wervenyt's recent activity
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
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Comment on 2025 Nobel Prize – This year's Nobel Prize announcements will take place between 6th - 13th October 2025 in ~science
wervenyt Link ParentThey did it, folks. They got me to care about who won the Nobel. Hell yeah, Krasznahorkai is one of a kind. There's no one whose fifty page sentences I'd rather read.They did it, folks. They got me to care about who won the Nobel.
Hell yeah, Krasznahorkai is one of a kind. There's no one whose fifty page sentences I'd rather read.
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
wervenyt Link ParentThis is totally tangential, and feel free not to answer, but I'm working on a(n amateur) piece on the terminology of "modernity", and was wondering if you could expand precisely what you mean by...This is totally tangential, and feel free not to answer, but I'm working on a(n amateur) piece on the terminology of "modernity", and was wondering if you could expand precisely what you mean by saying that philosophy has "moved on from [...] postmodernism".
I'm happy to expound on my slight perplexion if you'd like, but also don't want to bias your response off the bat.
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Comment on Denmark plans social media ban for under-15s – PM Mette Frederiksen links social media use to anxiety, depression and lack of concentration in ~tech
wervenyt (edited )Link ParentI basically watched this happen in my high school. As an american, the details certainly differ, but I'd be shocked if the dynamics weren't universal. The tipping point: classes got too big for...I basically watched this happen in my high school. As an american, the details certainly differ, but I'd be shocked if the dynamics weren't universal.
The tipping point: classes got too big for teachers to meaningfully engage with every student as individuals, and smart phones got fun. Whenever a student was fucking around, the teacher had to threaten them with punishment to put the phone away, because they always texting a parent, or looking something up for class, or just belligerent (because teenagers are Always Right, you know). Most of the time, the parents would push back on any of these punishments: a) sometimes the kid was being honest about their parent wanting constant contact; b) smartphones are expensive, who are you to confiscate what I paid for; c) the parents just assumed their kid was perfect and the teacher was targeting them (it does happen, to be fair).
At a certain point, the teacher has to either give up enforcing no cell phone usage, or they don't have time to teach. It's nice to imagine they could teach more engagingly, but plenty do, and it's inevitable that some number of children in a class will dislike the subject or the teacher, and most children are bored in school in the best of conditions.
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Comment on Denmark plans social media ban for under-15s – PM Mette Frederiksen links social media use to anxiety, depression and lack of concentration in ~tech
wervenyt Link ParentAs someone who is just old enough to remember cassettes, but never had the opportunity to buy them, and spent way too much time online as a youngster and teen, the details are going to make or...- Exemplary
As someone who is just old enough to remember cassettes, but never had the opportunity to buy them, and spent way too much time online as a youngster and teen, the details are going to make or break this kind of regulation.
I can deeply empathize with what you've said here: were it not for a lot of friends I made online, I may not have made it to today; without social media, I would not have been exposed to half my interests; as someone who struggled with empathy and vulnerability in my youth, without the web, I'd be a lot less socially adept than I am today.
At the same time, social media is objectively toxic. All the popular ones actively manipulate the worldviews of their users, the latent social energy to organize (whether for productive or recreational purposes) has never been lower, the kinds of conspiracy theories and extremist ideologies that abound are deranged from any sort of norm, the wider web has shrunk, etc. We need to do something; equally, that doesn't justify any something.
For instance: if this specific law outlaws youtube for kids, what does that mean for channels like Khan Academy? They've moved to their own site these days, but plenty of enriching material is available there. It's the default video archive, not just the boobtube of the internet! What about when a tiktok clone that doesn't allow user submissions, filled with scraped videos, pops up, just to harvest kids' data and spread propaganda, and provide overworked parents with a break? That's not social media, and it's no better.
And that's not to mention things like the externalities of enforcement, or kids being parked in front of Netflix from infancy. It doesn't change that toddlers need to interact with one another, and adults, in physical space, and the proposal is basically to let the parents keep being manipulated and addicted to the unhealthy spaces, and keep parking the kids in front of screens, they are just not allowed to be abused in spaces they can participate in.
Social media is a trap, I suspect. Its best features existed before Facebook/Twitter, its worst were novel, like the normalization of broadcasting lazy thoughts under your real name and engagement farming. But we can't pretend this is an easy problem, this is a hell of our own creation, one with deep hooks in most of us one way or another.
I do wonder a bit about child welfare regulations being used to avoid the "iPad baby" stuff in the first place, but Denmark's services seem more interested in cultural erasure than bettering people, and my nation's child welfare track record is no better, so that's not even a very viable first step.
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
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Comment on Flush with cash and soaring with hubris, Donald Trump appointees are supersizing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in ~society
wervenyt Link ParentOwners of businesses, called capitalists above, have hired agencies like the Pinkertons to kill countless people. The above statement was almost certainly not an insult towards the m/billions of...Owners of businesses, called capitalists above, have hired agencies like the Pinkertons to kill countless people. The above statement was almost certainly not an insult towards the m/billions of people fooled into identifying with a system that says money > everything, but a statement of fact.
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Comment on ‘One Battle After Another’ at $22m+ reps record debut for Paul Thomas Anderson; Leonardo DiCaprio’s eleventh movie to open to $20m+ in ~movies
wervenyt Link ParentGot in a second viewing last night as well. After my first, certain aspects seemed thin, and only enjoyable for the thrill of novelty. Happy to report negatively on that. It's really great. Chase...Got in a second viewing last night as well. After my first, certain aspects seemed thin, and only enjoyable for the thrill of novelty.
Happy to report negatively on that. It's really great. Chase Infiniti's performance was stellar, and heartbreaking, the use of time felt more real than most movies seem capable of, the cinematography, particularly its use of lines of sight, gah. I love the book, save one major wrinkle, and Anderson fixed that. He also smoothed out a lot of the wrinkles I love it for, but Vineland is extremely dense, extremely literary (in the sense of feeling rooted to its exact words), and extremely goofy in a way that probably would not play onscreen.
Sure, we lost Hector, with his self-imposed dual consciousness as Ricardo Montalban and his manic tragedy, but we gained Sensei, with his specops wu wei. Sure, we lost Zoyd, a true rebel without a cause only less than he is a loving father, but we gained Perfidia, who is less reducible to a misogynistic symbol than Frenesi.
I didn't get to see it in film projection, but honestly, there might be something to the VistaVision hype. I don't know if I've seen anything more hypnotic than this and the Brutalist come out in years, and it's not like those movies use their cameras the same ways at all.
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Comment on The neo-Victorian neo-nazi lesbian BDSM cult that made video games in ~humanities.history
wervenyt Link ParentAs one who blew through a town with far less local culture to warrant the resentment, I salute your service.As one who blew through a town with far less local culture to warrant the resentment, I salute your service.
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Comment on The neo-Victorian neo-nazi lesbian BDSM cult that made video games in ~humanities.history
wervenyt Link ParentI've got a soft spot for that little pocket of the 60s. But damn if you didn't nail them withI've got a soft spot for that little pocket of the 60s. But damn if you didn't nail them with
but the people they're resentful and prideful about are UO students.
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Comment on The neo-Victorian neo-nazi lesbian BDSM cult that made video games in ~humanities.history
wervenyt Link ParentWhen I found the channel, I was sure he was from Eugene...lo and behold, according to the credits, that's where the videos are from, at least. That town does things to people, clearly.When I found the channel, I was sure he was from Eugene...lo and behold, according to the credits, that's where the videos are from, at least. That town does things to people, clearly.
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Comment on Is anyone else having trouble focusing? What strategies do you use to help with focus? in ~society
wervenyt LinkTherapy and medications are extremely helpful, but I only had a breakthrough with my capacity to focus when I finally put time into daily meditation and yoga. The yoga is really a bridge between...Therapy and medications are extremely helpful, but I only had a breakthrough with my capacity to focus when I finally put time into daily meditation and yoga. The yoga is really a bridge between meditation and exercise, and I mention it primarily because your experiences sound more like trouble with anxiety than focus, per se, and exercise is a great tool for dealing with anxiety.
These are the cliche and woowoo answers, but I think they're cliche for a good reason. Meditation in particular can be treated as panacea, or an easy fix, but it is neither. Nor is it an exclusively religious practice, though the religious paradigms can be useful for the practice itself. It's really about learning your mind, learning how to appreciate discomforts as not-all-bad, and training that basic mental 'muscle' of "back to the task at hand".
Some people can't practice these habits solo. Some people can't practice them, ever. If they're not for you, there's no shame in that. I will impress: if you think meditation isn't for you because you're bad at it, or it's boring, it probably isn't not for you. But people can enter very bad places if they're not careful.
For that reason, any advice for beginners comes back to focusing on breathing, while seated or laying comfortably. Count the breaths, or think "in/out", or notice sensations in your airways, whatever, and if you stop or get distracted, noticing the distraction is the work you're practicing.
Regardless of whether this was at all helpful, I hope you can find some relief. It's a rough time, and I think we're all feeling the same ways to some extent or another.
P.S. Seriously, therapy can be really great. Do that, if you can. I didn't talk about it, but not because it isn't helpful.
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Comment on What "one-hit wonder" do you think has a discography worth exploring? in ~music
wervenyt Link ParentLaughing Stock also deserves a mention. Maybe close the window and watch a lone candleflame for that one though.Laughing Stock also deserves a mention. Maybe close the window and watch a lone candleflame for that one though.
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Comment on California Governor Gavin Newsom praises Charlie Kirk’s outreach to young men, suggests Democrats do more of their own in ~society
wervenyt Link ParentI think it's easy for people to see streamers like NL and just assume that either they're not pushing boys in the correct direction or their content doesn't appeal to younger men. On top of that,...I think it's easy for people to see streamers like NL and just assume that either they're not pushing boys in the correct direction or their content doesn't appeal to younger men. On top of that, he's well-known in the gaming sphere, but not a true celebrity, and people are grading the hypothetical "lefty Rogan" against, well, Rogan.
He and a few other people in the Twitch/Youtube gaming space have really done a lot to avoid literally every zoomer man becoming fascist, though. Gotta give him and Jesse Cox in particular huge props.
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Comment on What are some “sore thumb” lyrics for you? in ~music
wervenyt Link ParentAt the time, Kanye was trying to go into the fashion scene, and the song is Black Skinhead. The whole album is framed as though he's on some problack crusade and being hunted for his genius, so I...At the time, Kanye was trying to go into the fashion scene, and the song is Black Skinhead. The whole album is framed as though he's on some problack crusade and being hunted for his genius, so I imagine it's supposed to evoke the cornered but righteous struggle for sovereignty of the Greeks versus Persia.
Must remember, this was when he was beginning to develop bigger issues in his mental health.
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Comment on What are some “sore thumb” lyrics for you? in ~music
wervenyt Link ParentHe claims he purely meant it as a pun on keeping it 100, where to the Romans 300 is CCC, Cool, Calm, and Collected. Obviously, he probably meant to reference the Spartans, because that makes more...He claims he purely meant it as a pun on keeping it 100, where to the Romans 300 is CCC, Cool, Calm, and Collected.
Obviously, he probably meant to reference the Spartans, because that makes more sense in the context of a song called Black Skinhead, on a noise-y album, during the period where his biggest concern was how the fashion industry was fighting to keep him out.
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Comment on My guess and opinion on the common blockers to Linux adoption in ~tech
wervenyt Link ParentDefinitely. I'm just trying to take it deeper into the "why did the market allow such obvious capture?", so I'm far from saying "people are too lazy to care", closer to "people are too busy to...Definitely. I'm just trying to take it deeper into the "why did the market allow such obvious capture?", so I'm far from saying "people are too lazy to care", closer to "people are too busy to care enough, and the abusive relationship with proprietary software exacerbates the cost to do so".
Around '07, after the travesty that was Vista, Dell and Acer both tried to offer competition to Windows in the form of Linux distros preinstalled, for a discount. Those programs failed, because they were sold as a drop-in replacement that only needed some manual-reading, and when people realized Windows software didn't work, they got mad at the manufacturers. Less than ten years later, Google releases Chromebooks, across the board less practical for most usecases, but they're sold as "do everything in Chrome. Like you already do", and they're still doing well today.
I bring that up because 2007 seems like around the point of no return, for Windows' market capture. If Dell or Acer had sold their Linux offerings as something other than a way to liquidate underpowered hardware, and instead as "this is for your grandma or child, so they won't get viruses or play those scary Calls of Duty", we might have seen those third party vendors begin to target the platform. Instead, we still have Windows for Professionals, Macs for Artists, and added ChromeOS is for Students.
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Comment on US coffee prices surge in ~food
wervenyt Link ParentJust to support your final lines: I am big into specialty coffee, and while my true preferences lean more toward central African coffees, kona is delightful! It's got the richness people crave...Just to support your final lines: I am big into specialty coffee, and while my true preferences lean more toward central African coffees, kona is delightful! It's got the richness people crave from dark beans at lighter roasts, it's sweet and has a uniquely soft mouthfeel, plus the low acidity really hits the spot sometimes. Even without the now-fading trendiness, I'd expect kona to be highly-desired on the market, if only for people who like coffee but don't like the effects of the acidity on their stomach.
Its relative lack of complexity in flavor I'd be tempted to blame on terroir, simply because the only points of comparison we really have are plantations using soil that's much, much older, even if elevation contributes to some extent. Who knows though, that's the kind of thing we're only starting to get research done on.
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Comment on My guess and opinion on the common blockers to Linux adoption in ~tech
wervenyt LinkPeople don't care about computers. They care about what computers do for them. People are taught to use software that discourages them learning about how to use their computers. So they resent...People don't care about computers. They care about what computers do for them. People are taught to use software that discourages them learning about how to use their computers. So they resent having to learn to use different computers. It's that simple.
The fact that Linux has more than a few hundred desktop users says quite a bit about the quality of the defaults, by comparison. Simple analogy: people don't know how their cars work, mostly. But people all around the world delight in the details that make their cars theirs. The bumper stickers, the mirror hangers, the seat covers, the paint colour. And some people ride motorcycles! They're much more dangerous, but provide an entirely different mode of driving, and similar latitudes of self-expression on top of that. You can also drive a moped/scooter, or a sport car, or a van, or a truck, or one of those inverted tricycles. They all have different interfaces and limitations and subjective feelings associated with driving them.
Windows is like an oversized SUV with a speed governor, steering limiters to prevent rolling, and a set of harnesses that requires immense effort to sit in comfortably, in a world where it's the only form of personal vehicle aside from one with automatically adjusting harnesses and a smaller chassis (Macintosh).
People are tired of having their crotches pinched and getting their car to turn properly already, thank you very much, why would they want to have to get used to a new set of demands? Sure, the three point seatbelt and the wide array of design options seems nice, but Verne over there said he pinched the webbing of his hand in the buckle anyway, and it's just...unfamiliar. Easier to just deal with the mandatory ad viewing before shifting into drive than to learn a whole new thing just to get to work.
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Comment on The British empire’s role in ending slavery worldwide in ~humanities.history
wervenyt (edited )Link ParentI'm glad we're all on the same page that making money is not the end-all be-all, and slavery is bad. Concentrated wealth is good, from the perspective of the gold pile. Depressed wages are good,...I'm glad we're all on the same page that making money is not the end-all be-all, and slavery is bad.
Concentrated wealth is good, from the perspective of the gold pile. Depressed wages are good, if you're hiring. Innovation is bad, if you're comfortable. A college graduate with liberties has demands and leaves if they disagree with the boss. If you're trying to tax the people in those positions of power, it's all about keeping them from hiring a private army. And if suddenly all of your industries collapsed because someone took their slaves and left? It's not much better. Now you have all these "citizens" mad about starving if they don't do slave work!
Think like an entity with no concerns beyond the accumulation of power. Power cannot be shared, and money is frighteningly close to power. Then slavery is common sense. All you have to do is keep their spirits broken, keep people from taking away your power, and outside of something unfathomable, like your power not being some god-given right, you never have to do anything but demand something be done. No arguing, no convincing, no compromising. Kind of breaks your ability to see where you went wrong.
People keep doing it for a reason, a bad one, but that reason is greed.
It does, thanks! I hadn't read your statement as a linear progression, but also didn't want to quite assume any particular logic otherwise. Appreciate the time.