*The purpose of empire is to maintain privilege for oligarchs. When it becomes cost prohibitive to take from outside the borders of the country, then they take from inside, which means impoverishing the populace and state infringement of their rights. The true purpose of democracy is to create a narrative that disarms the people, allowing the empire to grow tall if wide isn't an option.* View quoted note →

*To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly.* - Robert Oppenheimer That quote from Robert Oppenheimer is a striking metaphor about the futility of pursuing happiness as an end in itself. When he says, *“To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly,”* he’s making a philosophical point: a machine (or a life) requires purpose, design, and direction — not just the absence of disturbance. Happiness, in this view, isn’t something you achieve by chasing it directly. It emerges as a byproduct of meaningful activity, purpose, or engagement — much like a well-built machine operates smoothly *because* it performs a defined function well, not because it was built merely to avoid noise. His comment echoes themes found in both Aristotle’s *eudaimonia* (flourishing through virtue and purpose) and modern psychology’s findings on *flow* — the idea that fulfillment arises not from seeking pleasure, but from immersion in tasks that challenge and engage your capacities. (Perplexity)

*Stephenson 2-18 isn’t just big; it’s cosmic hubris made plasma.Our Sun, the unquestioned ruler of our sky, is a mere speck next to it… …it’s there, right now: a swollen, crimson ember the size of a planetary system, quietly reminding us that in the universe’s ledger of extremes, our Sun doesn’t even register as http://average.It’s not just a star. It’s a warning label on the cosmos: “Objects in telescope may be more terrifying than they appear.”* https://x.com/konstructivizm/status/1999182897593696428

If Bitcoin is a battery for fiat money, will it inadvertently extend the lifespan of fiat money? 🤔

He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Stacker News

8 Principles for Private Sovereign Businesses \ stacker news

Thanks Lux for sharing this video, it really well summarize in 8 principles a years' long process that bring us all to operate in private as sovere...

*you aren't "informed." You are being optimized for engagement* View quoted note →

*It’s not theft by the cashier. It’s extraction by design.* View quoted note →

😑 *Barclays estimated that more than half of US GDP growth in 2025 came from AI related investment. People know that we are staking the economy on something that doesn’t really promise much other than hey :) this thing will take your job :) and it’s gonna do art now :) and maybeee make a lot of people real rich but your electricity bill (which is already flipping voters) is going to go up. And China might win. Also, it’s against the terms of service to kill yourself* Kyla Scanlon