If you live in a city, you'll probably end up memorizing the meanings of arbitrary numbers.

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• netvor@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  If you live in a society, you’ll probably end up memorizing the meanings of arbitrary symbol sequences.

  I’m talking, of course, about place names, people’s names and … what’cha call’em … words.

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  • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Agreed.

    Still, OP is making a good point.

    I sometimes try to imagine what it would be like to not be able to read. Esp. In an urban environment, as opposed to fields & forests. There’s just so much everywhere, signage, ads, displays…

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• NABDad@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  But those numbers aren’t arbitrary. There are reasons they are set, and there are reasons you would remember them.

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• SpookyLights@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I love memorizing arbitrary numbers! My ss number is one of my favorites! It’s 335-86-8144

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  • tkk13909@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Mine is 982-34-4478!

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• bryndos@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Wait 'til you find out about nouns.

  The arbitrary fuckers can be character strings as well as numbers.

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• abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I mean you get that even if you don’t live in a city.

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• Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I’m not sure you understand what “arbitrary” means.

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  • DeltaWingDragon@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    They are not random, but what is the rationale?

    Suppose there exists a radio station, “WACD 902 AM, The Sturge”. The number represents the frequency of the radio wave in megahertz. Now why did they choose that specific frequency? Did they have a specific preference for that number? Or more likely, they just chose whatever was available.

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• SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Farmers wouldn’t do it all with highway and township numbers?

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  • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    You’re not wrong but I’m kinda with OP here: it’s going to be much more in an urban or even town environment, as opposed to fields & forests.

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    • starlinguk@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I don’t live in a city but I know all the train and bus numbers around here. Because in some countries you get public transport outside the big cities …

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    • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Lol farmers would have to know more since they drive on countless highways.

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• NaibofTabr@infosec.pub ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  0118999…

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  • SkyezOpen@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    725… 3

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  • Zier@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Is that the express bus route to the airport?

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    • DeltaWingDragon@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      No, to the hospital

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• ilillilillilillililli@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I wish roads would make up their mind. Some routes have names and numbers. You end up having to memorize both (if you want to give/get directions from other humans).

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• railway692@piefed.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  And phone area codes.

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• IWW4@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  …except transit routes and radio station numbers aren’t arbitrary.

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• HubertManne@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  gotta say. jesse wells was played on XRT and it was so cool man.

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