Inspired by some of the discussion in this thread. I don’t think it’s appropriate place for that discussion there, but hey why not have a separate thread for it
If I think religion is not good in general, am I Reddit and cringe and basically Richard Dawkins?
Sam Harris also had some exceptionally clownish takes, such as the claim that “there is more scientific progress in a single New York zip code than in all the history of Islam.”
How does one even measure scientific progress in a zip code compared to the history of an entire religion and all its associated sociopolitical connections across many lands, especially one that came up with Algebra (it’s in the name!) and chemistry (started under Al-chemy!) and arabic numerals which we’re using on this site right now?
That’s just it: you can’t. It’s not even compatible measurements! Even if they were, it’s fucking wrong.
Hilariously Sam Harris writes books on meditation now, joined the McMindfulness camp. Its even impossible to criticism him on /r/buddhism without western-supremacists jumping down your throat.
White Buddhism is the fucking worst, or at least it would be if it weren’t for techbros coming up with what they call, I kid you not, “Dark Buddhism” which is even worse than that.
And even if it was true, you have to be some kind of unique techno bro piece of shit to want to quantify the value of a people’s lives through technological discovery. Like, your culture is only worth something if it produces le science, not because it has a right to exist and thrive by virtue of existing. Might as well get rid of all art that’s not bazinga sci-fi marvel slop to make you go
The whole other thread about China had me thinking about this all day. How fucking slimy do you have to be to say “the Chinese people would be worth so much more if they invented more gadgets”
I missed that thread. What the fuck was the take maker saying exactly?
https://hexbear.net/post/3801944?scrollToComments=false
The person we were dunking on was lamenting the “wasted potential” of le science Chinese people would’ve discovered if only they were a liberal democracy.
This rubbed me all sorts of wrong of course, but mostly because this person can only understand a people’s value by amount of technology, like if people don’t spend every waking moment being epic scientists they’re a waste of space, and that all knowledge that’s doesn’t fit this person’s view of development is worthless.
So many lost opportunities to churn out additional plastic trash! China’s actual scientific achievements after the revolution don’t count because reasons!
The only acceptable mindset is to be an insufferably selfish western-style treat brain!
You weren’t kidding. Fuck that asshole.
It’s just so… inhuman. When I think about the wasted potential (even if I’m a bit uncomfortable with the phrase) because of capitalism and genocide and dispossession, I don’t think that we’ve been deprived of flying cars or nuclear fusion or whatever; I think about how many people could’ve been happier in a different world, how many families could’ve loved each other for longer and better, how many celebrations and expressions of the human condition could be out there, how much we’re missing out on the feeling of basic human dignity because we’re ground into paste by an uncaring, poisonous system.
I get really suspicious, and really sad, when someone demonstrates all they care about is technology, leaving any other part of being human to the side.
I know how you feel and I share that feeling; I’ve gotten into some ugly internet arguments with vulgar utilitarians about such things: all that matters is the delusional fantasy of science beakers adding up to attain a Science Victory like in a fucking Civ game; actually living life and sharing that experience with love didn’t mean anything to such misanthropes.
Early in the LLM treat printer hype wave era, one of the hottest takes I had ever seen was exactly that: that art shouldn’t really exist unless it’s optimized for maximum enjoyment for the maximum number of people, which the treat printers could objectively provide, no further “not real job” artists required.
You know, utter fucking slop pandering to hogs.
Utilitarianism can be a fuck.
https://existentialcomics.com/comic/426
Literal best use of the Debord emoji ever. Society of the spectacle is a fuck.
TFW almost no one else uses the Debord emoji
I like it so much that I downloaded it and use it all the time as a WhatsApp sticker.
I also notice how a lot of atheist online who are noticeably quiet about the famous atheists who do convert to Christianity like Russell brand or ayan hrsi especially when they cosign far right rhethoric . It definitely would be a hell of a lot louder if one of em converted to islam