Eccentricity 12 Mar 2009 In this age the mere example of non-conformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service. Precisely because the tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach, it is desirable, in order to break through that tyranny, that people should be eccentric. Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage which it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric, marks the chief danger of the time. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, chapter 3. Hat tip to Emma Pursey Social dominance
Politics Politics and the primate threat 27 Sep 2008 Some threat display has publicly occurred between two primates vying for the alpha male position of a large troop of feral, introduced, great apes in north America. It is examined here. Apparently one of the contenders failed to make eye contact, which is a dead giveaway of probable loss to… Read More
Cognition How not to give a keynote 6 Jul 201222 Jun 2018 So we finally managed to get things going for the Poland keynote. It took over half an hour to get the sound working, after a fashion, and the connection was blocky at best. The hardest part was that I kept trying to hear what people were saying at the other… Read More
Sermon On bullying at school, and reunions 17 Jul 2009 Mark Chu-Carroll has a heartfelt rant against how he was treated as a “geek” at school, which resonates with me. I was a geek, but I managed to avoid being attacked daily (mostly) by becoming a “head” or “hippy” (it was the 1970s, okay?). As such I fit into a… Read More
Not really. The first self-help book was published (coincidentally by the same publisher of the Origin) in that year, causing untold misery to millions.
Now there’s a philosophy to live by. Agreed! Starting tomorrow, I’m going to start calling everyone Clive, insist that at dinner everyone must circle the table three times before eating and own at least two hats that involve the themes “Turks” and “feathers”.
Now there’s a philosophy to live by. Agreed! Starting tomorrow, I’m going to start calling everyone Clive, insist that at dinner everyone must circle the table three times before eating and own at least two hats that involve the themes “Turks” and “feathers”.
Ah but if we all consider ourselves people of strength of character, moral courage, mental vigour and a reasonable amount of genius, and I think any fair survey of the human species will find the majority of people do consider themselves to be so, then how can such things be considered eccentric? We need some measure of eccentricity, as well as an objective measure (to some degree) of moral courage, strength of character, genius etc. Being unappreciated, even laughed at, in one’s own time doesn’t cut it (Galileo, Newton….Bozo the clown). Oh bugger…I was just trying to be eccentrically contrarian. Difficult when one agrees with the postulate isn’t it? 😉 Louis P.S. Monty Python, as ever, said it best: Brian: “You are all individuals!” Onlooker: “I’m not.”
Ah but if we all consider ourselves people of strength of character, moral courage, mental vigour and a reasonable amount of genius, and I think any fair survey of the human species will find the majority of people do consider themselves to be so, then how can such things be considered eccentric? We need some measure of eccentricity, as well as an objective measure (to some degree) of moral courage, strength of character, genius etc. Being unappreciated, even laughed at, in one’s own time doesn’t cut it (Galileo, Newton….Bozo the clown). Oh bugger…I was just trying to be eccentrically contrarian. Difficult when one agrees with the postulate isn’t it? 😉 Louis P.S. Monty Python, as ever, said it best: Brian: “You are all individuals!” Onlooker: “I’m not.”
Ah but if we all consider ourselves people of strength of character, moral courage, mental vigour and a reasonable amount of genius, and I think any fair survey of the human species will find the majority of people do consider themselves to be so, then how can such things be considered eccentric? We need some measure of eccentricity, as well as an objective measure (to some degree) of moral courage, strength of character, genius etc. Being unappreciated, even laughed at, in one’s own time doesn’t cut it (Galileo, Newton….Bozo the clown). Oh bugger…I was just trying to be eccentrically contrarian. Difficult when one agrees with the postulate isn’t it? 😉 Louis P.S. Monty Python, as ever, said it best: Brian: “You are all individuals!” Onlooker: “I’m not.”