I actually quite agree with the points about economic structural issues not bring addressed. I think the far left focus on pronouns and such is a problem.

The culture wars between left and right are (frank)ed on both sides.

However, it bears repeating that censorship is about the state restricting expression. It doesn't apply to private business. If Rogan was removed from Spotify, Twitter and so on, by definition that is not censorship. That would be private property rights bring exercised by business owners. That's the market, not censorship.
- Zezel

If you look back on my previous posts you'll notice that I very deliberately referred to the "principles" of freedom of speech and expression and not the codified First Amendment right. When I speak of principles, my intention is to invoke the libertarian ideals espoused by John Stuart Mill, et al.

In principle, if corporations suppress the aforementioned principles on platforms that, for all intents and purposes, represent the "public square" and massively control the "market place of ideas", we - the people(!) - will have lost the ability to actively engage in freedom of speech and expression.

There is a reason why many have argued for the regulation of social media as a public utility -- so that freedom of speech and expression would become protected.

I'm guessing this is sarcastic but it's also true. Being contrarian isn't thinking critically, being critical isn't thinking critically. Thinking critically is using the methods and wisdom that have been passed down through generations, that have appreciably improved our knowledge and quality of living, to evaluate information and almost above all else acknowledge how much one doesn't know.

Lots of people don't know how to actually think critically and end up just believing whatever is outside of the mainstream. News flash, people that don't accept mainstream medicine are more than likely wrong and they're ignoring the peer review and scientific methods that is responisble for the biggest improvement in the quality and length of life in the history of mankind, objectively.
- TheMussel

Well said: Waving the flag of freedom of speech opens doors that can lead to some terrible events. In our inperfect world, some are tasked with deciding where to draw the line. Words can invoke hatred, words can invoke violence, freedom of speech much like true democracy is an unattainable ideal.

Well said: Waving the flag of freedom of speech opens doors that can lead to some terrible events. In our inperfect world, some are tasked with deciding where to draw the line. Words can invoke hatred, words can invoke violence, freedom of speech much like true democracy is an unattainable ideal.
- winsix

I'll say that freedom of speech is important, and nobody should be shut down. People fail to distinguish between Joe Rogan and real doctors, and that's a failure on society and education.

Same here, multiple neurologists, multiple neurosurgeons, my long time family doctor, had a lobectomy about a year ago (feb 3) and I was still told by them to get the vaccinations even tho I need to take 3500mg of meds a day already.

I’ll just roll with their opinions lol
- Dozzer

Your anniversary is coming up.

Any plans to commemorate it?

If you look back on my previous posts you'll notice that I very deliberately referred to the "principles" of freedom of speech and expression and not the codified First Amendment right. When I speak of principles, my intention is to invoke the libertarian ideals espoused by John Stuart Mill, et al.

In principle, if corporations suppress the aforementioned principles on platforms that, for all intents and purposes, represent the "public square" and massively control the "market place of ideas", we - the people(!) - will have lost the ability to actively engage in freedom of speech and expression.

There is a reason why many have argued for the regulation of social media as a public utility -- so that freedom of speech and expression would become protected.
- mjones242

Libertarianism and regulation?

I think classical liberalism no?

Your anniversary is coming up.

Any plans to commemorate it?
- Atomic Wedgie

No real plans. I’ve only had grand mal seizures 5x since the surgery, instead of 2-3x a week, and all during sleep which has made a huge difference for me.

So I’ve started putting feelers out to construction companies. I’ve been off work for a little more than 2 years now and quite frankly I’m horribly bored and want to get back to living. So I figure start by updating my resume with a new job, and hopefully make it something back in road construction that would still be useful when we head east.

Nice dive, Stutzle.

I'll say that freedom of speech is important, and nobody should be shut down. People fail to distinguish between Joe Rogan and real doctors, and that's a failure on society and education.
- TheMussel

While I'll agree that freedom of speech is important - it also has its limitations. Spreading racist and hateful views should have no protection by citing freedom of speech. Educating masses that have been brainwashed or misinformed presents many challenges, some of them are well documented during the past two or three years in the US.

Libertarianism and regulation?

I think classical liberalism no?
- TheMussel

Seriously, don’t waste your time.

Anyone watching Canada vs. Honduras?

Our second goal was unbelievable.

I'm guessing this is sarcastic but it's also true. Being contrarian isn't thinking critically, being critical isn't thinking critically. Thinking critically is using the methods and wisdom that have been passed down through generations, that have appreciably improved our knowledge and quality of living, to evaluate information and almost above all else acknowledge how much one doesn't know.

Lots of people don't know how to actually think critically and end up just believing whatever is outside of the mainstream. News flash, people that don't accept mainstream medicine are more than likely wrong and they're ignoring the peer review and scientific methods that is responisble for the biggest improvement in the quality and length of life in the history of mankind, objectively.
- TheMussel

Just to be clear, I have never championed the belief that contrarianism is necessarily "critical thinking" nor that simply being "critical" is a form of "critical thinking".

On the flipside, being compliant to the narrative pushed by bureaucrats and the mainstream media is also not an example of using your critical thinking faculties either.

Peer review is oft misunderstood as an infallible device of establishing scientific credibility but it is not without systemic flaws. It is not an altar by which we should worship; not saying you said this, but there are plenty of papers out there that dive into the process to much greater depth than I'll bother wasting both of our times here reciting that dive into some of these flaws. (and no, I'm not saying it's a completely broken methodology - I think it has been and can be a very useful tool)

For the record, I'm vaxxed and have my booster scheduled and I'm a big proponent of the scientific method. But I've also worked closely with Big Pharma (Pfizer and Wyeth, in particular) with respect to the FDA drug approval process (we supported electronic document creation for submissions) and it is a giant, scary poop show that is shockingly surface level and cursory in terms of the level of investigation that goes into the submitted data. (I highly recommend reading John Abramson's Overdosed America... I still need to read Sickening, his latest)

Again, I'm big on the scientific method but when I hear someone say, "trust the science" and "trust the experts", I'm not immediately reassured.

Lastly, I'd argue that the contrarians-for-contrarians-sake and the critical, but not necessarily "thinking", types are useful to society. While they are frequently wrong they provide an apparatus by which we can further strengthen our own arguments. I would argue that suppressing their speech is far more dangerous than any "dangerous misinformation" they may be pushing (intentionally or uninintentionally).

I think John Stuart Mill, et al. would agree with me.

Libertarianism and regulation?

I think classical liberalism no?
- TheMussel

Classical liberalism is the root of "small l" libertarianism.

(frank) that noise…. Always have to deal with stupid commercials using that site… I’ll pay the $15 a month when it comes to music lol
- Dozzer

Plus, YouTube has a poop poor collection of Hendrix tunes.

Half are people covering Jimi and it doesn't even say.

Well said: Waving the flag of freedom of speech opens doors that can lead to some terrible events. In our inperfect world, some are tasked with deciding where to draw the line. Words can invoke hatred, words can invoke violence, freedom of speech much like true democracy is an unattainable ideal.
- winsix

The ACLU defended neo-Nazis in Skokie years ago. Those neo-Nazis espoused hateful ideas and used abhorrent speech but their right to speak hateful words and express themselves detestably was successfully defended.

Free speech doesn't mean we only protect the things we like to hear, it means we protect things we don't like too.

If you try to suppress things that are detestable than all you are doing is pushing that subculture into a dark corner to do who knows what. That scares me a lot more than being able to easily shine a light on those in our society who are (frank)heads.

Beat bad ideas with better ones. Win the market place of ideas using arguments that are convincing and always seek the truth.

I want to know why the burning of churches (and an entire town) is “understandable. Blocking railways illegally is meh. Destroying statues is encouraged. Yet some truckers protesting is unacceptable.

In case you wanted to know how it’s going…

I hope you have the Weighted Average Carbon Emission Intensity Metric which is by sales/(CO2/million)

Kind Regahds,
Ahjay

Just to be clear, I have never championed the belief that contrarianism is necessarily "critical thinking" nor that simply being "critical" is a form of "critical thinking".

On the flipside, being compliant to the narrative pushed by bureaucrats and the mainstream media is also not an example of using your critical thinking faculties either.

Peer review is oft misunderstood as an infallible device of establishing scientific credibility but it is not without systemic flaws. It is not an altar by which we should worship; not saying you said this, but there are plenty of papers out there that dive into the process to much greater depth than I'll bother wasting both of our times here reciting that dive into some of these flaws. (and no, I'm not saying it's a completely broken methodology - I think it has been and can be a very useful tool)

For the record, I'm vaxxed and have my booster scheduled and I'm a big proponent of the scientific method. But I've also worked closely with Big Pharma (Pfizer and Wyeth, in particular) with respect to the FDA drug approval process (we supported electronic document creation for submissions) and it is a giant, scary poop show that is shockingly surface level and cursory in terms of the level of investigation that goes into the submitted data. (I highly recommend reading John Abramson's Overdosed America... I still need to read Sickening, his latest)

Again, I'm big on the scientific method but when I hear someone say, "trust the science" and "trust the experts", I'm not immediately reassured.

Lastly, I'd argue that the contrarians-for-contrarians-sake and the critical, but not necessarily "thinking", types are useful to society. While they are frequently wrong they provide an apparatus by which we can further strengthen our own arguments. I would argue that suppressing their speech is far more dangerous than any "dangerous misinformation" they may be pushing (intentionally or uninintentionally).

I think John Stuart Mill, et al. would agree with me.
- mjones242

Two things stick out to me. Firstly, if someone agrees with bureaucrats and MSM, are they being compliant if they conclude that bureaucrats and MSM have it right after evaluating the situation and message? The way you word it is that bureaucrats and MSM are always wrong because they're driving their narratives, which is not accurate, and it's impossible to know someone's motivations or intentions. Media literacy is about being able to read between the lines, not ignoring the message altogether.

Secondly, have a stake in your own health and advocate for yourself, but I don't see how anyone can evaluate peer reviewed medicine if they're not a trained medical practitioner (ie. not being a peer). This is a risk we live with, but we rely on professionals in all walks of life, and the scientific method improves from succeeded and failed experiments, not undue scrutiny of the underlying premise of the experiment to begin with.

Yes, everything I say has caveats depending on the situation, because life is complicated and nuanced.

I want to know why the burning of churches (and an entire town) is “understandable. Blocking railways illegally is meh. Destroying statues is encouraged. Yet some truckers protesting is unacceptable.
- drexel

Truckers protesting is fine. I just think they're silly.

In case you wanted to know how it’s going…

I hope you have the Weighted Average Carbon Emission Intensity Metric which is by sales/(CO2/million)

Kind Regahds,
Ahjay
- RickJames77

Funny how your company’s climate risk always spikes when you show up the morning after wing night.

Truckers protesting is fine. I just think they're silly.
- TheMussel

Agreed.

Funny how your company’s climate risk always spikes when you show up the morning after wing night.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yeah SFDR really correlates to my farts.

If you were trying to find the name of a song from a couple of lines in the lyrics, who would be your best source?
Heard a song in a daily soap, and no way can I find it.
- Leafsmart

I just type words into the Google and it usually works out.

Plus, YouTube has a poop poor collection of Hendrix tunes.

Half are people covering Jimi and it doesn't even say.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Yeah YouTube is just too much of a pain in the ass to find multiple good songs without skipping stuff and seeing ads non stop

I want to know why the burning of churches (and an entire town) is “understandable. Blocking railways illegally is meh. Destroying statues is encouraged. Yet some truckers protesting is unacceptable.
- drexel

Are the truckers in jail? Or are you just being your dramatic self again?

So many nurses fired. Doctors with different opinions canceled. So how come you only agree with the nurses and doctors with same opinion? Confirmation bias and tribalism.
- drexel

Yawn
Should have gotten vaxxed