Does the Universe think? (with Bernardo Kastrup)

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UPDATE: I’ve watched 45 minutes of this and, so far, it is a beautiful model of how to talk. These guys are both trained philosophers and act like it. They listen charitably (means use the best possible interpretation of what they hear) to each other, delight in rebuttals, and quickly and easily clear up misunderstandings with evident pleasure as they move almost seamlessly together deeper and deeper into their topic without losing sight of where they want to go. Maybe at minute 46 they are going to kill each other in a fit of anger, who knows? Up to minute 45, they provide an exquisite example of how to talk about philosophy. And what FIML can teach partners about how to talk to each other.

The field of FIML is not philosophy per se. It is the idiosyncratic intermeshed fields of the FIML partners themselves. I have often said FIML has no content save what partners bring to it. FIML is a technique which reveals what our content is, what we are bringing to our relationship. Once both partners see clearly through the eyes and ears of each other what both of you are bringing, you will also delight in the fun of being able to talk as well as Kastrup and Hawkins (but about much more than just philosophy). I doubt either one of them does FIML and both of them might find it difficult since so much of their psycholinguistic constellations are defined by academic philosophy, but I know they could do it if they tried. ABN

Cops identify NJ woman as mystery straphanger torched to death in horrific NYC subway attack

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The straphanger who was burned to death on a Brooklyn F train in a horrific attack has been identified as a 57-year-old New Jersey woman, police announced Tuesday.

Debrina Kawam of Toms River was sleeping on the train at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island station 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 22 when she was set on fire — with illegal Guatemalan immigrant Sebastian Zapeta-Calil now facing first-degree murder charges in the sick attack.

The sources said Kawam had been living in Big Apple shelters since at least Sept. 9, and had been given a bed at the Franklin Williams Women’s Shelter in the Bronx on Nov. 30, but left on Dec. 2.

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Dear Elon:

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This is very good and well-worth the time. Pretty much what your basic American thinks or feels put very well. The parts on Indians ring true. It’s the same story for Jews but with different scenery. Simplicity that actually cuts to the core is always good. But you have to take it for that and not spin off into ‘fuck your own face’ or whatever Musk said. I hope Elon turns this episode around. People will hate you for what you do but will forgive you for what you did if your really reform. That happens to be basic (based?) Buddhism. It’s all transient. Or to say it better, all bullshit is transient but ethical, moral, generous, compassionate deeds and intentions are not. ABN

FLASHBACK November 30, 2022: Elonathan Greenmusk plays word game

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I hope Musk does well by the world’s people by truly allowing free speech on Twitter. If he means the above, he won’t. Freedom of speech without freedom of reach is not free speech, it is censorship. It’s a word game that conceals a vile intent. ABN

UPDATE TODAY: I first posted the above on November 30, 2022. Some of the actors have changed. Greenblatt has been substituted by Ramaswamy and, not surprisingly, Musk himself. Yet another example of the more things change the more they stay the same. This old truth reveals to us today how much our entire culture is populated with actors, directors we can sometimes see (Musk is playing both roles), and the producers who call all the shots and supply the money to keep the show going. Who are the producers? That is the big mystery of our world today. And in that, too, it has ever been thus. However, maybe today we can see a bit better than in the past that it’s all make-believe designed to pacify, control, entertain, exploit, and ultimately destroy us. ABN

H1B matters because a political and corporate establishment has waged a half-century long campaign to destroy the American middle class — Lee Smith

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Don’t be lulled by fake MAGA truce: H1B issue is indeed consequential. When Dems & GOP offshored mfg (NAFTA, WTO), rationale was that Americans would get great “tech service” jobs—but H1B showed they wouldn’t get those jobs either. 1/ 

And there’s nothing you can do about it, said Dems and GOP alike. You want those jobs back? Where’s your magic wand? And besides, you deserve the pain, clinging to your guns and God — you’re racist, homophobic, etc. you’re deplorables 2/ 

This is what Trump was elected to fight, but according to Vivek: In fact, the things that have caused you pain are your fault. Your culture prizes mediocrity, your parents raised you poorly. Then Elon: Fight me on a thing that has hurt you, and I will crush you. 3/ 

Vivek continues to double down: instead of walking back or even just modifying his public rebuke of American families, he characterizes it as one of his “hard truths” — as other MAGA influencers have jumped to his defense: 4/ 

‘In fact nothing bad happened, it was simply a conversation, and it’s the left who is trying to divide us!’ But to tell people long targeted by an elite demoralization campaign that they shouldn’t believe what they heard with their own ears and blame it on others is predatory. 5/ 

So, yes H1B matters because it’s an effect of the core issue — indeed the reason DJT is POTUS — a political and corporate establishment that has waged a half-century long campaign to destroy the American middle class. End 

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