fuzzy's recent activity

  1. Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    A point of clarification, Israel’s attack was on a consular office next door to an embassy, not the embassy itself. Still a reckless provocation, of course.

    A point of clarification, Israel’s attack was on a consular office next door to an embassy, not the embassy itself.

    Still a reckless provocation, of course.

    13 votes

  2. Comment on New SimCity 4 mod gives it a fully functioning 3d camera in ~games

    fuzzy
    Link
    Oh wow, this is incredible! Are there any videos of it in action? I only see photos in the article, and I don't have the game installed at the moment.

    Oh wow, this is incredible!

    Are there any videos of it in action? I only see photos in the article, and I don't have the game installed at the moment.

    2 votes

  3. Comment on How do you store ”loose” tech hardware? in ~tech

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    I bought a huge roll of velcro cable ties that I use for a lot of cables. For smaller / shorter cables, like phone charging cables, I just let them hang free.

    I bought a huge roll of velcro cable ties that I use for a lot of cables. For smaller / shorter cables, like phone charging cables, I just let them hang free.

    4 votes

  4. Comment on How do you store ”loose” tech hardware? in ~tech

    fuzzy
    Link
    I generally use old shoe-boxes or boxes from smaller products. I neatly organize the items by type and coil all of the cables. Then some time later when they've reverted to being a kudzu patch I...

    I generally use old shoe-boxes or boxes from smaller products. I neatly organize the items by type and coil all of the cables. Then some time later when they've reverted to being a kudzu patch I do it all over again.

    I desperately want a better system, especially for organizing cables. Send help.

    13 votes

  5. Comment on Kagi Smallweb [a website where each visit shows a random indie/small website, e.g. personal blogs] in ~tech

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    To scratch that StumbleUpon itch even further, may I suggest CloudHiker

    To scratch that StumbleUpon itch even further, may I suggest CloudHiker

    3 votes

  6. Comment on Walmart buying TV-brand Vizio for its ad-fueling customer data in ~finance

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    Fascinating. Add this to the list of reasons I avoid Samsung TVs, then.

    Fascinating. Add this to the list of reasons I avoid Samsung TVs, then.

  7. Comment on Walmart buying TV-brand Vizio for its ad-fueling customer data in ~finance

    fuzzy
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Do you have any evidence of that actually happening, though? I've seen this repeated over and over again on the internet but nobody has ever actually seen it happen, and the Sony and Samsung TVs...

    Do you have any evidence of that actually happening, though? I've seen this repeated over and over again on the internet but nobody has ever actually seen it happen, and the Sony and Samsung TVs I've owned (and run 100% offline) haven't done it.

    Surely if it's a programmed behavior someone would be able to catch it.

    5 votes

  8. Comment on Walmart buying TV-brand Vizio for its ad-fueling customer data in ~finance

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    I have never seen anyone produce any evidence of that actually happening, and neither the Samsung nor Sony TVs I've owned have done it. Do you have any sources for that being a risk?

    I have never seen anyone produce any evidence of that actually happening, and neither the Samsung nor Sony TVs I've owned have done it. Do you have any sources for that being a risk?

    2 votes

  9. Comment on Forget technocrats - let's get some realitycrats in ~misc

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    It seems like all that matters these days is if something feels true.

    It seems like all that matters these days is if something feels true.

    11 votes

  10. Comment on What is a scam that more people should be aware of? in ~life

    fuzzy
    Link
    Chiropractors! It's wild how many people don't realize that they are not medical doctors, and that chiropractic is an entire alternative medicine system built around the idea that spinal alignment...

    Chiropractors!

    It's wild how many people don't realize that they are not medical doctors, and that chiropractic is an entire alternative medicine system built around the idea that spinal alignment is tied to all sorts of general health concerns. If you have a musculoskeletal issue you should go see an orthopedic doctor / physiotherapist, and if you have general health issues you should see an MD or DO. Doctors of Chiropractic do not meet the standards necessary to reliably give proper medical care.

    I'll give chiropractors one thing - they've done a great job downplaying the weird quackery stuff and getting people to think they're the same as PT.

    21 votes

  11. Comment on In search of approachable, readable philosophy (or philosophy-adjacent) books to help me navigate the world in ~books

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    Are the Nietzsche and Kierkegaard texts a smooth-ish read in the 21st century? I suppose to some extent that depends on the age of the translation.

    Are the Nietzsche and Kierkegaard texts a smooth-ish read in the 21st century? I suppose to some extent that depends on the age of the translation.

  12. Comment on In search of approachable, readable philosophy (or philosophy-adjacent) books to help me navigate the world in ~books

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    Wow, this is quite the comprehensive list - and one that overlaps with both things I've read and that I've considered reading. I really appreciate this list, and I can't wait to check some of...

    Wow, this is quite the comprehensive list - and one that overlaps with both things I've read and that I've considered reading. I really appreciate this list, and I can't wait to check some of these out.

    1 vote

  13. Comment on In search of approachable, readable philosophy (or philosophy-adjacent) books to help me navigate the world in ~books

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    I definitely do not avoid primary texts. After all, the Baldwin, Camus, and Frankl books I mentioned in the original post are original texts that I picked up, read, and got a lot out of. I do,...

    I definitely do not avoid primary texts. After all, the Baldwin, Camus, and Frankl books I mentioned in the original post are original texts that I picked up, read, and got a lot out of.

    I do, however, avoid dense and impenetrable books, which many (but not all!) primary philosophy texts are due to some combination of excessive length, inscrutable writing style, and awkward translation. I picked up and leafed through Heidegger's Being and Time at a book store a few years ago and just reading a few pages of it was enough to show me that I have my limits. I'm fine with a book being challenging - many of my favorite books are - but I don't really care to smash my brain into an incomprehensible brick wall for dozens of hours. It's the difference between a challenging uphill hike and an all out hand-over-foot rock scramble. I can do the former for hours and hours; the latter tires me out very quickly.

  14. In search of approachable, readable philosophy (or philosophy-adjacent) books to help me navigate the world

    ~books Ask (recommendations)
    I've recently found myself reaching for some of my favorite philosophy books as I enter another year of navigating a chaotic, painful world, and navigating my own depression and quest for meaning...

    I've recently found myself reaching for some of my favorite philosophy books as I enter another year of navigating a chaotic, painful world, and navigating my own depression and quest for meaning within it. Exploring philosophy really helps give me the language and mental framework to make sense and meaning out of an existence that often overwhelms me with fear and meaninglessness.

    One big problem, though: a lot of philosophy books absolutely suck to read. They're overlong, impenetrably dense, and often awkwardly translated from another language.

    TL;DR:
    Can anyone recommend approachable, readable philosophy (or philosophy-adjacent) books that can help me navigate the world, find reasons to live, and develop a durable sense of meaning?

    Some more background info: The philosophies that have resonated most with me over the years are the works of Camus, the broader world of existentialists and existentialist-adjacent philosophies, stoicism, and utilitarianism. While I recognize that things like logic, epistemology, and religion are important branches of philosophy I'm more interested in things that help me navigate the daily questions of existence such as meaning, suffering, purpose, and so on.

    The most impactful philosophical ideas I've ever encountered are those of Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus. Camus' conception of the absurd and the challenges of navigating it resonated so deeply with me that it essentially kickstarted my entire interest in philsophy. Before that I had never done any philosophical reading that felt like it really applied to me. Suddenly it felt like Camus had taken what was in my brain and put it on the page. However, I still consider the Myth of Sisyphus not an approachable, readable philosophy book, and not really a good book at all. I found his philosophy impactful despite the fact that it's overly long, often boring, and weighed down by an English translation that may have been good in the 1950s but in the 21st century is extremely stilted and hard to read.

    For that reason my favorite philosophy book is At The Existentialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewell. It's half biography of Sartre, Beauviour, and Heidigger, and half overview of the wide world of existentialist philosophies. It's an smooth, pleasant read written in plain English that both helped me understand more philosophical concepts than any other single book I've ever read and introduced me to tons of things I want to learn more about. I highly recommend it.

    Some other books I've read:

    • The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is tremendous. I know this isn't technically philosophy, but it definitely feels philosophy adjacent to me since it fit the bill of "help me make sense of the world" and as a bonus is a very smooth read. I plan to re-read this soon.
    • Man's Search of Meaning by Viktor Frankl was a solid 4/5 for me.
    • Being Mortal by Atul Gawande is another philosophy-adjacent book that is a tremendous exploration of how we cope with death. It really impacted how I think about end-of-life issues.
    • Modern Ethics in 77 Arguments is a collection of essays meant to make philsophy and ethics approachable for normal people - hence why I picked it up. I read most of it, but the essays were just too hit and miss so I ended up putting it down about 2/3rds of the way through.
    • The Stranger by Camus. I did not necessarily enjoy this book (and I have no desire to re-read it) but I do appreciate it for being thought-provoking. Plus it was a way smoother read than The Myth of Sisyphus.

    Some I'm considering reading:

    I deeply appreciate breadcrumbs anyone can provide as I try to learn how (and why) to keep living in this world and to develop a sense of meaning within it.

    30 votes

  15. Comment on ‘Fish Bandit’ arrested for taping fish to ATMs in ~life

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    We need more robust law and public policy around what to do in the face of surreal crimes.

    We need more robust law and public policy around what to do in the face of surreal crimes.

    13 votes

  16. Comment on In your opinion, what is the appropriate number of outfits to rotate through at work? in ~life.men

    fuzzy
    Link
    When I was in the office daily my general target was four or five pairs of pants and 10ish shirts so I could go two weeks without any repeats.

    When I was in the office daily my general target was four or five pairs of pants and 10ish shirts so I could go two weeks without any repeats.

  17. Comment on Browser game recommendations in ~games

  18. Comment on Honest question: Why does everyone seem so hopeless and negative about life these days? in ~talk

    fuzzy
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I was with you completely until this bit: This was only true for a small portion of the past 200 years, and even then it only applied to certain segments of the population. The gilded age, the...

    I was with you completely until this bit:

    The deal (in America) used to be very, very simple. Clear. Honest. Straightforward.

    Fair.

    Work hard, put in your time, and you will succeed. You will not starve, be homeless, be without clothes on your back or food in your pantry. You will have opportunity to advance ... as long as you work hard.

    This was only true for a small portion of the past 200 years, and even then it only applied to certain segments of the population. The gilded age, the robber barons, the depression, Jim Crow…these were all the complete and total opposite of “if you work hard you will succeed, and you will not go without.”

    From my vantage point that was sort of true for mostly white people from the ~1930s to the ~1970s, and that’s it.

    10 votes

  19. Comment on Sixty-six good news stories you didn't hear about in 2023 in ~news

    fuzzy
    Link
    Wow, this was the antidote I needed today. Thank you.

    Wow, this was the antidote I needed today. Thank you.

    4 votes

  20. Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech

    fuzzy
    Link Parent
    InoReader is what I've been using and it's been pretty solid. It allows me to aggregate and follow the local news websites while filtering out the repetitive and distressing articles about every...

    InoReader is what I've been using and it's been pretty solid. It allows me to aggregate and follow the local news websites while filtering out the repetitive and distressing articles about every single crime that is committed in my area. Oh great, another car was stolen. Oh look, the grisly details of a domestic dispute.

    Finally I can read my blurbs about new restaurants or the local high school in peace.

    Obviously it has tons of other neat features too. I ended up paying for the premium version and I'm mostly happy with it, other than some various quirks.

    6 votes