RoyalHenOil's recent activity
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Comment on Fix your hearts or die: The path to liberation for lonely men is feminism in ~life
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Comment on Fix your hearts or die: The path to liberation for lonely men is feminism in ~life
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentThe problem with this type of messaging, from what I've seen, is that it typically misses the people it needs to hit and hits the people it needs to miss. People of generally high empathy (who are...I know it’s easy to see it as “it’s my problem as a man to solve” but that’s not what most of those people are saying. They’re saying “it’s a problem that all men need to solve”. It isn’t just one man. It’s all men as a collective.
The problem with this type of messaging, from what I've seen, is that it typically misses the people it needs to hit and hits the people it needs to miss. People of generally high empathy (who are likely already doing more than their fair share) hear these kinds of messages, feel like failures, and burn out. And people of generally low empathy (who are likely doing less than their fair share) hear these kinds of messages and conclude, "Oh, so it's not MY problem then," and don't change their behavior at all.
I don't know what the solution to this is, but I suspect that sticking to much more specific and actionable advice (e.g., telling managers to double-check their payrolls to ensure there isn't a gender bias in their employees' salaries) would be a lot more effective. People who are already following that advice will just keep following it, and people who aren't will have a harder time making excuses.
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Comment on Fix your hearts or die: The path to liberation for lonely men is feminism in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentDo you happen to know how number of suicide attempts are measured? It seems like it must be a pretty difficult thing to record accurately, and those records could be demographically skewed if some...Do you happen to know how number of suicide attempts are measured? It seems like it must be a pretty difficult thing to record accurately, and those records could be demographically skewed if some genders/races/age groups/socioeconomic groups/etc. are more reluctant to seek help or less likely to admit to past suicide attempts.
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Comment on How many Hosers are there on Tildes? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt's a bit of a fluid term, but I think "bogan" is a bit more specific than that. It's a common subculture that tends to predominate in Australian suburbs (not so much in properly rural areas, at...It's a bit of a fluid term, but I think "bogan" is a bit more specific than that. It's a common subculture that tends to predominate in Australian suburbs (not so much in properly rural areas, at least that I've seen).
Then again, I'd probably categorize "redneck" as a distinct subculture as well, at least when it's applied specifically to Southerners (speaking as someone with a bit of a "hillbilly" cultural background, but basically no connection to the "redneck" cultural background).
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI used to work for a vegetable-breeding company, and I did a lot of work with the company's beet breeder. This is a man who travels all over the world to different farms to select beets for...I used to work for a vegetable-breeding company, and I did a lot of work with the company's beet breeder. This is a man who travels all over the world to different farms to select beets for breeding, and he has to taste test all of them — hundreds and hundreds of beets a year — and he was really good at selecting for flavor.
He told me, "I hate beets — but I know what they're supposed to taste like." Poor guy.
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Comment on The malignant degradation of trust in scientific work in ~science
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentI live in Australia, but my family lives in the US, and it was fascinating how differently the two countries approached public outreach regarding pandemic PPE. Here in Australia (at least in...I live in Australia, but my family lives in the US, and it was fascinating how differently the two countries approached public outreach regarding pandemic PPE.
Here in Australia (at least in Victoria where I live), the messaging was much more consistent. Early on, they basically said, "We don't know how this spreads yet, so we recommend nitrile gloves, masks, and a face shield if possible." As COVID research advanced, they switched to recommending just masks. They were honest from the start that P2 masks (basically the equivalent of N95) were likely the best option and surgical masks the second best, but in limited supply due to the needs of the medical community (plus already in severe shortage due to the 2020 bushfires around Sydney), so they recommended everyone should buy or make the best masks they could (with sewing instructions on how to make masks with double layers of cloth, etc). They even said that in a pinch, wrapping a t-shirt or scarf around your face was likely better than nothing.
In contrast, my family in the US got conflicting messages: that N95 masks don't work or that you needed to be a professional to use them correctly, then that cloth masks don't work and everyone should be using N95. It was messaging whiplash, and we had a lot of arguments because I was following Australian guidelines — using P2 masks early in the pandemic because I had some already, then switching to homemade cloth masks later on the pandemic when I ran out of P2 masks, which was essentially the opposite of what they were getting told.
My attitude was that I was using the best options available to me and those options were working (I never caught COVID at any point), so I wasn't worried. But my family was very fretful that I was using options that were "proven" to not work and that it was giving me false confidence. They caught COVID several times, likely because a lot of people around them had given up on masks altogether due to the confusing/mixed messaging, so I'm not surprised they were so worried about me. But it was extremely frustrating.
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Comment on What do dreams mean? in ~science
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThis is a less dramatic example, but when I was a kid, I definitely had dreams that warned me that I was peeing my bed! Unfortunately, always just a couple seconds too late.This is a less dramatic example, but when I was a kid, I definitely had dreams that warned me that I was peeing my bed! Unfortunately, always just a couple seconds too late.
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Comment on What do dreams mean? in ~science
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThis makes a lot of sense to me, based on my own experiences with dreams. I frequently dream about problems I'm working through, and if I'm bashing my head against a particularly tricky one,...This makes a lot of sense to me, based on my own experiences with dreams. I frequently dream about problems I'm working through, and if I'm bashing my head against a particularly tricky one, taking a break for a quick 15-minute nap often leads to a big breakthrough.
Unfortunately, I also dream about stressful situations I'm not actively trying to work through (e.g., stress dreams about being late for high school classes, nightmares about traumatic experiences that haven't been relevant for decades, etc.). My conscious brain and my unconscious brain seem to have different ideas about what's important.
However, most of my dreams seem totally disconnected from reality — just really bizarre, surreal situations like nothing I've seen in my life or in media, and it's hard to imagine what purpose these could serve (if any). I've sometimes wondered if these dreams might be side effects of processing more "low level" information, if that makes sense. As a less abstract example, maybe dreams about flying serve a function in understanding the 3-dimensionality of objects we rarely get to see from that angle.
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Comment on ‘Baldur’s Gate’ TV series continuing game’s story in works at HBO from ‘The Last Of Us’ co-creator Craig Mazin and Hasbro Entertainment in ~tv
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentThat's too bad. Gale is my second favorite of the companions. Jaheira's my #1, but she's not as fully developed as Gale, since she's just a secondary companion who doesn't really come into her own...That's too bad. Gale is my second favorite of the companions. Jaheira's my #1, but she's not as fully developed as Gale, since she's just a secondary companion who doesn't really come into her own until Act 3.
They're in my top two spots because I think they have the funniest dialogue (albeit very dry, but I love dry humor) and I found them to have the most complex, realistic, and relatable personalities and backstories. But their characters are very much presented in a subtle show-don't-tell way that's easy to miss.
An easy-to-miss example (potentially a mild spoiler)
For example, they're very jokey characters because they use humor to deflect from depression/self-doubt. The game never states this explicitly, but demonstrates it repeatedly through conversations you can have with them as you gain their approval and select dialogue choices that push them in a more emotional or self-critical direction (particularly easy to miss for a certain kind of player because they're usually not the "nice" dialogue choices).
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Comment on Looking for casual hotseat game recommendations in ~games
RoyalHenOil (edited )LinkNoita could be a good option. It has a ton of content, despite being a short-form game, and it's extremely entertaining to spectate. My partner and I have played it hundreds and hundreds of times,...Noita could be a good option.
It has a ton of content, despite being a short-form game, and it's extremely entertaining to spectate. My partner and I have played it hundreds and hundreds of times, and we're still surprised (and often laughing nearly to the point of tears) every new run.
The level transitions offer a good opportunity to swap between players. Alternatively, you could use the game's pause function to do time-based transitions (say, set an alarm every five minutes to pause and swap), which be absolutely hilarious IMO.
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Comment on What's something you've moved on from? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentInterestingly, I've gone the opposite way. I was obsessed with documentaries, encyclopedias, etc., as a kid, and I adamantly hated games with too much story (I basically only played games like...Movies/TV Shows/Fiction in General
Interestingly, I've gone the opposite way. I was obsessed with documentaries, encyclopedias, etc., as a kid, and I adamantly hated games with too much story (I basically only played games like SimAnt). The older I get, however, the more I find myself moving away from nonfiction and toward fiction and storytelling — although I think it's less an age-related thing and more a reflection of how the nonfiction media landscape around me is changing.
I do still somewhat obsessively watch/read about things like geology, so long as the subject is presented in a pretty dry manner (like "Here's how to identify different types of soil" or "Here's how this particular mountain range formed"), but I feel like it's become pretty difficult to find nonfiction media that isn't trying to be extremely entertaining (e.g., "The biggest volcanic eruptions in history!"), that isn't biased toward the creator's opinions, or that doesn't contain sloppy inaccuracies. I really don't like the idea of consuming misleading media, and since I'm not in a good position to fact-check most of the media I consume, I find myself reluctant to give nonfiction a chance unless it's been heavily vetted by experts in its field.
So I'm a lot more into fictional media now. I wouldn't say I consume a lot of it (I watch a movie or TV show maybe once a month, for example), but fiction makes up probably 90+% of the media I consume these days. I feel like the quality of fictional media has increased a great deal since I was younger (or maybe I just have better access to quality media now?). I often hated it as a kid because it felt like the creator was trying to forcefeed me some kind of lesson or message. But today, there's plenty of fiction that explores interesting philosophical questions, science fiction concepts, etc., in a much more open way, and I love it.
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Comment on Wired vs. wireless mouse and keyboard? in ~tech
RoyalHenOil LinkIn my experience, if you're buying cheap peripherals, you'll want wired; the wireless ones can have lag issues. If you're willing to spring for something more expensive (e.g., mice and keyboards...In my experience, if you're buying cheap peripherals, you'll want wired; the wireless ones can have lag issues. If you're willing to spring for something more expensive (e.g., mice and keyboards aimed at gamers), wireless works fine these days. I like the ones that pair through a USB dongle.
I used wired peripherals at my desk. However, my computer is also hooked up to my TV so I can play video games on the couch, and I strongly prefer a wireless keyboard and mouse for that. I also like to use a very pared down keyboard (no numpad, etc.) so I can use it on a small lap desk and still have plenty of mousing room.
Both my wireless mouse and my wireless keyboard can still be used while they're plugged into USB C. They don't run their batteries down quickly, but when they do, it's almost always while I'm in the middle of something, so it's really nice that I can keep using them while they recharge. I definitely recommend looking for this feature if you're shopping for wireless peripherals.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentAbsolutely. History as a field today is drastically superior to what it was in the distant past — exactly like virtually every other field of human endeavor: engineering, biology, chemistry,...Absolutely. History as a field today is drastically superior to what it was in the distant past — exactly like virtually every other field of human endeavor: engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, political science, etc., etc., etc.
Yes, there were some pretty impressive multi-talented Renaissance men back in the day, and that era is largely over. But it's over because, today, you make a name for yourself by specializing and actually being exceptionally good at what you do. To be a famous historian in the past, you needed fortune and the right connections, and then you could publish whatever nonsense came to you so long as you worded it convincingly enough.
Historically, listening to a famous general's opinions on history is the modern equivalent to listening to a celebrity's opinions. Sure, their unusual life experiences might give them some insights that might not occur to the average person, but wouldn't you rather hear the insights of someone who is specialized in studying history and subject to peer review?
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentElitist is right. One of my great grandfathers was breaking his back as a sharecropper. Another was working in a coal mining camp. I don't know anything about my other two great grandfathers; one...Elitist is right.
But your great grandfather was reading Cicero in Latin.
One of my great grandfathers was breaking his back as a sharecropper. Another was working in a coal mining camp. I don't know anything about my other two great grandfathers; one died young in an accident, and the other was abusive and effectively disowned by the family. But sure, who knows, maybe they were reading Cicero. /s
The world today is far, far better-educated today than at any point in history. Huge swathes of the human experience were historically ignored and erased because the opportunity to communicate one's experiences, or otherwise contribute meaningfully to society, was simply unavailable to the vast majority of people. Fiction was informed almost entirely by the opinions and experiences of an extremely small and extremely powerful elite.
Apparently this guy thinks that was preferable.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil LinkThen who keeps buying all the fiction books?Then who keeps buying all the fiction books?
Print sales are mostly stable, totaling around 707 million units in 2025 through mid-December, according to the most recent figures available from industry tracker Circana BookScan. That’s only three million less than the pandemic peak in 2021, and 57 million copies more than in 2019.
Readers bought about 184 million print adult fiction books this year. That’s roughly as many as they bought last year and 66 million more than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic gave book sales a jolt.
Nonfiction had a more difficult year. Among the top 10 bestselling print nonfiction titles, only one came out in 2025 – Kamala Harris’ campaign memoir, 107 Days.
In 2025, 422 newly opened stores joined the American Booksellers Association – nearly 100 more than joined the year before. Barnes & Noble added 55 stores around the country, and Books-A-Million added 18. (By comparison, Books-A-Million opened seven new stores in 2024.)
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Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentMany of the fast-paced games I play while stressed have simplistic graphics (usually pixel art) that involve a lot of dodging around abstract shapes and colors (representing magic effects) — games...Many of the fast-paced games I play while stressed have simplistic graphics (usually pixel art) that involve a lot of dodging around abstract shapes and colors (representing magic effects) — games like Heroes of Hammerwatch and Noita. I get into an altered flow state where I stop seeing the individual enemies/missiles/etc. coming at me, and instead see the whole screen as a kind of abstract, changing image that I'm subtly (or not-so-subtly) manipulating through precise movements. It definitely affects me while I'm falling asleep in the way you're describing!
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Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI wonder if this works for other video games. I've found that I generally feel compelled to play simple, high-action games when I'm very stressed or sad (e.g., when a relative has died recently),...I wonder if this works for other video games. I've found that I generally feel compelled to play simple, high-action games when I'm very stressed or sad (e.g., when a relative has died recently), even though I normally strongly prefer slow-paced strategy games.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAnother factor that contributes to gold's value is that, historically, it was the densest known substance on Earth. This made it almost impossible to scam people by alloying gold with cheaper...Another factor that contributes to gold's value is that, historically, it was the densest known substance on Earth. This made it almost impossible to scam people by alloying gold with cheaper metals. Anyone with a scale and a bowl of water could trivially calculate the gold's purity — so even if gold was less useful or less rare than other metals, people still preferred to trade with it, inflating its value.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
RoyalHenOil Link ParentSimilar here. I dumped all my US investments last February and reinvested in non-US international stocks, weighted heavily toward European defense (EUAD), plus a heaping side of gold (GLDM) to...Similar here. I dumped all my US investments last February and reinvested in non-US international stocks, weighted heavily toward European defense (EUAD), plus a heaping side of gold (GLDM) to hedge against inflation.
It's a very strange, bittersweet seeing how wildly my portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500. I don't know much about investing (I inherited all my US stocks from my grandfather less than a year previously), but I know this can't be good.
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Comment on Why America needs fewer bus stops in ~transport
RoyalHenOil Link ParentMelbourne (Australia) uses a combination of buses and trams. On some roads, buses and trams have their own dedicated lanes and traffic lights. On other roads, they share lanes with cars and...Melbourne (Australia) uses a combination of buses and trams. On some roads, buses and trams have their own dedicated lanes and traffic lights. On other roads, they share lanes with cars and effectively function like regular traffic. It's really a matter of what's needed where — and what's compatible with the road in question, although Melbourne's planners are certainly willing to make narrow roads into tram/bus/pedestrian-only spaces as needed. It works quite well.
Something that seems to go ignored a lot in this kinds of discussions, but that I think we need to acknowledge: Under the age of about 60 (the exact age varies some, depending on which country we're looking at), men outnumber women. Although women as a whole are more populous than men, this is due almost entirely to the fact that elderly women tend to live longer than elderly men.
Outside those elderly age groups, there are simply going to be a lot of single, lonely men. Even if every last person on Earth were a bastion of egalitarianism, we would still see a lot of lonely men through absolutely no fault of their own or anyone else's, because male loneliness is ultimately a demographic problem, not a sexism problem.
And it's a very real problem. It's not made up, it's not going away, it creates a lot of instability for society all around, and the more we look for someone to blame, the worse we make it. We as a society need to develop better ways to support and empathize with single people, and to ensure life is still fulfilling and meaningful for people who don't find partners, because that's the only realistic way to address it (outside of deeply unethical solutions like forcing sex-selective abortions on the population).