Today’s links They were warned: “We’ve had enough of experts.” Picks and Shovels Chapter One (Part 4): Electronic needles, digital haystacks. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024 Upcoming appearances: Where to find me. Recent appearances: Where I’ve been. Latest books: You keep readin’ em, I’ll keep writin’ ’em. Upcoming books: Like I said, I’ll keep writin’ ’em. Colophon: All the rest. They were warned (permalink) Truth is provisional! Sometimes, the things we understand to be true about the world change, and stuff we’ve “always done” has to change, too. There comes a day when the evidence against using radium suppositories is overwhelming, and then you really must dig that radium out of your colon and safely dispose of it: https://pluralistic.net/2024/09/19/just-stop-putting-that-up-your-ass/#harm-reduction So it’s natural and right that in the world, there will be people who want to revisit the received wisdom and best practices for how we live our lives, regulate our economy, and organize our society. But not a license to simply throw out the systems we rely on. Sure, maybe they’re outdated or unnecessary, but maybe not. That’s where “Chesterton’s Fence” comes in: Let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you…Pluralistic: They were warned; Picks and Shovels Chapter One (Part 4) (13 Jan 2025)