Steven Pinker selling multiple $50,000 NFTs of a trite four word aphorism “free speech is fundamental” is the funniest shit I’ve seen all day.

https://blockster.com/best-selling-author-harvard-professor-steven-pinker-will-transform-his-ideas-into-nfts

ht @twitskeptic

Best-Selling Author & Harvard Professor Steven Pinker Will Transform His Ideas into NFTs

On March 14th at 7pm ET, thought leader & Harvard professor Steven Pinker will release digital collectibles of his famous idea “Free speech is fundamental“. These collectibles will guarantee recurrent access to intimate group video calls with Pinker.

@twitskeptic I guess elephant-skin boots don’t come cheap.
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic That really isn't the good reason he thinks it is...
@tanepiper @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Ah yes, an animal that gives birth to a single calf after a TWO-YEAR pregnancy really needs its population controlled...
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic to be fair, it's more that he's selling access to these chats he's going to host, with those words just written on the tickets. Still dramatically over priced, but not stir fry crazy.
@peter_ellis @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic “these collectibles can be traded at any time” he probably hopes they will trade it so he doesn’t have to converse with the same buyer for too long
@peter_ellis @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic "free speech is fiftythousanddollarsdamental"
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic I don't know who that is but I know everything I need to know about him from those boots. I hope his feet get run over by a bus.
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Nothing says “I’m a predator” like these.
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Elephant skin boots? What a cunt!
@ct_bergstrom As if we needed further proof that Pinker is destined to fully disappear up his own ass

@ct_bergstrom Sometimes you wonder how seriously you should take someone.

And then they just go and answer the question all by themselves.

@ct_bergstrom
This cracked me up:
'As more thought leaders from different backgrounds and ideologies start producing collectibles of their ideas, a new asset class could be born: ideas.'
Who knew you can come up with ideas and make money on them? Amazing!
@exmaahal @ct_bergstrom wait, if I sell a collectible of my idea, does that mean my idea now belongs to that buyer? What does any of this mean?!
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Funny but not surprising from Pinker. Less funny yet more surprising to see Cornel West's name on the list of individuals who plan on doing the same.
@WorldImagining @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic I’d say he’s the least surprising name on that list (TBF I don’t know about any of the others besides Pinker). But whatever you think of his work, no denying West is big on self-promotion of a sort that fits right in with this scheme.
@shofstader @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic I meant politically rather than biographically; the entire NFT culture is, in my view, incompatible with the democratic socialist views West purports to espouse. Also, don't confuse my "more surprising" for "shocked" or even "surprised" :)
@WorldImagining @ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Based on the linked article about Pinker, I don’t think the particular NTF described sounds much like “NFT culture” either. The thing that seems surpising/silly is that we all figure crypto/NFT is over, an exposed scam. But this might actually be a logical use of the technology, if it works. After all, the max $ Pinker would realize would be less than $60K. Doubt anyone gets rich reselling one of those NFTs.
@ct_bergstrom the NFT concept hawkers have found new marks: the too-smart-to-fall-for-a-scam class. As cryptocurrency sinks lower and becomes more irrelevant, Pinker has thought ‘yup, this is the time for me to get involved’

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic

Harvard professor Steven Pinker will release digital collectibles of his famous idea that “Free speech is fundamental“.

Famous idea?

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic someone tell him all the social media sites are stopping nft! ¢rap as NFT! Is crypto junk!
@ct_bergstrom
50k to show up to his "intimate chats" with a Vuvuzela would not be the worst use of crowd funding.
@twitskeptic
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic the words “thought leader” make me cringe every time I happen upon them.

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Well that led me down the worst rabbit hole ever.

Cornel West is hawking these things too? Oh, then I discovered that West is also starting to join forces with Russell Brand.

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Dunno, that seems like pretty expensive speech to me

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic

ok then, reality has finally disappeared up its own arsehole

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic Even very smart people can make very stupid decisions.
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic
$50,000 speech is the better angel of his grifting spirit.
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic I cordially invite Steven Pinker to get in the sea.

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic

Isn't the fallacy of argument from authority embodied in these absurd NFTs? In this case, having just spaffed $50,000 up the wall, it will be even more difficult to doubt the guru.

@ct_bergstrom
I understand that teaching doesn't pay as well as other fields, sad to say we have forced educators to earnjney on this fashion.
@twitskeptic @ianbetteridge

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic The crypto crash didn't kill NFTs?

Disappointed.

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic he’s always a year or two behind his IDW buddies. Always the timid one in the back letting others test the waters first and take the hit. I suspect it was the same with his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
@ct_bergstrom but isn't that $50,000 speech? 
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic "These collectibles will guarantee recurrent access to intimate group video calls with Pinker to discuss this topic for the next several years." 😂🔫
@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic It is funny shit but the NFT is a ticket to an event and therefore not quite as ludicrous as it seems on the surface.
@ct_bergstrom Next level grifter. Lot's to learn I guess.

@ct_bergstrom @twitskeptic
@MarcAbrahams
He could offer a lock of his luxuriant flowing hair as an early-purchase bonus (unfortunately the gallery is offline for now)

https://improbable.com/hair-club/

The Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists

The Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists™ (LFHCfS)  For scientists who have, or believe they have, luxuriant flowing hair The Luxuriant Former Hair Club for Scientists™ (LFHCfS)  For scientis…

Improbable Research
@ct_bergstrom gotta pay for his fancy shoes somehow now that everyone with a brain cell is no longer buying his tripe books.