Randomise's recent activity

  1. Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies

    Randomise
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    Interesting, I'll give it a watch. Where would you rank it in all his movies?

    Interesting, I'll give it a watch. Where would you rank it in all his movies?

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Survey results on books that people identify as shaping their life/personality after reading them in high school in ~books

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    Yeah, reading the titles, and as a teacher, my immediate reaction was "wait, aren't those just books they force students to read in high school?" Of course, statistically, they are going to be the...

    Yeah, reading the titles, and as a teacher, my immediate reaction was "wait, aren't those just books they force students to read in high school?" Of course, statistically, they are going to be the most influential simply because they have million more readers than all the other books.

    14 votes

  3. Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies

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    +1 for all those. I have a personal favourite in Tarantino. I watched all his movies (beside Death Proof) and I really love them all. There is a certain cadence/editing to his style that is just...

    +1 for all those.

    I have a personal favourite in Tarantino. I watched all his movies (beside Death Proof) and I really love them all.

    There is a certain cadence/editing to his style that is just unmatched imo, plus his writing is so unique that all of his films are really just believable, while still being quite violent.

    Why didn't you like Once upon a time?

    5 votes

  4. Comment on What's a psychological barrier you've recently unlocked? in ~health.mental

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    Welcome here! :) I'm glad and proud of you that you're moving forward.

    Welcome here! :) I'm glad and proud of you that you're moving forward.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on Which other sites do you visit? in ~tech

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    Reddit, YouTube and Tildes are 90% of my sfw browsing. Sometimes I'll hop on Twitch for chess/smash/cs/league tournaments. I also visit streaming sites for MMA/sports, but that's about it. I kinda...

    Reddit, YouTube and Tildes are 90% of my sfw browsing.

    Sometimes I'll hop on Twitch for chess/smash/cs/league tournaments. I also visit streaming sites for MMA/sports, but that's about it.

    I kinda see your point about the centralized internet, but even back in 2005-2006, when I first started browsing every day, I never had the experience that people talk about. I still only browsed a couple of sites and went back to gaming. I used to visit some science sites, some photo sites, MMO-Champion, but I never used stumbleupon, tumblr or myspace, so my experience hasn't changed much since then. Pretty much all "discovery" sites are replaced by good youtube videos these days. The quality of documentary-style videos have skyrocketed in the last 7-8 years and I think it's way more fun than the mindless browsing I did back then. But that's just my opinion.

    6 votes

  6. Comment on What is the most insane, tedious, difficult, and/or noteworthy gaming achievement you have completed or given up on? in ~games

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    I know it kinda deviates from your question, but I'll always be proud of the achievements I've gotten in WoW. There was a stretch from 2014 to 2016 where I was among the best guilds in NA. We got...

    I know it kinda deviates from your question, but I'll always be proud of the achievements I've gotten in WoW. There was a stretch from 2014 to 2016 where I was among the best guilds in NA.

    We got multiple top 100 NA kills (in PvE), the best being like 38th when I was there. I've gotten multiple top 50 parses on some bosses (with my dps class), some top 10s.

    My best one is probably parsing top 50 on a pure dps boss when I was in a guild that was like #5000 in the world.

    I've tried going for tougher achievements in more conventional games, but I give up way too easily (I only have so much gaming time per week). I'm kinda happy about my Slay the Spire runs. I've beat A20 on Watcher, A18 on Defect and Clad and I'm currently working on A20 with Silent.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on [Rant? Vent? Musing?] I've become a surprisingly judgemental semi-sober person in ~life

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    I kind of relate with you on many of the things you said. I think treating your body as a temple and as something you need to maintain and improve is definitely a good thing. It's no secret why...
    • Exemplary

    I kind of relate with you on many of the things you said. I think treating your body as a temple and as something you need to maintain and improve is definitely a good thing. It's no secret why every doctor for the past millenia all advertized for more exercice, healthier food consumption and good rest. It's the foundation on which a human being can best flourish. We're still animals, in a sense. We're still bound to this fleshy corpse that needs all of those good things.

    We're also conscious. We're vastly more aware of things than the next most intelligent animals. Humans can wonder, analyze, change, ponder, predict, dwell, understand, share. The brain is such a complex muscle that we are just beginning to fully understand.

    One of the tools of awareness is the ability to simulate experiences. Have you ever heard a wild story from a stranger and put yourself in his shoes? To understand what it would have been like? Ever heard someone describe a drink or a meal and imagined what it would have tasted like? Have you ever heard a hardship described by someone and felt so bad for them because you put yourself in their story?

    That's empathy.

    I've worked on my empathy since the days I've been aware. I've always been proud of how I'm able to understand others, yet one thing I could never understand is how people can ingest drugs to an insane degree that I felt was absolutely illogical.

    Still, I needed to understand, so I did.

    People use drugs for a variety of reasons, but you will never be able to fully understand the reasons until you truly take the time to either talk to them about it, deeply analyze, or try it yourself.

    Some people do drugs because they simply cannot function without it. Some people do drugs because they allow them to think through a difficult problem or to escape a problem. Some people take drugs because they want to feel a unique experience, to create a lasting memory. Some people just want to spice things up, while others want to survive. Some people just don't know better, they cannot live a different way. There are hundreds of reasons, all legitimate. Who's to say you're a better human because you consume or not? Because you're healthy or not? I've known shitheads who never touched any drugs, even alcohol. I've known incredibly kind and loving people who consumed every day.

    Everyone has their own life, their own struggles, their own needs, their own relationships, their own survival mode. We all derive meaning from life in our own way. Perhaps being healthy is your life goal, for others, traveling and getting high is their life goal. And that's okay, because everyone lives their life the best they can. If they want to do it with drugs, they surely have their reasons.

    I'm always curious to know why.

    At the end of the day, if you have the mind of a scientist, you can understand that drugs are simply molecules that change your behavior from its normal state. Who's to say that the "drugged" state is less desirable than the "normal" one? For some, the drugged state is always better, even healthier. For others, it can be life-saving.

    23 votes

  8. Comment on Question - how would you best explain how an LLM functions to someone who has never taken a statistics class? in ~tech

  9. Comment on Xbox Series X and S: Microsoft has reportedly sold less than 30 million consoles this generation in ~games

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    As always with games, it's a social thing. People like new stuff, people like to enjoy new stuff, people like to be among the firsts to enjoy new stuff, people like to enjoy it together. FOMO is...

    As always with games, it's a social thing.

    People like new stuff, people like to enjoy new stuff, people like to be among the firsts to enjoy new stuff, people like to enjoy it together.

    FOMO is very big and people don't like to miss out on new experiences.

    3 votes

  10. Comment on What's a psychological barrier you've recently unlocked? in ~health.mental

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    Oh wow! That is quite beautiful and I also believe that he trusts you enough to open up to you about this. You're a good father :)

    Oh wow! That is quite beautiful and I also believe that he trusts you enough to open up to you about this.

    You're a good father :)

    2 votes

  11. Comment on What's a psychological barrier you've recently unlocked? in ~health.mental

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    That's so cool! I've started solo traveling this summer and I have a similar mindset. It's fun to know that both options are possible though, it makes for a more matured approach. Sure, you can go...

    That's so cool!

    I've started solo traveling this summer and I have a similar mindset. It's fun to know that both options are possible though, it makes for a more matured approach. Sure, you can go fully blind now, but it's partially because of your life experience too.

    I'm curious, what would say is important to prepare for a trip and what is not so important?

    4 votes

  12. What's a psychological barrier you've recently unlocked?

    ~health.mental Ask (survey)
    For the past year, I've finally been able to have a strong, lasting, cleaning routine. It took me my whole life, but I was never able to go past my own argument of "who cares"? Who cares if the...

    For the past year, I've finally been able to have a strong, lasting, cleaning routine. It took me my whole life, but I was never able to go past my own argument of "who cares"? Who cares if the dishes aren't done? If the laundry isn't folded? Only I can judge me. It doesn't matter, ultimately.

    But silently, I wasn't happy with that, and I've known I wasn't happy for years, kinda like an addict saying he'll stop but he never does.

    One day earlier this year, during winter, while on a good cleaning day, I took some time to look at my old notebooks from college. I remembered a page I had written during some off-time on an internship. I had written a full page of the same line: "I like it when...". I had wanted to just do some introspection and list every thing I liked that came to mind. Stuff like "I like it when I eat pizza", "I like it when I play boardgames with my friend", etc.

    Those notes were five years old, you know what was the very first thing on the page? That's right: "I like it when my apartment is clean"

    It hit me like a fucking brick. I almost cried right there.

    From then on, it was over. The cleaning me had won over the lazy me and I've since been able to keep a clean apartment :)

    So, what's your story? How did you overcome a challenge in your life?

    31 votes

  13. Comment on How are you different than you were ten years ago? in ~talk

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    You're investing for your future. Keep at it, it will pay off. You're doing good!

    You're investing for your future. Keep at it, it will pay off. You're doing good!

    1 vote

  14. Comment on How are you different than you were ten years ago? in ~talk

  15. Comment on How are you different than you were ten years ago? in ~talk

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    Hey, just want to say that I'm proud of you. It's crazy how life can turn around. You see the slow changes when you're in it, but to see the big leap in 10 years put like that, it's an amazing...

    Hey, just want to say that I'm proud of you. It's crazy how life can turn around. You see the slow changes when you're in it, but to see the big leap in 10 years put like that, it's an amazing change!

    Have fun for the rest of your life :)!

    1 vote

  16. Comment on Mr. X - Carl Sagan on cannabis in ~humanities

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    Yes, I'm glad you were able to come out of it. My brother and brother in law are both heavy users (from morning to night, all day) and I can definitely see the negative influence on their lives....

    Yes, I'm glad you were able to come out of it. My brother and brother in law are both heavy users (from morning to night, all day) and I can definitely see the negative influence on their lives. One of them constantly talks about wanting to quit and it breaks my heart every time. Partly because I understand what he feels and also because it's still a good experience for me when I smoke. The contrast pains me a little.

  17. Comment on Mr. X - Carl Sagan on cannabis in ~humanities

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    Wow, Carl Sagan is one of my idol and I would have never known he took weed and wrote a text on his experiences! This is fascinating and I can relate a lot with what he says, namely on insights,...

    Wow, Carl Sagan is one of my idol and I would have never known he took weed and wrote a text on his experiences! This is fascinating and I can relate a lot with what he says, namely on insights, the "morning-after scrutiny", the "capable while high" and the small requirements to get high.

    I could have quoted many more from this article, but I'll go with this:

    My high is always reflective, peaceable, intellectually exciting, and sociable, unlike most alcohol highs, and there is never a hangover.

    I'm in my 30's and all my friends have smoked in the past. They either actively smoke every day/week, or they're up for it in social situations. I feel like weed has taken an equal role in society akin to alcohol: spice up social situations. Also, it can be used alone to a much greater extent. I sometimes hear friends say they take one drink after work, but the effect is way less potent than taking "one joint".

    I've started taking pot alone last year and I totally share everything Mr. X has said. It allowed me great insights into myself and the world, insights that passed scrutiny "the morning after", insights that have deeply, positively, influenced me. I totally know and understand the stigma around it, but I would be lying to myself if I said that pot didn't have any positive, lasting, effects in my life.

    As Mr Sagan said, my highs are always positive, have an intent, help me socialize, allow me to feel empathy more deeply, allow me to understand perspectives that I would not fully understand or fully explore without it. The high is positive, intellectually stimulating... and without hangover.

    ...but it is powerful. It's easy to fall prey to its allure when you put it like that. I have taken many steps in order to "control the beast" (as some of my chronic user friends say). It can be an awesome drug, but you can definitely abuse it and it can take over your life, just like alcohol.

    3 votes

  18. Comment on Experiences with psychedelics? in ~life

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    That was certainly a nerd-level drug breakdown, thank you for your insight. Drugs fascinate me too, hence why I've followed up on you and plutonic. I got officially diagnosed with ADHD in october...

    That was certainly a nerd-level drug breakdown, thank you for your insight.

    Drugs fascinate me too, hence why I've followed up on you and plutonic. I got officially diagnosed with ADHD in october of last year and started medicating with drugs since then (pot too). My life has totally changed for the better and it's impossible to deny the importance drugs took in my life getting better. How can such a tiny amount of a substance can literally "unlock" someone is a crazy thought. Thinking that those changes are already predefinely set by your DNA is another perhaps crazier thought. Fascinating.

    1 vote

  19. Comment on Experiences with psychedelics? in ~life

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    That was very interesting. I must say that I have thought about what you said in the first paragraph, at great lengths even. The differences between humans fascinate me. I'm very much interested...

    That was very interesting. I must say that I have thought about what you said in the first paragraph, at great lengths even. The differences between humans fascinate me.

    I'm very much interested in reading more about it. Do you have any litterature I could read on the subject? Your information seems to come from a good source.

    I also challenge you to understand my point of view: happiness is a very broad term and it means different things to different people. Regardless of its definition, "being happy" is a state that is also defined differently from everyone.

    I have taken drugs with a lot of people, a lot of people. From analyzing them, I found that people that straight out refuse drugs or just don't want too much, do so for plenty of reasons: health, anxiety, bad thoughts, repercussions, loss of control, etc.

    I also spent a lot of time with many of them to see the opposite: from my point of view, daily or frequent users do so either as a form of escapism or as a way to feel better (i.e. make the party "more fun", "loosen up", "be more creative", "be more productive", etc.). So from those two options, I see a dichotomy (escapism or enhancement), which I then define as being a "happy person" (enhancement) or "not happy person" (escapism). The frequency is perhaps the same, but the root intention is different. Ergo, being happy with your life will make you seek drugs as a form of enhancement rather than an escape, shaping drugs to be positive experiences. Does that make sense?

    I would wager that at least some differences of users' experiences/consequences around drugs can be attributed to the difference of happiness.

    ...or is it a chicken or the egg thing? Perhaps the inner differences in DNA define those consequences before the self is fully formed, as you mentioned in your comment, and I'm curious to read more about that.

    2 votes

  20. Comment on Marvel plans to recast the X-Men and (eventually) Tony Stark after ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ but ‘reboot is a scary word,’ says Kevin Feige in ~movies

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    It feels like that content creator you start to follow on YouTube. You LOVED one video, how about watching A LOT of them! You watch 5, 6, 10 videos of them in a day. The next week, you watch...

    It feels like that content creator you start to follow on YouTube. You LOVED one video, how about watching A LOT of them!

    You watch 5, 6, 10 videos of them in a day. The next week, you watch another 10. The next week, maybe 5.

    Eventually, you never watch them anymore, how can you keep up? You have finite watch time and you want to watch something else for once, all you've watched in the last weeks has been this content creator.

    That's what the MCU is like nowadays. The first run until the end of the Avengers was insane because you had time to process all of it. Every character got its moment and you could easily understand all of them because they released a limited amount of movies about a limited amount of characters in a spaced out length of time. You had time to process all that, and slowly worked toward Endgame.

    Now, it's like I said: I've watched that content creator way too much and their time is over. If they release a certain video about a random topic I'm interested in, perhaps I'll come back to it. (I would love a standalone movie about Jean Grey for example).

    2 votes