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There's a quote I like that I think came from Marvin Minsky, "the US needs a Department of Homeland Arithmetic." We're protecting ourselves from all the wrong r
by tonystubblebine 18y ago
There's a quote I like that I think came from Marvin Minsky, "the US needs a Department of Homeland Arithmetic." We're protecting ourselves from all the wrong risks.
- aggieben 18y agoUh, wouldn't this actually be called something like "the US Department of Education"? It's been a rousing success, too - it's allowed our Ministry of Truth to claim things like "comrades! Our production of students that pass the standardized test is up 85% this quarter!". It's all about families, man. Good families teach people what's really important - not federal departments of anonymoustaxeatingbureaucrat.
- sabat 18y agoAnd when a large proportion of families (broken, dysfunctional, otherwise unable) fail to teach kids what's important: what then?
- graywh 18y agoPeople didn't worry about that (i.e. formal education systems) until only recently, but I guess what's "important" has gotten more complex and the rate of "dysfunction" has increased.
- aggieben 18y agoI don't know many good answers to that question - but in my bones I know that the federal government isn't one of them.
- helveticaman 18y agoWhat now?
- byrneseyeview 18y agoI don't understand why Marvin Minsky hates America so much that he wants to put the government in charge of assessing such risks. The government is an incredibly complex device for distilling a tiny amount of individual ignorance from each voter into a moonshine of batshittery.
- SwellJoe 18y agoI'm not exactly sure what a "moonshine of batshittery" is, but you've got my vote.
- fnord23 18y agoI'm guess it's from the phrase 'batshit crazy'. But yeah, he's got my vote too...
- rw 18y agoIt's presumptuous to say that voters effect any real change in government policy.
- eru 18y agoPerhaps you have more effect by voting (i.e. switching) TV channels. The public opinion seems to be very important for government policy - and popular shows can be and are seen as a barometer for it, I guess.
- michaelneale 18y agoA book I want to read on that exact subject: http://miami.indymedia.org/news/2008/05/11008.php http://miami.indymedia.org/news/2008/05/11008.php
- gojomo 18y agoWe could fund the Department of Homeland Arithmetic with lottery revenues!
- mynameishere 18y agoPeople who are quite aware of the mathematics behind gambling still do it. Gambling exploits instincts rather than ignorance.