Slavoj Zizek - First as Tragedy, Then as Farce

When Marx attempted to analyse world history through the lens of dialectical materialism, it was clear to him that the development of any given economic and social stratification would produce the seeds of its own destruction. Accordingly, he thought that when it came to capitalism, "what the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers."

But even though Marx saw further into the structure, logic and nature of capitalism than almost anyone, and while he understood equally well its incredible intellectual resourcefulness and flexibility, he may have underestimated how capitalism would eventually identify the seeds of its own destruction and plant them for its own purposes, exploiting your personal sense of altruism and social responsibility to perpetuate its supremacy. Slavoj Zizek explains:

Capitalism creates the dilemma... you're the one that has to live it...

Richard Feynman - Ode to a Flower

A common misconception regarding disciplines that require abstract and rigorous thinking (math, philosophy, science, etc.) is that their cold and rational nature strips the world (and our experience of it) of its natural beauty and the awe it can inspire for people who are passionate about emotion, beauty and the sublime...

Of course, that's absolute bullshit, but I'd better just let Richard Feynman (in a quick excerpt from his documentary The Pleasure of Finding Things Out) explain why this is such a misguided and shallow way of looking at the role of reason, curiosity and inquiry as it regards the world:

I love that bitch-slap :)

And to see how scientific and mathematical understanding can enhance our experience of beauty, check out the incredible animation Nature by Numbers, or any of the fabulous videos on by Vi Hart.

Telekinetic Coffee Shop Nightmare

P.T. Barnum once quipped that "there's a sucker born every minute," but when you think about it, you might have to conclude that maybe he gave people too much credit...

As part of an advertising campaign promoting some new Stephen King movie, some folks decided to stage a telekinetic hoax which ended up paying its investment in hilarious gold:

Apparently no one in the coffee shop seems to have been aware of Kurt Vonnegut's simple test for telekinesis: "If you believe in telekinesis, raise my hand." :)

The Media's Manipulative Influence on Our Psyche

I will be the first to admit that I'm all about the kind of female body portrayed in the ad to the side. I'm a sucker for the skinny waist and the firmness of a nice, athletic, toned body with virtually no body fat. To be fair, though, I also think that we men should try to live up to the same standards, and despite my busy schedule, and with various degrees of success and failure, I do what I can to aim for that goal myself :)

This is not to say however, that I'm not aware of the growing problem of the media's influences over our behavior, attitudes, preferences, beliefs, desires, and judgments. More perniciously, though, is their detrimental influence over defenseless and impressionable young children who don't yet have the mental faculties required to protect themselves against the manipulation and the farce orchestrated by multi-billion dollar corporations focused exclusively on turning them into consumers who will perpetuate the same exploitative system.

If you're a parent, find some better role models for your children, will you?