Wolf_359's recent activity
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Comment on China population set for 51 million drop as pro-birth moves fail in ~society
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Comment on China population set for 51 million drop as pro-birth moves fail in ~society
Wolf_359 (edited )Link ParentI have personally always felt that these things are the driving factors behind the plummeting birth rate worldwide. However, I've read some great arguments against it too. The best one I've heard...I have personally always felt that these things are the driving factors behind the plummeting birth rate worldwide.
However, I've read some great arguments against it too.
The best one I've heard recently was one I initially thought was stupid but then made sense after some time to consider.
The idea is basically that kids used to be a status symbol. You climbed the societal ladder my having them and raising them right.
Now, kids are seen as having no effect on your social status at best, and in some instances may even lower your social status.
I have a lot of hypotheses on why this could be happening.
Social media: You hop on insta and the message you'll see portrayed over and over is that people without children are living their best life. Kayaking, traveling, drinking, and spending money.
Climate change: A lot of people just think it's genuinely selfish to have children in today's world. Maybe it makes you look selfish and lowers your social status if you have children.
Change in societal structure: Lack of third places, increased emphasis on individuality, lack of access to the proverbial "village" that it takes to raise a child.
There are more but these seem likely to me as possible contributors.
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Comment on Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains - Election Song (2005) in ~music
Wolf_359 LinkIf anyone thought this was cool, the full album is here. It's a raw and powerful album from a homeless, drug-addicted teenager. The lyrics are cynical, nihilistic, and full of pain. There was a...If anyone thought this was cool, the full album is here.
It's a raw and powerful album from a homeless, drug-addicted teenager. The lyrics are cynical, nihilistic, and full of pain.
There was a time in my life when this album made complete sense to me and I could take it at face value. Now, after getting clean from opiates and growing into a functioning adult, it's more metaphorical than literal to me.
I listen to it when life gets tough as a way to vent my frustrations and remind myself that I'm not alone in having moments where I feel confused by existence and angry about the human condition.
If you do decide to check out the album, his most popular song is New Mexico Song. Very haunting and nostalgic.
If the world isn't that simple
Maybe this town is at least
And if I'm not marching with them to war,
I'm sure not marching with you for peace.My favorite on the album is probably the song Untitled. Another haunting song in my opinion.
Today the dropouts were smarter than the PhDs
As they took off with everyone's cars without the keys
Today I bled failure all the way into the sky
And I grin hopelessly
As I sit down to die -
Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains - Election Song (2005)
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Comment on Follow up on the username thread: What Tildes users do you recognize when browsing and, without being rude or inflammatory, what is your impression of them? in ~tildes
Wolf_359 Link ParentI was procrastinating some work I had to do, so I had all the motivation in the world to give an in-depth response and milk the topic for all it was worth. But also, being a contrarian (or a...I was procrastinating some work I had to do, so I had all the motivation in the world to give an in-depth response and milk the topic for all it was worth.
But also, being a contrarian (or a Devil's advocate, as I mentioned), is the sweet nectar of participating in an online community.
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Comment on Follow up on the username thread: What Tildes users do you recognize when browsing and, without being rude or inflammatory, what is your impression of them? in ~tildes
Wolf_359 (edited )Link Parent@DefinitelyNotAFae is probably right that it's not in the spirit of this thread but I wanted to respond anyway. On one hand, you make a good point. The internet brings out the contrarian in all of...@DefinitelyNotAFae is probably right that it's not in the spirit of this thread but I wanted to respond anyway.
On one hand, you make a good point. The internet brings out the contrarian in all of us to some extent. There are obvious downsides to this. Big ones. You're also right that a lot of people defend the status quo and they often do so for issues that are a real problem.
On the other hand - wait, am I being a contrarian right now? Ah well. On the other hand, one man's contrarian is another man's devil's advocate, which is an important component in any productive discussion. At the very least, opposing views force us to consider our positions more deeply. Sometimes they strengthen our beliefs, while other times opposition can change our entire worldview. It may not always happen in an instant while you are debating somebody online. However, I have often found that days or even years later, I will come to understand something that was once said to me which I did not agree with or understand at the time.
As for defending the status quo, sometimes the status quo is the best we have come up with. This is obviously not true for everything - what's normal at any given time can often be quite appalling.
There is another part of this issue that I think is worth noting. I think that defending the status quo kind of goes hand in hand with playing devil's advocate (or even being contrarian at times). When people hear ideas that go against the status quo, I think the first instinct is to start explaining why things currently are the way they are and then trying to poke holes in alternative suggestions. This can be counterproductive, sure, but it can also be a very important step in the process of testing whether or not these alternative solutions will actually be better than what we have now.
Here is a very easy example from my own life. I'm not trying to start a discussion on this, but it's the one big change I've had lately that comes to mind.
The current status quo for student loans is disgusting. When people, including myself, suggest that we should make major changes up to and including forgiving student debt, I think it is a natural response to start asking about the consequences of taking this avenue and asking pointed questions about how we got here in the first place.
I am a very progressive person with a lot of student loan debt. I used to think that the government should just pay for college outright. It was my very conservative uncle who played devil's advocate and changed my view a bit. I still think we need to have debt forgiveness, but I no longer think the government should pay for college. My uncle successfully argued that government funding for loans, which was arguably more or less unlimited, is what got us here in the first place when colleges realized they could ask for pretty much any amount of money. The first colleges to do this started building extravagance buildings and adding luxury amenities. They attracted a ton of students and forced the other colleges to do the same thing in order to compete for students AKA customers.
Anyway, I digress. I guess my point is that it's really important for people to defend the status quo and take the devil's advocate position in order to weed out bad ideas. As I've gotten older, I've realized that slow and stable progress is kind of inherent to a free and fair democracy. You have to convince people to want change and unfortunately it's really hard. The alternative to this is a system in which good people with good ideas can make rapid and sweeping changes, which sounds really good until you realize that the power to do this will inevitably end up in the wrong hands at some point. Case in point: both of America's political parties have been giving more and more power to the executive branch for decades. They do this when they are in power because they want to make rapid and sweeping changes. We are now in a position where someone who I personally believe to be wildly irresponsible and completely undeserving of power has a lot of it. Both parties are to blame for this to some extent since both pushed to make changes before there was an actual majority consensus among citizens. The reactions are intense and the pendulum just swings further in response when the tides change.
This was much longer than I intended it to be, so I'll stop there. I hope I got my point across.
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Comment on Unplugging from comedy shows, by Rosstin316. A Reddit post analysis. in ~society
Wolf_359 (edited )Link ParentI think if you're not in the US it might be hard to understand. Donald Trump is proud to be cruel, gross, and selfish. Even if you don't think he will do all of the things he says he will do, and...I think if you're not in the US it might be hard to understand.
Donald Trump is proud to be cruel, gross, and selfish.
Even if you don't think he will do all of the things he says he will do, and even if you personally are not afraid of the people he is putting in charge, there is another element that feels very ominous.
Namely, watching the people around you, including your family, neighbors, and friends start supporting a man who is shameless about being a really shitty person. These people who you loved and respected, who you trusted to babysit your kids or who babysat you when you were younger, they are putting angry and hateful signs in their yard and walking around with red hats on.
They start spewing venom anytime somebody mentions the words "liberal," "gay," "democrat," etc. It's scary no matter what, but it's even more unsettling If one of their trigger words is something that describes you personally.
Yesterday, a Trumper told me that Democrats need to step aside and say, "Yes sir, thank you sir," while the Republicans fix the country. That's pretty fucking frightening to hear from a person I know in real life.
At the school where I teach, the middle schoolers were in the cafeteria chanting, "TRUMP, TRUMP, TRUMP!" in unison. This kind of relationship with politics is not healthy and the fact that it's happening with middle schoolers should be concerning to anyone. Middle schoolers don't give a shit about politics when things are going well. Trust me on that, I'm with them every day.
On good days, I feel that these people are misinformed victims of propaganda campaigns. I see them as vulnerable and in need of support. I see how the Democrats failed to reach them and allowed them to be taken in by wolves and sheep's clothing.
On bad days, I see hateful stupidity and doubt that humankind will ever move on from our violent and selfish urges. I feel lonely like only 30 to 50% of people have empathy and critical thinking skills. I wonder if perhaps this nastiness existed in them all along and all they needed was permission to let it out.
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Follow up on the username thread: What Tildes users do you recognize when browsing and, without being rude or inflammatory, what is your impression of them?
It only now just occurred to me after reading the username thread that people actually recognize each other on Tildes by username. I certainly recognize a few of the "big" usernames but otherwise...
It only now just occurred to me after reading the username thread that people actually recognize each other on Tildes by username. I certainly recognize a few of the "big" usernames but otherwise I kind of have username blindness. I was absolutely shocked to see someone tag me and more shocked to see that someone remembered even a single thing I had ever posted.
I'll start:
@cfabbro is pretty on top of things around here. Super knowledgeable about various topics and a stickler for the rules in a really positive way that demonstrates their love for the community and their desire to keep it special. One of the most important Tilderinos (or Tildos, which is my personal favorite that someone suggested a while back). Thanks for all that you do, and if you're the one who has to go though and fix my god-awful tags then a double thanks and a sincere apology.
@boxer_dogs_dance, like cfabbro has a very wide range of interests and is quick to share interesting tidbits of information that a lot of people may not know. I think I have disagreed cordially with boxerdogs a few times maybe? But I have a good impression of them overall.
@deimos is a bit like God, which I think works on multiple levels. The highest power, behind-the-scenes, hard to prove his existence. I have a conspiracy theory that he uses alt accounts to participate anonymously, which I think would be a really smart thing to do. Joking aside, I think Tildes' resiliency and ability to maintain its small town vibe while being quite large is due mostly to his political/philosophical genius. The guiding principles for this site and moderation style have made this a pretty awesome place to be. Case in point: The few times I saw people complain about Tildes' moderation on other websites, I was able to immediately see why that person wasn't a good fit here. They were people who didn't even understand that they were being antisocial or were playing coy when they knew exactly what they were doing. Keeping Tildes more or less free of that stuff is one of the greatest internet achievements I've ever seen.
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Comment on OpenAI, Google and Anthropic are struggling to build more advanced AI in ~tech
Wolf_359 Link ParentOh man... if that intrigues you, you should really take a dive into this: The Split Brain Experiments That video is a very short and simple introduction to one of the most insane rabbit holes I've...Oh man... if that intrigues you, you should really take a dive into this:
That video is a very short and simple introduction to one of the most insane rabbit holes I've ever explored.
After reading/watching about 25 different articles/videos on that topic, I ended up reading a book called The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes. It's purely speculative but goddamn if it didn't blow my mind and open up a million questions about consciousness that I had never even considered.
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
Wolf_359 Link ParentYes! And it's incredible! By far my favorite piece of media ever. It's a thriller, sci-fi, dramedy, and comfort show all in one. They strike a balance I've never encountered before. One thing to...Yes! And it's incredible! By far my favorite piece of media ever. It's a thriller, sci-fi, dramedy, and comfort show all in one. They strike a balance I've never encountered before.
One thing to note going in, most people agree that the inciting incident happens in episode 10. The first bunch of episodes are really short, like only a few minutes long, so it's not a slog to get there or anything.
I only tell you because when I first listened, I was really enjoying it but was kind of wondering where it was headed. Similarly, my friend who listened said that episode 10 was where he went from, "this is fun" to "holy shit I stayed up until 1am on a work night because I had to hear what was going to happen next."
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
Wolf_359 Link ParentI'm still here! My username comes from a podcast about a crew aboard a space station orbiting the red dwarf star Wolf 359. Favorite podcast and I also just love space, so it was an easy choice. I...I'm still here!
My username comes from a podcast about a crew aboard a space station orbiting the red dwarf star Wolf 359.
Favorite podcast and I also just love space, so it was an easy choice.
I hope it represents my base values and I hope they're good values :)
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Comment on OpenAI, Google and Anthropic are struggling to build more advanced AI in ~tech
Wolf_359 (edited )Link ParentI think we are discovering that consciousness is exactly as complicated as we thought it was (before LLMs maybe gave some people false hope). The thing is, I don't think they're off base on...I think we are discovering that consciousness is exactly as complicated as we thought it was (before LLMs maybe gave some people false hope).
The thing is, I don't think they're off base on thinking this is a step toward GAI or a fully sapient machine.
Instead, an LLM is probably just one of the many components that will be required to create this artificial mind, much like our own brains have multiple different parts with distinct functions which only coalesce into consciousness when they are able to communicate and interact with one another.
Audio/visual sensors, access to a calculator, access to memory, some form of LLM, and probably a hundred other components we haven't figured out yet may very well create consciousness someday.
Edit: Just realized I forgot to add that I actually think our brains have LLM-like components in them already. If you really examine a lot of the autopilot conversations you have, you might come to the same conclusion. Now, our personal observations with regard to consciousness could be absolutely meaningless. It's possible that the best case scenario is that we can't escape our own biases and poor interpretations. It's hard to be objective about subjective experiences and our memories are notoriously unreliable on top of that. But worst case? Consciousness could literally just be an illusion and we may not be able to reflect on it at all.
Anyway, the fact that I have ADHD might be relevant here. I process information incredibly quickly and often respond on autopilot - usually to my own detriment, lol.
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Comment on If our worst fears about Donald Trump play out, how will we know when it's time to leave? in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentThis was definitely more what I was asking. I have a perfect 1-year-old son at home. Before him, I would probably have a more courageous stance, but with him in this world, everything is...This was definitely more what I was asking.
I have a perfect 1-year-old son at home. Before him, I would probably have a more courageous stance, but with him in this world, everything is different. I'm certainly not feeding him to a war machine, but I'm also not going to let him grow up without a father. I grew up with a drug-addicted father who abandoned us when I was young and it was a huge struggle that has defined my identity for better and worse. The one thing I will never ever do in this life is abandon him. No moral ideal or political philosophy will ever change that.
I think there is a huge chance that the US gets through this just fine with our economy and democracy more or less intact. If that's the case, if we will live to fight another day, then obviously I'm not jumping for the chance to uproot my life, my finances, my career progression, etc. However, if it is going to start trending in that direction, I just want to set myself a boundary. I want to know when I should know. I want a clear line where I can say, "This is going to be the worst case scenario and I need to get my son out of here by any means necessary as soon as possible."
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If our worst fears about Donald Trump play out, how will we know when it's time to leave?
Like I did last time Trump was in office, I've been reading up on authoritarianism and fascism. Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder They Thought They were Free by Milton Mayer...
Like I did last time Trump was in office, I've been reading up on authoritarianism and fascism.
Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
They Thought They were Free by Milton MayerAnd if you want a hot take from someone who argues that Trump himself is not a fascist but rather something worse, here is a great video from Morbid Zoo. Note: the main argument in this video begins at about 11:30. The lead up is responding to criticisms of her first video on the topic and laying some groundwork for her argument. You'll be fine to start at 11:30.
I wonder still if there is enough fight left in this country to resist him. I wonder if Trumpism will fizzle out upon his death or when he leaves office in four years. I wonder if America's institutions are strong enough, its people just smart enough, to not go that route. I suppose I'm feeling anxiety because I would like to, here and now before I become accustomed to another "new normal," set my boundaries on when there is no going back. I don't want to look back and say that I missed the obvious moment and I should have known. I want to be ready and keep my wife and son safe.
My question is this:
Where is your uncrossable line? What would Trump and crew have to do before you decided to leave by any means with no concern for your debts, possessions, etc.? Or, if the frog is boiled more gradually, when would you start seriously making preparations?
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Satisfactory tips and tricks?
I'm completely hooked on this game. My buddy and I have been sneaking in some Satisfactory at night when our families are in bed. If it makes it funnier, you can picture it like a secret love...
I'm completely hooked on this game.
My buddy and I have been sneaking in some Satisfactory at night when our families are in bed. If it makes it funnier, you can picture it like a secret love affair. Late night messages, slipping in and out bed trying not to wake the wives, and mid-day texts about our big plans (with our factories). Friends, I literally play this game in my head when I'm not able to play for real. And it's just as good since most of it based around planning.
Anyway, I'm surprised by the depth. A lot of it is intentional while a lot of the rest is the natural result of players kind of hacking the build mode to do things you can't normally do such as curves and 1 meter vertical conveyers.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for this game?
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Comment on ADHD and TODO lists in ~health.mental
Wolf_359 (edited )LinkOh, I solved this one years ago! Also have ADHD btw. I keep two to-do lists. I have a mid-to-long term to-do list where I throw stuff like "paint living room." It can get done when it gets done...Oh, I solved this one years ago! Also have ADHD btw.
I keep two to-do lists.
I have a mid-to-long term to-do list where I throw stuff like "paint living room." It can get done when it gets done but I should probably do it at some point. This list is a piece of notebook paper that hangs on my fridge.
My other list is the daily list, which I make new every day. I first put tasks in chronological order if possible, and then in order of priority if a definite timeline isn't possible.
I know the stuff at the bottom is my extra "if I have time stuff." I know it doesn't get done a lot of days. So at the end of every day, I sort what's left into three categories:
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Not going to get done. Wasn't that important in the first place.
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Needs to be moved to tomorrow to-do list.
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Moved to the long-term to-do list.
When I make my daily list, if I find that I have a light day ahead of me, I will pick up one of my mid-to-long term tasks.
Especially if I have a couple of light days, I'll make deals with myself. Like, I can brainrot and play video games Sunday afternoon as long as I paint the living room Saturday. That usually works. If it doesn't, I follow through and paint on Sunday, denying myself the reward or hurrying so I can maybe still sneak it in.
Edit: Should add that I'm medicated now, but this method worked during a 7+ year break I took from ADHD meds.
Most of the coping skills I developed were during the unmedicated period. ADHD is all about creating systems that don't rely on memory or motivation.
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Comment on Mouthwashing | Launch trailer in ~games
Wolf_359 Link ParentIt's a trend. It won't go away but I imagine it will peak soon and then fade a bit, as all trends do. I think it's more interesting to ask why they're popular. I like these kinds of games, so I...It's a trend. It won't go away but I imagine it will peak soon and then fade a bit, as all trends do.
I think it's more interesting to ask why they're popular. I like these kinds of games, so I think I can shed some light:
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Nostalgia for a warmer, simpler time: The 90s were awesome and more hopeful. These games bring me back to my aunt's basement where my cousins and I would play PlayStation 1 for hours upon hours. I had never heard of climate change, racism had been "solved," and war was going out of fashion. I get to go back to these games and get some of that feeling back without having to deal with the terrible controls and 1-dimensional stories that existed in actual vintage games.
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The rise of Indie development: Graphics are a major resource drain. Indie studios are filling a gaping hole where AAA studios are failing. It's much easier for indie devs to make these types of games and focus on things like story and game mechanics when they aren't aiming for photorealism. It also makes these games "future proof." Try playing a game from 2007 that, at the time, was going for realistic graphics. They're genuinely hard to look at. Meanwhile, Mario 64 holds up just fine because the art style is timeless and can't be "beat" by better hardware.
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It's a response to the focus on graphical realism that I just mentioned. AAA studios are focusing on graphics at the expense of other things. People have responded loud and clear to this issue. Realistic graphics are only important in some games, and they are never more important than making your game fun to play. Gamers have shown that they would rather play a fun game with Atari graphics than a boring game with cutting edge realism.
Not that one is better than the other. I find realistic graphics to be very immersive and they're a huge bonus to a good game. But the focus on retro and vintage aesthetics didn't pop up for no reason. People are enjoying it.
Not sure about the horror aspect. I'm not an especially big fan of horror, especially body horror. But I can enjoy the masterpieces of any genre. I suppose a sociologist could probably share insightful commentary on the resurgence of horror lately.
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Comment on Looking for DRM-free book recommendations in ~books
Wolf_359 LinkLibro.fm is the biggest source I know of. You buy the MP3 and/or Wav file and it's all yours forever. I feel silly mentioning it because I assume anyone who knows of the more niche offerings would...Libro.fm is the biggest source I know of.
You buy the MP3 and/or Wav file and it's all yours forever.
I feel silly mentioning it because I assume anyone who knows of the more niche offerings would definitely know of Libro. But just in case.
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Comment on My Leopold FC900R broke - Recommendation request in ~tech
Wolf_359 LinkI just bought this and it's the best purchase I've ever made. I have a cat gif on the little screen. I love the volume controls. And my God, the "chonky buttery" sound is to die for. I had a much...I just bought this and it's the best purchase I've ever made.
I have a cat gif on the little screen. I love the volume controls. And my God, the "chonky buttery" sound is to die for.
I had a much clickier/clackier mechanical keyboard prior to this one and I thought I loved it. This one is so much better that I just find myself wanting to type something on it all the time.
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
Wolf_359 (edited )LinkObviously I blame the right wing propaganda machine. I blame ignorant and uninformed voters. I blame Trump. I blame every coward and opportunist who enabled him. I feel hatred for all of them. But...- Exemplary
Obviously I blame the right wing propaganda machine. I blame ignorant and uninformed voters. I blame Trump. I blame every coward and opportunist who enabled him. I feel hatred for all of them.
But today, I'm taking a moment to reflect on where the Democrats could have done better. I'm reflecting on conversations I've had with every Trumper I know personally. Here is what I've come up with:
We messed up. We built our movement on fighting oppression but ignored one majorly oppressed group. For decades now, we have let our kind and empathetic hearts bleed on the floor for people of color, people with different sexual and gender orientations, for addicts (I'm one), for immigrants, and for every other minority group. They got scholarships, they got support, we made it completely unacceptable to insult them or use derogatory words about them.
But all that time we - myself included - had pretty much zero reservations about calling someone a dumb hillbilly. We preached about complex and nuanced topics like white privilege to people whose white privilege was not making their lives any easier. We mocked them, we looked down on them, and we were disgusted by their ignorance and lack of education.
When Americans from urban areas commit crimes and join gangs, we are always quick to rattle off statistics and outline the systemic inequalities creating these outcomes. When rural Americans are undereducated and fall victim to conspiracy theories, we blame them personally. We don't talk about the systemic issues that lead them there. Instead, we leave them to be led astray by wolves dressed like sheep. When those wolves gut education and perpetuate rural poverty, we blame the victims and judge them harshly. Then we are surprised to find that they don't like us.
There are a lot of words you (rightfully) can't say out in the open anymore, but redneck, hillbilly, toothless, and even insults like cousin fucker never made that list. Throwing around the word "racist" is pretty much consequence-free, despite the fact that it's a really serious and hurtful allegation.
When I look back, it's hard to imagine a bigger middle finger to working class people than Hillary Clinton. Do I think she would have been better for them than Trump in the long-term? Absolutely. But seeing that requires one to understand nuance and think about the big picture in complex and abstract ways. Close your mind a bit and just look at the issue on its face. The optics and the social implications of ramming Clinton through will haunt us for a long time. Even as a liberal Democrat, I find Clinton's run pretty insulting when I really consider it.
Perhaps if we had embraced the working class whites 20 years ago, things would be different today. Perhaps we could have working and lower class folks of all backgrounds voting for abortion rights, women's rights, labor rights, and gay rights. Maybe they would be our most loyal allies. But instead, we abandoned them and let the wolves pretend to be their friends. To be clear, it doesn't absolve them of blame when Trump inevitably does all the awful things he said he will do - but maybe we could have taken the systemic view and tried to bring these folks into the fold without putting them down.
I'm coming to realize that America is largely made up of these people, and they are absolutely fucking pissed. A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. We haven't been listening. This is our reckoning.
Yeah, this actually makes a TON of sense.
There was NY Times episode of the Daily recently that talked about the increased expectations placed on parents today and how they may actually be damaging to children and parents. They talked about this pressure to always keep kids busy and engaged 24/7 with enrichment activities. They mentioned how children aren't even allowed to be bored anymore without parents feeling like utter failures.
I know your comment goes much deeper than this and I think your point about money and labor is probably one of the more important factors at play. But I think this kind of goes hand in hand with what you're saying about how children are essentially a resource sink compared to how we used to view them.