This is something a Silicon Valley celebrity said recently — and I’ve decided to “steal” it because the meaning is actually rather ambiguous and depends a lot on context. The person who said it, simply said it in passing and didn’t contextualize what was meant at all — I actually have a vague “gut feeling”… Continue reading We need to figure out what’s going on
Tag: language
What’s the Difference (Between Mainstream Media and Echo Chambers)?
Joe Rogan and Debra Soh were recently engaged in a lengthy discussion (about several topics, but also in particular) about differences between mainstream media and non-mainstream media — it was a recurring topic throughout the episode, and I recommend to consume the full podcast before reading my own take on it (see also “Are People… Continue reading What’s the Difference (Between Mainstream Media and Echo Chambers)?
Whose Language?
Let me start with a little English lesson. English has many homonyms, other languages also have many homonyms. Sometimes I try to wake people up to the fact that there are many words in their own language that sound just like something completely different in other languages. I often have to think twice about the… Continue reading Whose Language?
About: Technological Limitations of the Publishing Model as an Information and Communications Technology
I am currently on what has gradually become an annual retreat with a now nearly life-long debating friend in which we spar over various topics for small bouts that last ranging amounts of time, from two minutes to two hours to two years and sometimes even beyond that. Yesterday we engaged in such a bout… Continue reading About: Technological Limitations of the Publishing Model as an Information and Communications Technology
Mainstream and / or Main Stream?
Modern English and Modern German are closely related languages. Generally, when linguists say something like this, it mainly means something like “there once existed another language which was neither Modern English nor Modern German, yet which is common ancestor of both languages”. Of course something as complex as a language can hardly be described in… Continue reading Mainstream and / or Main Stream?
Listening
A while back, I made a discovery. Ironically, it happened while I had the radio on in the background, and I heard a recording of Rosanne Cash’s “Money Road” coming across the airwaves. The irony probably has to be made clear though. I have long since been a huge fan of Frank Zappa — I… Continue reading Listening
What’s X?
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Source: Quoted by Adam Curry on “No Agenda” Show [Episode 1601, 32:20 https://www.noagendashow.net/listen/1601/shownotes… Continue reading What’s X?
Who is Free to Choose?
I distinctly remember my father telling me to watch TV once — or rather: strongly recommending me to sit down and watch it together with him (and whoever else in the family happened to be around). It was a very special event: PBS was doing a series with Milton Friedman, called “Free to Choose“. We… Continue reading Who is Free to Choose?
The further on I go, the less I know
Wittgenstein had a saying about “die Grenzen meiner Sprache”, namely that these correspond to “die Grenzen meiner Welt”. [1] In my not-so humble opinion, this quote misses something very fundamental about language: that it does not exist in any “particular individual” (see also the previous post, “Self Mythology“). Language is a technology that exists between… Continue reading The further on I go, the less I know
Swarming Around
On the verge of solstice [1], let’s consider time some more. Amidst the bees buzzing around here and there, ideas have also been swarming around in my mind. First and foremost: it seems like swarms never die. Individuals die, swarms live on forever (more or less). Sure, extinction will do in a swarm, but isn’t… Continue reading Swarming Around
Socio Business blog 