Smile When You’re Lying
John de Mandeville’s 14th century tales of horny cannibals and headless tribesmen appealed to common fantasies about a world that was then largely undiscovered; 21st century tales of pristine beaches and unjaded locals appeal to common fantasies about a world that is now all too well discovered. The demise of good travel writing… (ht: ALDaily)
What’s Your Consumption Factor?
Just as it is certain that within most of our lifetimes we’ll be consuming less than we do now, it is also certain that per capita consumption rates in many developing countries will one day be more nearly equal to ours. These are desirable trends, not horrible prospects.
Why Everyone Should Study Linguistics
If Noam Chomsky is right that syntax already contains aspects of meaning—that in syntax form and basic meaning are not different things—then syntax allows us a very precise way to talk about how meaning emerges, and thus provides us with a firmer ground on which to erect our claims about significance.
