A quotation from Menen, Aubrey:

«
There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. Since the first two pass our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third.
»

Full quote, sourcing, notes:
https://wist.info/menen-aubrey/42325/

#quote #quotes #quotation #comprehension #folly #God #humancondition #humannature #humor #ineffability #laughter #meme #reality

I am living in Manila for 12 years now and I am used to seeing security guards hanging around the concierge desk inside the mall as if someone’s gonna get an answer they don’t like and cause a ruckus. #StreetPhotography #BlackAndWhite #blackandwhitephotography #sunday #mall #people #lawandorder #manila #humancondition #streetphotographer #monochrome #story

> The deadly reason Republicans are suckers for fake news. https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/republicans-and-fake-news/

#HumanCondition #stupid #WTF

> The Six Secret Teachings (Chinese: 六韜), is a treatise on civil and military strategy traditionally attributed to Lü Shang (aka Jiang Ziya), a top general of King Wen of Zhou, founder of the Zhou dynasty, at around the eleventh century BC. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Secret_Teachings

#history #HumanCondition #China #management #philosophy

Take my word for it: you'll only make it worse.
#humancondition (image h/t @languagelog)

It kind of pisses me off that the word 'rationalize' and the word 'rationalist' have the same base – even though I believe the former is essentially the antithesis of the latter.

Yes, yes. I hear you about the so-called 'Rationalists' who are actually 'Rationalizingists'. But that's kind of my point!

We need a new word for people who base their beliefs on empiricism, known facts, and an understanding of the role past attitudes towards outgroups led to the current status quo.

#HumanCondition

Still waiting for someone other than myself to point out the fact #ChatGPT can seem to understand language and respond with language using proper sentences and grammar – employing only statistics and without any actual intelligence – has implications as to the intelligence of human beings.

Most especially the ones who are neither as fluent or correct in their responses as is ChatGPT.

#AI #HumanCondition

> New study shows just how Facebook's algorithm shapes conservative and liberal bubbles. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/1190383104/new-study-shows-just-how-facebooks-algorithm-shapes-conservative-and-liberal-bub

> "This is interesting, strong evidence that when it comes to politics, the algorithm is biased towards the extremes," Edelson said. "This is genuinely new."

#SocialMedia #news #HumanCondition

Bit or small, every system has failure modes. Operational flaws, bugs, architectural issues, even success modes that may be gamed.

In 2024 we are experiencing multiple and simultaneous failure modes of our biggest and most successful-to-date systems: religion, industrialization, capitalism, and democracy.

Enemy action might be involved, but really? At the scales we are talking about the real problem is they now have a life of their own.

We are victims of our own success.

#HumanCondition

> First-of-Its-Kind Project Seeks to Solve the Mystery of ‘Phantom #Traffic Jams’. https://themessenger.com/news/first-of-its-kind-project-seeks-to-solve-the-mystery-of-phantom-traffic-jams

First? About fucking time someone looked into this, because it drives me crazy to find myself stuck in slow or even stopped traffic for no reason.

Second? There is an existing solution to the problem: less cars and more public #transportation.

#roads #commute #stupid #WTF #HumanCondition

Related:

> Why people tend to believe UFOs are extraterrestrial. https://www.rawstory.com/why-people-tend-to-believe-ufos-are-extraterrestrial/

> Anyone, including pilots and intelligence officers, can be socially influenced to see things that aren’t there. Research shows that hearing from others who claim to have seen something extraordinary is enough to induce similar judgments. The effect is heightened when the influencers are numerous or higher in status.

#UFOs #UFO #aliens #HumanCondition

How to respond to conspiracy theories requiring thousands of people to enable and then keep it secret.

> What do astronomers say about Moon landing deniers? Batting down the conspiracy theory with an assist from the 1969 Miracle Mets. https://www.rawstory.com/what-do-astronomers-say-about-moon-landing-deniers-batting-down-the-conspiracy-theory-with-an-assist-from-the-1969-miracle-mets/

Note: I've said it before, but there are only two kinds of viable secret conspiracies:

1. Involving only a few people

2. Not secret, but in the open; relying on misdirection as to aims

#space #ConspiracyTheories #stupid #HumanCondition

> Do Children Inherit Parents’ Stressful Experiences? Tufts School of Medicine researcher Larry Feig is enrolling participants in a study with Boston IVF to see if the effects of men’s positive or negative experiences can be passed across generations because of altered sperm. https://now.tufts.edu/2023/06/26/do-children-inherit-parents-stressful-experiences

It's not just the genes: How life experience can change which genes are expressed.

#biology #genes #science #HumanCondition

Posted without comment. (Though I'm bursting with it.)

> Humans Will Endure Physical Pain in Return for Useless Information, Study Finds. https://themessenger.com/news/humans-will-endure-physical-pain-in-return-for-useless-information-study-finds

#HumanCondition

> Why can't we stop homelessness? 4 reasons why there's no end in sight. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/12/1186856463/homelessness-rent-affordable-housing-encampments

TL;DR? The '4 reasons' boil down to one: there's not enough low income housing available.

#HumanCondition

Today I learned #TIL that broiler chickens, as we know them today, originated after WWII.

> Proof humans reshaped the world? Chickens. https://www.rawstory.com/proof-humans-reshaped-the-world-chickens/

> "Chickens are a symbol of how our biosphere has changed and is now dominated by human consumption and resource use," said Bennett, formerly a researcher at the University Of Leicester and now an officer at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in Britain.

#Anthropocene #HumanCondition

Finally worked up the courage for the scene. It was scary and violent but not in the way I expected, and actually one of the kids rebelled and that was satisfying. But this is not a happy story. I have lived such a safe and sheltered life. #AmEditing #HumanCondition

I just rolled my eyes so hard at a headline that I saw the inside of my skull.

> 'Let's not tie it to skin color': Oklahoma superintendent says racism not to blame for infamous Tulsa massacre. https://www.rawstory.com/oklahoma-superintendent/

Let me guess: this guy denies the Holocaust as well. Right?

In a decent world he would be removed from any public post and shunned to the extent his wife leaves him because no one will talk to her.

In a decent world.

#HumanCondition

I know Authoritarians typically accuse their enemies of doing *exactly* the things they themselves do or intend to do if they get a chance. This is one of the very hallmarks of Authoritarianism.

But it's their success with those obvious and bald-face lies that confuses me. I can see only two reasons for this, both of which can be true: (a) people are stupid and (b) people are complicit.

Yet, in my own case, when I hear such accusations I *immediately* distrust the accuser.

#HumanCondition

Filed under, 'Everything Old and Busted is New Again.'

> Right-wing boycotts of “woke” brands like Target and Bud Light have a long history. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/07/target-bud-light-boycott-woke-history.html

#HumanCondition