In some people,

the mirage of exceptionalism must be beaten out of them before they can ever hope to reach their true potential.

Intergalactic Misanthropy/Cynicism

I no longer think it would be a good thing to encounter extraterrestrial intelligent life.

Interesting, sure. But not good.

Imagine our "heroes" holding them at gunpoint in their own lands. Or, you know, imagine them eating us in ours. The likelihood of a third option seems remote.

Who is more full of shit?

Used car dealers or technical stock traders?

Sports talk media hosts?

Same?

Exactly, 100% exactly the same for all 3?

Fair enough.

But I would disagree.

At least the used car dealer actually knows some things about the car.

I believe

that the vast, vast majority of the profitability of the financial services sector is based on insider trading.

A majority of the rest is based on favoritism from the federal government.

One needs not iron bars

to live an imprisoned life.

Jesus, take the wheel

the vehicle is drifting,
partially under my control, partially in a seemingly autonomous fashion
drifting toward hate, disgust
drifting towards rage
i know i could correct the path...
if i really, really wanted to...
but i'm feeling, at the moment, like i don't want to
like i want to turn the wheel harder,
and to accelerate

...

now Jesus seems to be helping me to be mindful
of the important question...
"and then what?"
well, good point, Jesus.
i'm almost certainly not going to make anything better
i'm almost certainly only going to make things worse,
if only marginally
so what's really the point? the motivation?
it's then that the underlying fear shows its face
ghostliness
a passing by of the world
irrelevance

fortunately there is a better way
a positive contribution
a much more difficult challenge
but perhaps not a very effective one
at least not in terms of the initial motivation

the vehicle is drifting again

it's all yours, J.

Global Climate Change

as the single biggest example of the concept of "overdiagnosis".

http://www.amazon.com/Overdiagnosed-Making-People-Pursuit-Health/dp/0807021997

Discuss...