I agree with your idea. It reminds me of your lecture in Stanford: all humans dying is bad because in effect we lose the entire known universe. Someone risking their only chance at sentient existence is much braver than someone who thinks they will live on in heaven. Very cool. Just told my friend and he agreed.

I think the reason Ghandi is famous is because he orchestrated his protests. Sure, other people marched alongside (it would have failed otherwise) but he had to plan it, not just join in. Add to that the fasts and sacrifices he made to his cause, and I'd say he deserves his reputation.

Interesting, but without the dollar values adjusted for inflation, I feel like the point is lost on me of that part of the data, all though get the idea.

Edit: It only went up to $.84, so I guess it doesn't matter that much (used the Inflation Calculator)

Gosh, it's amazing the biases we have when the data is non-evaluatable, and then even when we can compare, we still have a bias towards an overflowing but smaller can, and an under filled but bigger can. The funny thing is I realize I've thought this way, too, until I read this just now. I shall not make the mistake again!

Is this a derivative of the charity question, about saving the 20,000 birds? Seems very similar. And I love the bias you describe people having even when the stats themselves are not biased at all. This is like a mini phycology lesson! I love it!

New Speak always chilled me. To limit the abilities of population by limiting their vocabulary seems like a sneaky and underhanded thing to do that should never be attempted by any government. Needless to say the idea of 1984 being real freaks me out.

I personally use jokes to crack ice, as most people are too busy laughing to grasp an inner meaning :)

Ha ha, good joke there at the end.

Is there a hidden meaning to this? I only grasp the exterior feel to this shiny poem.