mrnd's recent activity
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
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Comment on Suggestions for fantasy that feels truly different in ~books
mrnd LinkI have been reading a few ancient china -themed fantasy series lately. My favorite is probably Nghi Vo's The Singing Hills Cycle. The individual books are fairly short, and loosely connected. They...I have been reading a few ancient china -themed fantasy series lately.
My favorite is probably Nghi Vo's The Singing Hills Cycle. The individual books are fairly short, and loosely connected. They deal with fairly complex characters and stories, and felt like a big step up from the more standard fantasy I am familiar with.
Slightly more standard fantasy, but still somewhat asia-centered is Andrea Stewart's The Drowning Empire Trilogy. It involves programming necromantic constructs. And then there some other kinds of magic and aquatic dragon-cat-otters.
And then there is Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow, which is somewhat based on real historical characters, but with, you know, mechas.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~life
mrnd LinkAn interesting companion for this story is "Cat Person" and Me, an article from the woman who Margot, it turns out, was based on. It reflects on the effects of the story on her, and on the person...An interesting companion for this story is "Cat Person" and Me, an article from the woman who Margot, it turns out, was based on. It reflects on the effects of the story on her, and on the person Robert was based on.
Kristen Roupenian’s viral story draws specific details from my own life. I’ve spent the years since it published wondering: How did she know?
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Comment on The limited utility of the phrase “GNU/Linux” in ~comp
mrnd Link ParentI think interesting context is "Incorrect Quotation" by RMS where he talks briefly about the copypasta.I think interesting context is "Incorrect Quotation" by RMS where he talks briefly about the copypasta.
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Comment on Operator of Nord Stream 2 confirmed that a leak in the pipeline has been detected southeast of the Danish island Bornholm in the Baltic Sea in ~enviro
mrnd LinkBoth Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1 have leaks. Apparently Germany presumes sabotage.Both Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1 have leaks. Apparently Germany presumes sabotage.
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Comment on PC cases without transparent side panels in ~tech
mrnd LinkI know this might not be particularly useful but – is it really not an option to keep using the Thelio case, even if you end up replacing most of the components? Personally I have found finding...I know this might not be particularly useful but – is it really not an option to keep using the Thelio case, even if you end up replacing most of the components?
Personally I have found finding "tasteful" PC cases to be really hard! I have personally been eyeing the Thelio mostly because I love the case, but it seems that getting them to Europe is a bit complicated.
Some stores let you filter by having the side window. PCPartPicker at least has this option: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/case/#B=1
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Comment on Mind uploading in ~humanities
mrnd LinkMy favorite fiction about this topic: Lena, a short story from qntm Soma, a video game by Frictional GamesMy favorite fiction about this topic:
- Lena, a short story from qntm
- Soma, a video game by Frictional Games
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Comment on Resonate: A co-operative music streaming platform in ~music
mrnd (edited )LinkThe context for posting this today seems to be that Bandcamp was sold to Epic. Co-op structure and stream-to-own seem like great ideas, and looks like they already have some good music. Co-ops are...The context for posting this today seems to be that Bandcamp was sold to Epic.
Co-op structure and stream-to-own seem like great ideas, and looks like they already have some good music. Co-ops are pretty much the only way to keep this kind of community/artist-controlled platform from being inevitably sold, so I'd definitely want to support this.
However, to replace Bandcamp, they still seem to be missing the most important (to me) part as a music platform:
Can I download music I own on Resonate?
In the future, we intend to offer the ability to download tracks that you own on Resonate to your local device. This feature is not yet available.
(-resonate faq) -
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tv
mrnd Link ParentI know this is how Tolkien is generally interpreted, but it has actually surprisingly little textual evidence. Tolkien simply doesn't describe characters that much (we don't what is the hair color...I know this is how Tolkien is generally interpreted, but it has actually surprisingly little textual evidence. Tolkien simply doesn't describe characters that much (we don't what is the hair color of Legolas).
Some people that are described by Tolkien as swarthy/brown/dark:
- Sam specifically, Harfoots and Stoors generally
- Few specific gondorians and haradrims
- In some drafts, Maeglin the elf
So while most visual adaptations follow the "everyone is White except the evil peoples", it is not something that can really be supported by the text alone. Mostly Tolkien just doesn't tell us.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tv
mrnd Link ParentThe fact that it is not actually a quote from Tolkien makes it even funnier. Only distort and destroy indeed.The fact that it is not actually a quote from Tolkien makes it even funnier. Only distort and destroy indeed.
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Comment on I am a transwoman, I am in the closet and I am not coming out in ~lgbt
mrnd Link ParentHeartbreaking is definitely what I feel reading this. I feel so deeply where the author is coming from. But at the same time I just can't help to think that she is mainly trapped by her own binary...Heartbreaking is definitely what I feel reading this.
I feel so deeply where the author is coming from. But at the same time I just can't help to think that she is mainly trapped by her own binary thinking about transition. I know and remember how much one can want the magic chair, but if she rejects transition anyway, what's preventing her from experimenting in smaller ways? Like she keeps talking about how men are not allowed to do this and that, but you can just do it anyway! Most people will simply not notice or care, at least outside very conservative areas where she doesn't seem to live. Just shave your legs, it's not that weird.
Wanting to be "normal", while extremely understandable and normal in itself, is a toxic trap everyone should strive to escape.
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Comment on A reality where CSS and JavaScript don't exist...? in ~comp
mrnd LinkWithout CSS, browsers probably would have better default styling for content. For example, Gemini clients often have much more imaginative default looks, which is possible because the content...Bradley’s current design is a great example of what his web utopia would look like, and I think it’s just a step too far. It can easily be “fixed” but without CSS, how would we do that?
Without CSS, browsers probably would have better default styling for content.
For example, Gemini clients often have much more imaginative default looks, which is possible because the content author has less control over the presentation.
I think ignoring this prevents making an honest argument for CSS.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~humanities
mrnd (edited )Link ParentThis is something that I find sensible too, and I found it really annoying how this article (and maybe illusionism generally) refuses to engage with anything beyond "it is hard to define...This is something that I find sensible too, and I found it really annoying how this article (and maybe illusionism generally) refuses to engage with anything beyond "it is hard to define consciousness, so it probably isn't real". I experience things, so experiencing things must be real.
But I have to add that simply saying "panpsychism" doesn't really solve the hard problem by itself. It explains how experiencing things is possible, but it does not explain how the completely separate system of brain's cognitive functionality is able to know it experiences things.
This is why I believe, rather than saying "all matter experiences", it is probably more useful to say "all information processing systems experience". Of course, it can still be said that a single proton processes information (by having forces acting on it and reacting to it), but this still seems like a more useful framework. It is not the atoms making up the brain that experience, but the whole information system that can make use of the human cognitive skills.
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Comment on McDonald's serves 62 million customers every day in ~talk
mrnd Link ParentThere are still only the few technical solutions in use in any of them. Proof-of-work fundamentally doesn't scale. Proof-of-stake is simply another form of centralization. From "No, your...There are an absurd amount of crypto these days, most of them absolute garbage. But others are folks with a vision.
There are still only the few technical solutions in use in any of them. Proof-of-work fundamentally doesn't scale. Proof-of-stake is simply another form of centralization.
From "No, your cryptocurrency cannot work":
Maybe some day, a legitimate cryptocurrency without Bitcoin's flaws will come to exist. If it does, it will be some boring research paper out of an academic lab in three decades, not a flashy startup promising easy money or revolutionary new tech today. There are no useful cryptocurrencies today, and there will not be any at any time in the near future. The tech just doesn't work.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
mrnd LinkI just finished Outer Wilds. It is now definitely somewhere very high on the list of my favorite games. I had seen it mentioned positively from time to time these past few years, but I never...I just finished Outer Wilds. It is now definitely somewhere very high on the list of my favorite games.
I had seen it mentioned positively from time to time these past few years, but I never really happened to look it up. Now when there were news again, I got interested and thought "space exploring with nice visual theme? sounds fun" and then started playing. Honestly I was probably sold at the moment I actually saw the game's logo on Steam. And am I happy I managed to survive until now without reading any more (not even Steam's description) about it!
It was quite a ride. Now excuse me, I'll be playing the soundtrack on loop for the next eternity.
Anyway, if you haven't played it, and are interested in space exploring and puzzles and roasting marshmallows on a campfire, just go and play it.
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Comment on What do you think about voting? in ~talk
mrnd (edited )LinkFirst, I'd just like to note there are representative elections where single votes matter. For example in my country, it is not uncommon in municipal elections that single votes end up relevant....First, I'd just like to note there are representative elections where single votes matter. For example in my country, it is not uncommon in municipal elections that single votes end up relevant. In more local elections, there are less votes. And I often argue that local elections are much more important than national elections.
But also, that is not really the point. You are generally right in the sense that from an individualistic perspective, voting is not really beneficial. But voting is about politics, and politics are about collective decisions and collective action.
If there are things in the world we do not like and want to change, we must organize, find solutions, convince people, make the change. Voting is simply one, (often optional) part of the process.
Voting also happens to be one of the easiest ways to take collective action. If you happen to care about the things affected by politics and want to help, it is pretty much the bare minimum thing to do.
Personally, I am in a good place where I have political parties I am happy to support by voting them. If this were not true, the next step would be to actually get involved and make sure that in the future, there are better candidates.
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Comment on Building the world's first 'breathing' PC in ~tech
mrnd Link ParentI honestly... kind of really would like something like this! Modern computing is very clean and "soulless". Having something that feels this alive would be very different, I think.I honestly... kind of really would like something like this! Modern computing is very clean and "soulless". Having something that feels this alive would be very different, I think.
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Comment on Why we turn off autocaps and only write in lowercase online in ~humanities.languages
mrnd Link ParentTo be clear, I was not trying to contradict the article. The reason it is done is definitely social. But the medium is a reason why it is possible/easier.To be clear, I was not trying to contradict the article. The reason it is done is definitely social. But the medium is a reason why it is possible/easier.
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Comment on Why we turn off autocaps and only write in lowercase online in ~humanities.languages
mrnd LinkI think one practical element the article misses is the medium. In instant messaging and tweets, messages are usually a single sentence. And because the user interface gives bounds to the message,...I think one practical element the article misses is the medium. In instant messaging and tweets, messages are usually a single sentence. And because the user interface gives bounds to the message, capitalization and punctuation are simply not needed. However, in long-form discussion (like here), the same people usually write "properly", as there is actual benefit in readability.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~life
mrnd Link ParentThis sounds about correct. The guy, Mika Lauhde, also seems to boast about himself doing the 80 hours weeks and not having had summer holidays at all in the last four years. From any of the...This sounds about correct.
The guy, Mika Lauhde, also seems to boast about himself doing the 80 hours weeks and not having had summer holidays at all in the last four years.
From any of the articles I have read, it is not clear at all what the gap he speaks about is. All Finnish commenters seem to agree that we have zero reason to want to be more like China.
Personally, I think this needs to be read in the context of moving the Overton window: The leftist parties have started mentioning the 4-day work week more and more, and it seems to have caused the liberals to counter with "no we need to work more actually". This is just an extreme example of that.
I'll start with some fundamental intuitions I have:
This is something I'm rationally fairly certain of. The question of religion is basically, how can I experience these facts as fully as possible?
I started with cultivating various neo-pagan beliefs and practices, starting with Wicca/general witchcraft in my teens, but found it ultimately bit too artificial. I then gravitated towards more traditional pagan beliefs of my culture (specifically, finnic folk beliefs/"väenusko"). Nature and ancestor worship, similar to many other natural religions, but with names, terminology and spell traditions in the language of my heart. I found very powerful experiences with this path, but lacked a community and a general sense of "what am I supposed to do with this world view".
I was also interested in various Asian traditions, perhaps most in Daoism. Through some detours I ended up looking at Buddhism, and specifically Zen. And there I found a concrete practice path that aligned very well with the basic intuitions I listed at the beginning. I also ended up finding a local group that practices Zen together, and I have found it very supportive and helpful. So what does it involve? Mostly meditating, which is studying - or rather, simply experiencing what is it that is happening right now. It is a path I now have a very strong faith in.
So if I had to categorize myself, I'd still probably call myself a pagan, but a pagan practising Buddhism.