supergauntlet's recent activity
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Comment on Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, US officials warn in ~finance
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Comment on ASUS demonstrates a pattern of scammy, questionably-legal practices to deny customer RMAs in ~tech
supergauntlet Link ParentGamers Nexus is a great channel. They get into trouble with nvidia or intel for not toeing the party line pretty regularly, because most hardware review channels are actually just extended ads, so...Gamers Nexus is a great channel. They get into trouble with nvidia or intel for not toeing the party line pretty regularly, because most hardware review channels are actually just extended ads, so when you make an actual review which sometimes has to be negative the company gets mad.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
supergauntlet Link ParentI think it will come down to simple economics. Used car prices are sliding, but the actual cost of owning a car is increasing and has been for some time. This is just economic reality, and there...I think it will come down to simple economics. Used car prices are sliding, but the actual cost of owning a car is increasing and has been for some time. This is just economic reality, and there are no signs of this changing, the cost of everything based on petroleum products is going to continue to sharply increase as we start hitting peak oil. People won't be able to afford maintenance, so yes they'll downsize to one car. But the flip side of that is that if you want to support those one-fewer-car households better? The best way to do it is to support alternative modes of transportation, like ebikes, public transit, increased density so that walking is feasible, etc. Otherwise our society will simply stop working in many places, because nobody will work for the slave wages if they can't commute in from somewhere cheaper.
I should note I mean these are things I expect in the coming years, maybe more on the order of decades. It will take a lot of time and work, but it's just smarter economically to make transportation costs a lower proportion of people's budget. But we also have to do it, because climate change is actually really bad, so the more work we do on it now the better. Hence the kind of desperate tone you get on topics like this online, this is a problem where the work will have to be done inevitably at some point, and the longer you wait the more work needs to be done to make the correction.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
supergauntlet Link ParentThat's all well and good, but the fact of the matter is that climate change is going to force people to get used to cars, certainly new cars, being a luxury item, and that means a lot more people...That's all well and good, but the fact of the matter is that climate change is going to force people to get used to cars, certainly new cars, being a luxury item, and that means a lot more people that can't afford that basic personal transportation. You forget that America runs off a wageslave class, because downtowns are full of businesses that want to be cheap, and thus all of the people that do the real work in cities all drive in from out of town, often from quite a ways away. What happens when gas price inflation becomes so extreme that it literally stops making economic sense to go to work? How do you propose these downtowns deal with this in the short term other than encouraging ebike use? And how do you make ebikes safe without also having reasonable restrictions on automobiles?
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Comment on AI, automation, and inequality — how do we reach utopia? in ~talk
supergauntlet Link ParentI've had this argument many times over the course of my life and I don't really disagree with the rest of your post (I think that societal change happens slowly, I just think that civil unrest and...There's a strong propensity within human nature for greed.
I've had this argument many times over the course of my life and I don't really disagree with the rest of your post (I think that societal change happens slowly, I just think that civil unrest and rioting is a useful tool in that process) but this specific part is just wrong. "Greed is inherent human nature" is The Big Lie of capitalism. It's simply not true and never was. We have so many examples of how selfishness doesn't work and is actively bad for everyone, even individuals in the long run, but still this myth persists because of societal brainwashing. There are tons of examples of humans doing things at odds with our instincts, so even if greed is a base human instinct that's no justification. We don't consider it acceptable for someone that isn't a child to soil themselves in public, yet somehow scamming people is just something we need to encourage to live in a society? I don't buy it. Greed, like racism, is learned.
I don't expect to change the world in a day. I simply plan to live my life less selfishly and find others that do and show everyone that it doesn't have to be this way. And I think that's a much kinder and effective form of reeducation than the gulags ever were.
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Comment on AI, automation, and inequality — how do we reach utopia? in ~talk
supergauntlet Link ParentThese elites are extremely stupid. If they gave a shit about consolidating their power long term they would have done a better job about sustainable growth back in the 1970s and 80s when they...These elites are extremely stupid. If they gave a shit about consolidating their power long term they would have done a better job about sustainable growth back in the 1970s and 80s when they first started realizing the inherent problems with building a society on petrochemicals. Don't underestimate them sure, but don't overestimate them either. The wrong man in the right place can make all the difference, and thankfully there are a lot of idiots in a lot of the right places.
Besides, they're fighting an inevitability. You can't fight the future, and deindustrialization isn't optional. It'll just be a matter of how much pain we accept in the meantime
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Comment on AI, automation, and inequality — how do we reach utopia? in ~talk
supergauntlet Link ParentI think this will eventually happen, it will just take things getting really really really bad first. I mean, don't forget, even in Star Trek their post-scarcity society was only achieved after a...So I guess that's my answer: a large portion of the world has to develop class consciousness and a willingness to fight
I think this will eventually happen, it will just take things getting really really really bad first. I mean, don't forget, even in Star Trek their post-scarcity society was only achieved after a lot of unrest and war. The Bell riots happened in 2024 in-universe.
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Comment on New evidence found for Planet 9 in ~space
supergauntlet Link Parentmild spoilers for the video game referenced Inhabited by *the disembodied souls* of owl people with antlers. The Stranger was almost totally devoid of life, remember?mild spoilers for the video game referenced
Inhabited by *the disembodied souls* of owl people with antlers. The Stranger was almost totally devoid of life, remember? -
Comment on In US lawsuit, ex-Amazon AI exec claims she was asked to ignore IP law in ~tech
supergauntlet Link Parentalso called "being managed out". the classic way to do it for ICs is by extreme nitpicking in pull requests, make sure to use the big red 'CHANGES REQUESTED' button, be slow and inconsistent in...also called "being managed out". the classic way to do it for ICs is by extreme nitpicking in pull requests, make sure to use the big red 'CHANGES REQUESTED' button, be slow and inconsistent in responding to questions. Basically make working actively miserable to burn the person out as fast as possible to make them quit.
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Comment on Inflation in times of overlapping emergencies: Systemically significant prices from an input–output perspective in ~finance
supergauntlet LinkSome of the most important takeaways imo: fossil fuel industry is the single biggest driver of inflation market systems are not ready for large disruptive events like the 2022 war in Ukraine or...Some of the most important takeaways imo:
- fossil fuel industry is the single biggest driver of inflation
- market systems are not ready for large disruptive events like the 2022 war in Ukraine or the 2020 covid pandemic and do not adequeately protect critical infrastructure
- you cant fix supply push inflation by fucking with the demand valve (interest rates)
- CPI calculation as it exists is wildly inaccurate because it just throws away things that are volatile (even though these are frequently big inflation drivers)
- the economy is very interrelated, and inflation in some sections has an outsize effect because costs percolate upward through the supply chain (this is why fossil fuels are such a big inflation driver - everything runs on crude)
The first 2 are especially important. It's why the energy transition is so important. Even if you don't give a shit about the environment it's just simply good economics. The bit about how we need to change some parts of the economy to be more resilient to supply shocks was also interesting - basically saying 'we need a bit more of a command economy in these areas that are particularly load-bearing' because if they don't maintain appropriate inventory levels then the supply shocks cascade and drive widespread inflation.
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Comment on Tildes is changing the way I use and think about online engagement. How about you? in ~tildes
supergauntlet Link ParentI have thought this many many times on tildes. Orangereds are something I look forward to on this site instead of being a coin flip of whether it will make me mad or not.I have thought this many many times on tildes. Orangereds are something I look forward to on this site instead of being a coin flip of whether it will make me mad or not.
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Comment on I bought a house, now what? in ~life.home_improvement
supergauntlet LinkCheck if your power company does some sort of home warranty. I tried to go without and then right after moving in my a/c died and cost like $4k to fix. More recently I've had some issues with...Check if your power company does some sort of home warranty. I tried to go without and then right after moving in my a/c died and cost like $4k to fix. More recently I've had some issues with water heater installation and the home warranty guys have just completely taken care of it. It's not a ton of money a month but very worth it for peace of mind.
They usually won't pay for the full replacement of broken stuff but they will give you a discount which is nice.
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Comment on Thinking about quitting the Internet in ~tech
supergauntlet (edited )Link ParentI would argue this is already happening. I know a lot of people my age or a bit younger that are very proudly not on any social media, or are very very very selective with their media consumption....I would argue this is already happening. I know a lot of people my age or a bit younger that are very proudly not on any social media, or are very very very selective with their media consumption.
That's why I've been saying these companies are playing with fire. If they make things bad enough, people are just going to stop using their website. And then they will see how much better their lives are without it, and they won't go back.
EDIT: also, I'll say that quitting the Internet is just not feasible. however, quitting algorithmic social media is. You should do that. Cut clout chasers out of your life, social media rots people's brains.
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Comment on "The university campus is rapidly becoming a locus of infantilizing social control that any independent-minded student should seek to escape" in ~life
supergauntlet Link ParentWell for coddling I was thinking more along the lines of conflict avoidance and refusal to engage with difficult subject matter, something that is a real problem with young people that corporate...Well for coddling I was thinking more along the lines of conflict avoidance and refusal to engage with difficult subject matter, something that is a real problem with young people that corporate social media's puritanism has made worse. But otherwise I totally agree with you, I think that being a little accommodating would go a long way. Surely some people are just going to take advantage of such a system and we can deal with the assholes but nobody wants to miss deadlines. If it's happening consistently there must be a deeper problem.
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Comment on "The university campus is rapidly becoming a locus of infantilizing social control that any independent-minded student should seek to escape" in ~life
supergauntlet Link ParentThanks for this comment. There's a lot to be said about the problems with higher education these days but this article clearly starts from the assumption that college students are too coddled and...Thanks for this comment. There's a lot to be said about the problems with higher education these days but this article clearly starts from the assumption that college students are too coddled and works backward from there. To be clear they are, just not (mostly) in the ways described in this article.
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Comment on Boeing whistleblower found dead in US in ~transport
supergauntlet Link ParentMost concerning thing still: https://twitter.com/BostonJerry/status/1769750520644694374Most concerning thing still: https://twitter.com/BostonJerry/status/1769750520644694374
Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was planning to drive home to Louisiana after his deposition on Friday 3/8 before Boeing lawyers asked him to stay one more day to finish his testimony.
His body was found on the morning of 3/9.
Barnett was planning to start driving from SC to LA after completing his testimony on Friday 3/8, but that night the Boeing lawyers asked him to stay for one more day of depositions on Saturday 3/9.
Something happened overnight at his hotel, and he was found dead that morning.
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Comment on An influential economics forum has a troubling surplus of trolls in ~finance
supergauntlet Link ParentThat doesn't make sense. The point of economics is to study the economy so that we can make policy recommendations. If we can't do that the field has no meaning. It's more akin to metallurgists...That doesn't make sense. The point of economics is to study the economy so that we can make policy recommendations. If we can't do that the field has no meaning. It's more akin to metallurgists learning how different metalworking techniques work and what they do and then making suggestions on how to improve processes at complete random or based on known bad advice just because "it's what we've always done."
If your idea of economics is just studying patterns and making models that's only half the picture - applying those models is the whole point. And economists are shockingly bad at this. Economics without real world applications is just statistics. The interpretation and recommendation for the future is the entire crux of the profession - how can you make this argument?
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Comment on An influential economics forum has a troubling surplus of trolls in ~finance
supergauntlet Link Parenthonestly this is a better argument than the others. Witch doctors actually help people, something most economists and financial planners don't give a shit about. but I take issue with the idea...N.B. I think true shamans exist and do wonderful things, and we should probably avoid the term "witch doctor" in the same way we avoid using terms like "retarded" or "gay" to describe we don't like
honestly this is a better argument than the others. Witch doctors actually help people, something most economists and financial planners don't give a shit about. but I take issue with the idea that economists that can apply concepts effectively to do bad things are effective. I just don't see how a science that concerns itself with something as all-encompassing as 'the economy' get brownie points for being able to apply previous wisdom to steal from the poor and give to the rich.
Economics has described lots of situations where external intervention into the market is needed to solve a problem - market failures - and knows what to do about them. We know how to actually solve inflation (tax away the excess liquidity) but this idea won't go mainstream. If economics as a profession doesn't start mainstreaming ideas like universal basic income, wealth taxes, land value taxes, housing cooperatives, things we literally have a basic need for as a society to survive the coming decades, it is clearly not a science.
How are we supposed to take seriously a profession that's based around maximizing humanity's success in a world of scarcity if it chooses to obsess over supposed societal benefits of GDP growth instead of the real material conditions people face and their continued decline for decades?
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Comment on An influential economics forum has a troubling surplus of trolls in ~finance
supergauntlet Link ParentYeah, to be clear I'm explaining why the popular perception of economics is the way it is, because the ultra rich want yes men that tell them what they want to hear. I'm not saying that economics...Yeah, to be clear I'm explaining why the popular perception of economics is the way it is, because the ultra rich want yes men that tell them what they want to hear. I'm not saying that economics is totally 100% fake - there are lots of real things to be talked about. It's just that our economy runs on "asymmetric information" (e.g. lying by omission) and so this is true of fiscal advice and economic thought too - it's full of scamming. The loudest voices are the ones that say what the rich want to hear, not what's actually true.
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Comment on An influential economics forum has a troubling surplus of trolls in ~finance
supergauntlet Link ParentDid you... read my post? We said basically the same thing in different ways. There are good economists out there, they're just ignored, so mainstream economics has become this insane obsession...Did you... read my post? We said basically the same thing in different ways. There are good economists out there, they're just ignored, so mainstream economics has become this insane obsession with looting the rotting corpse as efficiently as possible. That doesn't mean the study of economics inherently is useless but much of the 'prevailing wisdom' is wrong. I really don't think it's much of a stretch to call it witchdoctor-esque.
I mean you can clearly see in the data that the median CPI adjusted price was bouncing back towards 200k. The problem with home prices here wasn't with the initial bailout, it was with ongoing QE/ZIRP from like 2008-2017 or so. I still agree that they should have let banks fail and backstopped depositors, but this bailout specifically isn't the cause of everything.
This btw is why the phrase "soft landing" makes me so mad. what they actually mean by that is "lol get used to housing being comically unaffordable stupid! shoulda bought when you could!"