The Second Apocalypse

Miscellaneous Chatter => The Forum of Interesting Things => Topic started by: Madness on November 21, 2017, 03:15:10 pm

Title: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on November 21, 2017, 03:15:10 pm
Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow (http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/elon-musk-inventors-plans-for-outer-space-cars-finding-love-w511747)
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 06, 2018, 02:49:13 pm
Neurotechnology, Elon Musk and the goal of human enhancement (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/01/elon-musk-neurotechnology-human-enhancement-brain-computer-interfaces?CMP=twt_a-science_b-gdnscience)
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: TaoHorror on January 07, 2018, 04:01:25 pm
Neurotechnology, Elon Musk and the goal of human enhancement (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/01/elon-musk-neurotechnology-human-enhancement-brain-computer-interfaces?CMP=twt_a-science_b-gdnscience)

The stuff of scifi horror show or scary only to us old people ...
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 09, 2018, 05:04:43 pm
Either/or?

You forget that my experience of life unfolds as one long acid-trip. I find many things mostly absurd for their inherent conceit to presume to be.

If you're horrified and you like it, please continue. (https://waitbutwhy.com/2017/04/neuralink.html)
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: MSJ on January 09, 2018, 05:29:14 pm
Quote from:  Madness
You forget that my experience of life unfolds as one long acid-trip.

You being serious here? I've just read some articles were a lot of programmers and such in the Silicon Valley are experimenting with micro-dosing with acid. The theory being that if you take a tiny amount, you get the creative juices flowing without all of the (what I perceive as negative..I hate hallucinagenes) negative side effects.

So, I'm be I g serious when I ask you if you really are on acid all the time, and if so, what's your dosage? Or, was it just a turn of phrase?
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 09, 2018, 05:56:18 pm
Lmao.

I'm definitely not on acid all the time (I do have vices and have done hallucinogens). On thought, I've also encountered quite the robust culture that advocates microdosing mushrooms.

Flowery language aside - and I'm sure this has come up before in my expression over the years around the forum - I find all existence equally absurd, especially the various ways we human animals prioritize, and also cling to, the "beliefs" we hold over basic compassion for those creatures we happen to find ourselves stranded here with.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: TaoHorror on January 10, 2018, 03:02:48 pm
Flowery language aside - and I'm sure this has come up before in my expression over the years around the forum - I find all existence equally absurd, especially the various ways we human animals prioritize, and also cling to, the "beliefs" we hold over basic compassion for those creatures we happen to find ourselves stranded here with.

Does that absurdity you surmise a result of your perceived insight or lack of understanding of what is going on?
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: BeardFisher-King on January 10, 2018, 03:14:14 pm
Flowery language aside - and I'm sure this has come up before in my expression over the years around the forum - I find all existence equally absurd, especially the various ways we human animals prioritize, and also cling to, the "beliefs" we hold over basic compassion for those creatures we happen to find ourselves stranded here with.

Does that absurdity you surmise a result of your perceived insight or lack of understanding of what is going on?

Also, isn't compassion a belief with the same status as other beliefs?
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 10, 2018, 11:48:00 pm
Elucidating Madness...

Does that absurdity you surmise a result of your perceived insight or lack of understanding of what is going on?

I'm not sure I understand your question?

Also, isn't compassion a belief with the same status as other beliefs?

especially the various ways we human animals prioritize, and also cling to, the "beliefs" we hold over basic compassion for those creatures we happen to find ourselves stranded here with.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: BeardFisher-King on January 11, 2018, 12:00:19 am
Are you objecting to the idea that basic compassion is not a higher priority?
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2018, 12:02:22 am
Are you objecting to the idea that basic compassion is not a higher priority?

I'm not sure I understand the question.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: BeardFisher-King on January 11, 2018, 12:30:05 am
Perhaps if you could restate what it is you find absurd. I don't understand why you find my questions difficult. If you prioritize X, Y, and Z over C, my first question was, "Does C belong with X, Y, or Z?" My second question was, "Should C be a higher priority than X, Y, or Z?"

What I'm saying is compassion is a belief like any other.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2018, 12:41:35 am
I find all experience absurd.

"Does C belong with X, Y, or Z?"

Maybe? We'd have to spend more words operationalizing "compassion" (C?) and "X, Y, and Z" in our conversation.

My second question was, "Should C be a higher priority than X, Y, or Z?"

Yes? We've had versions of this conversation before. I don't care what you believe, I care how you act because of your commitment to those beliefs.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: TaoHorror on January 11, 2018, 03:49:55 am
Madness! You are an equation, sir! Any time you are challenged and "caught" you hide behind defensive equivocation. STAND UP and face your error and change so you can release yourself from standing in the corner.

Just messing with you, brother. On that note - I still don't "get" why you find all experience absurd. You don't have to explain it if you don't want to - but if you're interested in being understood on this point, can you walk me through it?
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2018, 04:17:18 pm
Madness! You are an equation, sir! Any time you are challenged and "caught" you hide behind defensive equivocation.

Is that the case?

STAND UP and face your error and change so you can release yourself from standing in the corner.

Uh...

Just messing with you, brother. On that note - I still don't "get" why you find all experience absurd. You don't have to explain it if you don't want to - but if you're interested in being understood on this point, can you walk me through it?

Absurdity abounds? Life, experience, existence just has never had enduring and stable qualities to me. Or rather I've never perceived very many enduring and stable qualities. And even then... it's absurd that we should expect enduring or stable qualities.

Back to your first question:

Does that absurdity you surmise a result of your perceived insight or lack of understanding of what is going on?

The bold has something like three or four Tao specific connotations therein that I can't possibly understand without context on your part. You'd have to unpack that latter portion for me before I can even try to give you a coherent answer.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: TaoHorror on January 11, 2018, 07:28:22 pm
Does that absurdity you surmise a result of your perceived insight or lack of understanding of what is going on?

The bold has something like three or four Tao specific connotations therein that I can't possibly understand without context on your part. You'd have to unpack that latter portion for me before I can even try to give you a coherent answer.

You make an intense observation, relegating so much of what's regarded as important to others as ( can't find another appropriate word for absurd here ... empty? ). Do you think you see this all encompassing absurdity because you have better "sight"? Or are you simply expressing confusion at it all?

Is it, "Curious so many take our reality so seriously since it clearly has no meaning/direction/point" ...

Or is it, "Christ, I can't make sense of any of it"

Or other, maybe I'm not following you to reduce my question to only 2 avenues? There's texture to everything, reducing to 2 sources of your observation/understanding is for brevity of conversation, but expand if you like.
Title: Re: Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2018, 10:26:25 pm
You make an intense observation, relegating so much of what's regarded as important to others as ( can't find another appropriate word for absurd here ... empty? ).

Quote
absurd

adjective

wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate: the allegations are patently absurd.
• arousing amusement or derision; ridiculous: it may look absurd, but having a treadmill desk could improve your attention span.

That's my Oxford Dictionary definition. Any of those, excepting derision, is acceptable as far as I'm perceiving and using the word.

I definitely don't use absurd to mean empty. Experience is still very "rich" or "full" to me, despite the perceived absurdity. Overwhelmingly so, often.

Do you think you see this all encompassing absurdity because you have better "sight"? Or are you simply expressing confusion at it all?

Is it, "Curious so many take our reality so seriously since it clearly has no meaning/direction/point" ...

Or is it, "Christ, I can't make sense of any of it"

Neither to the pair of questions?

I think I actually take our reality more seriously than most do and I certainly don't think "since it clearly has no meaning/direction/point." I don't have the conceit to declare any which way - one friend, long ago, called me "a truly lost soul" (without religious Damned connotations - he meant without beliefs to orient myself, I imagine).