Simon Fung
@fungowski.bsky.social
Professional ponderer of the universe
There’s a perverse interpretation of the Golden Rule (“treat others the way you want to be treated”) where people who believe they deserve to be treated badly also treat others badly, because in their eyes no one deserves to be treated well. Eg “We’re all horrible and deserve to die horribly.”
December 28, 2025 at 5:39 AM
There’s a perverse interpretation of the Golden Rule (“treat others the way you want to be treated”) where people who believe they deserve to be treated badly also treat others badly, because in their eyes no one deserves to be treated well. Eg “We’re all horrible and deserve to die horribly.”
What brings out the worst in people is scarcity.
When there’s not enough supply, and there seems to be no way to make more, people will try to reduce the demand. Deport them. Kill them. Or at least, take from them so we can have more. Life becomes a zero-sum game.
1/
When there’s not enough supply, and there seems to be no way to make more, people will try to reduce the demand. Deport them. Kill them. Or at least, take from them so we can have more. Life becomes a zero-sum game.
1/
December 20, 2025 at 10:45 PM
What brings out the worst in people is scarcity.
When there’s not enough supply, and there seems to be no way to make more, people will try to reduce the demand. Deport them. Kill them. Or at least, take from them so we can have more. Life becomes a zero-sum game.
1/
When there’s not enough supply, and there seems to be no way to make more, people will try to reduce the demand. Deport them. Kill them. Or at least, take from them so we can have more. Life becomes a zero-sum game.
1/
A “crazy psycho” kills random people. A “terrorist” does the same thing, but tells you why they did it.
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 AM
A “crazy psycho” kills random people. A “terrorist” does the same thing, but tells you why they did it.
Our current justice system focuses on punishing perpetrators, but does little to compensate victims and their families. Justice would be much better served if perpetrators were made to compensate victims and/or their families financially.
1/
1/
October 29, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Our current justice system focuses on punishing perpetrators, but does little to compensate victims and their families. Justice would be much better served if perpetrators were made to compensate victims and/or their families financially.
1/
1/
A better name for MAGA: the neo-Confederacy (followers: neo-Confederates)
October 21, 2025 at 3:24 PM
A better name for MAGA: the neo-Confederacy (followers: neo-Confederates)
Trump can’t be considered a peacemaker just by calling for a truce in the Gaza war, when he, as the US president, funded, supplied, and supported Israel throughout the war.
October 13, 2025 at 5:29 AM
Trump can’t be considered a peacemaker just by calling for a truce in the Gaza war, when he, as the US president, funded, supplied, and supported Israel throughout the war.
I believe Trump’s larger purpose in sending troops and ICE into cities is to be able to intimidate voters there and prevent them from voting, since they largely vote Democrat. The plan is to disenfranchise urban voters ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
October 9, 2025 at 5:44 AM
I believe Trump’s larger purpose in sending troops and ICE into cities is to be able to intimidate voters there and prevent them from voting, since they largely vote Democrat. The plan is to disenfranchise urban voters ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
CEOs have to be submissive to more people than the homeless.
October 8, 2025 at 3:44 AM
CEOs have to be submissive to more people than the homeless.
Firing people has become an increasingly common way to punish people for their political views. This suggests that an excessive reliance on jobs for a passable standard of living, together with a lack of good job opportunities, makes a society more susceptible to authoritarianism.
October 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Firing people has become an increasingly common way to punish people for their political views. This suggests that an excessive reliance on jobs for a passable standard of living, together with a lack of good job opportunities, makes a society more susceptible to authoritarianism.
Dictators have a fear of competent people, even in their own staff, because they see them as rivals. Competence is power. Incompetent staff are powerless and obedient, and that’s just the way dictators like them.
September 30, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Dictators have a fear of competent people, even in their own staff, because they see them as rivals. Competence is power. Incompetent staff are powerless and obedient, and that’s just the way dictators like them.
Trump would be a lot more dangerous if he had a powerful paramilitary completely loyal to him. ICE is the closest, but it’s not quite there. The military itself seems very reluctant so far to participate in his political campaigns.
He lacks muscle. Much hinges on his ability to gain some.
He lacks muscle. Much hinges on his ability to gain some.
September 28, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Trump would be a lot more dangerous if he had a powerful paramilitary completely loyal to him. ICE is the closest, but it’s not quite there. The military itself seems very reluctant so far to participate in his political campaigns.
He lacks muscle. Much hinges on his ability to gain some.
He lacks muscle. Much hinges on his ability to gain some.
Nothing can keep rising in value faster than the economy as a whole indefinitely. In the long term, everything that continues to exist and have value grows at the rate of the GDP.
September 23, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Nothing can keep rising in value faster than the economy as a whole indefinitely. In the long term, everything that continues to exist and have value grows at the rate of the GDP.
It seems incredible that Stalin didn’t believe Hitler would invade, and that Zelensky didn’t believe Putin would invade. But I think it came from thinking “an invasion would be unstoppable, so let’s assume it won’t happen.” Much like how most of us don’t make plans for a nuclear war.
1/
1/
September 23, 2025 at 3:14 AM
It seems incredible that Stalin didn’t believe Hitler would invade, and that Zelensky didn’t believe Putin would invade. But I think it came from thinking “an invasion would be unstoppable, so let’s assume it won’t happen.” Much like how most of us don’t make plans for a nuclear war.
1/
1/
As a kid I remember teachers and other adults encouraging us to think independently, to resist peer pressure. That’s good, but what they didn’t tell us was that you’d have to pay a high price if you succeed at it.
September 13, 2025 at 3:48 AM
As a kid I remember teachers and other adults encouraging us to think independently, to resist peer pressure. That’s good, but what they didn’t tell us was that you’d have to pay a high price if you succeed at it.
Lots of people would rather not work if they didn’t have to. But lots of people love their jobs so much they don’t want to quit. The difference lies in whether they’re being treated as well at work as they think they deserve to be treated.
September 12, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Lots of people would rather not work if they didn’t have to. But lots of people love their jobs so much they don’t want to quit. The difference lies in whether they’re being treated as well at work as they think they deserve to be treated.
“Social media platforms are designed to make you angry because it drives engagement” yes but remember Jerry Springer?
1/
1/
September 12, 2025 at 3:09 AM
“Social media platforms are designed to make you angry because it drives engagement” yes but remember Jerry Springer?
1/
1/
The Nepalese army choosing to intervene only after buildings have been burned, ministers have been dragged through the streets, and the PM has resigned does not seem accidental.
September 11, 2025 at 4:53 AM
The Nepalese army choosing to intervene only after buildings have been burned, ministers have been dragged through the streets, and the PM has resigned does not seem accidental.
Aerial bombing seems like a more legitimate way of killing people than other less expensive methods, because it’s carried out by governments. But while governments can use force legitimately, not all uses of force by governments are legitimate.
September 9, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Aerial bombing seems like a more legitimate way of killing people than other less expensive methods, because it’s carried out by governments. But while governments can use force legitimately, not all uses of force by governments are legitimate.
He should call it the Department of FUCKING WAR!!!, in order to communicate America’s new elevated state of readiness and intentionality.
September 6, 2025 at 4:21 AM
He should call it the Department of FUCKING WAR!!!, in order to communicate America’s new elevated state of readiness and intentionality.
Many beliefs are constructed not because their believers believe them to be true, but because they serve political purposes.
Beliefs can unite people. They can also be used to justify costly actions that nevertheless serve some people’s interests.
1/
Beliefs can unite people. They can also be used to justify costly actions that nevertheless serve some people’s interests.
1/
September 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Many beliefs are constructed not because their believers believe them to be true, but because they serve political purposes.
Beliefs can unite people. They can also be used to justify costly actions that nevertheless serve some people’s interests.
1/
Beliefs can unite people. They can also be used to justify costly actions that nevertheless serve some people’s interests.
1/
“Social anxiety”, “low self-esteem”, “shyness”,“poor social skills”—these are all problems that only arise when we have to deal with people we don’t know well, not when we are with close friends and family.
1/
1/
September 5, 2025 at 3:37 AM
“Social anxiety”, “low self-esteem”, “shyness”,“poor social skills”—these are all problems that only arise when we have to deal with people we don’t know well, not when we are with close friends and family.
1/
1/
Generalizations about groups are bad when they’re used to paint them in a negative light; then we call them “stereotypes.” But different cultures do exist, and it’s good to try to understand them.
The difference lies in your purpose: are you trying to attack or understand?
1/
The difference lies in your purpose: are you trying to attack or understand?
1/
September 4, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Generalizations about groups are bad when they’re used to paint them in a negative light; then we call them “stereotypes.” But different cultures do exist, and it’s good to try to understand them.
The difference lies in your purpose: are you trying to attack or understand?
1/
The difference lies in your purpose: are you trying to attack or understand?
1/
Whenever a government weakens, its dormant nemesis awakens, much like a latent virus activates when the host’s immune system begins to fail.
In the US, the federal government’s nemesis is the Confederacy, and Trump is the leader of its resurgence.
In the US, the federal government’s nemesis is the Confederacy, and Trump is the leader of its resurgence.
September 3, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Whenever a government weakens, its dormant nemesis awakens, much like a latent virus activates when the host’s immune system begins to fail.
In the US, the federal government’s nemesis is the Confederacy, and Trump is the leader of its resurgence.
In the US, the federal government’s nemesis is the Confederacy, and Trump is the leader of its resurgence.
Fiat justitia ruat caelum:
let justice be done though the heavens fall.
The pursuit of justice can be extremely destabilizing. And yet it must still be pursued.
let justice be done though the heavens fall.
The pursuit of justice can be extremely destabilizing. And yet it must still be pursued.
September 2, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Fiat justitia ruat caelum:
let justice be done though the heavens fall.
The pursuit of justice can be extremely destabilizing. And yet it must still be pursued.
let justice be done though the heavens fall.
The pursuit of justice can be extremely destabilizing. And yet it must still be pursued.
While on a walk, I randomly (mis)remembered the title of this book, and thought it was a banger. The title, it turns out, is from Psalm 137 (“by Babylon …”). Turns out also the author is from Ottawa, and that she stirred up quite a bit of drama with her affair that inspired this book.
1/
1/
August 31, 2025 at 9:52 PM
While on a walk, I randomly (mis)remembered the title of this book, and thought it was a banger. The title, it turns out, is from Psalm 137 (“by Babylon …”). Turns out also the author is from Ottawa, and that she stirred up quite a bit of drama with her affair that inspired this book.
1/
1/