Oh man, you weren’t kidding. This is so cringe:

[Not Epstein]:

Energy is a concept like matter is

It’s first an experience then a human interpretation of hat experience

By reifying flashes of evanescent perceptual snap shots the notion of objective reality is created and gives us the capacity to quantify and measure - so matter / energy are useful

constructs but constructs nevertheless

[…]

Epstein’s reply:

“Invisible… only means you cant see it. . a chair in a blackened room. It is the unknowable that is real.”

That’s so painful to read. It’s not the fact that they’re crudely waxing philosophical about fairly basic metaphysics — I’ve done plenty enough of that myself to be familiar with having thoughts that feel deeply profound and original, but are like metaphysics 101.

However, I had the curiosity to actually go and try to actively learn more about philosophy, which led me to be thoroughly humbled by realising how basic my ideas had been (and how out of my depth I was when trying to understand actually profound ideas). I stuck it out, and now I’m slightly less of a fool than I was then, and significantly more aware of my foolishness. Whereas Epstein and co. don’t have the self awareness to take their philosophising beyond this absurdly arrogant intellectual circle jerk.

These are the rich and powerful who are running the world, folks. Epstein’s mate even said “Dinner with minister for economy tonight.”. Ouch.