› added 5 years ago

96

TIL of Mandeville's 1714 story of a thriving bee community that decides to live by virtue instead of self-interest - and collapses. Adam Smith incorporated this idea of 'private vice, public good' into his work, and today its a foundational principle of Capitalism and Western Civilisation.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

VMer8 TIL the largest ancient turd ever found (20cm by 5cm) most likely came from a sick Viking.
QN8gd TIL At birth, Picasso was thought stillborn, but uncle Don Salvador saved him. He guided Picasso's development by providing instruction, materials, and exposure to diverse art movements. Don Salvador's influence was instrumental in shaping Picasso's style and groundbreaking works.
OGa51 TIL of the Benjamin Duke House on 5th Avenue in New York City. It was completed in 1901 for an heir to the Duke tobacco fortune. It remained in the Duke Family for more than a century and In 2006 it sold to a former taxi driver for $40 million, the most ever paid for a Manhattan residence.
APD4 TIL that the Aztecs believed themselves to be living in the fifth world. The fourth was destroyed by flood, the third by fire, the second by hurricanes and the first when jaguars ate everybody.
BrLnk TIL in 2003 on the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from Hurricane Isabelle, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer. "No way, Sir!"