NielsBohron

Kinda, but I still drink too heavily and partied hard throughout college and grad school. I mean, if you don’t develop a new substance dependency or 2 over of the course of earning of a degree, does it even count?

And if you party long enough, you will inevitably become “that guy” at some point.

It is sourced, at the bottom of the image. I don’t know who that person is or what their theological credentials are, but they did source it at least.

Agreed, that’s my whole point. It was not the ideal way to get where we are, but it’s how it happened. There was a… I don’t want to say purpose, but “benefit,” might be the right word.

If we were designing things from scratch, then obviously religion would be left out. But it’s an unfortunate accident of the evolution of consciousness and evolution of civilization that certain societal benefits were included with the magical thinking. Just like the health of the human gut biome is tied to the existence of the appendix, even through the appendix doesn’t provide much in the way of direct benefits these days and can become inflamed and kill us.

The supernatural claims are just a byproduct of the mechanism that passed along the creation myths and cultural norms. It would be great if that wasn’t how it happened, but it did. Rational people can agree at this point that the magical thinking is a net negative for society, but IMO, to ignore that there were some positives to come along with religion is the same sort of blind denial that religious folks use.

It was a collective delusion to soothe ancient fears of a world we could not comprehend

Agreed, but can’t you see that that was an advantage during the formative ages of society and civilization?

I’ve said that, word for word. When I actually sit and think about it though, I think it’s more like appendicitis. Religion once served a purpose (passing on of useful cultural norms and expectations), has become vestigial, and is now inflamed and likely to kill us (as a society and individually, in some cases)

On the other hand, if you’re immortal and you can’t manage to build a fair bit of wealth, what are you even doing with your time?

TIL. Fascinating!

You’re missing the point. Copying what I wrote above:

I just mean because cinnamon (the spice) is the bark of the cinnamon tree, which when ground up is a form of sawdust. Delicious sawdust, but sawdust, nonetheless.

I just mean because cinnamon (the spice) is the bark of the cinnamon tree, which when ground up is a form of sawdust. Delicious sawdust, but sawdust, nonetheless.

Not wrong…

That book… Was the Bible

Do people still use ratemyprofessor? The reviews at my school don’t seem terribly recent

The Paradox of Tolerance writ large in real time

He pardoned the conscientious objectors and draft dodgers, gave the Panama Canal back to Panama, founded the Super Fund to prosecute polluters and clean up spills, lifted the military ban on LGBTQ people serving, etc. Sure, he made some mistakes, particularly as it applies to deregulating numerous industries, but in general, he was reasonably close to progressive in numerous ways.

A strong argument could be made for FDR’s government at least making steps toward leftist goals, and Jimmy Carter was a lot more progressive than a typical liberal.

The system isn’t broken; it’s working exactly as intended.

I think you’re mistaking “conservatives and centrists” for “American government”

Ok, here we go…

I’m going down, down, stung a frog like a clown

Sugar, I’m going down stinging

His handlers are just using it as a distraction from the class war. Trump is too dumb and fried to think with that level of intention.