I Think A Lot About How, If The Glorious Violent Revolution Happens, Every Kid With Significant Medical

Really happy to see this at my local library

I dated someone (who turned out to have) a very loose connection with reality. For example, he regularly asserted that I had the power to win the lottery, I just wasn't trying hard enough. When I said I didn't have that power, he said he'd take that power then. Although, of course, he didn't win the lottery either.

I am comfortable with talking about and poking at the edges of reality. I have always enjoyed a rich inner life unconstrained by reality, and I'm happy to entertain discussions where those ideas bleed through. I thought he was similar. I didn't realise he was quite so... detached... from the commonality accepted reality.

I really miss being about to talk seriously about not quite real things without having to reassure my conversational partner that I understand they're not really real.

there's a lot to be said about how the average person indulges in delusions far more than anyone is really comfortable grappling with. every now and again, a poll comes out that reveals some sort of number of people who believe they have magical powers, usually pretty high, and everyone takes turns making fun of it and affirming their own Sanity

this is more observational than scientific, but it really does seem like writing off delusional thinking as the realm of the "insane" creates this valley where the "normal" person's thinking (especially a person who considers themself normal, but that's a whole other kettle of fish) must be more empirical, because, categorically, they are not insane

The late 2000s to mid 2010s had at least these achievements:

- the internet became less hostile to queer people existing

- the internet and society became more aware of (and less hostile to) trans people existing

- countries were at least discussing legalising same sex marriage

- tech and many hobbiest conferences and online communities started to embrace codes of conduct

- income and wealth inequality was a mainstream conversation

- racism and its harms was a mainstream conversation

- it still felt possible that we could avoid the worst of climate change

- there was movement against sexual harassment and assault in workplaces, there were cases against the churches and other institutions for the sexual abuse of children and other vulnerable people

- it felt like there was reason to be hopeful

None of these things were perfect. Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and racism were still big problems, but the bigots were beginning to be careful about who heard them spout off.

Codes of conduct weren't (and aren't) always enforced and when they're enforced it isn't always to protect the vulnerable.

Then the wealthy fought back with Brexit, Trump's first term and the rise of authoritarianism across the globe. They forced inaction on climate change and suppressed worker wages. This took away a lot of the gains we had made. Now wealth inequality is even worse, and the richest man in the planet has bought the USA government.

am taking perverse pleasure in reminding people it's 2025. that's a star trek year. silly little science fiction number. except it's happening, and DANG ain't it underwhelming!

Unmute^^

Other neat stuff about the phenomenon here:

HowStuffWorks

Why Ice Usually Freezes Cloudy, Not Clear

Ice cubes usually look cloudy and opaque in the middle, despite the fact that water is clear. What's the deal?

we can be so incredibly simple sometimes, it's magical

Genius.

:-)

"The trannies should be able to piss in whatever toilet they want and change their bodies however they want. Why is it my business if some chick has a dick or a guy has a pie? I'm not a trannie or a fag so I don't care, just give 'em the medicine they need."

"This is an LGBT safe space. Of COURSE I fully support individuals who identify as transgender and their right to self-determination! I just think that transitioning is a very serious choice and should be heavily regulated. And there could be a lot of harm in exposing cis children to such topics, so we should be really careful about when it is appropriate to mention trans issues or have too much trans visibility."

One of the above statements is Problematic and the other is slightly annoying. If we disagree on which is which then working together for a better future is going to get really fucking difficult.

One of my recent posts pissed of the MAGA cult and they're crawling out from under the refrigerator to spout all the classic conspiracy jams in the comments. But, I wanted to address one specific challenge tacked to the end of this guy's particularly tedious rant...

First of all, *your.

And you want 5 things the Democratic Party did to improve your day-to-day prosperity? Here's just a handful of the countless things FOX News will never tell you because they like Republicans to stay scared, uninformed, and angry. (Hint: It's how they make money off of you.):

Medicare and Medicaid (Medical debt is the No. 1 reason for personal bankruptcy in the U.S. and these programs help you avoid that.)

Social Security (We all pay in so we all can live a little better in retirement, but the guy you voted for is likely going to make it go away. Oopsies!)

40-hour work week (That's right, Democrats gave you "the weekend.")

Overtime pay (Bet you've enjoyed that a time or two.)

Federal Farm Loan Act (Among other things this act does, it helps farmers get affordable food to your table… or it did before the guy you voted for started dismantling all that, but whatevs!)

Family and Medical Leave Act (Yes, Democrats gave you paid sick leave.)

Pell grants and student loan program (I'm assuming you don't care about this because it's about getting a better education.)

Affordable Care Act [This helps everyone get health insurance by creating a competitive marketplace (capitalism for good!), expands Medicaid eligibility (socialism for good!), and makes sure your employer can't fuck you over if you get sick (government regulation for good!) Oh, also, if you enjoy the Affordable Care Act, but hate Obamacare, boy, do I have some shocking news for you… They're the same thing.]

And thanks to Warren, Ohio's Tribune Chronicle — specifically, Ron Urchek's Letter to the Editor of that paper — that compiled these and other reasons to thank a Democrat. Because journalism also matters.

In fact, it's so important it's the only profession mentioned in the U.S. Constitution because a free press is supposed to keep the powerful in check. But, you'd just call that fake news, I guess.

Boss is asleep, cannot stop me from frogposting