I'm keen on the eccentricity inflation idea. We've all become "eccentric" by the standards of old so we're not quite sure what counts anymore.<p>The guy down the street cares for a tree that bears many different types of fruits. It's not his specialty, just a hobby. In his day job he works at a museum that specializes in the collection of mummified body parts and at night he likes to role play with random naked women from all over the world. <i>Does that even seem strange anymore</i>‽<p>If he invented something amazing would we history books of the future describe him as eccentric? I don't think so.
Found out from a random share that this resonated and reached HN! Happy days ... Am the author and glad it sparked a discussion.<p>Re the eccentricity inflation, I do think the fact that we now know more about everyone and everything means the need for peacocking is much higher! So it does play a part.
Well written fun to read article, but surely just an example of someone complaining "someone is wrong on the internet".<p>We just passed through 4 years of Trump, QAnon, the resurrection of flat earthers, a man wearing horns storming Capitol hill, Goop selling out of $5 candles selling for $80 because they smell like Gwyneth Paltrow vagina, GameStop take downs, Imelda Marcos 2,700 shoe fetish, and a training driver trying sink a hospital ship by ramming it. It's not so out there for some parts of the world, but for a fellow Australian "That's my Boy" [0] takes the cake.<p>And the claim is we don't have eccentricity like the old days. Ye gods, I hope the aren't pining for the old days.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2721230/x.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2721230/x.html</a>