“On the Reception and Detection of Pseudo-Profound Bullshit”

That’s the title of this new study in the journal Judgement and Decision Making. Abstract: Although bullshit is common in everyday life and has attracted attention from philosophers, its reception (critical or ingen- uous) has not, to our knowledge, been subject to empirical investigation. Here we focus on pseudo-profound bullshit, which consists of seemingly impressive […]

Belated Halloween Post Thingy

For the Artsy Left, Scars > Obesity

From a Facebook post by super chic NOWNESS, we get a glimpse of high art fans’ feelings about a photo collection all about scars: 32 people like it. OK, no biggie. But witness the same crowd’s reaction to obesity-themed photography: Not feelin’ it. If there’s anything the art school crowd can’t abide, it’s fatness. Talk […]

High/Low Status Leftism: A Taxonomical Sketch

LOW: Fukushima, ecological catastrophe, astrology, 9/11-as-conspiracy, amorphous ideological boundaries, alternative weeklies, legalize drugs, anti-GMO, Edward Snowden rocks!, “I don’t subscribe to labels,” Damn those Republicrats!, Django Unchained, Uber is whatever, FEMEN is truly outrageous, atheism is cool, Mountain West, expanding consciousness, nurses union, pit bulls, Noam Chomsky, Free Tibet, Yes to Burning Man, punk aesthetics […]

An Homage to George Miller

Effectively, that’s what this is. Enjoy:

Telling Lines

That’s lines, not “lies.” A Christian Science Monitor piece on Bernie Sanders’ race “problem” inadvertently hints at why left libertarianism’s hoped-for inroads with the black community – and with the ascendent progressives more broadly – will face obstacles: “This [Black Lives Matter movement] is fueled in large measure by young people and it is a particular […]

Throwback Sunday: The Payolas, “Eyes of a Stranger”

The unofficial video mixed by Lindsay Nothing is cut with scenes from 1983’s “Valley Girl.” Doesn’t young Nicolas Cage look a lot like Jeremy Allen White from Showtime’s “Shameless”? It’s really uncanny. Valley. Girl. Heh.

Floory, the Most Miserable Furnishing in Pee-Wee’s Playhouse

Dude, he’s a floor.

Yes, Even Polyamorous Drug Users are Conservative

Let me explain. I’m inspired to write after reading libertarian David Friedman’s comment at Slate Star Codex, the blog run by a rationalist, polyamorous defender of hedonism who is nonetheless critical of today’s leftism. Friedman writes: Scott [Alexander] clearly isn’t a conservative. He’s not too far from the position of the Bleeding Heart Libertarians, but […]

The California Way of Propaganda

The environment? Check. Healthy living? Check. Burritos? Comprobar. I like the way the stuff in the photo meshes with the stuff in the reflection. There’s a nice cityscape overlap.