I’ve never met this Richard Axel guy, but I clicked through to this link, and . . . wow. It’s like Waiting for Godot. Or David Mamet without the cursing.
When I see the name Richard Axel, I can’t stop thinking of Beverly Hills Cop. All the time I’m reading this transcript, I keep picturing Eddie Murphy talking, with that unforgettable “Axel F” theme in the background. So read the material below with that in mind.
There’s some science talk:
Some evolutionary biology:
The conversation just bounces from one thing to another:
And this exchange is absolutely beautiful:
What does that mean? He loves sleep, but it has no value??
Finally they get to the nitty gritty:
In addition to Jeffrey Epstein and Richard Axel, the conversation also appears to include Jessica Banks of the MIT media lab and David Gelertner of the Yale computer science department:
Good stuff.
There’s some waiting for godot joke about autoerotic asphyxiation and jeffery E that I dont have the fortitude to workshop right now
My favorite bit is the one about the green Prozac.
Vladimir: What do we do now?
Estragon: Wait.
Vladimir: Yes, but while waiting.
Estragon: What about hanging ourselves?
Vladimir: Hmm. It’d give us an erection.
Estragon: (highly excited). An erection!
Vladimir: With all that follows.
Where it falls mandrakes grow.
That’s why they shriek when you pull them up.
Did you not know that?
Estragon: Let’s hang ourselves immediately!
I think viewing private conversations always have the potential to be embarrassing or taken out of context. But I’m glad to say that I’ve never had such conversations in my life. Nor can I imagine having them. I guess these people live in a different world than me in many dimensions. But at least I can imagine what life might be like if I had immense wealth, whereas I can’t even imagine living amongst such friends. The now-frequent admissions of poor judgement (like Richard Axel’s and so many others) – after they’ve been exposed – don’t quite cut it for me.
Unreal