How Historians Work - Stephen Kotkin

[Nemra]

I have just started listening to Stephen, and I realized that none of my history teachers met the epistemic standard of Stephen.

I wish they were like him, even if he might not have the highest epistemic standard or he meets the bare minimum of epistemic standard to be considered a good historian.

I don't know much about him. But I like his thought process.

[Leo Gura]

Kotkin is an ace!

[Nemra]

@Leo Gura, I am continuing to watch multiple lectures and conversations of his, and what I am understanding is that he is trying to be intellectually honest as much as he can.

I love that he speaks in a way that does not seem ideological.

He is so eloquent and speaks so clearly, regardless of how complicated the conversation gets.

Though, I do not share his feelings of patriotism.

Edited Monday at 08:14 PM by Nemra

[Leo Gura]

@Nemra Yes, he's a serious objective scholar. He displays high intellectual integrity and epistemic rigor, as a good academic must.

Academia is not all bad. Koktin is academia at its best. No bullshit, just straight facts and solid rational analysis.

Edited Monday at 10:36 PM by Leo Gura

[Nemra]

@Leo Gura, is there a tendency in academic circles to study their own epistemology?

I don't have experience in academia.

Also, I think you would consider academia to be corrupt, but I don't know how or why that is the case. So, how can I understand that if I'm neither an academic nor have I pursued education beyond a bachelor's degree?

Sometimes I'm haunted by the thought that I must eventually become an academic, or at least pursue education beyond a bachelor's degree, to have the authority to think properly about different subjects.

Edited Tuesday at 11:53 AM by Nemra

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Nemra said:

@Leo Gura, is there a tendency in academic circles to study their own epistemology?

Definitely not. Academics are too busy working to do that.

Quote

I don't have experience in academia.

Also, I think you would consider academia to be corrupt, but I don't know how or why that is the case. So, how can I understand that if I'm neither an academic nor have I pursued education beyond a bachelor's degree?

Keep in mind I have extremely high standards given the work that I do.

For normal people academia is not a big problem. If you are getting a degree in something straight-forward like history or engineering, you have little to worry about.

Academia falls flat on its face when it comes to philosophy, ontology, epistemology, mysticism, spirituality, psychedelics, psychology, and advanced stages of development.

Edited Tuesday at 12:18 PM by Leo Gura

[Nemra]

27 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Academics are too busy working to do that.

That is ironic.

27 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Academia falls flat on its face when it comes to philosophy, ontology, epistemology, mysticism, spirituality, psychedelics, psychology, and advanced stages of development.

I am inclined to trust you more with that conclusion, having observed how you think and knowing that you nearly became an academic.

[Leo Gura]

7 hours ago, Nemra said:

That is ironic.

I am inclined to trust you more with that conclusion, having observed how you think and knowing that you nearly became an academic.

Keep in mind I have a weird hatred of academia, so I'm biased.

Definitely my view on academia is harsh and idiosyncratic.

I have the view I have because I need to in order to do pioneering intellectual work. I have to shit on them because I need to invent something better.

See, no one in academia understands Infinity/Love. That's why I will never respect them. To me all academics are mindless sheep.

Edited Tuesday at 08:37 PM by Leo Gura

[Nemra]

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Keep in mind I have a weird hatred of academia, so I'm biased.

I share the same sentiment towards Christians. 

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Definitely my view on academia is harsh and idiosyncratic.

Noted.

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

I have the view I have because I need to in order to do pioneering intellectual work. I have to shit on them because I need to invent something better.

I understand that belittling people that you have considered their perspectives who would have no problem belittling you is effective. I'm not above it.

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

See, no one in academia understands Infinity/Love. That's why I will never respect them. To me all academics are mindless sheep.

Hmm ... Ok.

Edited Wednesday at 05:04 AM by Nemra

[Leo Gura]

4 minutes ago, Nemra said:

I share the same sentiment towards Christians.

No one dislikes Christians more than me. They are so dumb it physically pains me.

Edited Tuesday at 09:39 PM by Leo Gura

[Daniel Balan]

4 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

No one dislikes Christians more than me. They are so dumb it physically pains me.

Same here. For the last 5 years I began to feel a sudden need to vomit when listening to religious people like Christians or Mormons or right wing propagandists like Tucker or Alex Jones. 

I get annoyed when listening to leftists on their utopian ideals, but I look at them the same way a parent looks at their children when they draw an ugly painting for kindergarten, but when I listen to Christians and Right Wingers, I litteraly feel pain in stomach and an intense need to vomit.

I think this is a sign I evolved past stage blue. It wasn't like this until I turned 21.