How America Got Divorced from Reality

Started by GSOgymrat, December 09, 2017, 11:59:40 AM

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Cavebear

Quote from: pr126 on December 18, 2017, 09:40:33 AM
Crazy. That's it.

And a nice song too.

Oh man, I KNEW that song but didn't recognize it from your post.  Yeah, that a good oldie.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

SGOS

Quote from: pr126 on December 18, 2017, 09:40:33 AM
Crazy. That's it.
I will say with a great deal of self satisfaction that I understood the point of your link.  The world always did seem a little crazy, but in he last few years, it's gone from 'seeming crazy' to certifiable, and it's getting more so exponentially.  I once imagined the end of mankind happening in drawn out hopeless pain and suffering in some distant future, but now I'm thinking I might actually live long enough to watch it happen as we end it all in  blaze of mindless insanity of laughter and glee as a final solution of retribution and worldwide satisfaction.  But I cannot imagine mankind once again rebuilding itself from the rubble and ash.  Who the fuck would want to start it all over again?

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on December 18, 2017, 01:14:23 PM
I will say with a great deal of self satisfaction that I understood the point of your link.  The world always did seem a little crazy, but in he last few years, it's gone from 'seeming crazy' to certifiable, and it's getting more so exponentially.  I once imagined the end of mankind happening in drawn out hopeless pain and suffering in some distant future, but now I'm thinking I might actually live long enough to watch it happen as we end it all in  blaze of mindless insanity of laughter and glee as a final solution of retribution and worldwide satisfaction.  But I cannot imagine mankind once again rebuilding itself from the rubble and ash.  Who the fuck would want to start it all over again?

Humankind could vanish from the planet tomorrow and it would be better for all the other plants and animals in the world.  Not saying I'm volunteering us to do that, but, "you know'...

And there might not ever be a self-aware intelligent being again, but Earth won't mind...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

GSOgymrat

I finished reading Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500 Year History and it was both wittier and more educational than I anticipated. Andersen chronicles how from the beginning Americans have been exceptional at creating and consuming fantasies. It's a land of magical thinkers, hustlers, dreamers, doomsday prophets, gurus, conspiracy theorists and rubes willing to buy it. The book makes a convincing case that the concern over "fake news" is just the latest iteration of American's creating their own reality, facts be damned. For example, I had no idea there a slavery-themed park was erected in Brooklyn with reenactments of "the labors that the Negroes of slavery days engaged in, and the happy careless that lived in their cabins after work." It's definitely an entertaining book.

Cavebear

Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 18, 2017, 02:49:17 PM
I finished reading Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500 Year History and it was both wittier and more educational than I anticipated. Andersen chronicles how from the beginning Americans have been exceptional at creating and consuming fantasies. It's a land of magical thinkers, hustlers, dreamers, doomsday prophets, gurus, conspiracy theorists and rubes willing to buy it. The book makes a convincing case that the concern over "fake news" is just the latest iteration of American's creating their own reality, facts be damned. For example, I had no idea there a slavery-themed park was erected in Brooklyn with reenactments of "the labors that the Negroes of slavery days engaged in, and the happy careless that lived in their cabins after work." It's definitely an entertaining book.

OK, yes, USians are good at that.  We're #1...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: GSOgymrat on December 18, 2017, 02:49:17 PM
I finished reading Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500 Year History and it was both wittier and more educational than I anticipated. Andersen chronicles how from the beginning Americans have been exceptional at creating and consuming fantasies. It's a land of magical thinkers, hustlers, dreamers, doomsday prophets, gurus, conspiracy theorists and rubes willing to buy it. The book makes a convincing case that the concern over "fake news" is just the latest iteration of American's creating their own reality, facts be damned. For example, I had no idea there a slavery-themed park was erected in Brooklyn with reenactments of "the labors that the Negroes of slavery days engaged in, and the happy careless that lived in their cabins after work." It's definitely an entertaining book.

Even before Jamestown, Francis Bacon et al were plotting away ... and trying to figure out how to get everyone in England addicted to smoking.  What they were thinking of was ... "New Atlantis" and "Anglo-American Israelitism".  There are Japanese who figure they are a "lost tribe".  Englishmen were into that 400 years ago, and I know someone just up the road who still is.  Most posters here are from "New Atlantis".  I am expecting them to sink N America under the waves and grow gills, any day now ;-))  Remember, the British Empire sent their less stable characters here until 1783.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on December 18, 2017, 07:39:51 PM
Even before Jamestown, Francis Bacon et al were plotting away ... and trying to figure out how to get everyone in England addicted to smoking.  What they were thinking of was ... "New Atlantis" and "Anglo-American Israelitism".  There are Japanese who figure they are a "lost tribe".  Englishmen were into that 400 years ago, and I know someone just up the road who still is.  Most posters here are from "New Atlantis".  I am expecting them to sink N America under the waves and grow gills, any day now ;-))  Remember, the British Empire sent their less stable characters here until 1783.

You will say anything inaccurate just to try to gain a minor point, won't you?

Jamestown, nor Bacon originated tobacco smoking.  The plant family Nicotiana and the word nicotine is named after Jean Nicot who brought tobacco seeds to Europe in 1560. He introduced snuff (tobacco that is inhaled) to the French court and from here the use of the product spread around Europe.

You might note that is well before Jamestown.  The weed was cultivated by the Native Americans.

Their pre-avenge on us, I suppose.



Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on December 26, 2017, 03:48:35 AM
You will say anything inaccurate just to try to gain a minor point, won't you?

Jamestown, nor Bacon originated tobacco smoking.  The plant family Nicotiana and the word nicotine is named after Jean Nicot who brought tobacco seeds to Europe in 1560. He introduced snuff (tobacco that is inhaled) to the French court and from here the use of the product spread around Europe.

You might note that is well before Jamestown.  The weed was cultivated by the Native Americans.

Their pre-avenge on us, I suppose.

What the Natives did, and the Spanish did, wasn't relevant to the string.  Americans think that America ends at the American border.  This is about British imperial drug pushing.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on December 26, 2017, 08:53:20 AM
What the Natives did, and the Spanish did, wasn't relevant to the string.  Americans think that America ends at the American border.  This is about British imperial drug pushing.

You miss the point.  It wasn't the British or American colonists who spread the tobacco habit.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on December 26, 2017, 11:03:51 AM
You miss the point.  It wasn't the British or American colonists who spread the tobacco habit.

Perhaps not initially.  But I read recently, that the quality of tobacco in the Caribbean was quickly found to be inferior to the Virginia kind.  But maybe that was just early Virginian Slims branding ;-)
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on December 26, 2017, 01:27:58 PM
Perhaps not initially.  But I read recently, that the quality of tobacco in the Caribbean was quickly found to be inferior to the Virginia kind.  But maybe that was just early Virginian Slims branding ;-)

I'm glad you realize the difference between originating something and improving on it for commercial purposes.  Like that coffee you drink in the morning?  Or pineapples.  Or sugar?  Same thing.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on December 26, 2017, 02:31:49 PM
I'm glad you realize the difference between originating something and improving on it for commercial purposes.  Like that coffee you drink in the morning?  Or pineapples.  Or sugar?  Same thing.

China and Korea had printing before Europe ... but who overturned history with printing?  It helped having an alphabet.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

Quote from: Cavebear on December 18, 2017, 02:21:27 PM
Humankind could vanish from the planet tomorrow and it would be better for all the other plants and animals in the world.  Not saying I'm volunteering us to do that, but, "you know'...

And there might not ever be a self-aware intelligent being again, but Earth won't mind...
I'm a member in good standing of VHEMT - if we'd just stop breeding we could go on out with a whimper, not a bang.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Cavebear

Quote from: Unbeliever on December 26, 2017, 03:41:44 PM
I'm a member in good standing of VHEMT - if we'd just stop breeding we could go on out with a whimper, not a bang.

That is impressive.  But I'm not ready to go quietly into the dark night yet...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on January 10, 2018, 03:02:53 PM
That is impressive.  But I'm not ready to go quietly into the dark night yet...

Easy ... turn off your lights, get in bed, get a good night's rest.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.