From:
To:
To:To Today:
Perhaps it's Time to Start Over:
...but first we may need to examine a few eggs.
...and then tragically "choose" which one's to break and which to give birth to.
It's what Berlin termed "the unavoidability of conflicting ends" or, alternatively, the "incommensurability" of values. He once called this "the only truth which I have ever found out for myself... Some of the Great Goods cannot live together.... We are doomed to choose, and every choice may entail an irreparable loss." In short, it's what Michael Ignatieff summarized as "the tragic nature of choice".
Then put them ALL into a Museum:
So that others may learn to one day, do likewise"
Rene Magritte, "The Flowers of the Abyss"
18 comments:
A: What is your political credo?
b: Always!
(need some obscure knowledge to understang) ;-P
A. I'm an un-affiliated "Independent". I was most closely aligned with the "Tea Party" before Trump and now am a "MAGA" supporter. I'm a former Pat Buchanan Paleo-Conservative. I liked Ross Perot back in the 90's. I liked and voted Reagan in the 80's and stupidly for Bush in '88. My first presidential vote was for Gerald Ford in 1976 (he lost). My California relatives were all Republican "progressives" and one ran for governor (but lost). Two served in the California Assembly in the late 1860s and early 1910's. Some family history.
My late uncle and some info about the painting and its' artist. He was the son & GGS of the politicians named above.
My bio's more like this. USAF brat. Lived in Madrid Spain for 3.5 years and Caracas Venezuela for 4. In between, lived in San Jose, California. Attended the USMMA Class of '79. Worked at Beth Steel San Francisco Shipyard from '79-82, and got an MS from USC in '82. Transferred to Sparrows Point Shipyard in Maryland ('82-85) Worked at Martin Marietta from '85-91 and Martin Laboratories in '92. Been a NASA contractor since '92. That's me. What about you?
That all tells me perfectly nothing. In addition to what I already know -- that you are "yankee of yankees".
So, I presume anything what I'd say will be seen the same -- through distorted glasses of a prejudges and clishes.
More than that, I know that that'll be that way. Was tryed many times. Nothing good. Nothing interesting was in result.
So, what for? You need such an info from me?
PS If you still wanna some hints about my person. I'm a nobody.
Have no position of fame or power what so ever. Average Joe, so to say.
Have nothing to pair to your honorifics.
My honorifics? I'm nobody, too. I just try and make it sound like something to be proud of. I never became a general. My FiL was one (NY State Guard), but I wasn't. My Uncle Louie was a carny. You know what that is? He's someone who cons you into betting $10 on a game that you can't win.
But yeah, it would be nice to know a little something about you. I love "context"... but it's not necessary.
In America we loudly proclaim our "ethic of authenticity"... but most of us are just phony influencer wannabes looking to "make a buck".
I can understand your context. Well, kinda. Throuigh hollywood movies and all that.
But how it would be possible for you to understand my?
Especially when it is so un-flashy. :-/
What clues to understand context you'd be able to extract from an info about someone has been student of university... in some Timbuktu? :-))))))))))))
Accomplishments of someone having some crappy job in some Jakkarta.
Surrounded by local mere peasants and prols in some village near Zambezy.
Well, even if it'll be Alabama or Ohaio...
That's only psychology.
"les non-dupes errent" as you have said.
Illusion of understanding. Illusion of knowledge. Illusion of cognition. ;-P
Simple, if you say, "I have a degree in Economics"... I can refer to common economic arguments instead of explaining them. If you say, "I am an auto mechanic" I can say, "I took Auto Shop in High School and was licensed by USCG to operate steam and motor vessels of unlimited horsepower, we have a lot in common" . It helps every speaker to "know his audience". Is it kindergarteners, or Nobel Physicists? I've worked with both.
Now you know me
All I know of you is that you like SciFi. Why did you like the story of the child-eaters, because it pitted/contrasted economics and culture? That might be an interesting conversation.
...but hey, my dad was an enlisted man in the Air Force. My mom was a farmer's daughter. I may use "honorifics" to try and impress others in conversations (Nobel physicists above), but they don't impress me.... well... "overwhelm" me. I have my area of "expertise", just as other have theirs. I don't care if you clean out cess pools for a living. We all gotta do something.
\\Simple, if you say, "I have a degree in Economics"...
Well... and what would it explain to you, if that'll be degree in some Timbuktu university? With who knows what that clever professors of that superior Timbuktu university packed educational program with. ;-P
Did you heard notions like "known unknown", "unknown unknown"? ;-)
\\It helps every speaker to "know his audience".
That is labourous task for that speaker... if he really want to speak.
\\Is it kindergarteners, or Nobel Physicists?
Well. One of Nobel Physicists was saying that you must be able to explain your work to kindergarteners, if you trully are Nobel Physicists ;-)
\\Now you know me
As I had said... far from it.
Especially for my purpose.
\\All I know of you is that you like SciFi. Why did you like the story of the child-eaters, because it pitted/contrasted economics and culture? That might be an interesting conversation.
Because of ethical, technological and humanistic ideas combined in one little text.
And... because of modern sci buzzwording used.
You know, scifi is in stagnation today.
And that is one of... subpar still, but brave try to pierce through that glass ceiling.
Yes. SciFi could give us common vocabulary.
Did you heard notions like "known unknown", "unknown unknown"? ;-)
How'd that work out for Donald Rumsfeld? Yes, I perform "parametrics" like Monte Carlo simulations all the time. Deterministic models aren't extremely useful for predicting the future unless you introduce some variability and perform statistics that calculate probability. And then come the "fudge factors" and the ignoring of "black swans".
\\It helps every speaker to "know his audience".
That is labourous task for that speaker... if he really want to speak.
Does it? Did you ever go to school? Were all the kids in one room, or were they somehow "divided"?
\\Is it kindergarteners, or Nobel Physicists?
Well. One of Nobel Physicists was saying that you must be able to explain your work to kindergarteners, if you trully are Nobel Physicists ;-)
Funny, there aren't too many lectures on the Standard Model... but lot's on e=mc^2.
\\Now you know me
As I had said... far from it.
Especially for my purpose.
What would you like to know? And no, I won't be giving you any credit card numbers.
\\All I know of you is that you like SciFi. Why did you like the story of the child-eaters, because it pitted/contrasted economics and culture? That might be an interesting conversation.
Because of ethical, technological and humanistic ideas combined in one little text.
And... because of modern sci buzzwording used.
You know, scifi is in stagnation today.
And that is one of... subpar still, but brave try to pierce through that glass ceiling.
Yes. SciFi could give us common vocabulary.
I stopped reading SciFi years ago. There's too much classical literature to read, already. And most modern literature is trash.
\\Does it? Did you ever go to school? Were all the kids in one room, or were they somehow "divided"?
My school was in books... %-)
\\Funny, there aren't too many lectures on the Standard Model... but lot's on e=mc^2.
Bcause... it is "standatd" in name only. I presume. As it regularly in scuince. ;-)
\\What would you like to know? And no, I won't be giving you any credit card numbers.
:-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Well, hope that was humor.
As from my POV to see someone who invested so much time into communication as mere credit number thieve...
I want to steal your brain! Bu-ga-gah! (evil genius laughter here) :-))))
\\I stopped reading SciFi years ago.
Me too. No, #MeToo. :-)))
Well, ovserving people in vivo... is much more intricate than classical literature, how do you think?
\\Does it? Did you ever go to school? Were all the kids in one room, or were they somehow "divided"?
My school was in books... %-)
You poor soul. What kind of books? Books with actual "authors" or "textbooks" filled with regurgitations of the University Discourse taken out-of-context and reshuffled to suit a new narrative from an anonymous author hired to fool, or please, a school board?
\\What would you like to know? And no, I won't be giving you any credit card numbers.
:-))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Well, hope that was humor.
As from my POV to see someone who invested so much time into communication as mere credit number thieve...
I want to steal your brain! Bu-ga-gah! (evil genius laughter here) :-))))
For yourself, or for a friend?
\\I stopped reading SciFi years ago.
Me too. No, #MeToo. :-)))
Well, ovserving people in vivo... is much more intricate than classical literature, how do you think?
It depends, on the person, and the book.
\\You poor soul.
I know. :-)
\\ What kind of books?
scifi... mostly.
\\ Books with actual "authors" or "textbooks" filled with regurgitations of the University Discourse taken out-of-context and reshuffled to suit a new narrative from an anonymous author hired to fool, or please, a school board?
Dunno.
\\\\I want to steal your brain! Bu-ga-gah! (evil genius laughter here) :-))))
\\For yourself, or for a friend?
Was "(evil genius laughter here)" not enough?
For the sake of Great and Shiny Goal, Of Coarse. ;-P
\\ What kind of books?
scifi... mostly.
Sounds very non-traditional.
\\ Books with actual "authors" or "textbooks" filled with regurgitations of the University Discourse taken out-of-context and reshuffled to suit a new narrative from an anonymous author hired to fool, or please, a school board?
Dunno.
Most Sci-Fi had authors (like Lem or Asimov).
\\\\I want to steal your brain! Bu-ga-gah! (evil genius laughter here) :-))))
\\For yourself, or for a friend?
Was "(evil genius laughter here)" not enough?
For the sake of Great and Shiny Goal, Of Coarse. ;-P
I don't do great and shiny goals. I only do my goals which are neither great, nor shiny. I gave to the 'Great and Shiny Goal Fund' at the office.
\\I don't do great and shiny goals. I only do my goals which are neither great, nor shiny. I gave to the 'Great and Shiny Goal Fund' at the office.
I thought I made it sardonic enough. In style...
\\Most Sci-Fi had authors (like Lem or Asimov).
Simak, Sheckley, van Vogt, Harrison, le Guin and greatest of them all RRT ;-P... lots of novellas whose authors I never knew.
\\Sounds very non-traditional.
Differ place, differ traditions. ;-)
My approach was more structured. A chronological list of 1200 classical works, starting with the earliest. I wouldn't have though to "randomize" it until reaching the late 1880's and reading Nietzsche.
...and no, I didn't read them all. I stuck to particular authors.
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