james choice

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.

karl marx was a philosopher, economist, and revolutionary who is known for his contributions to the field of sociology and his critique of capitalism. marx is best known for his ideas about class conflict, the labor theory of value, and the concept of historical materialism, which posits that the development of societies and economies is driven by changes in the means of production.

marx introduced a number of important terms and concepts that have had a lasting impact on literature and intellectual thought. some of the most notable terms and concepts introduced by marx include:

alienation: the idea that individuals are separated from their own humanity and from the products of their labor as a result of the capitalist mode of production.

class: a group of individuals who share a common economic position in society and who are united by their common interests.

class consciousness: the awareness that individuals have of their own class position and the ways in which it shapes their lives.

dialectical materialism: a method of understanding social and economic phenomena that involves the synthesis of opposing forces or ideas through the process of conflict and resolution.

exploitation: the act of using or manipulating someone or something for one's own advantage, often at the expense of others.

historical materialism: the idea that the development of societies and economies is driven by changes in the means of production.

labor theory of value: the idea that the value of a product is determined by the amount of labor required to produce it.

proletariat: the class of wage-earning workers in a capitalist society.

surplus value: the difference between the value of a product and the cost of the labor required to produce it.

these terms and concepts introduced by marx have had a significant impact on literature and intellectual thought, and they continue to be widely studied and debated to this day.

to avoid falling into fallacies, it's important to be mindful of the logical structure of your arguments and the evidence that you use to support your claims. here are some tips for constructing arguments and engaging in discussions without falling into fallacies:

clearly state your position: make sure you know exactly what you want to argue and that you can clearly articulate it. this will help you stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked.

use evidence to support your claims: don't rely on unsupported assertions or personal beliefs. instead, provide evidence to back up your arguments. this could include citing relevant research, providing examples, or using logical reasoning.

consider alternative perspectives: it's important to be open to the possibility that your perspective may not be the only one. make an effort to understand the perspectives of others and consider whether they may have valid points.

avoid ad hominem attacks: don't attack the person making the argument, rather focus on the argument itself. personal attacks are a sign of a weak argument and only serve to derail the discussion.

be aware of common fallacies: familiarize yourself with common fallacies such as the ad hominem, straw man, and slippery slope. this will help you spot them in your own arguments and in the arguments of others.

by following these tips, you can help ensure that your discussions and arguments are well-reasoned and free from fallacies.

if you know you know.

(see: roman abramovich)
(see: mikhail khodorkovsky)
(see: boris berezovsky)

there are a few different ways in which psychologists have attempted to explain masochistic epistemology. one explanation is that it may be related to an individual's sense of self-worth and their feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy. according to this perspective, masochistic individuals may believe that they are not worthy of knowledge or understanding, and that they must suffer in order to earn it.

another explanation is that masochistic epistemology may be related to a person's attachment style. individuals with an insecure attachment style may have a harder time trusting others and may be more likely to engage in masochistic behaviors in order to feel a sense of control or to avoid abandonment.

it is worth noting that while masochistic epistemology may be a belief held by some individuals, it is not a widely accepted or mainstream view in psychology. most psychologists would argue that knowledge and understanding can be gained through hard work and effort, but that suffering is not necessarily a necessary component.

reno's wildest flood? gotta be the one from 1997. it wasn't just a bad storm. it was chaos.

back-to-back warm pacific storms hit right after heavy snowfall. rain melted snow fast, and the truckee river couldn't handle it. water levels peaked at 13.9 feet in downtown reno. that's major flood stage.

the stats?
• over $1 billion in damages across nevada and california
• reno's downtown underwater for days
• more than 1,500 homes and businesses damaged
• thousands evacuated
• unr and the airport shut down

bridges were submerged. roads turned to rivers. even the casinos took a hit. fema had to step in. locals still call it the "new year's flood" because it hit just as 1997 started.

the aftermath pushed reno to rethink flood control completely. today, the truckee river flood project is a direct response to what happened back then.

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the term "coup de grace" is a french phrase that translates to "blow of mercy" or "stroke of grace." it is typically used to describe a final, decisive action taken to end someone or something's suffering, often in the context of war, battle, or other violent situations. in essence, it is a merciful act that brings about a swift end to something that is already in a state of defeat or decline.

here are a few examples of how the term "coup de grace" might be used:

in a battle between two armies, one side might inflict a significant amount of damage on the other, leaving their opponents weakened and struggling. at this point, the victorious army might choose to deliver a "coup de grace" to their foes, launching a final, decisive attack that ends the battle and puts their opponents out of their misery.

in a more personal context, imagine that someone is seriously injured and in great pain, with little hope of recovery. in this situation, a doctor might decide to administer a "coup de grace" by ending the person's suffering through euthanasia or other means.

in some cases, a "coup de grace" might be used metaphorically to describe the final, decisive blow in a non-physical conflict. for example, a company might be struggling financially and on the brink of collapse. a major investor might step in and provide a significant amount of funding, essentially delivering a "coup de grace" to keep the company from going under.

doublethink is a term coined by george orwell in his famous novel 1984 to describe the act of simultaneously accepting two contradictory beliefs as true. in the novel, the ruling party of oceania uses doublethink as a tool of propaganda to control the thoughts and actions of its citizens.

it refers to the ability to hold two conflicting ideas in one's mind and believe them both to be true. this is a dangerous concept because it allows people to accept lies and manipulation as truth, leading to a society where facts are distorted, and reality is constantly being redefined.

here are a few examples of doublethink in action:

war is peace: in 1984, the government convinces its citizens that war is necessary for peace. this is a prime example of doublethink, as it is impossible for war to bring peace.

freedom is slavery: another example from 1984 is the idea that freedom is actually a form of slavery. the government claims that by taking away people's freedom, they are actually freeing them from the burden of making decisions.

ignorance is strength: the ruling party of oceania encourages its citizens to be ignorant and uninformed. they claim that this ignorance is a form of strength, as it allows people to focus on their work and not worry about the world around them.

political correctness: in modern times, the concept of political correctness can be seen as a form of doublethink. while it aims to promote tolerance and respect, it can also be used to silence dissenting opinions and limit free speech.

advertising: advertisers often use doublethink to sell products. for example, a company may claim that their product is both "all-natural" and "scientifically proven." these two claims are contradictory, but by using both, the company hopes to appeal to a wider audience.

there are many different approaches to taking revenge, and some argue that seeking revenge is not a productive or healthy way to deal with conflicts or wrongdoings. here are a few examples of different philosophies and approaches to taking revenge:

an eye for an eye: this approach is based on the idea of reciprocity, and holds that when someone does something wrong or harmful to you, it is justified to do something wrong or harmful to them in return. this approach is often associated with the saying "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

forgiveness: this approach involves letting go of anger and resentment towards someone who has wronged you, and choosing not to seek revenge or retribution. many religions and spiritual traditions advocate for forgiveness as a way to find inner peace and move on from conflicts.

restorative justice: this approach focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing, rather than seeking punishment for the person who caused the harm. restorative justice involves bringing the offender and the victim together to discuss the harm that was caused and finding ways to make things right.

holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. - buddha

if i’ve learned anything from my major, and if all the articles and research have taught me a bit about social science, it’s that it is impossible for him to win the election.

(see: 2020 united states general election)

“i realized that the entire journey had been from myself to myself.”

let's start with the anatomy of it.

where are the feet? at the very bottom of the body, right? because they touch the ground, they have often been culturally associated with dirt, inferiority, and low status. that symbolism has always made its way into language, literature, proverbs, and everyday expressions.

now think about what a foot fetishist typically does. they show affection toward the feet using their lips, tongue, and hands.

the lips and tongue belong to the face, one of the highest and most symbolically honored parts of the body. the hands, meanwhile, are associated with cleanliness, eating, creating, working, and almost everything we actively do in the world.

so what does it mean when someone uses what we consider their most elevated and capable body parts to show intense attention and affection toward another person's lowest body part?

the answer seems fairly simple. it can represent an unusually strong sense of admiration, devotion, and belonging.

history gives us an interesting parallel. in the past, someone granted an audience with a king, sultan, queen, or other ruler might bow down and kiss their feet or the hem of their clothing as a gesture of respect and loyalty.

in that sense, foot fetishism can be understood as a particular form of attraction in which one person symbolically places the other above themselves and takes pleasure in openly expressing that admiration. it can also allow affection and desire to be expressed in a way that is less centered on the body's more obvious sexual areas and more focused on reverence, intimacy, and attention.

so why does it seem to be more common among men?

one possible reason is that women's feet are much more heavily aestheticized in fashion and popular culture. they are often smaller and more delicate in appearance, and there is an entire visual culture built around pedicures, nail polish, anklets, toe rings, decorative socks, stilettos, heels, sandals, and countless other ways of drawing attention to them.

deleted all of his photos on instagram. right now, only the real madrid reels seem to be gone too, and he even removed his profile picture.

something serious must have happened during today’s negotiations. it honestly looks like real madrid might be preparing to move him on.

a really good film. i enjoyed it quite a bit. there are a few scenes that are genuinely unsettling, but they fit the story and never felt out of place.

i'm not sure if this was the filmmakers' intention, but it left me thinking about something i haven't really seen other people mention. it wasn't the romance, the obsession, or any of the obvious themes that stuck with me. instead, it sparked a completely different set of thoughts that lingered long after the credits rolled.