Is everything falling apart? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#881

Post by dukeofdoom » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:34 AM UTC

ElectricalUnion wrote: post #846

dukeofdoom wrote: post #831

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organized religion helped to defeat Communism, and tempered dictatorial control of many despots in the middle east. So your statement is far removed from reality.

> Organized religion helped to defeat Communism So it literally did nothing, because Communism doesn't exist in real life? > tempered dictatorial control of many despots in the middle east [citation needed]

Organized Religion is literally the only organized opposition left under dictatorial rule. Even tyrants have a hard time going around murdering clerics. But you go ahead and believe what you want.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#882

Post by kristjansson » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:50 AM UTC

kergonath wrote: post #651

kristjansson wrote: post #633

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Economic and biological growth curves look exponential right up until they don't. Both are limited by energy consumption, and nothing with limits can exceed the growth rate of its constraint.

Yeah, and if the study of populations has shown us anything, exponentials can also turn quickly into gaussians when a tipping point is passed. Not all of them end up as nice (if you are not afraid of the end of growth anyway) logistic curves.

We’re lucky if we’re on a logistic trajectory

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#883

Post by imapeopleperson » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 2:53 AM UTC

travisjungroth wrote: post #870

imapeopleperson wrote: post #859

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My statement is admittedly terse but you’re wrong to dismiss it. The unwillingness to even consider other opinions and the abject expansion of what qualifies as racist (and it’s use as slur) is exactly what’s perpetuating our issues.

> you’re wrong to dismiss it. Why? > unwillingness to even consider other opinions What opinions? You labelled something a fact. Do you have an opinion to share? How much of my finite time on Earth do I have to spend on this opinion before I can dismiss it? > and the abject expansion of what qualifies as racist (and it’s use as slur) is exactly what’s perpetuating our issues. No. Definitely not. This is just detached…

It’s not detached from reality in the slightest. This is the crux of the debate on censorship. Biden just created a Ministry of Truth surrounding this issue.

You’re just stubbornly attached to your own beliefs. Most people are like this—they don’t like admitting when they were wrong. In general, the reason ‘why’ (above) is because it could benefit you to find a better conclusion if one exists. Do what you want, but very dangerous to burden society with the same handicap

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#884

Post by judahmeek » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:08 AM UTC

lampshades wrote: post #674

judahmeek wrote: post #664

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every religion states that the other religions are lies, which means that, at the very least, the majority of religious people believe a lie as a fundamental aspect of their worldview. Thus, you apparently can be genuinely happier if your worldview is based on a lie. Still not worth it.

> Every religion states that the other religions are lies, which means that, at the very least, the majority of religious people believe a lie as a fundamental aspect of their worldview. I don't think I've ever heard of a religion that is so airtight that it blocked any ability to reason on how the others might not be a lie also.

And I don't think I've ever heard of an inclusive religion besides paganism & voodoo.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#885

Post by pubby » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:22 AM UTC

throw__away7391 wrote: post #219

ravenstine wrote: post #111

Everything is not falling apart, though certain institutions may be falling apart. In America, there's definitely been a breakdown of belief in its own institutions. Far more people are skeptical of things like journalism and Silicon Valley; it really wasn't that long ago that the former was constantly salivating over the latter, but now it's more of an openly vulture-carrion relationship because that caters to publi…

I mean the default assumption/mode of thought of the average uninformed person today seems to be a cynical one, at least judging from friends/family and top ranked posts from random people on the Internet. Given a situation in which they have zero knowledge, they will assume a conspiracy, cheating, corruption, malice, or some kind of deliberate inequality or unfairness in which they are the disadvantaged party. Usual…

> Given a situation in which they have zero knowledge, they will assume a conspiracy, cheating, corruption, malice, or some kind of deliberate inequality or unfairness in which they are the disadvantaged party.

That's baloney. People have knowledge of Epstein. They see strong evidence he trafficked children (police findings), and strong good evidence he hung around rich and powerful people (photographs). The can see he was under trial for conspiracy, and that his two prison guards were convicted for conspiracy, and that his partner, Maxwell, was convicted of conspiracy. You'd have to be cynical to assume people put no thought into their beliefs.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#886

Post by uwagar » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:25 AM UTC

basisword wrote: post #423

jaqalopes wrote: post #7

I think some things are falling apart but not everything. If you had the foresight/luck/guidance to get into a stable white collar career, find a partner, and buy a house before 2022 I think you're on "the train". This train is currently pulling away from a burning station containing everyone else who hasn't done those things yet. It's still possible to escape the station by running down the tracks but at this point…

While I agree that buying property has become very difficult, what has changed in 2022 that prevents you from getting a stable white collar job or finding a partner? If you have the requisite skillset (which can be acquired more easily than ever thanks to the internet) getting a stable white collar job is very possible. And in the age of dating apps, so much friction has been removed when it comes to finding a partne…

as if the partner is gonna last forever. they may divorce u and take half ur earnings away. thatd be like being thrown off the train in a muddy field.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#887

Post by nradov » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:27 AM UTC

dbingham wrote: post #844

cnelsenmilt wrote: post #793

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny, because this should be a point of crossover for the (populist) left and the right. Basic nationalism on the one hand, "Buy Local" on the other. They all want the same thing, or close to it. The potential for alliance on economic topics like this is so blindingly obvious, and it's so frustrating that it gets derailed by "cultural" sideshows so that no one can talk to each other or realize they have the sam…

There is a framing in which they want the same thing, but each side wants to use a method to achieving that thing that is antithetical to the other. The left wants to achieve it by limiting the power of capital and corporations. The right wants to achieve it by limiting the power of democracy and restricting it to certain demographics. Each finds the other's method appalling.

That doesn't really align any more. Some of the largest, most powerful corporations are now led by ideological leftists, and right wing politicians aren't shy about attacking them.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#888

Post by dukeofdoom » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:33 AM UTC

underlying1941 wrote: post #873

dukeofdoom wrote: post #831

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organized religion helped to defeat Communism, and tempered dictatorial control of many despots in the middle east. So your statement is far removed from reality.

Seems to me it would be more accurate to say that dictatorial despots helped temper organized religion.

This only works to your benefit if the despot is on your side. Even if you are in the inner circle, despots tend to be very temperamental and murder their own supporters on whims of insecurity. So be careful what you wish for.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#889

Post by c-smile » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:36 AM UTC

AviationAtom wrote: post #434

ravenstine wrote: post #111

Everything is not falling apart, though certain institutions may be falling apart. In America, there's definitely been a breakdown of belief in its own institutions. Far more people are skeptical of things like journalism and Silicon Valley; it really wasn't that long ago that the former was constantly salivating over the latter, but now it's more of an openly vulture-carrion relationship because that caters to publi…

I'd argue the cracks really formed in the Bush era, but began to rise during the Obama era, and skyrocketed in the Trump era (Though I am a Millennial, so perhaps that biases my recollection of timeline). What's interesting is each reader of the above comment will take something different away from it, based upon their political alignment. What is interesting is that society hangs on by a thinner thread than we imagi…

TL;DR if you wish: World now is transitioning from G7 (which is G1 really) to real G20.

Globalization caused rise of powers: China, India, Russia, Brazil, etc.

I think that world will be in better shape after that - concurrency and need for consensus among more than one player.

Re: Is everything falling apart?

#890

Post by certifiedrodent » Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 3:49 AM UTC

imapeopleperson wrote: post #798

pianoben wrote: post #774

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not certain how that bears on what I wrote, and won't comment on it except to say that the American "pro-slavery camp" is not merely a synonym for "racially bigoted" - there's a whole world-view there in which groups of humans are inherently and fundamentally unequal, and in which might makes right, to a certain degree. On your topic of "taboo truths", personally I agree that we ought to be able to discuss things…

I’m trying to illustrate that using racism as a baseline to divide camps of thought is the root cause of the fracturing of society. For example, I don’t understand how you expect a civil and good faith discussion by first labeling the opposing viewpoint as ‘pro slavery’ at the onset.

Politics was literally divided into pro-slavery and anti-slavery during a pivotal moment in american history. We can't really discuss american political and cultural history without referencing this. The impact from this event directly comes up in politics to this day and it is weird to ignore it.