iiv's recent activity

  2. Comment on Los Angeles is exploring banning cashless businesses, following the example of New York City, Philadelphia, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington, DC in ~finance

    iiv
    Link Parent
    First off, I don't think this is the case. Online vendors rarely accept cash. And as brick and mortar stores slowly convert to card-only, people will expect it less and less. This has already...

    I'd bet a nickle if you ran a survey "If a vendor has a price listed at $20, would you expect the vendor to accept a $20 bill as payment?" it would be a landslide "Yes."

    First off, I don't think this is the case. Online vendors rarely accept cash. And as brick and mortar stores slowly convert to card-only, people will expect it less and less. This has already happened in my country for example.

    Money rules are just arbitrary things we make up. It's not like they manifested out of the Big Bang.

    The same is true for cash. It's not like cash somehow is a natural default that came with the big bang.

    4 votes

  3. Things to do and see in Vienna

    ~travel Ask (recommendations)
    What are some things to do and see in Vienna? I'm traveling there with a few friends and we're looking for recommendations. We like food and drinking, shopping and walking around, but we're open...

    What are some things to do and see in Vienna? I'm traveling there with a few friends and we're looking for recommendations. We like food and drinking, shopping and walking around, but we're open for anything.

    (Thank you, everyone who recommended things to do in Munich and Prague, we had a wonderful time in both cities)

    23 votes

  4. Comment on Things to do in Prague in ~travel

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Thanks! Is that the right link? It's funny, but doesn't seem immediately relevant 😂

    Thanks! Is that the right link? It's funny, but doesn't seem immediately relevant 😂

    1 vote

  5. Things to do in Prague

    ~travel Ask (recommendations)
    Thanks to everyone who came with recommendations for Munich, we had such a wonderful time that I didn't have time to reply to anyone. We did lots of things, but among them were the Pinakothek (we...

    Thanks to everyone who came with recommendations for Munich, we had such a wonderful time that I didn't have time to reply to anyone. We did lots of things, but among them were the Pinakothek (we picked the modern art one) and the Englischer Garten and we loved both.

    Now we're going to Prague and we're looking for recommendations of things to do there. As I said in my last post, we enjoy food, beer and just looking at stuff.

    17 votes

  6. Things to do and see in Munich

    ~travel Ask (recommendations)
    What are some things to do and see in Munich? I'm traveling there with a few friends and we're looking for recommendations. We like food and beer, shopping and walking around, but we're open for...

    What are some things to do and see in Munich? I'm traveling there with a few friends and we're looking for recommendations. We like food and beer, shopping and walking around, but we're open for anything.

    19 votes

  7. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Usually the government only proposes laws that they are reasonably certain will be approved. Additionally, hate speech is already illegal, and it is not clear that the burnings of Qurans qualify...

    Couldn't they propose a law to the parliament restricting hate speech.

    Usually the government only proposes laws that they are reasonably certain will be approved. Additionally, hate speech is already illegal, and it is not clear that the burnings of Qurans qualify as hate speech - so far, the courts do not think so.

    1 vote

  8. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    Link Parent
    I understand that many Muslims (not all) feel that Quran burnings should be illegal. That's not really relevant, as Quran burnings should be legal. I am right, and they are wrong. Burning a Quran...

    you don't really have the credibility to talk about your own enlightenment within a scenario you don't emotionally understand.

    I understand that many Muslims (not all) feel that Quran burnings should be illegal. That's not really relevant, as Quran burnings should be legal. I am right, and they are wrong. Burning a Quran is not necessarily an expression of hatred - if it were, I don't think it should be allowed.

    That's not the topic. The topic is Iraq requesting Sweden to ban it as hate speech.

    Okay. I would never want my country to request another country to ban any sort of expression against an important part of my culture.

    Well, no, not really. Like I said, go to a Republican convention and say "soldiers are scum". You'll get your ass kicked by perfectly western westerners. Or more likely, just shot.

    I don't think so. Has that happened before? And if it happened, did the police try to protect the speaker? Wasn't the law on the speaker's side?

    5 votes

  9. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    Link Parent
    No, you misunderstand me - I'm not more enlightened because I don't feel anything when the Quran is burned. I'm more enlightened, and therefore I don't feel anything when the Quran is burned....
    • Exemplary

    Feeling nothing when a book you don't consider holy and haven't ever looked at doesn't make you enlightened or logical, and I'm frankly astonished that you think it does.

    No, you misunderstand me - I'm not more enlightened because I don't feel anything when the Quran is burned. I'm more enlightened, and therefore I don't feel anything when the Quran is burned. (Using the word "logical" was a mistake by me, I'm sure many Muslims and other believers are logical.)

    This is like saying that you're handling the destruction of Mariupol just fine, and don't understand why Ukranians are upset. Being remote to a thing doesn't mean you're logical, it means you're remote.

    People live in Mariupol. Comparing the destruction of a city and a book is absurd.

    I'm confident that if I knew you, I'd be able to find a dumb cultural belief the rest of the world would laugh at.

    I'm sure you could, but I'm also sure you could never find a cultural belief in me that would make me attack someone else.

    Is this meant to be a joke, or is it serious? Do you think what makes westerners special is that they're assholes?

    Again, I may not have made myself clear - I think you misunderstand me. Is it not clear to you that Westerners are legally allowed to express themselves freely, while people in Iraq are not?

    4 votes

  10. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    Link Parent
    No, that would be up to the parliament, which is the legislature of Sweden. It would also require a change to the constitution, which has to be approved by the parliament twice - before and after...

    Except that they do? They could make burning religious texts a hate crime

    No, that would be up to the parliament, which is the legislature of Sweden. It would also require a change to the constitution, which has to be approved by the parliament twice - before and after an election.

    "Holocaust Denial, antisemitic speech and racism [racist speech]" are all legal in Sweden.

    1 vote

  11. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    Link Parent
    The Swedish government is not condoning or allowing Quran burnings. The government is actively discouraging Quran burnings and doesn't have the power to decide whether Quran burnings are allowed...

    the Swedish government is condoning an action that they know is intended to be provocative

    The Swedish government is not condoning or allowing Quran burnings. The government is actively discouraging Quran burnings and doesn't have the power to decide whether Quran burnings are allowed or not.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    It does make me more logical and enlightened. Why? I don't think holocaust denial should be illegal, but I'm not as outraged because holocaust denial is harmful, while... disrespect of a holy book...

    Obviously non Muslims don't feel anything when the Qur'an is burnt; they're not Muslims! That doesn't make you more logical and enlightened, it just means you're from a culture in which that book has no meaning.

    It does make me more logical and enlightened.

    But I suspect the some of the same people that are acting like this request is the worst possible affront of human rights probably aren't quite as outraged about Holocaust denial being banned in Germany. And if you're in that position, I challenge you to ask yourself why.

    Why? I don't think holocaust denial should be illegal, but I'm not as outraged because holocaust denial is harmful, while... disrespect of a holy book just isn't. (Well, to be fair - I'm not outraged at all... Also, Germany doesn't demand Sweden to disallow holocaust denial)

    I'm so sick and tired of westerners pretending they're special.

    Westerners are allowed to say hurtful things, which apparently is special, no?

    4 votes

  13. Comment on Iraq tells Sweden it will cut ties if Quran burned again in ~humanities

    iiv
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Burning the Swedish flag will not piss off the powers that be in Sweden. No one cares about that sort of thing. Burning the Quran, however, will: see the government's response, for example -...

    something that'll piss off the powers that be in your own society

    Burning the Swedish flag will not piss off the powers that be in Sweden. No one cares about that sort of thing. Burning the Quran, however, will: see the government's response, for example - they're asking people to stop using their democratic rights, which is previously unheard of in Sweden.

    Also, these most recent burnings have been done by an Iraqi refugee, who probably feels that he has reason beyond being an asshole to burn an important symbol of his oppressive home country.

    EDIT: There is no burning of a symbol that would upset the Swedish government or the Swedish public... at all. That is an important difference between Swedish culture and authoritarian regimes. The only reason the government cares about the Quran burnings is because it affects Sweden's foreign affairs: relations to majority Muslim countries and the NATO process, and even national security - increased risk of terrorism.

    9 votes

  14. Comment on How can I leave Reddit? in ~tech

    iiv
    Link
    You don't have to leave. I follow several subreddits that have no equivalence anywhere else on the internet, so I think I'll continue using reddit until those move to another place.

    You don't have to leave. I follow several subreddits that have no equivalence anywhere else on the internet, so I think I'll continue using reddit until those move to another place.

    28 votes

  15. Comment on What is weighing heavily on you this week? in ~talk

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Yes to all those things. Why not? Enjoy the world while you have the chance. Don't you want to see the beautiful landscapes before they go desolate? Go and say goodbye to the polar bears!

    Wife talks about travel, but why? To burn more jet fuel and wave while I pass the slums that global capitalist colonization made? To see the wildlife and beautiful landscapes that are on their way to desolation? Wave goodbye to the polar bears honey

    Yes to all those things. Why not? Enjoy the world while you have the chance. Don't you want to see the beautiful landscapes before they go desolate? Go and say goodbye to the polar bears!

    3 votes

  16. Comment on Sound enthusiasts - share your system in ~hobbies

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the recommendations, I'll definitely look into it!

    Thanks for the recommendations, I'll definitely look into it!

  17. Comment on Sound enthusiasts - share your system in ~hobbies

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Good, conscious choices! It seems a lot of people here have SVS subs (including me) - are you happy with yours?

    Good, conscious choices! It seems a lot of people here have SVS subs (including me) - are you happy with yours?

  18. Comment on Sound enthusiasts - share your system in ~hobbies

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Sounds very cool! You have the same problem as me :) I've been curious about DIY audio, how did you get started building your own speakers? They look great!

    Sounds very cool! You have the same problem as me :)

    I've been curious about DIY audio, how did you get started building your own speakers? They look great!

    1 vote

  19. Comment on With an unbelievable perfect score on Saturday, Magnus Carlsen seized the lead by a three-point margin at the Grand Chess Tour: SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2023 in ~games.tabletop

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Sure, but the same could be said about many sports. The current pole vault world champion Armand Duplantis has the world record as well - is he the greatest pole vaulter? Or is it Sergey Bubka who...

    Sure, but the same could be said about many sports. The current pole vault world champion Armand Duplantis has the world record as well - is he the greatest pole vaulter? Or is it Sergey Bubka who held the indoor world record for 20 years and was the first to clear 6 meters? Or is it some other past great pole vaulter who perhaps dominated even longer? (I don't know enough about the sport to say...) I suppose I just want to say that "superiority to their own peers, in their own time" isn't the only way to claim greatness.

    3 votes

  20. Comment on With an unbelievable perfect score on Saturday, Magnus Carlsen seized the lead by a three-point margin at the Grand Chess Tour: SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2023 in ~games.tabletop

    iiv
    Link Parent
    Well, Magnus would easily win against Kasparov if they competed against each other in their respective prime. I suppose who is "greatest" depends on how you define greatness. Is the greatest chess...

    Well, Magnus would easily win against Kasparov if they competed against each other in their respective prime. I suppose who is "greatest" depends on how you define greatness. Is the greatest chess player the one who plays the best or the one who dominates the world scene the longest?

    2 votes