That progress is inevitable.
gestures wildly
I used to think Tankies were misguided but harmless. Now I understand, if they got their way, they’d be dangerous.
I got into a fairly in depth conversation with one of them where they explained that they believed that the suspension of freedom, suppression of speech and expression, and sustained authoritarianism were necessary to achieve the socialist utopia. Except worse, they believe that these bad things should be in place until the entire world was socialist. If even one country wasn’t socialist, that would be the justification for suppression on the rest of the entire world. So essentially they’re defending worldwide authoritarianism and suppression of everyone in perpetuity.
I’d point you to this conversation so you could be your own judge, but true to their suppression methods, they exercised their own authoritarianism, deleted all my posts on the subject leaving only their own, because they said I was speaking against socialism and that can’t be allowed fulfilling the exact authoritarianism and suppression I was citing as a problem with their philosophy.
The use of language. My mom was a proofreader for a handful of local editorials, so the “correctness” of language was pushed very hard on to me from very little. As a result, I pushed for “correct” language onto others very hard as well. And this isnt about English, but my birth language, which has lots of conjugation rules, gendering details, grammar quirks and special cases; so people do tend to deviate from proper grammar a lot in informal settings (and sometimes in formal as well). I became a “language nazi” of sorts, and noticed quickly how people spoke fearfully in front of me to avoid making mistakes and getting corrected. This was something I (regretfully) took pride of.
Until one day, a friend of mine which specialized in languages said to me: “Language isn’t prescriptive; it’s descriptive”. And it took a while, a plethora of questions, and infinite patience from her, but I eventually came around and understood what she was saying: language is what we use to convey ideas from one to the other. We stick to a given language and grammar (structure) because that’s the common agreement for the language speakers, in the expectations that it makes for easier communication. BUT, if a sentence can transmit correctly a thought, even when not using a word in the dictionary or not applying grammar rules, then it’s fine as long as me (or whomever is the interlocutor) understands what they’re trying to say. Furthermore, even when using proper grammar with “existing words”, communication can be confusing and requires clarification. If you can make up a word in the spot that better conveys what you’re trying to say, then I’m all for it! (And probably will start using it myself). If you learned to speak a certain way and call stuff a different name from what I learned, or if you add extra letters to the word because that’s what you were taught by your family (something very usual) then that’s cool and I’ll respect it.
TLDR: Language has no rules. It is what we make of it.
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This feels basic now but I used to be very ‘pro tech’ and would have latest-ish phones, getting smart gadgets, etc.
Now I consider those features to be negatives and refuse to buy things with internet, if possible.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot the last few years. I was huge into electronics and gadgets and such 10-15 years ago. Things were fun and exciting. Now there isn’t any real fun or experimentation or uniqueness in electronics. Phones are just a black slab with minor differences in features. Every new gadget has to be set up with your phone and then requires a monthly subscription.
It was always a money making venture, but every new iteration seems to cost more and do less. It’s depressing.
polygamy.
no further comment.
I think this does need some more information. Were you for, or against, what kind of 180 was it?
I used to be a conservative Christian. I was vehemently opposed to things like gay marriage and abortion.
Then I actually moved to a larger city and met gay people and, well, that became the crux of my deconstruction. Turns out people are people, no matter where or how they’re born, or what they choose to be or identify as.
My views on abortion have changed, to the point where I very much do not believe in fetal personhood, though I still think late-term abortions should be shied away from if they can be avoided. Regardless, it makes no sense to remove a woman’s right to choose how her body is used. It’s hers. If she doesn’t want to put her body through childbirth, or doesn’t want to take on the immense burden of raising a child, she shouldn’t have to. But, at the same time, dudes should be aware of what they can inflict upon a woman just because ‘it doesn’t feel as good’ with a condom on. Wrap it before you tap it, boys.
what they choose to be
Sometimes biological preference is biology and not preference, though. Something to continue ruminating on.
The flu vaccine (pre Covid). Always been pro vax in general, just never saw the need since I never had symptomatic flu. My immune system is good enough, right?
Well, it was like a switch flipped in my brain. One day, I suddenly realized getting the shot isn’t about me. If I don’t vaccinate, I get the flu, and I don’t have symptoms.
That makes me a carrier. I’m a disease vector. Somewhere throughout my day, I’m going to pass it on to some immunocompromised person, and I will be the reason someone’s grandma doesn’t make it for the holidays.
“Just the flu” still kills hundreds of thousands of people every year.
You never get symptomatic flu? Can you please get to yourself to the nearest research hospital and get started on the genetic immunity or whatever it is you have. You may be the key for saving millions of lives and untold suffering.
I lost a lot of respect for a coworker over this.
This was pre pandemic. They brought a nurse into the office to give everyone who wanted a flu vaccine. She wouldn’t do it.
I said to her that if she got the flu, she’d probably live, but she’d also pass it on to other people. She’d be contagious before she knew she was sick, so she might be on the subway and infect a bunch of vulnerable people. Old ladies. Little babies. Anyone.
She was like no that’s not how it works. That’s not going to happen.
I was like, why not? In what way is that not how it works?
“I’ll just stay home if I’m sick”
“What about when you’re contagious and don’t realize? Or if it hits when you’re already at work?”
“That won’t happen”
Just denial.
Can’t convince people with facts. You have to play on their emotions. Make them feel good about themselves, or reinforce something they believe in. I can’t always figure out how to do that
Wait, does the flu vaccine actually work like that? I didn’t kmow it did anything to dampen transmission. I’ve never gotten it because I have such intense needle phobia it didn’t seem worth it, but if this is true, then it has more benefits than I realized and that kinda changed the calculus a little
It’s basically a numbers game. With a vaccine the flu can’t spread through your body because you have immunity. Meaning your body can fight of the flu so you don’t get sick/have symptoms (or at least all of that is greatly diminished). Since the flu can’t spread in your body, there is less flu in you for you to spread to others.
So more people vaccinated means less viral load in the community which means less people spreading and therefore getting the flu.
Yes, vaccination primarily reduces odds of infection. No infection = no transmission. Secondarily, vaccination reduces the symptoms of an active infection if you get one anyways.
No. This person is clueless. vaccines don’t prevent you from catching a disease. they simple allow your immune system to deal with it better. the flu vaccine means when you do get the flu it will more like cold.
you are getting sick all the time, it’s just that your immune system works well against things it knows. you only get sick sick when you encounter a bug that your immune system hasn’t ID’d and can’t fight.
you can still spread viruses and bacteria to other people even without symptoms. you are doing it all the time.
When your immune system kicks a virus out, you don’t catch the disease.
For your immune system to kick it out, it has to be in first.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_immunity
Stop spreading antivax pseudoscience
If I don’t vaccinate, I get the flu, and I don’t have symptoms.
That makes me a carrier. I’m a disease vector.
This is flawed. Vaccinated people clear quicker; and asymptomatic people aren’t spreaders. This is just ‘shedder’ bullshit, and you’d benefit from re-examining it or consulting someone with a relevant degree.
User says they’re all for vaccines now
Accuse them of being antivaxxer
???Will say it’s kinda funny seeing a word created in ignorance used itself in further ignorance.
This is mine too. Pre covid, my thought process was “I’m young and healthy and have had the flu twice in the last 15 years, I’d rather save the shots for someone who needs them, not me! I’ll just keep working my retail job and going to school even if I’m a little achey and sniffly, I can tough it out!”
Now I get them both every year. I still kinda feel like I’m taking a shot away from someone who needs it more, but I’m just trying to do my part!
After the October 7 attack I was very pro isreal. Of course it’s totally unacceptable for a neighbor to enter one’s territory and kill hundreds of innocent civilians. You can’t commit such an act of terrorism without consequences. However I have seen that the Israeli invasion has been all but moral and the use of the word genocide feels more and more justified. It has gone way over board and I have staunchly become anti isreal. The war was supposed to be a war on Hamas but the innocent civilians in Gaza have had to bear with unbelievable suffering which I no longer believe justifies the war.
What made you not realize the decades of Israeli aggression that caused October 7?
I was in the same boat (outside of being already critical regarding israels illegal settlements in the west bank). Main reason was that growing up in Austria, criticizing anything jewish was practically a taboo, and the only ones doing it publicly were the far right, which delegitimized all of it in public discussion.
It took their atrocities to make me realize how much effort Israels Zionists are putting into trying to tie Judaism/Ethnic Jews/Zionism together, so that blaming Israel can be countered by accusing anyone to be an antisemite. (I also have to say that for how good Israel is at Psyops, they really botched this one on the world stage.) I also realized that the conflict became a lot more one sided over the years; in the 80s and 90s there still was a push for a 2-state solution, and attacks in both directions were a common occurrence. Nowadays Israelis getting hurt is often the direct result of repressive action from Israels side.
Oct 7 might very well have been an false flag op in retrospective. It gave Bibi the chance to annex all of Gaza, Genocide be damned. It’s similar to Putins staged apartment complex attack.
as someone who went through the same, it was mostly lack of attention. i had a vague idea that israel and palestine hated each other, and it was easy to understand from a perspective of israel taking palestinian land, but when you don’t think about it too much it’s easy to both sides it or feel like the supposedly western, supposedly democratic one has a point. i think a lot of people in the west had that vague, unrefined view when oct 7 happened, and it’s easy to stand with someone who just suffered a terror attack.
but it just kept being a focus in media, and the more you look into it, the clearer israel’s crimes against humanity become. and the crazy part is that the vague perspective of israel taking the land for themselves is absolutely correct, but when you see it for the real atrocity it is, rather than an abstract curiosity, it’s impossible to side with the occupiers if you’re not a bigot.
I can only add that, as much as I despise what occurred to Israel that day, it achieved their objectives in a way nothing else probably could have. It’s difficult to morally reconcile, but the evil they committed against Israel exposed a greater evil Israel was committing against them.
Trans athletes in student sports - now I believe there should be no student sports. It’s a waste of educational resources to have a team run by the school system. I went to the football stadium in Allen, TX and I realized how messed up schools have become
Sports should be for lots of people to play, not just a few ridiculously skilled experts, with everyone else just watching.
Trans athletes in student sports - now I believe there should be no student sports.
I LOLOLED
Its funny how people come to radically different conclusions on one topic:
Conservatives: Omg gEnDeRs! What would we do if a boy and a girl touched, jaysus would rain hellfire on us
LGBT+ Allies: Trans Women are Women
Egalitarians: Gender shouldnt matter
This guy: ABOLISH SPORTS
But still lowkey an interesting take +1
This guy: ABOLISH SPORTS
Abolish institutionalized sports; I’m thinking, in favour of self-organized sports. Just remove the fucking money from it in education - remove the money funnel from education anyway - and watch people care less about composition and more about everyone being active and smiling.
Sports are actually good overall, but the overly strong focus and wasted money spent on them is absolutely ridiculous.
That’s like saying the arts are a waste, it’s a “I don’t like it or see the benefit so it shouldn’t exist” scenario
no school sports - this is the most radical take I’ve ever seen on lemmy.
and i like it. I and I like sports. FWIW the town my brother in has no school sports… the sports are run by an independent volunteer org. Nobody gets paid. but i’m not sure it’s a good ‘model’ because their sports program is mediocre and their teams are average at best.
he’s actually trying to move his family to another town with better sports because he expects his kids to go to college on sports scholarship like him and his wife both did. and there is no way that will happen if his kids are bad sports teams.
i do think sports have educational value, teaching teamwork and discipline and health. i learned more from cross country and marching band versus everything else combined. but i definitely agree about the ridiculous funding disparity, though, no extracurricular should be getting more funding than core classes
my hot take is that sports and bathrooms shouldn’t be gendered. i understand the “seperate but equal” clause doesn’t include gender, but it should, given the better funding and accomodation boys sports get over all but the best girls teams. siloing off genders has catastrophic cultural consequences- “locker room talk” shouldn’t and wouldn’t exist otherwise, plus the whole trans rights thing that shouldn’t and wouldn’t be an issue
Personal story: Ages ago I was in marching band in TX, so we had to visit multiple other schools to play against them.
Some of those stadiums, even 20ish years ago, were ridiculous. So much money that could have gone to much better programs, or even a publicly available stadium that aren’t locked to a specific school district. I left band before graduating.
I think that’s an American-centric view. It’s uniquely American to build a stadium for high school sports.
i used to think the us was an incredible place to live, and that most people saying otherwise were just amplifying its faults from a sheltered perspective. one single trip to nyc of all places changed that. it’s impressive how broken the us is, the decay isn’t just an abstract concept, it’s literally everywhere in a physical sense. even places that were supposed to be nice were rough around the edges in so many ways.
(edit: just to clarify, i’m a european)
every society is like that.
The US isnt that beautiful if you’re looking at this from a European perspective.
HOWEVER, if you’re from a place even worse, the US could look like paradise to you.
Don’t forget that if you have regular access to a relatively uncensored internet and can drink water straight from the tap, you have it better than half of the world, which is not to say you shouldn’t strive for better, you definitely should protest, contact your congressperson, vote, all that stuff (as best as you can mentally handle), but sometimes you have to pause and appreciate what you do have.
Context: I was born in the People’s Republic of China circa 2000 and now resides in the US. I mean yes China’s public transit looks better but everything besides that isnt all that nice really. I lived in a part of a city that looks absolutely filthy and deteriorated
(And yes, NYC is dirty, especially Manhattan, but some places in Brooklyn look quite okay, if you could afford living there lol.)
It’s the fact that so much in this country is about money. We can’t have basic infrastructure or maintenance because the money it would take to build and maintain it means the guy at the top earns less, and we can’t have that. I fucking hate it here and wish that I had any hope of living elsewhere, where people are treated like people instead of numbers and a paycheck.
Yeah it’s really noticable as an australian too. The bottom is allowed to fall out in ways that feel scandalous. So many things are just shabby. So many systems are just bafflingly, solvably dysfunctional.
Noisemakers in electric cars. I thought it was a conspiracy of the incumbent manufacturers to make EVs as shitty as ICE cars. But I’ve had plenty of situations where people were unaware that I was driving up to them and that’s not a good thing. Just to be clear, I don’t expect pedestrians to jump out of the way when I come along with my car but situational awareness is an important factor for avoiding accidents.
People and animals walk out in front of my noise-making EV all the time. It really needs a bicycle bell or pedestrian horn or something. Maybe it’s the frequency of the sound. People just don’t seem to realize it’s a car right there the way they do with ICE.
That noise is awful. We’re in the fucking future, I want my car to sound like the Jetsons’
I watched a YouTube video from a blind creator. She mentioned how scary EVs were in parking lots. She just had much less time to react to them compared to ICE cars. I don’t mind the spooky hum my car makes so much since then
same tbh. the correct answer is no cars. i still think evs are better to have around than ice cars, but an oversized murder machine shouldn’t be the primary mode of transport, and it will always need to announce its presence.
road noise along major roads is mostly tire noise anyway, and evs still have tires
I hear them all the time, they seem to make the same amount of noise as a ICE, unless it’s a big engine truck/sports car.
This is mainly relevant in parking spaces. My car is basically completely silent when I’m going below 20 kph or so.
they aren’t though… all i can hear when they are on is the loud whirrring of the electronic motors. i like of hate it tbh, regular cars aren’t as loud to me.
The whirring is from a speaker. The electric motors are insanely quiet. On cars that don’t pretend to have sounds through a speaker, you’re basically just hearing the tires on the floor and the HVAC fans.
Without personal experience I still say no. The world is loud enough.
Not that I spent much time thinking about it in the past but the belief in free will was something I was disillusioned from by hearing Sam Harris talk about it and then reading his book on the subject.
Now I believe there is just consciousness and its content. There is no “you” that’s separate from this process that’s authoring your decisions. Nah, everything follows from past events and the belief that you could have done otherwise is just an illusion. How could you have done otherwise. We already know what you did in this timeline. If we rewind back the universe without changing anything you’d just make the same choice again and again and again.
I’d say it has made me a much more empathic person overall. Hating someone for example is no longer compatible with my world view. Not liking, sure, but treating people as if they chose to be this way and could choose to be different but won’t - that’s bullshit.
Charles Whitman is a good example. Shot a bunch of people from a clock tower, left a suicide note saying he doesn’t know why he does this and tells doctors to study his brain when he’s dead. Well, they did and found a pecan-sized tumor near his amygdala that could very well explain this behaviour. Would you still hold Charles morally responsible after learning this? I wouldn’t. I basically just live as if everyone has a brain tumor.
I’ve been reeling for a month after watching this Dr Sapolsky interview on that precise topic. Halfway through the book that gave way to the interview; I also feel more… humane? when judging people’s actions.
The death penalty - used to be very against it, but after seeing some of the footage from ICE in the US I do believe in some cases, an international court should be allowed to sentence people to death. Only in very well-documented cases of e.g. war crimes, systemic cold-blooded murder, … And never by one individual country’s legal system
