Da classic "Maine state-capital excuse", in knock-knock-joke form:
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Augusta!!!
Augusta, who?
Augusta wind musta blown all those things around --- I never touched 'em.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Augusta!!!
Augusta, who?
Augusta wind musta blown all those things around --- I never touched 'em.
by QuacksO February 15, 2023
Get the Maine state-capital excuse mug.Social capital is the goodwill generated by people's ability to work together for common purposes. It has the potential to be a catalyst for action, empowerment and inspiration. It can influence peoples' capacity to thrive, and is a powerful factor in determining career and life success. Social capital cannot be held by an individual, as its very existence is stimulated by human interaction.
The effects of social capital flow from the information, influence, and solidarity that such goodwill generates.
It can also be used to describe the personal relationships within a company, that help build a culture of trust and respect among employees, leading to enhanced company performance and wellbeing.
The effects of social capital flow from the information, influence, and solidarity that such goodwill generates.
It can also be used to describe the personal relationships within a company, that help build a culture of trust and respect among employees, leading to enhanced company performance and wellbeing.
Jenny didn't say, "I'll do this for you because you are more powerful than me". Nor did she say "I'll do x for you now, if you do y for me now".
Jenny built her social capital by saying, "I'll do this for you now, knowing that somewhere down the road, you will do something for me"
Jenny built her social capital by saying, "I'll do this for you now, knowing that somewhere down the road, you will do something for me"
by Hummingbee April 3, 2024
Get the Social Capital mug.A specific form of Academic Capital particular to scientific fields: the accumulated resources, reputations, and networks that confer authority within scientific communities. Scientific Capital includes lab directorships, principal investigator status, key publications in high-impact journals, membership in prestigious academies, Nobel prizes and other awards, and the power to define research agendas for entire fields. Those with abundant Scientific Capital don't just do science—they shape what science gets done, what questions are worth asking, what methods are legitimate, which results are trusted. Scientific Capital explains why certain labs attract the best students and funding, why some researchers become gatekeepers of their disciplines, and why paradigm shifts often require not just new evidence but the death of old capital-holders.
Example: "The older researcher dismissed the new technique not because he'd evaluated it, but because his Scientific Capital was invested in the old method—challenging it meant devaluing his own accumulated resources."
by Dumu The Void March 12, 2026
Get the Scientific Capital mug.The accumulated resources, privileges, and symbolic power derived from one's relationship to a state apparatus. State Capital takes multiple forms: citizenship itself (the ultimate form, conferring rights and protections), official positions (bureaucratic appointments, elected office), credentials issued by the state (licenses, certifications, passports), and the intangible authority of being recognized as a legitimate state actor. Those with abundant State Capital move through the world differently—borders open for them, paperwork processes faster, their words carry official weight. Those without it (stateless persons, undocumented immigrants, those with precarious status) experience the state as a barrier rather than a resource. State Capital explains why the same action—crossing a border, starting a business, getting married—is effortless for some and impossible for others, based entirely on their accumulated capital in relation to states.
Example: "They arrived at the border together. His passport (State Capital from a wealthy nation) got him through in minutes. Her documents (precarious status, refugee claim) meant hours of questioning. The difference wasn't personal; it was pure State Capital."
by Dumu The Void March 12, 2026
Get the State Capital mug.The accumulated resources and advantages that flow from membership in a nation-state that successfully combines cultural identity with political sovereignty. Nation State Capital includes everything from the practical (a passport that matches your identity, so you're never questioned as belonging) to the symbolic (the psychological security of being in the majority, of seeing your culture reflected in institutions, of never being asked "where you're really from"). Those with abundant Nation State Capital experience their identity and their citizenship as seamless—they don't have to explain, justify, or defend their belonging. Those without it (national minorities within states, diasporic communities, stateless nations) experience constant friction: their national identity and their state membership don't align, and this misalignment costs energy, opportunity, and sometimes safety. Nation State Capital explains why nationalism feels different for majority and minority nations—one group experiences their identity as naturally sovereign; the other experiences it as a struggle for recognition.
Example: "He never thought about his nationality until he met someone from a stateless nation. His Nation State Capital was so abundant he didn't even notice it—his identity and his citizenship had always matched perfectly, so he assumed that was just how the world worked."
by Dumu The Void March 12, 2026
Get the Nation State Capital mug.The academic clout you can cash in for grant money, prestige, and getting your crap published in Nature even when your data is shaky. Comes from titles, citations, and kissing the right professorial rings. Low scientific capital? Your brilliant idea gets ignored. High scientific capital? You can literally say “I have a hunch” and it becomes a research priority.
Logical Capital
The ability to spot a bad argument faster than a vegan spots bacon. It’s formal reasoning as a tradable asset—syllogisms, fallacies, and not saying “correlation implies causation” at parties. Low logical capital: “If it’s on YouTube, it must be true.” High logical capital: “You just committed a non sequitur, Karen.”
“Dude has zero logical capital—he thinks ad hominem is a valid rebuttal.”
Rational Capital
The willingness to change your mind when evidence slaps you in the face. It’s the virtue of not falling in love with your own hypotheses. High rational capital: “I was wrong, cool, let’s update.” Low rational capital: inventing ten excuses to keep your pet theory alive. Surprisingly rare in tenured faculty.
“Her rational capital is so high she actually celebrated her null result.”
Logical Capital
The ability to spot a bad argument faster than a vegan spots bacon. It’s formal reasoning as a tradable asset—syllogisms, fallacies, and not saying “correlation implies causation” at parties. Low logical capital: “If it’s on YouTube, it must be true.” High logical capital: “You just committed a non sequitur, Karen.”
“Dude has zero logical capital—he thinks ad hominem is a valid rebuttal.”
Rational Capital
The willingness to change your mind when evidence slaps you in the face. It’s the virtue of not falling in love with your own hypotheses. High rational capital: “I was wrong, cool, let’s update.” Low rational capital: inventing ten excuses to keep your pet theory alive. Surprisingly rare in tenured faculty.
“Her rational capital is so high she actually celebrated her null result.”
“Dr. Smithers has so much scientific capital he could publish his grocery list as a ‘preliminary communication.’”
Epistemological Capital
The hipster currency of knowing how you know stuff. It’s the ability to explain why your p-value isn’t magic, why correlation ≠ causation, and why replication matters. People with low epistemological capital tweet “science says” unironically. High holders just nod slowly and ask, “What’s your prior probability?”
“His epistemological capital is so low he thinks a single case study ‘proves’ the theory.”
Methodological Capital
Street cred for knowing your way around lab gear, stats software, and experimental design. It’s the nerd equity you earn by not screwing up control groups or confusing standard deviation with standard error. High methodological capital means people beg you to fix their R script. Low means you’re the reason retractions exist.
“She ran a double-blind RCT with preregistration? That’s some serious methodological capital.”
Empirical Capital
The raw data hoard—your measurements, observations, and spreadsheets nobody else has. It’s the treasure chest of “I ran the experiment, here’s the numbers.” High empirical capital means people cite you for your dataset alone. Low means you’re just vibing with vibes. But data without brains is just digital landfill.
“He’s sitting on five years of clinical trial data—that’s massive empirical capital.”
Epistemological Capital
The hipster currency of knowing how you know stuff. It’s the ability to explain why your p-value isn’t magic, why correlation ≠ causation, and why replication matters. People with low epistemological capital tweet “science says” unironically. High holders just nod slowly and ask, “What’s your prior probability?”
“His epistemological capital is so low he thinks a single case study ‘proves’ the theory.”
Methodological Capital
Street cred for knowing your way around lab gear, stats software, and experimental design. It’s the nerd equity you earn by not screwing up control groups or confusing standard deviation with standard error. High methodological capital means people beg you to fix their R script. Low means you’re the reason retractions exist.
“She ran a double-blind RCT with preregistration? That’s some serious methodological capital.”
Empirical Capital
The raw data hoard—your measurements, observations, and spreadsheets nobody else has. It’s the treasure chest of “I ran the experiment, here’s the numbers.” High empirical capital means people cite you for your dataset alone. Low means you’re just vibing with vibes. But data without brains is just digital landfill.
“He’s sitting on five years of clinical trial data—that’s massive empirical capital.”
by Abzugal April 8, 2026
Get the Scientific Capital mug.undeployed cash or cash equivalents held for six months or more yielding returns less than the rate of inflation over the same period.
by created by Kuda Nembaware October 28, 2025
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