31 MAY 2015 by ideonexus
Static Culture
The fantasies of Wells and Huxley were based on the
same idea, that a species adapting itself too perfectly to
a static ecological niche is doomed to stagnation and
ultimate extinction. Their nightmares describe a possible future for our species, if we succeed in building
around ourselves a protective cocoon that shields us
from the winds of change while our mental faculties
dwindle. A future of senile dementia is as possible for
the species as it is for the individual.
And yet, when I compa...Folksonomies: culture cultural change
Folksonomies: culture cultural change
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notes
notes15 FEB 2015 by ideonexus
The Artilect Perspective of a Human Intelligence
It is not exaggerating to say that there is quite a close analogy between an artilect trying to communicate with a human being, and a human being trying to communicate with a rock.
To make another analogy, consider your feelings towards a mosquito as it lands on the skin of your forearm. When you swat it, do you stop to consider that the creature you just killed is a miracle of nano-technological engineering, that scientists of the 20th century had absolutely no way of building. The mosquito... 1 notes
notes24 JAN 2015 by ideonexus
Resistance to World Government
The case for World Government as Hamilton and Einstein presented it is logically compelling. Fortunately or unfortunately, World Government has a fatal defect. Nobody wants it. At the time when Einstein preached World Government most seriously, he was bitterly attacked by Soviet scientific colleagues as well as by patriotic American politicians. "By the irony of fate," the Soviet scientists proclaimed, "Einstein has virtually become a supporter of the schemes and ambitions of the bitterest fo... 1 notes
notes16 AUG 2014 by ideonexus
Orwell Notes Hitler's Rigidity of Mind
It is a sign of the speed at which events are moving that Hurst and Blackett’s unexpurgated edition of Mein Kampf, published only a year ago, is edited from a pro-Hitler angle. The obvious intention of the translator’s preface and notes is to tone down the book’s ferocity and present Hitler in as kindly a light as possible. For at that date Hitler was still respectable. He had crushed the German labour movement, and for that the property-owning classes were willing to forgive him almost...
1 He notes that Hitler's ideas did not change at all over 15 years and that is a mark of madness.
16 AUG 2014 by ideonexus
Hitler's Appeal was His Promise of Strife and Warfare
Also he has grasped the falsity of the hedonistic attitude to life. Nearly all western thought since the last war, certainly all “progressive” thought, has assumed tacitly that human beings desire nothing beyond ease, security and avoidance of pain. In such a view of life there is no room, for instance, for patriotism and the military virtues. The Socialist who finds his children playing with soldiers is usually upset, but he is never able to think of a substitute for the tin soldiers; ti... 1 notes
notes02 JAN 2014 by ideonexus
Patriotism VS Nationalism
Can a Communist, who is an internationalist, at the same time be a patriot? We hold that he not only can be but must be. The specific content of patriotism is determined by historical conditions. There is the "patriotism" of the Japanese aggressors and of Hitler, and there is our patriotism. Communists must resolutely oppose the "patriotism" of the Japanese aggressors and of Hitler. The Communists of Japan and Germany are defeatists with regard to the wars being waged by their countries. To b... 1 notes
notesMao appears to be arguing for balance and for the rejection of certain kinds of patriotism that hurt the homeland, as what he sees in Germany and Japan of the time.
27 DEC 2013 by ideonexus
Post WWI vs Post WWII Human Civilization
After the horrific agonies of World War One, the progressive worldview was rejected both in America and abroad, partly due to narrow minded self-interest, but also because humanity was otherwise preoccupied. Like careening drunks, we commenced a long and horrible infatuation with ideologies — from communism and fascism to nationalist jingoism and every other "ism" imaginable. Hitler and Stalin were no more than particularly gruesome manifestations of this fever — a passion for simplistic ... 1 notes
notesDr. Brin describes one world-society obsessed with "isms" against one vowing to rebuild civilization, even those of our enemies.
05 JUN 2011 by ideonexus
Hitler Decries Atheism and Avows Nazi Allegiance With Chr...
No, it is not we that have deserted Christianity, it is those who came before us who deserted Christianity. We have only carried through a clear division between politics which have to do with terrestrial things, and religion, which must concern itself with the celestial sphere. There has been no interference with the doctrine (Lehre ) of the Confessions or with their religious freedom (Bekenntnisfreiheit ), nor will there be any such interference. On the contrary the State protects religion,... 1 notes
notesHitler should never be used as an example of any ideology or as an extreme of any belief. I post this here only to refute the argument that Hitler was motivated by Darwinism and Atheism. If he was, then he used Christianity to motivate his troops.
19 MAY 2011 by ideonexus
Hitler Wasn't Inspired by Darwin
The popular canard about Hitler being inspired by Darwin comes partly from the fact that
both Hitler and Darwin were impressed by something that everybody has known for centuries: you
can breed animals for desired qualities. Hitler aspired to turn this common knowledge to the human
species. Darwin didn't. His inspiration took him in a much more interesting and original direction.
Darwin's great insight was that you don't need a breeding agent at all: nature - raw survival or
differential repr... 1 notes
notes...but by the science of breeding.
