(no subject)

I think the reason "mad scientists" have such an appeal as a concept is the idea of drama as life with the dull bits taken out. In real life, the scientist figures out a chunk of the universe or the engineer figures out a gadget, and regardless of any psych issues they might have (usually things like depression, bipolar disorder, or gender dysphoria rather than some type of world-threatening narcissism), the people who create a real danger with the stuff are governments, militaries, and corporations. This isn't as dramatic as someone figuring out a chunk of the universe and gadgetry all at once and promptly going on a rampage in their newly minted power armor, presumably for more dramatic results than paying for more Adderal or making rent on an okay apartment. The closest there's ever been to a mad scientist who endangered the world is what, Oppenheimer? Werner von Braun? That dude who "proved" white males had the largest brain capacity by unconsciously fudging his data, back in the 1800s (that resulted in a fair amount of evil, no)?

I mention this because there's a series of ads for Verizon which are all over the BART stations which bug me. Not a big "bug me" but it's there.

One of those ads has the tagline "If mad scientists can endanger the world, nice scientists can save it." Mad scientists exist in comic books, not real life.

Another comic themed one is "With great IQ comes great responsibility." This presses my buttons, having spent childhood as a Smart Kid, and therefore responsible for learning everything without much help, or being required to be a genius on command. I'm bitter about this.

Another one has the tagline "When you believe more, you sleep less." I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.

DMing Pathfinder?

Well, you see a faded sign at the side of the road, hanging from a rickety scaffold. At the top of the scaffold there's a rusted iron cage, still holding the moldering remains of some past prisoner. Crows scatter, cawing, into the lead-gray sky at your approach. The sign says STAY AWAY FOOLS CAUSE LOVE RULES AT THE LOVE SHACK.