What is behind human motivation? Freud would tell you that all human goals are manifestations of the biological need to reproduce. All our desires, including intellectuality and aesthetic taste, are merely by-products of sexual signaling. Comedians are not witty because there is anything unique about their personality, but because it enhances their chances of standing … Read more
A meme is a collection of ideas that spreads through people. But it does not spread indiscriminately, it relies on skillful narration and delivery on the part of the person propagating it. A talented orator and a highly connected medium are the perfect vehicles for a meme to survive. A successful meme is invariably copied and transferred … Read more
On September 14, 2019, a drone hit two oil facilities in Aramco. The Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility, proclaiming that the strike was revenge for the hostilities they are facing on their own soil, in a civil war against a Saudi backed government. The strikes cut Saudi Arabia’s oil production by half. I was reminded … Read more
Sam Harris debated Scott Adams on his Waking Up podcast. They mostly discussed Trump, but they also went through a lot of the ideas that Adams writes about in his books, “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big” and “Win Bigly”. Scott Adams is the author of the famous “Dilbert” comic. Before that he worked … Read more
The Problem with Voting “The animals listened first to Napoleon, then to Snowball, and could not make up their minds which was right; indeed, they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment.” Animal Farm, George Orwell In a friendly conversation with a stranger at a bar, it occurred … Read more