presence" was the word. "Pretty" is vastly different.

Jan

Thank you for clarifying that. I understand - we disagree, but I do see your point.

Jan

Awww...sweet. You just did.

Jan, 10 pointer now!

But not exempt from being absurd.

Jan

I agree. We are trying for psychological geocentricity again: We want ourselves at the center of the universe.

The real answer is that we do not need to be cosmically important in order to have value.

Jan

It is difficult to innovate from that foundation, Turfprint. You can sell/resell things that other people made, but you cannot produce an orbital rocket.

Jan

In the days of Hammurabi, when all of the laws of the kingdom could be carved on a single pillar in the middle of each city, it was reasonable to say, "Ignorance of the Law is no excuse." Now, when there are thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of laws that apply to each person and/or business owner, that is an absurd statement. We need a reset button.

Jan

The denigration of the opponent into 'not human' and hence 'not covered by human rights' is something that had not occurred to me. Thank you for that terrifying insight. I think.

Jan

This is the third time I have read this thread today. I cannot think of anything to add...

Beautiful!

Jan

'Proposing' as in 'Proposing a theory'. The image I got from your comment was of a world where, say, 10% are non-nihilistic (and 90% are some flavor of nihilist). Some fraction of that 10% produce innovations that allow the other 90+% to exist in comfort, but the fact of their success does not make a dent in the philosophy of the 90% and, since voting cuts across the philosophical spectrum, the 10% can not get their philosophy represented successfully in the political arena.

Jan

I had not thought of that. Huh- you are frighteningly right. It is a new flavor of religious war.

Jan

Thank you for an excellent historical review of business models.

Jan

The statistics (according to Steven Pinker) show a general decline in violent deaths from 100 people/year per 100,000 in the Middle Ages to 1 person per year (Europe - same geographic sample is the MA one) per 100K now. The graph is not smooth, however, and wars increase the average for the span of their existence.

What is different is the media distribution of information and the cultural change: The earlier you go in human history, the more likely that the 'other guy' was not considered 'really human' and hence it was OK to kill them without let or hindrance. We now consider all humans to be...well...human.

Jan

Interesting, FelixO. So what you are proposing is an ultimately futile process in which some small % of the people who reject the nihilistic culture become successful. These people are despised and outvoted by the remaining 90+%.

This does not explain the Bill Gates of the world, who become successful but obviously subscribe to the major cultural philosophy.

Jan

Is it not? The circular logic of "I have the freedom to say I do not want to have the freedom to say...etc" is rather stunning. Thanks to broskjold for pointing that out so succinctly and to you for posting this disturbing thread.

broskjold: You have a nice Nordic name. Ever thought of starting a marine-based tax reclamation business?

Jan

There is no consensus amongst scientists; there is only a proclaimed consensus that is media-generated. ie There is no "97% of scientists agree on Global Warming" (actual figures are about 50/50).

You are trying to make false linkages between Global Warming skeptics and flat-Earthers and then decrying the AGW movement because AGW == flat-Earth. This is poor logic.

I am quite willing to discuss evidence with people who disagree on the interpretation thereof. When someone says that skepticism and argument is not possible, then they are not talking science, but religion. I had expected better of you than that.

Have fun with your GW religion.

Jan

Thank you. I have ordered the book.

Jan

I agree on the Noisy part. Blasts you outta the room. But I still like to see the movie on the big screen.

Jan, wears a sweater to the movies

I would be interested in seeing that research, MM.

Jan

Interesting point, MichaelA, of shifting the blame from 'the people who caused it' to 'the government that was supposed to protect me'.

'Avoiding crowds' is the only protection I can think of. Unfortunately, I do go to movies, which are prime targets.

Jan

CircuitGuy -

I will tentatively assume that you at least agree that one should be able to debate a scientific question with logic and data (both of which, I think, are on the side of humans having a minimal influence on global temps). There should be no 'consensus' that stifles science and promotes a political agenda.

You also probably noted that the article made a strong point against pigeonholing people due to labels. One of the things I like about Watts and Ridley is that each of them is willing to discuss (as opposed to argue) their opinions with 'the other side'. The assertion that something is accurate because the majority of people endorse it is not scientific and is a great conversation stopper.

Jan

Merry Christmas to Wm! Oh...wait...I mean, "Happy Politically Correct Holiday of Your Choice".

I must say that I loved posting a thread with this title.

Jan

I was but walking in your and Wm's scintillatingly silly footsteps.

Jan

Thank you. That helps in understanding. I imagine it is a strenuous job, even in a management position. When I was working at the bench as a Med Tech, I assumed that I could continue to work as long as I wanted to, because looking through a microscope or pushing buttons on an analyzer does not take a lot of physical endurance. I can see you being scrutinized more narrowly at a construction management exec position.

Good fortune.

Jan
That being said, I am a decade younger than you, and in good shape: I do 2 martial arts and am learning to joust.

Yeah. Money does not buy happiness, but the lack of money is very inclined to result in unhappiness. It is a 'threshold phenomenon' ...or it should be (with some people, it is an infinite series!). ;>)

Jan