Skip to main content

Thoughts XXIV - More Quotes



Here we offer three quotes from Will Durant's, "The Story of Civilization." This is a multi volume opus, thick with pages and loaded with insights.  It is marvelously well written.  While they were applied to civilizations past, they seem to apply even today.
A. On socialism: Individualism is the snake in the socialist paradise.
B. On citizenry: The dole weakens the poor while luxury weakens the rich.
C. On Roman emperor Gaius Caesar (Nero): Having been educated with smattering of philosophy, it was enough to free his intellect but not enough to moderate his judgment.
---------------
In a sense, a college education leaves a person uneducated and vulnerable, as it often quiets natural intuitions and replaces them by short one-line talking points. Such folks are wide open to a better talking point.  No thought or common sense is needed, the narrative being key. 
---------------
In the beginning, there was the "alien," a person in a country temporarily but not a citizen.  It is a universal term of long historical standing.  Afterwards, new definitions were augured in.  The earliest and most popular is the"illegal  alien" or  "undocumented alien," roughly the same thing but softened a little to indicate only a technical differentiation, say like their visa has expired. The word "alien" was pesky and demeaning.  This was altered to the "undocumented immigrant," again the same thing, but indicating an actual immigration status without official papers, suggesting simply the lack of conference.  

 The next step is imminent if only implicitly.   Soon we will hear of the "undocumented citizen." This confers citizenship to certain groups of aliens (the original term) lacking only tiresome paperwork. It is simplistic to understand this advent by the "tells."  Many are conferred sanctuary in diverse localities. Many gain driver's licenses upon request. With current voting regulations, many do vote. A latest example, a number of undocumented citizens have sued the University of Georgia for free tuition.  Can they win this suit?  Most certainly.
---------------
For some, the only lasting and true relations are those best described as occasional.  Constant communication leads to the discovery of constant, fatal flaws, leading to a relationship deterioration.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I.                                       I.                 Introduction.                Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II.     ...

Where is AI (Artificial Intelligence) Going?

  How to view Artificial Intelligence (AI).  Imagine you go to the store to buy a TV, but all they have are 1950s models, black and white, circular screens, picture rolls, and picture imperfect, no remote. You’d say no thanks. Back in the day, they sold wildly. The TV was a must-have for everyone with $250 to spend* (about $3000 today). Compared to where AI is today, this is more or less where TVs were 70 years ago. In only a few decades AI will be advanced beyond comprehension, just like TVs today are from the 50s viewpoint. Just like we could not imagine where the video concept was going back then, we cannot really imagine where AI is going. Buckle up. But it will be spectacular.    *Back then minimum wage was $0.75/hr. Thus, a TV cost more than eight weeks' wages. ------------------------- 

Principles of Insufficiency and Sufficiency

   The principles we use but don't know it.  1.      Introduction . Every field, scientific or otherwise, rests on foundational principles—think buoyancy, behavior, or democracy. Here, we explore a unique subset: principles modified by "insufficiency" and "sufficiency." While you may never have heard of them, you use them often. These terms frame principles that blend theory, practicality, and aspiration, by offering distinct perspectives. Insufficiency often implies inaction unless justified, while sufficiency suggests something exists or must be done. We’ll examine key examples and introduce a new principle with potential significance. As a principle of principles of these is that something or some action is not done enough while others may be done too much. The first six (§2-6) of our principles are in the literature, and you can easily search them online. The others are relatively new, but fit the concepts in the real world. At times, these pri...