When I was younger, I discovered stoicism. At first I was put off by their slogan, Amor fati, because hey, no fat chicks. Then I dug a little deeper. I got out my Rosetta stone, and translated from Latin into Greek, and then into Demotic, and back into Latin because my cuneiform is pretty rusty, and finally back into English. That's when I discovered Amor fati only tangentially refers to dating plus-size girls. A closer reading of the texts resulted in a truer meaning: "Sh*t happens." I decided right then and there that this was a worldview I could get behind, if not walk behind.
So I'm a stoic now. I'm in good company. Shakespeare said that there was nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. Or maybe it was Rodney Dangerfield. In any case, there are a lot of us stoics out there. For instance, often I'll say something extremely stoic, if that's even possible, and people will remark that stoics are really out there.
To get you in the stoic swing, I've decided to invite the granddaddy of all the stoic scribblers, Marcus Aurelius, to weigh in on today's news items.
Scorsese’s New Mob Epic, ‘The Irishman,’ Has Netflix and Theaters at Odds
The film, which may represent Mr. Scorsese’s grandest statement yet on the intersection of organized crime and American politics, is expected to be a strong contender in the 2020 Oscar race. He took his $159 million movie, with Robert De Niro in the lead role, to Netflix after his home studio of recent years, Paramount Pictures, balked at the budget. The full extent of the theatrical rollout remains up in the air. Where, exactly, moviegoers will be able to see “The Irishman” won’t be clear until the discussions between Netflix and select major theater chains end.
"The man who has a house everywhere has a home nowhere"
The Amazon is burning at a rate not seen since we started keeping track. The smoke is reaching cities 2,000 miles away.
This year so far, scientists have recorded more than 74,000 fires in Brazil. That's nearly double 2018's total of about 40,000 fires. The current surge marks an 83% increase in wildfires over the same period of 2018, Brazil's National Institute for Space Research reported. The largest state in Brazil, Amazonas, declared a state of emergency on Monday.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
NASA Reports Fewer Fires Than Normal in Brazil
As of August 16, 2019, satellite observations indicated that total fire activity in the Amazon basin was slightly below average in comparison to the past 15 years. Though activity has been above average in Amazonas and to a lesser extent in Rondônia, it has been below average in Mato Grosso and Pará, according to the Global Fire Emissions Database.
"The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject."
Why the placebo effect is getting stronger
A study published in the Journal of Affective Medicine showed that the placebo effect was twice as strong in clinical trials of antidepressants in 2005 when compared to those in 1985. And a similar trend has been spotted in anti-psychotics.
"If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it."
Tesla Has Failed Massively As A Public Company
Musk’s greatest skill is in raising capital, but in the past five years that new capital—in excess of $20 billion—has led to greater losses and a much, much more levered balance sheet for Tesla. No value is being created for Tesla shareholders. It’s just a sea of red ink and constant dilution of shareholders and additions of new creditors.
"Never act without purpose and resolve, or without the means to finish the job."
Ohio State seeks to trademark the word 'The'
The school, formally known as The Ohio State University, is seeking a trademark on the word "THE" for use on clothing and hats. According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the filing was made Thursday. University spokesman Chris Davey confirmed the school had made a trademark submission, saying it was necessary to protect the brand.
"Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body, THE ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial"
Older adults can boost longevity 'with just a little exercise'
“It is important for elderly people, who might not be able to do much moderate-intensity activity, that just moving around and doing light-intensity [activity] [will have] strong effects and is beneficial,” said Ulf Ekelund, a professor and first author of the study at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.
"A wrongdoer is often a man who has left something undone, not always one who has done something."
Renowned Yale Computer Science Prof Leaves Darwinism
He has plenty of other problems with Darwinism. The last one he brings up is the (neo-)Darwinian belief that “gene mutations driv[e] macro-evolution.” These can explain changes in existing forms, but not the development of new forms. The mutations are fatal, and the organism dies before it can reproduce. There are no examples of mutations that are not fatal. This Georgia Tech geneticist John F. McDonald calls “the great Darwinian paradox.”
"Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life."
Democracy chilled by campaign against Boston Calling verdict
Brissette and Sullivan were found guilty of conspiracy; Brissette was also found guilty of extortion, for illegally pressuring a concert producer to hire members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union, which supported Mayor Marty Walsh during his first mayoral run. The effort to get a city permit played out during the summer of 2014 — the first year of Walsh’s first term. The concert took place in September 2014. Three days before it took place, concert organizers hired eight union laborers and one foreman, and finally got the permit they needed.
"He who eats my bread, does my will."
AT&T TV Combines The Worst of Cable, Satellite, & Streaming For One Inflated Price
In June, John Donovan, AT&T Communications CEO said their AT&T TV service would “radically reshape what your concept of television is.” This week, the company finally unveiled the service, which was thought to be a streaming version of their DIRECTV service — a fat bundle addressing the market of those who wanted DIRECTV, but couldn’t get the service because there was no line of site. What they unveiled though was everything that people hate about cable and satellite companies — hidden fees, contracts, teaser pricing, channels they don’t need — with the similar bundle that you would get with a $50 Live TV Streaming Service.
"...if a man comes to his fortieth year, and has any understanding at all, he has virtually seen - thanks to their similarity - all possible happenings, both past and to come."
San Francisco homeless stats soar: city blames big business, residents blame officials
It has more billionaires per capita than anywhere else in the world, but it also has a homeless problem so severe that it rivals some third-world nations. On any given day you can see souped-up Lamborghinis and blinged-out trophy wives in one part of the city, then walk over a few blocks and see piles of human feces, puddles of urine and vomit caked on the sidewalks. The misery of homelessness, mental illness and drug addiction hits deep in San Francisco and has turned parts of a beautiful city into a public toilet.
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Have a modestly successful Thursday, everyone, whether you want to or not. That's how stoics do it. I hope you enjoyed Ol' Mark's take on today's news. Remember, don't get down in the mouth about today's events. To quote the two most famous stoic philosophers:
"Everything that happens happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so." -Marcus Aurelius
"They don't think it be like it is but it do." - Oscar Gamble
