Fiachra's recent activity
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Comment on Irish, Scottish and Welsh leaders meet to plan break-up of United Kingdom in ~society
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Comment on Irish, Scottish and Welsh leaders meet to plan break-up of United Kingdom in ~society
Fiachra (edited )Link ParentYou have a lot more confidence in the modern IRA's resources and competence than most. In reality even if they could do that, it wouldn't serve their interests as well as just waiting for the...You have a lot more confidence in the modern IRA's resources and competence than most.
In reality even if they could do that, it wouldn't serve their interests as well as just waiting for the clear transparent referendum win. It's been looking quite likely since brexit that the winds are blowing that way in the long term and it's more a matter of patiently awaiting the right moment to call the vote.
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Comment on Irish, Scottish and Welsh leaders meet to plan break-up of United Kingdom in ~society
Fiachra Link Parent"Conquered" implies military action. There is an agreed upon legal process for how unification of Ireland would happen and it involves referenda being held in both Northern Ireland and the Republic."Conquered" implies military action. There is an agreed upon legal process for how unification of Ireland would happen and it involves referenda being held in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.
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Comment on Deciding whether (or not) to have a child in ~life
Fiachra LinkI'm expecting my second child in a few weeks now, and the main reasoning was simply that I thought I could give them a good life. Even if the world goes down the tubes in absolute terms, or...I'm expecting my second child in a few weeks now, and the main reasoning was simply that I thought I could give them a good life.
Even if the world goes down the tubes in absolute terms, or relative to the previous century of prosperity, they will be loved and supported and have local and familial ties that will get them through. And society will adapt to crises in surprising ways, as it always does.
I also know for a fact that if I hadn't had kids, the "what if" would have haunted me.
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Comment on UN says world will miss its climate target, warming must be reversed in ~enviro
Fiachra Link ParentI think there are plenty of clear targets: oil pipelines, data centers, petrol stations, they could just start smashing every non-electric car they see in the street. I don't expect my eco...I think there are plenty of clear targets: oil pipelines, data centers, petrol stations, they could just start smashing every non-electric car they see in the street. I don't expect my eco terrorists to be super nuanced.
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Comment on UN says world will miss its climate target, warming must be reversed in ~enviro
Fiachra Link ParentTo be honest I'm surprised we're not seeing more eco-terrorism these days, considering the stakes. Maybe the consequences are still too abstract to get people truly angry.To be honest I'm surprised we're not seeing more eco-terrorism these days, considering the stakes. Maybe the consequences are still too abstract to get people truly angry.
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Comment on Ig Nobel Prize winners 2026 in ~science
Fiachra Link ParentSplash free urinals have been "ten years away" for decadesSplash free urinals have been "ten years away" for decades
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Comment on Adulting -- what advice or encouragement did you receive / wish you had received when you were just starting out moving out? in ~life
Fiachra LinkNo matter what you do, from housework to home repair to career skills to social skills, you will be bad at it at first. It is a critical life skill for you to feel ZERO shame about this, because...No matter what you do, from housework to home repair to career skills to social skills, you will be bad at it at first. It is a critical life skill for you to feel ZERO shame about this, because that is a universal stage in the learning process, it must not deter you, because you will slow the rate of your learning, you must not hide it, because you will miss out on pointers and tips from others.
Many around you, even people you respect, will see your badness as shameful or embarrassing, and you need to recognise this as their issue, not yours. Only a minority of people are truly comfortable to learn openly without shame, but anyone can be one of them.
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Comment on What lesser-known sci-fi reads do you recommend? in ~books
Fiachra LinkThe Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester is a Count of Monte Cristo story set in a space faring future where humanity has discovered an innate, teachable ability to teleport. The whole world it...The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester is a Count of Monte Cristo story set in a space faring future where humanity has discovered an innate, teachable ability to teleport. The whole world it describes is very fun and bombastic.
There are gangs of bandits that follow the night side of earth by teleporting, raiding houses and stealing 24/7. The super rich demonstrate their wealth by never teleporting, and instead using the most expensive means of transport they can think of, which in one case means having rails put down specially to allow passage by antique steam train.
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Comment on Gamergate but actually in ~games
Fiachra Link ParentEven more so considering how we've seen the same tactic trotted out in every culture war episode since. People spontaneously developing a passion for historical accuracy in film when it lets them...Even more so considering how we've seen the same tactic trotted out in every culture war episode since. People spontaneously developing a passion for historical accuracy in film when it lets them dogpile a black actress, women's basketball when it lets them dogpile trans kids, etc etc etc. After all these years it's just pattern recognition.
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Comment on Are others finding themselves spending less and less time online? in ~tech
Fiachra LinkI'm in a years-long trend of the sites I once used getting enshittified one by one and giving them up. I'm getting better at catching myself in the "I'm only logging on out of habit" stage and...I'm in a years-long trend of the sites I once used getting enshittified one by one and giving them up. I'm getting better at catching myself in the "I'm only logging on out of habit" stage and just pulling the plug. I'm deliberately not seeking out replacements because I recognise social media is designed to be an addiction. If the addiction naturally ends, why seek out another?
A few weeks ago the game I was using to kill time, almost my last source of brain rot, started crashing every time I played it and something in my brain finally un-broke. I've read two full books in the last 12 days, a habit I've been trying to build for years, mostly sitting out on my porch after my toddler is gone to bed. Stress-wise I'm feeling better than I have in years.
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Comment on Young adults in the US are increasingly wary of AI, concerned it will take jobs in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentI think people are generally too blasé about this idea that jobs will be lost but more will be created down the line. Even if it happens as predicted, in a society without an adequate safety net...I think people are generally too blasé about this idea that jobs will be lost but more will be created down the line. Even if it happens as predicted, in a society without an adequate safety net that interim period will kill people and radicalise countless others.
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
Fiachra LinkI take my focus away from the output (in your example, the drawing) and instead find a way to practice and improve that's enjoyable whether or not the output is any good. I've seen people call...I take my focus away from the output (in your example, the drawing) and instead find a way to practice and improve that's enjoyable whether or not the output is any good. I've seen people call this "romanticising your process". This can take many forms. There might be kinds of 'games' that drill fundamental skills that are fun or satisfying. Hobbyist clubs can turn practice sessions into social gatherings if those are a motivator for you. You could set up a workspace with a certain enjoyable atmosphere or work at a certain time in your weekly schedule that your practice becomes an escape or decompressing time. You can use practice to procrastinate from something else.
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
Fiachra (edited )Link ParentIf the system denies people a way to meet their needs, not all will sit legally with their needs unmet, some will seek it outside the system. That applies to the need for justice as much as it...If the system denies people a way to meet their needs, not all will sit legally with their needs unmet, some will seek it outside the system. That applies to the need for justice as much as it does hunger. Luigi felt grievously wronged by a corporate entity in a way that millions of people related to. A kind of wrong that is legal but can still kill and ruin lives. As they say, it's cheaper to run a fair system than to enforce an unjust one.
Not an endorsement, but, man I get why people are angry. If I had my body screwed up by some suit with the stroke of a pen and the law told me tough shit, who knows how I would cope with that.
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Comment on Waving goodbye, carrying my bundle on a stick in ~talk
Fiachra LinkGoodbye stranger. I don't know your story, but I'm sad to see you felt unwelcome and I hope you find better out there.Goodbye stranger. I don't know your story, but I'm sad to see you felt unwelcome and I hope you find better out there.
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Comment on Waving goodbye, carrying my bundle on a stick in ~talk
Fiachra Link ParentI'll give you one of my invite codes if you want to invite someoneI'll give you one of my invite codes if you want to invite someone
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Comment on Why normal people aren’t using AI agents in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentI think you're reading into my comment something general when I said something specific. When tech craze X comes along, tech people assume "thing Y but with X crammed in" will be automatically...I think you're reading into my comment something general when I said something specific. When tech craze X comes along, tech people assume "thing Y but with X crammed in" will be automatically appealing to the public without actually adding any value to Y. That was true of Blockchain, 3d printing, social media, big data, and it's true of generative AI now. That contains no judgement of the actual usefulness of the technology.
In fact the best analogy to this article might be the "3d print shops" I saw spring up around 2012 that seemed to expect that customers themselves would do the work of thinking up useful things to print, and so did not draw much business and later pivoted.
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Comment on Supersonic trebuchet in ~engineering
Fiachra LinkImagine showing this to a Roman general and then explaining it was engineered essentially as a toy.Imagine showing this to a Roman general and then explaining it was engineered essentially as a toy.
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Comment on Why normal people aren’t using AI agents in ~tech
Fiachra Link ParentReminds me of when everything was being implemented on a Blockchain. Just because your tech can do everything doesn't mean anyone wants it to, and it definitely doesn't mean it's holistically...Reminds me of when everything was being implemented on a Blockchain. Just because your tech can do everything doesn't mean anyone wants it to, and it definitely doesn't mean it's holistically better than existing solutions. That's without even mentioning the barely-concealed intent to price gouge once everyone does switch.
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Comment on New Zealand has a new official language — English in ~society
Fiachra Link ParentThe Irish constitution lists Irish as "first official language" and English as a second official language, similar phrasing might work here.The Irish constitution lists Irish as "first official language" and English as a second official language, similar phrasing might work here.
Especially when the only movement in northern Ireland seeking independence from the UK is the one that wants to reunify with Ireland anyway.