Category: Miscellaneous

The Vatican has decided to rehabilitate hackers.

Yes, that Vatican:

“Two years ago, at the nadir of the financial crisis, the urban sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh wondered aloud in the New York Times why no mass protests had arisen against what was clearly a criminal coup by the banks. Where were the pitchforks, the tar, the feathers? Where, more importantly, were the crowds? Venkatesh’s answer was the iPod: ‘In public spaces, serendipitous interaction is needed to create the ‘mob mentality.’ Most iPod-like devices separate citizens from one another; you can’t join someone in a movement if you can’t hear the participants. Congrats Mr. Jobs for impeding social change.’ (…)

The spring 2011 issue of The Point features a great essay on the metaphysical implications of March Madness by my Duke colleague Michael Gillespie. Some of my personal highlights are: