The Wow I Can't Believe That News Story Thread

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Wilson doesn’t say this. He would vehemently deny his work would lead anyone who understands it to this conclusion.

However, when it’s stripped down to biology which means it’s stripped down to genetics, your co-workers are genetic garbage that would need to be phased out to create a livable world with human descendants. These descendants would have to be of the sort that are genetically predisposed to be on Tribe Universe instead Tribe Self and therefore would not be Homo sapiens. In fact, they would probably be something that we would find repulsive. It might mean spreading out into the galaxy or it might mean losing interest in exploration and digging into the earth like ants instead. Once you come to accept that free will is an illusion... the thing is our DNA doesn’t care if our descendants live as bacteria or computerized space ghosts or not at all. It doesn’t think at all.

Hey I believe in the idea that people sacrificing themselves to save their children or soldiers throwing themselves on grenades to save their comrades are simply an extension of the idea of fingers and toes being sacrificed by the body in hypothermia. The human race is as much an organism as the human body which is as much an organism as a cell with its organelles.

But in that world aren't the disposable humans still necessary as cogs in the machine to do tasks? Are we talking about social Darwinism or something even more bizarre?

[Anteater]

Originally Posted by Frownland

Anteater: the right knows how to meme, breh
Ted Cruz: *does bad Simpsons impresonations*

I dunno what your talking about, Cruz is hilarious.

Twittuhhhh

[OccultHawk]

But in that world aren't the disposable humans still necessary as cogs in the machine to do tasks?

Maybe. But if so probably with a much stronger predisposition toward it. Like there’s no incentive that would inspire a worker ant to get another job.

Are we talking about social Darwinism or something even more bizarre?

AI plus genetic engineering = something even more bizarre

(or just plain old-fashioned evolution being the weird creepy bastard that it already is still being something unimaginably bizarre)

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Maybe. But if so probably with a much stronger predisposition toward it. Like there’s no incentive that would inspire a worker ant to get another job.



AI plus genetic engineering = something even more bizarre

(or just plain old-fashioned evolution being the weird creepy bastard that it already is still being something unimaginably bizarre)

So essentially the cog humans becoming another species in the same way that worker ants are different from soldier ants are different from queens? Whether or not physically but psychologically to an extent that the workers would never think to become queens because workers are incapable of being queens and queen are incapable of becoming workers? The different species with the same DNA simply are too different to contemplate being a "whole" species?

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by elphenor

What about when that doesn't happen

Like the, wait for it, Populists

was a whole primarily left movement in American history later inspired The Progressives

I think you're clinging to a capital because you have no opinions of your own.

[The Batlord]

It's weird for someone who supposedly comes from a poor background to show a complete lack of understanding for the working class while working hard to become a middle class lawyer whereas a middle class prick who's dropped himself into the working class simply because he's too lazy to try gets the former's people better for seemingly no apparent reason.

Maybe you're just a wannabe bourgeois dickhead or something I don't know.

[Frownland]

In photos: Staggering destruction from Indonesia quake, tsunami

Before and after photos of villages demolished by landslides. ~1200 dead and expected to rise significantly

[Lucem Ferre]

Originally Posted by 66Sexy

People are inherently prone to siding with their own provincial interests. The vast majority don't and never will give a **** about any greater political ideology without their culture telling them to.

I agree with this so much.

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by elphenor

I don't claim to have come from a poor background

I suppose I could because my parents came from a poor background

but I grew up firmly middle class with the caveat of it all being on military bases

you have a very negative Hobbs view of the working class batty

Well, I kinda have two political philosophies which compete for my mind. I got the side that wants to believe in something that's the socialist side and sides with the working class and hopes that education on civics might actually make a difference. This I side with to preserve my sanity basically.

Then in my heart of hearts I believe nothing particularly good about humanity besides our propensity for being good with tools. I think humans are cretins who aren't far enough from a history of swinging from trees and flinging their poo to be trusted with running a global civilization of 7 billion people.

I can't truly commit to either philosophy because I can't be nihilistic enough to commit to the latter because it's an "existential dead end" (to quote OH) and I can't be bright and shiny enough to believe in the former. I get the feeling that this isn't at all an uncommon approach tbh but most people feel the need to side with optimism.

[Lucem Ferre]

Originally Posted by elphenor

people vote against their own self interests all the time

the major divide between Democrats and Republicans is on principles and culture not really taxes and jobs

Most people vote on the illusion of self interest.