On 24/01/24 20:42, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
> Hibou wrote:
>
>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>> That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>> appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of
>> being the last man alive.
>
> It's not purposeless. They have to turn off all the lights and close
> all the doors.

At my university, morale was dropping during my last few years there.
Someone put up a sign saying "Would the last person to leave please turn
off the light at the end of the tunnel."

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>Le 24/01/2024 à 07:16, Silvano a écrit :
>> Peter Moylan hat am 24.01.2024 um 01:27 geschrieben:
>>>
>>> Better education would help in the long term. (I doubt that many
>>> educated people vote for the psychopath.) Of course, nobody thinks about
>>> the long term when faced with a short-term problem.
>> In the long term we are all dead.
>
>True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations. That's
>the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To appreciate
>that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being the last man
>alive.
>
Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the last
ship of humanity goes down.
--
Paul W

On 2024-01-24 11:08:11 +0000, Peter Moylan said:

> On 24/01/24 20:42, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>> Hibou wrote:
>>
>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>>> That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>>> appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of
>>> being the last man alive.
>>
>> It's not purposeless. They have to turn off all the lights and close
>> all the doors.
>
> At my university, morale was dropping during my last few years there.
> Someone put up a sign saying "Would the last person to leave please turn
> off the light at the end of the tunnel."

Jan will know better, but my recollection is that in the period before
independence Suriname was losing people so fast (mainly going to the
Netherlands) it had signs like that.

--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 36 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

On 24-Jan-24 8:00, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
> On 2024-01-23 23:12:49 +0000, Paul Wolff said:
>
>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, at 22:58:15, Sam Plusnet posted:
>>> On 23-Jan-24 20:39, Silvano wrote:
>>>> Sam Plusnet hat am 23.01.2024 um 19:26 geschrieben:
>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 13:11, Hibou wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Unfortunately, our democracies in the UK and the US don't seem to be
>>>>>> working well, since we're electing one no-hoper after another. It's
>>>>>> curious that we can't find someone better from our populations of 70M
>>>>>> and 330M respectively.
>>>>>
>>>>> Isn't that the point of a democracy?
>>>>> If enough people can be convinced that a psychopath with a thirst for
>>>>> absolute (permanent) power would make a good leader, then they are the
>>>>> right man for the job.
>>  >> Can you please explain your plan to get rid of a psychopath with
>>  >> a thirst for absolute (permanent) power? Preferably by democratic
>>  >> means, but undemocratic means could be necessary.
>>>
>>> I leave that as an exercise for the reader.
>>> (In the faint hope that someone can come up with a good idea.)
>>>
>> I thought /The Death of Stalin/
>
> Music composed (and partly played) by my nephew. Much of it sounds like
> Shostakovich, but it isn't.
>
>>  explored the idea quite entertainingly. We await the next instalment.

In another Usenet group, that would be called a knicker-flash.
And a fine knicker-flash it is.

--
Sam Plusnet

After serious thinking Sam Plusnet wrote :
> On 24-Jan-24 8:00, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>> On 2024-01-23 23:12:49 +0000, Paul Wolff said:
>>
>>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, at 22:58:15, Sam Plusnet posted:
>>>> On 23-Jan-24 20:39, Silvano wrote:
>>>>> Sam Plusnet hat am 23.01.2024 um 19:26 geschrieben:
>>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 13:11, Hibou wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Unfortunately, our democracies in the UK and the US don't seem to be
>>>>>>> working well, since we're electing one no-hoper after another. It's
>>>>>>> curious that we can't find someone better from our populations of 70M
>>>>>>> and 330M respectively.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Isn't that the point of a democracy?
>>>>>> If enough people can be convinced that a psychopath with a thirst for
>>>>>> absolute (permanent) power would make a good leader, then they are the
>>>>>> right man for the job.
>>>  >> Can you please explain your plan to get rid of a psychopath with
>>>  >> a thirst for absolute (permanent) power? Preferably by democratic
>>>  >> means, but undemocratic means could be necessary.
>>>>
>>>> I leave that as an exercise for the reader.
>>>> (In the faint hope that someone can come up with a good idea.)
>>>>
>>> I thought /The Death of Stalin/
>>
>> Music composed (and partly played) by my nephew. Much of it sounds like
>> Shostakovich, but it isn't.
>>
>>>  explored the idea quite entertainingly. We await the next instalment.
>
> In another Usenet group, that would be called a knicker-flash.
> And a fine knicker-flash it is.

Perhaps Athel should wear a Scarlatti Letter.

/dps

--
You could try being nicer and politer
> instead, and see how that works out.
-- Katy Jennison

Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>
>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>> That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>> appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being
>> the last man alive.
>
> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
> importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
> the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the last
> ship of humanity goes down.

Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The rest
of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example of a
heroic captain.

I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human ever, who
might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she have? Recording
a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But that too is using
others to give sense to one's life.

On 2024-01-24 20:46:59 +0000, Snidely said:

> After serious thinking Sam Plusnet wrote :
>> On 24-Jan-24 8:00, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>>> On 2024-01-23 23:12:49 +0000, Paul Wolff said:
>>>
>>>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, at 22:58:15, Sam Plusnet posted:
>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 20:39, Silvano wrote:
>>>>>> Sam Plusnet hat am 23.01.2024 um 19:26 geschrieben:
>>>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 13:11, Hibou wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Unfortunately, our democracies in the UK and the US don't seem to be
>>>>>>>> working well, since we're electing one no-hoper after another. It's
>>>>>>>> curious that we can't find someone better from our populations of 70M
>>>>>>>> and 330M respectively.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Isn't that the point of a democracy?
>>>>>>> If enough people can be convinced that a psychopath with a thirst for
>>>>>>> absolute (permanent) power would make a good leader, then they are the
>>>>>>> right man for the job.
>>>>  >> Can you please explain your plan to get rid of a psychopath with
>>>>  >> a thirst for absolute (permanent) power? Preferably by democratic
>>>>  >> means, but undemocratic means could be necessary.
>>>>>
>>>>> I leave that as an exercise for the reader.
>>>>> (In the faint hope that someone can come up with a good idea.)
>>>>>
>>>> I thought /The Death of Stalin/
>>>
>>> Music composed (and partly played) by my nephew. Much of it sounds like
>>> Shostakovich, but it isn't.
>>>
>>>>  explored the idea quite entertainingly. We await the next instalment.
>>
>> In another Usenet group, that would be called a knicker-flash.
>> And a fine knicker-flash it is.
>
> Perhaps Athel should wear a Scarlatti Letter.

Ha. You've been doing some searching. My nephew's doctoral thesis was
about Scarlatti.

--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 36 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

Athel Cornish-Bowden was thinking very hard :
> On 2024-01-24 20:46:59 +0000, Snidely said:
>
>> After serious thinking Sam Plusnet wrote :
>>> On 24-Jan-24 8:00, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>>>> On 2024-01-23 23:12:49 +0000, Paul Wolff said:
>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, 23 Jan 2024, at 22:58:15, Sam Plusnet posted:
>>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 20:39, Silvano wrote:
>>>>>>> Sam Plusnet hat am 23.01.2024 um 19:26 geschrieben:
>>>>>>>> On 23-Jan-24 13:11, Hibou wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Unfortunately, our democracies in the UK and the US don't seem to be
>>>>>>>>> working well, since we're electing one no-hoper after another. It's
>>>>>>>>> curious that we can't find someone better from our populations of
>>>>>>>>> 70M
>>>>>>>>> and 330M respectively.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Isn't that the point of a democracy?
>>>>>>>> If enough people can be convinced that a psychopath with a thirst for
>>>>>>>> absolute (permanent) power would make a good leader, then they are
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> right man for the job.
>>>>>  >> Can you please explain your plan to get rid of a psychopath with
>>>>>  >> a thirst for absolute (permanent) power? Preferably by democratic
>>>>>  >> means, but undemocratic means could be necessary.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I leave that as an exercise for the reader.
>>>>>> (In the faint hope that someone can come up with a good idea.)
>>>>>>
>>>>> I thought /The Death of Stalin/
>>>>
>>>> Music composed (and partly played) by my nephew. Much of it sounds like
>>>> Shostakovich, but it isn't.
>>>>
>>>>>  explored the idea quite entertainingly. We await the next instalment.
>>>
>>> In another Usenet group, that would be called a knicker-flash.
>>> And a fine knicker-flash it is.
>>
>> Perhaps Athel should wear a Scarlatti Letter.
>
> Ha. You've been doing some searching. My nephew's doctoral thesis was about
> Scarlatti.

There was a bit of page-downing past the cast.

/dps

--
potstickers, Japanese gyoza, Chinese dumplings, let's do it

On Thu, 25 Jan 2024, at 06:38:26, Hibou posted:
>Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
>> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>>
>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>>>That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>>>appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being
>>>the last man alive.
>>
>> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
>>importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
>>the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the
>>last ship of humanity goes down.
>
>Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The rest
>of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example of a
>heroic captain.
>
>I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human ever,
>who might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she have?
>Recording a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But that too is
>using others to give sense to one's life.
>
Forget the nautical metaphor. The last human should be the librarian,
and pass the mantle to the orang-utan from Unseen University.
--
Paul W

On 2024-01-25 11:24:02 +0000, Paul Wolff said:

> On Thu, 25 Jan 2024, at 06:38:26, Hibou posted:
>> Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
>>> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>>>
>>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations. That's
>>>> the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To appreciate
>>>> that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being the last man
>>>> alive.
>>>
>>> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
>>> importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
>>> the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the last
>>> ship of humanity goes down.
>>
>> Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The rest
>> of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example of a
>> heroic captain.
>>
>> I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human ever,
>> who might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she have?
>> Recording a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But that too is
>> using others to give sense to one's life.
>>
> Forget the nautical metaphor. The last human should be the librarian,
> and pass the mantle to the orang-utan from Unseen University.

The original comment was about the last man. No indication if there are
any women still around. If there are, he can hope to be a new Adam and
repopulate the Earth.

--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 36 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

On 25/01/2024 06:38, Hibou wrote:
> Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
>> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>>
>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>>> That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>>> appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being
>>> the last man alive.
>>
>> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
>> importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
>> the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the
>> last ship of humanity goes down.
>
> Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The rest
> of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example of a
> heroic captain.

Marie Celeste didn't.

>
> I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human ever, who
> might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she have? Recording
> a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But that too is using
> others to give sense to one's life.
>

--
Chris Elvidge, England
I WILL NOT BELCH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

On 2024-01-25, Hibou wrote:

> Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
>> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>>
>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many generations.
>>> That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all about the race. To
>>> appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak purposelessness of being
>>> the last man alive.
>>
>> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
>> importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen, to be
>> the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge when the last
>> ship of humanity goes down.
>
> Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The rest
> of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example of a
> heroic captain.
>
> I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human ever, who
> might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she have? Recording
> a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But that too is using
> others to give sense to one's life.

"One night when years had passed
The skies shook from a fiery blast
And there a starship - safe at last!
To come rescue this survivor

They beckoned him inside
But only man, he would not ride
Instead he found a place to hide
For he's the sole survivor"

<https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/45651/>

--
Outside of the city limits the heart of darkness, the true wasteland
begins. --Ignatius J Reilly

On 25/01/24 22:24, Paul Wolff wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Jan 2024, at 06:38:26, Hibou posted:
>> Le 24/01/2024 à 11:44, Paul Wolff a écrit :
>>> On Wed, 24 Jan 2024, at 08:07:16, Hibou posted:
>>>>
>>>> True, but humanity, we hope, will continue for many
>>>> generations. That's the long-term view. In the end, it's all
>>>> about the race. To appreciate that, just contemplate the bleak
>>>> purposelessness of being the last man alive.
>>>
>>> Hold on, that's a vital job. Someone has to do it. Think of the
>>> importance attached to it. It should be an honour to be chosen,
>>> to be the last captain standing and saluting on the last bridge
>>> when the last ship of humanity goes down.
>>
>> Well yes, but an abandoned ship is likely going down quickly. The
>> rest of the world carries on, and may well profit from the example
>> of a heroic captain.
>>
>> I was thinking more of the last human on Earth, the last human
>> ever, who might be alone for decades. What purpose could he or she
>> have? Recording a history for the benefit of visiting aliens? But
>> that too is using others to give sense to one's life.
>>
> Forget the nautical metaphor. The last human should be the
> librarian, and pass the mantle to the orang-utan from Unseen
> University.

"The Forgotten Enemy" by Arthur C Clarke puts an academic type in the
role of last man. He chose to shelter with his books in a London university
when the country was abandoned as the temperature went down. The short
story doesn't say whether humans still survived in the tropics.

The story appeared in 1949. At that time some people believed that a new
Ice Age could be triggered by variations in sunspot activity. The
greenhouse effect was fairly well understood by then, but there was not
enough information about its magnitude.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW