Author: David Bennett

If We Were All In The Same Boat

Instruction

Expand upon the idea that when everyone believes they are in the same boat then they will put up with inconveniences and deprivation of bodily needs in a way they will not put up with when they believe that some among them are laughing all the way to the bank.

ChatGPT

The idea suggests that a sense of fairness and equality is important for people to endure difficult situations or hardships. When individuals believe that everyone is equally affected and that everyone is making the same sacrifices, they are more likely to accept the situation and cooperate. However, when they perceive that some people are benefiting from the situation or not making the same sacrifices, they are less likely to put up with the inconveniences and deprivation. This can lead to resentment and decreased motivation to cooperate, which can negatively impact the overall outcome. It highlights the importance of ensuring that burdens are distributed fairly and that everyone is seen to be contributing equally to the common goal.

Instruction

Expand upon the idea that it is an illusion to believe that when everyone believes they are in the same boat then they will put up with inconveniences and deprivation of bodily needs in a way they will not put up with when they believe that some among them are laughing all the way to the bank.

ChatGPT

The idea of the illusion of equal suffering assumes that the belief that everyone is in the same boat is not always accurate or attainable. In reality, people’s experiences, perspectives, and circumstances can be vastly different, even in the same situation. For example, some individuals may have access to resources or privileges that make their experience of the situation easier or less impactful, while others may face greater challenges. When these disparities are not acknowledged or addressed, the belief that everyone is in the same boat can become an illusion.

Additionally, the idea that people will accept difficulties if they believe that everyone is suffering equally is not always true. People’s reactions to hardship are influenced by many factors, including their personality, prior experiences, and individual circumstances. The belief that everyone is in the same boat may not be enough to overcome these factors and motivate people to endure hardships.

Therefore, the belief that everyone is in the same boat may not always be enough to ensure cooperation and acceptance of difficult circumstances. It is important to address and acknowledge the differences and disparities that exist among individuals and to work towards creating a more equitable and fair distribution of burden.

Backish To The Future

Do you remember the end of the film Back To The Future where the professor comes to Marty McFly’s house in the DeLorean? Only now, the car can fly, and it no longer needs atomic material to power it.

While he’s waiting for Marty, the professor roots around in the garbage cans for fuel to put in the car. He opens the hood and starts pouring the remaining contents of a Coke can into the fuel hopper.

Then he gives an ‘absent minded professor’ kind of shrug and tosses the can itself into the fuel hopper.

Don’t you think human being a little bit like the car, when you think of all the great variety of things that we can take into our bodies that we digest to power our cells.

Of course there are things we can’t use. But it is said by some – Yuval Harari, for example – that a big part of how we got so brainy is because we harnessed fire. And with it we can cook food.

By cooking food we get much more nutrition out of raw materials compared to raw food.

That sets us apart from other animals. Think about cows and elephants that have to spend all day eating just to get enough food. The analysis might break down when I think about hummingbirds that get nectar from flowers, but still…

It’s lucky for cows that their necks and heads can point downwards, or they would get terrible neck ache.

Did you know that giraffe have a huge muscle that stretches down their backs so that they can pull their heads back upright after reaching down to drink? And they have multiple valves in the blood flow in their necks so that they don’t black out when they lift their necks.

And that brings me to the perfect birthday cake. With all the ingredients that could go into a cake, strawberry is the flavour that my mind sees as ‘home’. My tastebuds like many flavours and consistencies, but strawberry trifle (I know it’s not a cake) beats them all.