An End to War: Don’t get even, get MAD

My last post was a lengthy attempt to explain how the two World Wars changed Europeans’ philosophy, making another major European war unlikely.
In this post I will propose a shorter, simpler explanation.
It’s all about technology.
Before World War One, the logistics of transportation and supply did not allow for large armies to take the field. [...]

The War to End All Wars

The memory of the Great European War, of millions of young men fighting and dying to win a few yards of shell-pocked mud, was enough to convince many that war was an ugly, irrational, pointless endeavor which civilized nations should have the good sense to avoid in perpetuity.  They hoped that something good could emerge [...]

It slices, it dices, it cures polio

“Once upon a time, there was a man who was convinced that he possessed a Great Idea.  Indeed, as the man thought upon the Great Idea more and more, he realized that it was not just a great idea, but the most wonderful idea ever. The Great Idea would unravel the mysteries of the universe, [...]

Internet Culture becomes yet more Self-Referential

With this new meta-Youtube video by Weezer. The willingness of these ’stars’ to engage in what some would consider self-parody surprised me.
Chocolate Rain guy, I thought you were better than this! What happened to the message?

Lies We Tell Kids

What are the most common ones?  Why do we do it? Paul Graham answers in an excellent essay.
Which “lies” would you tell your own children?  To me they all seem necessary, at least to some small degree.

On Motivation

I’ve been finding lately that motivation is largely about momentum.  It gets caught in circles vicious and virtuous.  Having fun? Have more fun!  Got some work done?  Great, I bet you’d do well at some more work!
I’m in the virtuous circle at the moment, as long as blogging counts as work.  Accomplishing this post will [...]

On French Fashion

I’d heard that the French, and Europeans in general, dress to look ‘nice’ compared to most americans; this is certainly true, and as I look around here I can see everyone dressed impeccably compared to me in my old t-shirt.
I suppose it’s a good thing to look good; it’s a better thing though to spend [...]

“We came into this world with nothing, and we leave with nothing”

Is there much truthiness to this oft-repeated conventional wisdom?
Methinks the classic refrain concerns itself overmuch with the material.  For are we to believe the philosophers of tabula rasa, that each man is molded entirely by his world?  Do we not bring our body and our genes, our unique personhood, our fallen-ness?
And what man can say [...]

“It’s become apallingly clear that our Technology has surpassed our Humanity”

Saw this as a bumper sticker on a car.
Two thoughts:
1) It implies that while the rest of humanity is having some trouble dealing with their newfound knowledge and power, the driver is doing just fine. If not, shouldn’t it say something like “It’s become appallingly clear that *my* technology has surpassed my humanity- watch [...]