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This sort of thing frustrates me

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  • H honey the codewitch

    Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

    In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

    Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

    This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

    Quote:

    > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

    I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Lost User
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    honey the codewitch wrote:

    In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young.

    They seem more fixated on teaching gender theory these days.

    H J 2 Replies Last reply
    0
    • L Lost User

      honey the codewitch wrote:

      In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young.

      They seem more fixated on teaching gender theory these days.

      H Offline
      H Offline
      honey the codewitch
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      Whatever they're doing, Western Europe's schools perform far better than the ones in my country.

      To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

      N 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • H honey the codewitch

        Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

        In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

        Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

        This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

        Quote:

        > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

        I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

        R Offline
        R Offline
        rnbergren
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        people don't want facts they want sensationalism. facts are boring and require logical thoughtful deliberation. Who wants to use their brains in our current society? I can't think of too many people who do.

        To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer

        H S 2 Replies Last reply
        0
        • H honey the codewitch

          Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

          In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

          Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

          This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

          Quote:

          > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

          I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

          P Offline
          P Offline
          PIEBALDconsult
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          I think they're more in interested in Hoth. They already know there's no intelligent live here.

          L 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • P PIEBALDconsult

            I think they're more in interested in Hoth. They already know there's no intelligent live here.

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            PIEBALDconsult wrote:

            no intelligent live here.

            Hey what about @OriginalGriff?

            C 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • R rnbergren

              people don't want facts they want sensationalism. facts are boring and require logical thoughtful deliberation. Who wants to use their brains in our current society? I can't think of too many people who do.

              To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer

              H Offline
              H Offline
              honey the codewitch
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              > Who wants to use their brains in our current society? I think of the response among people to the "Spanish" Flu Pandemic in the early 20th century, as well as the response to smallpox vaccinations among some of the adult population and I think there's always been an undercurrent of intellectual laziness among a population of any size. Maybe the Internet made it worse. I don't know.

              To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

              K 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • L Lost User

                PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                no intelligent live here.

                Hey what about @OriginalGriff?

                C Offline
                C Offline
                Cp Coder
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                Quote:

                Hey what about @OriginalGriff?

                But are you sure he is from this planet? :confused: :laugh: I'll get my coat!

                Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • H honey the codewitch

                  Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                  In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                  Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                  This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                  Quote:

                  > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                  I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

                  J Offline
                  J Offline
                  jschell
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  honey the codewitch wrote:

                  it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of "dandelion seeds"

                  It is feasible that a dragon in another dimension is using small pixies to explore our solar system. I actually give that a higher probability that the prior one because the prior one is limited by the physics (and economics) of this universe while mine is not. But I certainly will not be spending time looking or even thinking about either.

                  F B 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • H honey the codewitch

                    > Who wants to use their brains in our current society? I think of the response among people to the "Spanish" Flu Pandemic in the early 20th century, as well as the response to smallpox vaccinations among some of the adult population and I think there's always been an undercurrent of intellectual laziness among a population of any size. Maybe the Internet made it worse. I don't know.

                    To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                    K Offline
                    K Offline
                    Kent Sharkey
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    honey the codewitch wrote:

                    Maybe the Internet made it worse. I don't know.

                    It certainly allows it to travel broader and faster than ever before. :sigh:

                    TTFN - Kent

                    N 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • L Lost User

                      honey the codewitch wrote:

                      In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young.

                      They seem more fixated on teaching gender theory these days.

                      J Offline
                      J Offline
                      Jon McKee
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      It's almost like if you critically think about it, not only is the evidence for it present in all cultures dating back thousands of years, but it affects literally everyone. As if the current reactionary climate surrounding the topic is due primarily to ignorance, which can be solved by... teaching.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • J jschell

                        honey the codewitch wrote:

                        it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of "dandelion seeds"

                        It is feasible that a dragon in another dimension is using small pixies to explore our solar system. I actually give that a higher probability that the prior one because the prior one is limited by the physics (and economics) of this universe while mine is not. But I certainly will not be spending time looking or even thinking about either.

                        F Offline
                        F Offline
                        Forogar
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        Quote:

                        But I certainly will not be spending time looking or even thinking about either.

                        I will... just in case. ;-)

                        - I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • H honey the codewitch

                          Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                          In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                          Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                          This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                          Quote:

                          > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                          I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

                          L Offline
                          L Offline
                          Lost User
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          Given enough time, anything is possible. Oscillating, expanding; take your choice.

                          "Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • H honey the codewitch

                            Whatever they're doing, Western Europe's schools perform far better than the ones in my country.

                            To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                            N Offline
                            N Offline
                            Nelek
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            Do not worry... they are trying very hard to get to the same level... :doh: :sigh:

                            M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                            M 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • K Kent Sharkey

                              honey the codewitch wrote:

                              Maybe the Internet made it worse. I don't know.

                              It certainly allows it to travel broader and faster than ever before. :sigh:

                              TTFN - Kent

                              N Offline
                              N Offline
                              Nelek
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              Which kind of end confirming Einstein's quote... :sigh:

                              M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • H honey the codewitch

                                Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                                In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                                Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                                This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                                Quote:

                                > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                                I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

                                T Offline
                                T Offline
                                TNCaver
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                They do not want the gen-pop thinking critically, it would make it harder for them to control the masses with FUD. As for the Harvard scientist and Pentagon official's conjecture, it sounds to me like nothing more than they're trying to justify their grants/budget.

                                There are no solutions, only trade-offs.
                                   - Thomas Sowell

                                A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.
                                   - Calvin (Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes)

                                H 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • H honey the codewitch

                                  Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                                  In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                                  Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                                  This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                                  Quote:

                                  > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                                  I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

                                  T Offline
                                  T Offline
                                  theoldfool
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  Research courtesy of ChatGPD.

                                  >64 Some days the dragon wins. Suck it up.

                                  D 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • H honey the codewitch

                                    Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                                    In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                                    Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                                    This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                                    Quote:

                                    > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                                    I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

                                    D Offline
                                    D Offline
                                    Daniel Pfeffer
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    Ever since the Sixties, I would say that US education has abandoned rigourous, logical thinking in favour of "self affirmation", "feelings", and other distractions. In that, they were only one generation ahead of the rest of the Western world. Western civilization may coast on its past accomplishments for a few more decades, but unless a major shift occurs in the near future - the late 21st and 22nd centuries will be under the ascendancy of South and East Asia. They haven't lost sight of the goals.

                                    Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                                    H 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • T theoldfool

                                      Research courtesy of ChatGPD.

                                      >64 Some days the dragon wins. Suck it up.

                                      D Offline
                                      D Offline
                                      Daniel Pfeffer
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      ChatGPT is faster at producing average nonsense, but only humans can produce first-class nonsense! :sigh:

                                      Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                                      J 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • D Daniel Pfeffer

                                        Ever since the Sixties, I would say that US education has abandoned rigourous, logical thinking in favour of "self affirmation", "feelings", and other distractions. In that, they were only one generation ahead of the rest of the Western world. Western civilization may coast on its past accomplishments for a few more decades, but unless a major shift occurs in the near future - the late 21st and 22nd centuries will be under the ascendancy of South and East Asia. They haven't lost sight of the goals.

                                        Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                                        H Offline
                                        H Offline
                                        honey the codewitch
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #22

                                        I think once societies achieve a certain level of advancement, or at least - I struggle for the word here - "decadence" almost covers it but I don't like moral connotations of it generally they tend to rest on their laurels, and even pursue more frivolous aims. Douglas Adams sort of touched on this in his books at a couple of points.

                                        Quote:

                                        “The history of every major galactic civilisation tends to pass through three distinct and recognisable phases, those of Survival, Enquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterised by the question How can we eat?, the second by the question Why do we eat?, and the third but the question Where shall we have lunch?”

                                        There's a longer, better quote that dovetails more with what I'm getting at, but it's about shoe stores. It's also too long to comfortably post here. It's basically a short story. I think in the end, there's a global ebb and flow among competing civilizations, as one gets comfortable, the ones that are still hungry will eventually overtake them, but then the comfortable become the hungry. For a long time, China wasn't competitive. Then they were. Maybe it's just our turn.

                                        To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                        H 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • H honey the codewitch

                                          Could an alien mothership be hovering around the solar system, sending out tiny probes to explore planets? According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible.

                                          In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood, exploring the region by the means of “dandelion seeds” — small spacecraft that can gather and send back information, similar to the way humans send out spacecraft to explore planets.

                                          Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University, and Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in July 2022 by the Department of Defense (DoD) to detect and study “objects of interest” — released the draft, Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, on March 7. It is not an official Pentagon document, but was carried out in partnership with the DoD. It has not been peer-reviewed.

                                          This was posted in a forum I haunt by somebody - it comes from LiveScience. I responded:

                                          Quote:

                                          > According to a Harvard scientist and a Pentagon official, it’s possible. > In a draft paper, the pair said it is feasible an extraterrestrial spaceship could be in our galactic neighborhood On its face, the two statements above aren't really saying anything except "maybe there are aliens". That's the History Channel game. > It has not been peer-reviewed. This is very important. It's not science without peer-review. It may as well be astrology. This is just a fluff piece on some junk science.

                                          I used to blame the journos for their ignorance about science and their rush to get clicks and attention for perpetuating this kind of thing. But eventually I realized that really, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what we take into our minds in the same way that it applies with our bodies. The reason this stuff gets spread around - the reason journos keep getting clicks for it in the first place - is a dearth of critical thinking skills. Is it any surprise then, that conspiracy theories abound on the Internet, and that that bleeds over into our reality? QAnon, et al. In some western European countries they teach critical thinking in the classroom while kids are still young. It floors me that we don't do that in school where I live. It seems so fundamental to thinking. Otherwise you just glom onto whatever affirms you or makes you feel good.

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                                          BernardIE5317
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                                          i find such reports frustrating also for the reason my critical thinking leads me to conclude it is absurd to speak w/ such confidence re/ aliens who are one millions years more advanced than us .

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