“By setting oneself totally free of constraints, free of thoughts, free of this debilitating activity called work, free of efforts, elements hidden in the texture of reality start staring at you; then mysteries that you never thought existed emerge in front of your eyes.” ~ Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Free Shit Army in West Philly are free of all constraints.
From Nassim Taleb’s book Procrustes:
Work destroys your soul by stealthily invading your brain during the hours not officially spent working; be selective about professions.
The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.
If you know, in the morning, what your day looks like with any precision, you are a little bit dead—the more precision, the more dead you are.
Those who do not think that employment is systemic slavery are either blind or employed.
The difference between technology and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free.
You have a real life if and only if you do not compete with anyone in any of your pursuits.
Uh, well, I guess we know why so much of the Middle East consists of fly-blown shitholes. Brillaint thoughts, Taleb. I guess I´ll just ditch my job and beg for a living.
Over and over in the Bible work is seen as a valuable part of an ordered society.
Example..
Anyone who does not provide for his family, especially his own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.1tim.5:8. In other words GOD commands people to work.
We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy ;they are busybodies. Such people we command in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food you eat.
2thess 3:11-12.Many more examples are available.
Christianity is where … The Protestant Work Ethic ..came from.Socialism is a godless , satanic ideology that destroys everything it touches .Kinda like liberalism.
It’s what’s wrong with the free shit army in west Philly. They don’t have to work therefore theybecome a burden to all of us who do.
Sounds like the mantra of the Free Shit Army to me.
Nassim Taleb put down his heroin syringe and 400oz Big Gulp soda to say:
“The difference between technology and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free.”
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I truly enjoy my job. There are days when things do not go according to plan and days it turns into a real clusterfuck but in the last 8 years I can’t recall a day I dreaded going to work. I don’t know if I’d be happier chopping wood, tending a garden and raising/hunting animals day in and day out but it would still be work.
HSF appears to provide most if not all of his daily sustenance through his direct labor but it’s still work. He seems happy enough.
If you can’t find enjoyment in what you do for a living you should find something else to do. I tend to believe that happiness with work or any other part of your life has more to do with attitude than anything else.
I couldn’t disagree more. Mr. Taleb has, due to his unfortunate choice of profession, conflated work with employment, the two are not the same.
I live for work, I enjoy it, it benefits myself, my family, my community, my neighbors, the land, our livestock, wildlife, etc, etc.
What he is talking about is wage slavery and that is a curse, but plenty of people are wage slaves without doing work as well as plenty of others who eschew any type of work in order to benefit from the free handouts of the political classes. They are no less slaves.
A man who works for his living doing what brings him joy is a happy man.
If you love what you do, and what you do does good in the world, it isn’t work.
HSF chose to work at his life, instead of working for somebody to have a part time life.
I understand and respect the notion that Taleb is trying to get across but that mantra mighta’ worked in 1914, better in 1814, but no way, for most, for now.
As we all know, the actual definition of “work” is moving mass through space. In that effect, we all work, even the laziest FSA member uses toilet paper.
bb chimes in with what the good book (happens to be written by the guys that owned the fields and assets, but don’t let a little fact get in the way of a great parable) says, and it is true.
But nowhere does the bible say you have sell your soul, and all your life energy, working so that some other guy can get rich.
Most people I know work to pay for the debt they took on so that they could work, and show off to their friends.
Life’s full of choices, we can choose to slave for someone else (bankster, boss, government), or we can figure out how to work for our needs, nothing more, and enjoy the rest of our lives with those we love.
It really is a choice.
And, no matter what you all think about the FSA, even though they have lots, and lots, of time, they surely never enjoy their lives, or their loved ones. They’re miserable all the freaking time, yet have no clue as to why it is so.
“bb chimes in with what the good book (happens to be written by the guys that owned the fields and assets, but don’t let a little fact get in the way of a great parable) says, and it is true.”
I won’t attribute a comment anymore because it sounds like i have an issue with the author, i don’t, not TE or I-S (especially not TE).
Stucky might know for sure but I thought the authors of the 66 books of the bible, plus several authors of non-canonical stuff, were regular folk. prophets, yes but still – working joes, not rich 1 percenters.
maybe you were referring to the writers of the declaration of independence or the constitution?
bb ought to get a star today. I-S’ turds couldn’t come up with that wisdom, and those are smart turds, i hear.
I’ve never read any of Taleb’s books. If the above excerpt is any guide, I’m glad I haven’t. Where does he think all the goods and services he enjoys come from? The heavens? What a putz.
TE said:
“And, no matter what you all think about the FSA, even though they have lots, and lots, of time, they surely never enjoy their lives, or their loved ones. They’re miserable all the freaking time, yet have no clue as to why it is so. ”
Uh not all of of them are miserable. I know plenty right here in my little corner of civilization who collect bennies under multiple SSN’s, buy and sell cars on the side as well as deal in stolen goods on the side. All cash under the table of course. The only time I see them unhappy is when they get popped for their 15th or 16th DUI or a warrant they claim they knew nothing about.
You’re probably right about the majority of them though.
I used to love what I did….does that count?
Admin, I thought you’d like this.
Philly School Officials: Without Tobacco Tax Hike, We Can’t Open
When the continued operation of your city’s public school system turns on taxing tobacco, you might be doing it wrong. Yeah, I’m looking at you, Philadelphia.
The city’s school superintendent, William Hite, is admonishing Republican legislators in the statehouse for stalling on a proposed Philadelphia cigarette tax increase. “I’m annoyed, disappointed, and frustrated, because we’re at a point two weeks before we have to make some operational decisions to educate children,” Hite said. Without the cigarette tax money, he claims 1,300 layoff notices will go out August 15.
The Pennsylvania House was set to vote on the $2-per-pack tax increase Monday. But House GOP leadership canceled the vote at the last minute, citing a lack of consensus.
Philly Mayor Michael Nutter also blasted legislators for this. “Philadelphia schools will not be able to open on time and safely, because they chose not to come and do their jobs,” Nutter told CBS Philly.
It is an absolute disgrace what is going on here and no other school district in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, no other set of parents, no other county, no other school district, would ever be subjected to this kind of nonsense and irresponsibility as we are now experiencing today based on the announcement that was made.
Perhaps instead of casting shade left and right, Mayor Nutter might want to consider why the School District of Philadelphia is so mismanaged and hopeless that it won’t even be able to open without a massive emergency cash infusion? Then again, crafting sustainable solutions is so tedious. Much easier just to raise taxes on groups generally disliked.
For more on Philadelphia school mismanagement, see Ed Krayewski on how the city is discouraging charter school attendance and Ethan Roberts on how Hite is fighting to keep teacher tenure.
http://reason.com/blog/2014/08/01/smoke-up-for-the-children-in-philly
whatever
I’ve been ranting to Avalon about this cigarette tax idea for weeks. It really shows the true colors of liberals and the union teachers with the gold plated pensions. The school district is bankrupt because of the pension obligations to the terrible teachers in Phila. Its’ plain and simple. The liberal democrat government drones will never propose cutting the gold plated benefits or laying off lousy teachers. That is their voting block.
Their response will always be to tax something. The $2.00 per pack tax is about a 30% price increase. Who does most of the smoking in Phila? Uneducated poor people do most of the smoking. They are willing to screw the poor even more to retain their government pensions. Their true colors are revealed.
Hardscrabble says:
“What he is talking about is wage slavery and that is a curse, but plenty of people are wage slaves without doing work as well as plenty of others who eschew any type of work in order to benefit from the free handouts of the political classes. They are no less slaves.”
I consider earning a living – even if it is not joyous, to be an honorable and rewarding way to live ones life. You are not a burden to others, you are in fact contributing to the welfare of those who benefit from your toil.
True slavery today in the USofA is Tax Slavery.
Fuck the government.
I work because I do not wish to be a burden upon anyone else, simple as that, quite a novel idea in this day and age.
Absence of occupation is not rest; A mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.
William Cowper
“Anyone who does not provide for his family, especially his own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” ———- bb
The 12 Disciples all had various jobs … from fishermen to tax collectors.
Even Paul made his living as a tent-maker.
Jesus, although it is said he was a carpenter (probably a mistranslation) … well, there are NO verses showing Jesus worked. Instead, he relies on gifts from rich pals … often women.
So, bb, was Jeebus the world’s first great Free Shitter? Don’t be offended, it’s just a question.
The final straw for me …. REVOLUTION!!! …. is if those fuckers attempt to tax choking-the-chicken.
“So, bb, was Jeebus the world’s first great Free Shitter? Don’t be offended, it’s just a question.”
It’s amazing that you would care about bb’s feelings, the one known for pissing off people without remorse.
Doesn’t the good book say Jesus was there at the creation and nothing that was done was done without him? Then on the seventh day, god rested. And the bible also says that a day for god is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. So god worked thousands of years to make all creation and you think him unworthy of receiving anything that might be called free. Notwithstanding the fact god owns the earth and everything in it. Nice of you to paint Jesus as a panhandler, wow.
“The final straw for me …. REVOLUTION!!! …. is if those fuckers attempt to tax choking-the-chicken.”
The chicken is not yours, it has been raised and supported by government issued greenbacks earned on American soil, protected by US authorities following applicable laws of commerce, security, medicine, interstate transportation, immigration and naturalization, prisons, etc. all in an effort to ensure the survival and viability of said chicken. Please review the instructions for PUD201400018 Taxes on voluntarily induced emissions.
Admin the poor damn sure should not be smoking. They can’t afford the healthcare costs that goes along with the habit. Pricing cigs out of their reach is a brilliant strategy.
Mr. Chen says: “…Stucky might know for sure but I thought the authors of the 66 books of the bible, plus several authors of non-canonical stuff, were regular folk. prophets, yes but still – working joes, not rich 1 percenters….”
I’ve been truly researching this whole issue again, the last time I put much time into it I was way young, this time it means so much more.
I took it upon myself to look into some of the not included books, and to find out why they were not included.
My take, and obviously Stucky would have a depth of knowledge way past mine, is that when prophets, such as Enoch, showed up telling people that God had other options for us, his children, then the power and the glory of the church(es), the church declared that there could be no new prophets and they held a big conference (Niece? I’m drinking, I’m just not going to look it up right now) and that conference of bishops and cardinals and whatever they called the then Pope figure, – all incredibly rich men – pulled a Joseph Smith. My reading was that they left all the books and psalms and apostles and prophets stories, most in various translations – which in and of itself invites altering – in a locked room, and when they entered the next morning the “right and true and word of God” books were on top the table and the rest lay scattered on the floor.
Then we lost the Gospel of Thomas (about Jesus’s youth), the Gospel of Enoch, and many other parts.
You can’t tell me that the book wasn’t compiled and translated by the rich and powerful, for the rich and powerful under the guise of the common man.
And if you follow the KJV, then well, it was compiled to make the King’s wants law. James ordered it to wipe out his sister’s (Elisabeth I, maybe? I forget, and again, drinking, I’m not looking it up or I might be gone for hour) book which had become the book of the land.
Remind you of anything?
Don’t get me started Mr. Chen, thanks in part to this place (and Stucky), I’ve reunited with God and re-started the education that I called complete decades ago. I’ve recently come to believe that the church – and rich powerful men – co-opted Jesus and his message, at least in my opinion. Where I used to believe none of the messages were true. Ah, live, grow and learn and learn and learn.
The one thing that hasn’t changed for me, at least since I was 11 years old, was my displeasure at those that use the bible as a sword, and miss all the messages that show us god and heaven and how we can have that today. Just like the Constitution the messages are for days like these, not in spite of them, not only when it’s going good. But that’s just me.
Nice to meet ya’.
In my experience, it is a ‘comfort’ thing for a lot of people. People become comfortable in what they know and stop looking to further educate themselves. Having the humility to realise you don’t know everything, that you make mistakes, that there are alternative methods and points of view, that is something I still struggle with.
Making an effort to achieve your goals can also be uncomfortable. If you don’t have goals, or your goals are shallow or superficial, then I can understand not making an effort. If you have nothing driving you, why would you make yourself more uncomfortable than you need to be?
It is too easy to become ‘comfortable’ in todays society. Too many toys and distractions. Social interactions are padded with politically correct language and there are just certain topics you don’t bring up with people, because it makes them uncomfortable, or horror, could offend. Some of the critiques of Huxley that I have read here, explain this better than I can.
Sometimes effort is just a means to an end. I’m fortunate in that my work, and the people in my life bring me joy. That is not to say that there are days when I struggle to get out of bed, or can’t be f***ed to face up to some of my resposibilities, but on those days I look in the mirror and say in my best Ron Swanson voice “Be a man!” That is usually enough to pull me out of a slump.
The Book of Enoch…cool stuff…fallen angels (Nephilim), giants, and “The Watchers”. I have an audio version of it on my MP3 player and listen to it sometimes on my commute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbtKUb4bul4
TE, I have it on good authority that Chen is of that disreputable clan of beaners hanging out in an illegals bar north of Nogales. His friends El Coyote, Juan, and others have been run off into the Arizona desert.
Anyway, I’m somewhat part of the Stucky congregation of seekers, we are anti-church, anti-religion, anti-sermon. We reject most pre-packaged ideas and have a tendency to reject holier than thou cretins. We welcome new insights but reject re-inventing the wheel; in matters of theology – book learning – we defer to El Stucko. In matters of truth, the bible is irrefutable though it may be subjected to personal interpretation and conviction. The last part intended to mean that we disagree on many issues but still, this is a nascent creed…
George Washington wanted the monetary system to be based upon Gold so that a man could figure out EXACTLY how much money it would take to see him through for the rest of his life.
In other words, GW thought it would be a paradise if you could work for twenty years, in a low inflation environment, and then quit or semi retire, and pursue other ventures. If you knew it took $40,000/yr to make ends meet, then get yourself $500,000 at 8% interest, and DO YOUR OWN THING!
I heartily agree!
Work sucks!
Or didn’t you guys read that work was Man’s Curse in Genesis?
Fuck me running, I’m tired of people talking about a man’s worth in regard to his wages and career. Is this all we’re good for? A gold watch? Piss off!
I have worked hard my whole life, and while it wasn’t outdoors doing manual labor like HSF, I still think it was work worth doing. If you want your buses to run, someone has to machine the replacement parts for when they break down. Luckily my life work in manufacturing generated significant wealth, so if I want to raise pigs or make jam I can easily pay someone to do the manual labor for me. Am I missing something?
“Am I missing something?”
My old boss, Phil, said rich people in America wear torn jeans, are skinny and build their own houses. He said in other countries it’s the poor that do that.
Perhaps he could have added, poor people work in physically demanding jobs in order to take it easy at the beach once or twice a year, rich folks dream of taking a two week vacation working for Habitat for Humanity just to know what it feel like to work for a living.
Maybe HSF could start a dude ranch for you rich folks to come tap the maple trees, dig, plant, cut down, do some work, man.
Hard work, like the lady who said she was working the family garden at two, said, is the secret to longevity. It is not a requirement for salvation.
Doppler above.
Mr doppler is wrong re my manual labor record. Hard manual work and I are well acquainted.
The rest is somewhat accurate, save I do not understand the last sentence.
Here’s the think about authors of the Bible. In many cases WE JUST DON’T KNOW. It’s a fact that Moses did not write the Pentateuch (although he may have authored PARTS of it). Scholars know that Matthew did not write the Gospel of Matthew. And on and on. The reasons for this, and how we know, is somewhat complex. You can either trust me, or do your own research.
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“I took it upon myself to look into some of the not included books, and to find out why they were not included.” ———- TE
It really boils down to one thing; VOTING. Yup. A bunch of people … often with “agendas” and ulterior motives … cast votes deciding on what should, or should not, be included. For example, the book of Revelation BARELY made the cut. In fact, in early voting it did not make the cut. Then it did. Sheesh!! The Catholics have several books not recognized by Protestants. Agendas and voting … that’s usually the bottom line.
As far as Other Gospels, there were MANY, even within a few years after Jesus’ death. A lot of people just glance right over this, but look at the Gospel of Luke, the first three verses (emphasis mine, of course)
“Inasmuch as MANY HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO COMPILE A NARRATIVE of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, IT SEEMED GOOD TO ME ALSO, having followed all things closely for some time past, TO WRITE AN ORDERLY ACCOUNT FOR YOU ..”
Indeed, even in Luke’s time “MANY” other gospels existed. And Luke decided it was “GOOD” to write another one.
“It’s amazing that you would care about bb’s feelings, —–“ —— Mr. Chen
Well, bb is starting to grow on me. Like the wart on my ass …. I don’t particularly like that it’s there, but after all these years I’d be disappointed if it fell off.
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“Doesn’t the good book say Jesus was there at the creation “ —– Mr. Chen
Well …. no. Not DIRECTLY anyways … it’s always INFERRED, at best. For example, when Jeebus says he and the Father are one, then you infer (or, is it deduct?) that Jeebus was also at the creation. Find me a direct quote … from the Gospels, preferably from Jeebus’ own mouth …. that HE, not the Father, created the heavens and earth. I’m waiting …. and I have a lot of time.
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“And the bible also says that a day for god is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. So god worked thousands of years to make all creation” ——– Mr. Chen
“One day is as a thousand years” is a figure of speech, not a mathematical equation. “One day” can also be as a Billion years to Da Lawd, or a trillion, or whatever. The verse comes from 2 Peter 3:8. However, Peter gets his info from Psalms 90:4 …. which makes it CLEAR that a thousand years is NOT a literal day. The verse states (NLT) — “For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, AS BRIEF AS A FEW NIGHT HOURS.”. So, are a thousand years a day, or a few hours, or a minute ….. ?
If you read all of Psalm 90 for CONTEXT you will find in verse 2 —-“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING you are God.”
And in verse 5 —- “Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death, but they are like the new grass of the morning:”
And in verse 12 —- “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Therefore, what a “thousand years is as one day” teaches is the distinction between TIME vs. ETERNITY. In other words, Eternity is timeless. They are two completely separate “dimensions”, if you will. We live in something called “time”, while God is above and beyond time, dwelling in a place called “eternity”. To compare the two is like comparing apples to Orangutans … it makes no sense, and can’t be done.
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“So god worked thousands of years to make all creation …” —– Mr. Chen
“worked thousands of years” has already been discussed above. Just want to add, according to Genesis God created everything by SPEAKING. Since when is “ speaking” work?? It’s work only if you’re a psychologist, lawyer, or politician. Repeat after me … “Let there be light”. How long did that take? Two seconds? That’s not work!
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“Nice of you to paint Jesus as a panhandler, wow. —– Mr. Chen
Instead of “wow”, why don’t you disprove my comment? Please do so without relying on Spiritual Jeebus … the worker of miracles, existing before time, creating worlds with his Father.
Instead, talk to me about EARTHLY Jeebus … the flesh & blood guy who walked the shores of Galilee. The guy who doesn’t buy wine but turns water into wine … and even the water wasn’t his. The guy who feeds thousands by turning a few loaves and fishes into a smorgasbord … and even those loaves and fishes weren’t his. The guy who employed a tax collector to get money, got free meals and lodging from Martha and Mary and other women of means, got a free donkey and Upper Room, and even his grave was donated by a rich man. Show me where Jeebus .. the MAN … worked.
Truth is a hard pill to swallow, isn’t it?
Stucky , I have read the same things from theological professors who upon looking into their background I discovered they were serial adulterers , homosexuals or apostates.
The other so called gospels didn’t have apostolic authority. An apostle was someone chosen by Christ himself. In the book of acts the apostles chose Mattias and he was never heard from again because Christ had chosen Saul who became known as Paul.
Read Colossians 1:15 -20 will give you your answers as to who Christ was in Creation.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses just stopped by to give me some new tracts- I’m not the kind to run anyone off, but I was right in the middle of processing chickens and they wanted to talk about why bad things happen to good people.
The older lady complimented my son’s calves. I found that odd.
And they didn’t buy any chickens, again.
Even the elect enjoy the odd piece of hardened man flesh. Otherwise, our life is mostly just a very repetitive series of doors slamming.
Even when Stuck chews your ass off, you have fun learning a whole lot. He’s reason #1 why I came here.
Drink up, my friends, I struck the rock of knowledge so you can slake your thirst.
The JWs say they have begun a worldwide campaign. They have been here three times since June. At first two Mexican women from Guatemala, then two men a month later and yesterday, a couple of black girls who I expected would be from the Lancaster Baptist Church.
We particularly appreciate the beaners who join. They are so dutiful and easy to manage. The negritos require frequent breaks, and often discard their pamphlets in an alley way. I’m not sure why.
…2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
I and the Father are one.
Stucky
I think Jesus the man was busy working hard.
Let’s see. The Gospels record constant teaching of a revolutionary change in God’s approach to man and the required response from man. He was constantly having to defend himself from harassment by the religious oligarchs of his time. Soon after he started his ministry he was mobbed by crowds of people demanding his attention and healing wherever he went. He performed numerous miracles, including the raising of the dead and the casting out of demons. There are indications that Jesus the man dd not accomplish these without intense spiritual communion with God, another kind of work.
Ultimately he completed his greatest work by subjecting himself to death by crucifixion, surely a really bad day at the office.
…for the works which the father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. John 5:36
When the JW’s show up on my porch I offer to teach them about worshiping Satan and invite them in. They usually come up with a quick reason to be somewhere else and they tend to stay away for a year or more. Works on Mormons too!
That’s a pretty crappy way to deal with someone that’s trying to save your sorry ass from eternal perdition.
hardscrabble farmer – “A man who works for his living doing what brings him joy is a happy man.” The key is “doing what brings him joy”.
If you’re not doing what brings you joy, then I would agree with Jeb: “Fuck me running, I’m tired of people talking about a man’s worth in regard to his wages and career. Is this all we’re good for? A gold watch? Piss off!”
Jehovah Witness says:
“That’s a pretty crappy way to deal with someone that’s trying to save your sorry ass from eternal perdition.”
It’s no worse than having my time wasted by people who are uninvited and insist on wasting my time no matter how polite my reply might be. They’re as bad as the govt when it comes to accepting “no” as a reply. The minute I need saving, I’ll call them or more likely contact a priest friend of mine.
Look here Indented Sphincter. We don’t come to your house for socializing. We’re seriously trying to save you from having your soul roasted over sulphur coals – forever. Can’t you just give us an hour and
a half here or there?
Send a hot, female JW over to blow me first and I’ll consider it.
work is not slavery.
Debt = Slavery