Some Hard Won Lessons Said by Others Better Than I Could (March 2018)
Trivial Note: Am I one of the few people not surprised or outraged by the fact that data that we share on FB got used badly? Anything that we share publically (or even far too often privately) runs the risk of being shared further. This is true of gossip, art, or personal data. All too often very few of us show little or no caution in these matters. Indeed many of the people outraged at Facebook and Mark Zukerberg are the same who post jokes about the government listening in to our phone calls and Alexa tracking our every recipe request.
Facebook and other Social Media are these free gifts that were provided for us. They are also businesses out for profit and their product is us. Everything costs, whether it be our time, our money, or our data and things that appear free too often tend to be the most expensive of all.
I have said often that I believe in personal responsibility (and have been recently surprised at how provocative those words can be). We can blame Zuckerberg, Facebook, Cambridge Analytics (etc) for illicit use of our data. Would they have that data if we didn’t offer it in the first place?
Which is a nice lead in to what I intended to be a blog entry consisting entirely of quotes:
“Gospodin,” he said presently, “you used an odd word earlier–odd to me, I mean…”
“Oh, ‘tanstaafl.’ Means ~There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.’ And isn’t,” I added, pointing to a FREE LUNCH sign across room, “or these drinks would cost half as much. Was reminding her that anything free costs twice as much in long run or turns out worthless.”
“An interesting philosophy.”
“Not philosophy, fact. One way or other, what you get, you pay for.” –Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
“The recommendation for warriors is not to have any material things on which to focus their power, but to focus it on the spirit, on the true flight into the unknown, not on trivialities. Everyone who wants to follow the warrior’s path has to rid himself of the compulsion to possess and hold onto things.” –Carlos Castaneda
“Nothing of any importance can be taught. It can only be learned, and with blood and sweat.” –Robert Anton Wilson
Inner Reflection by GAR
Woodland Sinistral by GAR