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C C
Aug 27, 2017 05:21 AM
https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/08/03/bo...#more-6037
EXCERPT: Suffering is very serious. Death is very important. Let me instead talk about something else that is becoming both serious and important, as the world gets richer and more awesome: the problem of pleasure.
Excessive leisure time is a problem that has only become widespread in the past century. As non-human intelligences get more sophisticated, it may be the case that human work remains extremely important; however, it may also be that humans are faced with increasing leisure. If that is the case, the critical problem facing humanity will be how to enjoy ourselves. If that seems silly, consider your favorite dystopian images of the future: only humans who understand how to enjoy themselves can demand living conditions in which they are able to do so.
Let’s get some silly ideas about pleasure out of the way so we can get on to the interesting stuff....
MORE: https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/08/03/bo...#more-6037
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confused2
Aug 27, 2017 08:51 PM
Seagulls are an example of a creature with a lot of leisure time. During the breeding season one bird can feed three chicks which grow from egg to near adult size in about 6 weeks - so without the chicks an adult maybe needs to hunt (work) for 30 minutes a day and the rest is R&R. Observation of these birds suggests that being a seagull is tremendous fun. On a day off I might spend several hours gazing out to sea. On a nearby perch there is a gull that also spends several hours gazing out to sea. I have to admit the quality of gazing out to sea is greatly improved by being shared with a seagull that is also gazing out to sea - we don't interact beyond each being aware of the presence of the other.
I can't guess at their social life - sometimes very noisy - but my impression is that it is pretty OK - any bird that doesn't want to get involved simply flies away.
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Secular Sanity
Aug 28, 2017 05:23 AM
(This post was last modified: Aug 28, 2017 05:23 AM by Secular Sanity.)
(Aug 27, 2017 08:51 PM)confused2 Wrote: On a day off I might spend several hours gazing out to sea. On a nearby perch there is a gull that also spends several hours gazing out to sea. I have to admit the quality of gazing out to sea is greatly improved by being shared with a seagull that is also gazing out to sea - we don't interact beyond each being aware of the presence of the other.
Why do you think we enjoy gazing at the evocative sea?
I love the ocean! I love everything about it, especially the smell. I used to think that the smell was saltwater, but it’s the smell of life.
Food, sex, and death.
I go there at least twice a week, if not more. Maybe it is the negative ions. I’m not sure, but whatever it is, I’m addicted to it.
There's something in the air and while it may not be love, some say it's the next best thing—negative ions.
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Zinjanthropos
Aug 28, 2017 07:19 PM
Quote:I used to think that the smell was saltwater, but it’s the smell of life.
I love that line. Mind if I use it someday in conversation with friends?
Of course I'm currently residing alongside freshwater but the smell is the same.
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Secular Sanity
Aug 28, 2017 10:27 PM
(This post was last modified: Aug 28, 2017 10:27 PM by Secular Sanity.)
(Aug 28, 2017 07:19 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: I love that line. Mind if I use it someday in conversation with friends?
The smell of life?
How in the hell would you ever plug that one in?
I wouldn't advise it, unless of course, you want to sound like a complete dork. Then by all means, go for it.
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Zinjanthropos
Aug 28, 2017 11:30 PM
(Aug 28, 2017 10:27 PM)Secular Sanity Wrote: (Aug 28, 2017 07:19 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: I love that line. Mind if I use it someday in conversation with friends?
The smell of life?
How in the hell would you ever plug that one in?
I wouldn't advise it, unless of course, you want to sound like a complete dork. Then by all means, go for it.
I'll use it the next time we drive past a farm field laden with freshly strewn manure.
If you were the first space traveler from Earth to set down and venture forth upon a new planet and the first thing to hit you was the odour of manure, would you need to look any further to know there's life?
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Secular Sanity
Aug 29, 2017 02:22 AM
(Aug 28, 2017 11:30 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: I'll use it the next time we drive past a farm field laden with freshly strewn manure.
No, that's bullshit.
The chemical compounds that cause seashore aromas are dictyopterene, dimethyl sulfide, and bromophenols. Food-Sex-Death. The compounds that cause most of the order in manure are isolaveric acid, butyric acid, and 4-methylphenol.
Don’t quit your day job, Zinman.
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Zinjanthropos
Aug 29, 2017 02:48 AM
(Aug 29, 2017 02:22 AM)Secular Sanity Wrote: (Aug 28, 2017 11:30 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: I'll use it the next time we drive past a farm field laden with freshly strewn manure.
No, that's bullshit.
The chemical compounds that cause seashore aromas are dictyopterene, dimethyl sulfide, and bromophenols. Food-Sex-Death. The compounds that cause most of the order in manure are isolaveric acid, butyric acid, and 4-methylphenol.
Don’t quit your day job, Zinman.
Misunderstood, always misunderstood .
Can saltwater really be smelled by humans? I know cow shit can.
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Secular Sanity
Aug 29, 2017 03:23 AM
(Aug 29, 2017 02:48 AM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: Misunderstood, always misunderstood .
Can saltwater really be smelled by humans? I know cow shit can.
You just didn't read the link that I posted, that's all. No biggie.
Food, sex, and death.
Nite, Zinman.
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Zinjanthropos
Aug 29, 2017 05:56 PM
Personally my honker would recognize manure before dimethyl sulphide.
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