4 ms·

It saddens me to think that a polite exchange in which all parties are incorrect, come to a better conclusion, and leave amicably is so rare as to be remembered

It saddens me to think that a polite exchange in which all parties are incorrect, come to a better conclusion, and leave amicably is so rare as to be remembered across a span of time greater than my entire lifetime. Good conversations are so rare. It has been a long time, for me.

mewse-hn 5y ago
This exchange would be non-notable if it weren't for Feynman's stature and that he was basically called out by a musician. His familiarity with academia shines through by agreeing the answer deserves no marks, and his candor by stating that both of them were wrong.
- alisonkisk 5y ago
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
jka 5y ago
What are your favourite conversations about? (I enjoy abstract conversations about optimistic directions for technology -- although it often involves invoking and talking about -- joking about, if possible -- all of the possible dystopias to avoid along the way. we seem to be dipping our toes into almost all of the latter nowadays, but I tend to believe that doing that also helps expose the nature of the problems more clearly for a wider audience. I also really enjoy bicycle adventures despite rarely being that well prepared for them. recently I spent an hour on a hill "modifying" a front rim to accept a Schraeder valve rather than a Presta valve after suffering a flat and bringing the wrong kind of spare innertube with me; typical)
- nefitty 5y ago
  You sound awesome! I have my 2012 Specialized Allez flipped over in the living room. My wife will mention it any day now lol I had to replace a gear shifting cable, which was a nightmare. When I went to fill my tires, I realized the "auto" Serfas bike pump has some sort of weird logic where the Presta pump won't work if there's no pressure in the tire at all. Thankfully the little valve-stem-cap-cut-in-half trick actually worked! Speaking of nightmares, my current pet dystopia is solar flare collapse. I'm generally highly, highly optimistic about what science and technology can accomplish, but this is the one thing that makes me doubt the future. It's led me to seriously consider taking on an organized survivalist/prepatory hobby, not only for the slight chance of societal collapse, but it sounds fun to systematize that sort of primitive-style safety net.
  - jka 5y ago
    And you remind me of a friend of mine, and a funny story about them - apparently they once threw someone's food out of a window, apparently unprovoked. A bit jealous, irritable or aggrieved about something, I'd expect - those happen to all of us. Ah, the joys of youth, I suppose. What's the model of Serfas pump you mention? That sounds like a good problem to be aware of.
    - nefitty 5y ago
      I got this Serfas FP-55. I found the trivia on this site: https://www.rei.com/product/799193/serfas-fp-55-floor-pump https://www.rei.com/product/799193/serfas-fp-55-floor-pump I promise not to throw anyone's food out the window from here on out.
      - jka 5y ago
        Hehe, thank you. I'll try to keep a mental note about the FP-55.

mewse-hn 5y ago

This exchange would be non-notable if it weren't for Feynman's stature and that he was basically called out by a musician. His familiarity with academia shines through by agreeing the answer deserves no marks, and his candor by stating that both of them were wrong.

alisonkisk 5y ago

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

jka 5y ago

What are your favourite conversations about? (I enjoy abstract conversations about optimistic directions for technology -- although it often involves invoking and talking about -- joking about, if possible -- all of the possible dystopias to avoid along the way. we seem to be dipping our toes into almost all of the latter nowadays, but I tend to believe that doing that also helps expose the nature of the problems more clearly for a wider audience. I also really enjoy bicycle adventures despite rarely being that well prepared for them. recently I spent an hour on a hill "modifying" a front rim to accept a Schraeder valve rather than a Presta valve after suffering a flat and bringing the wrong kind of spare innertube with me; typical)

nefitty 5y ago
You sound awesome! I have my 2012 Specialized Allez flipped over in the living room. My wife will mention it any day now lol I had to replace a gear shifting cable, which was a nightmare. When I went to fill my tires, I realized the "auto" Serfas bike pump has some sort of weird logic where the Presta pump won't work if there's no pressure in the tire at all. Thankfully the little valve-stem-cap-cut-in-half trick actually worked! Speaking of nightmares, my current pet dystopia is solar flare collapse. I'm generally highly, highly optimistic about what science and technology can accomplish, but this is the one thing that makes me doubt the future. It's led me to seriously consider taking on an organized survivalist/prepatory hobby, not only for the slight chance of societal collapse, but it sounds fun to systematize that sort of primitive-style safety net.
- jka 5y ago
  And you remind me of a friend of mine, and a funny story about them - apparently they once threw someone's food out of a window, apparently unprovoked. A bit jealous, irritable or aggrieved about something, I'd expect - those happen to all of us. Ah, the joys of youth, I suppose. What's the model of Serfas pump you mention? That sounds like a good problem to be aware of.
  - nefitty 5y ago
    I got this Serfas FP-55. I found the trivia on this site: https://www.rei.com/product/799193/serfas-fp-55-floor-pump https://www.rei.com/product/799193/serfas-fp-55-floor-pump I promise not to throw anyone's food out the window from here on out.
    - jka 5y ago
      Hehe, thank you. I'll try to keep a mental note about the FP-55.