mir's recent activity
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Comment on Dan Wang's 2021 letter about China in ~life
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir LinkI have sunk about a hundred hours into Hunt: Showdown since discovering it back in November - this is the most committed I've been to a multiplayer game since Overwatch originally came out back in...I have sunk about a hundred hours into Hunt: Showdown since discovering it back in November - this is the most committed I've been to a multiplayer game since Overwatch originally came out back in 2016. Managed to get my brother and my best friend to buy it as well, so I don't have to play it solo all the time, and so far it's just been fun. The sound design is great, and the skill ceiling is extremely high - I can see myself getting better and better at this the more time I sink into it. The general horror aesthetic wasn't something I thought I'd like (I don't watch horror movies, and the most exposure to horror games was watching my partner play through Silent Hill 2), but the PvPvE gameplay is fantastic.
If you have an extra $20 to snag Hunt up on sale, I strongly recommend it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir LinkI've been replaying Disco Elysium after completing it for the first time last month - this time specing heavily into INT and MOT instead of PSY and PYS. I've also started (and subsequently...I've been replaying Disco Elysium after completing it for the first time last month - this time specing heavily into INT and MOT instead of PSY and PYS. I've also started (and subsequently dropped) Horizon Zero Dawn - the world was beautiful and the combat fun, but the wooden dialogue and janky face animations made me fairly disinterested in the story for some reason.
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Any self-help/motivational books that don't focus on an individualistic perspective?
Just wanted to preface this by saying that I don't know much about self-help lit and do not mean to offend anyone who enjoys it as a genre. I've been talking to a friend of mine who primarily...
Just wanted to preface this by saying that I don't know much about self-help lit and do not mean to offend anyone who enjoys it as a genre.
I've been talking to a friend of mine who primarily reads self-help literature (a genre I've never really delved into), and what struck me was the highly materialistic/individualistic focus that a number of these books seem to have (most being focused on becoming an entrepreneur who drives a Lamborghini and retires by 40 living off of their crypto/stocks/real estate investments). The failure of the individual to achieve these goals can apparently be overcome through positive thinking, changing one's mindset, etc, and the focus seems to be largely on material goods and the general definition of "American-style" success. My general feeling is that a large part of self-help as a genre is focused on the failings of the individual rather than societal ills (or, the Jordan Peterson style of motivational thinking), and that got me wondering if anybody had some books that differ from the mold somewhat, possibly talking about improving yourself not only as an individual but also as part of the community, perhaps offering some sort of a leftist perspective that touches upon commodity fetishism, etc.
If anyone had any suggestions, I'd love to take a look at them.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir Link ParentI have also been playing Disco Elysium for the last week or so, just finishing up the game a few nights ago. Had to go for a walk to clear my head afterwards - a fantastic experience.I have also been playing Disco Elysium for the last week or so, just finishing up the game a few nights ago. Had to go for a walk to clear my head afterwards - a fantastic experience.
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Comment on Any fans of regular non-smart watches? in ~hobbies
mir (edited )Link ParentI have a Casio A168WE on my wrist right now, it's been going strong for about a year - no complaints so far (besides the metal bracelet yanking an occasional hair sometime). I also use the timer...I have a Casio A168WE on my wrist right now, it's been going strong for about a year - no complaints so far (besides the metal bracelet yanking an occasional hair sometime). I also use the timer while cooking way more often than I had expected, since it's just nice to have a splash-proof stopwatch on my person while running around the kitchen.
I bought it originally to scratch my watch itch - at that point in time I was looking at different watches daily, which gets a little unhealthy when you realize that the watch collecting hobby often pushes you to spend a massive amount of money on what is essentially jewelry, and I just wanted something cheap to sit on my wrist. Unfortunately, over the last few weeks I have fallen down the same rabbit hole once again, first looking at vintage Soviet watches and now scrolling r/WatchExchange while having my morning coffee. I should probably stop.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
mir Link ParentThanks for the recommendation, it's on my to-read list (along with a number of other books - quarantine has actually been less productive for me reading-wise than I'd hoped).Thanks for the recommendation, it's on my to-read list (along with a number of other books - quarantine has actually been less productive for me reading-wise than I'd hoped).
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir Link ParentHaha, I've been trying to keep my playthrough spoiler-free, no matter how many times I'm about killed by heading to Dark Bramble. It's a fantastic game to go in blind, I think.Haha, I've been trying to keep my playthrough spoiler-free, no matter how many times I'm about killed by heading to Dark Bramble. It's a fantastic game to go in blind, I think.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir (edited )LinkBeen playing The Outer Wilds over the last few weeks. It's a delightful little game, and the 22-minute time loop is addicting ("Just one more try! This time I'll be able to land on the Sun...Been playing The Outer Wilds over the last few weeks. It's a delightful little game, and the 22-minute time loop is addicting ("Just one more try! This time I'll be able to land on the Sun Station!"). Unfortunately, I get quite a bit of motion sickness if playing for longer than an hour or two, due to the abrupt gravity changes/360 degree rolls, and in some cases the nausea persists for hours after I put away the controller. But it's a great game and I'm glad I got it.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
mir LinkCurrently reading DeLillo's Mao II, after having finished White Noise sometime last year. I'm only about 30 pages in so far, but the prologue has gripped me more than most books I can remember -...Currently reading DeLillo's Mao II, after having finished White Noise sometime last year. I'm only about 30 pages in so far, but the prologue has gripped me more than most books I can remember - although that may be due to the fact that I have just finished Jon Fosse's The Other Name, which I found to be somewhat of a slog. In contrast to Fosse's use of repetition and circular plot, DeLillo's prose is nothing short of electric - I find myself reading parts of it aloud, just to hear the words.
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Comment on Chelsea Wolfe: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (2016) in ~music
mir LinkBeautiful. My personal favourites from Chelsea Wolfe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSHfFZF_k4A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5cHKBXElE -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir LinkI've been playing Cyberpunk 2077 for the last few weeks - I can probably finish the main story in a couple of hours, but right now I'm just running around the map seeing if there are any side...I've been playing Cyberpunk 2077 for the last few weeks - I can probably finish the main story in a couple of hours, but right now I'm just running around the map seeing if there are any side quests left that are still interesting and not just simple fetch/kill/rescue open-world filler.
Playing it on a PS4 Pro has been an... interesting experience. I love the characters, the soundtrack and the lore behind the world, but of course the game crashes every hour or so, and some of the bugs are immersion-breaking. I'm glad I bought it though - I rarely finish games, but this one I'm actually interested in completing, if only for the story aspect of it.
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Comment on Primary Lemmy instance enables federation in ~tech
mir LinkTo be honest, as interesting as the idea behind Lemmy is (federation is great!), I am a little tired of seeing yet another link aggregator pop up. From what I can tell, the discussions on there...To be honest, as interesting as the idea behind Lemmy is (federation is great!), I am a little tired of seeing yet another link aggregator pop up. From what I can tell, the discussions on there are largely revolving around Lemmy and Lemmy's functionality rather than all the other things Lemmy users find interesting - in my opinion, it makes for fairly boring reading at the moment.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mir Link ParentHopefully it ends up coming to PS4 - would love to play it on a console since I don't have a gaming PC.Hopefully it ends up coming to PS4 - would love to play it on a console since I don't have a gaming PC.
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Prospiracy Theories
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tildes
mir Link ParentI was just about to comment something similar - scrolling through my Tildes feed, at least three recent topics are about Reddit and just how bad it is. If there is anything I learned after years...I was just about to comment something similar - scrolling through my Tildes feed, at least three recent topics are about Reddit and just how bad it is. If there is anything I learned after years of using Reddit alternatives, it's that some users love to remind themselves and others that they are members of an elite club and are somehow better than the users of the more mainstream platforms.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~enviro
mir (edited )Link ParentI keep seeing this Guardian article pop up on my Twitter feed every couple days or so whenever global warming or pollution gets brought up, and it always feels like we are playing blame tennis...- Exemplary
I keep seeing this Guardian article pop up on my Twitter feed every couple days or so whenever global warming or pollution gets brought up, and it always feels like we are playing blame tennis with the responsibility for killing the planet being tossed back and forth between the consumer and the faceless corporations. The hundred companies listed are mostly energy companies - those responsible for mining and extraction of fossil fuels such as Exxon and Gazprom, with no mention of the corporations that use this energy after the carbon is sent up into the atmosphere, or the actual end consumer. If I set my thermostat to 30 degrees Celsius and leave my house for the weekend, is it me who is responsible, or is it my gas provider who supplied the energy? And if I buy peeled oranges packaged up in five layers of plastic because it is convenient, is Shell to blame for the carbon emitted? When I buy the new iPhone, or when I take the plane instead of spending the holidays back at home, or when I eat beaf instead of something slightly less harmful for the environment, these are all actions that contribute towards increased carbon emissions that I, as a regular citizen, have the ability to prevent. This Guardian report, on the other hand, is often used to abdicate our own responsibility in the face of the climate crisis for which we are all responsible.
Don't get me wrong - I agree that the companies should be regulated, and that there are a lot of suggestions being thrown around about how if only the consumers had switched to energy-saving lightbulbs, the planet would be saved. The Walmarts, the McDonald's, and the H&Ms of our world need to be reminded that they cannot simply burn up carbon and pollute the water without such a cost associated with these activities as to make them unviable (or even criminal). However, in the context of what OP is asking, this article seems to me a little defeatist - after all, what can a regular citizen do against the likes of Shell, Exxon and Walmart?
What I think a lot of us do not want to hear is that our lifestyle is unsustainable - there is no amount of regulation or legislation to which you could subject the corporations of this world for all the seven billion of us to live as we currently do. Sacrifices will have to be made, and yes, companies will have to be regulated, but consumers will also have to suffer if we intend to make it past the 21st century as a race.
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Comment on What is the best ‘game within a game’ you have played? in ~games
mir Link ParentBe aware that the standalone is very different from the original minigame at this point - it's a lot more complex and nuanced, so it might take some getting used to. Good luck, and have fun!Be aware that the standalone is very different from the original minigame at this point - it's a lot more complex and nuanced, so it might take some getting used to. Good luck, and have fun!
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Comment on What is the best ‘game within a game’ you have played? in ~games
mir LinkProbably Gwent in the Witcher 3 - so much so, that when the standalone released, that was pretty much the only game I played for about a year.Probably Gwent in the Witcher 3 - so much so, that when the standalone released, that was pretty much the only game I played for about a year.
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Comment on Mark Zuckerberg: A Privacy-Focused Vision for Social Networking in ~tech
mir Link ParentLet's not forget, however, that while your WhatsApp messages themselves are encrypted, the metadata is still collected and stored by Facebook. So while it's not as bad as the OP says, WhatsApp is...Let's not forget, however, that while your WhatsApp messages themselves are encrypted, the metadata is still collected and stored by Facebook. So while it's not as bad as the OP says, WhatsApp is still no friend of a privacy-conscientious user.
That's more of a passing comment rather than a direct reply to your answer, but lately I've realized that I have been living in a bit of a bubble, culturally speaking, and decided to venture a little outside Hollywood for my cinema nights. So far, I've been very impressed by the output of Jia Zhangke, and Bi Gan, as well as Hu Bo's An Elephant Sitting Still - the closest comparison would be the work of someone like Tarkovsky, although with a larger focus on social realism. I do think that there is very little exposure to non-Western works of art for those of us living in the imperial core - although I can't be certain of the exact causes of this, beyond lower interest both from the consumers and the big orgs that would be responsible for financing.