Quotes that make no sense?

[Mind Maverick]

What are some quotes that make no logical sense to you? Why?

 

[Paisley]

“A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its criminals.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

So if it treats outstanding citizens as though they are criminals that's no problem?

The way it's phrased makes it seem as if one is unimportant (or at very least, less important) while the other is important. They are both important. At that point though, it's basically just "treat everyone appropriately" which I think goes without saying. The quote is thus basically useless then when it says both are important, isn't it? Unless its purpose is to state the obvious...

The context is about how other societies are judging another society. Another way of saying it is, A society should be judged by it's laws and it's system of justice as a reflection of the moral character of that society, not by the people who are apparently law abiding. It's like judging North Korea by it's outstanding citizens who aren't in jail, but we all know that entire nation is like that because the nation is run by a dictatorship of fear and oppression.

 

[Mind Maverick]

The context is about how other societies are judging another society. Another way of saying it is, A society should be judged by it's laws and it's system of justice as a reflection of the moral character of that society, not by the people who are apparently law abiding. It's like judging North Korea by it's outstanding citizens who aren't in jail, but we all know that entire nation is like that because the nation is run by a dictatorship of fear and oppression.

Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and delete that post because it basically became an entire debate on PerC. As enjoyable as the conversation is, I don't think it'd be the most productive way for me to spend my time, forming the same debate in more than one place at once.

 

[Paisley]

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

Be grateful for what you have, or I'll take what I can get, or having something is better than not having something...soooooo, hoarding is good???? Addition doesn't work in the bush??? . Just reminds me of Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty, "I have no bird, I have no bush, God has taken my bird and my bush."

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

a lot of them because I'm autistic and stupid and have trouble not taking everything literally.

 

[RadicalDoubt]

a lot of them because I'm autistic and stupid and have trouble not taking everything literally.

Same, except neither of us are stupid in reality (just have too many people around making us feel such).

---

"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have."
Eckhart Tolle

I get mindfulness, but I think there's a lot of value in potentiality and know a lot of people (who aren't myself; my memories are kind of just memories) who get a lot of strength from sentimentality from the past

 

[Maou]

I don't think I know a single quote that is confusing. To me quotes are just perspective wisdom.

 

[junathan]

I saw this quote,

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups - George Carlin

I was about to say it's stupid, but Im thinking the only reason why it is stupid is because I don't get it. Hence, if anyone don't mind, can help to break down the quote?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I saw this quote,

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups - George Carlin

I was about to say it's stupid, but Im thinking the only reason why it is stupid is because I don't get it. Hence, if anyone don't mind, can help to break down the quote?

politics

 

[junathan]

politics

hmm what do you mean by that?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

politics

Because much of our political discourse is driven by the stupidity of people in large groups.

 

[Morpeko]

Same, except neither of us are stupid in reality (just have too many people around making us feel such).

---

"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have."
Eckhart Tolle

I get mindfulness, but I think there's a lot of value in potentiality and know a lot of people (who aren't myself; my memories are kind of just memories) who get a lot of strength from sentimentality from the past

Me too thanks.

 

[Maou]

I saw this quote,

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups - George Carlin

I was about to say it's stupid, but Im thinking the only reason why it is stupid is because I don't get it. Hence, if anyone don't mind, can help to break down the quote?

It generally means that regardless of how popular an opinion is, it doesn't mean it is correct, functional, or true. This is not limited to just politics, but also things like media reviews, consumerism, religion, culture etc. To not underestimate it means, people kinda suck at seeing the long term implications of forcing/making mandatory a "popular" opinion on the rest of society. A lot of "fad" ideas have had dire consequences on society in all facets of living. To find the easiest examples though, is to look at politics.

It is why I always say "The truth is never mainstream".

 

[junathan]

It generally means that regardless of how popular an opinion is, it doesn't mean it is correct, functional, or true. This is not limited to just politics, but also things like media reviews, consumerism, religion, culture etc. To not underestimate it means, people kinda suck at seeing the long term implications of forcing/making mandatory a "popular" opinion on the rest of society. A lot of "fad" ideas have had dire consequences on society in all facets of living. To find the easiest examples though, is to look at politics.

It is why I always say "The truth is never mainstream".

Hence, it's just a saying that, not all popular opinions are true, it takes one to really know what is the truth, to understand the things around he/she better right?

 

[Pikaqiu]

Hence, it's just a saying that, not all popular opinions are true, it takes one to really know what is the truth, to understand the things around he/she better right?

I don't think popular opinions are the problem, but the less educated people that are holding strong to it without fact-checking and being a stone wall to the opinions is the problem.

 

[junathan]

I don't think popular opinions are the problem, but the less educated people that are holding strong to it without fact-checking and being a stone wall to the opinions is the problem.

I see, thanks for explanation

 

[Maou]

Hence, it's just a saying that, not all popular opinions are true, it takes one to really know what is the truth, to understand the things around he/she better right?

Yeah, its really up to an individual's ability to determine the truth. "Band wagons" and the like, are generally bad. Because if you never actually research anything, or know how to. You can easily perpetuate lies and misinformation. Far too many people use social osmosis/ambient information (ill call it that) to determine what is right or wrong/truth or lies. Some people don't even realize they form opinions based around what happens around them, and will ignore facts if it contradicts their preconcieved notions. Research is a lot of work. Most people are lazy. Then some people just don't understand, even if they do research things.

 

[SgtP3pper]

I'm someone who can make sense out of complete nonsensical jibberish. So not the best person to ask.

 

[Mind Maverick]

I saw this quote,

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups - George Carlin

I was about to say it's stupid, but Im thinking the only reason why it is stupid is because I don't get it. Hence, if anyone don't mind, can help to break down the quote?

"Great minds think alike."
"Yep...unfortunately, so do stupid ones."

Strength in numbers...but stupidity in numbers goes the wrong direction.

See also: global warming.

 

[CertainlySkeptic]

"Time and space are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live." - Albert Einstein

"When forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence: Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter." - Albert Einstein

Time and space aren't the same thing, that's it.