C-Cab's recent activity
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
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Comment on The land that doesn’t need Ozempic in ~food
C-Cab Link ParentI am having trouble trying to parse what you mean here: In particular, I'm not sure what you mean by "more traditional sense of what is an appropriate amount of weight". Would you mind elaborating?I am having trouble trying to parse what you mean here:
I meant to mention I think this has also shaped modern western culture's sense of zaftig. Older, more conservative cultures that were slower to adopt highly processed foods and dispense with communal family meals have a different and more traditional sense of what is an appropriate amount of weight to be attractive in a woman. Whereas other western cultures have varied positive views of a woman's weight that may include "thick or "curvy" or "husky" or "BBW."
In particular, I'm not sure what you mean by "more traditional sense of what is an appropriate amount of weight". Would you mind elaborating?
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Comment on Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers in ~science
C-Cab LinkSome food for thought: We're learning more and more about play behavior in other animals. It's not all too surprising that animals tend to play more when food is abundant, but I wonder what the...Some food for thought:
We're learning more and more about play behavior in other animals. It's not all too surprising that animals tend to play more when food is abundant, but I wonder what the benefit of it is. Stress relief? Social bonding? Across the board cognitive enrichment?
Regarding how mothers maintain a high level of play with their offspring even when food is scarce - is this solely facilitated by demands to play from her offspring? I wonder if perhaps she gets some immediate benefits as well beyond ensuring proper development. For instance, we know that oxytocin is associated with many prosocial behaviors and we think it might relate to good feelings that arise from those. Seems like it can further solidify the parent-offspring bond and perhaps provides some neural benefits to the mother beyond that.
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Comment on Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers in ~science
C-Cab LinkSome key points:Some key points:
Whether tussling with a young chimpanzee or playing chase with another adult, the frequency of adult play was strongly correlated with the amount of ripe fruit in the diet in any given month. When the forest was full of high-quality food, adult chimpanzees played a lot.
But when their prized fruits dwindled, their playful sides all but disappeared – that is, except for mothers.
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When food is scarce, parties tend to be smaller, and mothers are often alone with just their young. This strategy reduces feeding competition with group mates. But it also leaves mothers as the only social partners for their offspring. Mothers’ time and energy that might be devoted toward other daily tasks, such as feeding and rest, go toward play instead.
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Whether maternal play is a product of fission-fusion grouping or the developmental needs of offspring still needs to be tested directly. But the responsibility to play with your little ones certainly resonates with many human parents who experienced a sudden shift to become their children’s main play partners when COVID-19 interrupted normal activities. -
Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers
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Comment on Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness in ~health.mental
C-Cab Link ParentOh yeah, I don't mean diving into this completely naïve. I would definitely go through the experience with people that know what they are doing several times. I think that's good practice with...Oh yeah, I don't mean diving into this completely naïve. I would definitely go through the experience with people that know what they are doing several times. I think that's good practice with pretty much any endeavor that involves altering your mental state.
But I like the idea of getting to a point where I can manage the experience on my own when I think it's appropriate. Essentially taking a mental exploration without having to use any sort of drug.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
C-Cab (edited )Link ParentI'm sorry to hear about your friend. I lost a friend the same way at the start of the pandemic. This is a question that is receiving a lot of attention, and unfortunately there is no silver bullet...I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I lost a friend the same way at the start of the pandemic. This is a question that is receiving a lot of attention, and unfortunately there is no silver bullet or clear solution for getting people out of it. The best approach, just like with diseases, is prevention. Trying to get people to think more critically and providing them with facts ahead of time can help, but it's not fool proof. But when someone is in it, it's much more difficult. A lot of the research shows that you can't just give the facts to someone who's firmly entrenched in conspiratorial thinking. They will have retorts to everything you offer that feeds into their narrative.
It seems like many people get into conspiracy theories because it offers explanations for complex things in the world, which can alleviate anxiety of the unknown. Additionally, communities inevitably form around these and people connect emotionally over these topics which helps engrain them as a core part of their identity.
If you're motivated, what you can do is try to get her first thinking critically about something you both agree on, or maybe talk about something new you learned and demonstrate some critical thinking techniques (e.g. How would my perspective be different if I were on the other side?, Where is this information coming from?, How do I know what I know?). This probably shouldn't be explicit, but you can maybe describe a scenario where you were analyzing a situation and your thought process. As conversation may inevitably shift to her conspiracy theories (and don't force it into that, let things naturally change), listen to what she has to say and then walk through some of the connections. Not in an accusatory way, but as if you're exploring it with them, bringing up some of those earlier questions (e.g. Why should we think that way about the world?, If we commit to planes leaving chemtrails, shouldn't we or the conspirators be wearing masks all the time? Why should we trust these sources?). You run the risk of her finding it patronizing, but it might also light a spark to get her to think a bit more deeply about it.
Ultimately, it's not your responsibility, and it takes a lot of time, effort, and patience to even try to get someone out of one conspiracy theory. You might consider having a frank discussion about why she believes these, what she gets out of them, that you're not too interested in talking about them, and that it's damaging your relationship. There are many people where they give up personal relationships to stay embedded in these conspiracy theory groups, and it's really unfortunate, but you can't help someone that doesn't want it.
You can read a bit more about some current ideas here and here.
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Comment on Jack Dorsey quits Bluesky board and urges users to stay on Elon Musk's X in ~tech
C-Cab Link ParentThat doesn't quite follow unless he can see the future - the idea for Bluesky was first talked about in 2019 and the company was founded in 2021. The whole debacle with Musk buying Twitter was in...That doesn't quite follow unless he can see the future - the idea for Bluesky was first talked about in 2019 and the company was founded in 2021. The whole debacle with Musk buying Twitter was in 2022. No doubt though that the trajectory Bluesky took to where it's at was influenced by Musk's handling of Twitter though.
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Comment on Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness in ~health.mental
C-Cab LinkI think this is fascinating, but I would love to see a follow-up study further supporting their physiological hypothesis by removing the social context of the circular breathwork exercises. The...I think this is fascinating, but I would love to see a follow-up study further supporting their physiological hypothesis by removing the social context of the circular breathwork exercises. The authors seems to suggest that these could be integral to the effects, but it would be nice if I could do something like this on my own.
I'm also a little surprised that they don't seem to consider oxygen's role in this, or at least that they didn't measure it, since we know that elevated oxygen can have effects on the central nervous system. I don't know if this is an oversight or if they just wanted to put the focus on things like blood pH, but you could do the same experiment but measure O2 levels instead and likely get the same relationships (albeit with correlations reversed).
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
C-Cab (edited )LinkThe main steps that Dr. Sinclair lists out pulled from the article: Steps 1-4, and 6 are intuitive to me and are the immediate things that I think of. I'm not sure that I would ever think to look...The main steps that Dr. Sinclair lists out pulled from the article:
Step 1: Seek out the evidence
Step 2: Test the allegation
Step 3: Watch out for tangled webs
Step 4: Look for a motive
Step 5: Seek the source of the allegations
Step 6: Beware the supernatural
Step 7: Look for other warning signsSteps 1-4, and 6 are intuitive to me and are the immediate things that I think of. I'm not sure that I would ever think to look for the source as I felt like most conspiracy theories don't hold up under the scrutiny of the other steps, but it definitely makes sense to look into that.
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How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false
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Comment on A rare burst of billions of cicadas will rewire our ecosystems for years to come. The arrival of Brood XIX and Brood XIII will send shockwaves through forest food webs. in ~enviro
C-Cab LinkI love events like this when we think about them in the context of ecology. It's not unlike locust swarms, which essentially move nitrogen from many different areas and can really shift the...I love events like this when we think about them in the context of ecology. It's not unlike locust swarms, which essentially move nitrogen from many different areas and can really shift the ecological landscape. I think if I hadn't gone the neuroscience route I might have studied some ecology because the interactions we see are mind boggling!
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Comment on The cycling revolution in Paris continues: Bicycle use now exceeds car use in ~transport
C-Cab Link ParentThanks for doing the digging! I know that if you do any sort of life time cost analysis that the majority of the time an e-bike will beat a car when you factor in fuel and maintenance, but for...Thanks for doing the digging! I know that if you do any sort of life time cost analysis that the majority of the time an e-bike will beat a car when you factor in fuel and maintenance, but for some people up front costs can be scary.
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Comment on The cycling revolution in Paris continues: Bicycle use now exceeds car use in ~transport
C-Cab Link ParentI'm certainly speaking from a place of privilege in a developed country. But even then cars themselves (especially good working ones) are a luxury for the rich, if we're speaking globally. All...I'm certainly speaking from a place of privilege in a developed country. But even then cars themselves (especially good working ones) are a luxury for the rich, if we're speaking globally. All things being equal, I would be more than happy with people, whether in the global north or south, moving towards using motorcycles or scooters more frequently.
Out of curiosity, do you know what the average cost for getting an e-bike might be in a developing country? I know it will vary depending on the country, but if you have any direct experience I would appreciate the trivia.
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Comment on The cycling revolution in Paris continues: Bicycle use now exceeds car use in ~transport
C-Cab Link ParentI'm an avid proponent of cycling for practical reasons (as opposed to hobbyists/sports), but even I don't think that there would be no place for cars. And most people that I talk to that are in...I'm an avid proponent of cycling for practical reasons (as opposed to hobbyists/sports), but even I don't think that there would be no place for cars. And most people that I talk to that are in favor of moving towards more bike friendly infrastructure are talking about in cities. It simply wouldn't be feasible in rural areas when necessities are so spread out.
But there are lots of times in cities where we really don't need a car that I think a bicycle, hell even a motorcycle or scooter, would work just as well and would free up congestion and land away from parking. Hopefully with the freeing up of land we could build more high density housing and that way more people could live closer to work so that they could bike/walk in.
I think it's tough for many people to view it as viable option because we've become so accustomed to a car-centric culture that it's hard for people to imagine how it would work, but we have always adapted to our situations.
Regarding your post-script, I think it's tough to draw conclusions about how many people are using a cycling lane, especially if you are driving by. Bike lanes don't usually get backed up with traffic, so there is less opportunity to actually see someone in it. Additionally, if it's the standard bike line in many U.S. cities, which is just a line of paint on the ground, it doesn't exactly provide a good sense of safety. I've been forced to get too close to the curb or even jump it a few times due to inattentive/malicious drivers.
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Comment on The cycling revolution in Paris continues: Bicycle use now exceeds car use in ~transport
C-Cab Link ParentI think a good work around for that, at least for the hills, is investing in an electric bike. Right now I'm in a relatively flat area that regularly gets up to mid 40sºC in the summer and when...I think a good work around for that, at least for the hills, is investing in an electric bike. Right now I'm in a relatively flat area that regularly gets up to mid 40sºC in the summer and when I'm actually moving the heat doesn't really bother me (granted it's low humidity, but anything over 40ºC is miserable, I don't care what anyone says).
But the hills really are killer. Where I used to live I would bike home from work and it was a gradual incline that would knock me out the first few weeks, and it still wasn't pleasant after I was conditioned towards it. I've heard really good things about e-bikes helping to offload some of that work, and it's something I'm considering doing if the area I move to is hilly.
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Comment on What if we discover the answers of the Universe, eliminate cancer, halt aging. What's next? in ~humanities
C-Cab LinkThere's a great scifi book by Arthur C. Clarke called "Childhood's End" which touches on some of this. Essentially, some aliens come to Earth and put a stop to war, famine, and all of the other...There's a great scifi book by Arthur C. Clarke called "Childhood's End" which touches on some of this. Essentially, some aliens come to Earth and put a stop to war, famine, and all of the other issues that humans deal with such that we can live in a utopia. It touches on some ideas of spirituality and humanity that I think make it a great read.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Next up The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin in ~books
C-Cab LinkOh I just read this last year! Looking forward to joining in on the discussion.Oh I just read this last year! Looking forward to joining in on the discussion.
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Comment on Fellow hardline materialists, how do you "enchant" the world? in ~talk
C-Cab Link ParentI share a similar sentiment as you do, which I think can be summarized quite succinctly as "Life is stranger than fiction". Looking at the mechanics of our universe and thinking about how these...I share a similar sentiment as you do, which I think can be summarized quite succinctly as "Life is stranger than fiction". Looking at the mechanics of our universe and thinking about how these emergent properties arise from particles/waves interacting all the way up to conscious thought is absolutely awe inspiring for me.
I can watch a hummingbird with elaborate displays perform a courting ritual and get mesmerized by the sheer beauty of evolution. I can see footage of a the coordinated development of a fruit fly embryo and be captivated by the intricacies of genetics and cellular processes. I am dazzled by time scales much slower than we are used to when I consider the formation of bodies of water. I am absolutely bewitched thinking about the radiation of particles and how this is happening constantly all around, just out of sight.
So for me, the world is full of enchantment. Just because we can grasp small bits of the mechanics doesn't make it any less entrancing.
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Comment on Man sets himself on fire near courthouse where Donald Trump is on trial (gifted link) in ~news
C-Cab Link ParentSo I think, like many things in life, that states and politics are like a spectrum. For me, one of the main things that define a kleptocracy is no formal repercussions for politicians after they...So I think, like many things in life, that states and politics are like a spectrum. For me, one of the main things that define a kleptocracy is no formal repercussions for politicians after they have been found out for corruption. We have several examples of this in recent years.
Now, certainly it's not as bad as other countries, but I think it's a matter of degree. And I think the more blatant instances could slide us further in the scale towards an all out kleptocracy.
Yeah I am a little surprised by Eji's response - I have encountered both directly and seeing other people's conversations plenty of bad faith actors when it comes to online discussions. Maybe they are referring exclusively to in-person interlocutors, which yeah, I largely agree. But that doesn't detract from how bad it can get on the internet.