WIST Quotations11h ago

A quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson

Books were the proper remedy: books of vivid human import, forcing upon their minds the issues, pleasures, busyness, importance and immediacy of that life in which they stand; books of smiling or heroic temper, to excite or to console; books of a large design, shadowing the complexity of that game of consequences to which we all sit down, the hanger-back not least.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1884-05), “Old Mortality,” ch. 1, Longman’s Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 19

More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-robert-lou…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #robertlouisstevenson #books #consequences #humancondition #humannature #reading

Stevenson, Robert Louis - Essay (1884-05), "Old Mortality," ch. 1, Longman’s Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 19 | WIST Quotations

Books were the proper remedy: books of vivid human import, forcing upon their minds the issues, pleasures, busyness, importance and immediacy of that life in which they stand; books of smiling or heroic temper, to excite or to console; books of a large design, shadowing the complexity of that game…

WIST Quotations
Jack William Bell1d ago

Perverse incentives create perverse outcomes.

This is a truism of the #HumanCondition, long known and discussed. The thing to understand is: this is true whether the perverse outcomes were intended or not. *And sometimes they are absolutely intentional.*

Jack William Bell3d ago

I'm completely failing to get my head around the idea you could 'poll' an #AI and get results even close to what you might get #polling real people.

Leaving all the other reasons why this is stupid and weird aside, I just don't think the models are that good.

> Polling Has an AI Respondent Problem. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/03/polling-artificial-intelligence-democracy-market-research-ai-surveys/

Think of it this way: If an LLM can 'hallucinate' scientific papers and legal rulings, why would you trust it to give you focus-group quality responses?

#HumanCondition

Polling has an AI respondent problem

Democracy doesn't know what's coming.

Mother Jones
French Cinema & Subtitles3d ago

📝 Plot: Jill, an aspiring dancer, is discovered and becomes a global movie star, only to find her private life relentlessly invaded by fans and paparazzi. As fame erodes her personal freedom and happiness, she retreats from the spotlight and seeks solace with Fabio, a former lover who offers moments of peace in this poignant drama about celebrity, identity and isolation.

#ViePrivee #Drama #Romance #Celebrity #PublicVsPrivate #Paparazzi #FrenchCinema #1960sFilm #HumanCondition

WIST Quotations4d ago

A quotation from Victor Hugo

At the hour of civilization through which we are now passing, and which is still so sombre, the miserable’s name is MAN; he is agonizing in all climes, and he is groaning in all languages.
 
[À l’heure, si sombre encore, de la civilisation où nous sommes, le misérable s’appelle L’HOMME; il agonise sous tous les climats, et il gémit dans toutes les langues.]

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French writer
Letter (1862-10-18) to M. Daelli

More about this quote: wist.info/hugo-victor/83084/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #victorhugo #lesmiserables #agony #civilization #humancondition #humanity #misery #society #torment #suffering

Hugo, Victor - Letter (1862-10-18) to M. Daelli | WIST Quotations

At the hour of civilization through which we are now passing, and which is still so sombre, the miserable's name is MAN; he is agonizing in all climes, and he is groaning in all languages. [À l'heure, si sombre encore, de la civilisation où nous sommes, le misérable s'appelle L'HOMME;…

WIST Quotations
StreetSoulMar 25
Open Hand, Closed City
Ricoh GR IV Monochrome
#StreetPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #SocialDocumentary #UrbanPhotography #HumanCondition #streetsoul #monochrome
StreetSoulMar 25
Open Hand, Closed City
Ricoh GR IV Monochrome
#StreetPhotography #BlackAndWhite #Monochrome #DocumentaryPhotography #UrbanPhotography #StreetPortrait #HumanCondition #HighContrast #StreetSoul
WIST QuotationsMar 24

A quotation from Alexander Smith

                    To our graves we walk
In the thick footprints of departed men.

Alexander Smith (1830-1867) Scottish poet
“Horton,” ll. 570-571, City Poems (1857)

More about this quote: wist.info/smith-alexander/8273…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #alexandersmith #ancestors #death #humancondition #mortality

Smith, Alexander - "Horton," ll. 570-571, City Poems (1857) | WIST Quotations

To our graves we walk In the thick footprints of departed men.

WIST Quotations
65dBnoiseMar 22

Here is art depicting the same human condition of suffering, as in my, now forced-hidden, previous image: https://mastodon.social/@65dBnoise/116266901138324187

Is this content "appropriate" to be shown openly or must I hide it too behind a "content warning"? What's different in human suffering in art and in reality? Is all human suffering to be hidden from view? Maybe expunged by decree?

Images and story about Käthe Kollwitz:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4the_Kollwitz

#Art #suffering #politics #humanCondition

RevDrMatthewFoxMar 17
Jeffrey Szilagyi: "As we reclaim a #SacredEarth, we must also reclaim the sacred journey of #biology that has begot our #humancondition. Not just the parts that feel good & seem safe, but all of it." #RadicalWholeness #DeepEcology #SacredBalance #ShadowWork
#OrderoftheSacredEarth bit.ly/4hkaVA6