Today I Learned (TIL)

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TIL that after psychologist Timothy Leary was sentenced to prison, he had to take a test that he himself created. He used his knowledge to be assigned to a lower-security prison and escaped. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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On January 21, 1970, Leary received a ten-year sentence for his 1968 offense, with a further ten added later while in custody for a prior arrest in 1965, for a total of 20 years to be served consecutively. On his arrival in prison, he was given psychological tests used to assign inmates to appropriate work details. Having designed some of these tests himself (including the "Leary Interpersonal Behavior Inventory"), Leary answered them in such a way that he seemed to be a very conforming, conventional person with a great interest in forestry and gardening.[108] As a result, he was assigned to work as a gardener in a lower-security prison from which he escaped in September 1970, saying that his nonviolent escape was a humorous prank and leaving a challenging note for the authorities to find after he was gone

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (4 children)

"Boomer" used to mean a specific thing: the boomer generation, people born from 1946-1964.

Now it's just a buzzword that's been poisoned and just means "old people I disagree with." What? It's completely subjective and serves one purpose anymore: mindlessly dividing people along generational lines.

Point I am trying to make here is that "boomer" being used in a discussion - when not used with its original meaning - becomes meaningless.

[–] ewe 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I was using it as a description of the age of my mother. She just happens to also personify the stereotypes of her generation as well. I love her, but I roll my eyes when she tells me about her latest scrap with a city council member and the interaction she had with the developers of the piece of land being developed near her house.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I've started thinking that, too, so I push back every chance I get. As an actual boomer, I think it's my prerogative, in a kind of "get off lawn" way. :)

[–] Random_user 3 points 1 year ago

Ok boomer

[–] Astroturfed 1 points 1 year ago

Are you a mad old person? Boomer defense network