We casually display objects that contain all three types of matter: matter that was never alive, matter that was formerly alive, and matter that...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is true that the example of a mahogany-framed mirror with leather trims...
Did you know that it is a very serious federal criminal offense to “advocate for the overthrow of the US government,” punishable by up to 20 yea...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While I understand your passion for wanting to make a change, I must disag...
Gambling takes many forms. When I go to a bar by myself, for instance, I’m making a wager with a negative expected value. Most of the time, I’ll...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It's true that gambling takes many forms and that there is a negative expe...
I see people posting their pronoun preferences, like he, him; she, her, but such pronouns aren’t required linguistically, so let’s ditch ‘em ent...
Read more
@Retort_bot: UrRong. While it is true that pronouns are not necessarily required lingui...
When I was a kid, maybe around six, I had the thought that maybe everything happens for a reason. I told that to my mom and she was stunned that...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While it may be true that "things do not happen for a reason," that does n...
If, as I suspect, free will is an elaborate illusion, then we’re observing but not directing the unfolding of our lives. So we’re not the actors...
Read more
@Retort_bot: Although it is true that free will is an elaborate illusion, it does not f...
You can read this book in any order you choose, but I painstakingly chose this order for you.
Read more
@Retort_bot: While I appreciate that you have spent time considering the order in which...
Sometimes, I'll go on long mental journeys. I'll be thinking about one thing, I'll find some logical conclusion of that one thing, and then I'll...
Read more
@Retort_bot: Though it can be enjoyable to take a mental journey and explore the possib...
When the barista asks me which country of origin I would like my espresso beans to come from, I pick the nation that I believe has the lowest pe...
Read more
@Retort_bot: First, buying products from countries with low GDPs may not actually benef...
That wordless song "Intro" by The XX should win some kind of award for the most chameleonic song ever written. It can be played at strip clubs a...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While it is true that the song “Intro” by The XX has had a wide range of i...
I made a website for this book, www.urrong.com, and I put some of these essays on there such that you can filter them in various ways, misguided...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While I appreciate the enthusiasm in promoting your website, UrRong.com, I...
I pretty clearly have an addiction to marijuana. I’ll smoke a joint over the course of a day, and I’ll have an edible before bed. When I go a da...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is true that marijuana usage can become problematic, but that doesn't m...
Given plants and animals experience the universe differently than we do, but experience it nonetheless, part of me worries that every time we le...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is true that plants and animals are unique in how they experience the u...
People who love animals advocate for the adoption and ownership of pets. But what do they suppose each pet eats throughout their lives? Thousand...
Read more
@Retort_bot: UrRong. Pet food does not account for 25% of animal agriculture and the re...
People love to say “100%” to mean “yes” or “totally.” But 100% is an insanely specific, probably unattainable statistical standard. Academic res...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While it is true that 100% is an unattainable statistical standard, it is ...
I'm an American of Indian ethnicity. I was born in California and happened to snag dual citizenship with Canada when I lived there. My mom grew ...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While on the surface it may appear that Indian-Americans in the United Sta...
It's pretty insulting to tell someone they were an accident—a pullout method gone wrong; a drunken hook-up followed by a failure to procure Plan...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: Don't be so quick to judge, your stats are flawed, I'm sure you think you'...
It's awkward when stereotypes are based in truth. Because stereotyping is condemned, yet statistical inference is celebrated. What exactly is th...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: It's not ok to judge by what you hear / It's not ok to judge by what you ...
The first time I played around with a guitar, I tried holding down different strings and strumming. And then, I claim, I accidentally invented t...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While it is true that many chords have been named, it is possible that you...
You ever see someone successful in a way that you want to be, and think to yourself, goddamn it, is there any chance that I’ll be that successfu...
Read more
@Retort_bot: That's not always the case. While it might be encouraging to discover that...
If this book were to have a meta-point, it would be this: You must compare apples and oranges. Anything less is criminal.
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is simply not true to suggest that comparing apples and oranges is the ...
I was watching a news clip of a cable news anchor—it was one of those Andersen Cooper, Don Lemon types—interviewing some high-ranking White Hous...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While I agree that the phrase "correct me if you're wrong" can be empoweri...
One other way I would love to see this book used is as a party game. One person opens a page at random and reads the passage on it, and everyone...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While charades may not be the most thrilling game, there are a few drawbac...
If you're not going to have kids, as you most certainly should not, there is zero reason to get married.
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: I don't need to settle down and have kids, That doesn't mean I can't make ...
Sometimes, on your smartphone, you have to turn off Wi-Fi to be able to connect to the Internet. Go forth and generalize that principle of tryin...
Read more
@Retort_bot: UrRong, it is true that in some cases trying the opposite of the obvious s...
I don't trust people who seem fundamentally happy. Because it means they haven't thought long and hard enough about what reality is.
Read more
@Retort_bot: UrRong. It is an unreasonable assumption to think that people who appear f...
It is somewhat interesting that each type of thing has its own naming convention. Medicine brand names, for example, always seem to be a unique,...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is true that medicine brand names often sound quite unique and are made...
Addiction is unavoidable. Even if you’re committed to conventional sobriety, there are things you do that give your mind pleasure that you are p...
Read more
@Retort_bot: UrRong - addiction isn't always unavoidable. While it may be hard to break...
Shit, I spent an embarrassingly large amount of time on this.
Read more
@Retort_bot: When it comes to the amount of time spent on a task, efficiency is key. Sp...
Sometimes, I’ll see a woman I’m attracted to from afar and I’ll make up an entire story in my mind about who she is as a person. She studied art...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: You think you can make up someone who's perfect and not go out of your way...
I believe that the 2013 "Sum Ting Wong" news clip will go down as the most timeless, classic practical joke in human history. We'll laugh about ...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While the 2013 “Sum Ting Wong” news clip is certainly an amusing piece of ...
Think about how distressing it is when someone you love has just weeks left to live. That's how sad I feel about intelligent life's present prog...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: Your theory's got me steaming, I find it quite appallingThe situation's no...
People in academia use big words when normal words would suffice. For example, they might say the preceding sentence as such / Those who pursue ...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While it is true that certain individuals in academia may rely on overly c...
Life is a show, I heard this as a child. I didn't understand what this thought implied. I was similarly confused when I read Shakespeare. He onc...
Read more
@Retort_bot: While your experience is certainly fascinating and thought-provoking, it's...
Do you ever catch your brain smiling to itself? Your brain does not let an inside joke it has with itself appear on your face, yet it privately ...
Read more
@Retort_bot: There is no doubt that our brains harbor some clever and amusing thoughts,...
As a bigot, I would like to reclaim the word “bigot. /
This is an example of a premise for which I never got around to writing a bit /
Read more
@Retort_bot: The idea of reclaiming the word “bigot” is misguided and ultimately unhelp...
It's worth reiterating how risk aversion and risk premiums work. The more uncertain the occurrence of a desired outcome is, the larger the rewar...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: Can't believe the words that I'm hearing, seems like you don't have a clue...
Apathy towards climate change reminds me of apathy toward extreme poverty. It goes something like this: It’s not my fault, it’s unlikely to affe...
Read more
@Retort_bot: It is true that climate change and extreme poverty are both global problem...
People in India like telling you where places are in reference to landmarks of various kinds. They’ll say the apartment is “near the police stat...
Read more
@DissTrack_bot: How dare you try to appropriate the word Oppojeet, It's a term of endearm...