canekicker's recent activity
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Comment on US strikes Venezuela and says its leader, Nicolas Maduro, has been captured and flown out of the country in ~society
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Comment on What video games would you say have the best stories? Feel free to suggest more than one. in ~games
canekicker (edited )Link ParentI've been a big proponent of "video games as art" and one of the biggest reasons is because player agency in games takes diegetic story telling to a whole new level. I think Outer Wilds is the...I've been a big proponent of "video games as art" and one of the biggest reasons is because player agency in games takes diegetic story telling to a whole new level. I think Outer Wilds is the best example of this and while yes, even when some games like TLOU can easily be translated into a TV show, the feeling that you get from unfolding the story of Outer Wilds and Gone Home is something that cannot be translated into film or text. It's something I wish everyone would get to experience.
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Comment on What video games would you say have the best stories? Feel free to suggest more than one. in ~games
canekicker (edited )LinkI'll throw out some big ones: Last of Us Part 1 - I read an interesting piece years ago about how the ending subverts the normal player/main character dynamic. It's stuck with me and really helped...- Exemplary
I'll throw out some big ones:
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Last of Us Part 1 - I read an interesting piece years ago about how the ending subverts the normal player/main character dynamic. It's stuck with me and really helped reshape my perspective as a player. I also thought Part 2 was quite good but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea.
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Clair Obscur : Expedition 33 - This video sums up my thoughts but what I loved was this was a "jrpg" that addressed adult themes in a way that actually felt mature
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Outer Wilds - beautiful game and beautiful story that sort of unfolds through environmental story telling
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Final Fantasy 6 - this is more nostalgic for me but I do remember being blown away by the grand story of the game as it was the first time I ever experienced a JRPG. I've gone back and reread the synopsis and it seems to hold up but I'm unsure how it feels while playing
Some "lesser" known games. Honestly, I'd argue that indie games tend to have better stories than most AAA games.
- Gone Home , Her Story, Kentucky Route Zero, and Florence- walking sims and interactive novels/films probably barely meet the requirements for "games" but these four really left an impact on me and are meaningful in their own ways. It's not a coincidence that 3 of the 4 were published by Annapurna
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Comment on What are some good stories told from non-human perspectives? in ~books
canekicker LinkI know this is an old post but surprised to not see Klara and The Sun mentioned. It's absolutely excellent and a beautiful reflection on human relationships and emotion. Definitely one of the...I know this is an old post but surprised to not see Klara and The Sun mentioned. It's absolutely excellent and a beautiful reflection on human relationships and emotion. Definitely one of the books that has stuck with me since I read it a few years ago.
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Comment on Let franchises end in ~movies
canekicker (edited )LinkI thought this was a good essay, particularly given the slow drip of Avengers: Doomsday teasers we'll all be inundated with over the next year. He also convinced me to read Aliens vs. Avengers...I thought this was a good essay, particularly given the slow drip of Avengers: Doomsday teasers we'll all be inundated with over the next year. He also convinced me to read Aliens vs. Avengers which is quite good and would be the second comic book recommendation from a video essay that I've enjoyed, the first being TMNT : The Last Ronin.
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Let franchises end
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Comment on USAID hired the right-wing influencer responsible for its decimation in ~society
canekicker LinkPaywall Bypass What an astoundingly stupid, racist, conspiratorial, and overall awful individual that is now par for the course for this administration. If you don't want to read the whole piece...What an astoundingly stupid, racist, conspiratorial, and overall awful individual that is now par for the course for this administration. If you don't want to read the whole piece (for the sake of your sanity), gems about Mike Benz, who is a rough looking 41 which is also on par for this administration, include his beliefs that:
Taylor Swift is a secret NATO asset and once wrote, under a pseudonym, “I want white identity politics to grow like wildfire.”.... “I don’t have any problem with White Nationalists; it’s just not me.”
His whole mission is to try to find evidence supporting his stupid beliefs
Benz’s mission, officials told me, is to use the agency’s archives to substantiate his own allegations about USAID’s pernicious influence in the world—its role in foreign regime change, its promotion of “state-sponsored hit pieces,” and its suppression of free speech....in Benz’s telling, the foremost threat to free expression is USAID and associated U.S. humanitarian missions cloaking plots against global right-wing movements.... Current and former USAID employees predicted that Benz’s research is going to come up short.
Like my god, what a bunch of fucking losers
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USAID hired the right-wing influencer responsible for its decimation
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Comment on Can you live a normal life in Cyberpunk 2077? in ~games
canekicker LinkFirst saw Any Austin's videos here and I think he's my favorite video game Youtuber/essayist out there. Splits the line between the absurdity of people like the McElroy Brothers or Brian David...First saw Any Austin's videos here and I think he's my favorite video game Youtuber/essayist out there. Splits the line between the absurdity of people like the McElroy Brothers or Brian David Gilbert and the more serious like Super Bunny Hop or Jacob Geller. To me, this is probably one of his best videos.
Bonus clip is this hour long interview he did with economist Tyler Cowen.
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Can you live a normal life in Cyberpunk 2077?
32 votes -
Comment on Longest government shutdown in US history ends after Donald Trump signs funding bill in ~society
canekicker Link ParentI think that's partly because the actions were focused on specific groups of people like government workers, academics, immigrants communities, LGBTQ people, etc. We were on the precipice of some...I don’t think pulling out the breaks and letting the republican party crash hard is gonna do anything though, cause we’ve been crashing pretty hard all year and all the conservatives still just blame the democrats
I think that's partly because the actions were focused on specific groups of people like government workers, academics, immigrants communities, LGBTQ people, etc. We were on the precipice of some truly disastrous consequences (may still be) including huge ACA premium increases, SNAP benefit cuts, and airport chaos during the busiest travel season. Those would have had a huge effect on large parts of the population. Would Conservatives still blame the Dems? Probably but sometimes going hungry and being unable to get your medication can be a sober reminder that voting for a bunch of fuckwads isn't a good idea.
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Comment on Longest government shutdown in US history ends after Donald Trump signs funding bill in ~society
canekicker Link ParentUnless something drastically changes, a blue wave seems fairly plausible. However I am extremely concerned about the Dem's ability to do anything. The obvious issue would be the Dem's ability to...Unless something drastically changes, a blue wave seems fairly plausible. However I am extremely concerned about the Dem's ability to do anything. The obvious issue would be the Dem's ability to steal defeat from the jaws of victory and their absolutely stupid messaging when things don't go their way.
More importantly, there are insane structural issues/head winds stopping the Dems from accomplishing anything. Trump will continue to use executive orders and I imagine Trump will use the veto like he uses Home Depot decorations. I imagine the courts, which Trump stacked in his first term (thanks 2016 voters!) will be utilized to halt any positive progress and as always, allow the administration to accomplish their goals before the courts decide what they're doing is illegal (if they even reach that conclusion ).
Then you have public expectation, people simply don't know how governance works and simply want results, and these days, have little patience as officials wade through the slog of governance. This is my fear for Mamdani and others promising big changes as failing to deliver quickly is a killer. Hell, at this point, I'd argue that getting good policy passed isn't even enough these days as negative partisanship is driving politics. This is kind of why I want the filibuster gone and the GOP to run wild, because it means people will remember the GOP's cruelty and maybe start understanding that as pathetic and incompetent the Dems are, the GOP are the fucking worst.
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Comment on Longest government shutdown in US history ends after Donald Trump signs funding bill in ~society
canekicker Link ParentI believe it's a simple procedural vote that requires a simple majority which can be done at any time. There have been calls to eliminate this for the longest time because the narrow margins of...I believe it's a simple procedural vote that requires a simple majority which can be done at any time. There have been calls to eliminate this for the longest time because the narrow margins of control in the Senate (and also the House) make passing legislation impossible.
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Comment on Longest government shutdown in US history ends after Donald Trump signs funding bill in ~society
canekicker Link ParentPersonally I feel getting rid of the filibuster isn't a bad thing because it removes one less excuse for the GOP. It's been incredibly clear that for the last 5 years, the GOP have demonstrated an...Republicans will probably kill the filibuster before then
Personally I feel getting rid of the filibuster isn't a bad thing because it removes one less excuse for the GOP. It's been incredibly clear that for the last 5 years, the GOP have demonstrated an unwillingness to govern, open cruelty to anyone who is not white, straight and male, a general disdain for the poor, and a mind boggling level of incompetence.. It's not as if the Dem's are stopping the GOP from putting into place popular policies that will benefit Americans nor does the filibuster stop the disgusting goals of this administration which are just executed via executive order and breaking norms. To me, force the GOP to try to govern. Force them to answer for their policies (or lack thereof). Force people to really understand the horrors that are in store if they continue to have power
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Comment on The shutdown of USAID has already killed hundreds of thousands in ~society
canekicker (edited )Link ParentThat's more generous than I'd say. I think they don't give a shit and the fact it's poor brown people makes it even harder to care. For all his insane faults, at least W cared and followed through...That's more generous than I'd say. I think they don't give a shit and the fact it's poor brown people makes it even harder to care. For all his insane faults, at least W cared and followed through with his compassionate Christian bullshit and provided foreign aid to a lot of these places but that whole wing of conservativism is dead and hated by MAGA
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Comment on The shutdown of USAID has already killed hundreds of thousands in ~society
canekicker LinkPaywall bypass. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. Watching Christian nationalists defend Trump and possibly influence this decision is baffling.The model is conservative, assuming, for example, that the State Department will fully sustain the programs that remain. As of November 5th, it estimated that U.S.A.I.D.’s dismantling has already caused the deaths of six hundred thousand people, two-thirds of them children.
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. Watching Christian nationalists defend Trump and possibly influence this decision is baffling.
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The shutdown of USAID has already killed hundreds of thousands
55 votes -
Comment on The goon squad. Loneliness, porn’s next frontier, and the dream of endless masturbation. in ~life
canekicker (edited )LinkI'm sure many of you have at least heard the term gooning but the complexity, history, and practices was completely unknown to me. Definitely stranger and not for everyone but regardless of...I'm sure many of you have at least heard the term gooning but the complexity, history, and practices was completely unknown to me. Definitely stranger and not for everyone but regardless of subject, I really enjoy it when prestige publications cover subcultures with the same seriousness they cover anything in the mainstream. Like with all niche online subcultures, I take the actual practices with a grain of salt (like are these people making shit up for this "normie" reporter? Is this like butt chugging or the knockout game? The author expresses their own concerns) but I there definitely seems some truth behind is being discussed here. I also find this comment towards the end quite poignant:
It’s true that gooners are masturbating while they engage in these behaviors. You could say that only makes them more honest.
Granted, day-in-the-life TikToks or unboxing videos won’t poison your soul to precisely the same degree as gooner porn. But it’s hard not to see goonerism as just an intensification, almost a burlesque, of prevailing cultural trends.
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The goon squad. Loneliness, porn’s next frontier, and the dream of endless masturbation.
108 votes -
Call of Duty: Ghosts – Power, paranoia, and orbital tungsten rods
22 votes
I think part of it is because they're going to try to use the flimsy SDNY indictment which means we're entering the show trial phase of authoritarianism. I don't think the DOJ bungles this because their whole case against Maduro is complete bullshit but once you violently remove a head of State, even one as shitty as Maduro, you can't really unshit that turd and the outcome is predetermined.
I can't remember who said it or if it was even said at all but this whole administration is obsessed with the aesthetics of strong governance. Dressing up in the airport for the appearance of civility. Not fat troops because Murica strong. Renaming cultural institutions because Trump is classy. The "situation room" they created to watch "Operation Absolute Resolve" (which is just incredibly dumb sounding) because they want that iconic killed Osama vibe. I mean it's even down to the personal aesthetic from their stupid hats to Mar-a-Lago face to the general 80s vibe that Trump and MAGA love.
To me, having Maduro stand trial to answer for his "crimes" in the US is another way for Trump to show his base and those easily convinced by podcast grifters and failed comedians that Trump is a big tough guy who doesn't like drug dealers.