Originally Posted by Rain Man:
I've never thought about this, but I wonder if a big part of that was the ability to record and spread ideas. If a guy in an isolated tribe learned how to build a stone helicopter, it was a probably a big deal for a 30 mile radius and then stopped being a big deal when he died. But it didn't spread. But once you had agriculture, you started developing systems for communication and tracking ownership and other things, and that meant that new ideas got preserved and disseminated.
I don't want to hijack the thread, but I believe so! It seems pretty evident based on the history we do know as well. From 150,000 BC to about 15,000 BC we invented the bow and arrow, spears and boats. Interestingly, pretty much every culture on the planet developed each of those technologies. I wonder if it they all discovered it independently or if those sorts of things were discovered before our diaspora...
Anyway, before writing, I have to imagine what you said just hit the nail on the head. Information just didn't travel as quickly or efficiently. I might be able to explain to someone how to most effectively cultivate a certain crop, but once he tells someone, then that person tells someone, how much of the information will be accurately relayed? It's basically like playing the telephone game across continents.
Additionally, you can see why certain places like the Middle East and Egypt were so advanced in the beginning. They're right in the center of this information and trade highway, which had to be an insane advantage. Conversely, certain areas like sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and the Americas were cut off from the ideas that spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North Africa. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThaVirus:
just didn't travel as quickly or efficiently. I might be able to explain to someone how to most effectively cultivate a certain crop, but once he tells someone.
Originally Posted by Valiant:
Make him sign a contract.
He will have a job, pay rent and bills or will be evicted.
There will also be a curfew until he is caught up on bills. Install deadbolts that he doesn't have a key for. Treat him like an adult. Also have in the contract that harassment of the mother is not allowed.
If he doesn't want to sign the contract he can get out now and you will call the police.
Kids are not weak like they want you to believe. They are good manipulators now a days.
Well, if he's a lazy, no good sob, he'll sign the contract and NOT do a damn thing. It buys the kid time and the parents are further frustrated. [Reply]
Moreover, I’ve done some taxes for retired folks that are a horror show. 20k ish Social Security LESS Medicare, and a little bit of retirement or pension or something else they can scrounge together. And they probably owe tax too because nothing is withheld. Living entirely on that late in life is reason enough to go work your ass off now.
I just don’t buy that work bills die shit. Sure the path I chose isn’t for everybody (or many people at all), but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve happiness.
And yet....even with all the best planning people can do by enjoying life wisely, saving for the future by saving/investing a bit of your income along your way and doing without extravagant luxuries, things can all go away in a moment's notice.
All it takes is a major catastrophic event and suddenly everything you worked for in your retirement is lost. It takes so many forms....a major medical event to spouse or children.....a pandemic that makes many jobs useless or obsolete...a catastrophic storm that no one thought could/would occur that no amount of insurance can replace.
I never think ill of those less fortunate....we may never know the circumstances that led them to where they are.
I don't drink...haven't since age 27....but if something happened to my wife and kids along my path of life I am not so sure you wouldn't have found me homeless and at the wrong end of a bottle. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThaVirus:
I don't want to hijack the thread, but I believe so! It seems pretty evident based on the history we do know as well. From 150,000 BC to about 15,000 BC we invented the bow and arrow, spears and boats. Interestingly, pretty much every culture on the planet developed each of those technologies. I wonder if it they all discovered it independently or if those sorts of things were discovered before our diaspora...
Anyway, before writing, I have to imagine what you said just hit the nail on the head. Information just didn't travel as quickly or efficiently. I might be able to explain to someone how to most effectively cultivate a certain crop, but once he tells someone, then that person tells someone, how much of the information will be accurately relayed? It's basically like playing the telephone game across continents.
Additionally, you can see why certain places like the Middle East and Egypt were so advanced in the beginning. They're right in the center of this information and trade highway, which had to be an insane advantage. Conversely, certain areas like sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and the Americas were cut off from the ideas that spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North Africa.
I think I've read that the bow and arrow seems to have been developed independently and in several different places, and we know that language did. So what was the trigger that caused things like this to happen among different populations? I could see the bow and arrow very slowly spreading if people saw others do it, but language? Not a chance.
And agreed, it seems like most things would come through the Middle East. So was that what caused them to develop cities first? It would make sense that that would be the case. And then once that happened they now had a big advantage in further developments. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
DO NOT. I REPEAT DO NOT just sign him up for the military unless it’s 100% his choice. Don’t force him into that shit.
If he gets to basic and wants out…he’s going to **** up his life even worse.
Not really it dopest do much of anything to your record but take away your ability to not join again later. Its not a dishonorable discharge. Happens all the time.
Now once you get out of basic training it can be another story but unless you REALLY fuck up it still doesn't do much. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
I think I've read that the bow and arrow seems to have been developed independently and in several different places, and we know that language did. So what was the trigger that caused things like this to happen among different populations? I could see the bow and arrow very slowly spreading if people saw others do it, but language? Not a chance.
And agreed, it seems like most things would come through the Middle East. So was that what caused them to develop cities first? It would make sense that that would be the case. And then once that happened they now had a big advantage in further developments.
Ancient Aliens, duh. I think they put bows and arrows inside the pyramids as housewarming gifts for the natives. Occum’s razor. :-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mosbonian:
And yet....even with all the best planning people can do by enjoying life wisely, saving for the future by saving/investing a bit of your income along your way and doing without extravagant luxuries, things can all go away in a moment's notice.
All it takes is a major catastrophic event and suddenly everything you worked for in your retirement is lost. It takes so many forms....a major medical event to spouse or children.....a pandemic that makes many jobs useless or obsolete...a catastrophic storm that no one thought could/would occur that no amount of insurance can replace.
I never think ill of those less fortunate....we may never know the circumstances that led them to where they are.
I don't drink...haven't since age 27....but if something happened to my wife and kids along my path of life I am not so sure you wouldn't have found me homeless and at the wrong end of a bottle.
Oh yeah. I agree. Without knowing that they actively fucked up their lives I'm not going to presume they did.
And in fairness, some older folks were sold a bill of goods with SS/Medicare the government is not living up to.
What I can't jive with is someone who won't work because...reasons... [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
The day I got the 100 dollar bill for his cancelled car insurance and I said this has my name on it..and he literally shrugged and said oh well and walked away shit vastly changed.
So not only are you taking care of some other dickhead's kid but you also let this snot nosed 19 yr old adult treat you and his mom like shit? And the best thing you can think of is to ask a bunch of people on an internet message board??? :-) smh Nice self own there. :-)
My advice for you would be to grow a pair and don't let your bratty step son walk all over you. I mean damn dude, you are really coming across as some beta male here. Take charge [Reply]
I'll just point out that it all begins with a set of rules. You want those new designer kicks, get a job and pay the difference over what we'd pay for a pair. Sass your mom, you get to stay home for a couple weeks. Don't clean your room, whoops, there goes your phone and TV. It doesn't matter how old you are, under Mom and Dad's roof, it's Mom and Dad's rules.
At this point, I don't know if you can make that happen, but you can't go on like this. Whether you have to formally evict him or just put his meager belongings in garbage bags on the front porch doesn't matter, you have to get him away from you and your wife. Otherwise, you're the one that has to cut ties and leave. [Reply]
