Read on Twitter
1/ Be careful what you learn from history. Human progress & civilization are recent.
History glorifies brutes aâla baboons.
The wisest humans of 1500 knew less about the exohuman world than high school graduates today.
Introspection in all cultures remains valuable however.
History glorifies brutes aâla baboons.
The wisest humans of 1500 knew less about the exohuman world than high school graduates today.
Introspection in all cultures remains valuable however.
2/ One less in the last of the long line of brutes, which included all the kings and empires: Genghis Khan, Alexander, English Monarchy, Hitler, Mughals et al.
The number of remaining tyrants is a measure of human barbarism.
https://nyti.ms/2DnKaKU?smid=nytcore-ios-share
The number of remaining tyrants is a measure of human barbarism.
https://nyti.ms/2DnKaKU?smid=nytcore-ios-share
3/ The brutes have thoroughly infiltrated our history & culture. Princess fairytales, statues in parks, paintings in museums, royal celebrities, royal weddings all launder barbarism & tyranny.
India has obliterated royalty, while England is addicted to the anachronism.
India has obliterated royalty, while England is addicted to the anachronism.
4/ Here we go again, the ludicrous overreaach of the classics.
âInventor is not the best judgeâ is great insight. Neither are the others, especially contemporaneously. That is left out.
For the fans of classics, Plato foresaw everything! Seriously?
https://nyti.ms/2DrlFfV?smid=nytcore-ios-share
âInventor is not the best judgeâ is great insight. Neither are the others, especially contemporaneously. That is left out.
For the fans of classics, Plato foresaw everything! Seriously?
https://nyti.ms/2DrlFfV?smid=nytcore-ios-share
5/ Jinping Dynasty taking shape.
A hero becomes a benevolent ruler who grabs power to lead country through turbulent times.
This slippery slope leads to tyranny more often than not.
Kim-Jong Un, Mugabe, Duterte, Xi and Mugabe are all on the spectrum.
https://nyti.ms/2zhG6ZL?smid=nytcore-ios-share
A hero becomes a benevolent ruler who grabs power to lead country through turbulent times.
This slippery slope leads to tyranny more often than not.
Kim-Jong Un, Mugabe, Duterte, Xi and Mugabe are all on the spectrum.
https://nyti.ms/2zhG6ZL?smid=nytcore-ios-share
6/ Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest men circa 1500 knew less about the world than high school graduates today.
Most people did crazy things since we didnât understand the external world.
Like this one! https://twitter.com/yinkanubi/status/1065235497491009537?s=21
The wisest men circa 1500 knew less about the world than high school graduates today.
Most people did crazy things since we didnât understand the external world.
Like this one! https://twitter.com/yinkanubi/status/1065235497491009537?s=21
7/ Brain History.
Note the gap of several centuries that separates glimpses of light and darkness.
Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans of 1500 knew less than high school graduates today, simply because weâre standing on the shoulders of giants.
Note the gap of several centuries that separates glimpses of light and darkness.
Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans of 1500 knew less than high school graduates today, simply because weâre standing on the shoulders of giants.
8/ Aristotle thought the brain was a radiator.
Wish I were a hundredth as wise, but we have the benefit of 5 centuries of giants before us!
Wish I were a hundredth as wise, but we have the benefit of 5 centuries of giants before us!
9/ The Egyptian brutes popularly known as Pharoahs tortured large numbers of vulnerable Egyptians so they could have a better eternal life.
Only they were so ignorant that they threw out the brain.
The pyramids are awesome, but the adoration of tyrants is misplaced.
Only they were so ignorant that they threw out the brain.
The pyramids are awesome, but the adoration of tyrants is misplaced.
10/ Ignorance and misunderstanding metastasize into tragedy inevitably.
God forbid we find out a dramatic role for the appendix in the future!
Be careful what you learn from history.
God forbid we find out a dramatic role for the appendix in the future!
Be careful what you learn from history.
11/ Brutes write history.
They build embarrassingly large monuments - pagoda, pyramids, statues - to themselves.
They also write history via museums, art, culture.
âOnce upon a time, there was a brute...â is the reality vis-a-vis fake fairy tales. https://nyti.ms/2zqAPPO?smid=nytcore-ios-share
They build embarrassingly large monuments - pagoda, pyramids, statues - to themselves.
They also write history via museums, art, culture.
âOnce upon a time, there was a brute...â is the reality vis-a-vis fake fairy tales. https://nyti.ms/2zqAPPO?smid=nytcore-ios-share
12/ Every space mission validates so much of science, math & engineering.
Do not underestimate how far weâve come lately.
Do not underestimate how far weâve come lately.
13/ How far have we come!
In @elonmusk we trust. @Tesla autopilot saves a manâs life. New skills needed for cops to stop a car on autopilot.
âWhen police woke him up, he insisted that everything was fine because his vehicle was on autopilot."
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/11/cops-pull-over-tesla-cruising-on-a-freeway-with-apparently-asleep-driver/
In @elonmusk we trust. @Tesla autopilot saves a manâs life. New skills needed for cops to stop a car on autopilot.
âWhen police woke him up, he insisted that everything was fine because his vehicle was on autopilot."
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/11/cops-pull-over-tesla-cruising-on-a-freeway-with-apparently-asleep-driver/
14/ This @BBCInOurTime podcast on hope is a fine illustration of indiscriminate adoration of history.
This blather conflating philosophy, linguistics, history, and theology is unsatisfying to say the least.
Be careful what you learn from history.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00017vl
This blather conflating philosophy, linguistics, history, and theology is unsatisfying to say the least.
Be careful what you learn from history.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00017vl
15/ An authentic piece of reflection.
It turns out that immutable iron-clad religious edicts were changes made at a certain point in time.
Huge respect for Mary Elizabeth Williams, an authentic Christian pursuing the virtuous life. https://www.salon.com/2018/12/21/best-of-2018-i-dont-know-how-to-be-catholic-any-more/
It turns out that immutable iron-clad religious edicts were changes made at a certain point in time.
Huge respect for Mary Elizabeth Williams, an authentic Christian pursuing the virtuous life. https://www.salon.com/2018/12/21/best-of-2018-i-dont-know-how-to-be-catholic-any-more/
16/ On 26th August 1883, the sea suddenly swelled around the world killing 36,000 people.
We used to blame each other to identify how they managed to anger the Gods! More human misery ensued.
Read this thorough, accessible piece by @SquigglyVolcano! https://www.forbes.com/sites/robinandrews/2018/12/22/indonesias-krakatoa-just-made-a-deadly-tsunami-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/
We used to blame each other to identify how they managed to anger the Gods! More human misery ensued.
Read this thorough, accessible piece by @SquigglyVolcano! https://www.forbes.com/sites/robinandrews/2018/12/22/indonesias-krakatoa-just-made-a-deadly-tsunami-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/
17/ Fascinating story of courtesan Veronica Franco & life in 16th century Venice.
Weâve come a long way from those horrible times.
https://www.netflix.com/title/8177623?s=i&trkid=13752289
Weâve come a long way from those horrible times.
https://www.netflix.com/title/8177623?s=i&trkid=13752289
18/ Very interesting timing for the book review with Britain in brexit throes.
Human history is dominated by uncivilized brutes of all types including empires.
Even now, democracies like the US act like bullies outside their country.
https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2019/02/16/the-amritsar-massacre-was-a-shameful-atrocity
Human history is dominated by uncivilized brutes of all types including empires.
Even now, democracies like the US act like bullies outside their country.
https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2019/02/16/the-amritsar-massacre-was-a-shameful-atrocity
19/ Polio eradication is illustrative.
Not only did the wisest humans have no idea about it, they further created cockamamie theories that disoriented many.
Love ancient insights on our 3-lb universe. Rest of it, not so much!
https://twitter.com/maxcroser/status/1106952907952263168?s=21
Not only did the wisest humans have no idea about it, they further created cockamamie theories that disoriented many.
Love ancient insights on our 3-lb universe. Rest of it, not so much!
https://twitter.com/maxcroser/status/1106952907952263168?s=21
20/ This blather is in 2019, but this kind of nonsense and superstition was rampant even among the wisest humans of 1500, simply because they were so ignorant about the world.
This one on vedic aerodynamics is comical.
Enjoy!
This one on vedic aerodynamics is comical.
Enjoy!
21/ The world was a horrible place for most people, especially women circa 1500.
Clueless ignorance of female physiology by men was the source of much oppression of half the worldâs population.
Weâve come a long way!
https://twitter.com/morganhousel/status/1110559625835933696?s=21
Clueless ignorance of female physiology by men was the source of much oppression of half the worldâs population.
Weâve come a long way!
https://twitter.com/morganhousel/status/1110559625835933696?s=21
22/ If you think this refusal to vaccinate is horrible and backward, just imagine the time when the whole world was thinking like this!
Our history books sanitize and glorify the horrors of times past. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/nyregion/measles-jewish-community.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Our history books sanitize and glorify the horrors of times past. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/nyregion/measles-jewish-community.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
23/ History as written by the West.
Naturally nothing happened in Africa where humans came from and some mildly interesting things happened in Asia.
History is written and rewritten by the victors and is surprisingly not unlike what happened!
https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/983797024725315586?s=21
Naturally nothing happened in Africa where humans came from and some mildly interesting things happened in Asia.
History is written and rewritten by the victors and is surprisingly not unlike what happened!
https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/983797024725315586?s=21
24/ Wise old men circa werenât that old or for that matter wise about the external world.
They often made up cockamamie theories unsupported by reality.
They often made up cockamamie theories unsupported by reality.
25/ 12th century Jewish philosopher on food.
The wisest humans of the 12th century peddled bull**** because they sincerely thought it was their deepest wisdom crystallized into gems!
High school graduates know better now.
Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans of the 12th century peddled bull**** because they sincerely thought it was their deepest wisdom crystallized into gems!
High school graduates know better now.
Be careful what you learn from history.
26/ This gorgeous reference book on the human body by @theAliceRoberts is distinguished by high information density, lucid language and precise descriptions.
The color illustrations are amazing, supported by scanned images.
The wisest humans circa 1500 knew so little of this!
The color illustrations are amazing, supported by scanned images.
The wisest humans circa 1500 knew so little of this!
27/ Natural disasters often caught the wisest sages of the ages with their pants down.
People looked up to them on what to make of them. Hard to admit ignorance. So they said that the Gods were angry. Then spewed fantastic bulls***.
Watch Krakatoa!
People looked up to them on what to make of them. Hard to admit ignorance. So they said that the Gods were angry. Then spewed fantastic bulls***.
Watch Krakatoa!
28/ Swami S accepts all of science. Defines consciousness as beyond science. Claims without evidence this is supported by our experience. Authors of theories knew way less than high school graduates today.
Clever.
Not testable.
Not refutable.
Specious.
Clever.
Not testable.
Not refutable.
Specious.
29/ All of science used to be all very soft in our dark past before ~1500AD.
Soft sciences are proto sciences, the startups of sciences.
They provide the most fertile ground to make dramatic seminal contributions!
Soft sciences are proto sciences, the startups of sciences.
They provide the most fertile ground to make dramatic seminal contributions!
30/ As recently as 1500 A.D, we were still debating cockamamie theories about the âheavensâ.
Just how far have we come lately!
Watch this detective story!
Ah the stories that teeny tiny micro-meteorites tell.
In awe of @NASA wizardry! https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20754931/micrometeorite-space-rock-matter-neodymium-magnet
Just how far have we come lately!
Watch this detective story!
Ah the stories that teeny tiny micro-meteorites tell.
In awe of @NASA wizardry! https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20754931/micrometeorite-space-rock-matter-neodymium-magnet
31/ Only in the 20th century we started to understand something that half of humanity has always experienced every month.
Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans prior to 1500 knew less than high school graduates today.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/menstruation-history
Be careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans prior to 1500 knew less than high school graduates today.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/menstruation-history
32/ Amazing increase in prosperity since ~1500.
Our knowledge has been exploding since then with no end in sight.
The wisest humans circa 1500 knew less than high school graduates today.
Our knowledge has been exploding since then with no end in sight.
The wisest humans circa 1500 knew less than high school graduates today.
33/ Abrakadabra!
See what the wisest humans did before science!
Be very careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans before 1500AD knew less than high school graduates today about the world.
As for our mind, we hardly know better however.
http://gizmodo.com/the-fascinating-secret-origin-of-abracadabra-1791435987
See what the wisest humans did before science!
Be very careful what you learn from history.
The wisest humans before 1500AD knew less than high school graduates today about the world.
As for our mind, we hardly know better however.
http://gizmodo.com/the-fascinating-secret-origin-of-abracadabra-1791435987
34/ Ah, the breathtaking reality.
Watch the video!
The sages of the ages did not understand this video.
FWIW, our understanding of the 3 lb universe is not that much ahead of the sages of the ages.
https://twitter.com/ZonePhysics/status/1196813114009903104/video/1
Watch the video!
The sages of the ages did not understand this video.
FWIW, our understanding of the 3 lb universe is not that much ahead of the sages of the ages.
https://twitter.com/ZonePhysics/status/1196813114009903104/video/1
35/ Fascinating prevention for Wuhan Coronavirus.
Viruses must be a great source of placebo cures since the body handles most viruses just fine.
The sages of the ages likely peddled placebo cures that magically cured all viral infections and amazed their followers!
Viruses must be a great source of placebo cures since the body handles most viruses just fine.
The sages of the ages likely peddled placebo cures that magically cured all viral infections and amazed their followers!
36/ A high school principal leaves.
Below the surface is the deeper question of what passes for learning.
Hereâs a short sub-thread.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/nyregion/st-bernards-school-stuart-johnson.html
https://twitter.com/trengarajan/status/1239686378746605570?s=21 https://twitter.com/trengarajan/status/1239686378746605570
Below the surface is the deeper question of what passes for learning.
Hereâs a short sub-thread.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/nyregion/st-bernards-school-stuart-johnson.html
https://twitter.com/trengarajan/status/1239686378746605570?s=21 https://twitter.com/trengarajan/status/1239686378746605570
37/ Fascinating thread on pandemic wisdom from the Greeks.
Their ignorance on pandemics is clear. They suffered far worse.
But human nature is the same.
We understand it slightly better now.
Understanding our 3lb universe is the next frontier.
https://twitter.com/flintdibble/status/1242788506260377601?s=21 https://twitter.com/FlintDibble/status/1242788506260377601
Their ignorance on pandemics is clear. They suffered far worse.
But human nature is the same.
We understand it slightly better now.
Understanding our 3lb universe is the next frontier.
https://twitter.com/flintdibble/status/1242788506260377601?s=21 https://twitter.com/FlintDibble/status/1242788506260377601
38/ As recently as sixteenth century, the wisest humans held crazy superstitions.
The best artisans spent their energy celebrating them.
Be very careful before you venerate history!
https://twitter.com/museumweirdo/status/1263995640788348928?s=21 https://twitter.com/museumweirdo/status/1263995640788348928
The best artisans spent their energy celebrating them.
Be very careful before you venerate history!
https://twitter.com/museumweirdo/status/1263995640788348928?s=21 https://twitter.com/museumweirdo/status/1263995640788348928
39/ World Map circa 1498 AD.
Notice how ignorance has long been laundered with conviction.
Our sages of the ages knew how to bamboozle everyone with confidence.
Nothing works like a few dark clouds to sprinkle on top of ignorance!
https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/1234879213854973952?s=21
Notice how ignorance has long been laundered with conviction.
Our sages of the ages knew how to bamboozle everyone with confidence.
Nothing works like a few dark clouds to sprinkle on top of ignorance!
https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/1234879213854973952?s=21
40/ Fascinating to see the most highly populated cities of Europe circa 1600.
Some cities thrived as the world prospered due to science.
Some cities thrived as the world prospered due to science.
41/ The wisest humans prior to 1500 A.D. would have attributed this phenomenon to supernatural causes.
Charlatans prior to 1500 would have claimed supernatural powers to themselves. https://twitter.com/rainmaker1973/status/1317837927523733504
Charlatans prior to 1500 would have claimed supernatural powers to themselves. https://twitter.com/rainmaker1973/status/1317837927523733504
