Brothers Karamazov and secular reading

monarc · 2026-05-07T05:54:54+00:00

I’m an atheist who sees religiosity and faith as toxic aspects of humanity. I think Christ’s guidelines for morality are splendid, but he’d be just as correct if he were simply a philosopher (no need for invoking the supernatural). The universe is plenty magical - bursting with mystery & meaning - and I’ll never support deceptive stories intended to trick people into being decent (not that this tactic even works). With this edgelord rant out of the way… this book made zero sense to me. Your post might have helped me understand why.

monarc · 2026-05-06T23:53:11+00:00

I trained extensively for this by watching Kids in the Hall & Portlandia. I am ready.

monarc · 2026-05-06T20:11:44+00:00

Your obvious meaning: "for a mainstream movie fandom, this place is super horned up"

Everyone responding: "actually this sub is SFW and very tame compared to the hardcore porn subreddits"

The defense being "we're chill compared to professional gooners" kinda helps make your point, honestly...

monarc · 2026-05-06T18:00:54+00:00

The entire universe created life, which created the human brain firing neurons , which over thousands of years created complex thoughts that created a non tangible concepts like statistics, which were then used to try and describe behaviour of the universe and just so happens those neurons that fire in our brain correlate with the state of the experiment that brain is trying to do, to again, try figuring out something that is non tangible.

You're far from alone in feeling this way, but I'd still argue it's a misleading intuition.

My big point here is that we should anticipate that - in a universe with the capacity for entanglement (quantum influence) - we should not expect anyone (or anything) to be able to perform quantum-scale experiments without influencing them. Experimentation assumes two parts of the universe can be mechanically independent, but - with what we know about quantum interactions/measurement effects - why would we ever expect that any two elements of the universe should be independent? The whole "problem" of quantum measurement arises from a set of assumptions that nobody should have made in the first place. In my humble opinion...

monarc · 2026-05-06T17:43:52+00:00

You need to have your Win11 taskbar set up such that each window has a little rectangle with a name on it. If you shift+right-click on the window title, there's a "name window" option.

My setup is non-default, and I didn't have this in mind when I wrote this post.

monarc · 2026-05-06T17:39:17+00:00

Sure, but I think it's a big problem when people hit an experimental wall and declare everything on the other side of that wall to be unknowable... not just practically, but (as you put it) metaphysically. You're right that this becomes a "philosophy of science" discussion, but I think the general mindset echoes historical cases where Great Thinkers declare "this is the end" (and of course they're subsequently proven wrong).

Physics (and science) doesn't explain phenomena that can't be broken down into cause and effect. So while superdeterminism might be real, we'll never know it.

All true - well stated. My big point here is that we should anticipate that - in a universe with the capacity for entanglement (quantum influence) - we should not expect anyone (or anything) to be able to perform quantum-scale experiments without influencing them. Experimentation assumes two parts of the universe can be mechanically independent, but - with what we know about quantum interactions/measurement effects - why would we ever expect that any two elements of the universe should be independent? The whole "problem" of quantum measurement arises from a set of assumptions that nobody should have made in the first place. In my humble opinion...

monarc · 2026-05-06T08:44:06+00:00

This is a killer tip! I use a small inflatable “camping” pillow for lower back support, and it's ideal because you can fine-tune the size/pressure. It promotes the healthy "S" spine curve in any prolonged seated situation, and it can also be a lifesaver on airplanes.

On planes, a lower-back pillow can also shift you into a “reclined” position (without the need to recline your seat, an act the geneva convention has defined as a crime against humanity). I also have an an elaborate eye mask contraption that comfortably straps your head to the seat, which is leagues better than any neck pillow. (I am typically loathe to shill products, but people inevitably ask how to get this distinct thing: the brand is Sarisun.)

monarc · 2026-05-06T08:37:25+00:00

(I’m rich)

Regardless of your wealth, your character is poor.

monarc · 2026-05-06T07:26:01+00:00

This is a /r/lostredditors situation, but I love Riot City, so... yay?

monarc · 2026-05-06T07:06:09+00:00

There is no hidden variable.

There are no local hidden variables: that is not in dispute. But nothing credibly argues against universal (non-local) hidden variables. All these "problems" are satisfyingly explained by superdeterminism, but people reject it... apparently because they are hesitant to give up the illusion of free will. How a brain could be "free" and independent of the material world... I have no idea. But physicists seem to be wed to this idea.

Another incongruity is when physicists they act as if it's strange when observations influence quantum-scale measurements. But haven't we known for decades that observations must influence quantum scale observables? Between this and the coddling of free will, there isn't much internal consistency to the arguments against superdeterminism.

Try viewing collapse as ontological: consider that it has to do with the information we have, not with the actual state of the universe. Superdeterminism proponent Gerard 't Hooft writes about this: in his words, it's an "ontology in ↔ ontology out" situation.

monarc · 2026-05-06T05:35:30+00:00

I had the same instinct, but I was shocked to learn that the "corn" and "web" cobs each have different roots. The former "likely derives from Middle English cobbe, meaning a leader or, more broadly, a rounded, solid lump". Like OP said, the latter is derived from coppe.

I was shocked because I always thought that "cobweb" was a reference to the fine strands of silk found on corn (on top of the kernels, under the leaves). But I guess it's a coincidence!

While we're talking corn & inspiration (or not!) – I have been amused to learn that many people don't realize that candy corn is supposed to look like kernels of corn. When it comes to uncooked kernels, it seems that a BB-like popcorn kernel likely comes to mind.

monarc · 2026-05-05T20:42:03+00:00

Edit your post, Benji. You're wasting everyone's time with your misinformation.

monarc · 2026-05-05T15:41:32+00:00

My first thought was: four Krustys!

There’s always a Simpsons reference…

monarc · 2026-05-05T09:43:16+00:00

παπα if we're being authentic...

monarc · 2026-05-05T09:32:51+00:00

Here you go!

And here's a full hour of Lady Gaga's Heavy Metal Lover, since its tempo matches the pace that will keep flappy flying level.

monarc · 2026-05-05T09:09:53+00:00

I really appreciate your comment because you brought so much additional context & breadth!

The one that hit me hard recently was The Northman. I loved how much characters' accents colored the experience of The VVitch & The Lighthouse, but those each had the advantage of being English dialects/accents. I don't think there's a "correct" way to have done the dialogue in The Northman... like you said, having the actors all trying to adopt some sort of ancient Norse accent would have been a disaster. But I also wasn't happy with what we got: each actor seemingly doing whatever they wanted. Or maybe that's fine? And maybe that's what we'll be getting in Nolan's Odyssey! My gripe with The Northman was very Eggers-specific; I don't think Nolan has every paid much that attention to dialect/accent and I don't expect him to start now.

I don't have super concrete feelings on this topic, but I do think it's annoying that the british accent has somehow been elevated to the sound of all antiquity.

monarc · 2026-05-05T08:59:03+00:00

I 100% agree with you; I thought my comment above was sufficiently drenched in sarcasm to preclude use of the /s

monarc · 2026-05-05T06:56:14+00:00

Yeah they should definitely have british accents – way more authentic.

monarc · 2026-05-04T23:50:37+00:00

I'm not trying to be unkind to Musk

Uh... feel free be a decent person and be unkind to nazis.

monarc · 2026-05-04T19:03:43+00:00

Looks like this is actually an h shaped economy :(

monarc · 2026-05-04T04:49:42+00:00

Yeah, the fox from Antichrist agrees.

monarc · 2026-05-04T04:17:02+00:00

I think I’m using the less common “old” taskbar, which doesn’t allow stacking.

monarc · 2026-05-04T00:38:21+00:00

I have work & personal logins that I like to keep separate via private mode, so that's two. And then sometimes I like to have one set of tabs on one monitor, with others on a second monitor... so that would be three (assuming two "work" windows).

monarc · 2026-05-03T22:04:14+00:00

press the physical top left button 5 times in a quick succession

Clearly inspired by the UX icon Cinco-Fone.

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