“For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“So the stupid person, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self-satisfied. In fact, they can easily become dangerous, as it does not take much to make them aggressive.

“Facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved — indeed, the stupid person can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be pushed aside as trivial exceptions.

“Against stupidity we have no defence. Neither protests nor force can touch it. Reasoning is of no use.

Cognitive biases play a significant role in Bonhoeffer’s theory of stupidity. These biases, such as confirmation bias and groupthink, contribute to the perpetuation of foolish actions and beliefs.

#notjustbikes says Paris has made huge improvements in cycling infrastructure in just a few years. It shows. Bike lanes everywhere, usually dedicated and often physically separated. And people use them. I didn’t see the crowds of cyclists I expect are common in Amsterdam but cyclists were everywhere

Paris Metro is great. I’ve used public transit all over the US and the world. There are things that could be improved (trams in areas far from Metro stops) but still the best transit system I’ve seen. And people use it constantly.

But that was because for the most part people didn’t drive; there was no need. There were 3-4 markets within a block walk, a dozen or more cafes, etc. We used cabs 4 times. The rest was walking, Metro, and trains. If there aren’t many drivers there’s not much traffic.

Another big difference was traffic. Compared to the US there was hardly any. If you had to drive somewhere for the most part you could just do it. Traffic mostly wasn’t a problem.

So much better than working multiple jobs to just barely get by and spending what little time you have obsessing over the “lifestyles” of oligarchs on your phone. Social media isn’t social. It’s an inhumane prison. Go see friends and family face to face.

But the big difference was that people seemed far more focused on enjoying life rather than struggling to live. We were in the 11th arr., not a bougey or touristy area. The cafes were always full of people who seemed to be locals, socializing face to face, laughing, smiling.

Why is this even a thing?

If you don’t trust the US financial institutions to obey or enforce the law, which you probably shouldn’t, an overseas bank is probably your best bet. I chose a Euro zone bank over Canada, Mexico, UK, or Japan. Unfortunately most require you to open the account in person due to US law.