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This Place Is Not a Place of Honor

Added 3 years ago / Updated 3 years ago
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Mos Eisley Spaceport. This place is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here.
tumblr Open in app POSTS CHECK THE FAQ ABOVE IN typicalacademic in this house we believe: • this place is not a place of honor no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here • nothing valued is here • what is here is dangerous and repulsive to us • the danger is in a particular location • the danger is still present in your time as it was in ours theprincerubert This is a Nuclear Waste Warning Message. midnightmacaroni Y'all that link is an incredibly interesting read vrabia oh, i'm in love with this! the story behind this message is that we're storing a lot of radioactive waste in an isolation plant in new mexico and we need to tell future humans: 'we buried something dangerous here, don't disturb it or you'll die. this place should be left alone for 10,000 years. tell future generations as well.' and this raises several problems: how do you explain contemporary time conventions to future humans so they understand what '10,000 years' means, and starting from when? how do you account for the fact that we have no idea what level of technological development future humans will have? will they still understand any of the languages we speak today? and my absolute favorite: how do you combat humans' natural tendency to immediately go do the thing they were just told not to do? so in 1993 a report was developed by two panels of materials science experts, linguists, anthropologists, architects, geologists and astronomers to create a marking system for the site. they proposed different levels of messages to be placed in the area. and the language part of the report is amazing because they're really trying to cover everything. my favorite parts: • should we just design the whole structure to look ominous and scary and not put any messages on it? no, because when has that ever stopped humans from doing anything. • but also some facial expressions are universal and have been basically since we've been around, so there should be pictographs of faces conveying horror and sickness, as well as 'what is here is dangerous and repulsive to us.' we have to explain what we buried here and what would happen if they went looking, because if we don't they'll absolutely go looking. so the expert panel suggested including both a detailed message where we explain in scientific terms what radioactivity is, and one that says: 'the danger is to the body, and it can kill. the form of the danger is an emanation of energy.' • star maps will be used to convey the passage of time, and we're including instructions on what they mean and how to use them. • we have to explain that this fancy structure isn't actually hiding anything interesting. i.e. the tomb of some great leader that's filled with treasure. hence the part of the message that says: 'this place is not a place of honor. no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. nothing valued is here.' • but also we shouldn't make it not interesting because there's a lot of potential in designing the site so it develops deep cultural significance for future humans: • 'a monumental, intellectually stimulating system would enhance performance with higher probability than would a less energetic design based on minimal investment, thought at creativity. an oral tradition tethered to the marker system would emphasize (1) that it was designed to be the world's longest lasting human artifact, (2) that it was intended as a gift to guard the health of future generations, and (3) that it is the world's largest celestial 'clock' marking the millennia. hyperbole and altruism are strong themes in the world's folk tales, songs and myths.' and finally, part of the message: 'we have found it extremely difficult to imagine all the forms of human society and available technology that over the next 10,000 years might give people the desire and ability to intrude into the repository level and thus potentially bring great harm to themselves. nevertheless, we have done the best we can in the design of a marker system that will survive over this period, that will be understood by those who encounter it, and that will be effective in countering their natural curiosity to dig at such a uniquely marked and fascinating place.' Source: typicalacademic 38,254 notes ... * danskjavlarna
THIS PLACE IS BEST SHUNNED AND LEFT UNINHABITED
THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF HONOR
mcc @mcclure111 · Jul 24 ... This is a message and part of a system of messages. Pay attention to it. What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.
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About • Origin • Spread • Search Interest • External References • Recent Images • Recent Videos

About

This Place Is Not a Place of Honor, otherwise known as Long-Time Nuclear Waste Warning Message or Radiation Warning Copypasta, is a message intended to warn future cultures about radioactive nuclear waste that will remain dangerous to humans for thousands of years. The message was written in 1992 and became a copypasta in the late 2010s with the simple and serious language of the message being used to comedic effect.

Origin

The original message referenced in the meme was written in April 1992 as part of a report for Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico,[1] which was an interdisciplinary study on how to protect people from the hazardous effects of nuclear waste for thousands of years, as cultures and languages changed but the radiation remained dangerous.

They proposed that nuclear waste sites be designed to communicate messages without language, but wrote the message as an example of what the design would communicate (excerpt shown below).

This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here…nothing valued is here.

This place is a message…and part of a system of messages…pay attention to it!

Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be powerful culture.

This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here…nothing valued is here.

What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.

The danger is in a particular location…it increases towards a center…the center of danger is here…of a particular size and shape, and below us.

The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.

The danger is to the body, and it can kill.

The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.

The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.

In addition to the message, the authors of the Sandia report also provided multiple examples of pictographic warnings (seen below), which are occasionally associated with the meme.

0,66 КM 0,66 KM RE2OSTORY 0.66 KM :0.66KM REPOSITORY REPOSIORY
DANGER, POISONOUS RADIOACTIVE WASTE HERE DO NOT DIG OR DRILL

The earliest recorded use of the message for comic effect was by Twitter[2] user steve_lieber, who tweeted "Working out pictorial message system to warn future visitors to Periscope Studio that 'This is not a place of honor,'" on May 23rd, 2012 (shown below).

Steve Lieber @steve_lieber Working out pictorial message system to warn future visitors to Periscope Studio that "This is not a place of honor." 9:51 PM · May 23, 2012 · Twitter for iPhone 1 Retweet 2 Likes

Spread

In November 2014, the message gained attention after an article in Method Quarterly[3] by Sarah Zhang, which covered the message and other methods of warning future cultures about the danger of nuclear waste.

The message became gradually more widespread online in the late 2010s. On September 23rd, 2019, Tumblr[4] user exeggcute posted about a wall-hanging displaying the message. The post received over 11,000 notes over two years, and multiple variations of the wall hanging (seen below) are now available for sale.

In this house this is not a place of honor No highlyesteemed deed is commemoral ed here. Eaothing is valbed here hat io here bo DANGEROUS AND REPULSIVE The dangér is in a The danger is still particular location Ts place s best left present in your time Shunned & U(ninhabited

On February 27th, 2020, the Tumblr[5] account nuclearwastewarnings made its first post. Inspired by exeggcute's post, the gimmick account writes the messages in various artistic Adobe Spark templates (examples seen below).

The danger is to the body and it can kill. The form of the danger is an emanation O of energy.
PROBLEMATIC NUCLEAR WASTE WARNINGS List of problematic NWW (or LTNWWM). Not promoting cancel culture or anything, just letting people know. Updated WEEKLY. Don't interact, just REPORT. Click for the reasons why something is problematic This place is a message We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture This place is not a place of honor Nothing valued is here What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us The center of danger is here The danger is still present It can kil Emanation of energy This place is best shunned and left uninhabited

Throughout 2020 and 2021, as the meme became more widely known and used, it was noted by multiple people, including Twitter[6] user prophet_goddess (shown below), that the messages were now altered forever by becoming a meme.

ludum tsundare .. @prophet_goddess the long-term nuclear waste warning messages becoming a meme is really funny to me because no nuclear semiotician ever thought to consider preserving nuclear waste warning messages for future generations by just getting people to make jokes about them 12:30 AM · Dec 24, 2020 · TweetDeck

Search Interest

External References

[1] UNT Digital Library – Expert judgment on markers to deter inadvertent human intrusion into the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

[2] Twitter – steve_lieber

[3] Method Quarterly – The Cat Went Over Radioactive Mountain

[4] Tumblr – exeggcute

[5] Tumblr – nuclearwastewarnings

[6] Twitter – prophet_goddess

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This Place Is Not a Place of Honor meme depicting a pictographic representation of the dangers of nuclear waste.

This Place Is Not a Place of Honor

Part of a series on Copypasta. [View Related Entries]

Updated Sep 06, 2021 at 10:55AM EDT by Adam B..

Added Sep 01, 2021 at 11:19AM EDT by Adam B..

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

About

This Place Is Not a Place of Honor, otherwise known as Long-Time Nuclear Waste Warning Message or Radiation Warning Copypasta, is a message intended to warn future cultures about radioactive nuclear waste that will remain dangerous to humans for thousands of years. The message was written in 1992 and became a copypasta in the late 2010s with the simple and serious language of the message being used to comedic effect.

Origin

The original message referenced in the meme was written in April 1992 as part of a report for Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico,[1] which was an interdisciplinary study on how to protect people from the hazardous effects of nuclear waste for thousands of years, as cultures and languages changed but the radiation remained dangerous.

They proposed that nuclear waste sites be designed to communicate messages without language, but wrote the message as an example of what the design would communicate (excerpt shown below).

This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here…nothing valued is here.


This place is a message…and part of a system of messages…pay attention to it!

Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be powerful culture.

This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here…nothing valued is here.

What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.

The danger is in a particular location…it increases towards a center…the center of danger is here…of a particular size and shape, and below us.

The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.

The danger is to the body, and it can kill.

The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.

The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.


In addition to the message, the authors of the Sandia report also provided multiple examples of pictographic warnings (seen below), which are occasionally associated with the meme.


0,66 КM 0,66 KM RE2OSTORY 0.66 KM :0.66KM REPOSITORY REPOSIORY DANGER, POISONOUS RADIOACTIVE WASTE HERE DO NOT DIG OR DRILL

The earliest recorded use of the message for comic effect was by Twitter[2] user steve_lieber, who tweeted "Working out pictorial message system to warn future visitors to Periscope Studio that 'This is not a place of honor,'" on May 23rd, 2012 (shown below).


Steve Lieber @steve_lieber Working out pictorial message system to warn future visitors to Periscope Studio that "This is not a place of honor." 9:51 PM · May 23, 2012 · Twitter for iPhone 1 Retweet 2 Likes

Spread

In November 2014, the message gained attention after an article in Method Quarterly[3] by Sarah Zhang, which covered the message and other methods of warning future cultures about the danger of nuclear waste.

The message became gradually more widespread online in the late 2010s. On September 23rd, 2019, Tumblr[4] user exeggcute posted about a wall-hanging displaying the message. The post received over 11,000 notes over two years, and multiple variations of the wall hanging (seen below) are now available for sale.


In this house this is not a place of honor No highlyesteemed deed is commemoral ed here. Eaothing is valbed here hat io here bo DANGEROUS AND REPULSIVE The dangér is in a The danger is still particular location Ts place s best left present in your time Shunned & U(ninhabited

On February 27th, 2020, the Tumblr[5] account nuclearwastewarnings made its first post. Inspired by exeggcute's post, the gimmick account writes the messages in various artistic Adobe Spark templates (examples seen below).


The danger is to the body and it can kill. The form of the danger is an emanation O of energy. PROBLEMATIC NUCLEAR WASTE WARNINGS List of problematic NWW (or LTNWWM). Not promoting cancel culture or anything, just letting people know. Updated WEEKLY. Don't interact, just REPORT. Click for the reasons why something is problematic This place is a message We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture This place is not a place of honor Nothing valued is here What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us The center of danger is here The danger is still present It can kil Emanation of energy This place is best shunned and left uninhabited

Throughout 2020 and 2021, as the meme became more widely known and used, it was noted by multiple people, including Twitter[6] user prophet_goddess (shown below), that the messages were now altered forever by becoming a meme.


ludum tsundare .. @prophet_goddess the long-term nuclear waste warning messages becoming a meme is really funny to me because no nuclear semiotician ever thought to consider preserving nuclear waste warning messages for future generations by just getting people to make jokes about them 12:30 AM · Dec 24, 2020 · TweetDeck

Search Interest

External References

[1] UNT Digital Library – Expert judgment on markers to deter inadvertent human intrusion into the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

[2] Twitter – steve_lieber

[3] Method Quarterly – The Cat Went Over Radioactive Mountain

[4] Tumblr – exeggcute

[5] Tumblr – nuclearwastewarnings

[6] Twitter – prophet_goddess

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Recent Images 22 total


Top Comments

adosta
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adosta

Wow, the origin of this meme is quite interesting, there are also ideas on how to design eerie structures or signs that deter people from the dangerous of radiactive material without using current simbology.

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Sir Trollsalot
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Sir Trollsalot

Trying to warn hypothetical post-apocalyptic savages of radiation danger reminds me of that incident in Brazil where someone stole radioactive material from abandoned hospital and tried to sell off the cool glowy stuff, irradiating lots of people.
Yep, radiation warnings don't even work with modern people (granted, it's Brazil so perhaps "modern" is exaggeration).

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