canekicker's recent activity
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Comment on "I am Jesus Christ" and Other Games About Jews in ~games
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"I am Jesus Christ" and Other Games About Jews
6 votes -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
canekicker Link ParentYea I actually found the branching back stories to be great but it felt like all that good background was used to create tension between the main character and the alters. It's also another reason...Yea I actually found the branching back stories to be great but it felt like all that good background was used to create tension between the main character and the alters. It's also another reason why I turned down the difficulty as I hoped a lower difficulty would make it easier to maintain their moods and lead to more interesting conversations instead of constant bickering and conflict.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
canekicker LinkJust finished The Alters. Gameplay, to me, got really tedious and boring about 2/3rds of the way through. Combine that with some incredibly insufferable characters and I ended up first changing...Just finished The Alters. Gameplay, to me, got really tedious and boring about 2/3rds of the way through. Combine that with some incredibly insufferable characters and I ended up first changing the difficulty to easy and then using a trainer just to see how the game ends. Story and visuals are quite good but honestly, I wish I saved my money and played something else instead. And that something else will be Cairn.
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Comment on Zohran Mamdani reverses campaign promise to expand rental assistance in New York City in ~society
canekicker (edited )Link ParentDefinitely not dismissing the issues you bring up and I'm well aware that the same issues are echoed in the other countries I mentioned. I think the point I'm trying to make is that on top of the...Definitely not dismissing the issues you bring up and I'm well aware that the same issues are echoed in the other countries I mentioned. I think the point I'm trying to make is that on top of the seemingly ubiquitous issues faced across the world, the US has it's own brand of very US-specific cultural/political stupidity that adds a giant layer of shit on top of what's already an increasingly shitty human existence, yet a majority of people here think this is the best place in the world.
On top of lack of affordability, health care is inaccessible, higher education isn't as well subsidized, mass shootings are a weekly occurrence, there are no mandatory vacation days, a lack of federal requirement for paid mandatory maternity leave (let alone paternity leave), etc. I mean, in 1999, 40% of bankruptcy were due to medical debt. That number rose to 66% in 2023. No other country comes close to this and for most countries, bankruptcies due to medical debt probably isn't even a thing.
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Comment on Zohran Mamdani reverses campaign promise to expand rental assistance in New York City in ~society
canekicker (edited )Link ParentData suggest otherwise as NYC is losing retirees, likely due to high cost of living, rough weather in the winter, etc. That said, it's undeniable that NYC has a grip on the American psyche. It is...This seems like a cycle-of-life sort of thing; after retiring you don’t need to worry about commutes anymore.
Data suggest otherwise as NYC is losing retirees, likely due to high cost of living, rough weather in the winter, etc.
That said, it's undeniable that NYC has a grip on the American psyche. It is arguably our "greatest" city in terms of culture and without question, the most important city in terms of economics with a GDP larger than countries like Brazil. So yea, I get it, people want to be there for a host of reasons, including ones of unearned means like nepo babies/trust fund kinds, both foreign and domestic.
My constant argument against NYC isn't purely about NYC but that it's the most pure distillation of all of America's problems. Sure, if you're making 500k a year, you're probably fine but when over 2 out of 3 people lease, the average rent in some boroughs is 2x what is recommended for the median income, when 500k people spend half their income on rent, and when 1.4% of apartment in all of NYC were available for rent in 2023, there is something far more than a shift in life style and more symptomatic of a long standing issue, I mean NYC just got rid of the absolutely bat shit brokers fees when it comes to renting. It's a nation wide affordability crisis that is arguably worse due to the culture, policies, and industries of NYC.
To me, everything "great" about NYC is built on low and middle income workers, specifically service/hospitality workers and those in the arts. Throw in people who maintain the bike lanes, metro lines, and sidewalks that make the city more accessible. These people are leaving. Same goes for families NYC.
People often see NYC in the context of other American cities, rather than the context of great cities across the industrialized world. If America truly is the greatest country in the world (I'd argue against that) then why does our "greatest" city feel so much worse for normal ass people than the greatest cities of "lesser" industrialized countries like France, Japan, South Korea, Spain, etc.
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Comment on Zohran Mamdani reverses campaign promise to expand rental assistance in New York City in ~society
canekicker Link17 billion divided by 60 months divided by 47k comes out to 6k per month per eligible household. Jesus fucking christ. I'm a fan of Mamdani and the DSA ( a party I've basically aligned with since...If the program were to be fully expanded, some 47,000 households would become newly eligible annually, potentially adding $17 billion in costs to the city over five years
17 billion divided by 60 months divided by 47k comes out to 6k per month per eligible household. Jesus fucking christ. I'm a fan of Mamdani and the DSA ( a party I've basically aligned with since college ) but man this seems like such a predictable outcome once they tried to implement their loftier policy goals. For all coverage about NYC on the right as some sort of leftist haven, the reality remains that it's still a dystopian capitalist nightmare controlled by the ultra wealthy and private interests.
Hopefully Mamdani figures it out and gets some significant, lasting wins because a thriving, improving NYC for normal ass people will go a long way to selling people on a more equitable future more in-line with what we see in actual democratic socialist countries or even democracies with stronger social safety nets.
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
canekicker Link ParentAs 404 media stated, The Washington Post is No Longer Useful to Jeff Bezos. This fucking chud's networth is up 2.4 billion over last year and like so many of his billionaire pedo adjacent friends,...As 404 media stated, The Washington Post is No Longer Useful to Jeff Bezos. This fucking chud's networth is up 2.4 billion over last year and like so many of his billionaire pedo adjacent friends, they can't stomach the idea of something operating in service of the public good but instead need to extract wealth wherever possible.
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
canekicker (edited )Link ParentAgreed. Even the Youtubers I do enjoy often rely on traditional journalism as sources. To me, they're more meta-analysis or explainers in the mold of "Last Week Tonight" versus investigative...I don't think YouTubers are in any way a replacement. It's not like they have foreign bureaus.
Agreed. Even the Youtubers I do enjoy often rely on traditional journalism as sources. To me, they're more meta-analysis or explainers in the mold of "Last Week Tonight" versus investigative journalism coming out of ProPublica. The loss of WaPo, even in the rough shape it was in following the buy out is extremely disturbing.
Post-truth zealots, particularly on the right, have won. AI slop is becoming extremely good and favorite tool of this lying administration. Cheap click bait "news" is free and good news is paywalled. Short form clips of loser comedians and tech podcast bros are the Cronkite's of the vertical video era that's cooking our attention span.
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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
canekicker (edited )Link ParentI 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...I'm surprised they're bringing Maduro to the US for a domestic trial
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.
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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 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
11 votes -
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
9 votes -
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 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.
These indie games, especially Station to Station, seem right up my alley in terms of how introduce culture or religion. It's like going to a cultural center versus attending a religious service.
I'm also of an age where I remember these goofy ass Wisdom Tree games and I'm fairly sure I've played a few of them. They're genuinely terrible and very much in the "you're not making Christianity better, you're making Rock and Roll (or games in this case) worse" mold. I can't speak to Judaism but the parallel culture that Christianity tried to make in the 90s and 00s (which has been revealed to be worse that previously thought) was incredibly bizarre and now making a comeback despite having similar awful views