tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post2634049299668367642..comments2024-03-28T21:32:26.550+00:00Comments on Bruce Charlton's Notions: When I was featured in the New York Times and a Michael Crichton novel - or, why Bad ideas are the ones that go viralBruce Charltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-71445638711695235932021-02-13T02:42:36.534+00:002021-02-13T02:42:36.534+00:00I thought the NYT quotes didn’t sound like the Dr....I thought the NYT quotes didn’t sound like the Dr. Charlton I’m used to reading. I suppose you could have made a choice at that point the become another political “Doctor” character for more fame.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07815695560953002699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-87844989881565238442021-02-13T00:04:16.241+00:002021-02-13T00:04:16.241+00:00In the past, an immature person who was aware of h...In the past, an immature person who was aware of his state had the examples of mature people around him so at the very least he could 'fake it till he made it' by imitation.<br /><br />Now maturity is seen as the acquiring of wealth, status, power with a youthful swagger, preferably at a young age. I think of one of the characters in Ross Thomas's <i>Missionary Stew</i> who was willing to at last acknowledge his real age to himself only after he amassed sufficient money.a_probsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16197411067925016452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-81366928386985020742021-02-12T17:33:35.268+00:002021-02-12T17:33:35.268+00:00This is effectively saying that it would have been...This is effectively saying that it would have been better if the dysgenic <i>memes</i> in the editorial would have reproduced at <i>subfertility rates</i>. That sounds awfully <i>dysmemic</i> . . . a memetically-<i>fatal</i> disease!Ottonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-27538897710972535652021-02-12T12:50:07.194+00:002021-02-12T12:50:07.194+00:00Went “viral” — how appropriate!Went “viral” — how appropriate!Wm Jas Tychonievichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446790072877463982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-91324918220231045562021-02-12T12:41:57.448+00:002021-02-12T12:41:57.448+00:00@Frank - Yes, that's it. I think I was probabl...@Frank - Yes, that's it. I think I was probably triggered in writing this by your post - https://www.francisberger.com/bergers-blog/stop-dreaming-of-making-it-big-and-start-focusing-on-making-it-good . <br /><br />Your point about God amplifying our good acts is made very well by William Arkle in Geography of Consciousness, Chapter 16 - The Will, towards the end of the chapter. <br /><br />https://williamarkle.blogspot.com/2019/06/a-geography-of-consciousness-text.html<br /><br />Since God is the creator, and creation is ongoing - God can easily amplify any good act that he wishes to; 'publicity' is no problem! <br /><br />However, God cannot make people understand it, or act upon it. <br /><br />Bruce Charltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-23723706734454197552021-02-12T10:29:04.453+00:002021-02-12T10:29:04.453+00:00For me, this post serves as a lucid counterpoint t...For me, this post serves as a lucid counterpoint to some commentary I recently added to Wm Jas's interpretation of the moral behind the feeding of the five thousand in the Fourth Gospel - do good things, however small, and leave the rest to God. <br /><br />The idea is that God works to amplify and spread the effect of apparently inadequate but ultimately good actions and thoughts. Thus, our motivation should focus on doing good rather than on making a big impact. <br /><br />It seems this works conversely as well - that is, if we do or think bad things, however small, they may very well be amplified and spread by the other side - even in the absence of desiring or aspiring to the extra attention/amplification. Francis Bergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11063224017320651978noreply@blogger.com