Wolf_359's recent activity
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Comment on OpenAI, Google and Anthropic are struggling to build more advanced AI in ~tech
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Comment on If our worst fears about Donald Trump play out, how will we know when it's time to leave? in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentThis was definitely more what I was asking. I have a perfect 1-year-old son at home. Before him, I would probably have a more courageous stance, but with him in this world, everything is...This was definitely more what I was asking.
I have a perfect 1-year-old son at home. Before him, I would probably have a more courageous stance, but with him in this world, everything is different. I'm certainly not feeding him to a war machine, but I'm also not going to let him grow up without a father. I grew up with a drug-addicted father who abandoned us when I was young and it was a huge struggle that has defined my identity for better and worse. The one thing I will never ever do in this life is abandon him. No moral ideal or political philosophy will ever change that.
I think there is a huge chance that the US gets through this just fine with our economy and democracy more or less intact. If that's the case, if we will live to fight another day, then obviously I'm not jumping for the chance to uproot my life, my finances, my career progression, etc. However, if it is going to start trending in that direction, I just want to set myself a boundary. I want to know when I should know. I want a clear line where I can say, "This is going to be the worst case scenario and I need to get my son out of here by any means necessary as soon as possible."
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If our worst fears about Donald Trump play out, how will we know when it's time to leave?
Like I did last time Trump was in office, I've been reading up on authoritarianism and fascism. Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder They Thought They were Free by Milton Mayer...
Like I did last time Trump was in office, I've been reading up on authoritarianism and fascism.
Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
They Thought They were Free by Milton MayerAnd if you want a hot take from someone who argues that Trump himself is not a fascist but rather something worse, here is a great video from Morbid Zoo. Note: the main argument in this video begins at about 11:30. The lead up is responding to criticisms of her first video on the topic and laying some groundwork for her argument. You'll be fine to start at 11:30.
I wonder still if there is enough fight left in this country to resist him. I wonder if Trumpism will fizzle out upon his death or when he leaves office in four years. I wonder if America's institutions are strong enough, its people just smart enough, to not go that route. I suppose I'm feeling anxiety because I would like to, here and now before I become accustomed to another "new normal," set my boundaries on when there is no going back. I don't want to look back and say that I missed the obvious moment and I should have known. I want to be ready and keep my wife and son safe.
My question is this:
Where is your uncrossable line? What would Trump and crew have to do before you decided to leave by any means with no concern for your debts, possessions, etc.? Or, if the frog is boiled more gradually, when would you start seriously making preparations?
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Satisfactory tips and tricks?
I'm completely hooked on this game. My buddy and I have been sneaking in some Satisfactory at night when our families are in bed. If it makes it funnier, you can picture it like a secret love...
I'm completely hooked on this game.
My buddy and I have been sneaking in some Satisfactory at night when our families are in bed. If it makes it funnier, you can picture it like a secret love affair. Late night messages, slipping in and out bed trying not to wake the wives, and mid-day texts about our big plans (with our factories). Friends, I literally play this game in my head when I'm not able to play for real. And it's just as good since most of it based around planning.
Anyway, I'm surprised by the depth. A lot of it is intentional while a lot of the rest is the natural result of players kind of hacking the build mode to do things you can't normally do such as curves and 1 meter vertical conveyers.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for this game?
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Comment on ADHD and TODO lists in ~health.mental
Wolf_359 (edited )LinkOh, I solved this one years ago! Also have ADHD btw. I keep two to-do lists. I have a mid-to-long term to-do list where I throw stuff like "paint living room." It can get done when it gets done...Oh, I solved this one years ago! Also have ADHD btw.
I keep two to-do lists.
I have a mid-to-long term to-do list where I throw stuff like "paint living room." It can get done when it gets done but I should probably do it at some point. This list is a piece of notebook paper that hangs on my fridge.
My other list is the daily list, which I make new every day. I first put tasks in chronological order if possible, and then in order of priority if a definite timeline isn't possible.
I know the stuff at the bottom is my extra "if I have time stuff." I know it doesn't get done a lot of days. So at the end of every day, I sort what's left into three categories:
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Not going to get done. Wasn't that important in the first place.
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Needs to be moved to tomorrow to-do list.
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Moved to the long-term to-do list.
When I make my daily list, if I find that I have a light day ahead of me, I will pick up one of my mid-to-long term tasks.
Especially if I have a couple of light days, I'll make deals with myself. Like, I can brainrot and play video games Sunday afternoon as long as I paint the living room Saturday. That usually works. If it doesn't, I follow through and paint on Sunday, denying myself the reward or hurrying so I can maybe still sneak it in.
Edit: Should add that I'm medicated now, but this method worked during a 7+ year break I took from ADHD meds.
Most of the coping skills I developed were during the unmedicated period. ADHD is all about creating systems that don't rely on memory or motivation.
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Comment on Mouthwashing | Launch trailer in ~games
Wolf_359 Link ParentIt's a trend. It won't go away but I imagine it will peak soon and then fade a bit, as all trends do. I think it's more interesting to ask why they're popular. I like these kinds of games, so I...It's a trend. It won't go away but I imagine it will peak soon and then fade a bit, as all trends do.
I think it's more interesting to ask why they're popular. I like these kinds of games, so I think I can shed some light:
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Nostalgia for a warmer, simpler time: The 90s were awesome and more hopeful. These games bring me back to my aunt's basement where my cousins and I would play PlayStation 1 for hours upon hours. I had never heard of climate change, racism had been "solved," and war was going out of fashion. I get to go back to these games and get some of that feeling back without having to deal with the terrible controls and 1-dimensional stories that existed in actual vintage games.
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The rise of Indie development: Graphics are a major resource drain. Indie studios are filling a gaping hole where AAA studios are failing. It's much easier for indie devs to make these types of games and focus on things like story and game mechanics when they aren't aiming for photorealism. It also makes these games "future proof." Try playing a game from 2007 that, at the time, was going for realistic graphics. They're genuinely hard to look at. Meanwhile, Mario 64 holds up just fine because the art style is timeless and can't be "beat" by better hardware.
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It's a response to the focus on graphical realism that I just mentioned. AAA studios are focusing on graphics at the expense of other things. People have responded loud and clear to this issue. Realistic graphics are only important in some games, and they are never more important than making your game fun to play. Gamers have shown that they would rather play a fun game with Atari graphics than a boring game with cutting edge realism.
Not that one is better than the other. I find realistic graphics to be very immersive and they're a huge bonus to a good game. But the focus on retro and vintage aesthetics didn't pop up for no reason. People are enjoying it.
Not sure about the horror aspect. I'm not an especially big fan of horror, especially body horror. But I can enjoy the masterpieces of any genre. I suppose a sociologist could probably share insightful commentary on the resurgence of horror lately.
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Comment on Looking for DRM-free book recommendations in ~books
Wolf_359 LinkLibro.fm is the biggest source I know of. You buy the MP3 and/or Wav file and it's all yours forever. I feel silly mentioning it because I assume anyone who knows of the more niche offerings would...Libro.fm is the biggest source I know of.
You buy the MP3 and/or Wav file and it's all yours forever.
I feel silly mentioning it because I assume anyone who knows of the more niche offerings would definitely know of Libro. But just in case.
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Comment on My Leopold FC900R broke - Recommendation request in ~tech
Wolf_359 LinkI just bought this and it's the best purchase I've ever made. I have a cat gif on the little screen. I love the volume controls. And my God, the "chonky buttery" sound is to die for. I had a much...I just bought this and it's the best purchase I've ever made.
I have a cat gif on the little screen. I love the volume controls. And my God, the "chonky buttery" sound is to die for.
I had a much clickier/clackier mechanical keyboard prior to this one and I thought I loved it. This one is so much better that I just find myself wanting to type something on it all the time.
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
Wolf_359 (edited )LinkObviously I blame the right wing propaganda machine. I blame ignorant and uninformed voters. I blame Trump. I blame every coward and opportunist who enabled him. I feel hatred for all of them. But...- Exemplary
Obviously I blame the right wing propaganda machine. I blame ignorant and uninformed voters. I blame Trump. I blame every coward and opportunist who enabled him. I feel hatred for all of them.
But today, I'm taking a moment to reflect on where the Democrats could have done better. I'm reflecting on conversations I've had with every Trumper I know personally. Here is what I've come up with:
We messed up. We built our movement on fighting oppression but ignored one majorly oppressed group. For decades now, we have let our kind and empathetic hearts bleed on the floor for people of color, people with different sexual and gender orientations, for addicts (I'm one), for immigrants, and for every other minority group. They got scholarships, they got support, we made it completely unacceptable to insult them or use derogatory words about them.
But all that time we - myself included - had pretty much zero reservations about calling someone a dumb hillbilly. We preached about complex and nuanced topics like white privilege to people whose white privilege was not making their lives any easier. We mocked them, we looked down on them, and we were disgusted by their ignorance and lack of education.
When Americans from urban areas commit crimes and join gangs, we are always quick to rattle off statistics and outline the systemic inequalities creating these outcomes. When rural Americans are undereducated and fall victim to conspiracy theories, we blame them personally. We don't talk about the systemic issues that lead them there. Instead, we leave them to be led astray by wolves dressed like sheep. When those wolves gut education and perpetuate rural poverty, we blame the victims and judge them harshly. Then we are surprised to find that they don't like us.
There are a lot of words you (rightfully) can't say out in the open anymore, but redneck, hillbilly, toothless, and even insults like cousin fucker never made that list. Throwing around the word "racist" is pretty much consequence-free, despite the fact that it's a really serious and hurtful allegation.
When I look back, it's hard to imagine a bigger middle finger to working class people than Hillary Clinton. Do I think she would have been better for them than Trump in the long-term? Absolutely. But seeing that requires one to understand nuance and think about the big picture in complex and abstract ways. Close your mind a bit and just look at the issue on its face. The optics and the social implications of ramming Clinton through will haunt us for a long time. Even as a liberal Democrat, I find Clinton's run pretty insulting when I really consider it.
Perhaps if we had embraced the working class whites 20 years ago, things would be different today. Perhaps we could have working and lower class folks of all backgrounds voting for abortion rights, women's rights, labor rights, and gay rights. Maybe they would be our most loyal allies. But instead, we abandoned them and let the wolves pretend to be their friends. To be clear, it doesn't absolve them of blame when Trump inevitably does all the awful things he said he will do - but maybe we could have taken the systemic view and tried to bring these folks into the fold without putting them down.
I'm coming to realize that America is largely made up of these people, and they are absolutely fucking pissed. A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. We haven't been listening. This is our reckoning.
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Comment on 2024 United States election megathread in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentGuess they'll see how Trump handles Palestine. America is going to get the president it deserves apparently. It's just so unfortunate for the rest of us. @Danke said it. I am starting to feel...Guess they'll see how Trump handles Palestine.
America is going to get the president it deserves apparently. It's just so unfortunate for the rest of us.
@Danke said it. I am starting to feel disgust and disconnect from my countrymen. I remember going through grade school. I am a middle school teacher now. For almost a century, we have taught children how to watch out for fascism. We have educated them in what the warning signs are, we have shown them examples, we have shown them the severe and long-lasting consequences. But aside from that, it takes about 30 seconds listening to Trump speak to hear that he is an uneducated asshole who hates people and cares only about himself.
What does it take?
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Comment on 2024 United States election megathread in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentUnfortunately, I am also feeling like we're cooked.Unfortunately, I am also feeling like we're cooked.
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Comment on 2024 United States election megathread in ~society
Wolf_359 LinkHey friends, I've had this open in the background in combination with the Economist's dashboard which is linked in the post. I think it's a pretty nice replacement for the NYT Needle if you like...Hey friends, I've had this open in the background in combination with the Economist's dashboard which is linked in the post. I think it's a pretty nice replacement for the NYT Needle if you like that format.
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Comment on 2024 United States election megathread in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentDon't stress yet. It's way too early to tell anything. I mean, we should all feel sick that Trump has any realistic chance at the White House. It should be a sign that we have issues that are...Don't stress yet. It's way too early to tell anything.
I mean, we should all feel sick that Trump has any realistic chance at the White House. It should be a sign that we have issues that are deeper than we thought...and we already knew they were deep.
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Comment on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of the Zone in ~movies
Wolf_359 LinkNice! I wish someone would do a high quality direct adaptation of Roadside Picnic, the Soviet novel which served as the inspiration for these games. I enjoyed the setting a lot. There is a newer...Nice! I wish someone would do a high quality direct adaptation of Roadside Picnic, the Soviet novel which served as the inspiration for these games. I enjoyed the setting a lot.
There is a newer game based on it as well called Pacific Drive. Setting was great, driving was great, but the moment-to-moment gameplay and walking around bits were lacking in my opinion.
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Comment on Aliens Realize Why No One Attacks "Defenseless" Earth in ~creative
Wolf_359 LinkCouldn't suspend my disbelief. Might seem silly but right out of the gate there were some things that took me out of it. These aliens are supposedly militaristic, imperialist, and advanced enough...Couldn't suspend my disbelief.
Might seem silly but right out of the gate there were some things that took me out of it.
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These aliens are supposedly militaristic, imperialist, and advanced enough to have FTL travel, but they were shocked by humans using kinetic weapons, eating their enemies, and wearing enemy bones on their armor as a form of psychological warfare? These things would be the building blocks for wars of conquest in space. They would seem cute and quaint to a sufficiently advanced species like the one portrayed here.
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The humans supposedly wiped out an advanced alien species 200 years prior in a space war. The captain knows that this species was wiped out and comments that they were universally renowned for their strength and sophistication. But he doesn't know who wiped them out until his officers tell him? Apparently the humans were able to hunt them down and kill them all in space, but the humans are described as having limited space capability and not knowing about faster-than-light travel. How would Earth even achieve this? Nevermind how the captain didn't know or how the galactic federation or whatever describes Earth as an easy target.
I had other gripes and questions but these two were the biggest for sure. I admit, I didn't finish because this just took me right out of it. Maybe there's a twist that explains these things.
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Comment on The misogynistic, bigoted and crude US rally remarks Donald Trump hasn’t disavowed in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentNot sure if you saw the bit I posted, but in using the slur he's actually mocking the bigots. That context is crucial to the joke. I completely hear you and I'm obviously disgusted by Hinchcliffe...Not sure if you saw the bit I posted, but in using the slur he's actually mocking the bigots. That context is crucial to the joke.
I completely hear you and I'm obviously disgusted by Hinchcliffe and his comments, but I think context is the key to whether something is funny or not.
Burr has another joke where he uses the F slur. The entire joke is about how men will call each f*gs when they do anything remotely "feminine." Hilarious in this context because he's actually pointing out a real issue, criticizing toxic masculinity, and mocking how ridiculous it is.
Imagine the same type of joke at a Trump rally except without the added layers. Hinchcliffe's version of the joke would have been a criticism of effeminate men. It would have been a joke where the person being called the f slur is the punchline. Burr's version is the other way around - the person using the slur is the punchline.
I still think Hinchcliffe had every right to get on that stage and speak freely. He has the freedom to say what he wants, no matter how despicable. Of course, the caveat is that we are also free to be offended and disgusted by his comments, to not give him our money or attention, to criticize him. Businesses and websites are free to deny him a platform. He is free to say what he wants, but we don't have to laugh and he isn't free from consequences.
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Comment on The misogynistic, bigoted and crude US rally remarks Donald Trump hasn’t disavowed in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentAgreed 100%. That's actually my whole point. Sorry if I didn't portray that clearly.Agreed 100%. That's actually my whole point. Sorry if I didn't portray that clearly.
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Comment on The misogynistic, bigoted and crude US rally remarks Donald Trump hasn’t disavowed in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentGood read. Thanks for sharing! As an aside, I don't find the jokes particularly funny but I'm imagining a better comedian sprinkling in a similar punch lines as part of a broader joke. I bring up...Good read. Thanks for sharing!
As an aside, I don't find the jokes particularly funny but I'm imagining a better comedian sprinkling in a similar punch lines as part of a broader joke.
I bring up Burr and Gillis because they're probably today's most popular offensive comedians. Bill Burr has a famous bit where he mocks "white guilt" movies and it's hilarious. But it contains some lines that you wouldn't find funny at a Trump rally for sure.
Here are a few lines from his set without context - but this is an example of a time when the context really matters:
"You guys don't eat cows? What are you, a bunch of f*gs?"
"I'm not saying white people aren't evil because I know we're evil. I can feel it in me."
"You can't fucking help these people."
Similarly, Shane Gillis has a bit about the "funniest" school shooting..
"I'm not saying it's funny. I said funniest. Like maybe there was one where the horse girl knew something was off that day."
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Comment on Timasomo 2024: Week 3 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
Wolf_359 Link ParentApologies, my 1-year-old has been sick and life has been throwing me a few curve balls. I haven't had a moment to even sit down and do this. I'll send it in a couple of days and you can give it a...Apologies, my 1-year-old has been sick and life has been throwing me a few curve balls. I haven't had a moment to even sit down and do this. I'll send it in a couple of days and you can give it a look if you're still interested then!
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Comment on The misogynistic, bigoted and crude US rally remarks Donald Trump hasn’t disavowed in ~society
Wolf_359 Link ParentYou know, his jokes could be funny in a different setting. Even the watermelon and immigrant jokes - the most offensive in my opinion - could be funny if done with tact and good intentions in a...You know, his jokes could be funny in a different setting. Even the watermelon and immigrant jokes - the most offensive in my opinion - could be funny if done with tact and good intentions in a comedy club. I think Bill Burr or Shane Gillis could easily get away with it because they would be doing it in a respectfully offensive way.
But Tony doing them at a fucking political rally where the candidate has repeatedly demonstrated racism and sexism? It's not funny at all. The fact that he even went out there to support Trump is disgusting.
I think we are discovering that consciousness is exactly as complicated as we thought it was (before LLMs maybe gave some people false hope).
The thing is, I don't think they're off base on thinking this is a step toward GAI or a fully sapient machine.
Instead, an LLM is probably just one of the many components that will be required to create this artificial mind, much like our own brains have multiple different parts with distinct functions which only coalesce into consciousness when they are able to communicate and interact with one another.
Audio/visual sensors, access to a calculator, access to memory, some form of LLM, and probably a hundred other components we haven't figured out yet may very well create consciousness someday.