The Water Cooler

@Bee Well, I'm more of a realist, IMO. I know that life sucks, but I don't dwell on the suck, instead, I understand that every last minute of contentment is well earned, and well deserved :D

Bee

If you can't do anything about it, let it go haha

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Bee and the act of letting it go, is doing something about it ;D

Bee

Ahah I suppose in a way it is

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@bee "The mind is it's own place, and can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n" - John Milton, Paradise lost

@Bee We cannot control what life throws at us, but we can choose how we react to it and how we let it affect us.

Chris E

1:58 PM

"dead, dead dead. Someday we'll be dead"

I've got no idea where I heard that song. I'm thinking tv

Bee

You are very philosophical, do you talk like this in the 'real world'?

;P

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Bee Yes, I do, much to the consternation of my family :D

Bee

Poor them, I only get into those sorts of conversations after a few beers

Chris E

my girlfriend said to her daughter when I was getting philosophical last night, "Oh great, you got him going" lol

Bee

Ahha

Nothing wrong with it really

people could do with thinking more

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

2:09 PM

@Bee I spent some time in something much like catatonia, when you're locked in your own head, there is little to do but think.

@ChrisE the world needs more people ruled by their intellect, not by their passions. Passion rules reason, unfortunately.

Bee

2:21 PM

Getting into a philosophical debate can be as much about passion as intellect

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

3:36 PM

@Bee it can BE a passion, but a debate being about passion is anything but philosophical

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica I think you are engaging in a philosophical debate about passion right now?

Chris E

passionately

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 Well, I'm a follower of Seneca, so..... :D

Chris E

the orange juice?

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@ChrisE Et Tu Brute? :D

Hosch250

3:38 PM

Also, I'm afraid most philosophers have put the "sophism" back into it, unfortunately. i.e. they love their own noise.

Chris E

lol

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 Well, I hate sophistry with a passion.... :D

Hosch250

That's obvious. Just a side-thought about modern philosophy.

I hate it too, because you just end up with politicians that way.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 Yes. Modern Philosophy, at least Post Nietzsche, is more sophistry and navel gazing than anything else.

Hosch250

I kind of like Kant, TBH. I don't completely subscribe to his philosophy, but the Categorical Imperative is pretty interesting.

It's also really useful for shutting up racist people.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

3:41 PM

@Hosch250 I've been on the intellectual dark web, and it's fascinating to watch real minds duke it out in a friendly way.

@Hosch250 Yeah, racism is utter nonsense, The genetic variance from human to human isn't even enough for a sub-species. And, thanks to our ancestors, we obliterated other, more peaceful and intelligent hominids

Hosch250

How do we know they were more intelligent?

If they were so intelligent, wouldn't they have defeated us with intelligence? Is it intelligent to allow oneself to be destroyed because you don't believe in fighting back?

Especially when you think that allowing yourself to be crushed allows them to move on and crush their next target as well?

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 we had numbers, and we had managed to domesticate dogs.

the ones we didn't kill outright, starved because we took their food

@Hosch250 besides, all throughout history, mighty, civilized empires have been torn down by barbarian hordes. Ghangis Kahn had nothing but numbers, and wiped out civilization after civilization in his path to the tune of eliminating 1/4th of the world's population.

Hosch250

The Mongols were pretty well civilized, TBH.

At least, Kublai Khan's empire was.

And they didn't have just numbers. They had strategy too. It's not like they just fought like the Chinese in Korea--they regularly defeated much larger armies :)

Kaz

4:38 PM

@Hosch250 slatestarcodex.com/2019/06/04/…

Intelligence is incredibly over-rated as a dominant survival trait, especially as you go further back in history.

Hosch250

Depending on the definition of intelligence.

Most people define it as success in college and theoretical stuff.

I don't have a good alternative, but I don't buy that one. Intelligence can also be measured in knowledge and intuition with practical skills.

This is why I HATE those "intelligence" exams--they don't measure intelligence.

I forget the official term for them.

Kaz

I'm not saying it isn't useful, just that it's not a dominant survival factor and can be and often was easily, trivially, outweighed by other factors.

Hosch250

I've taken a few, and you always need deep cultural knowledge to get a reasonable score.

Right. Strength counts, but knowing how to use your strength to its best potential is better.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 again, only to an extent. Einstein would have lasted about ten minutes in caveman days

Hosch250

Numbers provides a huge advantage too.

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica Correct.

He was intelligent in a very particular way.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

4:46 PM

@Hosch250 Also, huge brains require massive amounts of energy, take away the food supply required to power it, and it becomes useless as IQ drops

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica Funny thing, I read a book by a missionary kid once.

He talked about the tradeoff between education and physical stamina.

When he was a kid, he ran wild with the native kids in a particular tribe in Ecuador.

When school started, he and the kids that went really struggled while their bodies adapted to the shift in energy consumption.

Later, they weren't as athletic as the kids who'd kept growing up the tribal way.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 well, part of that is male energy not being properly utilized in schools. Males hate sitting still.

Hosch250

Since instead of training their bodies all day long, they trained their minds.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 Another problem with having brains, the ones with brawn come along and take all of your things.

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica Unless you can use your brains to stop them. I've read of more than one bully being shut down by brains.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

4:49 PM

@Hosch250 organized sports train both body and mind

Hosch250

Maybe they can conduct a trap the brawn doesn't see.

More than one army has been defeated by a force 1/3 or smaller the size because the weak force used brains.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 yeah, but those traps only work once. Brawn + numbers always wins

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica The memory lasts, though.

Alternately, you can use your brains to form a trade.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 again, you can only trade if your potential partner has no reason to just take it from you.

Hosch250

Maybe they have numbers, but you have steel. They don't know how to make steel, and really aren't interested in making it--but they want it. If they destroy you, they lose their access to steel, and the have other enemies as well.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

4:52 PM

@Hosch250 You can always take steel. All the brains of the romans didn't do them much good against a few thousand angry Germans armed with darts in the Tutenberg forest

Or when the Goths, and Vandals sacked Rome, for that matter

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica I'm not saying numbers doesn't cancel intelligence. I'm just saying intelligence can cancel numbers.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 It's interesting. On paper, the Neanderthal should have completely outclassed the cro magnon, but we wiped them off of the face of the earth.

Hosch250

Of course, there's always the theory that they were actually the same species (creationists) with different physical characteristics.

I mean, I've seen people who look like Neanderthal portraits myself, so there's something in that.

Also, as I say, we have no idea how intelligent the Neanderthal really was.

Kaz

Just a quote from that link I copied:

> Rationalists always wonder: how come people aren’t more rational? How come you can prove a thousand times, using Facts and Logic, that something is stupid, and yet people will still keep doing it?

Henrich hints at an answer: for basically all of history, using reason would get you killed.

Hosch250

We've shown large brains don't really map to more intelligence. Elephants are sure smart, and they are civilized in their own way, but they haven't changed the entire environment to better fit their needs the way humans have.

@Kaz Depends how he defines "reason". Is it reason to figure out to bind a broken limb up so it can heal? We know ancient peoples did that. Or is it reason to sit around arguing with people like Socrates? Arguably, he was very unreasonable by reducing people's productive output by distracting them from whatever they could have been doing.

Kaz

5:01 PM

@Hosch250 Honestly, just read it. It's like 10 minutes, and thought-provoking whether you agree with it or not.

Hosch250

I am reading it :)

I agree with pretty much the whole thing. I'm beginning to think we're arguing the same idea from different sides.

Kaz

@Hosch250 Always a possibility ^^

Alright gtg, talk to you guys later.

Hosch250

Looks to me like you guys are arguing intelligence, as in the theory of things, tends to make you at risk, and I'm arguing that practical intelligence allows you to figuring new things out. Like, how to take your seal-hunting knowledge and transfer it to the larger walruses and sea lions.

BradC

Our boss told us to camp in tents when we travel for business

I am sometimes annoyed with my company's policies on travel reimbursement, but then I read stuff like this

Hosch250

@BradC Ohhh, man, that would be so fun to maliciously comply with.

I have terrible allergies. A few days of camping without a bath, and I'll look horrible, smell bad, and be sick as a dog.

BradC

5:12 PM

Yep. "why do you smell like a campfire??"

Hosch250

Very interesting article. Especially the pregnant women eating sharks part.

That's like the Egyptians using poppy seeds to reduce pain.

But less obvious.

Maybe the sharks of history were even more potent, and it was more obvious, but the knowledge got passed down, and by the time it came to us, the effects weren't as dramatic. Or maybe they just figured it out anyway.

Very interesting bit about the elephants and droughts.

I've worked with animals enough to know they do share information, mostly with body language. i.e. one will do something and tell the other to do it too, and stuff. But also interesting that they don't really share it until it's actually needed.

So, yeah, trying new things is a good way to get killed. But at the same time, there's a reason for the proverb "necessity is the mother of invention." So it's a tossup.

Chris E

5:35 PM

EATING SHARKS?

oops, caps lock lol

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 The German legends at protecting children from Doppelgangers (Changelings) happen to be very useful for dealing with postpartum depression. The danger period, according to legend happens to be the typical duration of postpartum psychosis.

Our ancient ancestors knew much that they did not say....

I wonder just how much knowledge was disguised as myth because the truth was too horrific

Hosch250

5:58 PM

^

Although, how would those myths help? Do they make the mother more protective of her children, or something?

motosubatsu

think we've got a spammer people:

-5

Q: How is ageism creating a scene of discrimination in the organization?

Since starting day at my work, a colleague from a cross functional team is trying to show her dominance on me. Whatever i say, whichever way i make projects she literally makes it pissed off stuff! Our company is in months of appraisal, and since few days her behaviour had pissed off every othe...

discrimination

Hosch250

Or is it the anti-fairy herbs they use helpful for recovery?

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 yep:

lacing a key next to an infant will prevent him from being exchanged. (Would show if was moved)

Women may never be left alone during the first six weeks following childbirth, for the devil then has more power over them.(obvious, if the mother is not alone, she won't have the opportunity to kill, or will have more help so she doesn't feel overwhelmed)

During the first six weeks following childbirth, mothers may not go to sleep until someone has come to watch the child. If mothers are overcome by sleep, changelings are often laid in the cradle. (again, no SIDS or accidents, …

@Hosch250 Also, Garlic is both a powerful antibacterial, and anti-viral, so whoever is hanging those Garlic wards is going to have germ-free hands, and not infect the baby with anything

Hosch250

Nice.

It's my opinion that all legends have some root in truth, even if we're too blind to see it now.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 yep. Unfortunately, having killed God, we need to go back and relearn all of his wisdom. (I mean that metaphorically, of course)

Hosch250

6:08 PM

Reading some of the legends now--a lot deal with being kind to lost children too.

Like, if you meet a peculiar child in trouble, be kind, or the fairies will get you.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 yep, all good lessons to maintain a society. You don't want people killing children, or your group will die out. Better to warn everyone that the fairies are about making mischief

Even Nietzsche, as an atheist, saw the use of religion.

Hosch250

It may have been reinforced by extra-legal action on the part of the harmed person's relatives.

Chris E

@motosubatsu closed.

Hosch250

Like, they might not be wanting to kill you--but they might burn a field for you to get back at you.

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@Hosch250 YEP. Damn those fairies

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

6:22 PM

I know this is closed, I don't think it's that bad re: off-topic, but it was just.... vulgar

-3

Q: Am I a douche for quitting my job?

So, let's start. For the last 2 years I've been working as web developer in this X company. Let me go back to how I got my job and my relations to certain people there. It was back in early 2018 when a friend of mine showed me an ad for internship for aforementioned X company. Now, I know that on...

resignation job-change education

Chris E

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica I didn't read the post but the question in the subject makes it bad. It's the poster child for "Primarily Opinion"

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

@ChrisE oh, no argument there, it was just so bad that that happened to be the last thing I noticed.

@Hosch250 Here's one for you: "Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."

Hosch250

@RichardSaysReinstateMonica Nice one.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if something existed at one point that got enhanced into a dragon. Quite possibly one of the flying dinosaurs.

That would potentially cover the "flies" and "eats humans" part easily enough, and might even have something that leads to fire breath. Maybe a brilliantly golden throat?

Chris E

fire-breathing bats would be awesome.

Hosch250

@ChrisE Is that what happened to Australia?

Richard Says Reinstate Monica

6:37 PM

There is always hope. Only because it's the one thing that no one has figured out how to kill yet.

Chris E

@Hosch250 Fire-breathing dingos

(makes obvious 'dingo ate my baby' joke)

DarkCygnus

9:23 PM

Scripting the Future of Stack Overflow

Prashanth Chandrasekar on January 21, 2020

As we enter a new decade, there are tremendous forces converging—cloud computing, big data, AI, ML, and an increasingly diverse group of young coders from around the world. Every day, millions of developers visit Stack Overflow to find information they need as they push these exciting new technologies forward. There has been a massive shift since my days as a computer engineering graduate. I was fascinated by the power of languages like Perl, but had only my teachers, classmates, and a few small web forums and mailing lists as a community to support my learning. The numbers below really put into perspective the impact that our community generates and the opportunities that lie ahead: …

DarkCygnus

9:48 PM

54

Q: CEO's 2020 Kickoff Blog: Where do you see Stack Overflow going?

Hello members of the Meta community - I wanted to share the blog post I wrote to kick off 2020 and reflect on my first 90 days at the company. It’s intended for a wide audience, the tens of millions of people we serve, but also because I know you all want to hear directly from me. My style is to ...

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