"To this I will respond: yes, that is true! Ray[, an A.I. chatbot] is a very poor substitute for a real person. But here’s the thing: so are most humans. -Anne Kadat, "What I Learned From My New A.I. Friend." Persuasion. July 10, 2025. interesting throughout. It reminds me of a quote: "Being yourself is worth it, … Continue reading Many Humans are Poor People
Why I Deleted My Second Brain
Social Interactions as Offers With Value
https://twitter.com/loquitur_ponte/status/1941162662785585443 Interesting throughout.
Comments on “On Great Conversation”
This essay, "On Great Conversation," feels like an extension, and frankly, better expression, of some of the ideas I was trying to get at with Principles of Interaction. They key points: Conversation is (or should be) a co-creation of shared meaning. Good conversation has new additions building on old, whereas bad conversation replaces what came … Continue reading Comments on “On Great Conversation”
Removing Stains From Clothes
"I’ve found that the best — really the only — stain remover for laundry that really works is sodium percarbonate, which is a powder you need to mix in water before each use. (No liquid spray works nearly as well.) You then soak garments for 6 hours and wash. It completely removes just about any … Continue reading Removing Stains From Clothes
Different Times by Raphael Saadiq
Together Estranged
"Together Estranged, Inc. provides free support services to adults estranged from family members. We meet the needs of estranged folx both before they've advanced into full estrangement, during the process and long after as well. We also assist people as they explore which stage of estrangement is best suited for them, how to establish appropriate … Continue reading Together Estranged
Principles of Interaction
Note: This essay is a work in progress, a way to think through some ideas I have about social interaction, reality testing, worldviews and what not. Introduction "Von Neumann would carry on a conversation with my 3-year-old son, and the two of them would talk as equals, and I sometimes wondered if he used the … Continue reading Principles of Interaction
Peter Thiel on the Middle Class
"One fairly minor quote [from the recent Ross Douthat interview of Peter Thiel] that's worth thinking about: "I would define the middle class as the people who expect their kids to do better than themselves." This is actually a great working definition: a dividing line between middle and lower class is the assumption that the … Continue reading Peter Thiel on the Middle Class
Arnold Bennett’s Ten Step Plan for Learning to Appreciate Poetry
"I would advocate for more use of an anthology. And more memorisation. You may also find that, to begin with, you do not want take such a critical approach and would prefer to follow your nose rather than doing what Hazlitt tells you (although you should read Hazlitt at some point, he is among the … Continue reading Arnold Bennett’s Ten Step Plan for Learning to Appreciate Poetry
Zuihitsu, 2025-06
Technically, zuihitsu are longer reflections than what I tend to collect. But, the general idea is right. Here’s this month’s installment. If you want the complete set, please download the fortune file. You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.—Rumi I ain't a-saying you treated me unkind / You could've done better but I … Continue reading Zuihitsu, 2025-06
cafebedouin.org 