stand back, i'm gonna have a rant

[stonemonkey]

i noticed there was a 'pull of the material world' post somewhere else, which was interesting. i think fit the mould of the typical person who considers themselves non-materialistic, but acknowledges that a steady income and financial security are necessary for living in modern society.

i was flicking through the channels on tv and i noticed one of those stockmarket report spots. the girl (couldn't have been much older than late 20s) doing it was totally gorgeous. she looked more like a model. there's no way i'd run into a girl like that in my normal existence, espcially in academia and especially in male-dominated science. i know that's really shallow and superficial, and i know that not everyone in the business world is super good-looking, but it's little things like that, glimpses into that 'other world' that catch me sometimes. this world where ppl make sh*tloads of money doing relatively little work, drive sportscars and have a supermodel on each arm. where financial success leads to materialism at its most decadent. the kind of place where ppl can be assholes and get away with it coz they gots the money.

i know i've got principles and probably wouldn't last a day in that world, but i can see why other ppl want, though.

that's it, no more tv for me! :p

[stonemonkey]

actually, dumb rich ppl (eg. certain blonde heiresses) don't impress me at all. it's the ones who seemingly have it all, (looks, intelligence, charisma, money, even social conscience) that make me go: damn.

[stonemonkey]

so i'm a non-materialistic materialist?

[stonemonkey]

i'm bizarro ephphatha

[stonemonkey]

what's

1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + ......... = ?

written like this:

(1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + .... = 0

right?

but written like this:

1 - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) .... = 1

therefore 0 = 1

is that equivocation?

[stonemonkey]

No, but I delightfully predict that you will explain it.

in a deterministic universe that's the only possible outcome (unless he's stubborn and has no choice but to negate that prediction)

[stonemonkey]

but couldn't you predict what you were going to do, and then not do it?

[stonemonkey]

the problems come in because you guys let your predictions be known to each other, so the other can 'disprove' the predictor.

[stonemonkey]

so won't the real slim shandy please stand up, please stand up please stand....

[maxwell78]

Originally posted by stonemonkey
what's

1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - 1 + ......... = ?

written like this:

(1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) + .... = 0

right?

but written like this:

1 - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) - (1 - 1) .... = 1

therefore 0 = 1

is that equivocation?
I'm starting to get dizzy. :p