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19 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coyote_Cosmico 15h \ on: Why did NASA choose Peru for its sounding rocket launch campaign? science
Very cool for Perú, launch site close to Lima so I bet people will be able to watch these launches from the city.
I'm in Kuala Lumpur right now and I recently went to what was billed as a "Bitcoin" meetup.
It was an interesting cast of characters there, a lot of apparently big names in the Malaysian tech and entrepreneurial scene. (One presenter asked "does anyone here not know who I am?" and I was the only person out of 100ish who raised my hand lol).
The thing that struck me was there were only a few other guys there who were actual Bitcoiners, and if they were Maxis they didn't want to talk about that in that group.
Most of these people were working on Ethereum and Solana based startups whose function I couldn't understand in the least, even when I spoke to them at length about what problem these companies and apps were supposed to actually solve. Several of them involved NFT anime type characters which they encouraged us to snatch up while we still could.
Many were curious what this random out of place American dude was doing at the meetup. When I told them I was a long term Bitcoin holder and enthusiast, they sort of treated me as a "cute" old-fashioned fellow, gave me a figurative pat on the head, and "good for you."
I don't know quite what to make of that experience, but I think it relates in some way to the We Are Still Early reality-meme. (WASE)
I think many smart and tech-savvy people feel like they were late to Bitcoin, so they chase the next big thing, and try to outsmart everyone else in some sense. And maybe they are too caught up in the flashy jargon and bells/ whistles of Blockchain™ technology, rather than focused on how it can actually apply in normal people's lives?
I'm struggling to come up with an analogy to what these guys are up to.. are they ahead of their time in some way, like working on the pets.com or similar early 2000's dotcom startups that failed then, but exist now that the internet is more mature?
Are they Betamax enthusiasts? The Betamax was superior tech on paper but just lost the adoption race.
Or are they missing the plot entirely because they never understood the fundamentals of what Bitcoin was invented for in the first place? So they are down some strange dead end path inventing Segway scooters that are "definitely-gonna-change-the world-bro"?
I guess what I'm asking is, where does all the shitcoinery and Blockchain™ tech fit in to this WASE idea? Why are so many smart people missing what seems so obvious to us?
Maybe things are about to shift right now, and the blockchainers will start to realize that they chose the wrong horse, and migrate over. Bitcoin seems like it's starting to go mainstream but it's always hard to tell if I'm just in my own bubble.
I have been saying for a few years that as society starts to realize how destructive smartphones have been to our minds, there will be a resurgence / renaissance of "single use devices" and even print media and paper.
A music player that just plays music, a camera that's just a camera, newsletters that are printed out and actually come to your house.
I'm probably wrong and it's just wishful thinking, but watch for this stuff become "cool" at some point. It will be seen as way to differentiate yourself and be unique, that's when it may catch on.
I consider that the best thing we can do is observe the masses, see how they act to do absolutely the opposite.
I think this sentiment, if taken literally is a tiny bit oversimplified, but it's probably the correct approach most of the time! I find it a great starting point at least to guiding my behavior.
Maybe Mark Twain's adage is more subtle, that if you find yourself in the side of the majority it's best to "stop and reflect."
I wonder what the hell is going on that makes this so true? Are humans just hardwired to do the dumbest shit possible as a group? I've heard people say that individuals are usually smart but collectively we're dumb.
10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coyote_Cosmico 22 Nov \ parent \ on: Putting a lot on my plate mostly_harmless
I use Android - please do reach out, you can respond to this comment I guess and I should see that. Good luck and keep at it 👍
64 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coyote_Cosmico 21 Nov \ parent \ on: Nuclear targets in America charts_and_numbers
Agree.
I think people that study cults call this sort of thing "costly signaling"
The members often must display their loyalty by professing their belief in things that are obviously false, and would make them appear ridiculous / nuts to outsiders (the socially "costly" part).
You're right, I don't have children. If I did have kids and they were truly being coerced into sex change operations, I would certainly be upset... In fact, upset is a major understatement!
I do have lots of friends and family with kids in public schools though, and I know they would be upset by something like that too. I've yet to hear any of them mention anything about it.
Funny that the ones who are displaying the most 'performative anger' at the 'performative virtue signaling' around gender and sex issues... they really give off strong vibes of inner conflict, sexual repression, sexual hangups... or inceldom? 🤔
I actually agree the whole pronoun thing is weird, but who the hell actually spends time thinking about this shit? Let alone being enraged by it 🙄
People project more fantasies onto this man then a damn movie screen. Acting like he's all thoughtful and strategic in any way is fantasy.
I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt last time he was in office, and I observed he had no principles whatsoever, other than enriching himself and his cronies, and serving his own ego.
He talks tough on China and it's already making noises about getting rid of the CHIPS act, because leaving that in place would leave some of his predecessor's legacy in place, which hurts his feelings or something. I'm no expert there but it's one of many examples of how serving his base egoic needs takes precedence over any actual agenda.
I don't doubt he will do some things that I agree with, and some things that may end up with positive results, but those will be purely coincidental.
Electing him is like dropping a hand grenade onto the chessboard and seeing where the pieces end up.
Some people felt that was necessary and I can respect that, though I don't really agree. Many others who think this is a man with a plan are delusional.
Really interesting... I watched a tv show about this years ago where the host profiled some blind people who were really good at the maze navigation using little handheld clickers to make a sound. Then the host learned to do it himself in a surprisingly short amount of time, though not nearly as good as them. It always stuck with me.
I suspect there are real cognitive benefits to developing unused parts of your brain like this. I've heard yoga teachers and similar use the term "the body is the mind", and I think they're on to something there.
There are a bunch of studies about how balance training could rapidly grow certain parts of the brain and it has impacts on memory and cognition.
Also reminds me of the Guugu Yimidhirr people or Tzeltal Maya people who have an impossibly precise internal compass developed through their language. The human brain is capable of what seems like superhuman shit!
The system of spatial coordination inscribed in the language is totally different from that in Western languages, where the reference system is relative with respect to the subject. In Guugu Yimidhirr, as in Kayardild space is rendered in absolute terms,[28] like the cardinal points, north, south, east, west, independent of whether something is in front of, behind, to the left or right of a person. The language thus provides them with a mental map, allowing quite a precise dead-reckoning of all points around them wherever they are.[29] For example, if your Guugu Yimidhirr guest, on leaving your house, had to inform you he or she had left her tobacco behind, they would be required to state grammatically in their native language something like: I left it on the southern table in the western side of your house.[30]
35 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coyote_Cosmico 10 Oct \ parent \ on: Are you aware that you're getting older? meta
Yay, finally some positivity in this thread 😅
Bitcoiners age like fine wine. That's my story and I'm sticking with it
133 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coyote_Cosmico 9 Oct \ parent \ on: Practical geopolitics - an update Politics_And_Law
Awesome thanks, seems like it made quite an impression on you there.
I've been reading really good things about the place since I read your post. I'm sold, heading there in Jan probably to stay several months at least.
Maybe we can meet up. I don't know if I'm as much of a rebel nomad as you, but you can teach me your ways haha
Thank you Rebel Nomad!
You really got my wheels spinning about Nepal now.
What are your favorite spots there?
Wasn't really on my radar before but I think I'll head to Pokhara early '25.