9 ms·

Undeniably, these are complex and depressing times for many, maybe even most, people. However, I'm sitting at a desk, two windows into all human knowledge in f

by nynx 6y ago

Undeniably, these are complex and depressing times for many, maybe even most, people. However, I'm sitting at a desk, two windows into all human knowledge in front of me. You can buy computing hardware at tens of dollars per petaflop per second. Aging is starting to be considered a preventable disease. Humanity is on a path–a tumultuous one, albeit–towards utopia.

drcross 6y ago
I don't share the same hope. Despite sitting in front of the world's font of information there's still people out there that think a cloth masks have a meaningful effect on filtering a nanoscale particle.
- nynx 6y ago
  I'm guessing you made this comment to be edgy. I would hope that you, having access to both a brain and the internet, would realize that viruses are respirated in water droplets large enough to be blocked by filters and–to a lesser extent–cloth.
- ianmcgowan 6y ago
  Which people? Everything I've read says the point of masks is to prevent airborne droplets, (that said nanoscale particles hitch a ride on). Does it make more sense to think of a cloth mask filtering droplets in the 10um range? E.g. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-abou...
- slumpt_ 6y ago
  I gotta say, reading your post takes away some of my hope too. jfc
redisman 6y ago
Aging is great! If people lived forever we’d just have a immortal ruler class of vampires set in their 1800s ways. I truly hope that never happens
- nynx 6y ago
  Aging sucks dude. I don't want to get old. In fact, aging is the worst moral disaster in the entirety of human existence. It would be immoral not to stop it given the opportunity.
  - imagica 6y ago
    >Aging sucks dude. I don't want to get old. Why? Every single one of your ancestors got old and died. It is simply natural. Nature has a way of recycling and death is part of that as much as birth is. It would be a disaster of civilization if we start messing with immortality. I have to admit that I'm not fond of aging and gently pushing the boundaries of what we can do about it doesn't bother me in the least. Even curbing the process of aging but still have a hard limited lifespan would work. But immortality is the most narcissistic idea one can have.
    - nynx 6y ago
      A bunch of my ancestors probably died of syphilis. Doesn't mean I should do that. Many people depend on modern medicine to be alive. Maybe even you or someone you love. Who should get decide when they've gotten enough? Do you want to tell a 100 year old that you're sorry but their time is up because not wanting to die is apparently narcissistic?
    - WalterBright 6y ago
      My best guess is I'd likely get bored with living at age 500 and be ready to check out. But I'm in my 60s and am excited every day to get up and work on my various projects, and follow lots of events in the world. Being alive is glorious.
      - tartoran 6y ago
        I wish you another productive 40, in good shape and health. Ok, another 60 healthy productive years so you live till you’re 120. Would you want more than that? Im 40 and am looking to expire at 70 or 80 (if I make it of course). Is there something wrong with me to expect that? I find the thought about death in old age somewhat comforting as if there is an end to all this movement and that is the exit. Im not afraid either.
slumpt_ 6y ago
utopia for the wealthy god help you if youre poor
- WalterBright 6y ago
  Modern poor people in America live better than royalty in the Middle Ages. A lot better.
  - slumpt_ 6y ago
    you ever been on food stamps yourself?
    - WalterBright 6y ago
      You mean receiving food of more variety and better quality than anything available to medieval kings? Oranges and strawberries all year round? Wow!
      - slumpt_ 6y ago
        sounds like the answer is "no." see: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26033031 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26033031 not everything is about getting seasonal fruits year round. there is a lot more to life. and you have not lived in the shoes of the poor in america, so maybe when it concerns issues of poverty you should listen more than talk.
        WalterBright 6y ago
        > not everything I didn't say or imply that. Please stick with what I wrote. > maybe when it concerns issues of poverty Maybe you'd prefer statistics. Modern poor people today are much taller than medieval kings (I've seen Henry 8's armor). Height is a strong indicator of having been well fed with good nutrition throughout childhood. American poor children grow tall and strong. They don't work. They get 12 years of free education. They have good clothes (not rags). There are plenty of government programs to give them free medical care, housing, indoor plumbing, and electricity. They can visit a free library with vast resources available for the asking. They likely have a phone in their pocket with instant access to anyone in the world and a pretty large chunk of all the world's information. They don't suffer from smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, polio, typhoid, diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhus, rickets, scurvy or cholera. They live longer than medieval kings did, too.

by nynx 6y ago

drcross 6y ago

I don't share the same hope. Despite sitting in front of the world's font of information there's still people out there that think a cloth masks have a meaningful effect on filtering a nanoscale particle.

nynx 6y ago
I'm guessing you made this comment to be edgy. I would hope that you, having access to both a brain and the internet, would realize that viruses are respirated in water droplets large enough to be blocked by filters and–to a lesser extent–cloth.
ianmcgowan 6y ago
Which people? Everything I've read says the point of masks is to prevent airborne droplets, (that said nanoscale particles hitch a ride on). Does it make more sense to think of a cloth mask filtering droplets in the 10um range? E.g. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-abou...
slumpt_ 6y ago
I gotta say, reading your post takes away some of my hope too. jfc

redisman 6y ago

Aging is great! If people lived forever we’d just have a immortal ruler class of vampires set in their 1800s ways. I truly hope that never happens

nynx 6y ago
Aging sucks dude. I don't want to get old. In fact, aging is the worst moral disaster in the entirety of human existence. It would be immoral not to stop it given the opportunity.
- imagica 6y ago
  >Aging sucks dude. I don't want to get old. Why? Every single one of your ancestors got old and died. It is simply natural. Nature has a way of recycling and death is part of that as much as birth is. It would be a disaster of civilization if we start messing with immortality. I have to admit that I'm not fond of aging and gently pushing the boundaries of what we can do about it doesn't bother me in the least. Even curbing the process of aging but still have a hard limited lifespan would work. But immortality is the most narcissistic idea one can have.
  - nynx 6y ago
    A bunch of my ancestors probably died of syphilis. Doesn't mean I should do that. Many people depend on modern medicine to be alive. Maybe even you or someone you love. Who should get decide when they've gotten enough? Do you want to tell a 100 year old that you're sorry but their time is up because not wanting to die is apparently narcissistic?
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    My best guess is I'd likely get bored with living at age 500 and be ready to check out. But I'm in my 60s and am excited every day to get up and work on my various projects, and follow lots of events in the world. Being alive is glorious.
    - tartoran 6y ago
      I wish you another productive 40, in good shape and health. Ok, another 60 healthy productive years so you live till you’re 120. Would you want more than that? Im 40 and am looking to expire at 70 or 80 (if I make it of course). Is there something wrong with me to expect that? I find the thought about death in old age somewhat comforting as if there is an end to all this movement and that is the exit. Im not afraid either.

slumpt_ 6y ago

utopia for the wealthy god help you if youre poor

WalterBright 6y ago
Modern poor people in America live better than royalty in the Middle Ages. A lot better.
- slumpt_ 6y ago
  you ever been on food stamps yourself?
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    You mean receiving food of more variety and better quality than anything available to medieval kings? Oranges and strawberries all year round? Wow!
    - slumpt_ 6y ago
      sounds like the answer is "no." see: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26033031 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26033031 not everything is about getting seasonal fruits year round. there is a lot more to life. and you have not lived in the shoes of the poor in america, so maybe when it concerns issues of poverty you should listen more than talk.
      - WalterBright 6y ago
        > not everything I didn't say or imply that. Please stick with what I wrote. > maybe when it concerns issues of poverty Maybe you'd prefer statistics. Modern poor people today are much taller than medieval kings (I've seen Henry 8's armor). Height is a strong indicator of having been well fed with good nutrition throughout childhood. American poor children grow tall and strong. They don't work. They get 12 years of free education. They have good clothes (not rags). There are plenty of government programs to give them free medical care, housing, indoor plumbing, and electricity. They can visit a free library with vast resources available for the asking. They likely have a phone in their pocket with instant access to anyone in the world and a pretty large chunk of all the world's information. They don't suffer from smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, polio, typhoid, diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhus, rickets, scurvy or cholera. They live longer than medieval kings did, too.