Brain Droppings

Well hello there, my non-existent audience. Sorry for my long hiatus as I'm sure you're all aware. Welcome to my brain droppings blog post, where I list random thoughts I've had during my time away. A few may already be covered in my second edition of my book, which is currently unreleased.

Friendship Over Logic?
It makes no sense to me that friends back each other up even when they obviously wronged another person. 'Because he's my friend' means 'because I refuse to think rationally and wish to side with the person that would return the most benefit from my allegiance'. It's putting personal gain and feelings ahead of what is morally correct. Say there are three friends, A, B, and C. A and B get into a fight because B does something that is objectively positively immoral. Person C refuses to take sides, saying how being neutral is good. Person C is being very irrational and selfish. This is because person C doesn't give a rat's ass about what is right or wrong, only what allows him to have more friends, which basically means he is taking the highway which gives him the most benefit. What is moral and immoral is none of his concern.

'To decide to do nothing is itself a policy and a decision.' -Christopher Hitchens

Teaching Creationism
Teach intelligent design in schools to represent 'both' opinions? Storks carrying babies is not a competing school of thought for where babies come from in medical school. We shouldn't teach both and we shouldn't equate both. To do so is to imply there are two truths or that each are equally valid. Because sometimes in science there is only one right answer.

Challenging Beliefs
We are told to respect other's beliefs on the origination of our species. But when was the last time you heard somebody ask you to please respect their beliefs in chemistry or geography? If I believed China was in middle of USA, you are under no obligation to respect me for it and it would do me well if you set me straight.

Speech and Debate?
I'm not too keen on speech and debate. You're put to a side without knowing what side you're going to be on. It's about who argues best. But I debate to try to figure out what is true. You can take your time to gather your thoughts without fear of a clock.

Meditation: Irrational?
There is nothing inherently irrational about meditation, not that I partake in it. But it stands to reason blocking out the external noise from our hectic day-to-day lives, from being bombarded with stimulus, may improve our state of mind. A bit of a time out. It's not bullshit until one starts bringing in "being one with the universe" or "unlocking transcendental energy" that it starts to become bullshit. That's my opinion, anyways.

Ad Hominems:
The validity of my arguments have nothing to do with whether I'm being nice or rude to you.

Regarding Fox Hysteria Over Boston Bombings:
Great job, Fox. In over-reacting to the Boston Bombing, you called it an attack on our constitution, freedom, and way of life. Then you quickly brand the suspect as an enemy combatant and terrorist in order to forgo our Miranda rights. He's not a terrorist, he's just crazy. But if he were, you lost because um... the point of terrorism is to instil terror.

Progress of Science:
A single human lifetime ago, the world was considered to be only one eternal, static galaxy that has been around forever, surrounded by eternal empty space. Do you know how amazing this is and how far we've come?

I am Not Amazing:
Now, you may have a different opinion on my intelligence, and that's fine, but it's quite curious why you, the reader, would bother reading this if you thought I was an idiot. If I refer to my intelligence as if I had above-average intelligence, it is not to be arrogant. It is to calmly and rationally refer to something I believe I've recognized and you are allowed to disagree with. Because let's face it. Every single smart person in the world had to say they are not smart, just 'average', then who the hell are the smart people? That's right, the ignorant, dumb people who think they are all amazing. Humbleness is good, but realism is also good.

And intelligence doesn't really measure my success. In fact, the very opposite could occur. Despite my perceived 'intelligence', a dumb person could easily beat me in terms of knowledge and professional success simply by trying harder. Trying harder often outweighs any extra intelligence another person may have. Once we get into college, things change and people cannot simply ace classes based on intelligence and erudition alone.

But take heart. I'm smart? Compared to what? The average population? I don't even know what the intelligence level of the average population necessarily is. And how do I easily test for intelligence instead of knowledge? But what I do know is this: There is so much to learn in this world. The amount stands to make all I know turn into nothingness in comparison. This is not bullshit I say so I sound humble, and since knowing the extent of your own ignorance, I ironically become seen as wiser. No, it's more than that. We have experts in this world for a reason. We are a specialized society, where each person masters their craft. I find there to be an intrinsic noble-ness in trying to master your craft. But even in the field of science-no, narrow it down-physics, cosmology, black holes, say. There is too much to learn. We don't even know what we don't know. And yet, these leading experts know so much. In researching about the Big Bang theory, I went across Wikipedia. The information there is overwhelming. Just the general ideas is amazing and complex, let alone the calculations (which is where the hard part actually is). If I knew so much, we wouldn't need these experts.

Y U Hatin'?
I had some person criticize me for apparently not knowing something, where I promptly got downvoted on Youtube followed by snide comments about my 'American education'. Here is my response:

"Don't get me started on American education bullshit. We're still amazing if not leading college and higher because we still have the most prestigious schools in this country. We still attract the brightest minds here. We still make more 'things' than China in terms of value, but only due to quality, not quantity. Now if you're going to piss on us because our high school and middle school education sucks, then you're obligated to piss on the education of all the countries below us. Lots of 'education' is about knowledge, not intelligence, so don't put my intelligence on the line, either. But let's forget all that. Let's ignore all the educated people and look at the uneducated people when you're doing our comparisons. And ALL our youth knows OBVIOUSLY only and solely comes from school, right? Our attitudes towards school ONLY and SOLELY comes from school, right? Therefore it is perfectly reasonable to consider what you think is ignorance on a specific matter the result of a horrible educational system?

Are you hating on something because it's popular to hate it or because you actually have good reason to? Is this like Walmart, where everybody hates it but shop there anyway? Or are you simply prejudiced against those who happen to be born in America or had their families move there?

With matters of religion, I am considered strident, intolerant, and prejudiced if I simply ask a question with no strings attached. Yet people find it socially acceptable to question my fundamental ability to process information. This does not contribute to a discussion, this is a one-dimensional insult. But most of all, I hope you're more educated and better in every way that matters compared to the people you so openly and easily insult without further investigation, as if one comment which YOU perceive as ignorant defines my ENTIRE capability."