CrypticCuriosity629's recent activity
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Comment on Let’s talk about something different. UAP’s, UFO’s, etc. in ~books
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Comment on Meta ordered to pay $25 billion penalty in New Mexico Cambridge Analytica case in ~tech
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentSometimes I laugh at these statements because they have no substance or authority, it's just BS. Because lets be honest, as a Chief Legal Officer of Meta, what else would you say? "We're not very...Meta chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney criticized the penalty, saying in a statement that the company is “confident” that it will “prevail on appeal.”
Sometimes I laugh at these statements because they have no substance or authority, it's just BS.
Because lets be honest, as a Chief Legal Officer of Meta, what else would you say? "We're not very confident we're going to win the appeal, but we'll try any way?" Sure and tank the stocks and show weakness.
It's such a nothing statement.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )Link ParentYeah, I can understand how it might be frustrating to see a conversation about women's experiences shift toward men's experiences, especially given the context of the original discussion. And...Yeah, I can understand how it might be frustrating to see a conversation about women's experiences shift toward men's experiences, especially given the context of the original discussion. And you're right that I spent a significant portion of my comment discussing men's experiences.
But I think there's nuance here that's you're overlooking.
The post I'm responding in was posted in ~life.men partly because of concerns about men dominating conversations in women's spaces, and I deliberately posted this comment here on this thread in this tildes topic for that reason.
And the OP specifically raises the issue of men becoming defensive in conversations about sexism, which is what I'm responding to.
So that is what I'm trying to explore, just from another angle.
However I suppose my response focuses less on "How can we, as men who already recognize these problems, do better?" to "How can we better understand and address the experiences of men who DON'T recognize these problems in the first place?" So I'll acknowledge that.
I believe if we want men to better understand women's experiences, embrace feminism and actively participate in dismantling patriarchy, we also need to understand the accurate experiences, perceptions, and social pressures that shape these men's responses to those conversations in the first place.
I'm deliberately approaching this by sharing my experiences and observations rather than prescribing solutions for women, because I recognize that it's not my place to tell women how they should respond to sexism or accommodate men's reactions to it. I just want to provide an explanation on why so many men have a hard time buying into feminism.
And I also deliberately didn't try to to prescribe that this was a bigger issue or anything until some of the responses dismissed it as an uncommon experience, which I don't believe it is.
But there's also a difference between understanding why men become defensive and excusing that defensiveness. Understanding the mechanisms behind a problem is essential to addressing it, regardless of who's responsible for fixing it.
And I'm DEFINITELY not excusing any man's toxic behavior in anything I'm saying or making excuses for them. Trust me, I have my own full opinions on the small minded men that fall for and spew sexist rhetoric, because I can be exposed to the same content and still come out with a level head and nuanced opinion, but I also recognize that the reality is is that no matter how stupid they are, thinking they're idiots and calling them idiots isn't going to fix the problem.
I agree that men need to do a better job understanding women's experiences. My argument is that understanding men's experiences is also part of figuring out how we accomplish that.
And I think that's particularly relevant in a discussion asking how men can be better. We can't meaningfully examine how men need to change and how to change other men's perceptions, without also examining the experiences and influences that shape their behavior in the first place.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentPersonally, I think the solution is teaching emotional intelligence. Teaching people to understand their emotions, where they come from, and how to regulate them. I think a lot of those bullying...It just seems to be human nature for a subset of the population to snowball into the most vile bullies (and far worse, looking at the historical record) when they aren't kept in check by moderating forces.
Personally, I think the solution is teaching emotional intelligence. Teaching people to understand their emotions, where they come from, and how to regulate them.
I think a lot of those bullying and toxic tendencies come from people who act and think impulsively on every emotion that comes to mind instead of catching them. A lot of people live on autopilot in this way never questioning anything they think, feel, or do.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )Link ParentSocial media algorithms prioritize engagement, not intent. And most of the videos I'm talking about are reels/tiktok videos/shorts, so titles don't really come into play. If an algorithm shows a...Social media algorithms prioritize engagement, not intent. And most of the videos I'm talking about are reels/tiktok videos/shorts, so titles don't really come into play.
If an algorithm shows a video to men who disagree and women who agree with it, then those groups get into heated arguments in the comments, that engagement signals to the algorithm to push it to even more of those kinds of people. From there people either get pushed into more extreme groups or they get their ideas reinforced.
So regardless of who the video was intended for, the algorithm can end up promoting it to precisely the audience most likely to react negatively to it in the name of engagement
And then you get into deliberate manipulation, where people who understand how these algorithms work can exploit that outrage to shape public perception, and use it as an arm of propaganda. But that's a whole nother conversation. lol
I have a theory that my algorithm's different and shows me a lot of this content that doesn't conform to my personal interests because I take a lot of privacy measures that prevents the algorithm from pinning me down with outside data. I often get stuck in loops of "cliche mens" content that I have little to no interest in like cars and sports and thirst trap content, despite having zero interest in any of that. Doesn't matter how many times I hit "not interested" either.
Things like a pihole that I've connected to my tailscale DNS so that all my electronics block all ads, tracking, and telemetry domains at a DNS level, I use a containerizor on my phone that isolates social media apps from seeing the other data on my phone, and I have a containerizor extension on firefox in my browser that isolates any social media tabs in their own virtual session. So all these apps have to go on is what I interact with within the app, which my theory is it throws the content algorithms off and defaults to cliche 35yo men's content.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentI agree with a lot of what you're saying, particularly about how hostile online communities reinforce their own behavior and aren't necessarily representative of the broader movement. I actually...I agree with a lot of what you're saying, particularly about how hostile online communities reinforce their own behavior and aren't necessarily representative of the broader movement.
I actually just wrote another response that gets into this exact issue.
My point is that while you and I might recognize these communities as fringe and unrepresentative, plenty of other men don't necessarily have the understanding of algorithms or the media literacy to make that distinction. And algorithms can make that content seem far more widespread than it actually is.
So while I agree that disregarding these communities is the right approach, I think there's a larger issue worth discussing.
We can't just dismiss these experiences as isolated incidents when, for some men and due to these algorithms, they're a significant part of their exposure to feminism, and that shapes their entire perception of feminism and their susceptibility to red-pill content.
Because when someone's algorithm exposes them to a lot of feminist content that leans toward misandry, you have one group telling them their experience is wrong and that it's an outlier and not nearly as widespread as they think usually with a few jabs and condescension thrown in, while another group tells them it's exactly as widespread as their algorithm suggests. Which group do you think that person is more likely to align with? The one dismissing their experience, or the one validating it?
And from my experience, that's why I think this kind of content, while understandably cathartic for women expressing their very real frustrations and experiences, ultimately does more harm to feminism than good. I've literally seen red-pill content creators in the comments of these posts trying to get follows and stuff from the men getting attacked in the comments.
I've seen this firsthand in conversations with some of these men I've had with men trying to convince them that feminism is not their enemy.
But it's also something I'm hesitant to bring up, and I even have quite a bit of anxiety talking about it now, because it's so often met with dismissive responses like "sit down and shut up" or accusations that I'm trying to tell women how to solve their problems. And that is not my intent, but I feel that understanding accurate experiences should be important, even in a "know your enemy" kind of way.
I try to speak to all this from my own experience and still give room for other's experiences without talking over them.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )Link ParentMaybe it's just my algorithm, but even as a man who regularly engages with positive feminist content, I also get a distressing amount of content that borders on outright misandry and even TERF...Maybe that video is just an outlier, and the comments have no actual lessons to give you? You probably don't know who those commenters were, what their motivations were, or, frankly, if they were even real people.
Maybe it's just my algorithm, but even as a man who regularly engages with positive feminist content, I also get a distressing amount of content that borders on outright misandry and even TERF rhetoric. So in my experience, it's definitely not an isolated outlier.
(Disclaimer on my mention of misandry: It is not an attempt to downplay or equate it with misogyny. Misogyny is a far more pervasive and systemic issue, and the two are not on equal footing. I'm specifically addressing how exposure to anti-male rhetoric shapes men's perceptions of feminism, regardless of whether that rhetoric represents the broader movement. Pre-empting with that, because sometimes a man saying "misandry" immediately gets shot down.)
What's interesting is that feminist friends I know IRL often have no idea this content even exists and when I bring it up, the response can be immediately defensive, dismissing it as fringe or unrepresentative.
And I see that in a lot of positive feminist spaces as well. Whenever a man talks about seeing that content, their experiences are immediately shot down.
And here's the thing. You can tell me it's fringe, and I'd probably agree with you because I know algorithms can make fringe concepts seem wider than they are. But that doesn't change the fact that countless men are probably being exposed to it, and many don't have the media literacy or understanding of algorithms to recognize that distinction.
I understand that my algorithm isn't an accurate representation of feminism as a whole, so I don't let that content sway my opinions of feminism and the patriarchy. But someone who doesn't recognize that distinction could easily come away believing that hostility toward men IS representative of feminism.
And I think that's an important part of understanding men's experiences that gets overlooked. We can acknowledge that this content is fringe and isn't representative of feminism while also acknowledging that, for some men, it's a significant part of how they experience feminism online.
The result of thinking it's outlier content for everyone, means that whenever a man tries to express that experience, he often gets met with hostility.
And a LOT of my conversations with other men trying to teach them that feminism isn't their enemy stems from these kinds of experiences. But sometimes it feels like an uphill battle because the content is not in my favor a lot of the times.
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Comment on #YesAllMen #NotAllMen #MaybeSomeMen How to be better? in ~life.men
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )LinkSo I'm a hetero man, I'm also AuDHD, and I am FULLY supportive of dismantling the patriarchy and I fully embrace and support feminist values. And it's interesting you ask this, because I am...So I'm a hetero man, I'm also AuDHD, and I am FULLY supportive of dismantling the patriarchy and I fully embrace and support feminist values.
And it's interesting you ask this, because I am currently fighting for my life on an Instagram video like right now because I asked "How can men be enthusiastic allies without seeming performative?"
The video was specifically criticizing men for speaking out against the Cornell 7 out of place and called them performative for doing so, and the comments were full of women just dragging all the men speaking out against rape culture through the mud.
And it genuinely confused me, because the message I've gotten as a man who embraces feminism is that men shouldn't be silent in the face of rape culture, and that they should be more vocal about rape culture and speaking out against it. And this video specifically ridiculed and attacked men for doing so.
So I asked "How can men be better enthusiastic allies without seeming performative?"
And the responses have been staggeringly antagonistic, and not a single person has answered that question in a way that makes any sense. The majority have just been calling me all the worst things, and projecting so many untrue things onto me just for asking.
I've had to repeatedly state that I'm not asking for myself or my own ego or for appreciation or acceptance, but all the women there are accusing men of being performative and I'm asking how can they avoid that criticism for WOMEN's sake, so they can be better allies for WOMEN, not men's sake.
The most comprehensible answer I've gotten, which isn't very comprehensible, is "You should call your male friends out privately when they do something wrong instead of posting about it online," but A) I would already be doing that anyways whether or not I'm speaking out publicly or online, B) usually the type of men to gang rape a woman intentionally aren't friends with the type of man who'd turn them in, and C) that just works on "trust me bro" logic and that gives abusers the opportunity to lie and say they did when they didn't. I personally wouldn't take someone at their word when it comes to that.
But I've also been assured by my IRL women friends that I'm doing good speaking out against it and they trust me fully. And that's what really counts so that's where I choose to put my trust in.
With all that being said, as a man who recognizes how patriarchy negatively impacts men, wants to dismantle it systemically, and supports the core goals of feminism, I also have criticisms of what I see as blind spots within the broader feminist movement when it comes to understanding men's experiences.
And I don't raise those criticisms to speak over women on how to fix men's problems or to diminish women's struggles. I raise them because I believe understanding men's actual experiences within the patriarchy is essential to understanding how we can dismantle the patriarchy together.
It boils down to in the same way men can't speak to the experiences of women, women can't speak to the experiences of men.
Men absolutely benefit from systemic privilege, but that privilege doesn't automatically translate into happiness, security, or freedom from suffering, and I think that's the exact nuance that gets lost. Most men don't experience their lives through the lens of their privilege. They experience them through their struggles, many of which are directly shaped by the same patriarchal systems we're trying to dismantle.
And unfortunately, that's exactly where most men get lost when talking about feminism. The frustrating irony is that many men are miserable and struggling precisely because of the same patriarchal systems that oppress women. But instead of helping them recognize that shared problem, the messaging often makes them feel like they're on the opposing side of it and people shut down and become defensive.
And then the manosphere and similar spaces welcome these attacked men with open arms.
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Comment on Non-queer men of Tildes: PLEASE consider before commenting on ~life.women and ~lgbt without careful consideration. We are losing members over this issue. in ~tildes
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )LinkThere's not much I can add that hasn't already been said, but I do think a lot of this is the world we've been conditioned to live in. Nuance is dead. Reading comprehension is nonexistent....There's not much I can add that hasn't already been said, but I do think a lot of this is the world we've been conditioned to live in.
Nuance is dead. Reading comprehension is nonexistent. Emotional intelligence is nowhere to be found.
Everyone seems to have forgotten that we're not all experts in everything. People log on to the internet like they have something to prove instead of something to learn.
We've been conditioned to believe that regurgitating things we've read or heard online and choosing to believe those things is the same as actually understanding them. That if enough people we superficially agree with say something, it must be true, and we're qualified to repeat it and defend it without ever truly understanding it.
Or that our personal experiences are somehow the final authority on reality, as if what we've personally witnessed determines what's possible for everyone else on the planet.
I can't help but feel like I'm watching humanity de-evolve in real time.
I'm a millennial. I grew up alongside the birth of the modern internet, watched information become more accessible than ever, and witnessed what felt like genuine social progress.
Yet somehow, today it feels like we're surrounded by medieval peasants who just happen to have smartphones.
No self-awareness or emotional intelligence, no critical thinking, no concept of nuance, rampant unchecked tribalism, and a compulsive defensiveness whenever something challenges their existing beliefs or understanding of the world, instead of approaching those challenges with curiosity and a willingness to reconsider what they think they know.
People are still just as fearful and superstitious as the medieval peasants of old, except instead of fearing witchcraft, superstition, or heresy, they've replaced those things with political ideologies, social identities, and scary buzzwords they barely understand.
Say "socialism" to one group or "AI" to another, and suddenly people are whipped into a fearful frenzy and compulsively regurgitating identical talking points they've heard verbatim but don't fundamentally understand, absolutely convinced that their entire way of life is under attack, often without even being able to explain what socialism actually means or being able to distinguish between AI as a technology and the specific corporate applications and practices they're actually criticizing, not to mention the systemic issues that make AI dangerous.
And I think that's exactly the mentality we're seeing in these discussions. Women and LGBTQ+ people talk about their experiences, and instead of approaching those conversations with curiosity or humility, people who have never lived those experiences feel immediately threatened by it and feel compelled to challenge, dismiss, or explain them away.
It's like people have lost the ability to encounter something outside their own experience without treating it as a threat to their existence and understanding of the world.
Somewhere along the way, we've confused having an opinion with having knowledge, and being allowed to speak with having something worth saying.
And unfortunately, it's the people who actually have something to contribute to these conversations who end up being driven away.
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Comment on Non-queer men of Tildes: PLEASE consider before commenting on ~life.women and ~lgbt without careful consideration. We are losing members over this issue. in ~tildes
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentTo marginally add to what you have noticed, I have also noticed when I've made some comments that have gotten tons of votes and agreement, while unpopular responses to it that are borderline toxic...To marginally add to what you have noticed, I have also noticed when I've made some comments that have gotten tons of votes and agreement, while unpopular responses to it that are borderline toxic with considerably less votes that are not very well thought out replies kept getting the "Exemplary" tag.
I do wish the exemplary tag text was public, because I'd love to see their explanation.
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Comment on Non-queer men of Tildes: PLEASE consider before commenting on ~life.women and ~lgbt without careful consideration. We are losing members over this issue. in ~tildes
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentI think you hit the nail on the head here. I truly do think that what we're seeing now is the result of new and old members pushing the boundaries and slowly realizing that accountability is fluid...One part absent owner, one part tilderinos relaxing standards for ourselves and others, one part (most significantly IMO) loosing other places online for more causal conversations so Tildes is being used as an outlet.
I think you hit the nail on the head here.
I truly do think that what we're seeing now is the result of new and old members pushing the boundaries and slowly realizing that accountability is fluid unless they step over the line, and that line is murky and not very evenly enforced.
Like sure, if a town loses the sheriff, it might run fine for a few months, even years, but eventually the criminals will realize they can get away with a lot more, and the citizens won't be making the most rational decisions.
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Comment on Any search engines with information cards like Google? in ~tech
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentWeird! I can't really speak to publicly hosted degoog servers, only speak for the server I've set up and run personally.Weird! I can't really speak to publicly hosted degoog servers, only speak for the server I've set up and run personally.
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Comment on Any search engines with information cards like Google? in ~tech
CrypticCuriosity629 LinkIf you want to go self-hosted then both SearXNG and deGoog have plugins that give you information cards like Google. https://docs.searxng.org/dev/result_types/infobox.html...If you want to go self-hosted then both SearXNG and deGoog have plugins that give you information cards like Google.
https://docs.searxng.org/dev/result_types/infobox.html
https://degoog-org.github.io/community-extensions/There's a LOT else you can do with self hosted search aggregators. I switched to degoog a couple months ago and haven't looked back.
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Comment on Why is there no word for please in the Nordic languages – are their speakers simply more direct, or is politeness expressed in ways outsiders may not immediately recognise in ~humanities.languages
CrypticCuriosity629 LinkIt's interesting reading some of the different ways politeness is portrayed in different language and cultures, and extrapolating that to the experience of Autistic or AuDHD individuals and how...It's interesting reading some of the different ways politeness is portrayed in different language and cultures, and extrapolating that to the experience of Autistic or AuDHD individuals and how they are perceived.
It really shows that "Politeness" or "respect" as a concept isn't something naturally shown through language. However many Autists are criticized for being too blunt or not correctly showing politeness or social expectations through their language.
But then reading comments here, particularly /u/sotolf's comment, made me realize that even though I am American, I have always just naturally aligned with their concept of politeness. If I were to switch languages and culture, I feel like as far as that goes I'd fit in alongside them naturally.
And that makes me question the whole idea of neurodivergence as just a communication incompatibility instead of the American sentiment that many Autistic individuals are socially handicapped. No, they're just naturally incompatible with American's inflexible norms.
All of that which kind of backs up my notion I've always had which is the problem has NEVER been with neurodivergent people, it's been with societies and cultures that do not accept other communication styles.
Anyways, just musings.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CrypticCuriosity629 LinkSo I started playing Stellar Blade. I didn't think I'd enjoy a game like that, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I did trick the girl I'm dating into thinking it was called "Bootylicious Blade...So I started playing Stellar Blade.
I didn't think I'd enjoy a game like that, but I've been pleasantly surprised.
I did trick the girl I'm dating into thinking it was called "Bootylicious Blade Fighter".
I made a redisgned logo that said "Bootylicious Blade Fighter" and sent her a bunch of screenshots with the logo in the corner.
We joke about stuff like that, I'd told her about the smut novel I read out of curiosity and so now me reading or playing weird gratuitus stuff is a topic of jest.
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Comment on LGBT tolerance slumps in the Netherlands as debate turns vicious in ~lgbt
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )Link ParentFrom my perspective left-wing movements from all over the world over the past few decades had this collective delusion that leftist politics were a natural progression instead of constant work. I...It seems like the days when the younger generation would be looked towards as being more to the left than prior generations is a thing of the past.
From my perspective left-wing movements from all over the world over the past few decades had this collective delusion that leftist politics were a natural progression instead of constant work.
I know so many people here in America coming off the heels of Obama's term that thought we had the future in the bag, that it was smooth sailing and we could all just sit back and let nature take hold of progress.
They assumed younger generations would become more progressive naturally, so they stopped putting in the work, and the right has now filled that void in a way we have to fight right now.
And because of that, a lot of people got lazy when they thought about politics. IF they even chose to vote, they'd vote for status quo options on ballots instead of progress options, and it eventually put a lot of people in power in left wing politics that kind of let things rot from the inside.
Those same people who got lazy with politics have now had the rudest awakening possible for the past 10 years realizing just how fragile progress is and how progress is not in fact natural, it's something we have to fight for continuously every single day of our lives tirelessly, because if we don't those that want to destroy progress are sure as hell working their every moment to destroy it.
Frustratingly I still think people have had a hard time catching up to this realization.
The fact is, right wing movements all around the globe have taken advantage of younger generation's feelings of instability and uncertainty and provided them with a reassurance that left wing movements haven't been able to replicate since Obama and similar leaders. The closest thing we have right now is Mamdani showing that politicians can still work for the people and provide hope to the bleak empty future our slabs of glass relentlessly warn us about.
We've seen this here in America with both Clinton and Harris who's campaigns basically hinged on "Not Trump" instead of mirroring Obama's campaign of "Hope". People are angry and uncertain about the future, but more than anything people need reassurance about the future, they need a plan forward. These campaigns did not provide that.
Right wing movements have been providing "solutions", stupid and idiotic "solutions" based on discrimination, bigotry, and lacking any logic, but "solutions" nonetheless. They identify problems and tell people that if they get rid of those problems things will get better for them, whether it's LGBTQ+ people, Immigrants, liberals, litter boxes in schools, feminism, etc. And unfortunately those kinds of things can sound really reassuring, it can sound like the solution to all your problems is within your grasp.
I feel like progressive politicians like Mamdani have caught up to all this and are now providing those hopeful solutions and are getting good at providing an alternative to growing right wing ideology. And politicians like AOC, Bernie, and Mamdani all understand that the fight is constant and you see that through their actions.
But a lot of establishment left-wing political leaders are not stepping up to fight this surge in right-wing sympathy in any kind of genuine capacity and that's what makes me so frustrated. Often times fighting progressives harder than fighting the right.
Edit: Apologies if I kind of went on a US based tangent on an article based on the Netherlands, it just sparked some thoughts that might extend outside of the US.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
CrypticCuriosity629 LinkOh man I'm obsessed with Lanterns. It's getting very very good and all the actors are fantastic. I'm loving the lived in DC universe that doesn't try to reinvent origin stories or start from...Oh man I'm obsessed with Lanterns. It's getting very very good and all the actors are fantastic.
I'm loving the lived in DC universe that doesn't try to reinvent origin stories or start from scratch. Adds an entire dynamic of worldbuilding we don't often get to see.
Plus it's got me all hot and bothered to make me a replica of Hal's ring and lantern, so I'm dusting off my SLA printer and started modeling out the ring so it's sized to me and is screen accurate. Also going to see if I can fit a smart ring into the 3D Print, so I can pick up a cheap chinese smart ring and connect it to an open source non-chinese app. If that doesn't pan out I was thinking of adding a programmable NFC or RFID chip into it so I can use it as a keycard for work.
And I've already ordered a magnetic activated lighting mechanism for the ring, and a cheap chinese "aurora night light" device for the lantern.
Also I watched Neagley this week and that was also fantastic, surprisingly so. I really appreciate the show for humanizing the protagonist. While Reacher usually gets painted as a stoic tank with everything figured out, Neagley's dealing with trauma and still getting to be a badass.
I had to look the actress who played Neagley up, Maria Sten, and was surprised to find out that she was was crowned Miss Denmark 2008 in a beauty pageant. And it really made me appreciate the actress and the showrunners for not reducing her character to overt sex appeal which other shows would have done in an instant, and instead characterizing Neagley more modestly.
Finale of Reacher was also great but a bit forgettable. This season was definitely weaker than others. I feel like the two assassin women were turned into cartoon knife twirling villains, the only thing they were missing were mustaches and a tophat.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
CrypticCuriosity629 Link ParentSo I finally finished Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps, and boy am I disappointed and frustrated. Spoilers below. 1st off, whoever's idea it was to do a Hellboy graphic audio dramatized story then turn...So I finally finished Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps, and boy am I disappointed and frustrated.
Spoilers below.
1st off, whoever's idea it was to do a Hellboy graphic audio dramatized story then turn around and fill the large majority of it with walking while the narrator thinks to herself in illustrative prose needs to re-evaluate their writing experience.
I can't believe for such a shortish story in entirely audio based on an action oriented character that there's so much walking. It takes me 20 minutes to drive from home to work as I'm listening to audiobooks, and during multiple drives to and from work NOTHING happened in the story. Everything interesting that happens is over in like 10 minutes broken up by 45 minutes of walking it seems. It starts with walking from the plane to the town, then driving from the town to the dig site, then driving back from the dig site to the town, then walking from the town to the car, then driving back to the dig site, then using a boat to go up river, then walking from the river to the temple, then walking from the temple to the chamber, then walking from the chamber to river. It's never ending walking.
It doesn't feel like any of the travel is truncated. It's like 1:1 with the characters. If the characters walk for 45 minutes it's like you have to listen to them walk and talk to each other and themselves for 45 minutes. Meanwhile the action parts are over in like 10 minutes.
Second, I feel like they've nerfed Hellboy. Hellboy, who's gone up against armies of occultist Nazis, literal gods, armies of the dead, assasins, occultists, the works, gets his ass handed to him to the point he thinks he's definitely going to die after... Checks notes: He got stung by a wasp in a jungle.
Mind you, it's supernatural wasps, but Hellboy practically rolls over and accepts he's going to die after roughly 2 hours of walking in the jungle.
I feel like Hellboy's enemies should be using supernatural wasps more often, because these wasps would have gotten him if the hidden weak point was just slightly better hidden or hard to get to.
To put it simply: The stakes of the story did not feel earned. Hellboy nearly dies after being stung by a wasp after surviving literal armies of Nazi occultists and their armies. Ffs
It feels like they had a 1 hour story they needed to make 6 hours, and they filled the gaps with walking and talking. I wouldn't have minded this kind of thing if it had been a non-Hellboy short story based on a supernatural wasp goddess, but like I don't even see why Hellboy needed to be there. I'm not picking up a Hellboy Audio Drama to listen to Hellboy's girlfriend walk and talk to herself for 5 hours.
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Comment on Australian athlete apologizes after winning race despite involuntary bowel movement in ~sports
CrypticCuriosity629 (edited )LinkAs a non-sports guy and generally fecal-matter averse, I can not fathom in any way shape or form why athletes are entirely ok with doing stuff like this. I've seen it happen in running and whatnot...As a non-sports guy and generally fecal-matter averse, I can not fathom in any way shape or form why athletes are entirely ok with doing stuff like this. I've seen it happen in running and whatnot too, and call me an armchair athlete or whatever but if you can't complete some kind of athletic feat without shitting yourself then maybe that's the point where you regroup and try again later.
And if you have a medical issue where you're prone to that kind of thing then maybe prepare better ahead of time or ask for some accommodations.
Accidents happen, I get that, but I'd expect if an accident happens, then exit with dignity, regroup, then try again later. I can't imagine a single scenario to shit yourself in front of others then to not stop.
I can't fathom any competition or marathon being important as much to continue after shitting yourself. I can't fathom any medal or award being worth being known as the person who shit themselves when getting it.
Like I just can't see anything in my life save for running for my own survival or the survival of someone I love being worth shitting myself amongst my peers.
I just feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I read about stuff like this or see pictures of runners who shit themselves.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
CrypticCuriosity629 LinkWell it's an audiobook/dramatization, but I'm finishing up Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps. I'm nearing the end and it started off strong but became a bit monotonous with long descriptions of walking...Well it's an audiobook/dramatization, but I'm finishing up Hellboy: A Plague of Wasps.
I'm nearing the end and it started off strong but became a bit monotonous with long descriptions of walking through the jungle, multiple long descriptions of wasp nests, and Hellboy becoming progressively sicker. It's like I get it, lets get to the next part where something actually happens.
After that I'm reading The Infinite Extent from Dennis E. Taylor! I'm excited to hop back into the Bobiverse, but admittedly I think I need a refresher.
This is the problem with just about everything in mainstream discourse and the lack of nuance so many people have nowadays.
So many people use the exact same words to mean completely different things, then waste their time arguing with each other instead of establishing what they're actually talking about.
I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain something along the lines of:
"When you say X, you're referring to one specific concept. But when I say X, I'm referring to an entirely different concept. I actually agree with what you're saying about your definition of X. The problem is that you're arguing against a position I'm not even taking, because you've assumed your definition is the only one."
We're not even disagreeing about the actual issue. We're arguing over a misunderstanding that could have been resolved in thirty seconds if people bothered to clarify what each other meant.
But apparently establishing a common understanding of what we're discussing before arguing about it is asking far too much of some people's brainpower so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯