Truth, Poetry, and the American Wall

Many may recognize this quote from Adam McKay’s movie The Big Short. My basic personality has a high tolerance and craving for repetition, and coupled with my love of cinema, I happily re-watch movies many times. I have watched The Big Short more times than I can recall. It is indeed a fine movie, in no small part because it was based on an excellent book by Michael Lewis.

This particular quote can be taken so many ways. Pregnant with cynicism and deeply contrarian, it leaves the audience with options. Dismissal of the negativity and condescension. Affirmation of a felt resonance. Perhaps a political snarl at the city of origin. And if you are one who savors poetry (I am), you may clutch something more literal from this observation. I probably feel each of those things, depending on the year and month I happen to be re-watching the film.

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Humor – I’m Sorry, I’m not Taking Evidence Today (YouTube)

Well, on this fine Friday, a bit of humor. This video clip was inspired by a friend that emailed me, explaining (among other things) that he didn’t trouble himself about scientific evidences for evolutionary origins because he’s not an empiricist, and doesn’t want to live in a world defined by empiricism. So, evidence isn’t high on the priority list, because evidence-based knowledge is, well… a sort of take or leave thing.

I really wish that denying the empirical was a valid option; that would sure be convenient. This is entirely untenable, obviously: the Bible itself supports the validity of empirical knowledge in both Testaments, the message was being typed from an electronic device of wonder, logical premises require external validation, etc. But some positions just don’t deserve a deconstruction, not where humor can cut to the chase.

It reminded me so much of Brian Regan’s lampoon of politicians. Consider the video below, but substitute the words: “I’m sorry, I’m not taking evidence today.

Cheers!

(NOTE: video is set to play from 34:20 to 35:39. Timings sometimes do not work correctly in IE. Recommend using Firefox)

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