Comments on: Population streams: globalization results in liquefaction

By: OgilvyTheAstronomer

OgilvyTheAstronomer — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:02:00 +0000

Probably Ecstasy too, although I don’t have first-hand experience of its use.

By: balgair

balgair — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:10:00 +0000

From Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (1999):
“As distances vanish and the people can flowfreely from place to place, society will cross a psychological specificheat boundary and enter a new state. No longer a solid or liquid, we have become as a vapor and will expand to fill all available space. And like a gas, we shall not be easily contained.-Sister Miriam Godwinson”

By: Phil Fot

Phil Fot — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:40:00 +0000

After spending several years in a combat zone, it’s not uncommon among soldiers to desire some stress-free time. Being intoxicated and away from physical danger goes a long way towards avoiding permanent mental damage.

Too bad smoking marijuana and hash is illegal. It would go a long way towards helping people return to a normal life.

By: eli laztanguren

eli laztanguren — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:48:00 +0000

Well, philosopher Zygmunt Bauman has been talking about “liquid modernity” for a while.

By: Amelia_G

Amelia_G — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:43:00 +0000

I wonder what Bruce Chatwin might have said about this type of nomadism. “Solvitur ambulando,” it is solved by walking.

By: trefecta

trefecta — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Quantified, that is: broken down to a smaller recognizable part, it IS just a bunch of people and a ‘cultural concept’, but as a larger system it is is a liquid. I don’t know how profound this finding is, as I’m not sure what systems AREN’T liquids at a ‘macro’ enough scale, other than dead ones.

At large enough scales, I’m sure everything becomes ‘gas-like’.

By: ycleptShawn

ycleptShawn — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:15:00 +0000

How is this more than a bunch of people who have the same idea and some time on their hands? Like people who traveled to Europe after college, or people who become ski bums for a time. Lots of big words, but I’m not sure what to make of this.

By: autark

autark — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:44:00 +0000

am I missing something? where is the “Map” in the linked to post?

By: Teirhan

Teirhan — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:05:00 +0000

i tried to do a search; apparently it is a (famous) Spanish author, and the exact quote is “Nationalism is a disease that is cured by traveling”. However, I was unable to find out who this quote is actually attributable to. D:

By: OgilvyTheAstronomer

OgilvyTheAstronomer — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Anything that contributes to the erosion of the nation state is a good thing in my book. I wish I could remember the name of the philosopher who said “Nationalism is a disease, and travel is the cure”.

By: Paul Renault

Paul Renault — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:16:00 +0000

Hear! Hear!

I don’t recall how I stumbled upon Venkat’s blog some years ago, but Ribbonfarm IS on my must-read list.