3 ms·
Grossly off-topic, but your "Volkswagon, Potato" reminded me of Borges' riff on taxonomy[0]. This is probably exemplary of the kind of rabbit hole one can get l
by BLKNSLVR 5y ago
Grossly off-topic, but your "Volkswagon, Potato" reminded me of Borges' riff on taxonomy[0]. This is probably exemplary of the kind of rabbit hole one can get lost in if attempting the "real world" application during the learning of difficult concepts. Best be introduced in a sterile environment, and leave it to the workplace to destroy one's worldview in order to for it to be rebuilt according to the reality of the local context.
The list divides all animals into 14 categories:
Those belonging to the Emperor
Embalmed ones
Trained ones
Suckling pigs
Mermaids (or sirens)
Fabled ones
Stray dogs
Those included in this classification
Those that tremble as if they were mad (this one's my favourite)
Innumerable ones
Those drawn with a very fine camel hair brush
Et cetera
Those that have just broken the vase
Those that from afar look like flies
[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_Emporium_of_Benevolent_Knowledge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_Emporium_of_Benevole...
It's mind-altering. Re-visiting this list always reminds me of the infinite potential of absurdity.
- kgwgk 5y agoThe number of categories reminds me of this footnote in another of his stories: "The original says fourteen, but there is ample reason to infer that, as used by Asterion, this numeral stands for infinite."