culturedleftfoot's recent activity
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Comment on What self-help / personal development books did you find valuable? in ~books
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Comment on What self-help / personal development books did you find valuable? in ~books
culturedleftfoot Link ParentPeople who dismiss things in such a manner often don't acknowledge the difference between knowing something intellectually and internalizing it on a fundamental level. There absolutely are books...I've read many times that it's the ultimate example of a book that could have been a paragraph, or a blog post, etc.
People who dismiss things in such a manner often don't acknowledge the difference between knowing something intellectually and internalizing it on a fundamental level. There absolutely are books that are inflated beyond necessity, but it could also be that whatever specific book they're complaining about just wasn't meant for them.
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Comment on 2026 Fifa World Cup - Finals discussion and news megathread (quarters/semis/finals) in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot Link ParentI'm interested to see what the reaction in Argentina will be to Messi's performance in this final, and how it affects his legacy long-term. After having gone from blaming him for so long and so...I'm interested to see what the reaction in Argentina will be to Messi's performance in this final, and how it affects his legacy long-term. After having gone from blaming him for so long and so much that he retired, to loving him after he finally won in Qatar, how will they frame him basically going missing today?
Personally, I think he is quite probably the best footballer to ever set foot on a pitch, but there have undoubtedly been big occasions where you'd want him to drag everyone over the line and he's just been conspicuously... meek. Which is not to say that he's never done it, but I don't think it's an unfair criticism when comparing him to the other legends of the game.
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Comment on 2026 Fifa World Cup - Finals discussion and news megathread (quarters/semis/finals) in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot Link ParentYou should have a hell of a team in four years' time, at least. This generation of players should grow from this and come back stronger. Also, call me old-fashioned but winning the World Cup is...You should have a hell of a team in four years' time, at least. This generation of players should grow from this and come back stronger.
Also, call me old-fashioned but winning the World Cup is wasted on a foreign coach. I don't know that I'd ever want to see it happen, it could never mean as much to them as the people of the country.
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Comment on An interview with Timo Furuholm, Finnish parliamentarian and former footballer – exploring why so many players lean right-wing and discussion on the upcoming 2026 World Cup in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot Link ParentThe article alludes to it, but in the era before the huge influx of money into British football, players largely held solidarity for the working class, despite all the adulation they enjoyed,...The article alludes to it, but in the era before the huge influx of money into British football, players largely held solidarity for the working class, despite all the adulation they enjoyed, because they were still members of said class. I know enough of the cultural dynamics within continental European and South American societies to know that I don't know enough to speak definitively, but I believe it's broadly been the same phenomenon there.
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Comment on 2026 Fifa World Cup - Finals discussion and news megathread (quarters/semis/finals) in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot LinkThis World Cup's been so weird for me, as I was VERY skeptical/jaded going in, and almost entirely missed out on the usual World Cup fever. It's mostly passed me by - I've watched maybe one full...This World Cup's been so weird for me, as I was VERY skeptical/jaded going in, and almost entirely missed out on the usual World Cup fever. It's mostly passed me by - I've watched maybe one full match, caught only one as it was happening, and haven't even tried that hard to dodge spoilers. I didn't even look up the knockout brackets until yesterday. I've finally caught up to speed via Fox's pretty good extended highlights playlist on YouTube though and am looking forward to the last few games. I will say, the quality of the tournament has definitely been diluted by the expansion, but it's hard to argue with the drama that's been served up.
Quick takes:
Not surprised to see Brazil knocked out fairly early.
Disappointed that Japan didn't make it further, I thought they were a good dark horse and played some great football at times.
Argentina's cycle is sputtering out... they're lucky the draw was kind to them, by no means are they among the four best teams in the tournament (from what I've seen, at least). If England doesn't batter them, they don't deserve to make it to the final.
Spain is the national team I usually have a soft spot for, but I've never seen a squad rated so highly with so few world-class players. They have maybe three (Rodri, Lamine Yamal... Pedri?).
By rights the final should be France-England, and without working out the permutations before the tournament, that would have been the final I'd have thought was most merited. I have to hope England gets their dreams crushed though, we'd never hear the end of it if they won. So, allez Les Bleus!! -
Comment on 2026 Fifa World Cup - Finals discussion and news megathread (quarters/semis/finals) in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot Link ParentI couldn't agree more about VAR, but I have to think it's very fitting for an American World Cup, no? I wonder how casual American viewers react to all the VAR delays, given their ubiquity in...I couldn't agree more about VAR, but I have to think it's very fitting for an American World Cup, no? I wonder how casual American viewers react to all the VAR delays, given their ubiquity in their other sports.
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Comment on Need advice about work in ~life
culturedleftfoot Link ParentReads better to me. If you think about it, the weird part is that you've trained your brain to read $250k as 250k dollars and not dollars 250k.Reads better to me. If you think about it, the weird part is that you've trained your brain to read $250k as 250k dollars and not dollars 250k.
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Comment on Give me your culture clash stories in ~travel
culturedleftfoot Link ParentI mean, you'd still be understood, and it's a better bet than English... same as in Valencia, Galicia, Vizcaya, etc. They'll definitely be sure to tell you it isn't their first language, but the...I mean, you'd still be understood, and it's a better bet than English... same as in Valencia, Galicia, Vizcaya, etc. They'll definitely be sure to tell you it isn't their first language, but the percentage of Catalans who don't speak any Castellano at all has to be miniscule.
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Comment on Give me your culture clash stories in ~travel
culturedleftfoot Link ParentThat's a charitable way of looking at it, lol. IMO Americans largely think, "It's fine for ME to break the rules," but when they're the ones affected by someone else breaking them, it's a problem.Americans seem to have a shared understanding that rules, including laws, don’t always need the utmost respect.
That's a charitable way of looking at it, lol. IMO Americans largely think, "It's fine for ME to break the rules," but when they're the ones affected by someone else breaking them, it's a problem.
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Comment on The Online Accent Database: Explore authentic accents with a growing video library of real-world interviews in ~humanities.languages
culturedleftfoot Link ParentI was really hoping to run through various Spanish accents. I suppose it can get there in time though.I was really hoping to run through various Spanish accents. I suppose it can get there in time though.
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Comment on I need more hilariously awful pick up lines to make my wife roll her eyes at me in ~talk
culturedleftfoot Link ParentThe variant I know is, "Wanna head back to my place for a pizza and a shag?" Target clutches pearls "What, you don't like pizza? We can skip that!"The variant I know is, "Wanna head back to my place for a pizza and a shag?"
Target clutches pearls
"What, you don't like pizza? We can skip that!"
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June 2026 in ~games
culturedleftfoot Link ParentThank you for your generosity in sharing these! Nex Machina and Revita have both caught my eye. For me, everything usually gets put on hold when it rolls around but I wasn't feeling the World Cup...Thank you for your generosity in sharing these! Nex Machina and Revita have both caught my eye.
For me, everything usually gets put on hold when it rolls around but I wasn't feeling the World Cup fever at all a couple weeks ago. Since then, I've been somewhat persuaded that fans have a responsibility to fight for the purity of the game and not let the corpo-political leeches and bloodsuckers drive us away. So, I'm far behind and I still haven't watched a match live yet, but I am working my way through highlights of all the games and will try to catch up by the round of 16. No spoilers please!
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Comment on Steam Summer Sale 2026: Hidden gems in ~games
culturedleftfoot Link ParentQuite rare that I do anything more than window-shop in these threads, but Nidus looks super interesting! Thanks for recommending.Quite rare that I do anything more than window-shop in these threads, but Nidus looks super interesting! Thanks for recommending.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June 2026 in ~games
culturedleftfoot Link ParentWhaaaat? Since when? A cursory internet search isn't yielding reliable info.Note: Expiring Steam keys are now standard.
Whaaaat? Since when? A cursory internet search isn't yielding reliable info.
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Comment on World Cup 2026! in ~sports.football
culturedleftfoot LinkI'm a HUGE football fan but I'm going to kinda echo @trim here - this is maybe the most disconnected I've ever felt from a World Cup, despite finally being within reasonable traveling distance to...I'm a HUGE football fan but I'm going to kinda echo @trim here - this is maybe the most disconnected I've ever felt from a World Cup, despite finally being within reasonable traveling distance to watch a match in person. I forgot when the first game was, I didn't watch any of the opening ceremonies, and have only belatedly caught highlights so far.
I've got so many mixed feelings about the whole thing. From a cultural standpoint, seeing conversations that bridge countries like Qatar-Switzerland, Germany-Curaçao, Haiti-Scotland, etc. is super amazing, and this is the event that should produce those kinds of connections. From a football standpoint, however, 48 teams is surely too many. The planned halftime show during the final is guaranteed to affect the rhythm of the teams and therefore the outcome. It'll also be impossible to remove the stench of Trump from this tournament, especially with Infantino so intent on gargling his nuts at every opportunity. Then, with the tickets so ridiculously overpriced, I just dismissed any ideas of making any sort of trip to watch any games with friends, and watching the World Cup final live is on my bucket list.
Personally, I've also had enough of the attempts to court American interest in football under the guise of "growing the game" when it's really trying to grow bank accounts. If Americans don't fall in love with soccer, that's okay, it'll survive without them. Trevor Noah's friend Joe Opio made this astute observation on their World Cup preview podcast to sum up all the nonsense surrounding this WC and I didn't even laugh, I just sighed. Many of these issues aren't exactly new, I know, but I just find myself too jaded to be excited. Maybe I'm getting old, maybe I've had enough of FIFA, I don't know. I'll be surprised if I sit down to watch more than 3 actual matches.
Also, sorry to be the one to say it, but no way is this the team to win the sixth! Not even Carletto can pull that off.
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Comment on What's a game you're dying to play that doesn't exist? in ~games
culturedleftfoot Link ParentSounds like that one part of The Stanley Parable.Sounds like that one part of The Stanley Parable.
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Comment on Are there any games that had their development abandoned that you followed where you wish that continued/completed development? in ~games
culturedleftfoot LinkAw, man. I'm still disappointed that Fez 2 was cancelled. I remember there was a theory that one of the puzzles in the original Fez was designed to be unsolvable until you played Fez 2 and solved...Aw, man.
I'm still disappointed that Fez 2 was cancelled. I remember there was a theory that one of the puzzles in the original Fez was designed to be unsolvable until you played Fez 2 and solved it in the future, and I always thought that was kinda brilliant.
Catacomb Kids is a brutal roguelike dungeon platformer that was in Early Access and under active development by solo developer FourBitFriday for more than a decade before quietly being abandoned. The dev, real name Tyriq Plummer, went on to heavily contribute to UFO 50, so it's hard to hold it against him, but Catacomb Kids is such a cool, interesting game. It has a bunch of systems that all interact to produce amazing gameplay moments and deaths, much like Spelunky but I'd say even better. IIRC there's enough content already included that you won't feel cheated if you buy it today, but it's a real shame it won't get that last 15% of polish to be properly completed. A comparable game that entered Early Access not that long after CK (and I'm pretty sure took quite a bit of inspiration from it) is Vagante, and that was able to hit full release in 3-4 years just by having more than one person involved.
Radio The Universe is another long-gestating project by another solo dev, 6ixe, and this one even had a proper showcase during Steam Next Fest 2023. I don't think anyone's heard anything from 6ixe since early 2024 though, and the 2012(!) Kickstarter page seems to have disappeared... so who knows if it'll ever see the light of day. The demo is absolutely glorious though.
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Comment on Comedian Ronny Chieng tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as graduates cheer in ~tech
culturedleftfoot LinkFull commencement speech available here.“I’m glad you agree,” Chieng said. “It’s so stupid. A lot of other respected graduation speakers at colleges around America are talking about you guys needing to master AI for the future. I’m here to tell you the mission of your generation is to destroy AI, kill it.”
“Whatever your chosen profession is, please don’t let AI rob you of the fun part of it,” he told the senior class. “Our generation’s upcoming battle…is going to be people with substance versus people with shallow knowledge, it’s going to be mastery versus faking it, it’s going to be people with good taste versus tacky. I trust you will put in the work necessary to be on the right side of those battles.”
Full commencement speech available here.
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Comedian Ronny Chieng tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as graduates cheer
17 votes
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. The author describes it as the self-help book that makes the other self-help books work, and I tend to agree. I imagine the content is along the lines of Atomic Habits (I haven't read that one) - it preaches the value of consistency in small disciplines over time, the accumulation of small decisions that compound over time in the same way that compound interest grows your savings account. As someone who didn't remember experiencing failure often when I was young (and therefore didn't learn to work to overcome it), it was an illuminating read and helped me recontextualize many things that I considered to simply be innate talent or natural ability.