CuriousCat Archive Page 146 of 202

  1. There is an argument that they react to damage, but it gets into Daniel Dennett "free will isn't a philosophical problem if we assume *all* physical processes contain intentionality and this resolves the mind/body problem" territory where it's correct as long as the point you are trying to make is for debate only.

    The real answer is that "if you are trying to say that harm minimization isn't possible or reasonable for humans to aim for, then what is the moral argument for why i wouldn't just stab you and win the argument?" seeing as any action you can take in order to live is going to cause more harm overall than killing you, mass-murder can be the only moral stance (this is also true for all other arguments that are excuses for the mass-murder of animals, and not a justification).

    Anyway cool video king! best vegan seasonal food you had this year OR best gift you got?

    in response to What to say to my friend who say plants feel pain

    My hand reacts to damage, that doesn't mean it's immoral to amputate it. You'd have to convince me a plant has some kind of mind for me to believe it "feels" pain or anything else. Similar to why I don't think terminating a pregnancy is immoral - not all living tissue is a being.

    I made my traditional vegan coffee cake and tofu scramble for Christmas as they both came out great this year!

  3. I thought at the end of parasite implied that once the poor and rich people meet more often, then capitalism can be blown up? Like watch how the impromptu party got smashed once the dude enters the scene with the knife

    in response to What is it about Snowpiercer that seems to you to be the much more interesting movie from bong joon ho than say, Parasite?

    Bong Joon-ho is on record saying he thinks everyone in the movie is sympathetic and the problem is that society has driven them apart.

  4. I mean there's a difference, right? Also in terms of approach too?

    in response to Hi Ian. Sorry to bother you on this question since I tried to Google for an answer but can't seem to get the accurate answers.. In fiction, how can we differentiate one that is pure fantasy and one that is fantastical/magical realism? What element(s) we can differentiate between Chronicles of Narnia and Being John Malkovich? The difference between Sorry to Bother You and Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts that makes one belong to magical realism and fantasy respectively... How can we tell the difference?

    Genre is not a science and the borders between fantasy and magical realism are porous. Genre is most useful as a lens for looking at a story, and for putting words to a certain aesthetic response. How does magical realism feel to read? How does fantasy feel? Can you name those feelings? How are they different?

    If a work is giving you magical realism feels AND fantasy feels, then maybe it's a bit of both. Don't get too hung up on needing things to be in neat categories.

    (But, cheat sheet: fantasy general emphasizes the differentness of the world it's set in, while magical realism is generally set in our world and the fantastical elements are described as though they were mundane. One might argue that magical realism can be read as a subgenre of fantasy.)

  5. Hi Ian. Sorry to bother you on this question since I tried to Google for an answer but can't seem to get the accurate answers..

    In fiction, how can we differentiate one that is pure fantasy and one that is fantastical/magical realism? What element(s) we can differentiate between Chronicles of Narnia and Being John Malkovich? The difference between Sorry to Bother You and Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts that makes one belong to magical realism and fantasy respectively... How can we tell the difference?

    why do you need to?

  6. What to say to my friend who say plants feel pain

    do they have citations?

  7. What is it about Snowpiercer that seems to you to be the much more interesting movie from bong joon ho than say, Parasite?

    I mean, the overall message of Parasite is "it would be great if poor people and rich people had more contact with each other."

    The message of Snowpiercer is "blow up capitalism."

  8. Favorite Holiday Music

    Fairytale of New York by The Pogues
    Hanukkah in Santa Monica by Tom Lehrer
    Veni Veni Emmanuel as performed by The Gesualdo Six

  9. I think next time someone asks me what I think of the last decade, I will just steal your answer. I don't even think summing up 5 years is possible without being a little inaccurate. Too much shit happens.

    WHAT DO YOU THINK?

    FTFY.

    k

  10. Would you RT democratic candidates in state elections if fans told you about them, at the very least as way to signal boost

    I try not to boost anyone I haven't researched personally.

  11. I think next time someone asks me what I think of the last decade, I will just steal your answer. I don't even think summing up 5 years is possible without being a little inaccurate. Too much shit happens.

    that is not a question

  12. Why is your twitter name "Dickensian Danskin"? Is there an inside joke that I missed?

    my handle is Dickensian Danskin every December because Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol

  13. Is there an Innuendo Studios subreddit?

    there was at one point

  14. Would you be interested in making a guest appearance on someone's livestream if asked?

    depends on the someone

  15. Why do Nazis seem to worship Hitler and not Mussolini or Emperor Hiroto?

    because they didn't kill jews

  16. Do you have a steaming hot hot take about the Risen Skywalkers?

    my hot take is I haven't seen it and might not see it anytime soon

  18. Should people should start a "Donald Trump Deserves a Fair Trial" campaign to make republicans call witnesses

    I don't foresee that working

  20. Can something made primarily with profit motive in mind be art?

    obviously

  21. How were the 2010's for you on the whole?

    Kinda hard to pass judgment on an entire decade, since so much happens in one. Lotta good, lotta bad, lotta boring in-betweeny stuff. I'm in a better place at 35 than I was at 25 so I guess we'll call it a win, but there are some years you couldn't pay me to relive.

  22. Are you stoic or humorous in real life?

    I contain multitudes.

  23. Sorry I meant gay.

    I meant do you finally want to see Daniel Craig portraying a gay james bond this time around flirting with Rami Malek's villain character in this final 007 movie?

    in response to Do you want to see a lesbian james bond movie? A movie where James bond and a male dude (best if he's the main villain) unintentionally (or intentionally) seducing each other

    Skyfall already implied that James was bisexual. It would be fun to see them make good on that.

    What I really want to see is Idris Elba as the next Bond.

  24. Do you know if there are any leftist flat earthers?

    not really my department, sorry

  25. Do you want to see a lesbian james bond movie? A movie where James bond and a male dude (best if he's the main villain) unintentionally (or intentionally) seducing each other

    this is a weird definition of "lesbian"

  26. Have you moved on from your Story Beats series, or do you think it's something you'll come back to in the future?

    That series had a very concrete endpoint, so it's over and done with. But I'm working on some stuff in a similar vein.

  27. Oh, he's our shortstop!

    in response to Why?

    STAY OUTTA THE INFIELD!!!

  28. Why?

    i just thought i'd ask ya

  29. Do you have any former or current nicknames?

    Cute Ian

  30. what happened to the lady eboshi video?

    ghibli took it down

    it's on vimeo now: https://vimeo.com/357117766

  31. How do you prove that something doesn't exist when the people you're trying to prove it to demand evidence that it's not there?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_teapot

  33. 2 questions:

    Why is "Be true to yourself" a bad philosophy?

    I always find that when people give this kind of advice, they know it's not true... since if one identifies as a terrorist or a racist, then thats not a very good identity to latch onto

    "Follow your heart" - what if ones intention is bad? This kind of follow your heart advice and also "what does your heart tell you?" Are those considered toxic advice as well? I heard that the "heart is deceitful above all things", especially cited among the Christian community, which I find kinda weird and pretty much conservative thinking

    I feel both of these sayings are predicated on an inherent goodness to humans, i.e. if you were a racist or had bad intentions, you would definitionally *not* be following your heart/being true to yourself.

    Don't know that I agree with inherent goodness as a presupposition, but that's the idea.

  34. Are there any games you wish you could play but cant?

    tons

    Outer Wilds comes to mind

  35. I know you aren't a trans expert but I'm cis and don't wanna clog up trans folks' feed with this rn during what is a tough time for them, but!

    Why does it feel like there is so much scrutiny aimed at trans women, and significantly less at trans men? Within Online Discourse, leftists use "TRANS. WOMEN. ARE. WOMEN" a lot more than we have to use "trans men are men", or it FEELS that way to me.

    misogyny

    like, the proof that trans women are women is that society treats them worse than trans men

  36. 2 questions:
    What are your thoughts on American History X? I personally haven't seen it, but it looks ok.
    Have you ever met someone who was formerly involved with the alt-right?

    American History X is a pretty blunt movie, but, from what I've read about neo-Nazi gangs, it gets a surprising amount right. Worth watching.

    I've met several digitally, not away-from-keyboard (that I know of).

  37. is your next video gonna be alt-right or video games

    neither

  38. Peripheral Route Processing reminds me of something that the youtuber "Curio" called "the aesthetics of intellectualism" a little while ago, and I kinda wanna know more about it. What would you recommend from your research?

    I read about it in Terror, Love and Brainwashing by Alexandra Stein, and she got it from Petty and Cacioppo's "Communication and Persuasion: Central and Peripheral Routes to Attitude Change."

  39. Hi! Have you seen Superbunnyhop's "video op-ed" (his words) about Phil Fish?

    Also, I don't want this be a "have-you-seen/read/heard" genre of message, so have your opinions on Phil Fish changed at all since making that video, or do you stand by everything that you said?

    I have noticed that, of the left-wing oriented YouTube channels I watch, I have never actually heard any online controversy/criticism of you, which is what your Phil Fish video made me think of. how well do you feel your older work has held up? or, tbh, (like many YouTubers) do you just avoid watching old stuff?

    Yeah, I've seen George's video. It came out while I was planning This Is Phil Fish and I had some concerns it would preempt some of my arguments, but we went in different directions, thankfully.

    Honestly, it's hard for my opinion on Phil to evolve because a) Phil has mostly kept out of public life since the video, and b) my personal opinion of Phil I mostly kept to myself in the video. The subject was the mechanics of internet fame, and why people felt the need to have such strong opinions on Phil. Whether or not I thought Phil was an asshole was irrelevant.

    The channel has evolved a lot, so it's a little weird to watch the older videos now, when I was mostly talking about games and whatnot. The early Who Shot Guybrush Threepwood videos seem almost quaint compared to The Alt-Right Playbook. But I stand by (most) everything I've said on my channel and am proud of all my work, and I actually rewatch my own videos all the time. :)

  40. We love you, Ian. <3

    is this the royal we?

  41. I marathoned your videos and then went to sleep and had a dream that you had a new video titled "The Swing Got a Tree" but the character in the thumbnail was just a bald Gabe. I tried watching the video and it started out the usual "Say, for the sake of argument" but then the dream just ended? lmaooo

    ...

  42. Are Christmas miracles a scam/lie and encourages people to surrender to fate/destiny?

    oh good grief

  43. Any leftist sources that you can recommend us to read? Any links, PDFs?

    in response to So, I am an upper middle class type. I live in Dubai (cause my dad got a job there), I have a nice house (that is on rent), I go to a prestigious school (the company my dad works at pays for it), my dad works at an oil company (as some middle management type, nothing particularly big) and I am the whitest-looking fella you've ever seen (despite the fact that both my parents are upper-middle-class Venezuelans who immigrated to America). I was also somewhat turned to leftism by twitter (even though actually smart sources like left tube, including ur videos, also helped), and that gave me the kind of shallow understanding of leftism and mild self-loathing one gets from too much twitter. How do I get rid of that?

    I started with Orwell's essays, most of which are free online.

  44. Well, just to be clear, I wasn't trying to trap you into one. I know TLJ internet discourse is precarious. But I do think it's a good movie to discuss from people who come at it from a position of intellectual honesty. I honestly I hate how discourse around TLJ has been poisoned by toxicity.

    in response to Does the speech about failure make you cry, too, or is that just me? I mean, it's not that it's a unique or new message, but seeing it in a Star Wars movie made me cry.

    Yeah, I know. Aside from it being fraught to talk about, I just don't have a lot to say? Like, maybe it's because there've been so many takes already, but I don't feel a compulsion to have A Take on The Last Jedi. I just really love it. I feel really wonderful when I watch it. And I make videos or do write-ups on media when I have something to say about it, but sometimes something just feels good, and I don't always need to put a lot of language to it. I could articulate some stuff if I wanted to - and I have, here and there - but there's been so much conversation, and I probably don't have anything to say that hasn't already been said, and I just don't feel like dissecting this particular goose.

    Sometimes I just wanna let a good thing be.

  45. Maybe this isn't helpful, but perhaps you could look at the screenwriting credits for major film noirs and see if the screenwriters were Californians or spent a lot of their adult in California. I might be drawn to a crime book set in my area and so the answer would still be "Because Hollywood", but more due to writer provincialism than cost.

    A lot of the novels major noirs were based on were set in California, and it seems most of those writers were living in Cali when they wrote the books, though they were all transplants. So that just kind of punts the question a little, but I guess it could be to do with the promise of work on the West Coast?

  46. Bemundolack has a really good video on their channel explaining why even the hardcore, non-electoral anarchists on the left should vote. The tl;dw is that voting can be helpful for both damage control and making it easier to organize on a material level. And you're not conceding consent by voting; your consent was never asked to begin with.

    in response to (Different anon) Apropos of this, is there any good media examining how people view voting as a vehicle for self-expression rather than a means to improve society? That's something I've noticed, and it seems pretty weird and not good.

  47. Does the speech about failure make you cry, too, or is that just me?

    I mean, it's not that it's a unique or new message, but seeing it in a Star Wars movie made me cry.

    in response to I refuse to believe that someone who goes the kind of depth you do, making a half hour long deep dive into exploring the nature of genre in adventure games, has nothing more to say about that movie than "it good". Come on, Ian. You know what I'm here for. Give me the good stuff. I NEED the good stuff.

    most of the second half of that movie gives me feelings

    but I really don't need to get sucked into last jedi discourse

  48. Do you think people are right that voting has no point ?

    However ineffective you think voting is, not voting is moreso, so...

  49. Have you seen “Thank You For Smoking”? I ask because a lot of the themes and dialogue (especially the Ice Cream scene) would seem to be very relevant re:
    The Alt-Right Playbook.

    Yeah, I've referenced the ice cream scene a few times here and on Twitter. Keep meaning to use it in a video but I've never found the right place for it.

  50. How would you feel if, hypothetically, someone created a character based off you? As in, the way you present yourself in your videos?

    I might feel weird, but that's no reason not to do it. Take inspiration where you find it, says I.

  52. I'm a YouTuber who's considering getting a curious cat, but TBH I'm scared of getting hate or invasive questions. How do you avoid or deal with that? (I know curious cat isn't the only way to connect with fans, but it seems like the easiest way)

    Well, everybody's career and audience is different, and I don't know how the internet treats you, but I get significantly less bullshit here than I do in YouTube comments.

  53. I refuse to believe that someone who goes the kind of depth you do, making a half hour long deep dive into exploring the nature of genre in adventure games, has nothing more to say about that movie than "it good".

    Come on, Ian. You know what I'm here for. Give me the good stuff. I NEED the good stuff.

    in response to What about TLJ makes rank as one of the best films you've ever seen? I'm genuinely curious to know. (for fwiw, I like TLJ overall, loving Rey's parts in particular)

    it *real* good

  54. So, I am an upper middle class type. I live in Dubai (cause my dad got a job there), I have a nice house (that is on rent), I go to a prestigious school (the company my dad works at pays for it), my dad works at an oil company (as some middle management type, nothing particularly big) and I am the whitest-looking fella you've ever seen (despite the fact that both my parents are upper-middle-class Venezuelans who immigrated to America). I was also somewhat turned to leftism by twitter (even though actually smart sources like left tube, including ur videos, also helped), and that gave me the kind of shallow understanding of leftism and mild self-loathing one gets from too much twitter. How do I get rid of that?

    Um... read more leftist books and spend less time on Twitter I guess?

    Maybe find a lefty community online or in person that feels healthy. Try attending a DSA meeting, you can always stop going if it's not clicking for you.

  55. What about TLJ makes rank as one of the best films you've ever seen? I'm genuinely curious to know. (for fwiw, I like TLJ overall, loving Rey's parts in particular)

    it good

  56. Well, this came outta left field, considering my dad is a fan of Malcolm Gladwell. When did you say he was a hack?

    P.S. Please don't diss my dad, he is literally the greatest person in my life and I could not ask for a better father.

    in response to Why do you consider Malcolm Gladwell a hack? I’ve only seen criticisms of him from right wing sources, which I am skeptical of for obvious reasons. Are any of the conservative claims against him valid?

    I don't remember, I've said it more than once.

  58. If there was a superhero named Parasocial Man, what would his powers be?

    he would only think he had powers

  59. did you ever consider doing let's plays?

    I've thought about charity streams, but LP's seem really parasocial and I try to curb that as much as possible.

  61. ever done a flip, front/back/side

    I do more translation than rotation.

  62. Kind of stinks how mandated gun licensing would be one of the most significant ways of reducing gun crimes (beyond bans) and would probably be used as a way to be racist to poc

    That's a good point. Gotta address multiple problems at once.

  63. would you say you have a signature clothing style? is there any kind of outfit/style that you prefer? you looked like such an adorable bean in Endnote 4, btw

    For a while there I was dressing similar to what you see in the video all the time. Nowadays it's mostly just jeans and t-shirts, but I'll take almost any excuse to dapper up.

  64. Any concrete proof that Hammett was a leftist? Is it present in his fiction works?

    in response to Did you know Einstein liked socialism and hated capitalism because I didn't

    concrete proof like that he worked with a bunch of leftist organizations and refused to give up his comrades names to the government even though it effectively ended his career?

  66. Did you know Einstein liked socialism and hated capitalism because I didn't

    I did

    did you know Dashiell Hammett was a lefty?

  67. So it's alright to use these term against any conservative people out there, ya?

    Especially to that lady who mocked three young ladies for using their phones on the bench in an art gallery?

    in response to What's "OK Boomer" mean? What does it mean when someone says that?

    you get to mock libs too

  68. Complete the Rhyme

    Scriggity Scroogity

    buongiorno a tutti

  69. yea, sorry. different question: What measures do you recommend taking to avoid being doxxed in the first place?

    in response to Have you ever been doxxed and if so how did you deal with it

    password managers, two-factor authentication, and manually requesting your info be taken down from whitepage sites

  70. What's "OK Boomer" mean? What does it mean when someone says that?

    you seem to have mistaken my curious cat for urban dictionary

  71. Who was your first pet? Did you like them?

    stop trying to guess my security questions

  72. Have you ever been doxxed and if so how did you deal with it

    "hey Ian, is your private information hosted online somewhere?"

    do you see why this is a bad question to ask me publicly?

  73. What do you think of the YouTube Walkout?

    I'm not against the idea and I didn't have any uploads planned for those three days anyway, but of all the things wrong with YouTube they seem to have picked one of the least-understood points to take a stand on? And I'm generally skeptical of protests that make no demands.

  74. I'm sorry to be using you as a conduit but I have to respond to this: "For example ted bundy escaped and murdered 3 people while in prison perhaps they could have killed him faster."

    Both times that Ted Bundy escaped from jail (not prison) he had not yet been convicted, his trials were in process at the time. (That's why he was in jail, not prison.) After Bundy *had* been convicted he remained in prison until his death by electric chair.

    He's an exceptionally bad example to use in this instance because even in a society that accepts and applies the death penalty it is absurdly disgusting to suggest we should apply it to people *who have not been convicted for a crime yet*. In hindsight we can say, yes he was vile, and some might say it's a good thing that he was eventually executed - but at the time he had not been found guilty so this example is ignorant at best (and I think it probably is just ignorant) and vile itself at worst.

    in response to I respect your opinion but still think that certain crimes that are heinous (like mass-murder and serial killing, rape and torture) and proven without a doubt should have the death penalty. For example ted bundy escaped and murdered 3 people while in prison perhaps they could have killed him faster. Pedro Lopez is another example he murdered 110 young girls was put in prison then released and now roams free. He almost certainly has murdered more since then, he should have been executed.

  75. What's the next video going to be?

    it's gonna be a bit different

Anon commented:
Ian replied: