Raistlin's recent activity
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Comment on Valve raises Steam Deck OLED prices by up to $300 in ~games
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Comment on America’s tech-filled classrooms are facing a backlash against school-assigned devices in ~life
Raistlin Link ParentNot to he flippant, but a saw can be very educational as well for carpentry, but you don't give every 10 year old one to use for whatever.Not to he flippant, but a saw can be very educational as well for carpentry, but you don't give every 10 year old one to use for whatever.
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Comment on Bungie announces final update for Destiny 2 in ~games
Raistlin Link ParentWhat a terrible purchase from Sony this has been for all parties involved. I hope there's a book one day detailing how Bungie mismanaged itself into annihilation.What a terrible purchase from Sony this has been for all parties involved. I hope there's a book one day detailing how Bungie mismanaged itself into annihilation.
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Comment on Bungie announces final update for Destiny 2 in ~games
Raistlin LinkIt was a long time coming, but man, without D3 in the works, it means they've put all their eggs in the Marathon basket. I'm not a business person, but that currently seems like a terribly risky idea.It was a long time coming, but man, without D3 in the works, it means they've put all their eggs in the Marathon basket. I'm not a business person, but that currently seems like a terribly risky idea.
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Comment on MP3 player recommendations in ~tech
Raistlin Link ParentI'll be honest with you, I had no idea!I'll be honest with you, I had no idea!
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Comment on MP3 player recommendations in ~tech
Raistlin Link ParentI work at a university, and I saw a guy with a Linkin Park shirt. What the fuck! I had to listen to In The End after that.I work at a university, and I saw a guy with a Linkin Park shirt. What the fuck! I had to listen to In The End after that.
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Comment on Dusk: an unofficial cross-platform release of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in ~games
Raistlin LinkThis is incredible. You can already emulate it pretty well, but having all that QOL in Android means you can run it on your retro console and have it be pretty seamless.This is incredible. You can already emulate it pretty well, but having all that QOL in Android means you can run it on your retro console and have it be pretty seamless.
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Comment on Star Fox Direct shadow dropped right before premiere in ~games
Raistlin Link ParentI wonder if they'll unlock his shackles now after Ultimate. He seemed pretty done.I wonder if they'll unlock his shackles now after Ultimate. He seemed pretty done.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentNo, I agree, I think it's probably difficult for a religious person to detach the actual belief system from everything else in their life, as it's part of them. To that person, adding a different...No, I agree, I think it's probably difficult for a religious person to detach the actual belief system from everything else in their life, as it's part of them. To that person, adding a different explanation probably feels unnecessary.
I find the Catholic and Orthodox dispute about who's changed less so interesting because... they're both children of Nicaea and Chalcedon. Whatever Christianity was before the emperors got ahold of it, it was not either. They're both innovative.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentThat's a good point, I really shouldn't generalise. It's not like Christianity doesn't have orthopraxy. Hell, the filoque dispute is one of the main causes of the schism between East and West, and...That's a good point, I really shouldn't generalise. It's not like Christianity doesn't have orthopraxy. Hell, the filoque dispute is one of the main causes of the schism between East and West, and it revolves entirely around whether you're allowed to add "and from the Son" to the Creed.
Like I said elsewhere, I'm often sceptical of religious disputes being just religious. I often find they represent an ethnic or civil divide where each group, for whatever deep-seated reasons, interprets the same thing differently.
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Comment on Star Fox Direct shadow dropped right before premiere in ~games
Raistlin Link Parentlmfao, trying again, again? I don't get why Star Fox is so difficult for them. Don't make it into an action adventure game or the WiiU pad or other gimmicks. Just make a different Star Fox game,...Yet another remake of Star Fox 64
lmfao, trying again, again? I don't get why Star Fox is so difficult for them. Don't make it into an action adventure game or the WiiU pad or other gimmicks. Just make a different Star Fox game, but the same genre.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentI guess a little like lobsters, right? Used to be be what the peasants would eat before the rich realised that they were good eating and made them inaccessible to the poor. I think orthopraxy was...I guess a little like lobsters, right? Used to be be what the peasants would eat before the rich realised that they were good eating and made them inaccessible to the poor.
I think orthopraxy was the norm, right? I mean, heresy and atheism were definitely concepts, but no one cared what you thought in the ancient world, just what you did. Ethnic religions are still like that. Shinto, Hinduism, and even Judaism all allow for things that would be considered heresy in Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism and other universal religions.
It feels really stupid when you see mini civil wars weaken the empire over whether Jesus had one nature both human and divine, or two natures of one human and one divine. You're never going to convince me that the mobs that were mobilised by some of the bishops had any idea what the fuck the difference was, because I sure don't.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentBut then sometimes the chickens didn't eat (then let drink instead!), and that was bad times, gods aren't happy right now. I don't actually know enough about sacrifice rules. My understanding is...But then sometimes the chickens didn't eat (then let drink instead!), and that was bad times, gods aren't happy right now.
I don't actually know enough about sacrifice rules. My understanding is that you would sacrifice these animals to the gods, but the actual meat was eaten by the community. So the sacrifice serves a religious purpose, like damn near anything ancient people did, but it also served a community purpose, and economic purpose, a legitimising for the elites purpose.
Funny that chickens are now a common meat for us, but a delicacy for them!
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentAs I understand it, you would throw feed at them, and depending on how they ate, you would look for portents. I don't think they ate them, but I'm not sure! The Romans had always been extremely...As I understand it, you would throw feed at them, and depending on how they ate, you would look for portents.
I don't think they ate them, but I'm not sure! The Romans had always been extremely religious, so I would be surprised if they did.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentIt's usually my go to when someone makes fun of the Mexicans for thinking their ancestors become birds, or the Romans for their sacred chickens, or the Muslims for the amount of times they have to...It's usually my go to when someone makes fun of the Mexicans for thinking their ancestors become birds, or the Romans for their sacred chickens, or the Muslims for the amount of times they have to bow. Man, we're all fucking weird, it's part and parcel of being human 🤣
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentPartially jumping off of your point, I think people have this idea that Judaism (and therefore Christianity) was somewhat special. An old religion worshipping a one true God in a sea of...Partially jumping off of your point, I think people have this idea that Judaism (and therefore Christianity) was somewhat special. An old religion worshipping a one true God in a sea of polytheism. But this just wasn't true.
Judaism came from Yahwism, which is well documented. Yahweh was the head of a polytheistic pantheon. Asherah was his consort. Baal was there too. It was a normal ethnic religion.
It did become monotheistic, but this was normal as well. The same process was happening with Ashur in Assyria and Marduk in Babylonia. The same process successfully finished in Iran with Ahurza Mazda, who is still worshipped today. A consolidation into the single national god of the ethnic group was a phenomenon occurring everywhere in the Near East.
Not much in the Old Testament would be out of place if we found it in Assyria or Babylon (if it had survived a bit longer). People go to war, their war god blesses or curses depending on the situation, the chosen people triumph. The names and locations would change, but this entire region's religious developments had been linked to each other ever since the days Sumer established literacy.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentYup, totally fair enough on safety. I grew up as a Catholic in Puerto Rico, and whole obviously my mom and society would've preferred I stay Catholic, I wasn't ever in any danger, either...Yup, totally fair enough on safety. I grew up as a Catholic in Puerto Rico, and whole obviously my mom and society would've preferred I stay Catholic, I wasn't ever in any danger, either physically or socially. My experience wouldn't be the same as someone in West Virginia, or God forbid Iran.
Yup, that's a really good point about a lot of these things just being local wisdom disguised as religion. In a pre internet era, you had to pass down wisdom somehow.
I also immediately need to say that as a man, a lot of the shitty religious stuff is patriarchal, so I'm coming from a privileged position there as well, good callout. My wife also had to put on headscarves so we could explore some mosques together, and while she didn't particularly mind, it's just one more thing that she has to do that I don't.
I've never heard of the blessing of the waters! I love little traditions like that.
I don't mind Communion as a sacrament! I did find it a strong spiritual experience when I was a Christian. But explaining to people not familiar with it is wild.
So the priest blesses the bread, which transfigures it into the flesh or our God. We then... eat the flesh, as a community. It sounds like something out of a Lovecraft story!
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentBut you would probably try convincing her by reminded her of the good she's done, not by saying her religion is fake. Would it feel better if I said, something being rational or irrational doesn't...But you would probably try convincing her by reminded her of the good she's done, not by saying her religion is fake.
Would it feel better if I said, something being rational or irrational doesn't make it good or evil inherently? I didn't really mean to formulate a philosophical statement, I was speaking a bit off the cuff.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentWhen I say truth, I should say truth at the expense of everything else. Extreme example; your grandma is dying of old age, says she thinks she'll go to Heaven. Do you spend the next few moments...When I say truth, I should say truth at the expense of everything else. Extreme example; your grandma is dying of old age, says she thinks she'll go to Heaven. Do you spend the next few moments persuading her that Heaven is patently a myth, or do you indulge her?
I just don't think being right (which I think I am, naturally) is the most important thing in the world right now.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" (gifted link) in ~humanities
Raistlin Link ParentIt was ultimately a republic, in the eyes of the Romans. No one had an inherent right to rule. Anthony Kaldellis made the point that the Roman Empire is the polity that had the most amount of...It's true that generals who had success in the provinces often tried to become emperor, and they often succeeded. Kind of an odd dynamic.
It was ultimately a republic, in the eyes of the Romans. No one had an inherent right to rule. Anthony Kaldellis made the point that the Roman Empire is the polity that had the most amount of civil wars that changed absolutely nothing about the underlying systems.
By the mediaeval era, the wars were extremely short at decisive.. Someone would show up at the walls of Constantinople with an army and start making campaign promises. They would either be let in and kill the emperor, or not be let in and be killed. Like a weird election.
Also, many local rulers would call themselves “Roman” even long after the western empire collapsed. It was a popular label. Maybe compare with all the countries that put “democratic” in their name nowadays?
They would've been Roman. Roman identity survived the death of the state, as identities often do. Many rulers lass laws that specifically separate their own people (e.g the Franks) from their Roman subjects. It took centuries for the Roman identity in the West to disappear.
I do see the concept of Roman citizenship as a set of legal rights that eventually were extended to all free people in the empire as pretty important in history.
Citizenship helped, but the Edict of Caracalla was just a recognition of reality of the ground. Not every Roman citizen thought of themselves as Roman. But all parts of the empire were slowly romanising into a collective identity. That process gets interrupted in places like Syria when the Arabs invaded, but completed in Greece and Anatolia, where the Hellenic self-identity completely dies off.
But there were plenty of revolts and uprisings. I asked ChatGPT to make a list of the major ones. Looks like there were two slave uprisings in Sicily?
Plenty of slave revolts (Spartacus being the most common one), no ideology of slave abolitionism. People didn't want to be slaves, but had no issues with slavery as a systems,.as.far as we can tell. We have tombs of people lamenting their enslavement who then go on to brag about how many slaves they had when they became emancipated.
It seems like “large-scale” is doing a lot of work there. Revolts not becoming widespread might have more to do with a lack of cohesiveness between different peoples as well as poor communication over long distances. When the Jews revolted, why should anyone else join in?
You named one of the only two groups in the empire with a coherent self-identity that were not easily romanised, the other being the Armenians. So yes, the Jews revolted. But never the Punics in the Middle East and North Africa, or the Egyptians,.or the Greeks, or the Celts, or the Assyrians, or the Illyrian.
It's not doing a lot of work, it was.extremely standard for the time for empires of this scale to face large rebellions when a ruler changed. It has nothing to do with communication,.Egypt and Babylon often rebelled against the Persians together because they both had large populations with dreams of independence. Not once did the Romans have to put down a pretender pharaoh, like the Persians had to.
The lack of abolition movements probably has more to do with the concept not being invented yet? After all, slavery was often the result of conquest. Slaves were an important form of loot. What good would a law after being conquered by foreigners?
Mass freedom of slaves has been invented. Emperors had to pass laws to prevent to many slaves from being freed when the owners died. They were writing it in their wills and it was starting to affect the economy.
Super happy I got a retro console instead of a Steam Deck. Lighter, cheaper, and plays basically anything I want it to.
I suspect those will go up in price too, but not to this extent.