Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert comic strip, started a blog a while ago, and it’s been one of the most enjoyable reads on my blogroll ever since. His pragmatic outlook on the world, his tendency to take everything at face value, to believe only what his own eyes can see, and to never overestimate his fellow men, mixed with a dash of cynicism, might be weird, but it’s … consistent. (He labels himself an ignorantselfishertarianist.)
Anyway, a couple of days ago he challenged his readers to ask him his opinion on any topic. Many did, and they certainly were not easy on him. His answers are full of gems:
Q. Why do most people end up living mediocre, “regular” lives?
A. It’s easier.
Q. What’s your opinion on abortion?
A. It’s bad for the fetus. It’s convenient for the adult who wants one. Arguing about when “life begins” is an attempt to offload a tough question on the dictionary or the courts or a superstition. I support the majority opinion in favor of keeping abortion legal. I value the quality of life for adults higher than the unrealized life of a fetus. And I trust the majority (the mob) to figure out the most realistic place to draw that line.
Q. Who, out of any person, would do the best job of dictator with total control of the world, and please give a real response.
A. Bill Gates. He’s rational, experienced, and has a good track record of helping the disadvantaged through his charitable trusts.
Q. Do you think that a great goal in life is to leave the world a better place than it was when you arrived?
A. I think you should live your life so that the maximum number of people will attend your funeral.
Q. Does a human life have a significant innate worth, or is that worth instead largely determined by what that human accomplishes, experiences, and how the human treats and burdens others?
A. In my opinion, some people are worth more than others. But I wouldn’t judge people by accomplishment because that’s mostly a matter of luck. And I wouldn’t judge people by their mistakes, because that would mean everyone is worthless. I do however think you can judge people by how they learn from their mistakes.
Q. Most futuristic thing you wish would be invented now?
A. Orgasm ray gun.