A few paragraphs down she says it more concisely: "Being served makes us cruel infants." But I want to nit-pick about the term "free trade." Most people use it that way, as if "free" means nothing more than the freedom of the rich to crush the poor under their boots. I would call that capitalism, which has never been free, because a truly free economy must be made entirely of free individuals, and nobody is free if they need money to survive. Bashing "free trade" makes it sound like the only alternative is a top-down state-run economy, when what we need is a bottom-up economy in which basic quality of life is guaranteed, so nobody is forced to sell their labor.There are hells on earth and Dubai is one: an infernal creation born of the worst of human tendencies. Its hellishness cannot be laid solely at the feet of the oligarchs, whose wealth it attracts, nor the violent organised criminals who relocate there to avoid prosecution. It is hellish because, as the self-appointed showtown of free trade, it provides normal people with the chance to buy the purest form of the most heinous commodity: the exploitation of others. If you want to know how it feels to have slaves, in the modern world -- and not be blamed openly for this desire -- visit Dubai.
]]>Because of the Institute, Threeforks was an oasis in yokel-land. All the towns around, Hog Heaven and Plush and Speedtrap, were mostly Nativists and hippies, but we had every quirky passion of the overeducated. We had a fuzz bass and oboe band that sounded like the wind, and a zither and steel drum band that droned in clouds of suss. We had poetry slams in random meter, somebody would crash out on tetric anapest and they'd be rolling on the floor. We had credless swap meets, walled in with your wares until no trades were left, and the person who came out with the most stuff got dunked.
The trial was designed to reduce work hours from the standard 40-hour week to just 35 or 36 hours, without reducing employees' pay.... Employees reported significant improvements in job satisfaction, mental health, and work-life balance. This was coupled with a noticeable reduction in stress and a decline in instances of burnout.... This was not just a benefit for employees; businesses began to see tangible improvements in output, suggesting that a well-rested workforce is more effective and efficient.
Mirror of a NY Times article about a Space-Out Competition in Seoul. "Part pageant and part boredom-endurance challenge, it requires participants to repose in silence for an hour and a half, with gentle interruptions every 15 minutes to have their heart rates measured."
From PsyPost, New brain stimulation method shows promise for treating mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders. I continue to think that AI is overhyped and transcranial brain hacking is going to be huge.
]]>Mood and anxiety disorders are often linked to overactivity in the amygdala. While some treatments like medication and talk therapy may help regulate this region, non-invasive brain stimulation options like transcranial magnetic stimulation have limited ability to reach deeper brain areas. Focused ultrasound, by contrast, can target these deeper areas directly and precisely.
]]>You want to opt out of this all you say? Good luck running a competitive business! Every metric is now a target. You better maximize engagement or you will lose engagement this is a red queen's race we can't afford to lose! Burn all the social capital, burn all your values, FEED IT ALL TO MOLOCH!
]]>The Aboriginal concept of the "dreamtime" is almost identical to the afterlife planes of existence decribed in Western sources. It is the realm where human spirits go after death, and once there a shaman can converse with the dead and instantly access all knowledge. It is also a dimension in which time, space, and the other boundaries of earthly life cease to exist. Because of this, Australian shamans often refer to the afterlife as "survival in infinity."