Skycomet

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

I still fear that Trump can win.

All that, and one has to make a binary choice in November.

I still fear that Trump can win. If Harris can keep the honeymoon going and also let the voters hear more of her actual policies, without the rhetoric, then I think she will have a much better chance.  If Trump can’t keep himself in check during the debate and Harris displays a diplomat…[Read more]

The complexities of one’s groups come to the fore at election time. One might have to weigh how one feels about the current administration’s policies on Israel’s handling of Hamas vs. their handling of Russia vs. Ukraine vs. China’s wanting hegemony over East Asian trade routes, but then want to rein in military spending in order to spend more on…[Read more]

Have a great week everyone!!

Christians think nothing of condemning nonbelievers to eternal suffering, but will forgive the most atrocious crimes committed by themselves.

–Ignots Pistachio

Romeo dies??? Well I guess I won’t be watching that movie then.

Since there’s no way to get rid of groups, since only groups can cooperate (internally) – there’s no way, in this competitive world, to get rid of in-group bias and out-group antipathy.  The only thing we can do is be aware of it and how it works, and then maybe it can be overcome to some extent.

A group that evolve dynamically and for the benefi…[Read more]

@ Simon and Robert

One can belong to various groups almost without limit and often with incompatible or conflicting interests. One might work for Willie’s Widgets and own Willie’s Widget’s stock as a retirement investment. So, joining in a strike for higher wages for oneself and one’s fellow union members (yet another group) could adversely…[Read more]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Unseen wrote:

Set being a useful term because a mathematical set can have just one member—or even no members, a null set.

That’s the difference. A collaborative group must have at least two members (a partnership, team, etc.).

Okay, but I asked a question which wasn’t I guess, worth answering when one might split lin…[Read more]

What is the logic of in-group bias? When the most basic group (in mathematical terms, a set*) is the self, it’s hard to distinguish it from simple narcissism.

Expand the set to one’s group (however defined, which is a problem: family? neighborhood? village? territory? nation-state? humankind?) and you have to decide to what extent do you have to…[Read more]

@jakelafort – A very good smartphone would tell you that O’Brien and Dettori score a treble tonight with Greenfinch, Mountain Bear and Chief Little Rock.

This is a fault in human nature – our in-group bias.

I agree but I think there is a bigger picture to look at here. In-group bias evolved as a survival mechanism. Favoring those within one’s own group lead to more cohesive and cooperative units, enhancing group survival against external threats. It allowed us to protect our territory and r…[Read more]

I know a male dentist in Ireland who saw a patient from Saudi for a wisdom tooth extraction. After the procedure the patient left his sister in the waiting room and said he would be back in 30 minutes as he wanted to get his prescription from the pharmacy. He only left her “alone” as the other 2 patients and the receptionists were female. It tra…[Read more]

Strega wrote:

Genghis Khan unified all the Mongolian tribes with his brutality.

The British created the modern state of India out of a gaggle of minor local kingdoms with theirs. And the modern state of Germany wouldn’t have the national treasure of Schloss Neuschwannstein without the brutality of The Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, either.

Strange…[Read more]

@_Robert_ always will be a child molesting…cult.

I suspect this is going to be the case but they are not in first place considering the latest news about the Catholic Church in Ireland which will lead to more revelations around the world over the next few years. I won’t post about it yet but I will be asking people why they still support an…[Read more]

See what happens when you try to silence me…..