I have a picture of Cave Johnson on my wall, engraved with one of his better-known quotes: “Science is not about why, but why not?” I can even turn on the movement sensor in the frame and it will shout random Cave Johnson affirmations at passers-by in a voice that sounds a lot like that of JK Simmons. One of these is the famous “If life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade …” speech, which is a doozy.
Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of Cave Johnson – he’s a fictional character from a well-known computer game, Portal 2. There are lots of memes of Johnson’s sayings, but the satirical lemons speech is the most popular – an anti-stoic call to stand up when bad stuff happens, and many people find it bizarrely motivating.
Advice columnists might think of “lemons” as a kind of affirmation – a bit like Bruce Willis’ cameo on Friends where he stands in front of a mirror telling himself that he is “a neat guy”.
Denne historien er fra March 26 - April 1, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra March 26 - April 1, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
