"science is the only true guide in life."

steve hanke

one of best ta ever taught there.

the largest borough of 5 in new york city , largely composed of manhattan island which is surrounded by the hudson river, harlem river, and east river. as of 2019, its population was 1.62 million people

snoop dogg’s way of saying “fo sho, my...” well, you can figure out the rest.

i think adam sandler is genuinely hilarious

imagine with me, if you will, a snowfall.

the catastrophic peace of a winter morning, grey skies and icy windows framed by flakes laid to rest

frostbitten breezes wind through heavy-laden branches, sending clouds of snow swirling through the air as if from a powder-puff against a grandmother's cheek

wandering rays of sunlight find their way through the cloud cover

and it's beautiful.

eddie rickenbacker was a businessman and race car driver before he joined the american expeditionary force (aef) to fly combat planes in france. he was america's top "ace" in the aef because of his 26 "scores"-enemy planes he shot down. rickenbacker received both the french croix de guerre award and the congressional medal of honor.

i used to eat 1 kg (2.20 lb) of this tempting dessert after dinner with my brother.

i thought ariana grande was a font name *

the mate value is evaluated on at least three dimensions:

1. attractiveness/vitality: are we a physically attractive person with an appealing personality?
2. status/resources: are we a winner or a loser? do we have money? are we cultured and well-educated?
3. warmth/trustworthiness: are we a warm, loving, loyal, and devoted person?

if you are high on all three dimensions, you are at the top of the sexual status hierarchy. everyone wants to date you, have sex with you, marry you, and make babies with you. if you are low on all three dimensions, you are at the bottom of the sexual status hierarchy. hardly anyone wants to date you, have sex with you, marry you, or make babies with you.

not gonna lie.

"ars longa, vita brevis" is a latin phrase meaning "art is long, life is short." the phrase is often attributed to the ancient greek physician hippocrates, although it is not found in any of his writings. the phrase is often interpreted as a reminder that the pursuit of one's craft or art takes a long time, but that life is short, and one should make the most of it while they can.

it is also interpreted as an encouragement to persist and to invest time in one's passion or vocation, even if it takes a long time to master it. it also implies that one should not give up on their passion and dreams, as the journey of pursuing them is worth it, even if the time is limited.

in general, the phrase is a reminder to appreciate the beauty and value of the creative process, and to make the most of the time we have in this world.

the 48 laws of power is a book written by robert greene that outlines 48 strategies for gaining and maintaining power in relationships, organizations, and society. the laws cover a wide range of topics including self-promotion, manipulation, deception, and the acquisition of power through the manipulation of perception and image. some of the most well-known laws include: "never outshine the master," "play a suckers to catch a sucker," and "conceal your intentions." the book is written in a historical context, with examples from figures such as machiavelli, sun tzu, and julius caesar. it is intended as a guide for individuals seeking to gain power, but has also been criticized for promoting unethical behavior.

turkey is a country where the minister of health personally owns private hospitals, the minister of tourism personally owns hotels, and the minister of education personally owns private schools.

whiplash, directed by damien chazelle, explores deep philosophical themes related to ambition, perfectionism, the nature of greatness, and the moral costs of success. the film follows andrew neiman, a young jazz drummer, and his intense relationship with his abusive music instructor, terence fletcher. the philosophical undertones of the film resonate with various philosophical ideas on ethics, existentialism, the pursuit of excellence, and the role of suffering in personal growth. let's explore "whiplash" through the lens of key philosophers and their theories:

1. nietzsche and the will to power

friedrich nietzsche argued that life's driving force is the will to power, which is the desire to grow, dominate, and transcend oneself.

andrew's relentless pursuit of drumming excellence reflects nietzsche's concept of the übermensch (overman), who seeks to surpass human limitations through sheer strength of will and self-overcoming. fletcher represents the harsh force of nature or society that tests andrew's strength and pushes him toward this higher state of existence.

nietzsche believed that suffering and struggle are necessary for greatness:
"that which does not kill us makes us stronger."

andrew's suffering under fletcher's brutal teaching methods becomes a crucible for his transformation into a musical virtuoso. he embraces the pain and struggle as a means of transcending mediocrity, embodying nietzsche's idea that greatness comes through suffering and overcoming.

2. aristotle and the doctrine of the mean

aristotle proposed the idea of the golden mean, which means that virtue lies in finding a balance between extremes.

fletcher's teaching style represents an extreme, pushing andrew to his psychological and physical limits. aristotle would argue that fletcher's methods are excessive and harmful, as they violate the principle of moderation.

andrew, on the other hand, eventually adopts a similarly extreme work ethic, rejecting balance in favor of total dedication to drumming. aristotle would likely critique fletcher's methods as lacking virtue since they involve excess rather than balance. true greatness, in aristotle's view, would require both skill and emotional well-being, which andrew sacrifices in his obsessive pursuit of perfection.

3. kant and the categorical imperative

immanuel kant proposed that moral actions must follow a categorical imperative, meaning that an action is morally right only if it could be universally applied without contradiction.

fletcher's abusive teaching methods would violate kant's moral principle because they involve manipulation, deceit, and harm. kant would likely argue that fletcher's ends (creating a great musician) do not justify his means (psychological abuse).

andrew's eventual acceptance of fletcher's methods suggests that he internalizes a consequentialist mindset, valuing the outcome (musical greatness) more than the moral process. kant would argue that true moral greatness cannot arise from unethical means, even if the artistic result is remarkable.

4. sartre and existentialism

jean-paul sartre believed that human beings define themselves through their actions and choices. life has no inherent meaning except what we create for ourselves.

andrew's decision to endure suffering and push himself toward greatness reflects existentialist freedom. he chooses his own meaning through his devotion to music.

fletcher represents a figure of existential challenge. he creates an environment where andrew is forced to confront his limitations and choose who he wants to become. andrew's climactic drum solo represents a moment of existential authenticity, where he asserts his artistic identity and finds freedom through creative expression.

sartre would see andrew's journey as an example of "existential authenticity," where andrew confronts the absurdity of his suffering and creates his own artistic purpose.

5. hegel and the master-slave dialectic

georg wilhelm friedrich hegel introduced the concept of the master-slave dialectic, a dynamic where self-consciousness arises through the struggle between dominance and submission.

fletcher embodies the role of the "master" who seeks to create greatness through dominance and fear. andrew begins as the "slave," responding to fletcher's demands and expectations.

the climax of the film, where andrew delivers a transcendent performance on his own terms, symbolizes the reversal of this dynamic. andrew asserts his artistic independence and "masters" the relationship.

hegel would view andrew's final performance as a synthesis. andrew absorbs fletcher's brutal methods but transcends them to assert his own creative identity.

6. john stuart mill and utilitarianism

john stuart mill proposed that moral actions are those that maximize happiness and minimize suffering for the greatest number of people.

fletcher's abusive teaching style would fail the utilitarian test because it produces intense suffering for andrew and others. however, fletcher might argue that the long-term happiness (creating a musical legend) justifies the short-term pain.

mill's principle of higher pleasures might complicate the analysis. does the artistic greatness that andrew achieves justify the pain it took to get there? mill would likely reject fletcher's methods because the suffering outweighs the positive outcome for most students. however, the exceptional result of andrew's greatness might create a moral gray area.

7. kierkegaard and the leap of faith

soren kierkegaard argued that true meaning and greatness require a leap of faith, which is a radical commitment to an uncertain outcome.

andrew's choice to stay on stage and deliver a flawless performance despite fletcher's sabotage reflects this leap of faith. he trusts his inner artistic vision and steps into uncertainty, embodying kierkegaard's concept of authentic self-realization.

kierkegaard would likely see andrew's final performance as a moment of existential courage and self-transcendence.