STEM absolutists are funny. Many of them think they are going to find an equation to solve the universe when they can’t even find an equation to solve the general three-body problem.

Religions develop everywhere; humans can’t seem to help it.

The fact that it is 50 years since the moon landing should be cause, not for celebration, for self-criticism. We should have gone far further than we did, instead we de-funded.

Doing this properly publicly would have been far more effective than waiting to generate billionaires

— Ian Welsh (@iwelsh) July 21, 2019

Exactly. We should have at least one permanent orbital habitat (subsidized by earth, for research) and a large-ish permanent base on Mars. Not colony, as with current tech Mars is impossible to colonize. But humanity does have no backup plan. That would be at least the shell of one, as well as all the science we could and should do on Mars given the time and funding. And no, it can’t all be done by robots.

After the Green New Deal resolution was released Fox started ranting about how AOC wants to take away your hamburgers and cars and air travel. GND supporters pushed back, but the thing is that to save the planet the government *does* need to take away those things.

— Rabi Abonour (@rabonour) July 19, 2019

This is the left’s failure mode and it’s how they will fall on their face here in a big way. These people don’t want to make life better for anyone. They are flagellant Antonian ascetics at heart, who want to punish others for their sins, who use the pretense of caring about the fate of humanity so they can see others suffer — those who of course “deserve” it like the deplorables and hicks.

I agree of course that consumption patterns will have to change. Instead of this asinine approach, though, we could be exploring better land use patterns, different technologies, putting in high-speed rail and so many other initiatives. But people like this on the left don’t actually want any of that or care about it in any way. For them (and this is much of the left) that is not the point. They deeply want to take away your AC, your ability to visit distant cities, any quality food, because to them it’ll be your righteous comeuppance for your sins against the planet, you deplorable.

This of course is terrible from the perspective of converting anyone to your cause and will only harm the movement. It achieves exactly the opposite effect. Tell me, except in rare cases of other masochists or the extremely religious, how has telling people about all the things you are committed to ripping away from them helped a cause to prosper? This strategy is exactly like nominating Hillary Clinton despite knowing she’s a bad candidate just to show those damn flyover fuckers who is boss! And how’d that work out for ya?

This approach to combating climate change will be that, but worse.

How Democrats Defeat Donald Trump.

So says the always-wrong NYT. This is the establishment, Kevin Drum-like line and it’s being pushed far and wide now. There was a Friedman column nearly identical to this the other day and many other outlets are promulgating similar “wisdom.” My prediction is that if the Democrats take this tack, they will be utterly trounced. Biden will lose. Harris will probably lose. As long as the economy is reasonably ok, choosing a safe centrist is a path to defeat. It’s what happened in 2016 and it’ll happen again. (Conversely, if the economy tanks, any Democrat nominated will win.)

The Dem establishment and its sycophants like Bruni would much rather lose than have anyone elected who might actually change something and shake up their power and organization a bit. Remember that when you read pieces like his.

I know most of you reading this don’t want to believe it, but I’ll be sure to link to this when in 2020 Trump trounces your centrist “safe” choice and I will say “I told you so.”

This clip is crazy. The journalists literally laugh at Bernie for saying he wouldn't take bribes. They can't imagine someone who isn't corrupt. https://t.co/3nx35WdYMV

— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) July 20, 2019

This goes along with Lance Mannion et al. asserting that Sanders would be a bad leader because he’s not unethical enough to really understand how to govern. This is a mainstream centrist view, in other words.

What kind of mental gymnastics it takes to convince yourself that it’s preferable to have a leader who is corrupt, I have no idea.

how overpopulation usually works out:
-people have too many kids for a while
-people stop having too many kids because they can't raise them

frequently proposed media solution to overpopulation:
-the lower classes shall abandon their traditional diets and feast on corpse worms https://t.co/hm9iqt4BGc

— 🈯️ Tsumi ᴴᵃˡᵒ ᴿᵉᵃᶜʰ ᴾᶜ極端な[IQ 1]💮 (@TsumiXTREME) July 18, 2019

That liberal utopia is lookin’ great. Can’t wait! Will have more to say about this in the near future where I will outline where my philosophy and ideology is heading (which is far away from this sort of thinking).

Banning AC is not looking like such a clever idea now that it’s going to be 110 in Minneapolis is it, you fucking wankers?

Here’s proof I sold Netflix seven months ago.

If you’re running with the herd you’re going to get trampled. If you find yourself in a herd, be making a plan for an unnoticed divergence and then start heading the other way — for the herd is very stupid and prone to panic.

I DGAF if I get sweaty. It dries! It's mostly odorless water! But I think I get away with a lot of stuff because of thin person privilege basically.

— Angie Schmitt 🚶‍♀️🚴‍♀️ 🚌 (@schmangee) July 18, 2019

Found another one who has never worked in a formal/stuffy office job where coming in to work sweaty is absolutely 100% not an option.

I know, I know, it’s hard to write abut experiences you’ve never had but a lot of occupations are like this. I’ve had at least two jobs where if I came in to work dripping sweat, it would not have been acceptable. And no, there was no place to change or shower.

Every time I see anyone who is opposed to unrestricted, unregulated immigration equated with being a Nazi and a racist, I have to laugh a little at how clever the neoliberals were to make that connection and to con so many “well-meaning” people with it. Do these people being conned even know they are the target of a propaganda operation?

Of course, in 99.5%+ of people the open borders cant is just performative and signaling anyway, so it doesn’t mean much. They no more truly want unrestricted immigration than they do ebola. The propaganda masters and corporations, though — oh, they definitely are all for open borders and all that horseshit. It keeps the price of labor nice and low, prevents any union formation and will eventually foreclose on the possibility of social services being provided to the populace. “Open borders” is just what the doctor ordered for destroying any possibility of political unity for at least two generations.

It is amazing how quickly “open borders” went from a political non-starter to the accepted religion of the progressives. Won’t be long before all the best progressives are pulling an immigrant behind them on a leash as a totem/mascot — and so they can mow the grass or wash the dishes or wipe nana’s bum as required. I mean, that’s what they are here for, right progressives? Yeah? No?

If you think I am being ridiculous, you should read what progressives write about this stuff. What I wrote above is barely even parody.

One thing that has really struck me I’ve the past 2+ weeks in Japan is how active and fit older people are here. I’ve seen countless people age 70+ using cycles for transportation, running to catch trains, catch a light, etc. you just don’t see that as much in the US.

— Sarah Goodyear (@buttermilk1) July 16, 2019

That’s because the corporations and the Fat Acceptance movement have destroyed any possibility of this. There is no safe place to exercise in our built environment, and it is actively discouraged in other ways. According to the FA movement, if you exercise and care about feeling good and having a decent body, you have body dysmorphia — never mind their own severe mental illness and harming their own children.