Therapy Example

If therapists focused on Little League baseball for instance, they would've developed psychological terms for: 

1) not being able to catch the ball (badglove disorder)

2) being afraid of getting hit by the ball (scaredofpitchitis)

3) throwing with bad form (throwinglikeagirlism)

Whereas the baseball coach realizes this just takes practice and effort to learn how to do.

For instance - are we so sure there is such a thing as dyslexia? Or ADHD? I mean, I know a lot of people are diagnosed with these things. But a lot of folks also get afraid of being hit by a pitch. My point: are these pathologies? Couldn't dyslexia be treated by say...practicing reading? Or ADHD be treated by...a lot of exercise?

Therapists

I look forward to reading this book about the therapy-industrial-complex in schools. 

I view therapists as a step above fortune tellers, but in the category of financial advisors. In theory, both can be helpful in limited capacities. But the problem lies in the collective incentives - financial advisors as a group, have incentives to push products and services that will make them money. Therapists as a group, have incentives to keep meeting with patients and find all sorts of new diagnosis. It would take a pretty remarkable therapist or advisor to solve their clients problems in a fast and/or cheap manner AND stay employed. I'm sure many who practice get into the field with good motivations - but those who succeeded in solving clients/patients problems would be rewarded by not having any work to do. In short, they would make themselves irrelevant.

Money

Cultures that worship money could lead people to have less children because those children stand to inherit more. 

Genocide

Many folks who say Israel is committing a genocide now also claim Israel was committing a genocide before the war. 

Makes You Wonder...

Why don't the ceasefire folks ever call for the release of the Israeli hostages or the surrender of the Hamas leadership either of which would lead to a ceasefire?

Logging

Show: Shogun, Pilot 

Fucking rad. That's my review.

Israel-Palestine

A thing the protesters and other pro-Palestinian folks forgot or don't understand: Israel is our friend and ally. The Palestinians are not. 

An Idea For the Wars...How About We Win?

Proxy wars are being waged against the Western alliance. Started by our enemies. My proposal for these wars: let's win. Here's how:

1) NATO makes a deal with Ukraine. If their country is willing to conscript all young Ukrainians of fighting age to join the fight - meaning - those who left the country must return or lose citizenship...meaning they gather 1 million troops or 5-10% of the population...whatever the number is to win. We will fund, supply with weapons, and put European troops on the ground to push Russia back to the original borders. 

2) Convince Taiwan to build a reserve force of 1 million trained reservists. Arm them. 

3) Rebuild our ability to manufacture weapons in mass now. 

4) Stand with Israel until Hamas is gone whether it takes 2 months or 2 years.

5) Take out revolutionary guard targets until the attacks in the Red Sea stop.

Shoot 'Em

Mobs are using violence to stop Israeli speakers on campus at Cal. I propose the same solution I proposed to Jan 6 protestors: shoot 'em until they stop. 

Gobert Trade

All the smart NBA people were against, but I always kinda liked it. Why? How about when you've got a young star on your team (Edwards), surround him with the best basketball players you can? In case you haven't noticed, there are only 5 guys on a court at a time. When you've got a guy (or two) that leaves 3-4 slots. What good do all the top draft picks give you in this circumstance?

Lighting Self on Fire

Taleb and Macaes seems to think Western policies ought to be dictated by mass murderers and people who light themselves on fire. 

Equality

We have an equality of a kind in that both the richest and poorest Americans are all lying on their couches right now looking at their phones.

"Stuck In Gaza"

Taleb compares 6 day war to Israel being "stuck in Gaza" for 145 days. In 1967, Israel faced annihilation by three countries invading them. Today, they've lost under 300 soldiers and are at war with an irregular force while all their current peace treaties remain in place. 

He goes on to claim China will be the global power in 15 years and the US will be run by the woke. This is the most un-Taleb prediction in his history. This is a guy who talks about lindy effect - that the longer things survive, they more likely they are to have staying power. Wokeness?!? How durable has this proven to be? The CCP in China? I suppose we'll see, but I don't know...is this a society that the world wants to be the global leader? Didn't we just get to see an up close test of the difference between the US and China? China is the country that birthed the coronavirus and the US is the country that developed and distributed the vaccine. 

This clown thinks Israel won't exist in 15 years. I'd bet on Israel over Putin's government, the CCP, or the Ayatollah's in Iran. Are these bastions of stable governments ready to hang onto power? I don't think so. 

UPDATE: That said, there are some indicators the US is a total mess and perhaps a house of cards - Google's Gemini and Mademe Web are pretty good red light warning signals - but my point is that to make this argument is a very un-Taleb take. 

Interesting Take

Marilyne Robinson on Biden, Barbie, and other things... 

What’s the last movie you saw? 

Gee, I don’t know. Oh, ha! I tried to watch “Barbie,” but it stopped in the middle. I didn’t deal with the problem. 

What did you think of the parts you saw? 

It was not addressed to me, let’s say that. If pink by itself is a toxin, I think that was the effect that it had on me.

On Biden: 

Because Obama’s signature quality was youth, and Biden’s is age. Frankly, I’m less than a year younger than Joe Biden, so I believe utterly in his competence, his brilliance, his worldview. I really do. You have to live to be 80 to find this out: Anybody under 50 feels they’re in a position to condescend to you. You get boxed into this position where people who deal with you are making assumptions about your intellect. It’s very disturbing. Most people my age are just fine. What can I say? It’s a kind of good fortune that America is categorically incapable of accepting: that someone with a strong institutional memory, who knows how things are supposed to work, who was habituated to their appropriate functioning is president. I consider him a gift of God. All 81 years of him.

Xi 

Thinks Taiwanese and Chinese people are the same one people. But there are Chinese people living all around the world. Does Xi think this means they all belong to one China?

Good Hot Take

On the gemini disaster.

offensive to all, comforting to none. so totally divorced from meaning, intention, desire and humanity that it's accidentally a conceptual masterpiece.

Not for me, though. As a comp, I've never watched The Room. 

Our Racial Classifications...

...Are a product themselves of white supremacy....is an interesting argument the DEI would not be able to counter. Not that DEI folks are concerned with countering arguments.

Logging

Film: The Red Shoes 

I highly recommend watching classic films over the course of 2-3 nights over checking out a new TV program. I didn't know a single one of these actors, but they were all terrific. One of the best films about making large scale artistic productions (in this case, ballet) I can remember. Beautiful set pieces. Some excellent dialog scenes. Incredible ending. 

Door Dash

Can't help but notice at least 50% of door dash drivers have a nicer car than me. Model the economics on that one. 

Reasoning

When siding with the Palestinians, you'll find your positions contorting quite a bit - into supporting mass murder, rape, and authoritarian communists. Good luck going in that direction.

Cold Plunge

Worth noting Aunt Polly from Tom Sawyer is attracted to the various newfangled "remedies" at the time...including pouring cold water on oneself in the morning. It was quacky then and likely quacky now. 

Armed Struggle

If the Palestinians have the right to armed struggle, then they would also have the right to the consequences.

And I suppose it would also mean, the Taiwanese have the right to build a nuke. 

When Your Argument for Contemporary Political Action Starts With...

a) Going back to the 9th century 

b) Going back to 1948

c) Going back to 1619

Chances are, everything else that follows is what's known as a "load of shit."

On the other hand, if your argument for maintaining an existing order or boundary begins with any of these things, chances are the idea is robust.

Nature Speaks

Nature has a way of speaking. Red dot on a spider. Don't go near it. Spikes on a branch - avoid. 

Being so called "anti-Israel" tells you about the human animal. It tells you exactly who will march you to the death chambers if given the opportunity. It tells you will betray you when you need it. It tells who to treat like Hyman Roth -- a person who you can do business with, but not someone a Corleone trusts. 

Hint

If a "gotcha" clip on the internet is short, the chances are likely that it's propaganda.

Example here.

Question

If someone attempts suicide but doesn't complete the task, should it be considered a success or failure?

Logging

Film: Top Gun: Maverick

Watching with young boys - quite a bit more enjoyable in this context. A lot of things are. The technical elements of the fight scenes impressive. Casting around Cruise was super strong. Does Cruise get enough credit for identifying talent actors to surround himself with?

Book: Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Didn't remember how preoccupied with death Tom Sawyer was...

Also, Tom loses a front tooth in the book but is 12 years old. Kids lose their front teeth at 6 or 7. Was this a mistake or did kids lose teeth later back then? Serious question.

TV: New Curb, S12

Not yet as terrific as S11.

TV: Sons of Anarchy Pilot

I remember bumping on the show as one of those phony prestige shows...like Chernobyl...where they marketed it like it was on par with Deadwood or Sopranos when it's clearly not. But if viewed as genre trash, it can be viewed next to Justified or Reacher and not embarrass itself. My point: not unwatchable. Cast has a lot of good faces.

Play: Hamlet

Read a strange version where the Gravediggers are referred to as Clowns and Hamlet never bumps into Fortinbras. Every time I read, I have questions. Why does Laertes presume Claudius had something to do with Polonius's murder? How old is Hamlet again? I used to insist he was not much more than a teenager - he's in college after all, but then he seems to remember a guy who died 23 years ago. So I read what the internet says and even this is open to interpretation. Are the clowns lying or misremembering the guy being dead for so long?

TV: Seinfeld random episodes

My unpopular opinion amongst intelligent people: Seinfeld is still better than Curb.

Taleb

Is just wrong on the Palestinian-Israel stuff. He says this:

The problem of Israel and its supporters: Once you realize your colleague isn’t the virtuous, humanitarian former victim he persuaded you that he was, you can’t unsee it.(Irreversibility, distrust)

Bro! This works the other way. The Palestinians, by their actions, are the ones we can't unsee. We can't unsee delightful lunatics mass murdering and raping civilians for no apparent goal other than to shock and horror. 

Palestinian Suffering

Bruno Macaes does an excellent job of chronicling Palestinian suffering. But one wonders: as terrible as the suffering is, then why not do the thing that would end it? Surrender. Cease the support of Hamas. Acknowledge the legitimate existence of Israel. Don't declare war on your neighbor.

I understand pride, but at a certain point you gotta ask yourself what your pride is getting you.

Valentines Day

New Yorker headline: Why is Polyamory Everywhere Now?

I would frame the question a tad differently: Why are there so many deranged bored losers out there?

Egypt

They love the Palestinians so much they won't open their border and take in any refugees. 

Gimme a break. The only thing that unites this whole thing is hatred of Israel. 

Unhoused

Has adopting the term unhoused provided any material benefit to those previously called homeless? 

"Over The Top" 

Biden mad at Netanyahu for "over the top" war fighting.

Because Israel fights to win and Biden fights to not lose.

Putin Plan

I joked in the past about how we could resolve numerous world problems by seizing Gaza, giving it to Trump to develop into Vegas on the mediterranean, jobs for all the Palestinians, and let Putin have a nice hotel penthouse where he could lie around with his shirt off. But now I now realize what he really wants is a tenured professorship at Oxford where he could just spend all days reading 9th century texts and uncovering weird stories about the history of his homeland.

The Dysfunction IS the Point

Pro-Palestinian protestors show up for forum against sexual violence in warfare. Note the forum is about the general topic, not even specific to what Hamas did October 7th. Are you starting to get it yet? These folks don't support the Palestinians, they support the evil that was done. 

Genocide Joe

Interesting how pro-Palestinian folks manage to conflate the US (and Joe Biden) for Israeli's actions. But somehow manage to separate Hamas from "Palestinian civilians." Let me spell out the difference. Israel is a friend and ally to the US. We don't 100% agree with all their actions, but respect their sovereignty and right to defend themselves in the way they see fit. The Palestinians on the other hand vote in Hamas, let Hamas act in their name, and then cower and hide behind the label of "civilian" when the time comes to face the consequences of their vile, evil actions. It's a bunch of bullshit. The people in Gaza support Hamas. They have a choice to live with their neighbors or fight in a perpetual war when they are the weaker party. They continue to choose war. I think it's insane, but you cannot blame the rest of the world for your choice. 

Extra Credit

An observation from being a teacher - students who need the extra credit never do it. But the students who do it rarely need it. Extrapolate that to the rest of life.

DEI Rules

Amazon has new DEI rules for film and tv productions. Just what the creative process needs: more middle management to chart the numbers of ethnicities portrayed in works of fiction to make sure there is proper representation. Beyond dumb on so many levels. 

Remember that the real beneficiary of DEI rules are those who get to make the DEI rules. 

Logging

Film: You Hurt My Feelings

Is the meta-message of this film everyone sucks at their job?

I laughed out loud quite a bit during the movie but the basic premise didn't totally land for me. The first scene that felt "off" to me was the aftermath sisterly powwow of Julia Louis Dreyfus overhearing her husband hated her new book. Would this be that upsetting? We're talking about a little beyond middle aged women here with a college grad for a kid...have we become this fragile? Seems to me the type of thing you get over a few years after grad school. And yes, all these characters went to grad school.

Solid cast though. Has any actress of her generation had a better career than Julia Louis Dreyfus?

Logging

Film: Night of the Hunter

Spooky, weird, gets better as it goes along.

TV: Tulsa King

Some pretty bad parts, but I still find it enjoyable. Females in the show not well acted or written. 

Google and the Internet Suck Now

Just want to watch Luke Combs and Tracey Chapman play Fast Car. Google this and try to. You can't. But you can hear a bunch of dumbasses telling you they did this over images. What is going on here people? This desperate for a buck now?

Strange Young Female Energy

Every generation needs to deal with the physical and emotional challenges of girls becoming women. In the old days, they met this challenge by locking up women in the house, using chastity belts, organizing dances, etc. Our generation has met these challenges by making it cool to obsess over pop stars and/or transition into young men.