'niches for imbeciles’ [on hold] The Next CEO of Stack OverflowWord for an Origin and Destination without regard for routeword for something like blessing“Cheer” for a team?Word for inane words used for emphasisA different word for “dumbly”Single word for “positive impact”Word for the feeling of thrill when doing something for the first timeThus vs thusly for mathematiciansAmazing for bad things?Looking for grossly oversimplified
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'niches for imbeciles’ [on hold]
The Next CEO of Stack OverflowWord for an Origin and Destination without regard for routeword for something like blessing“Cheer” for a team?Word for inane words used for emphasisA different word for “dumbly”Single word for “positive impact”Word for the feeling of thrill when doing something for the first timeThus vs thusly for mathematiciansAmazing for bad things?Looking for grossly oversimplified
When agriculture and industry came along people could increasingly rely on the skills of others for survival, and new ‘niches for imbeciles’ were opened up. You could survive and pass your unremarkable genes to the next generation by working as a water carrier or an assembly-line worker.
What does 'niches for imbeciles' mean?
Source: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
vocabulary
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ 30 mins ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist
add a comment |
When agriculture and industry came along people could increasingly rely on the skills of others for survival, and new ‘niches for imbeciles’ were opened up. You could survive and pass your unremarkable genes to the next generation by working as a water carrier or an assembly-line worker.
What does 'niches for imbeciles' mean?
Source: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
vocabulary
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ 30 mins ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist
1
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38
add a comment |
When agriculture and industry came along people could increasingly rely on the skills of others for survival, and new ‘niches for imbeciles’ were opened up. You could survive and pass your unremarkable genes to the next generation by working as a water carrier or an assembly-line worker.
What does 'niches for imbeciles' mean?
Source: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
vocabulary
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
When agriculture and industry came along people could increasingly rely on the skills of others for survival, and new ‘niches for imbeciles’ were opened up. You could survive and pass your unremarkable genes to the next generation by working as a water carrier or an assembly-line worker.
What does 'niches for imbeciles' mean?
Source: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
vocabulary
vocabulary
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
asked Feb 28 at 13:42
Ashraf BenmebarekAshraf Benmebarek
184
184
put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ 30 mins ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist
put on hold as off-topic by tchrist♦ 30 mins ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – tchrist
1
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38
add a comment |
1
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38
1
1
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
A niche is a protected space, an imbecile is someone incapable of demanding tasks. In ecology, a 'niche' can be any circumstances that offer some creature survival opportunities - so the excerpt you provided is talking about how a society is able to provide for people who could not provide for themselves, if they were left alone on an island. 'Imbecile' here seems to refer to a subset of those people, namely those who cannot provide for themselves for reasons of lacking the intellectual capacity (i.e. too stupid), as opposed to those lacking the physical (e.g. too weak) or moral capacity (e.g. too fearful).
The concept of an ecological niche can be quite challenging to grasp correctly, and often leads to misunderstandings between laypeople and biologists so i'd encourage the reading of at least a primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche
Important to add: Professor Harari is a historian by trade, so i am not too sure he is using the word 'niche' in a biologically correct manner here.
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
add a comment |
If it were phrased another way it might read "places in society/culture (human is implied) that ensure the survival (and expansion) of the intellectually unfit class". It was probably chosen to be a colorful phrase to capture several complex ideas in few words.
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
add a comment |
The phrase is bitterly sarcastic. The underlying idea is that agricultural organization and later industrial automation eliminated many skilled jobs and left mainly monotonous, repetitive jobs that required little brain-power or skill.
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
A niche is a protected space, an imbecile is someone incapable of demanding tasks. In ecology, a 'niche' can be any circumstances that offer some creature survival opportunities - so the excerpt you provided is talking about how a society is able to provide for people who could not provide for themselves, if they were left alone on an island. 'Imbecile' here seems to refer to a subset of those people, namely those who cannot provide for themselves for reasons of lacking the intellectual capacity (i.e. too stupid), as opposed to those lacking the physical (e.g. too weak) or moral capacity (e.g. too fearful).
The concept of an ecological niche can be quite challenging to grasp correctly, and often leads to misunderstandings between laypeople and biologists so i'd encourage the reading of at least a primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche
Important to add: Professor Harari is a historian by trade, so i am not too sure he is using the word 'niche' in a biologically correct manner here.
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
add a comment |
A niche is a protected space, an imbecile is someone incapable of demanding tasks. In ecology, a 'niche' can be any circumstances that offer some creature survival opportunities - so the excerpt you provided is talking about how a society is able to provide for people who could not provide for themselves, if they were left alone on an island. 'Imbecile' here seems to refer to a subset of those people, namely those who cannot provide for themselves for reasons of lacking the intellectual capacity (i.e. too stupid), as opposed to those lacking the physical (e.g. too weak) or moral capacity (e.g. too fearful).
The concept of an ecological niche can be quite challenging to grasp correctly, and often leads to misunderstandings between laypeople and biologists so i'd encourage the reading of at least a primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche
Important to add: Professor Harari is a historian by trade, so i am not too sure he is using the word 'niche' in a biologically correct manner here.
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
add a comment |
A niche is a protected space, an imbecile is someone incapable of demanding tasks. In ecology, a 'niche' can be any circumstances that offer some creature survival opportunities - so the excerpt you provided is talking about how a society is able to provide for people who could not provide for themselves, if they were left alone on an island. 'Imbecile' here seems to refer to a subset of those people, namely those who cannot provide for themselves for reasons of lacking the intellectual capacity (i.e. too stupid), as opposed to those lacking the physical (e.g. too weak) or moral capacity (e.g. too fearful).
The concept of an ecological niche can be quite challenging to grasp correctly, and often leads to misunderstandings between laypeople and biologists so i'd encourage the reading of at least a primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche
Important to add: Professor Harari is a historian by trade, so i am not too sure he is using the word 'niche' in a biologically correct manner here.
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
A niche is a protected space, an imbecile is someone incapable of demanding tasks. In ecology, a 'niche' can be any circumstances that offer some creature survival opportunities - so the excerpt you provided is talking about how a society is able to provide for people who could not provide for themselves, if they were left alone on an island. 'Imbecile' here seems to refer to a subset of those people, namely those who cannot provide for themselves for reasons of lacking the intellectual capacity (i.e. too stupid), as opposed to those lacking the physical (e.g. too weak) or moral capacity (e.g. too fearful).
The concept of an ecological niche can be quite challenging to grasp correctly, and often leads to misunderstandings between laypeople and biologists so i'd encourage the reading of at least a primer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche
Important to add: Professor Harari is a historian by trade, so i am not too sure he is using the word 'niche' in a biologically correct manner here.
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
edited Feb 28 at 13:54
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
answered Feb 28 at 13:49
loonquawlloonquawl
405118
405118
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
add a comment |
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
Re 'biologically correct': he's using it in a metaphorical sense (if one is taking niche to be the biological sense, but that's a metaphor from the more classical 'recess in a wall for a statue' but that is probably a point in the metaphorical chain starting with cognates of 'nid' or 'nest'.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:43
add a comment |
If it were phrased another way it might read "places in society/culture (human is implied) that ensure the survival (and expansion) of the intellectually unfit class". It was probably chosen to be a colorful phrase to capture several complex ideas in few words.
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
add a comment |
If it were phrased another way it might read "places in society/culture (human is implied) that ensure the survival (and expansion) of the intellectually unfit class". It was probably chosen to be a colorful phrase to capture several complex ideas in few words.
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
add a comment |
If it were phrased another way it might read "places in society/culture (human is implied) that ensure the survival (and expansion) of the intellectually unfit class". It was probably chosen to be a colorful phrase to capture several complex ideas in few words.
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
If it were phrased another way it might read "places in society/culture (human is implied) that ensure the survival (and expansion) of the intellectually unfit class". It was probably chosen to be a colorful phrase to capture several complex ideas in few words.
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
answered Feb 28 at 15:48
user22542user22542
3,3821411
3,3821411
add a comment |
add a comment |
The phrase is bitterly sarcastic. The underlying idea is that agricultural organization and later industrial automation eliminated many skilled jobs and left mainly monotonous, repetitive jobs that required little brain-power or skill.
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
add a comment |
The phrase is bitterly sarcastic. The underlying idea is that agricultural organization and later industrial automation eliminated many skilled jobs and left mainly monotonous, repetitive jobs that required little brain-power or skill.
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
add a comment |
The phrase is bitterly sarcastic. The underlying idea is that agricultural organization and later industrial automation eliminated many skilled jobs and left mainly monotonous, repetitive jobs that required little brain-power or skill.
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
The phrase is bitterly sarcastic. The underlying idea is that agricultural organization and later industrial automation eliminated many skilled jobs and left mainly monotonous, repetitive jobs that required little brain-power or skill.
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
answered Feb 28 at 19:26
TRomanoTRomano
17.9k22248
17.9k22248
add a comment |
add a comment |
1
The phrase means what its parts mean, but it does sound a little weird (imbecile is not common in modern writing in this context; it's a bit too disparaging). Since the original was written in Hebrew, it could be an infelicity of translation.
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 14:46
It means simply "opportunities for idiots".
– michael.hor257k
Feb 28 at 15:52
@Mitch: are you suggesting the translator was an imbecile?
– TRomano
Feb 28 at 20:20
@TRomano haha! wait... what?
– Mitch
Feb 28 at 20:38