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    Quote of the day

    From this documentary about Leonard Cohen

    Poetry is not an occupation, but a verdict.

    It’s odd – his relationship with the material world seems perfect, i.e. something to be consumed, not pursued or desired. The concepts aren’t diametrically opposed, but it does change the outlook.

    He is a very good example of going through life as a tourist, like Hoffer, which I suppose is why I’m drawn to him.

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  • Adages,  Climate Change,  Economics

    Quote of the day – macroeconomics and climate science

    From Arnold Kling (emphasis mine)

    I am a macroeconomics skeptic. I think that my background in the subject is deep enough that my reasons for skepticism are legitimate. See, for example, my memoirs of a would-be macroeconomist.

    I am a climate science skeptic, but not based on a similarly deep background. I just look at the superficial similarities with macroeconomics and infer that skepticism is warranted. It is plausible to me that the climate “consensus” is way off. However, it could be off in either direction–maybe the temperature increase will be faster and sharper than the consensus forecast.

    When it comes to the differences between macro and climate science, points (1) and (2) favor climate science. However, point (3) leans against climate science. Good ideas are persuasive. If you need to excommunicate unbelievers, you are dealing in religion, not science.

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  • Adages,  alt-right

    Interesting quotes from Moldbug

    From the WikiQuotes page

    the modern world has largely replaced religion, defined as the veneration of paranormal beings, with idealism, defined as the veneration of mysterious universal principles.

    The artists of today produce kitsch because they’re rebelling against a fictitious power structure by supporting a real one.

    […] the replacement of religion by idealism has allowed people who are essentially religious fanatics to achieve positions of unprecedented temporal supremacy, not only without arousing the alarm of reasonable, scientifically minded writers, but in fact enlisting their enthusiastic support.

    Are we really to believe that Marx, on his own, invented the idea that all men are brothers, despite living in a society dominated by a religion whose creed taught exactly that?

    Progressives have created a vast set of puppet cultures which enable them to describe their monoculture as a multiculture.

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    Quote of the Friday edition

    From Thomas Sowell

    It may be expecting too much to expect most intellectuals to have common sense, when their whole life is based on their being uncommon — that is, saying things that are different from what everyone else is saying. There is only so much genuine originality in anyone. After that, being uncommon means indulging in pointless eccentricities or clever attempts to mock or shock.

     

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