"Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves." - Carl Sagan

***

Quotes:

When people make their stone tools - I was gonna do a demonstration but I figured it'd hurt someone.

[On the symbolic/semiotic role of material culture] Material culture can be read as texts. I don't really like that. So I put a question mark there. I think it's a crap way of looking at things.

[On material culture as symbols] I don't want to talk too much about this. I don't like this subject. It's horrible. The worst book I ever read was on this... For reasons I still don't understanding today, linguistics played a very large role in the Social Sciences in the 70s... Their only moment. Otherwise they hide in offices and do - I don't know what they do.

[On Marcel Mauss] So much of what anthropologists do is based on Melanesia. I don't know why.

People had to pick where the coolest natives were, where the hardest conditions were, and they went there... Even today, if you sit together for dinner with a group of anthropologists, the conversation will revolve around the hardships, the disgusting things they had to eat... See the prior stage in human culture. It's racist, but it's also fueled a lot of academia.

[On a lithograph] This is from Polynesia again. What's interesting - there's an arrow stuck in this guy's head, so I think they're fighting.

[On Gell, the Technology of Enchantment and the Enchantment of Technology and Melanesian fighting] He found that whoever rolled in with the scariest-looking boat won.

This is quite an ugly quote. The next quote is even more ugly... I'll save you the trouble of reading his book.

One of those Eastern Orthodox churches. The moment you walk in you know that God is scary... It's meant to frighten you. The hollowed-out eyes.

It's very very sexy in the social sciences today to look at issues of gender and the body.

[On Borneo fieldwork] One of the things they gave me was a 150 year old parang. The old man who gave it to me was pretty excited. 'All the heads we cut off with it'. He showed me all the skulls... Now it's in my living room... It makes my house more exotic... It had no functional use.

[On screening 'Invisible City'] I want to show that because: a) I don't have an hour 40 minutes to talk about identity.

[On elections] Are you also running a position? [Me: No, I'm just making fun of those who are.]

[Me: I was trying to find French street names to mangle.] What's the point? [2 students: Liquid Nitrogen.] [Me: I see it has spread far and wide.]

[To me] Before I saw your head, from your gait I knew it was you.

[On the value of diversity] You don't want 4 engineers, all from Mechanical Engineering, and all from India, doing the same project. You all think the same way.

Is anyone from Science and doesn't have a project group yet?... It'll be very fun working with me. Though I can't guarantee an A because I'm from Arts.

Hi. My name is ***. I'm running for ***... Actually for me, as a Freshman I have a lot of free time... I have a lot of free time. I want to use it to serve you all... [Instructor: Now I know who to give more assignments to] Although I am a Freshman, I am not that fresh. [Student: That can mean a lot of things]... [Instructor: During the break why don't you give them your sales pitch? Why don't you post it on the IVLE forum?]

[On the Bernoulli Effect] He claims that when a fast car passes through him, he is pushed towards the car... He claims the reason there is a yellow line at the train station [is this].

How many of you take showers?... Some people take baths.

Singaporean girls are dumb? Not all, not all. That's why I'm looking for a RJ girl.
[Frigid Girl: the good ones are all overseas already]

[On fan blades and direction of airflow] I tell you a true story... In a country I won't name... My friend was working in an electrical shop... 'My fan doesn't work'... There was a mistake in the factory. The curvature was wrong.

During the second half of the lecture, if it's not raining, we'll go outside and play with paper aeroplanes.

[On a toy rocket] I will ive it to the lady because she cooks. She has the vinegar and the baking soda at home.

I haven't bought underwear in half a decade.

Someone dared you to wear a dress and you wore it right... How about a RGS pinafore?

My ISM. I have to do a book review every week.

[On an irritating person in my year] We found his successor.. [Me: How about my successor?... I'm too unique right?]

Do not weave in and out of vehicles (traffic)