StillUndefeated

ABNORMAL, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to be detested. Wherefore the lexicographer adviseth a striving toward the straiter resemblance of the Average Man than he hath to himself. Whoso attaineth thereto shall have peace, the prospect of death and the hope of Hell.

Here’s a question I’ve been wondering: Bierce frames gluttony as a religion and eating as a kind of ritual. But why doesn’t he depict women as true followers of this "stomach-worship"? I recall reading - perhaps in the Longman Cultural Dictionary or the Britannica - that back in the late 19th century, being thin wasn't fashionable or considered the ideal for women. In fact, being plump was often seen as a sign of wealth and health. Since The Devil’s Dictionary was written between 1881 and 1906, a "chubbier" wife could actually signal that her husband was a successful provider. Bierce doesn't depict women as gluttons at all. He implies they lack the "true reverence" for food that men have. So, how do we reconcile their "plump" status with his claim that if women ran the world’s marketing, we’d all be graminivorous? Were they sneaking food in private to stay plump while pretending to “eat like a bird” in public?

ABILITY, n. The natural equipment to accomplish some small part of the meaner ambitions distinguishing able men from dead ones. In the last analysis ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity. Perhaps, however, this impressive quality is rightly appraised; it is no easy task to be solemn.

ABDOMEN, n. The temple of the god Stomach, in whose worship, with sacrificial rights, all true men engage. From women this ancient faith commands but a stammering assent. They sometimes minister at the altar in a half-hearted and ineffective way, but true reverence for the one deity that men really adore they know not. If woman had a free hand in the world's marketing the race would become graminivorous.

ABDICATION, n. An act whereby a sovereign attests his sense of the high temperature of the throne. Poor Isabella's dead, whose abdication Set all tongues wagging in the Spanish nation. For that performance 'twere unfair to scold her: She wisely left a throne too hot to hold her. To History she'll be no royal riddle-- Merely a plain parched pea that jumped the griddle. G.J.

ABATIS, n. Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside.

ABASEMENT, n. A decent and customary mental attitude in the presence of wealth or power. Peculiarly appropriate in an employee when addressing an employer.

The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce This book is in the public domain and freely available on Project Gutenberg. According to U.S. copyright law, it’s perfectly legal to share and read it.

Woooow. And @El Luchador says Somali IQ is below 70... What does my response have to do with 'respecting women’s opinions'?

No one is Muslim in Iran. [FALSE] After 47 years of Islamic regime, ... [Islam didn't just show up with the current regime 47 years ago; it’s been in Iran for centuries under plenty of different dynasties.] we all hate Islam. [FALSE] [Iran's actually got a large atheist population but plenty of people are still religious. just not always in the same way you might see in some Arab countries. For many people, Islam is more cultural than strictly practiced. They grow up hearing that it's a religion of peace and kindness, and that idea stays with them. But in terms of actually following religious rules day to day, a lot of Iranians don’t. Even many people who strongly identify as Muslim rarely go to the mosque.] we can’t have dogs [FALSE] women can’t sing [True in public settings] I would be killed for dressing like this [FALSE] [Even though the Mahsa Amini incident happened a few years ago, it sparked the massive 'Woman, Life, Freedom' revolution.] We are peaceful people [FALSE]

Wow, really??

Look, you’re retired, sitting at home and grumbling about everything - I bet the folks at home celebrate every time you step out. Do everyone a favor and come to Iran. Here’s the plan: First, I’ll feed you some Ghormeh Sabzi; you’re gonna need to fuel up for what’s next. Then we’ll hit up a rally so you can experience a 'Death to America' chant in person. Full VIP treatment. After that, we’ll swing by Khomeini’s shrine. Word is he specialized in curing the runs. So if the Ghormeh Sabzi hits you a little too fast, maybe you’ll get yourself a small miracle. Then we’ll head to Mashhad, where I’ll personally ask Imam Reza to work on your bigger issues. Sure, I’m an atheist and you’re not even Muslim, but the Imam doesn’t know what a pair of sneaky bastards we are - maybe he’ll take pity on you and grant a miracle anyway. And even if he doesn't, I once read that prayer doesn't change God, it changes the person praying. Either way, it’s a better vibe than you sitting around grumbling. So, that’s your physical and mental health sorted for free. After that, we’ll do a little sightseeing until the war starts. Since the U.S. will probably attack within a month, you’ll have the chance to be the only American soldier on the ground in Tehran. While the U.S. is just doing airstrikes, you’ll be the lone American infantryman in the capital. If Trump heard what you were up to, his mind would be blown. In just one month, you’ll go from being a grumpy old man who annoys everyone around him, to a national hero.

What’s actually happening, beautiful? Don’t worry, I’m here.

Honestly, your existence does more harm than good for America. What have you actually done that benefits the U.S.? Even illegal immigrants contribute more than you do - at least they don’t spread hate and make enemies for the U.S. like you do. You actually contribute nothing to America. I’d bet you don’t even know how to brush your teeth properly.

Personal experience isn’t really a reliable source for judging intelligence. And setting IQ tests aside for a second - how exactly do you think people with IQs below 70 could hijack massive oil tankers and ships from countries they supposedly consider “smart”? You know piracy is one of the things Somalis actually do for a living. Even stealing a small wooden boat takes an IQ higher than 70 - let alone the tankers and ships they actually capture.

It’s hard to believe someone who can’t tell the difference between a woman and a teenage boy still has the confidence to show up here. Especially after thinking the photo of Rachel Corrie was "some teenage boy." That’s wild.

These comparisons are totally off. Let’s say they picked random samples from the countries you mentioned to take the test. People from different cultures don’t interpret the same questions the same way. There are culture-free IQ tests, but they’re so time-consuming that it’s basically impossible to use them on large samples. In other words, if your samples are big enough to detect meaningful differences in intelligence across nationalities, you can’t really use those culture-free tests. In the past, there were tons of comparative tests between Black and White people, and most of them showed Whites scoring higher. But later it became clear that cultural factors were influencing the results and the tests weren’t properly standardized. Even if you use localized tests, comparing scores across countries is still tricky. There’s a general psychology book by Hilgard that has a chapter on intelligence, and I’d really recommend checking it out. In Iran, it was taught at the undergrad level, and you can probably find older editions on eBay for really cheap. Honestly, read the whole book if you can. But if you can, get the new edition, since it covers more recent findings. If you don’t want to buy it, you can read it for free on archive.org. The book is pretty huge, so it’s really nice to have a physical copy at home and just read a few pages whenever you have time.

Hahaha, love you @El Luchador , your stuff is hilarious. Seriously, I really do love you. But… what are you even saying? IQ of Somalis is 68–71? Hahaha.

No, RV, just because kids’ photos are everywhere - and even if their parents post them - doesn’t mean it’s okay. That clearly violates their rights. Setting the text on the photo aside, would you want a picture of you taken and shared without your consent? They might not like it when they grow up and realize a photo of them next to Trump was out there for everyone to see.

I think the forum automatically embeds YouTube videos. It works that way for me. Anyway, the point being made is that Trump is deporting some immigrants while letting WHITE South Africans into the U.S., claiming there’s a genocide happening there. The argument goes: yes, South Africa has serious problems, but for everyone, not just whites. And those white South Africans are actually the ones who have historically held the most power and owned the most land. If they’ve fallen behind, it’s largely due to their own shortcomings. Meanwhile, Trump is letting in a group that’s basically losers - people who, despite having all the advantages and resources, didn’t get anywhere. Meanwhile, he’s deporting Afghans who helped the U.S. military fight the Taliban. Clearly, this is a racial issue - Black South Africans are also facing oppression, so why is Trump only concerned about white South Africans?

And what do you think about the following statements?

Ah, so it’s the liberals’ fault. So during right-wing administrations, undocumented immigrants didn’t exist in the U.S., they were just traveling back and forth? They go back to their countries under the right, come to the U.S. under the left… and somehow they were still voting during right-wing times? That doesn’t add up.

Not all undocumented immigrants entered the U.S. illegally. Many came legally - on student visas, tourist visas, work visas, or even for specific events - and then overstayed. You’re deflecting again. I’m not asking about labels - I’m asking a practical question: how did people without permanent residency live in the U.S. for years? How did they work, rent housing, and function day to day

I’m genuinely curious about something. How are undocumented immigrants able to live in the U.S. for years? I don’t mean illegal activity - many of them aren’t criminals. But how do they work without legal status? How do they rent apartments? In almost every country, you need valid documents even to stay one night in a hotel. So I’m trying to understand how it works in the U.S.

Even if you believe the president is a threat, the children in that photo have done nothing wrong. Their faces should have been blurred to protect their privacy. Why should they be the victims of political battles?