TransFemmeWarmachine's recent activity
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Comment on Factory farming is a blight in ~enviro
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Comment on Factory farming is a blight in ~enviro
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI'm not disputing anything you say. Specifically, I am saying the following: I agree that Factory farming is a blight. However, assuming that a sufficient amount of people could adopt veganism as...- Exemplary
I'm not disputing anything you say. Specifically, I am saying the following:
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I agree that Factory farming is a blight.
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However, assuming that a sufficient amount of people could adopt veganism as a tool against factory farming is an inexcusable, and non-sequitur argument due to the issue of food insecurity in our country.
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Food insecurity is not immediately caused by the issue of factory farming, but the two are inter connected as systemic issues within agriculture in this country.
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Any plan of action that requires individuals to adopt a personal change of their own volition falls apart against systemic issues.
I believe you might be under the impression that vegan food is something extremely difficult and costly to make.
I'm actually not, and at this point I'm getting a little frustrated that people in this thread would assume that. My household regularly prepares vegan and vegetarian foodstuffs, and my wife and I have had long discussions about what ingredients we use on a regular basis. Ultimately, we decided that it was not worth going fully vegan, as eggs and cheese are important cheap staples that cannot be easily readily replaced.
Specifically:
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We found that Aquafaba and plant based egg substitutes were insufficient for our daily needs
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The additional prep time spent on Tofu wasn't worth using it as a universal meat replacement, Costco rotisserie chicken is an easier and quicker option for protein at roughly the same price. Additionally the chicken bones can be used for cooking stock.
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We like cheese, and vegan cheese has not reached the quality of regular cheese.
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Vegan products were not as sufficiently varied for our preferences.
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Non food related, but pleather is an insufficient substitute for real leather.
Additionally, my wife was raised in a rural area, and grew up having first hand farming experience. She additionally spent several of her teen years in a food insecure household. I additionally, have worked at a non profit serving people with food insecurity in my community. These are massive, systemic issues, and veganism is ultimately a personal choice that does not address this.
You say the time is for collective action, and I'm saying to build the collective. We're actually on the same page, but the two of you are just more optimistic about change than I am.
I think we do agree. Personally, I want a better, healthier future for people and the environment.
I don't know how to build a collective, but I can tell you right now it's not by having a bunch of people make a personal individual decision about the food they put in their bodies. Additionally, there is an argument being made right now by the MAHA movement, that we should decimate the medical system and replace it with personal decisions to diet and exercise better. That makes arguments about personal choice in diet a bit of a red flag, in my opinion.
I'm just going to point out issues where I see them. That's my best hope at shifting the needle for the people around me. I figure we're already damned though.
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Comment on Factory farming is a blight in ~enviro
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI'm sorry, but I don't think you're understanding what food insecurity is. Additionally, I think you're misunderstanding my argument. I'm specifically talking about how veganism as a personal...I'm sorry, but I don't think you're understanding what food insecurity is. Additionally, I think you're misunderstanding my argument. I'm specifically talking about how veganism as a personal decision is insufficient for motivating agricultural policy.
Food Insecurity can be caused by multiple factors:
- Low / No Income: i.e. someone's income is insufficient to purchase sufficient food, regardless of the quality.
- High Cost of Living in an Area: i.e. an area has higher costs than the income someone has to procure food.
- Lack of Access: Food deserts, especially when factoring in public transportation options.
13%, or 42 Million people are food insecure. These are people who are struggling to keep food on the table. This not a simple fix of "people need to stop buying more expensive options," this is a fundamental problem in my country. Additionally, 13% is the low estimate from 2025. Data collection has gotten spotty in this administration, especially for figures that sound bad.
For people who have the ready access to afford a vegan lifestyle, your argument holds some water. However, I personally gave up on 'people should individually make the ethical choice' arguments after Covid.
Finally, Oreos, per their [official website](Many OREO products are suitable for Vegans but may include cross-contaminants of milk, so please check allergen advice. You can find a complete list of our Vegan certified products on The Vegan Society Website.), are not certified vegan, as they risk cross contamination from Dairy.
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Comment on Factory farming is a blight in ~enviro
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI'm sorry but I don't think you're being the remote bit rational about this. Given food insecurity in the United States right now, I don't think it's valid to assume that people have the economic...I'm sorry but I don't think you're being the remote bit rational about this. Given food insecurity in the United States right now, I don't think it's valid to assume that people have the economic ability to eat vegan.
The current statistic for food insecure Americans is currently somewhere around 13%, 42 Million, or 12% of Americans were on SNAP in 2025, while 40% of food is wasted anyways!
You just can't expect average Americans to make an individual change in their diet when they can barely keep food on the table. It's a nonstarter. That's not even getting into the preparation time required for vegan food, (whereas poor Americans might be working 2nd or 3rd jobs and just won't have the time), food deserts, the culture war, or underfunded school lunch problems!
Of course the AG industry is going to lobby hard, and be really hard to shift. While Americans weren't watching, corporations took over the country, and now lobby really hard for their own priorities. Individual decision making fixes nothing,.
Heck, we’ve already got at least one major victory - the latest USDA publication of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually provides advice for vegan diets, and that happened during a conservative administration! A lever has been placed; we just need to keep pulling on it.
That's just MAHA adding in their rider to the USDA's policies. It satisfies their base in the Trump coalition. They love to promote the science of an alternative healthy diet, while slashing medicare and public health policy. While they were doing that, by the way, the USDA was also threatening my home, as an economic weapon for my home state.
Please look around you. The time is for collective action, not hoping that enough individual decisions will actually influence power.
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Comment on What radicalized you? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI'll kind of go over what I learned to do to avoid falling for narratives. Here's a comparison in topic coverage from my two classes: History of Iran covered the colonialism of the early oil...I'll kind of go over what I learned to do to avoid falling for narratives. Here's a comparison in topic coverage from my two classes:
History of Iran covered the colonialism of the early oil industry, the 1953 coup, the Iran-Iraq War. These were all significant influences on the region and its politics.
Politics of the Middle East sought to simplify the political landscape. It tried to quantify the political alignment, resources, languages / culture of the region, and we were to understand the region based on it alignment towards American international interests. The additional context just didn't matter.
Discussion would completely skip over the additional context. Here's this in practice:
Political Science Version:
Iranians hated the Shah, who was pro-American. The Shah was overthrown in a theocratic revolution in 1979. Iran's relationship with the US shifted following his ouster, and Iranian Students held the US Embassy hostage. Presently, there is concerns they could use their oil wealth (12% of the world's reserves) as an economic weapon against the US.
Everything said is completely true. It just frames things in a way that doesn't establish important context, rendering the statement more morally neutral. Additionally, it would focus on the statistical figures, economic factors, industrial outputs, etc. This establishes a narrative that makes US interventionism more palatable.
History Version:
In 1952, The UK and US overthrew the president of Iran, following his nationalization of the Oil Industry and installed the pro-American Shah as ruler of the country. The Shah became an authoritarian ruler, and cracked down on civil institutions. Following a crackdown in 1978, mass protests lead to economic halt, and the Shah fled the country. A populist religious leader, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to the country, and was elected under a referendum.* In the midst of this, the American Embassy was taken hostage.
- (I am vastly under simplifying the Ayatollah's return to Iran.)
Specifically, the context of the Shah being an unpopular ruler installed by the US for oil interests, and Ayatollah Khomeini being established via democratic referendum, are all details that inform on the political reality of the situation. They shouldn't be ignored, and it adds additional moral context towards the US's relationship with Iran. It re-frames the entire history. While this is a narrative, it highlights the impacts of choices made by the US.
My takeway was that you can say a lot of things that are true, without actually touching on the truth of the matter. It's called creating a narrative.
Specifically, the way to not fall for this, is to do your best to understand that sometimes specific aspects will be over covered to draw your attention towards a narrative. Ultimately, the information you are told probably has a narrative attached, and you're being told the information in an order to support that narrative.
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Comment on What radicalized you? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentThank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate you doing that. I understand your point of view. I'll freely admit, no British party seems willing to deal with the issues that are plaguing...Thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate you doing that.
I don't think any party has a particualrly great solution, especially not Reform UK, Advance UK or Restore Britain.
I understand your point of view. I'll freely admit, no British party seems willing to deal with the issues that are plaguing the UK, from affordability, to immigration, to climate.
I'd counter that this is inherently by design. I think that their solutions to these problems are ultimately ineffectual, and only serve to distract or motivate the public.
That's not on refugees. That's on the political parties.
that would involve electing a government that is willing to embark upon a massive housebuilding programme
Therein lies the problem. What do we as a democratically elected society do when our democratically elected officials do not serve the needs of the people?
This isn't about the refugees, this is about a government that's willing to ignore the needs of its people, citizen and refugee, and to draw excessive attention to a group of people who are disenfranchised in society.
Let me make something clear here. On a personal level, I live in a community that has been ravaged by a government trying to 'deal with the Somali Refugee problem.' Activists here have had to rally, protect our neighbors, and do our best to make sure the federal government does not disappear people. I pray you never live in a place that decides some people are not welcome there.
Activists and Politicians who could have spent time working on making the community stronger, have had to pivot to preserve our community. While this has been happening, the federal government has slashed environmental regulations, private business has tried to move in to build data centers, and nonprofit funding has been gutted, leaving more people out in the cold.
Refugees? Not that I'm aware of.
Immigrants? Absolutely.Specifically, for the context of this message chain, I am refering to anyone who has relocated to a country due to political instability. I'm states based, and 'immigrant' has been used pretty interchangeably with refugee, and other terms in contemporary political discussion.
If you have the desire to re-evaluate your position, I think you could take a look at any activist groups that are advocating for refugee rights in your region. Learn about what someone has had to go through to get to your country. Try to understand that they're ultimately a victim in a broken system. If they had better options, they would have taken it.
I will fully agree though, your government has done a disservice, both to refugees and to the citizens of the UK, in how the issue of refugees has been handled. I will continue to say though, it is a feature, not a bug, of your government.
Finally, if I can offer you another personal anecdote. I offer you this one, because I really do think I understand your perspective, and I'm offering you this to empathize.
On a personal level, I'm not universally for Trans people being able to participate in all sports. It's not about the evidence or ideas in either direction. In fact, I'm mildly ashamed to take this position, and I only take it because I'm that scared for Trans rights as a whole.
Personally, I think the moral cost of some trans people being excluded from an activity, is outweighed by the potential benefit of the issue not being a cudgel for the right to use against Trans people. What I am saying is, "If I say 'trans women shouldn't be allowed into women's sports,' then the conversation can move on to a different topic, and that's worth it."
However, I'm still arguing for people to be excluded. I'm arguing for my people to be excluded.
I don't know if that's the right answer. I often assume it's wrong. I just want as many of my queer and trans community to survive.
And I see Gavin Newsom saying “[The Democratic Party is] spending a disproportionate amount of time on pronouns [and] identity politics." I have to wonder, is he on our side? Is he hedging his bets? Are we another pawn in his game for power?
I figure someone who's a legal immigrant to the UK could have similar feelings towards refugees. At the end of the day, we're all just pawns in a game for power.
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Comment on What radicalized you? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentThank you for sharing. I'm really glad you were able to get out and begin finding yourself, even if that was a really harsh experience. It's hard when we realize that other people don't care as...Thank you for sharing. I'm really glad you were able to get out and begin finding yourself, even if that was a really harsh experience.
It's hard when we realize that other people don't care as much as they ought to, both for themselves and their neighbors. The amount of hate in the United States scares me.
I've met a lot of people like you who have moved to my state, and are now thriving. I hope that your radicalization has allowed you to blossom and you're somewhere where people care more then they did where you're from.
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Comment on What radicalized you? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI'm going to gently push back on your 'radicalization' here, in regards to immigration. First, I think that you are drawing a conclusion here that providing support to immigrants and citizens is...- Exemplary
I'm going to gently push back on your 'radicalization' here, in regards to immigration.
First, I think that you are drawing a conclusion here that providing support to immigrants and citizens is not inherently compatible, and that it can only be 'one or the other.' I think that there exists a form of government policy that can simultaneously provide for both refugees and citizens with their needs. I think that it is in the interests of people in Power, regardless of political alignment, to not provide that. That's not even factoring in, say, the treaty obligations of the UK towards refugees.
Second, I think that the money being spent is not the issue you think it is. The money being spent often is just constructing substandard housing, and is almost certainly a lower sum spent on other nonessential items.
Take for instance, the Post Office Scandal, which cost some several billion pounds, both in software upkeep costs, and in victim settlements.
But going back to the cost figures for refugees, 15.3 billion is 1.5 Billion pounds a year, spent out of a budget (2025) of 1.416 Trillion... is 0.001% of the U.K. Budget. That's not even figuring out any profiteering by the hotel and landlord chains are doing.
Also, Tom Nicholas did an excellent video on the accommodation ships a few years back (and is an excellent youtuber, in my opinion). Ultimately the accommodations are terrible.
Finally, I think that you are dehumanizing refugees, and I personally would like to evaluate that. Have you personally interacted or spent time in your community with refugees and immigrants?
Let me give you a quick story from my local community.
I was at a local (queer) pub last summer, waiting for a coworker who ended up not showing up. As I waited, I struck up a conversation with a woman at a nearby table who was sitting alone. It turned out the woman was a refugee from the Rwandan Genocide. Her English wasn't great, but we were able to freely converse.
She described her experiences with the Rwandan Genocide, which were horrific. She had been injured in the conflict, and had debilitating arthritis, and PTSD from her experiences. As such, she was on state based disability and food stamps. (in a side note, she was not queer, she just liked the pub)
I cannot imagine having lived her experiences. I can't imagine having to flee my home, and speak a language I do not know in an unjust country that does not look out for the needs of its citizens. At the end of the day, she used spent some of her money, earned via being on disability, at a pub on alcohol. Regardless, she is a person, just as I. A human being just trying her best to survive with the cards she had been dealt.
And ultimately, as a queer transgender woman, I might have to flee my country. Again, what makes me different? If I am forced to flee after seeing the bodies of my queer brothers and sisters in the street, if I am beaten and forced to live in a place that's hostile to me with a debilitating injury, will I be as pleasant and respectful as she? I hope I never have to find out.
While I do feel for the plight of those fleeing famine, poverty, persecution and war, we need to fix our economic problems first, otherwise we run the serious risk of voting in a right-wing populist government. And that would be a horrible thing.
But they won't. The labour party isn't going to fix the economic problems. Kier Starmer has long since abandoned any political ideals he had. Having a political football like immigration is ultimately just a part of neoliberalism. I agree that something needs to be done, but this is as much an issue of distraction from actual issues and rhetoric than an actual problem with immigration.
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Comment on What radicalized you? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkI think the one that will always stick with me, was during my senior year of undergrad, I had two classes on the same day, Politics of the Middle East, and History of Iran. The Political Science...I think the one that will always stick with me, was during my senior year of undergrad, I had two classes on the same day, Politics of the Middle East, and History of Iran.
The Political Science class would give these complicated theories as to the justifications that governments would have for policy and behavior, both in and outside of the middle east. The class had a electronic module (simulating statecraft in a civ-game kind of way) that didn't work properly, and the professor seemed really apathetic to anything that wasn't purely theory. (for further context, the professor was a queer woman with a disability, and left wing sentiments.)
Then, in History of Iran, I had a professor who explained the rich, detailed history of the region, outlining specific interventions and policies from the west, with logical outcomes in the region with first hand sources. She genuinely cared about the subject, gave her own experiences as someone who had visited and studied in Iran (both before and after the 1979 Revolution), and was willing to discuss both theory and actual history.
I found myself realizing that a majority of what I was learning in Political Science of the Middle East completely neglected the history of the region. It really hammered home the disgust I feel with how political science is taught and understood in our country, and it's pushed me to do my best to see past rhetoric.
I think that experience was the defining moment in my radicalization, where I realized that people would fall for rhetoric time and time again, no matter the political leaning, and that it was my personal duty to make sure I do better.
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Comment on How's everyone doing? in ~talk
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkHonestly? Not Great. I've been sick since last week, and it's really dragging me down. I think I'm going to leave it at that. Being ill has really cast a shadow over the last week for me....Honestly? Not Great. I've been sick since last week, and it's really dragging me down.
I think I'm going to leave it at that. Being ill has really cast a shadow over the last week for me.
Seriously, stay healthy y'all! Whatever strain I got was absolutely nasty.
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Comment on peopleWatching S03E01 - "Almost..." in ~tv
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkI'm just going to slightly pile on here, People Watching is a pretty amazing series. My wife got me turned onto it a long while back, and it's absolutely a rich, deep, exploration of contemporary...I'm just going to slightly pile on here, People Watching is a pretty amazing series. My wife got me turned onto it a long while back, and it's absolutely a rich, deep, exploration of contemporary life and feelings. Seriously, add it to your watch list if you need a decent feel good show!
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkPoor. My existence has always felt Kafka-esque, but it's felt worse than usual. My city was(is?) being occupied by a Gestapo. At bare minimum, it's been a negative drag on everyone's mental...Poor. My existence has always felt Kafka-esque, but it's felt worse than usual.
My city was(is?) being occupied by a Gestapo. At bare minimum, it's been a negative drag on everyone's mental health, but it's absolutely terrifying to experience. I keep counting my lucky stars that no one knocked on my door, and that no one that I know got taken, but there's just such a sense of looming doom here. Medicare dollars are also now being held up for my state, probably to be released after another series of lawsuits.
Speaking of Healthcare, I've been rationing medications since October, when I lost my job at an awful medium sized nonprofit. My Welbutrin was the first to run out, so I just went cold turkey on it. No side effects at least. I found out on Friday that my health care doesn't kick in until May 1st. I should have just enough remaining in my other 4 meds to make it to then, but honestly, I haven't started counting what I've got left for pills. Additionally, I need to go to a doctor for an ENT thing that's causing some discomfort, but it'll have to wait 2 months I guess.
The American attacks on Iran have sat with me all weekend. I'm terrified at the prospect of the conflict snowballing, but also I find myself grieving for the people of Iran.
I made an effort to go to Church on Sunday specifically because of the war in Iran, and I wanted to find some solace. Usually, my church is pretty good about addressing the ills of the present. Unfortunately, the sermon was a guest rector who had some prewritten sermon. Specifically, it was for women's history month, outlining the genderless nature of God, and highlighting Biblical women - all of things I support in liturgy, mind you, but it didn't meet the moment of having a rapist president deploying war machines on populaces following his campaign of sending the Gestapo to my city. Anyways, the hymn that followed was titled "God the Father" or something, and I found myself skipping coffee hour.
My best friend had trauma bubble up last week, and she started having really bad flashbacks. I ended up taking care of her two nights last week. I'm expecting to need to do more for her this week. I'm in a delicate balance between keeping my mental health together, and doing my best for a dear friend.
I also find myself at the mercy of a banking system. My wife and I pay the mortgage out of our joint account, and sending my pay from my personal account to the joint account apparently needs to take 4 days and potentially mean my mortgage doesn't get get drafted out of autopay correctly. This could easily be rectified if say, I was able to modify autopay agreements when I'm waiting for funds to transfer, but that seems beyond the abilities of the modern banking system. Or at the very least, I'd love it if I didn't find my savings nibbled away at by student loans and medical debt.
So yeah, Fascism is here, and my coping strategy has been to self medicate with cannabis.
I have a decent life. I have own house, an amazing partner, great friends, and a fulfilling career. In so many ways, I find myself blessed, privileged and fortunate. However, I am frequently find myself doing my damnedest to not be crushed by the unreasonableness of this world. There is an insidious, dark venom that has seeped into the world, poisoning reality. I don't see it leaving anytime soon, and if it does, it will likely be some gradual unwinding that never actually corrects the ills that were dumped onto my generation.
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Comment on California’s new bill requires Department of Justice-approved 3D printers that report on themselves in ~hobbies
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentIn this political era, I'm a little hesitant to rule out incompetence, but it being an example of Hanlon's Razor honestly wouldn't surprise me. I've said this elsewhere, but until we acknowledge...In this political era, I'm a little hesitant to rule out incompetence, but it being an example of Hanlon's Razor honestly wouldn't surprise me.
I've said this elsewhere, but until we acknowledge the rest of the issues immediately surrounding gun violence in America, we're not really tackling the problem. I say that as a Leftist who's very pro 2nd Amendment.
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Comment on California’s new bill requires Department of Justice-approved 3D printers that report on themselves in ~hobbies
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentMy theory is that this bill will be designed to do just this. It will be impossible to actually enforce, so it will selectively be applied where useful to the law enforcement. Want to search that...Otherwise it just gets used to selectively persecute people you don't like.
My theory is that this bill will be designed to do just this. It will be impossible to actually enforce, so it will selectively be applied where useful to the law enforcement.
Want to search that house but don't have a reason? Having "Person having 3D Printer means you can get a free warrant" is another tool in the box to skirt that pesky 4th Amendment.
Hopefully the bill will be dead on Arrival, or sued into oblivion, but it's still an ominous trend in my opinion.
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Comment on California’s new bill requires Department of Justice-approved 3D printers that report on themselves in ~hobbies
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentTo avoid dancing around the issue more than I already have, I'm just going to say it. This bill stinks of Something. I could come up with at least a dozen theories as to why the California...To avoid dancing around the issue more than I already have, I'm just going to say it. This bill stinks of Something.
I could come up with at least a dozen theories as to why the California Democrats think this is legislation is worth bringing, but essentially they all boil down to incompetence, political theater, or some sort of ulterior motive.
I don't know who this bill is for, but it's absolutely not in the interests of the people of California.
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Comment on California’s new bill requires Department of Justice-approved 3D printers that report on themselves in ~hobbies
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI think the major takeaway here is how quickly the idea of "3D printers reporting themselves" falls apart under almost any scrutiny. From the scant statistics that are out there, it's pretty minor...I think the major takeaway here is how quickly the idea of "3D printers reporting themselves" falls apart under almost any scrutiny.
How big of a problem are ghost guns ACTUALLY... ?
From the scant statistics that are out there, it's pretty minor in terms of crimes committed with a firearm. There's been a lot more seized 3d printed guns as of late, but given the accessibility of firearms in the US, it's kind of a moot point. There's absolutely an argument to be made about how one could say... flood the zone with cheap and accessible firearms, or could arm a militia with them, but that's beyond the point.
So it's a minuscule problem that could absolutely become a bigger one, if say... political violence and instability becomes more widespread.
Politically, [this is a left wing movement that is currently in opposition to a right wing administration frequently criticized for authoritarian tendencies]
I mean, yeah. I think the California Democrats are putting forth legislation that assumes that the Federal Government will act lawfully and without overreach. I agree that legislation that increases surveillance in an environment where there are concerns about increased surveillance is, at minimum, contradictory to the political messaging of the California Democrats.
It's pretty strange to see this legislation be put forward at this moment. I could see an argument that "this is for when things go back to normal" being made. Or there could be some sort of theory of harm reduction being important regardless of political climate, but it's a pretty tone deaf argument to this moment, not even getting into the variety of other issues.
How is it that not a single person seems to have explained to any of these people how 3D Printing or CNC works?
I agree, this legislation seems to entirely misunderstand how a 3D printer works on a variety of different levels.
I don't want to suggest that the bill was put forward deliberately misunderstanding 3d printers, or that the politicians who created this bill are incompetent. Unfortunately, I find myself struggling to make an argument otherwise.
How do they expect to even enforce this when people can literally source their own parts to create 3D Printers from scratch?
Again, agreed. I would assume that the Bill would essentially make 'non-reporting' 3D printers illegal in California. Presumably, "California Legal" 3D printers would have to have a component that can send logs of 3D printed components to the government via wifi. (I'm not even going to pretend that a 3D printer could be given a component to know it's printing gun parts.)
Even with that though, people can still assemble 3D printers of their own volition, and I'm sure that it would just mean that people would find a way to prevent monitoring, if they were actually doing anything nefarious.
Additional Thoughts
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This sort of legislature is so blatantly unconstitutional under the 2nd, and 4th Amendments, and almost certainly the Commerce Clause as well. I genuinely only seeing it getting immediately voided by the Supreme Court, outside of any political shenanigans.
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I also think there's a risk of the Streisand Effect coming into play here. Seriously, most people don't use 3D printers, and those who do aren't mass producing firearms. As of now "3D printed gun" is more of a punchline than an actual threat. I actually think there is a much bigger risk of people realizing how easy it is to make 3D printed weapons and wanting to try it themselves.
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I think there's a separate issue here about 3D printing high capacity magazines, and then using them with a legal weapon.
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Is this just some sort of industry ploy to make 3D printing less accessible / attractive, forcing people to buy non 3D printed goods? It's a really dumb conspiracy theory, so I don't want to get too into it, but yeah.
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Comment on Fix your hearts or die: The path to liberation for lonely men is feminism in ~life
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentI don't feel like you're acknowledging my point. My point is, there is a specific subset of men who have already embraced American Fascism, and articles like this are arguing as if that isn't the...I don't feel like you're acknowledging my point. My point is, there is a specific subset of men who have already embraced American Fascism, and articles like this are arguing as if that isn't the case.
Specifically, to me, this feels like an article for 2016, or 2023 at the latest. We're so far beyond the issue of male loneliness in our society, and pieces like this do not reflect the current reality we live in. Personally, I'd say we have transcended from an epidemic of male loneliness, to a situation where white nationalists are recruiting white men, and liberal institutions are struggling to meet the needs of anyone.
That is my issue with the piece, that it isn't ready to address and rectify the issue of Men's Loneliness with the myriad of issues surrounding it. Specifically, that Men's Loneliness is an exploitable commodity to grifters and right wing agitators.
We see what happens in MN when the populace refuses to deny their neighbors' personhood and buy into bullshit.
On a personal level, I live in Minnesota. I think that protests here aren't quite relevant to this discussion. While we absolutely are standing up to protect our neighbor's rights, there is a significant and nuanced history behind it. As a Minnesotan, there's a lot to be said about how the anti-ICE protests here can be seen as a continuation of / successor to the George Floyd Protests, or how there's a long history of leftist activism AND racism in the Twin Cities that continues to be reckoned with. Regardless of that, please slow your roll with assuming that Minneapolis was some sort of victory. Getting ICE to "draw down" was a lengthy and costly victory at best. Our current understanding is that ICE has begun targeting rural and suburban communities away from the Metro area. That's not even getting into the psychological and economic wounds that was left in my community.
Don't get me wrong, I am extraordinarily proud of people here for resisting, but it was not easy. Ultimately, we resisted because it was the right thing to do, regardless of the gender politics of the 21st century. While I would be tickled pink to find that Minnesota's model of gender politics is so egalitarian that it uniquely allowed us to resist, I think that is an extraordinary claim that is beyond the scope of this conversation.
I also agree that Racism and Xenophobia are an immediate and omnipresent component of Sexism. However, there is an unfortunate truth that Xenophobia and Racism can just as freely exist in Feminist spaces. I really, truly cannot empathize enough that the issue of Men's loneliness cannot solely be fixed via having them embrace Feminism.
But maybe I'm wrong. If I am I think it just confirms though that there's probably not a way for people like me to convey the message.
I think you are correct. Not everyone is the best messenger for every issue or perspective. The unfortunate answer is that Male Loneliness is a Complicated, Economic, and Social Problem that stems from a century of poor public policy and messaging. I appreciate you considering your role and perspective in the messaging, and I'd encourage you to not be disheartened.
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Comment on What are your architectural hot takes? in ~design
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkFrank LLoyd Wright was the death of American Architecture. His buildings are defined by cheap, flimsy materials and overly stylized nonsense, rather than creating enduring spaces that people like...Frank LLoyd Wright was the death of American Architecture.
His buildings are defined by cheap, flimsy materials and overly stylized nonsense, rather than creating enduring spaces that people like to be in.
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Comment on Fix your hearts or die: The path to liberation for lonely men is feminism in ~life
TransFemmeWarmachine LinkI think this article falls immediately into a series of neoliberal fallacies. Specifically, it misunderstands the patriarchy in purely social, not economic terms, in addition to not reflecting on...I think this article falls immediately into a series of neoliberal fallacies. Specifically, it misunderstands the patriarchy in purely social, not economic terms, in addition to not reflecting on broader societal trends as a whole, and assuming an 'end of history' viewpoint. To that extent, its another worthless think piece that provides a dangerous and self congratulatory misunderstanding of a deep-rooted issue.
On a surface level, I fundamentally agree that adhering to a dogma of egalitarian and feminist philosophies is absolutely something that betters the lives and outcomes of men. However, given the economic environment that the modern person lives in, it's just not realistic to assume that these ideas will magically make everything better.
In my experience, the issue of male loneliness is rooted in the shifting social and economic roles for men, in addition to broad spectrum economic and social shifts.
- Economically, real wages have been down for decades. Courtship (and making new friends) requires at least some form disposable income and time commitment. With less disposable income and time, people can't afford to forge new relationships.
- Third Spaces are also in shorter supply. Between the Pandemic, and the 2007 recession, there are just fewer cheap places that young adults can exist in. Where are people supposed to meet people?
- Online spaces are increasingly dominated by influencers and bots, making it harder for people to meet online.
- Shifts in social dynamics, especially post Me-To lead people to avoid intimate relationships with people they work with. Previously, work and school was a common place people met their partners at. Between jobs being harder to get, people working from home, and an overzealous commitment to "safe working environment" has decreased people's accessibility for meeting other people in employment and school.
In this environment of drought, grifters and snake oil salesmen have built an entire industry on isolated men. The Manosphere is essentially a large scale grift engine built to farm off the desperation of men who have been economically and socially left behind in the digital revolution. They are sold a lie about Feminism ruining western culture, in order to get them to buy supplements and vote for right candidates.
Feminism by itself will not solve the problems of our day and age, because it simply isn't designed to. Feminism is designed to facilitate a more egalitarian world where men and women are treated equally. This is a wonderful thing, but fundamentally it can leave men and women to 'equally' suffer under hardship. The patriarchy is a tool of capital, and this article cannot be bothered to address that.
Additionally, this article is inherently problematic by assuming a sweeping, uninformed, universalist revision of gender dynamics. The article's feminist understanding casts women as victims pre-20th century feminism. This is entirely an uninformed position, for a variety of reasons. Culturally, and historically, there have been a wide array of gender dynamics, with Victorian gender dynamics being assumed to have been a cultural default. (i.e. the patriarchal structure 20th century feminism railed against.)
Most disturbingly, "Fix your Heart or Die" is uncomfortably on the nose when dealing with the uncomfortable pivot towards fascism in the United States. As Umberto Eco observes in Ur-Fascism, a cult of death is inherently part of a Fascist's belief structure. We seem to be getting to the point where people are queuing up to die for 'traditional values.'
The Manosphere has already made their decision: "Harden your heart and die." If we want to win hearts and minds, we'll have to try better than this.
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Comment on Living wage calculator in ~finance
TransFemmeWarmachine Link ParentFor Central Minnesota, I think that this tool is unrealistic. My area is known for it's low cost of living, and I think that this tool doesn't quite reflect that. At bare minimum, the wage...do you think their numbers for expenses are realistic for where you live?
For Central Minnesota, I think that this tool is unrealistic. My area is known for it's low cost of living, and I think that this tool doesn't quite reflect that.
At bare minimum, the wage calculations really aren't useful at all. The city minimum wage in Minneapolis and St. Paul is both ~16 USD /hour, well above the federal and state minimum wage. Since its sorted by county, technically these wouldn't apply to areas outside of city limits, but there is a significant spillover effect.
Additionally, housing and transport costs seem inflated. I think that there's a big difference between the luxury and non-luxury housing here, and it skews the mean pretty hard. For transportation, it really depends on if someone has a car payment. Since the metro has fairly reliable public transit, someone's transportation costs could be as low as 1k yearly for an unlimited transit pass.
Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely an affordability crisis, but in my experience, it's due to lack of opportunity and underemployment. There's definitely been an increased cost of living in my region, but the real issue is that wages haven't kept up, and jobs are hard to find. Maybe I'm just more privileged than most, and my experience is one of a DINK, so take my perspective with a grain of salt.
That's the opposite of what I'm saying.
I'm saying that people who are food insecure are not inclined to become vegan. Specifically, a person who is food insecure will be more inclined to getting non food insecure, rather than focusing on the content of the food.
Additionally, I'm saying that so many people are currently food insecure, and that the argument falls apart at scale.
Does that make sense?