clem's recent activity
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Comment on What possession(s) do you have that continue to delight you every time? in ~talk
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Comment on A new rallying cry for the irony-poisoned right. It took less than twenty-four hours after Trump’s re-election for young men to take up a slogan that could define the coming era of gendered regression in ~society
clem Link ParentYikes, I never saw that! I use old.reddit.com, so images don't load for me. If they ever force that new layout on me, I will leave. Sorry 'bout that! Just changed the link to my version of Reddit.Yikes, I never saw that! I use old.reddit.com, so images don't load for me. If they ever force that new layout on me, I will leave. Sorry 'bout that! Just changed the link to my version of Reddit.
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Comment on A new rallying cry for the irony-poisoned right. It took less than twenty-four hours after Trump’s re-election for young men to take up a slogan that could define the coming era of gendered regression in ~society
clem Link ParentMe, too! My thoughts have not been remotely sober. I am terrified. I hope that cooler heads prevail.Me, too! My thoughts have not been remotely sober. I am terrified. I hope that cooler heads prevail.
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Comment on A new rallying cry for the irony-poisoned right. It took less than twenty-four hours after Trump’s re-election for young men to take up a slogan that could define the coming era of gendered regression in ~society
clem (edited )Link ParentAgreed. I made my point badly, if I even had one; the reason I was interested in reading this article was because I'd seen this "Your body, my choice" story before and I'd wondered how much was...Agreed. I made my point badly, if I even had one; the reason I was interested in reading this article was because I'd seen this "Your body, my choice" story before and I'd wondered how much was actual people echoing this and how much was bot activity amplifying some people who chose to seek attention by being disgusting. Although I'd like more rigorous research on it, the article still convinced me that too many people think this way.
I've been wanting to be extra careful about stuff like this especially recently after I saw a reddit post totally misinterpreting what "the left" as a collective is for. I've been thinking about how liberals are supposedly for "defunding the police" and the "great transworld" as in that absurd post I just shared and thinking about how both sides amplify the loudest people on their rivals' side. I want to be careful about doing this. I want to know that the things that shape my opinions are based on reality. It's hard to do that. There's so much noise.
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Comment on A new rallying cry for the irony-poisoned right. It took less than twenty-four hours after Trump’s re-election for young men to take up a slogan that could define the coming era of gendered regression in ~society
clem LinkI wish the article said more about the author's research into the topic. Most of the references are vague, like "Right-wing men are compiling these tearful videos into supercuts. People on the...I wish the article said more about the author's research into the topic. Most of the references are vague, like "Right-wing men are compiling these tearful videos into supercuts. People on the left are posting vengeful rape fantasies involving Fuentes."
I did appreciate this bit: "The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focussed [sic] on extremism, found, within a twenty-four-hour period, a '4,600% increase in mentions of the terms ‘your body, my choice’ and ‘get back in the kitchen’ on X'." This does a lot to convince me that this is a significant problem among a large group of people, even if most of that 4,600% increase was from bots.
I like to think that most men don't actually think this way, but with that much of that disgusting noise, I can't help but agree with the author's conclusion here: "On the one hand, we should be wary of reducing the world to what people are posting on social media. On the other hand, posting now creates political reality." How much of this poison is seeping into our culture? Is this what it's always been for some men to 'be men', and it's just now coming out? I don't get it. But I haven't stopped feeling disgusted since November 6th.
The only things that have been reassuring me are posts from Heather Cox Richardson like this one with reminders that the country's institutions are at least slowing Trump down and potentially standing in his way.
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
clem Link ParentThanks, I don't know where that came from, just stream-of-consciousness I guess. But it worked, I pulled myself together and got some work done. Not as much as I should've, but I think that's...Thanks, I don't know where that came from, just stream-of-consciousness I guess. But it worked, I pulled myself together and got some work done. Not as much as I should've, but I think that's acceptable today!
Feeling a little better just thinking about the average voter. They're not voting for the next Hitler/someone who wants to destroy the country, they just think their situation was better under Trump (I don't know how, but whatever) and I guess believed him when he said he knew nothing about Project 2025. And they will resist if he truly goes over the top.
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
clem LinkFeeling some serious despair today. I actually managed to sleep last night because I was so tired, but when I woke up too early, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until I checked the results, and...Feeling some serious despair today. I actually managed to sleep last night because I was so tired, but when I woke up too early, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until I checked the results, and then of course I couldn't sleep any more after that. I started rotating between different issues and problems this will cause the country and the world, each time just feeling more and more despair. And then I turned to the environment--the issue that was pretty much ignored throughout all of the campaigning yet the one that is actually most important--and again predicted destruction and felt even worse.
Part of me is glad that we have a clear picture of what the U.S. wants. "America has," indeed, given "an unprecedented and powerful mandate." I'm terrified of what that means. Trump and company and their plans are seriously insane. I take some solace in the hope that I'm wrong. And I didn't tell my 7 year-old son this morning about the result, and he was happy as ever, starting to read a Captain Underpants book. I'll do my best to shelter him from this despair and just hope that he barely notices. I'm also comforted to be a white, straight dude. But I don't only care about myself, so that isn't a whole lot of comfort. Plus it doesn't take long to realize I'm not a normal white, straight dude.
Here's hoping that I can stop feeling this doom and get some work done today. I work from home, alone, and talk to no one all day. It's a kind of depressing lifestyle on a normal day, but worse today. But as usual I'll pull up my emotional bootstraps and get through the day. Good luck to the rest of you trying to do the same.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of November 4 in ~society
clem Link ParentFor sure, "the internet" as a whole knows an awful lot about me, and has a pretty good idea of who I voted for. But my anxiety isn't that intelligent and is overly dramatic. Luckily it was smooth...For sure, "the internet" as a whole knows an awful lot about me, and has a pretty good idea of who I voted for. But my anxiety isn't that intelligent and is overly dramatic.
Luckily it was smooth sailing for my vote this morning. Let's hope the rest of the country does the same.
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Comment on I am missing a neutral way to flag low-effort or potentially spammy posts in ~tildes
clem Link ParentYeah, of course, though I don't comment all that often, so from your perspective it might seem like I'm only voting because there are comments. Very odd that you'd see behavior different from that!Yeah, of course, though I don't comment all that often, so from your perspective it might seem like I'm only voting because there are comments. Very odd that you'd see behavior different from that!
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of November 4 in ~society
clem Link ParentVery anxious. I made the mistake of reading an article about what the "stand back and stand by" boys are talking about, and that has made me imagine all sorts of situations that probably won't...Very anxious. I made the mistake of reading an article about what the "stand back and stand by" boys are talking about, and that has made me imagine all sorts of situations that probably won't happen. My response to one of those situations is to say that "I'm voting for/I voted for democracy and freedom." I think I'm prepared to say that with a gun pointed at me. But I do think it'd be smarter to just lie. And now I'm a little anxious about typing this out using an account where it'd be easy to doxx me.
I don't really believe in that, though. I don't think it'll come to that, especially not in the rural place where I live. But I'm eager to have this be done. I'm actually optimistic about the result. I think the polls are overestimating Trump's support and I think that far more Americans are tired of him than appreciate him. But I just want it to be over.
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Comment on I am missing a neutral way to flag low-effort or potentially spammy posts in ~tildes
clem Link ParentI can't imagine I'm the only person here who pretty much ignores posts with no comments. If there's nothing there giving me some reason to read the main article, unless the headline grabs me...I can't imagine I'm the only person here who pretty much ignores posts with no comments. If there's nothing there giving me some reason to read the main article, unless the headline grabs me (which is rare, since I've developed some pretty good anti-clickbait senses), I'll just ignore it. The wider internet sucks for a lot of reasons, and it always takes some convincing to get me to venture out into it.
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Comment on The Kids Should See This in ~tv
clem Link ParentThanks to you and /u/Hobofarmer! Maybe I'll actually let him watch YouTube sometimes. These are probably far less addictive than the videogames he enjoys...Thanks to you and /u/Hobofarmer! Maybe I'll actually let him watch YouTube sometimes. These are probably far less addictive than the videogames he enjoys...
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Comment on The Kids Should See This in ~tv
clem Link ParentAh, I didn't realize this--maybe I let my cynicism get the better of me and I dismissed it too quickly. When you say approved, do you mean that you have to approve all of the content, or a YouTube...Ah, I didn't realize this--maybe I let my cynicism get the better of me and I dismissed it too quickly. When you say approved, do you mean that you have to approve all of the content, or a YouTube editorial staff has done it?
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Comment on The Kids Should See This in ~tv
clem LinkThanks, this seems great! It shocks me that something called "YouTube Kids" isn't basically this: a carefully curated selection of videos that are good for kids to watch, with no access to...Thanks, this seems great! It shocks me that something called "YouTube Kids" isn't basically this: a carefully curated selection of videos that are good for kids to watch, with no access to anything that wasn't fully vetted. Well, it would shock me if I wasn't familiar with Google. But there's no chance I would ever let my son simply "use YouTube" without full supervision. I need to browse this a bit more, but this looks like something I'd just let him browse freely. The first video, "The Real Reason Leaves Change Color In the Fall," is right up my alley.
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Comment on Recruiting help for election day posters in ~creative
clem Link ParentPretty insane. That sounds like a strong endorsement for that slogan.Pretty insane. That sounds like a strong endorsement for that slogan.
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Comment on Recruiting help for election day posters in ~creative
clem Link"Vote Harris so you can spend the rest of your life voting Republican. Vote Trump, and you may never vote again." Though honestly, I think that's a lost cause. These people are aware that the left..."Vote Harris so you can spend the rest of your life voting Republican. Vote Trump, and you may never vote again."
Though honestly, I think that's a lost cause. These people are aware that the left thinks he will destroy democracy and simply don't believe it. I think the only hope is to somehow convince them that it's actually Democrats who improve the economy while Republicans reap the benefits for a few years before tanking it, but I don't know how to sum that up into a sign. Maybe some kind of chart?
"Your spouse can't find out you voted for women's rights" only appeals to women, correct? Or is it thinking that men don't want their partners to know they voted for women's rights? I think I get that one, but I also think I'm being a stupid man while reading it.
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Comment on Donald Trump wants the US military used against Americans who don't support him in ~society
clem Link ParentThat's what I thought at first, too, when the first paragraph clearly broke his full quotation (which I'd already seen, though admittedly not heard) into chunks to use however they liked. But the...That's what I thought at first, too, when the first paragraph clearly broke his full quotation (which I'd already seen, though admittedly not heard) into chunks to use however they liked. But the article goes on to make clear judgment calls, reading between the lines. One connection they're making is here:
Later in the interview, Trump said the “enemy from within” is “more dangerous than China, Russia, and all these countries,” declaring, “The thing that’s tougher to handle are these lunatics that we have inside, like Adam Schiff.”
They add to it here:
Yet in the interview, Trump appeared to be very specifically talking about Americans on the left who simply don’t support him. In addition to Trump’s name-check of Schiff, it’s important to note that Trump has for years applied the phrase “radical left” not to, say, people plotting terrorist attacks, but to the Democratic Party in general.
Maybe they're wrong about this, but personally, I rely on this kind of insight, as I have no interest in listening to all the tripe that Donald Trump has to say. I'm happy to read more about why this is poorly twisting his words (as long as I don't have to hear much of it from his own mouth), but the article as a whole offers enough evidence to further alarm me.
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Comment on Why we need to fight back against sexy Asian lady robots in ~life
clem Link ParentYou probably should've linked to Electric Gonorrhea: The Noisy Killer, but hopefully Tilderinos use better logic than Fry. P.S. Sorry for the reddit-style comment. lou started it.You probably should've linked to Electric Gonorrhea: The Noisy Killer, but hopefully Tilderinos use better logic than Fry.
P.S. Sorry for the reddit-style comment. lou started it.
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Comment on Looking for a Switch game thats fun but requires little commitment in ~games
clem LinkA couple random suggestions from me: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda and Spelunky. Both are loads of fun and it's easy to start and stop both pretty...A couple random suggestions from me: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda and Spelunky. Both are loads of fun and it's easy to start and stop both pretty quickly.
A full run of Spelunky takes more like 30-40 minutes, but sometimes you'll die after just a few minutes and will then be happy to move on with your life, having gotten your little video game kick and realized it wasn't your day for it, or you can just start again. And if no one else is playing your Switch, you can turn it off and pick up where you left off. It unfortunately doesn't have a save feature, so if you or someone else wants to play a different game, it'll kill your progress. But once you've played it enough, you won't get too attached to any one run, and starting over is no big deal.
Cadence of Hyrule is more of a full adventure game that you'll progress at each time you play rather than starting from scratch (though it does have modes where you start from scratch each time). You do end up feeling attached to each dungeon and may want to finish that in one session, but those are pretty short. Probably longer than 20 minutes, but there are also some clear 'break' points in the middle of them, so it wouldn't be hard to convince yourself to stop. The gameplay is lots of fun--you move your character to the beat and end up getting a sense for how each distinct enemy moves, figuring out how to move to counteract it. You collect traditional Zelda-style tools and use them for various simple puzzles.
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Comment on The unlikelihood of being complimented as a man in ~life.men
clem LinkAs a man, I'll say this much: I don't always like getting compliments. I especially dislike them about my appearance. I mean, if someone's complimenting my clothing, I didn't make it; I guess you...As a man, I'll say this much: I don't always like getting compliments. I especially dislike them about my appearance. I mean, if someone's complimenting my clothing, I didn't make it; I guess you could compliment my haircut since I do it myself, but I just try to do the same thing every time so as to not draw attention to it; and anything natural about my appearance is just random and what I was given genetically. I want my appearance to be neutral and mostly ignored, not necessarily positive.
But I get compliments on things that I do or my personality. I guess the most compliments I get are from my hockey team, either compliments on a particular play or having a good game overall or something. And I've gotten one of my nicest compliments from them: that I'm actually one of the most positive guys they know, able to find the positive side to most things. Considering my history of depression and a seriously rough emotional time through most of my teens and twenties, this is one of the few compliments I've received that made me feel great.
But overall, I don't like compliments that much. My sense of self-worth comes from myself, not from anyone else's opinion of me. So if someone compliments me on something that I feel isn't true, I don't necessarily not believe them, but it does nothing for me.
So to go back to your main question: I don't think I get that many compliments, but I also might not notice them because they generally mean little to me. But I also work from home in a job that has pretty much zero communication with anyone and don't get much socializing out of that. My wife works late most nights, so other than sleeping, I see her at most an hour a day lately. The person I talk to most is my 7 year-old son, and... Hmm, I don't know if he gives compliments! He says nice things about me, but I'll have to think about whether the things he says are compliments or not.
I've thought about this for a while and couldn't think of anything until I realized that structures I've built can count as possessions. I'm very proud of the 15'x20' half chicken coop/half shed that I spent about a year building: https://i.imgur.com/YYJLnm7.jpeg. I'm also proud of and happy with the greenhouse I just finished building (https://imgur.com/a/eWfBANO) so my chickens can enjoy playing with my compost in a slightly warmer space over winter (also check out a video discussing it here if you want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewC1qoUi3Tc).
These delight me because they're exactly what I envisioned and nearly exactly what I wanted from them. I confess I do see the mistakes I've made when building the coop, but those are starting to fade in favor of just seeing a useful building that my chickens appreciate (and on another related note, I'm enjoying my chickens more than I expected I would. They are goofy, skittish, cute animals, and they delight me whenever I'm out with them. Plus they give me someone to talk to when I'd normally be outside alone!).
And to sorta fit the spirit of the question better: some good coffee in my French press delights me twice a day (or sometimes three on a weekend). I still appreciate good coffee every single time. And we've been getting that particular coffee since 2015!