• 32 Posts
  • 224 Comments
Joined 4 years ago
cake
Cake day: November 8th, 2021

help-circle


  • This image is a two-panel meme utilizing a blurry, chaotic photo of individuals seemingly engaged in a mock fight and a separate photo of a person appearing to conduct a science experiment with a small flame, possibly under the influence of poor judgment.

    In the left panel, the text “MATHEMATICIANS DEFINING PI” is superimposed over two individuals engaged in a dramatic physical altercation, one holding the other back. A third person, who is uninvolved but present, is labeled “ENGINEERS JUST USING 3 BECAUSE IT’S WITHIN TOLERANCE.” This suggests a hierarchy of concern regarding the numerical precision of π (pi), with mathematicians caring deeply, engineers demonstrating relaxed standards, and general chaos ensuing.

    In the right panel, a shirtless person crouches and conducts a questionable experiment involving a lighter and a small pipe. The caption “ASTROPHYSICISTS” is positioned above their head, and below is the phrase “PI = 1.” This implies a level of approximation so extreme it borders on parody, indicating astrophysicists allegedly use such simplifications in the name of cosmic-scale practicality.

    The overall composition is an exaggerated commentary on varying standards of numerical precision in different disciplines, presented through low-resolution imagery and humorous juxtaposition.


















  • interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.mltoMemes@lemmy.mlCapitalism is the root of evil
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    What’s interesting here is that we’ve got at least three different axes being discussed:

    Power and Corruption – Whether corruption is an emergent property of power itself (a kind of inevitability), or whether it’s a structural consequence of specific systems like capitalism. Commenter C raises a fair challenge here: maybe it’s not that power always corrupts, but that certain systems disproportionately incentivize and reward corruption. Commenter B replies with a sort of philosophical challenge: “Well, if not that power corrupts, then what’s your null hypothesis?” That’s a good tension.

    Systemic Design vs. Human Nature – If authoritarianism and imperialism are recurring outcomes across radically different ideological systems (capitalist, communist, etc.), that suggests there’s something deeper than just the ideology itself at play. Maybe it’s the concentration of decision-making power over large scales, which B is arguing against by advocating for radical subsidiarity—push decisions down to the smallest functional unit, always. But that still requires a theory of how larger-scale coordination happens, especially with externalities in play.

    Historical Context and Propaganda – A’s original comment brings in the crucial reminder that many critiques of leftist regimes are made through lenses already deeply distorted by decades of Cold War propaganda and ideological framing. That doesn’t make all critiques invalid, but it does mean any honest analysis needs to start with historical humility. These regimes didn’t arise in a vacuum—they were born into extreme conditions, from colonial trauma to war to internal underdevelopment.

    But maybe the most compelling common thread here is that no system seems immune to the gravity of concentrated power. Whether it’s wealth in capitalism, political power in Stalinist regimes, or technocratic control in liberal democracies, the same dynamics often emerge.

    So maybe the real question is: What kinds of social, political, and economic designs actively resist centralization? And is there a way to build those that also remain resilient and cohesive, rather than fragile and fragmented?

    Because yes—pulling out the dollar-rooted swastika-flower is powerful imagery. But the hard part is asking: What do we plant in its place?

    https://chatgpt.com/share/6806d381-678c-8005-854f-77741e1ec651


  • interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.mltoMemes@lemmy.mlCapitalism is the root of evil
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    Interesting, you wish to make the widely repeated, ancient wisdom that power corrupt into a revolutionary statement against the null hypothesis ?

    Very well, would you state your null hypothesis ?

    Perhaps something more charitable than the following

    “Power is not a problem actually, it’s a matter of having the right group of elites with good and pure hearts and everything will be honky dory forever”

    @Cowbee

    Please choose your null hypothesis or provide your own

    Improved suggestions

    🔹 1. Structuralist Null Hypothesis

    “Power, in itself, is not inherently corrupting. It is the structure and incentives of a given system (such as capitalism) that determine whether power is exercised corruptly.”

    This frames corruption as a product of external conditions, not the mere possession of power.

    🔹 2. Neutral Power Hypothesis

    “Power is a neutral tool—it amplifies pre-existing tendencies in individuals or institutions, whether for good or ill.”

    This positions power as neither good nor bad, just a multiplier.

    🔹 3. Contextual Corruption Hypothesis

    “Corruption occurs not because power corrupts, but because oversight, accountability, and community control are absent.”

    Here, the claim is that power can exist without corruption if institutions around it are healthy.

    🔹 4. Power-as-Delegation Hypothesis

    “Power is not inherently corrupting when it is transparently delegated, revocable, and tied to responsibilities rather than privileges.”

    This implies a democratic or anarchist framework where corruption is a result of opacity and lack of accountability.

    🔹 5. Evolutionary Incentives Hypothesis

    “Corruption is not caused by power, but by systems that reward short-term gain over long-term cooperation.”

    This introduces a behavioral economics or game theory angle, where corruption is a rational response to poorly designed rules.