skullkid2424's recent activity
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Comment on Megathread #3 for news/updates/discussion of AI chatbots and image generators in ~tech
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Comment on What's the best way to save/store money? in ~finance
skullkid2424 Link ParentGood points! I didn't get too much into investing stuff, but I'd basically always recommend either a low-fee index fund (VTSAX!) or a "target date" fund, which has a higher fee, but slowly swaps...Good points! I didn't get too much into investing stuff, but I'd basically always recommend either a low-fee index fund (VTSAX!) or a "target date" fund, which has a higher fee, but slowly swaps the balance towards bonds as it gets closer to the "target" retirement date. You can mirror that functionality yourself for lower fees with index funds and an annual rebalance - but the target date funds are great for those who don't want to manage it themselves.
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Comment on What's the best way to save/store money? in ~finance
skullkid2424 (edited )LinkDefinitely need some more information here. What country is this? Approximately how much money are we talking? What purpose does this money fill in your budget (daily use cash/checking, emergency...- Exemplary
Definitely need some more information here. What country is this? Approximately how much money are we talking? What purpose does this money fill in your budget (daily use cash/checking, emergency savings, long term saving for car/house/wedding/etc, short term investment, long term investment, etc)? Why are you thinking of taking money and putting it into a safe?
I'm going to assume the US and that we're talking about either emergency savings or long term savings, and not an absurd amount of money. I also don't know how much you know, so forgive me if some of this is obvious/basic. The answer would be to keep using FDIC-insured banks (or credit unions). For those banks with FDIC insurance, the government will guarantee $250k "per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category". Ignoring the different categories (you can find them on the fdic.gov website) - that means you can safely keep $250k in a checking/savings account. Since this is per bank, you can protect more than $250k by having accounts at different banks. That protection will be in place unless the government as we know it is destroyed - in which case saving cash at home isn't going to be all that helpful and you would invest in more useful physical goods.
I wouldn't keep much in physical cash in the US. A small emergency fund in a safe is fine, but theres no recourse if that cash gets lost, stolen, or destroyed. Also if the police decide to raid your house, they can simply take that cash even if you aren't charged with a crime.
You mention crypto currencies and stocks, which would generally be less of emergency/long term savings, and more on the investment side. Crypto is hard to give advice on...its basically speculative gambling at the current point. Crypto is down right now due to several other reasons like fraud and scandals - and its hard to tell what will happen to it. It could recover and go off to the moon again - but at this point it seems like crypto has "failed" as a new currency and that puts its value into question. Given the volatile nature, I would suggest against putting too much into crypto. Putting some in is fine - just be prepared to either lose that money or see it stagnate.
Stocks (and bonds) are going to be the more traditional long term investment options. Bonds are typically more stable, but won't grow very much. Stocks are more volatile, but also can see much bigger gains (and losses) than bonds. Stocks can be scary to watch day-to-day or even month-to-month, but over decades, things mostly tend to trend upwards. Usually a mix of stocks and bonds is recommended based on when you expect to need that money. A 22 year old in their first job will likely lean towards all stocks when saving for retirement - as they have 40+ years for that money to grow, and any crashes won't be much of a concern. As you get closer to retirement, its common to put more into bonds to protect against crashes or downswings. If you are retiring in 2 years, you'll want to have more stable bonds in case a recession happens - as the bonds will continue to grow small amounts where the stocks will fall. Your 2 year window doesn't leave much time for those stocks to bounce back.
Edit: Note that we're typically talking about "funds" of stocks/bonds - not stocks in individual companies. Investing in individual companies is much riskier since any company's stock could drop - or the company could go under. A fund made up of many different stocks/bonds is going to be much more stable. Even if 1 of those 100 companies goes under, the 99 others will make up for it. Funds are managed by someone though, so theres usually a percentage fee for managing the fund - and a high fee could negate any earnings. So I'd suggest sticking with either index funds or target date funds. Index funds usually encompass a certain set of the stock market. A common option would be a fund that has all the stocks in the S&P500 - but you could have a tech company fund, international fund, bond funds, or a "green" fund that avoids things like oil companies. The best part of these funds is that they don't need much management at all, which means they are very low fee...and sometimes even zero fees. I typically stick with index funds, and rebalance annually to shift some towards bonds the closer I get to retirement. The "target date" funds are a similar, but a little more hands-off. You pick a target date fund that is close to your expected retirement date - say a Target Date 2060 fund. As it gets closer to 2060, there will be more in bonds for a more stable investment. These target date funds will have a higher management fee than index funds and doing your own balancing - but the good ones still have pretty low fees and it saves you some work over the years.
Long term savings can also bleed over into shorter-term investments. If you plan on savings $80k to put a down payment on a house 4 years from now - it might be wise to invest that money for now. Money sitting in a checking account typically loses value, as the interest rate is usually less than inflation. Savings accounts can be better - especially with "high yield" options...but you're still at-best, keeping up with inflation. Investing into something with a bit more growth - while also being relatively stable - is a strong option. Bond funds or CDs or something similar.
The personal finance subreddit has a very useful graphic with what to do with incoming money. You can definitely find some controversial or hivemind opinions in the sub, but they do a decent job with the basics.
So for example - my setup is...
- Checking - has enough money to pay bills and prevent my account from being overdrawn. Excess money gets moved or invested every month or three.
- Emergency savings - $2k in a savings account in the same bank as my checking account. Instantly accessible. (This doesn't need to be distinct from the next bullet point - I simply ended up doing it because I like my bank for daily use, but the interest rates on their savings account are awful)
- Savings - I have ~6 months of lean expenses in another bank with a much higher interest rate. Can transfer to my main bank within a few days. This is for if I were to lose my job or something - I would cut spending (no eating out, reduce entertainment budget like netflix subscriptions, possibly even moving to a lower cost-of-living area)
- House fund - I was saving for a house before the pandemic, and I'm still technically saving for a house...just not sure if/when that will actually be attainable. I have some in a high yield savings account, some in CDs, some in I-Bonds. I'd move it to be more liquid if I was expecting to buy within the next 6-12 months
- Tax-advantaged retirement accounts - for me, that is a 401k through work and an IRA. I'm fortunately able to max both of these out. They are mostly invested into stock index funds - which have good growth and low fees. IIRC, I had 10% in bonds, 60% in domestic stocks, and 30% in international stock.
- Taxed investments - for extra money I want to invest beyond the tax-advantaged accounts. The upside of these funds are the fact that I can access them waaaaay sooner than retirement age (where the retirement accounts are mostly untouchable until then). If I need them next year for a big expense - I can do that. If I want to retire 10 years early, I could sell and use those funds to live until my retirement accounts kick in. I again focus on stock index funds here - but also have some in smaller and more interesting funds. Including some in real estate funds and some in individual companies. I'd also include crypto into this section, as I have a small amount in crypto too.
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Comment on Teaching myself how to cook - where to begin? in ~food
skullkid2424 (edited )LinkYou've got some great stuff here, so I'll just a few youtubers that I didn't see - usually more on the science side of food stuff: J Kenji Lopez-Alt - you'll hear the name "Kenji" pop up all over...You've got some great stuff here, so I'll just a few youtubers that I didn't see - usually more on the science side of food stuff:
- J Kenji Lopez-Alt - you'll hear the name "Kenji" pop up all over the place, and this is the guy. Lots of science, but also first-person PoV for home cooking that is very approachable.
- Ethan Chlebowski - lots of science, blind test tastes, and focus on health meals.
- Internet Shaquille - more big picture stuff and less recipes. Usually fun twists on existing classics, but also a ton of good non-cooking kitchen advice (fire extinguisher, good kitchen gadgets, better ways to do dishes, etc).
I'll also add that the "Know Thyself" maxim applies to the kitchen. Figure out what you don't like or what is causing friction or a bottleneck. For me, I really don't like doing dishes. I've tried different strategies to force myself to do dishes, but the reality is that there are nights where I'm going to look at those dishes and decide to order delivery. So I slowly swapped out 95% of my kitchen with dishwasher safe things. Not everything can be swapped out (cast iron, good knives, crock pot, rice cooker pot, etc) - but I've reduced it down as much as possible.
And then some random notes:
- Get a set of metal bowls. They are cheap, lightweight, durable, and typically much easier than glass bowls, which are popular with cooking shows/channels because the viewer can see inside the bowl.
- Don't get crazy with knife skills. Learn some of the basic concepts - but as a home cook, go slow and be safe. No need to try and emulate the speed techniques of professional chefs who have to cut 100 onions before the kitchen opens.
- A meat thermometer is great way to get away from "everything is overcooked for safety" to having meat that is cooked perfectly.
- Cast iron is cool, but if you don't have a pan and are looking in that direction - consider carbon steel. Pretty similar properties, but much lighter - and its what most professional kitchens use. Alternatively if you do want cast iron, look for ones that have been sanded down to a smooth surface, which are much easier to season to the point of non-stick.
- Dry your food before throwing it in the frying pan - that water is just going to delay things as it cooks off and steams up. It might seem easier to rinse those veggies and just throw them in. Or throw in a cut of chicken or fish filet directly from the juice-filled package. But drying those off will help them cook better.
- Knives are important and everyone has different opinions on them. It can be very easy to deep dive into fancy and super expensive knives (and then whetstones for sharpening). But its probably better to stick with cheaper options that require less care. One of the most common recommendation for an intro knife is a victorinox chef's knife - its affordable, good quality, and durable. A pull-through knife sharpener is going to be fine for most cooks. And then a somewhat controversial opinion of mine would be that the cheap ceramic dishwasher-safe knives are fine for everyday use. They are going to be sharp enough and the dishwasher isn't ideal for any knife - but they will work fine until you figure out how much of a knife nerd you want to be. I use mine for any quick/easy cutting I need to do, with the victorinox as the sharper option for anything that needs it.
- Oh, and dishwasher "pods" are a scam. They are way more expensive and skip the pre-wash cycle. Skip them for powder/liquid detergent and make sure to fill up the prewash bin (or put some detergent on the lid if there is no bin for it).
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Comment on Teaching myself how to cook - where to begin? in ~food
skullkid2424 Link ParentI'll second the recommendation for a meal kit service, with the caveat that it isn't for everyone. For me, cooking was a drain on my time and mental energy. I make enough, so paying a bit more to...I'll second the recommendation for a meal kit service, with the caveat that it isn't for everyone. For me, cooking was a drain on my time and mental energy. I make enough, so paying a bit more to reduce that mental energy has been great. I also get to make a wider variety of food than before, and usually healthier options since many of my go-to meals lean more towards the comfort food side of things.
Take notes on how the recipe went, what you would do different next time, and how you liked it. You'll gain a bunch of experience, as well as finding several recipes that you like and can continue to make even if you cancel the meal kit service.
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Comment on ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ scores seven Oscars including Best Picture in ~movies
skullkid2424 Link ParentI've been having trouble putting my thoughts on EEAAO into words, but this is pretty close to it. I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun - but it didn't seem deep or as amazing to me as people have...But it’s basically just a long episode of Rick and Morty. With similar juvenile humor and pseudo-deep philosophy. I just don’t think it’s as groundbreaking or as meaningful as everyone else seems to think it is.
I've been having trouble putting my thoughts on EEAAO into words, but this is pretty close to it. I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun - but it didn't seem deep or as amazing to me as people have made it out to be. That mix of pseudo-deep concepts mixed with humor is something that I've seen before in anime and fiction novels a bunch - but Rick and Morty is a much better example.
Its also similar to Encanto with hitting familial trauma and healing - which I (fortunately) simply don't have a good way to relate to, so it doesn't hit quite as hard for me there.
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Comment on What's a good and/or competitive video game that does not require quick aiming, a lot of actions per minute, or precise motor skills? in ~games
skullkid2424 LinkHave you actually ruled out WoW (either classic or retail)? A level 30 dungeon is easy for a few reasons. One big one is that the early game content needs to be accessible to newer/younger players...And according to other players, that won't change until I get to raiding, and maybe not even then.
Have you actually ruled out WoW (either classic or retail)? A level 30 dungeon is easy for a few reasons. One big one is that the early game content needs to be accessible to newer/younger players and beating a dungeon needs to be achievable by a group of randoms. Another reason is that most of the dungeons are from previous expansions and combat upgrades from newer expansions will often bump the capabilities, while the old dungeons don't get tuned to the new power levels.
The more expansions into WoW you go, the more the "real content" shifts towards max level and endgame. That includes raiding, but also the max level dungeons - both of which have some form of difficult mode or even scaling mode depending on the current expansion. Raiding often has an easier "LFG" difficulty, which is easier mechanics-wise and designed for a group of random people. And then raids often have a normal, heroic, and eventually mythic level difficulty with higher-tuned numbers and additional mechanics. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a group of like-minded folks who are at the same level of difficulty you want. I'll also add that you can adjust your "MMO BS" levels as well if you aren't playing at the highest tier. No need to worry about doing daily chores and long grinds if you are doing LFG or normal raiding.
If you haven't tried retail - I might suggest looking at that. Classic WoW is a bit weird since everything has been extremely optimized and the community tends to be a bit more elitist as far as I can tell. Retail has its own issues - but might be up your alley. Retail also optimizes the leveling process so you can get to max level much sooner.
If you're looking at MMOs - the other top MMOs are FFXIV, destiny 2, and runescape. I haven't played final fantasy, but IIRC it somewhat follows the holy trinity - but has a tedious early game. Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter, but isn't like CS:GO or other high intensity pvp games - it tends to have a lot more PVE content and interesting weapons/abilities. It always amuses me that runescape (specifically old school runescape) is still going strong. Some of it is nostalgia - but they've added plenty of updates and endgame content. Much of the game is "solo" in terms of gameplay like questing/skilling (but might be social in that you can hang out with others doing the same thing) - but there are plenty of minigames and even some end game raids that might fit your criteria of people working together in different roles to accomplish a goal. Outside of high-end pvp, it tends to be not too technically crazy.
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Comment on Honest question: Are Windows or Linux laptops more suited for freelancers? in ~tech
skullkid2424 LinkDepends on what you're doing - but a very popular model is to do actual work in VMs. Especially for a software developer where you might be installing software or specific libraries or changing...Depends on what you're doing - but a very popular model is to do actual work in VMs. Especially for a software developer where you might be installing software or specific libraries or changing settings that might affect other projects. Its also great if you accidentally screw up your system - you're instead nuking a VM instead of your laptop. I'm not a freelancer, but I'd imagine separating work by project/client into separate VMs would also be useful for keeping different projects distinct and/or secure. In the case of VMs, it doesn't really matter what the base OS is. I work for a linux company, but it isn't uncommon to see people using macbooks - with browser/email/chat/etc on the main OS, but development would happen in a VM.
Using containers might also work well, and the OS matters more there.
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Comment on How E-girl influencers are trying to get Gen Z into the military in ~tech
skullkid2424 Link ParentFrom what I remember, even those mediums were still limited risque content previously. It looks like the content has changed dramatically though - so definitely looks like I'm out of the loop. I...From what I remember, even those mediums were still limited risque content previously. It looks like the content has changed dramatically though - so definitely looks like I'm out of the loop. I am curious how that fits in with the alleged abuse situation that made the news a few months ago...since it was strongly implied she was being forced to do the risque bikini/hottub streams and couldn't wear regular clothes while streaming.
Anyways thats probably off-topic enough to end there.
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Comment on How E-girl influencers are trying to get Gen Z into the military in ~tech
skullkid2424 (edited )Link ParentEven then e-girl has had several definitions in the past - including simply girls who were existing in online spaces (such as girls playing/streaming video games) or a very particular...I don't follow the whole twitch scene much, but wasn't she the prime example of "risque" content that wasn't porn before the recent stuff with the abuse allegations? So unless I missed something, calling her a porn model is misleading as well.Even then e-girl has had several definitions in the past - including simply girls who were existing in online spaces (such as girls playing/streaming video games) or a very particular aesthetic/look (winged eyeliner, blush, freckles, bright hair colors, striped shirts, etc) - think Belle Delphine. And of course both terms come with baggage/history such as being seen as more approachable by guys in online spaces, but also being used as a gendered insult.
Amouranth definitely does not fit the e-girl aesthetic, but would fit with the more general definition...so...yeah. Clear as mud.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
skullkid2424 LinkI'm about to get the new Brandon Sanderson book, The Lost Metal, for my birthday - so now sounds like a good time to reread the previous 3 books =)I'm about to get the new Brandon Sanderson book, The Lost Metal, for my birthday - so now sounds like a good time to reread the previous 3 books =)
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Comment on The REAL reason ships go missing in the Bermuda Triangle!!! in ~humanities
skullkid2424 LinkUgh, another Johnny Harris video that seems to be a lot of exposition, fancy graphics, and dramatic music for a 20 minute video that could be boiled down to a single paragraph. Which is amusing as...Ugh, another Johnny Harris video that seems to be a lot of exposition, fancy graphics, and dramatic music for a 20 minute video that could be boiled down to a single paragraph. Which is amusing as the point of the video is basically that people overly focus on the storytelling aspect rather than looking at the data. It sounds like he does the research and looks at the data, but he doesn't usually go into them and his videos are usually very surface level. The China and European history videos were particularly bad from what I recall.
I don't know if its something about him that doesn't vibe with me, or that the usual long-form videos I watch are just higher quality...but I'm just not a fan. He keeps coming up in my recommendations (both the algorithm and from friends and sites like tildes), so I occasionally give him a watch...but I'm still disappointed.
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Comment on John Wick: Chapter 4 | Official trailer in ~movies
skullkid2424 (edited )LinkOne of the few series where the plot has completely gone off the rails, and it really just doesn't matter. Its going to be a great time with tons of well-choreographed fight scenes, a stellar...One of the few series where the plot has completely gone off the rails, and it really just doesn't matter. Its going to be a great time with tons of well-choreographed fight scenes, a stellar cast, and fun characters that have enough mysterious lore to just work. I'm all for it.
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Comment on What are the top five software apps you benefit the most from? in ~tech
skullkid2424 Link ParentThe English word would be "compartmentalize" =) And thanks for the description! I have to rethink my browsing with containers in mind...not sure if I need the multi-account containers since I...compartimentarize (I don't know if this word exists in English)
The English word would be "compartmentalize" =)
And thanks for the description! I have to rethink my browsing with containers in mind...not sure if I need the multi-account containers since I don't usually have multiple accounts - but splitting into different containers for things like finances or video game stuff might be useful.
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Comment on What are the top five software apps you benefit the most from? in ~tech
skullkid2424 Link ParentI'm googling these to learn more, but can you give a short bit on what they are and how you use them? Trying to figure out how they might fit into my workflow.Conteinarise (I don't understand why this is not more widely used)
Multi-Account Containers (same^^)
I'm googling these to learn more, but can you give a short bit on what they are and how you use them? Trying to figure out how they might fit into my workflow.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
skullkid2424 LinkSplatoon 3! While my friends and I have mostly grabbed it as a fun casual(ish) group game, it always surprises me how much depth there is to the game. I've had a lot of fun trying out different...Splatoon 3!
While my friends and I have mostly grabbed it as a fun casual(ish) group game, it always surprises me how much depth there is to the game. I've had a lot of fun trying out different weapons, figuring out gear setups, finishing the single player campaign, and amusingly having fun with the blockus-like minigame. Theres been a lot of QoL upgrades since splatoon 2, and 3 plays very smoothly for the most part. The motion controls take a bit of time to learn, but end up being vastly superior to the normal dual stick aiming. The only real problem is nintendo's less-than-stellar online service combined with the insistence on p2p connections.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
skullkid2424 LinkI'm looking to get back to the gym after a couple of years off, and was using the gym at the office before that. So I'm really out of the loop with what sort of gym membership I want/need, what it...I'm looking to get back to the gym after a couple of years off, and was using the gym at the office before that. So I'm really out of the loop with what sort of gym membership I want/need, what it should include (classes? personal trainer? what machines?), and how much it should cost. Not helping the cost decision is my constant battle between being thrifty and realizing that I've worked in tech for 10 years and should spend more on certain things if it gets me better results. Any advice for what types of gyms I should look for? And approximate cost ranges? I live in the suburbs of a HCOL city, so I know they won't be cheap...but I just don't have any clue what to expect.
I've also been recommended pilates as a low-intensity way to build up core strength and prevent back problems (slipped discs run in my family). All the classes I've seen so far tend to be during normal 9-5 work hours...which isn't ideal for me. I think I'd prefer in-person so I can actually learn how things work and get feedback, rather than starting at home and having no clue if I'm doing things correctly. Also, I've heard that there yoga mat pilates and then a special type of machine (reformer or something) - can someone explain the difference and if its worth looking for the fancy machine classes, or just keep it simple with the yoga mat? Also any advice on what/who to avoid when it comes to pilates? My brief internet research seemed to indicate that there are many pilates-adjacent programs, and opinions vary on whether they are alternatives/upgrades, or grifters basically making exercises up to sell classes.
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Comment on What are the top five software apps you benefit the most from? in ~tech
skullkid2424 (edited )LinkDiscord - A modern gaming-focused chat + voice + video sharing solution...though also sometimes social media? The actual day-to-day experience depends heavily on which servers you join and...- Discord - A modern gaming-focused chat + voice + video sharing solution...though also sometimes social media? The actual day-to-day experience depends heavily on which servers you join and participate in (kinda like how the subreddits you choose to browse can greatly change your reddit experience). The main server I participate in has <50 people and is my IRL friends groups and some of their friends - and has been amazing for keeping in touch during the pandemic, hanging out with friends who are spread across the country/world, and can also function as a group chat (or really, many group chats - as we have channels for music, memes, sharing 3d printer files, new video game announcements/conversations, etc, etc). While I prefer smaller servers, there are many bigger (public) servers that cover a huge range of topics and can be great resources, even if you don't actively participate in them. Your favorite video game obviously has a server (or probably many servers) - back when I actively played WoW, I could hop on a server based on my class (tree druids for life) and could ask questions and have solid discussions. I joined a server specific to my 3D printer model to fix a problem I had with my extruder nozzle. If you're into streaming, your favorite stream probably has a server for fans. Hell, there are even NSFW servers...though some of them can be kind of sketchy. I personally stick to smaller or more niche servers (just like subreddits), but you get to pick your experience.
- Kindle - I read. A lot. I'm over 100 books read this year. The kindle mobile app is my main platform for reading, and according to the statistics, I open 29-30 days per month on average. While amazon is the main source of books for kindle, it also allows you to open .epub books - so any DRM-free books you have can also be read on it (for sci-fi/fantasy, I'd recommending signing up for Tor's mailing list, which has a free ebook every month). They even have a custom email address, where you can send .epubs that will be uploaded to your kindle automatically (you'll have to look in the settings/docs, but look for the email with "free" in it to avoid any possible data charges). I've set up a dropbox folder with IFTTT, so whenever I put a new .epub in the dropbox folder, IFTTT will email it to the address with the .epub as an attachment - which is a pretty nice automation in my life.
- VLC - already mentioned elsewhere, but it does so much, is available on every platform, and is open source. I have VLC on every computer I own and use no other video app.
- Bitwarden - A password manager is almost a necessity at this point. After lastpass gutted their offering, I did some research and ended up with bitwarden. There are many solid password managers out there though, so my advice would be to do some research and pick one based on your needs.
- uBlock origin, Https Everywhere, uMatrix - Between security and my dislike of the predatory advertisement industry, I never leave home without them.
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Comment on The backless boy’s suit is here to stay in ~design
skullkid2424 LinkNot to look down on good ol' Timothee Chalamet and the other fabulous folks trying it out over the past year, but the real OG for this trend is Oodori Kasuga - who originally brought it out ~5...Not to look down on good ol' Timothee Chalamet and the other fabulous folks trying it out over the past year, but the real OG for this trend is Oodori Kasuga - who originally brought it out ~5 years ago, and again at a second event that year.
Note
Not being serious, obviously =PThis is what first came to mind when reading the title, which gives a very different mental image more in line with MimicSquid's WFH outfit.
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Comment on Why men are hard to help in ~humanities
skullkid2424 Link ParentThis is definitely something worth thinking about, though I'm not sure if it isn't more generational rather than a gender divide. My friends group are all around ~30 and none of us consider...In the past, adulthood was relatively simple; you're an adult if you have left school (ideally because you graduated, though that's not a requirement) and joined the world of employment. Of course, in the past, if you were to do that you'd also be generally making enough money to be able to support yourself and you could move out of your family's house and live the way you wanted to.
...
Furthermore, there are a lot of other things that are part of the "adult" checklist that society holds that have shifted and made things much more difficult to obtain. A lot of this is economic in nature; one of the bigger parts of it was obtaining financial independence, and that's an extremely difficult thing to achieve right now. Some people have even more complex ideas of what it means to be an adult. Some won't accept it until they're married and have kids. And then, surprisingly, there's a large number of men who will get to this point where they're financially independent, married, and have kids, and still not feel as if they are an adult. That's what happens if you are initialized long enough; you're going to believe it no matter what.This is definitely something worth thinking about, though I'm not sure if it isn't more generational rather than a gender divide. My friends group are all around ~30 and none of us consider ourselves "real adults". Whenever this comes up in conversations with older generations, especially when talking about being ready for kids - the answer is always "no one is ready for kids" and "thats how it is for everyone". But its hard to feel like thats the case. I'm sure theres some element of kids looking at their parents or other adults from a narrow point of view and not seeing every aspect of their life. But as you say, the "adult checklist" seems to have shifted as well. We've got the obvious economic shifts - the ability to provide for yourself, let alone a family, requires a lot more than it used to. Even "successful" adults are locked out of buying a house for many years. Many folks are also single for a lot longer, which means a more young folks have the full load of running a household - which can be physically and mentally demanding. Many people also end up starting their "adult life" with a college degree and debt - which likely delays "real adulthood".
There is also increased complexity in just living as well. Every adult needs a crash course in personal finance that covers debt, credit scores, credit cards, banks, 401ks, IRAs, taxes, nutrition, phones, computers, and much more. If all you knew of personal finance was that your money coming in needs to be more than your expenses - you're likely in a difficult position today. If you go back 50-70 years ago, you'd be able to go a lot further on that knowledge. Some knowledge in how to do things on a computer is basically a requirement to live nowadays. The world is also much more obese than it was before (for many obvious reason, but also several unknown ones) - so weight loss has become a much greater concern that people need to keep track of. Sure, eating eggs and bacon for breakfast and steak and potatoes for dinner probably resulted in high cholesterol and wasn't healthy, but normal everyday food didn't result in the levels of obesity we have now.
These things are also hard to quantify. How much of it is biased by looking through rose-colored glasses? How much of it is anecdotal? When we looked at our parent and saw adults, we were certainly not seeing the full picture...but is the rest of the picture the same for adults today?
It may also be that some the underlying pieces are open source - so it could be fairly quick to take the code and you just have to add some tweaks and train it on your own dataset. I'm definitely just guessing though.