Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever.
-- Albert Einstein
I agree with Albert, and I would put art and philosophy in there too.
I don't direct myself too much, but I do have one personal policy which has needed enforcement occasionally: not to be concerned with politics, even in the widest sense. It's ephemeral like Mr. Einstein said, it's a rat's nest of insanity and territorial squabble, and what's worst, it's nigh impossible to accomplish anything of deep and lasting value.
Trouble is that it can be very hard not to get involved and get worked up about it, since your ego insists that it knows better than most people what would be right for most people.
But it can be done. I've done a lot of work with emotional release and "advanced forgiveness" (not mainly in this area), and I really am a lot less bothered by these things than I used to be.
I can see including art but not philosophy, which is worthless. Those equations have increased our understanding but philosophy has not. It's something that might have satisfied before science as we know it existed. About politics: I wonder if technology will eventually make it possible to have direct democracy like they had in Classical Athens, rather than the representative democracy we have now.
ReplyDeleteRe: I doubt that very very much.
ReplyDeleteIf you notice, technology only evolves when there's some mean reason behind. It's always been that way. And I think democracy is about good people, not good systems.
"to have direct democracy like they had in Classical Athens"
ReplyDeleteMost of the people in Ancient Greece were slaves, or otherwise denied citizenship, and thus could not enter the forum. The main difference between their system and ours is thus that their "representatives" weren't elected. True universal representation like what you imply never existed beyond the level of the tribe.
Anyway... this is off-topic, but the mention of Einstein just reminded me of some news popping up recently, about faster-than-light travel.
It appears that some physicists have "found a loophole" and that FTL travel could perhaps be possible after all, without breaking any laws of physics.
Accelerating any mass to the speed of light would require an infinite amount of energy, so it is impossible. The trick is, rather than accelerating the subject, all you have to do is to move the space around him. That way you don't break the law and the amount of energy required remains finite. No joke.
The only problem is that this involves manipulating the 11th dimension, but I'm sure die-hard SF fans will see this as only a minor hurdle... ;-)
Read more about it here and (in French) here.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" ~Benjamin Franklin
ReplyDelete"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." ~Winston Churchill
"A democracy cannot survive as a permanent form of government. It can last only until its citizens discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority (who vote) will vote for those candidates promising the greatest benefits from the public purse, with the result that a democracy will always collapse from loose fiscal policies, always followed by a dictatorship." ~Lord Thomas MacCauley
That is a nice, idea, bert. Being confined to our little corner of the universe forever is kind of depressing.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's off-topic it was my understanding that the "representatives" of Ancient Greece, like Pericles, were indeed elected. As you say, though, the people eligible to vote were not all that numerous.
"... not to be concerned with politics, even in the widest sense."
ReplyDeleteBut publishing ideas and opinions such as you do on this blog, for example about nudity, right to photograph, opinions about technology, liberty, etc. is a form of politicking.
Even Domai, while certainly many other things, also makes a subtle political statement.
It is interesting to ponder what kind of art is completely void of politics. My first thought: Surrealism, since it specifically wants to discard the idea of cause-and-effect, but I am not so sure even about that.
Mmmm, that's defining it rather wider than I like, it almost ceases to make any sense then.
ReplyDelete"not to be concerned with politics, even in the widest sense. It's ephemeral like Mr. Einstein said, it's a rat's nest of insanity and territorial squabble, and what's worst, it's nigh impossible to accomplish anything of deep and lasting value."
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the world would be like if everyone took this view. Society could not function and we'd quickly be back to being hunter-gatherers.
"and we'd quickly be back to being hunter-gatherers"
ReplyDeleteAnd by "we", you mean Trolls, don't you?
No, I mean human beings. So, obviously, you're excluded.
ReplyDeleteGo back to your rocking chair, you angry, bitter old fool.
LMAO!!
ReplyDeleteOne cute little Troll joke and I get three bashings within 6 minutes. What's the matter Anon, did I hit a nerve?
No, you didn't hit a nerve. I just think this blog would be a lot more enoyable without you. Your bitterness ruins and derails many discussions. You pretend to expertise you don't have, then insult people who don't agree with you. You're Comic Book Guy. I pity you.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this works on iTrolls too?
ReplyDeleteWingardium Leviosa!
[The Troll's computer flies up in the air, only to fall down on it's head...]
I think we need politics, for two reasons; firstly, there are competing interests in society which need to be balanced (e.g. between people trying to buy their first home and those who already have one) and secondly, because we need to plan for an uncertain future.
ReplyDeleteIt seems though that Eolake's scepticism about the whole process is shared by a great many people.
Maybe our present system of political parties has passed its sell by date and we need something else.