CannibalisticApple's recent activity
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Comment on ‘Superhuman’ AI tool spots heart disease in less than two seconds in ~health
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Comment on ‘Superhuman’ AI tool spots heart disease in less than two seconds in ~health
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI feel like your feelings against the term "AI" might be biasing you a bit here to look at this article in the worst lens possible. It didn't ping me as AI-written or poor reporting, it's fairly...I feel like your feelings against the term "AI" might be biasing you a bit here to look at this article in the worst lens possible. It didn't ping me as AI-written or poor reporting, it's fairly normal for articles to stretch out simple stories way longer than they should be. Even then, I think this article was just fine since it conveyed the necessary information for a layperson to understand the importance.
(Also, the last paragraph has a typo ("hep" instead of "help"), which I think is a big point against it being written with AI.)
Besides all that, I think you're looking at this particular article from the wrong angle. Maybe some other articles are more interested in the technological side of how it works, but this one's purpose seems to be explaining to the average person why this tool is so important.
It opens up explaining what ECGs and echocardiograms are, how ECGs can't detect heart disease, and how there is usually a months-long wait for ultrasounds. That gives context for how valuable it is that this tool can use ECG results to identify people with potential higher risk for specific issues.
All the quotes build on the point that this will allow for faster diagnosis of heart disease (at least for heart failure and heart valve disease). It can't outright diagnose people, but the results can be used to prioritize getting further scans and bypass the standard waiting lists. They emphasize that this can be run on all ECGs run at a hospital, so even people getting a test for something unrelated can get flagged and diagnosed BEFORE issues become evident.
Remove the term "AI", and this article's overall message and value to the public remains the same. I'm fairly certain this article would have been published even without AI hype, because the point is to tell the average person about a new tool in healthcare that can potentially save countless lives.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Future in ~books
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI'm definitely in the silent group unfortunately. Feels bad since two of the books this round were ones I nominated. I did get a couple of the books, but due to some timing stuff and getting...I'm definitely in the silent group unfortunately. Feels bad since two of the books this round were ones I nominated. I did get a couple of the books, but due to some timing stuff and getting distracted by other things (yay ADHD) it just... Didn't work out.
Beyond that, it feels like there's a "window" of time to participate. Last year I joined one discussion a bit after the thread went up, and by then discussion seemed to be done. So when threads would go up before I'd finish a book, it just felt like "too late". (I got halfway through The Truth while on a trip. Thread went up. I still have yet to finish, and the pacing makes me feel like I might need to go back to the beginning to make sure I didn't forget any of the small plot threads.)
I think if we do continue, maybe we should try a more casual and relaxed approach. Slow the momentum a bit, go for shorter books if possible, or broaden it a bit (my mom's book club recently had a meeting where they'd pick any book they wanted by a specific author, that could be neat). Offer people more time to get the books and read...
And also, maybe not plan a full six months out. I'm kinda chuckling remembering the "A People's Future of the United States" threads. The timing of that one was... not ideal.
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Comment on What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear? in ~life.style
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAnd a funny addition that isn't my own, but my mom: over the last couple of years she's started wearing clothes that are older than ME. I guess they got buried deeeeeep in her closet, and she...And a funny addition that isn't my own, but my mom: over the last couple of years she's started wearing clothes that are older than ME. I guess they got buried deeeeeep in her closet, and she found them during the move and started wearing them again. It's funny when her friends ask about her "new" outfits and she tells them the age.
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Comment on What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear? in ~life.style
CannibalisticApple LinkOldest thing I can definitively date that I still wear: a Pokémon shirt from 2010/2011. I got a Zekrom shirt at a promotional event at a local mall in the leadup to Pokémon Black and White. I...Oldest thing I can definitively date that I still wear: a Pokémon shirt from 2010/2011. I got a Zekrom shirt at a promotional event at a local mall in the leadup to Pokémon Black and White. I don't wear it too often because it's a bit small, but it's there as a decent backup (and I actually wore it to meet up and buy a friend's copy of Pokémon White last summer!).
Got a couple other things from high school, though not sure when exactly I would've gotten them (but at least 15 years). One is a school-branded T-shirt that I primarily wear at home after showers. I also have a jean skirt from near the end of high school or start of college which I still wear regularly.
Also gotta mention my hats, because I wear hats a LOT. I like the paper boy style (kinda puffy), and have a gray one that I'm pretty sure I got before graduation and remains probably my most-used hats. Literally wore it today. It's so old and well-used that the inner band is yellowed and the tags are faded, but it basically goes with everything and it's comfy. IThere are also a couple of knitted hats my grandmother made me. I think at least one dates back to high school, or perhaps even earlier. That one has a habit of going MIA so...
Last notable one: I have a scarf for my alma mater's School of Science that they sent when I was accepted. Didn't use it that much as a student, but it's now the ONLY scarf I use in extreme cold because it has a tight weave. I use scarves to cover my mouth and nose in extreme cold, and every other scarf we have gets fibers in my mouth.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
CannibalisticApple Link ParentYeah, I personally don't believe in Bigfoot (though the "campy" parts of Bigfoot-related stuff can be pretty fun, always makes for fun easter eggs in media). That and some other more "recent"...Yeah, I personally don't believe in Bigfoot (though the "campy" parts of Bigfoot-related stuff can be pretty fun, always makes for fun easter eggs in media). That and some other more "recent" cryptids feel like definite hoaxes to me, playing off hype and attention. Plenty of other cryptids though may be real in some way, just not in the way the rumors portray.
My go-to example is a story from my teacher, which I'm sure I've mentioned on this site before. As a teen he found a wild turtle with an unusual shell with a distinct ridge, and kept it as a pet for a bit before releasing it back into the pond. Years later he was on the dock alone, and saw a MASSIVE turtle with a shell as big as the dock briefly surface. He recognized it as the same turtle because of the distinct ridge. He only saw it that one time, and then never again.
His theory was that it had some sort of genetic mutation leading to gigantism, and that multiple "lake monsters" and cryptids may be similar cases of animals with rare mutations. Since it would be a single animal and not a whole species, once it died and its remains devoured/scavenged, there wouldn't be much physical evidence remaining of its existence. Just word of mouth from the few who happened to see it, leading to legends that can never be truly disproven.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI'll happily accept hosting responsibilities for both Spooky Mansion Adventures and Another World! The schedule works fine for me. Also I think I did contribute to a four-way tie after all, since...I'll happily accept hosting responsibilities for both Spooky Mansion Adventures and Another World! The schedule works fine for me.
Also I think I did contribute to a four-way tie after all, since I added more votes to Sonic in my final ballot.
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Comment on Study shows that the human brain is two separate organs in ~science
CannibalisticApple LinkThis sounds like a genuinely major breakthrough? I think that fairly often when seeing headlines and articles, and then comments will say that it's actually not THAT big. But the avenues of...This sounds like a genuinely major breakthrough? I think that fairly often when seeing headlines and articles, and then comments will say that it's actually not THAT big. But the avenues of research this opens up, and how this will impact our overall understanding of how our bodies work and relate to the brain, seems monumental to me.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 voting topic in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentMy reign as a kingmaker was short lived. So I'll just vote with what I want after all :DMy reign as a kingmaker was short lived. So I'll just vote with what I want after all :D
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 voting topic in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link Parent...I am realizing I have a lot of power, because if the table is accurate, there is now a 3-way tie for place #5... and I can even make it a four-way tie!! >:3 Got to think on this a bit. Open to......I am realizing I have a lot of power, because if the table is accurate, there is now a 3-way tie for place #5... and I can even make it a four-way tie!! >:3
Got to think on this a bit. Open to people who want to sway me!
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI think "discover" has different connotations when used in relation to science, since it's used to describe when something is first scientifically described. Even then, I think "discover" still...I think "discover" has different connotations when used in relation to science, since it's used to describe when something is first scientifically described. Even then, I think "discover" still fits in this case because it refers to confirming they're a new species of tiger cat rather than just "this animal exists". It sounds like their presence in the area was already known to scientists along with the locals, they just had no clue tilcayos were a unique species of tiger cat.
...also I really want to rave about cryptids and cryptzoology now. There are so many cryptids that are most likely based on actual animals, and there are also so many animals only seen by local populations in remote areas. If an animal is rare and reclusive enough, of COURSE scientists won't see them since they don't live there. A lot of animals avoid humans and live far from settlements, so even locals may only see a handful of them in their lifetimes after repeatedly venturing deep into the wilderness.
It's why I think cryptzoology deserves more respect. These sightings and legends generally stem from people seeing something, and that can be worth investigating. Even if the descriptions exaggerate aspects, it can still turn out to be an animal unknown to the rest of the world. Gorillas and komodo dragons come to mind as big examples, and the first platypus specimens taken to Europe were thought to be fake.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
CannibalisticApple Link ParentIt's interesting to me since that paragraph gives me the impression that it's not really derived from either local language. Usually local names for animals are based on similar animals or...It's interesting to me since that paragraph gives me the impression that it's not really derived from either local language. Usually local names for animals are based on similar animals or describe them in some way, so I'm just amused by the thought of someone calling it a gibberish word and it somehow sticking.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
CannibalisticApple LinkI just love this bit in particular. Really wonder where the name came from. Anyone know how "tilcayo" is pronounced?In their paper, the researchers propose the cat should be known as Leopardus tilcayo, in honor of the word local people know it by. "We asked the local people, ‘Why do you call it tilcayo?’” says Nogales-Ascarrunz, who is herself from Bolivia. “And they said, ‘I don’t know! My grandpa called it tilcayo, so I call it tilcayo.” (The name does not appear to mean anything particular in Spanish or the Quechua language spoken in Bolivia.)
I just love this bit in particular. Really wonder where the name came from. Anyone know how "tilcayo" is pronounced?
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Comment on Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore in ~music
CannibalisticApple Link Parent...Okay, some people have interpreted my words in VERY uncharitable ways. Most of the comments have been in good faith, and I definitely screwed up at articulating some of my beliefs because I’m...- Exemplary
...Okay, some people have interpreted my words in VERY uncharitable ways. Most of the comments have been in good faith, and I definitely screwed up at articulating some of my beliefs because I’m seeing my stances totally twisted. But one comment in particular... I genuinely can’t engage with that one in good faith at all, because I see absolutely no attempts at good faith on that person’s behalf towards me. Just seeing the absolute worst in me, boiling it down to me being selfish.
Nope. I’m done. I’m going to leave this one last comment, to TRY to clear up some things because my words and intentions have been heavily misinterpreted. And one of these points in particular is VERY important to me. It's so important, that I can't stand to leave it like this with some of these responses. That’s the one I want to clear up the most, but I think I need to unfortunately address it all and TRY to explain myself better.
Because despite being a writer, I ironically really suck at articulating and explaining my thoughts sometimes.
And this comment is LONG. "I literally had to open Google Docs" long. Word count is close to 3,500 words, so you've been warned. (Dear brain: why must you be so damn wordy, why can't you be concise about your points like other people.) So screw it. Two spoiler boxes because there's basically two parts to this comment. One about the article and situation that spawned this whole thing, and the other about escapism. Basically two comments for the price of one, pretty sure both can stand on their own.
Ed Sheeran, the right to remain silent, and why Robert Kraft is the bad guy
I'll start with this: I am not endorsing the idea of completely ignoring genocide and politics. I am not saying musicians should NEVER talk about politics. I have no objections to Macklemore RIGHTFULLY calling out Israel committing genocide while on stage (I love that actually). I don’t think Ed Sheeran is the “biggest victim” or that we should all just completely forget about genocide and dance and sing to whatever music he performs.
Despite how it may have come across, I don’t think Macklemore was wrong for calling out Israel for committing genocide during his performance. Hell, I don’t think him talking about it made the concert a “political forum”, because the concert as a whole wasn’t about that. He is absolutely not in the wrong in any part of this. It was OTHER PEOPLE who made this political, and the wrong kind of political (but I’ll get to that in a minute).
I also think that public figures have a right to NOT want to speak about specific topics.
This is a broad, general statement, applying to all public figures and all potential topics. Being famous should not obligate people to share their opinions and stances on everything. And most of the time, I think such a silence is generally a non-issue because, unless a topic directly relates to them or what they’re doing, it won’t always come up. You typically need to go out of your way to talk about most topics, and it genuinely would not cross my mind to wonder about “Famous Person’s Opinion on Topic X” unless THEY talk about it first.
So long as they don't censor and silence others from discussing it, or they're trying to hide genuinely harmful information (e.g. covering up crimes and criminals within their direct sphere of influence), then fine. Whether I agree with their reasons for silence or not, I still respect the basic right to NOT publicly state their every single thought and stance. The same way I respect people who DO talk about these things.
In this specific instance, maybe his reasons for not wanting to talk about it are shitty, maybe they’re valid. I genuinely have no clue because—and I can’t emphasize this enough—I know literally NOTHING about these people other than their names and that they’re musicians. You all know better than me. I couldn’t even name a single song by this guy until today.
So let’s strip away all context for a second, and look at the basic outline of the situation that led to my comment:
Person A does not want to talk about Thing X.
Person A holds an event with others, and during this event their friend discusses Topic X. It is not the focal point of the event by any means, and the event continues afterwards.
But Person B has an agenda relating to Topic X, and targets that friend and threatens future events held by Person A. An event with no direct relation to Topic X, save for the fact that their friend talked about it.
More people involved with the event then naturally also interject about Topic X and make their stances known. They threaten their own involvement.
And now, Person A is put into the limelight. They aren't even directly asked about it, but their event has instead been totally derailed by Person B on the basis of someone else talking about Topic X. Forcing them to address it in some way despite not wanting to talk about it.
THAT is why I said I feel bad for Ed Sheeran. It’s not about him specifically (again, I DO NOT KNOW HIM AT ALL), but just the general situation of someone being forced to talk about a topic they did not want to publicly address. All to suit the malicious and twisted agenda of someone else.
I want to emphasize something here: this isn't even about Macklemore's politics because again, stating a FACT and calling out GENOCIDE should not be considered political. I have absolutely no objections to him saying that on stage. It's a fact, not an opinion, and people need to keep screaming it to the heavens. Macklemore didn’t make this political, Robert Kraft and the other venue owners did. And it’s their own twisted brand of politics.
Kraft and the ADL made Ed Sheeran's concerts about the fact Macklemore criticized Israel. Not even about the genocide or Israel itself, but as a way to push the agenda that any criticism of Israel is synonymous with demonizing all Jewish people.
This actually happens every time anyone talks about the genocide. The news coverage inevitably ends up more about the “controversy” rather than the fact thousands of people are dying. It ALWAYS leads to debates about whether criticizing Israel is the same as antisemitism, and accusations that people calling out Israel for literal genocide and crimes against humanity just hate all Jewish people.
Like... The genocide itself becomes almost like a footnote while still being technically the main topic. But bad actors use any criticism of it to push the idea that any criticism of Israel, no matter how right, is the same as antisemitism. It’s infuriating because these people’s ongoing suffering and deaths are being used as a tool for furthering OTHER agendas. Agendas that are meant to make the people RESPONSIBLE for their suffering be the “real” victims.
And I'm pretty sure that's why they're pushing it on Ed Sheeran.
Whatever his reasons, Sheeran didn't want to publicly address his feelings about this. Again, it shouldn’t have been a big deal because it shouldn’t have actually come up unless someone flat-out asked him. Even then, “I want to keep my feelings private” should have barely pinged on people’s radars as notable outside of maybe some heckling on social media. Hell, Macklemore calling out Israel during the concert shouldn’t have been nearly as big of a deal.
Instead, Robert Kraft made Macklemore’s stance into a public spectacle, making it into a conflict of “right” versus “wrong”. He forced Sheeran into a position where he HAS to address this topic in some way. And it’s a no-win situation for Sheeran, and a win for Kraft and every other asshole.
If Sheeran used his star power to move the concerts to keep the concerts going, or else move to other venues (assuming he could, because even with everyone talking about his star power, I’m not actually sure that’d be fully possible from a purely logistical standpoint...?), he’d be criticized and dragged through the mud by Kraft, the ADL, and other bad actors. Some fans may turn on him because people suck, but... screw those people. There are more news stories and press releases with the message "hating Israel is the same as hating all Jewish people".
If he publicly backed Macklemore and/or called out Israel, but had to cancel concerts in the process because of logistical issues, he would get a lot of backlash. He’d still get criticized and dragged through the mud, and the bad actors would be able to spin it as a clash of Jewish-hating Sheeran versus Jewish-loving Kraft. They spin further narratives about the canceled concerts as proof of him caring more about “being right” (said with sarcasm and loathing and clear implications it’s all ego) than about his fans. There are more news stories and press releases with the message "hating Israel is the same as hating all Jewish people".
By trying to remain neutral and quiet as he is right now... well, just look at these comments. Everyone is criticizing him and assuming the worst. Maybe everyone’s right and he sucks, I genuinely don’t know enough to judge or defend him. His reputation is in trash. There are more news stories and press releases with the message "hating Israel is the same as hating all Jewish people".
If he actually said "Actually I fully support Israel and Palestine should be wiped off the face of the Earth"—well that would be absolutely moronic and ideally end his career, but the world has gotten stupid enough that I can’t actually guarantee it would. I'd give it 50/50 odds on making him the new spokesperson for Israel. And of course, there are more news stories and press releases with the message "hating Israel is the same as hating all Jewish people".
These are just a few responses, but do you see the thread here?
Every possible response puts him in a bad light, and also creates a larger platform to spread the idea that criticizing the Israeli government makes you an evil person who hates all Jewish people.
There is no way for him to “win”, every option sucks in some way. There's a saying about how "the only way to win the game is to not play it"—well, he was forced into the game against his will. For whatever reason he didn’t WANT to talk about this, and he shouldn’t have been put into this position because it genuinely shouldn’t have come up.
And this is NOT because of Macklemore, or any of the other performers who are pulling out in protest.
His concerts have been turned into a political statement not by any of them, but by Robert Kraft and his ilk. And that political statement is “hating Israel is the same as hating all Jewish people.” Pretty sure they'd be using "Nazi" if it was still an insult as it should be, because they seem to be saying "antisemitic" with the same sort of power and revulsion it held just ten years ago.
THAT is why I said I feel bad for him. I don’t feel bad ONLY for him or think he’s got it the worst of everyone. For all I know he's a piece of shit who deserves to be dragged through the mud.
But, stripped of context to the most basic level: a man has been forced into a position he didn't want to be in, by malicious individuals who want to use him as a tool to spread their OWN message of hatred. And I don't like that.
Again, I don't place any blame on Macklemore at all. It's Robert Kraft and others like him making this into an unnecessary spectacle for purely malicious purposes. THEY are the ones who keep using the active, ongoing suffering and deaths of THOUSANDS as a tool to sow discord and hatred, and try to expose more people to the idea that “Israel = Judaism, and criticizing Israel is thus EVIL”.
So to conclude: fuck Robert Kraft, the ADL, and everyone else who keeps using Gaza as a tool to further their own political agendas instead of trying to do anything. The only way it should be “political” is in the sense that governments should be intervening and taking POLITICAL ACTION to stop it. Not being used like... this.
And here's the second section, the part I'm ACTUALLY passionate about and what actually got me so riled up: escapism and sanctuary.
All About Escapism
That brings me to the second part of my comment, about “giving people a break from politics”.That, and how people are misinterpreting the sentiment behind that statement to paint it as “let’s ignore the genocide and pretend politics don’t exist” (which, is absolutely NOT what I’m saying at all), is the bit that ACTUALLY matters to me.
I’m trying to figure out how to best explain this. I’ll own up to messing up a bit with my phrasing, because I didn’t write that comment about Ed Sheeran specifically, but actually a general long-held personal philosophy and belief of mine. I have no clue how sincere he was about wanting his shows to be a “sanctuary” for his fans, and not a political forum. But whether he was just doing pretty PR speak or what, that general sentiment actually aligns with my own philosophy and beliefs, which is why I mentioned it at all.
Seeing people talk about how that’s “privileged” to give people a break... Yeah, you’re probably right, it IS a bit privileged. But this comes from a place of caring about people’s mental health.
When I was 19, I started writing fan fiction in a niche that was popular with middle and high schoolers. For whatever reason, that niche seemed to particularly attract kids with hard lives. I swear I was one of the only people in that niche who was fairly well-adjusted and NOT subject to bad homes, bullying at school, or various mental health crises. I heard from many commenters about how reading and writing fan fiction, and engaging with the community in general, was their primary refuge from the rest of their lives.
The most important comment I ever got though: someone told me that waiting for new chapters to my story was the reason they didn't kill themselves.
We didn't talk about it in detail back then, but I've thought about it a lot over the past ten years and how my writing could do that. I don't think it was about my writing being so amazing it gave them the will to live, but that it had more to do with the fact I made a point to update on a set schedule every week. So I think that having that one, tiny thing to look forward to every week gave them something concrete that they could use to counter particularly bad thoughts and moments.
That comment, and all the other interactions I had with struggling readers during that time, shaped my philosophy as a writer and creator. It showed me the power of escapism, how it can be the literal difference between life and death for some people. Those moments of respite and recreation can be the thing that keeps someone from shattering.
I'll be blunt: I know I lack any true, meaningful power to affect the world. The world is a fucked up place, and I have no influence over the world. I can spread awareness and yell about how wrong things are, but I am fucking powerless to do anything truly meaningful about all the injustice in the world, because so many of the issues are deeply rooted in structures beyond an average person’s control.
I can't end wars. I can't eradicate corruption. I can't save children from abusive homes or cults, or stop mass deportation, or end gun violence, or stop climate change, or even guarantee the long-term safety of some of my best friends. I can only scream and rage and seethe, because ultimately, I myself cannot make nearly as large of an impact as I want. I’m not the right person to lead a big movement or revolution, because as this comment section shows, I really suck at explaining myself sometimes. I’d get verbally torn to pieces by much better speakers, and probably end up in jail for attacking someone because... Well, as I told someone just last weekend with a bright smile: some topics make me genuinely homicidal :D
So I try to focus on things I CAN do, and how I can help in little ways. I try to do good things for the people around me. Offer a listening ear to my friends and others who need to vent, and maybe some advice if I can. I try to encourage people to be empathetic to experiences different from their own. I try to help them understand other perspectives, and to not automatically assume the worst of everyone.
And years ago, I decided one of those ways I could help was to use my writing to give people a little break from everything. To give them a brief respite from thinking about how awful their lives might be, and how fucked up the world is. To give them just a few minutes to step back, decompress, and breathe, to give them something to think about that's ultimately inconsequential rather than continue to spiral.
Because, as I noted above, that break can be the difference between life and death.
Is it privileged to be able to "ignore politics" for an evening? Yeah, I guess it is to an extent, because some people don’t have options for escapism such as those in Gaza. But I REFUSE to insult people who NEED that bit of escapism for their own mental health.
I can't help the people dying in Gaza, but maybe I can help a kid forget about their parents fighting and screaming for a bit. Maybe I can give the closeted kid something more fun to think about than their . Maybe I can give someone who's trapped in anxiety-induced doom spirals about the state of the world a chance to think about something else. Maybe
And that last one is personal to me, because I spent 2020 watching one of my best friends' mental health unravel due to a combination of anxiety (formally diagnosed anxiety) and an unfortunate special interest in politics. I’d been helping them manage it since at least 2016, when I’d spend car rides after college talking them down from freaking out about the then-upcoming election along with all their other general stresses. But 2020 is when it got REALLY bad.
I could write an entire essay on that time, and still fail to express just how awful it was. The stress seeped into literally every aspect of their life. It was like they were physically incapable of NOT thinking about politics, they lost the ability to enjoy movies and media because they kept applying current politics to how they perceived everything. Even if they didn’t actively seek out opposing politics on Twitter (because they DID multiple times, despite I and all our other friends telling them to STOP DOING IT), the artists and animators they followed would still comment about politics. They were fully expecting the collapse of democracy, and mentally gearing themselves up to fight it ideologically with their own stories.
It got to the point that when Biden actually won, my friend was actually at a loss. The possibility of Biden winning had never actually registered as a genuine possibility. Everything they’d been planning had been built around the idea of Trump winning and society becoming a true hellscape, so they weren’t relieved, they were actually shell-shocked and lost on what to do. They were THAT screwed up in the head.
And yeah, my friend’s case is extreme and abnormal. It was literally their brain working against them. But dammit, it just reinforced my viewpoint that people need spaces where politics and bad things ARE NOT THE FOCUS. Because I got to see firsthand one of my best friends since high school unravel because they could not get their brain to shut up about politics, and six years later... Honestly, I’m mentally scarred by how bad it got.
If giving people a place where they can spend a few hours NOT thinking about how fucked up everything is—whether it be on the grand scale of global politics like Israel and the genocide, or concerns about more local politics, or even just a reprieve from the stress and trauma unfolding inside their own house—is “privileged”? Then fine.
I just don’t want people to have a breakdown because the constant 24/7 doom and gloom is too much, or become numb to everything as a survival mechanism. I just want people to have a chance to BREATHE so they don’t break.
I’ve spent all day on this, and I’m done now. As with many of my longer posts on here, I’ve made multiple drafts of this and have spent WAY too much time on this. I tried to do some last-minute edits and my brain has reached the "burnt out and snarky" point, so that's the end for me. Honestly, maybe I'll delete it all tomorrow morning, and someday rework at least the second part into a proper blog post. (Seriously, that is the part that I'm REALLY passionate about. And why my brain refused to let me focus on anything else today until I finished this.)
But my brain is fried after I spent all day on this, and... well, I spent all day on this. I guess the sunk cost fallacy is hitting me, so. Yeah. I'll post it so I can finally give my brain permission to finally focus on something else for the rest of the night. I can delete this and all my other comments tomorrow if I regret it.
I'll repeat one more time: I don't care about Ed Sheeran specifically. I don’t want to pretend the world is sunshine and roses and that absolutely nothing is wrong.
But one bit of this article just happened to resonate with a personal belief of mine about one way people can take care of their mental health. Because if someone breaks down or just gets numb and apathetic, they're not going to be able to help themselves or anyone else.
And I'm done. Brain is fried. No more typing tonight, time to decompress and maybe go to bed early for once. (Yeah, probably not that one, but a girl can dream...)
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Comment on Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore in ~music
CannibalisticApple Link ParentYou're right that politics is in everything, but that's exactly why I think it's so critical to have some spaces where it isn't at the forefront or even come up. I can't emphasize enough how the...You're right that politics is in everything, but that's exactly why I think it's so critical to have some spaces where it isn't at the forefront or even come up. I can't emphasize enough how the human brain is NOT made to handle 24/7 negativity. We NEED to be able to have spaces where we can take a break from it for just a couple hours, for the sake of our mental healths. Even when talking to people who are in full agreement about a topic, the negativity wears us down because it just further solidifies how shitty it all is.
As I said in another comment: Whether it's fear, stress, outrage, horror—eventually we either have a mental breakdown because it's too much, or our brains begin to numb us to it so we can keep functioning.
Music performances are an ideal option for that sort break. I love hearing about celebrities standing up for what's right, but I also respect musicians who choose to keep silent about topics they know are highly controversial, because they can provide their fans with some respite from thinking about this stuff. Because for some stupid reason, right now taking an official stance on certain topics makes a celebrity a full-fledged activist in people's eyes. Some people just want to make music or act or do whatever made them famous without having to participate in political discourse, and that's A-OK by me.
That said, Macklemore speaking in support of Palestine shouldn't have led to this. Genocide should be factually, indisputably wrong and vilified. But for frankly infuriating reasons, this stance is somehow controversial because people like Robert Kraft constantly twist criticism of Israel to be synonymous with Judaism, and paint individuals as antisemitic.
It shouldn't BE political, at least not in this way, but because of people like Kraft and whoever the hell made that statement for the Anti-Defamation League, it is. I genuinely don't think I've ever seen a more polarizing topic. It feels like the people on Gaza are being re-victimized on top of actively enduring a genocide, because people are finding ways to use their suffering to push their OWN twisted agendas.
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Comment on Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore in ~music
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI'm fully with you on this. "Genocide is wrong" should be a simple fact, and stating that shouldn't be political or controversial at all. But, for ridiculous and infuriating reasons, any mentions...I'm fully with you on this. "Genocide is wrong" should be a simple fact, and stating that shouldn't be political or controversial at all.
But, for ridiculous and infuriating reasons, any mentions of Gaza is constantly weaponized to fuel more hatred and fighting. Any criticism of Israel's actions is inevitably twisted by bad actors to paint those people as antisemitic, all to suit their own political purposes and agendas as in this case. Hell, a lot of people push anti-Israeli sentiment and discourse because they ARE antisemitic, and just see criticism of Israel committing genocide in Gaza as a tool to further their agenda.
It's like the people in Gaza are being victimized in new ways on top of going through a genocide. It should be clear-cut "this is bad", but I don't think any other topic is nearly this polarizing. It's nigh-impossible to have civil conversations about it in small spaces, let alone when making public statements.
The fatigue I mention comes from us having to have this debate over and over again, and also being constantly reminded of just how shitty the world is. Not just with Gaza, but with literally everything. For now it's invigorating, but the human mind isn't made to handle 24/7 negativity. Whether it's fear, stress, outrage, horror—eventually we either have a mental breakdown because it's too much, or our brains begin to numb us to it so we can keep functioning.
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Comment on Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore in ~music
CannibalisticApple LinkI honestly don't follow musicians all that closely, and know Ed Sheeran and Macklemore purely by name. But reading this article (and the linked one about Macklemore being dropped), I just feel bad...- Exemplary
I honestly don't follow musicians all that closely, and know Ed Sheeran and Macklemore purely by name. But reading this article (and the linked one about Macklemore being dropped), I just feel bad for Sheeran. Seems pretty clear that the issue was multiple venues refusing to host the tour if Macklemore performed, so the decision came down to dropping him or standing by him and screwing over the fans. An absolutely no-win situation, and it sounds like the promoters made the decision, not Sheeran himself.
And I do support Sheeran's sentiment about not talking about politics or taking super-public stances. It's not about being "neutral" or "trying to play both sides" like some people claim, it's about giving fans a BREAK from politics. As he said, people don't go to his show expecting a political forum. They can get that literally anywhere, it's getting harder to find places that DON'T have constant reminders and political discourse.
As important as these issues are, we need breaks from having politics shoved down our throats and reminders of how shitty the world is, or else we'll develop mental fatigue.
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Comment on Zack Snyder's ‘The Last Photograph’ is getting destroyed at TIFF: “Unabashedly sh*t on every level” in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentThat's why fans pushed for it. I remember people desperately hoping it would be better because the theatrical cut set the bar low, and Snyder had already released "Ultimate Cuts" of Watchmen and...The theatrical cut was already bafflingly bad
That's why fans pushed for it. I remember people desperately hoping it would be better because the theatrical cut set the bar low, and Snyder had already released "Ultimate Cuts" of Watchmen and Batman V Superman considered improvements by fans. They knew it got butchered after Snyder left, so there was hope. And from what I hear and read, the JL Snyder Cut is an improvement, though again, the bar was low. I have no clue how it would be received without the theatrical cut as a comparison.
Though I'm still curious about why Warner Bros greenlit it with the extra budget of $70 million to "complete" it. Ultimately I don't think it really did much for the DC cinematic universe...? Apparently some of the later films treat it as canon over the theatrical cut, but others don't. And ultimately, seems like bad practice to have a reedited version of a film serve as a basis for a cinematic universe since most people would only ever see the theatrical cut (especially since the Snyder Cut doubled the length). It wasn't like releasing it would suddenly make the general public clamor for more DC films.
So, releasing it just seems like kind of a waste of money since it'd mainly appeal to diehard DC fans and not really impact the franchise as a whole.
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Comment on What are the genuinely worst films of all time? in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentPersonally disagree with Disclosure Day, though I've seen numerous reviews express similar sentiments (and my mom hated the ending). From my perspective, the movie was about the journey to expose...Personally disagree with Disclosure Day, though I've seen numerous reviews express similar sentiments (and my mom hated the ending). From my perspective, the movie was about the journey to expose the truth to the world rather than just the secret itself. I was actually pretty breathless at the climax, felt like how it could actually go down.
It unnecessarily dragged on quite a bit though. It may have left a better impression on people if it wasn't 2 and a half hours, my mom's annoyance was that it seemed to have all this buildup for "nothing" in her eyes.
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What are the genuinely worst films of all time?
Inspired by the recent post about "The Last Photograph" by Zack Snyder being awful. It makes me wonder: what are some truly awful films? I don't mean "so bad they're funny" like Plan 9 from Outer...
Inspired by the recent post about "The Last Photograph" by Zack Snyder being awful. It makes me wonder: what are some truly awful films?
I don't mean "so bad they're funny" like Plan 9 from Outer Space
my belovedor Birdemic (still laugh at how the most emotion we got from the male lead was telling the female lead "you look fine" right before sex). I also don't mean "awful just because they're racist/offensive/etc." like Birth of a Nation, or propaganda films or films with agendas.I want to know about truly awful films that are considered just plain bad.
45 votes
For what it's worth, the article emphasizes that this isn't meant to definitively diagnose people but identify signs that someone's at higher risk of certain heart issues. The intent is that doctors can use it to flag potential at-risk patients and prioritize getting them ultrasounds for proper diagnosis, since the standard waiting list for those can be months. The article text and quotes place all the emphasis on this speeding up the diagnosis process rather than replacing it.
I don't know how truly accurate this tool is, but this one sounds promising to me just as a means to expedite treatment. Even if it has false flags, the ultrasounds and other scans would ultimately give the doctors more information to work with.