CuriousCat Archive Page 16 of 202

  1. Do you think some porn of NSFW artists are reactionary or right wing?????

    yeah I think the gif of piccolo assaulting vegeta is targeted to a rightwing mentality

  2. Think I ran into you at the GAYSEXfest 2024 but I didn't want to intervene

    I have a stand that sells rubber masks of my face at cons, you probably saw someone wearing one of them. my face is an interest on fetlife.

  3. What feels more despondent, baldness or grayness? Personally I like the idea of a silver fox

    in response to Diff Anon: I've had friends who've been doing "salt and pepper" since my 20s, so I'm always a bit baffled at people being annoyed at grey hair.

    evidence of aging. I was doing pretty well being late thirties with a full head of brown hair, and both started to go at once. I'm not opposed to ending up a silver fox, I just wasn't ready for the process to begin. "looks young for his age" helped me stave off the fear of mortality.

    EDIT: wait I misread your question. baldness is probably the greater despondency.

  4. What do you think of Vivian in Paper Mario: TTYD remake being confirmed trans?

    I dunno, Birdetta was already trans

  5. Do you have any evidence for this claim?

    in response to Why do you think most people get taught an incorrect definition of racism?

    well, you kind of can't read ANYTHING from the field of Race Studies or the history of slavery without "racism is more than a personal prejudice" being foundational and self-evident, and I have a lifetime of interacting with POC who are pretty explicit about their experience and would laugh in the face of any white person who says "you can be racist against white people."

    I can recommend books, if that's what you're asking for, but I feel like you'll say they're "biased" or something. but, just in case - Stamped from the Beginning

  6. Did you hurt your back because you were sitting? Or were you doing something else that hurt your back and you just happened to be sitting down?

    in response to When was the first time you realized you're getting old?

    we can't pinpoint the single event that hurt my back, but the general sense is that leading a sedentary lifestyle and having bad genes left me with a weak core and allowed a disc to herniate, and a long drive with poor lumbar support is what enflamed that disc enough to press on my sciatic nerve and leave me in four months of excruciating pain. I suspect starting Ring Fit Adventure shortly beforehand - which involved a lot of running in place on hardwood floors - was a factor, and a thing I couldn't have predicted would affect a problem I didn't know I had. but my various doctors have been mixed on whether they think that was a cause (though they mostly agree it caused my relapse).

  7. But they will stop bombing them if they do that and lay down their arms.

    in response to (diff anon) "refusing to surrender and release their hostages" they've offered to release the hostages but NOT lay down their arms. The question still stands are they complicit in the genocide of their own people by refusing to surrender and release their hostages?

    they have literally refused any surrender agreement that requires them to stop the conflict. you are wrong.

  8. (diff anon) While Israel is obviously responsible for its own actions, Hamas knew full well what they were unleashing onto Gaza with their attack. It doesn't feel unreasonable to place some blame on them.

    in response to (diff anon) "refusing to surrender and release their hostages" they've offered to release the hostages but NOT lay down their arms. The question still stands are they complicit in the genocide of their own people by refusing to surrender and release their hostages?

    if the question were "does Hamas share responsibility for what is happening given they could have easily predicted the reaction," then I would have agreed, with nuance. the question was whether they are responsible for their own genocide because they wouldn't release the hostages, and I'm not going to let slide the narrative that they haven't offered, repeatedly, to release the hostages if it will stop the genocide.

  9. Diff Anon:
    I've had friends who've been doing "salt and pepper" since my 20s, so I'm always a bit baffled at people being annoyed at grey hair.

    in response to When was the first time you realized you're getting old?

    I'm not annoyed, I'm despondent

  10. (diff anon) "refusing to surrender and release their hostages" they've offered to release the hostages but NOT lay down their arms. The question still stands are they complicit in the genocide of their own people by refusing to surrender and release their hostages?

    in response to Does Hamas refusing to surrender and release their hostages make them complicit in the genocide of their own people?

    Israel won't agree to stop bombing them after they release the hostages

  11. When was the first time you realized you're getting old?

    2021, when I threw my back out by sitting

    was confirmed in 2023 when I discovered my bald patch AND found my first grey hair

  12. Does Hamas refusing to surrender and release their hostages make them complicit in the genocide of their own people?

    Hamas has offered to release the hostages repeatedly, Netanyahu has refused every offer. please do even a cursory google before saying this shit.

  13. Why do you think most people get taught an incorrect definition of racism?

    "most people" aren't white, and understand the correct definition of racism because the experience it. white people are taught the incorrect definition of racism because it flatters the white ego.

  15. No person is prosecuted for pedophilia until after they've committed a crime. Just like a serial killer isn't a serial killer until they start committing serialized murder. No one is arguing otherwise.

    in response to You must realize that valorizing the essential humanity of pedophiles is a hell of a take.

    read the whole thread. people are saying "what do we do with people who cannot be in society safely, e.g. pedophiles." the premise of that question is that pedophiles cannot be restrained or reformed. if you acknowledge that people exist who do not act on these impulses, then it means they CAN be restrained and treatment WOULD BE an effective strategy. the argument doesn't work unless you're claiming pedophiles are incapable of reform. it follows, then, that being a pedophile is, itself, the crime, because acting on it an inevitability.

  16. What kind of chips do you like to munch

    crinkle cut kettle

  17. (diff diff anon) What I think you fail to understand is that an antagonistic relationship by the ruling authority towards bad actors and the systemic structures that enable them to do harm is an essential part of *any* functioning society. How many times in history has a socialist revolution resulted
    in outright fascism? There is no political or economic philosophy that can solve this problem outright by its adoption. The only solution is *constant* vigilance. Which a heavily socialized, but still capitalist, state provides.

    in response to (Different anon) what’s so bad about a heavily socialised state

    if you acknowledge that constant vigilance is necessary in any government, why not socialism with constant vigilance? you haven't actually argued for why capitalism's particular set of challenges and possible corruptions is preferable, and you KNOW all the worst-case scenarios of communism have also happened under capitalism.

  18. What are you grateful for?

    Dr. Pepper

  19. Do you have any broad opinions about the automobile?

    just the 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon

  20. Diffanon, what should we, Curious Cat Operator and Anonymous Asker, do when people start asking questions about serial killers and pedophiles again? (Seriously, keeos happening for some reason.)

    in response to What should we, as a society, do with people who are fundamentally incapable of living peacefully among us, i.e. serial killers, pedophiles, etc?

    I dunno, friend. I try to point out "the current system does not actually address the problem of serial killers and pedophiles" but it doesn't seem to matter.

  21. okay a lighter ask to balance out all the bullcrap: do you want to make another melee video again?

    no :(

  23. Ya know your not really attracting a lot of people to your ideology with this kind of attitude. Many people become conservatives just because it feels like they’re winning all the time. Conservatives revel in their victories and try to ignore their failures as much as possible. While many leftist like you try to downplay and even dismiss EVERY SINGLE STEP FORWARD it’s depressing. people like to feel good about themselves if u don’t give them that u won’t win people over.

    in response to Ya think leftists are too negative sometimes when talking about social progress? things have undeniably improved substantially in many areas. there are more women and people of color in congress now than ever before, in the 90s most democrats were against gay marriage now even a substantial amount of republicans voted in favour, weed legalisation keeps expanding, more and more states are banning the death penalty. When I hear some leftist talk they act like the US has made no progress in anything.

    while I generally agree that the Left doesn't take its victory laps, I think you are confusing whose victory this is. social justice moving from radical movement to being recuperated by capitalism is a win for liberals, but it's deeply ambivalent for leftists.

  26. How fucked are we?

    more fucked than it looks like, less fucked than it feels like

  27. I actually think it's worth asking: How do we deal with people who have been so intensely indoctrinated by Christian (or other religious) dogma that they believe that gay and trans people are under demonic influence? How does society deal with harmful people who are convinced that they are following the will of God?

    in response to Diffanon, any thoughts on how to deal with people believing a significant percentage of people are demons?

    outnumber and ignore them

  28. Do you think the rise of polyamory is at least somewhat influenced by the collapse of churches and other social communities?

    bugs_bunny_no.jpeg

  29. would the world be better if we were all lesbians

    I read Y: The Last Man and def came away with "yes and no"

  30. favorite tarot card

    reversed empress

    also my favorite sex position

  31. Do you like gay sex

    I'm very happy it exists

  32. "They put the word "socialism" in their name as a branding effort"?

    ...and how many times has that happened in history? How many times have revolutionaries draped themselves in socialist rhetoric, only to become authoritarian? It's almost like there's something about socialism that makes it easier for authoritarians to seize power.

    in response to I had a feeling you were going to "no true Scotsman" the Nazis. If they call it "National Socialism", then it's a form of socialism, full stop. You yourself said they started practicing capitalism "during the war", so what did they do before that? It may not be the form of socialism you want for America, but my point is that that *any* form of socialism makes it easier to backslide into fascism than any form of capitalism.

    I give up. read a book.

  33. Agree or disagree: mid to late 00s pop emo was comparatively more representative of misogynist white male backlash politics than late 90s / early 00s nu metal but gets comparatively less shit for it because people hear drop tuned 7 string riffs and thing "oh this must be the most toxically masculine shit ever" and cuz fujoshis wrote more real person fanfics about Gerard Way and Pete Wentz than Fred Durst and Jon Davis

    you know, honestly, I don't remember nü metal being considered misogynist. I'm with you on "toxically male" - in was seen as solipsistic, self-centered sad boys turning their pain into anger - but even the breakup songs didn't talk about women very specifically beyond an abstract "you."

    granted, I was a teenager at the time, and not particularly plugged into the zeitgeist beyond watching TRL, so I probably missed most of The Discourse. and I agree with you! I'm not going to bat for Limp Bizkit or Staind, but bands like Korn and Incubus, when they got political, were usually kind of progressive (if misguided). but my even more occasional experience with pop emo was that all they did was talk about girls, and came off like a bunch of incels.

  34. I had a feeling you were going to "no true Scotsman" the Nazis. If they call it "National Socialism", then it's a form of socialism, full stop. You yourself said they started practicing capitalism "during the war", so what did they do before that? It may not be the form of socialism you want for America, but my point is that that *any* form of socialism makes it easier to backslide into fascism than any form of capitalism.

    in response to The *National Socialist* party may have "practiced" capitalism, but they still draped themselves in socialist rhetoric like countless other authoritarian states, and you know it.

    ok I'm calling you socialism. you're socialism! because if it's called socialism, it is. full stop.

    in answer to your question: before the war they also practiced capitalism. they never practiced socialism. they put the word "socialism" in their name as a branding effort (against Hitler's wishes). none of their governmental reforms were socialist - they didn't build unions, they didn't give workers the means of production, they didn't abolish the private sector. they, in fact, expropriated wealth from Jews and then used the money to enrich good German private businesses. they didn't recruit socialists - existing socialist movements opposed them, started the first antifa movement, and were the first people sent to Dachau. their base was overwhelmingly conservative capitalists - hell, Hitler was appointed Vice Chancellor BY THE LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, because he thought an alliance with the Nazis would help OVERRIDE the socialists in Congress! the fucking Reichstag fire was blamed on communists! Hitler spent half of Mein Kampf calling Marxism a Jewish conspiracy! your entire argument is "but they put socialist in the name"? are you FUCKING SERIOUS?

  35. The *National Socialist* party may have "practiced" capitalism, but they still draped themselves in socialist rhetoric like countless other authoritarian states, and you know it.

    in response to (diff anon) I could just as easily point out that being the opposite of capitalism DOES NOT MAKE SOCIALISM GOOD. Some of the most oppressive authoritarian states in the world are supposedly socialist. I know you know that, but for some reason that doesn't deter you from promoting socialism as some kind of ideal alternative to the system we have now.

    um, yeah? and? I can call capitalism socialism, too. I can call it jellybean circus arts if I want. it's still capitalism.

    I feel like "fascists lie" should not be a surprise to you.

  36. Why are you so apologetic towards China? I see you defend the Chinese government on curios cat and post Chinese propaganda on twitter sometimes like that Chinese lady who pretended to be shocked by American homeless people.

    I didn't post the Chinese lady who pretended to be shocked by American homeless people, you have mixed me up with some other lefty you like yelling at

  38. Would you call the modern Wolfenstein games (as in everything from TNO onwards) "boomer shooters?"

    the only reason I use a phrase as horrible as "boomer shooter" is I have, in this instance, fully embraced descriptivism. I am not attempting to define what is and isn't a boomer shooter. do a significant number of people call it a boomer shooter? then it's a boomer shooter. whatever.

  39. Why do people become conservatives?

    the hard truth is 90% of all believes are held for the same reason: because existing in the life you have, doing the things you want, and being part of your community require you to believe certain things. if you believed other things, it would introduce friction that you will find uncomfortable and may cost you some of the things you value. everyone has beliefs they came to through actual thought and moral interrogation, but everything else? it's whatever you absorb.

  40. but venezuela tho

    in response to (diff anon) I could just as easily point out that being the opposite of capitalism DOES NOT MAKE SOCIALISM GOOD. Some of the most oppressive authoritarian states in the world are supposedly socialist. I know you know that, but for some reason that doesn't deter you from promoting socialism as some kind of ideal alternative to the system we have now.

    curses, I forgot about Venezuela! ok capitalism good after all.

  42. Ok, but what about the Ted Bundys and Jeffery Dahmers of the world. The people who HAVE done horrible things and will do them again if given the opportunity. I realize they are extreme and rare examples, but people like them do exist. I can't think of anything to do about them other than life in prison. Can you?

    in response to I think it's time to log off, as it was a genuine question and you're yelling at phantoms.

    I don't know. the FBI estimates, at any given time, there are 25-50 active serial killers in the US, out of a population of over 300 million. so if prison existed only for the ones who cannot be reformed - we have one prison in, I dunno, Idaho, where we send the people who just cannot be reformed and society just cannot be safe with them free - and that single prison had like a dozen new inmates a year... sure, maybe then I'd make an exception.

  43. (diff anon) I could just as easily point out that being the opposite of capitalism DOES NOT MAKE SOCIALISM GOOD. Some of the most oppressive authoritarian states in the world are supposedly socialist. I know you know that, but for some reason that doesn't deter you from promoting socialism as some kind of ideal alternative to the system we have now.

    in response to As social democrat, the reason I don’t get on board with “socialism” is because there is no consensus as to what “socialism” is. It could be Marxism-Leninism, market socialism, any of many different forms of anarchism, whatever they currently have in China, or many other things. These different ideologies have different ideas that can be good, bad, or any shade of grey in between. If I’m arguing for “socialism,” I don’t know what I’m arguing for exactly.

    I don't know how to talk to you. can you not SEE the obvious flaw in that argument? you MUST know how many horrible authoritarian states have been capitalist. your defense of capitalism MUST say "ok, let's not do capitalism like the Nazis," who were - it must be stressed - practicing capitalism all through the war. you MUST be agreeing that there are ways to do capitalism that are very, very bad. hell, y'all keep arguing that social democracy is GOOD because the way most countries are doing capitalism RIGHT NOW is pretty bad!

    is it so impossible to connect the dots that socialism can ALSO be done many ways? that it has only been attempted a handful of times, and rarely lasts long because the richest nations on Earth make it their job to overthrow? can you understand that many socialists hate the USSR even more than you do? that we want to do it a NOT shitty way? I'm not even here to say "Stalinism isn't real socialism," that's a dead end argument. socialism can be many things. I don't want it to be that one, the same way you don't defend EVERY iteration of capitalism.

    despite several catastrophic failures, I believe socialism can still be done well. after 250 years of capitalism, I am CONVINCED capitalism cannot be done well. I do not find capitalism's best-case scenario acceptable, and I have a LOT more evidence of the endemic failures of capitalism than your 3-4 data points against socialism.

  44. I think it's time to log off, as it was a genuine question and you're yelling at phantoms.

    in response to What should we, as a society, do with people who are fundamentally incapable of living peacefully among us, i.e. serial killers, pedophiles, etc?

    you seem to be implying we should lock up pedophiles whether or not they've committed a crime, like they woke up one day and said "aha, I shall CHOOSE to be attracted to children!" I don't think you are considering that some people realize they have an unhealthy paraphilia and seek treatment of their own accord, because they don't want to hurt anyone. and, the moment you conceive that could be an option - that a person sexually aroused by children can still have a conscience and choose not to act on it, in the same way YOU can be attracted to an adult and still not rape them - then you must admit that treatment is a valid option, and "cannot be safely allowed in society" is, in fact, a horrible belief.

    you are imagining demons who cannot stop killing, cannot stop assaulting children, and MUST be stopped by cops and prison wardens. and, sure, I'd defend the prison system if I believed some significant percentage of humans were demons.

    but I don't.

  45. Why do you argue with people on curios? cat like your not gonna convince anyone.

    I could ask the same question of why they argue with me.

  46. IDK bro. If bread isn't good "raw-dogged" why would it be worth your time to toast? Seems like you're making sure they're not suffering sub-standard bread.

    in response to You prefer bread toasted or untoasted?

    look, I appreciate that you agree with me, but I'd prefer you defend me with a GOOD argument. this is like saying "why would sausages be good if you wouldn't eat raw pig entrails?"

  47. Does that change depending on the flavour of bread? I personally find sourdough good eating, but only when it's raw.

    in response to You prefer bread toasted or untoasted?

    I probably wouldn't eat untoasted and unaccompanied rye, but I'll grab most breads raw. but sourdough toasted with just a little Earth Balance? heavenly.

  48. (diff anon) Punitive Justice, at least on paper, isn't about being vindictive or cruel. It's about ensuring criminals face material consequences for their crimes.

    in response to Whenever people say "if you abolish prisons/police, people can just go around murdering people", I wonder if that's in bad faith or if they really think people who want to abolish these systems plan to do it with no replacement at all. Like, I'm not an expert on the issue, but the idea is to replace the justice system we currently have with something better (more humane, more geared towards rehabilitation, less damaging to neighboorhoods ...), and not to just live without any rules at all, right? Do you think that's something some people just don't believe can be done, or is it an intentional misrepresentation of the cause?

    ok but why? the reason to have material consequences for crimes is either about safety - "it's a deterrent" - or philosophy - "it would be wrong if they got away with it."

    all data says the former doesn't work so I must conclude we keep it for the latter reason, and "they must face repercussions" IS being vindictive.

  49. I am the milkman. My milk is delicious.

    I wish the milkman would deliver my milk
    in the morning

    I wish the milkman would deliver my milk
    when I'm yawning

  50. Is ethical nonmonogamy the same thing as an open marriage?

    in response to In a polyamorous relationship do you love multiple people at the same time or love just one but have a sexual relationship with others?

    an open marriage is a kind of ENM, but not all ENM relationships are marriages, and there are a lot of kinds of ENM so a given open marriage might use a different term (e.g. I am married but still use the term polyamorous because it's more specifically accurate)

  51. When I first heard someone say “We should abolish prisons” and nothing else, it didn’t sound to me like they were proposing a replacement. My initial thought was that they were suggesting we let everyone currently imprisoned out and have that be that.
    If they wanted to replace the prison system, I would think they would say “We should replace prisons with X.”

    I know it doesn’t always show but I promise you this is in good faith.

    in response to Whenever people say "if you abolish prisons/police, people can just go around murdering people", I wonder if that's in bad faith or if they really think people who want to abolish these systems plan to do it with no replacement at all. Like, I'm not an expert on the issue, but the idea is to replace the justice system we currently have with something better (more humane, more geared towards rehabilitation, less damaging to neighboorhoods ...), and not to just live without any rules at all, right? Do you think that's something some people just don't believe can be done, or is it an intentional misrepresentation of the cause?

    ok but why would you think that? and why wouldn't you look further into it? when someone says something wild and provocative, and it seems like an opinion they share with other people (maybe even some people whose opinion I seek out enough to read their Curious Cat), I usually do some quick googling to see if my assumption is correct. I wouldn't be making assumptions, accusing them of it, and having them correct me if I'm wrong. I would find that humiliating. it is trivially easy to type "prison abolition movement" into google and see what these folks' talking points are; they've DEFINITELY fielded your questions before, so explainers are easy to find.

    I believe you are asking in good faith, but your line of questioning is still unproductive and dismissive. you are not coming to the idea with curiosity, you are coming with an unfounded skepticism that is, frankly, rude.

  54. Ya think leftists are too negative sometimes when talking about social progress?

    things have undeniably improved substantially in many areas. there are more women and people of color in congress now than ever before, in the 90s most democrats were against gay marriage now even a substantial amount of republicans voted in favour, weed legalisation keeps expanding, more and more states are banning the death penalty. When I hear some leftist talk they act like the US has made no progress in anything.

    LET 👏 WOMEN 👏 BE 👏 GUARDS 👏

  55. You have a really eclectic taste lol. I love Botch, Genghis Tron, Converge, TDEP etc type of mathcore! Midnights and mescaline slaps!! I'm curious, do you fw sludge metal, acid bath eyehategod that kind of vibe.

    in response to Pleasantly surprised to hear!! What metal bands do you like?

    I don't follow sludge metal (somehow got it in my head that Pelican was sludgier than they are, was very surprised when I finally sat with it). but I'm down for pretty much anything good, so feel free to drop a rec!

    it is generally true that my musical taste is, across the board, eclectic.

  57. Fuck

    in response to I’m sorry man but that answers is so stupid. Prison does work as a deterrent to some extent. NO ONE likes to be put in prison, even if your a psychopath your not gonna be like “damn I could not murdur this woman in brawd daylight but if u think about I’ll get out of prison anyway when I’m 83 so like fuck it” Also this is why I asked you about life in prison it exists for people who really can’t reenter society. And I was wondering wether you would approve of that.

    gottem

  58. Whenever people say "if you abolish prisons/police, people can just go around murdering people", I wonder if that's in bad faith or if they really think people who want to abolish these systems plan to do it with no replacement at all. Like, I'm not an expert on the issue, but the idea is to replace the justice system we currently have with something better (more humane, more geared towards rehabilitation, less damaging to neighboorhoods ...), and not to just live without any rules at all, right? Do you think that's something some people just don't believe can be done, or is it an intentional misrepresentation of the cause?

    in response to I’m sorry man but that answers is so stupid. Prison does work as a deterrent to some extent. NO ONE likes to be put in prison, even if your a psychopath your not gonna be like “damn I could not murdur this woman in brawd daylight but if u think about I’ll get out of prison anyway when I’m 83 so like fuck it” Also this is why I asked you about life in prison it exists for people who really can’t reenter society. And I was wondering wether you would approve of that.

    six of one, half a dozen of the other. the REAL stinker is the folks who are kinda doing both? they feel a need to reject the idea, so there is a reflexive misrepresentation that allows them to stop listening to you. people do this any time they are hit with an idea they don't wanna engage with - distort the idea until it is so preposterous the person sharing it can be ignored.

  59. Have you had to get good at spreadsheeting for anything in life?

    yes, I'm dating a Virgo

  60. You prefer bread toasted or untoasted?

    toasted, but I am pretty easy either way. TOO easy, apparently, as my partners regularly mock me for raw-dogging slices when I'm peckish.

  61. If a chicken egg could be lab synthesized without the need of any animals (besides the scientists doing the work) being involved, then would that egg's "veganity" differ from a chicken egg gained by usual methods?

    I am confident vegans would argue about that a LOT

  64. Pleasantly surprised to hear!! What metal bands do you like?

    in response to Do you like metal

    been listening to The Hirsch Effekt this week. fell MADLY in love with Zeal & Ardor a couple years ago. if we're including things like hardcore and cybergrind under the banner of metal, I also love me some Botch and Genghis Tron. Haken when I'm feeling proggy. oh, and I just finally started listening to Pelican, which is way lovelier than I expected? longtime fan of Diablo Swing Orchestra's fusion of metal, opera, and Romani folk. and I've adored The Fucking Champs since I was a teenager.

  65. I’m sorry man but that answers is so stupid. Prison does work as a deterrent to some extent. NO ONE likes to be put in prison, even if your a psychopath your not gonna be like “damn I could not murdur this woman in brawd daylight but if u think about I’ll get out of prison anyway when I’m 83 so like fuck it”

    Also this is why I asked you about life in prison it exists for people who really can’t reenter society. And I was wondering wether you would approve of that.

    in response to Do you support prison abolishen then? If so what do we do with the people who have committed heinous crimes and are a danger to society?

    brawd daylight

  66. In a polyamorous relationship do you love multiple people at the same time or love just one but have a sexual relationship with others?

    generally, if you have one romantic partner and everyone else is sex-only, it's more often called "ethical nonmonogamy." "polyamory" generally means multiple *romantic* partners.

  67. Music or the material?

    in response to Do you like metal

    yes

  68. What should we, as a society, do with people who are fundamentally incapable of living peacefully among us, i.e. serial killers, pedophiles, etc?

    in response to Do you support life imprisonment?

    that is borderline eliminationist phrasing, maybe you should be locked up

  69. As social democrat, the reason I don’t get on board with “socialism” is because there is no consensus as to what “socialism” is. It could be Marxism-Leninism, market socialism, any of many different forms of anarchism, whatever they currently have in China, or many other things. These different ideologies have different ideas that can be good, bad, or any shade of grey in between. If I’m arguing for “socialism,” I don’t know what I’m arguing for exactly.

    in response to (Different anon) what’s so bad about a heavily socialised state

    so? there are many forms of democracy, but you can be broadly in favor of democracy while having preferences and opposing certain forms. if this is a sticking point for you, you are fully capable of looking into different models of socialism and seeing if any make sense to you. and, to be clear: socialism being vague about implementation DOES NOT MAKE CAPITALISM GOOD.

  70. So good faith question: What should happen to someone who murders someone else?

    in response to Do you support life imprisonment?

    I don't know. the majority of murders go unsolved, so we already live among murderers, that's just part of life. cops are just authorized murderers, dunno how that helps anything.

    there are books with better answers than me, I'll be more useful when I've read them.

  71. Do you support prison abolishen then? If so what do we do with the people who have committed heinous crimes and are a danger to society?

    in response to Do you support life imprisonment?

    I don't know, but the prison system doesn't have a solution to that, either? the current plan is "just let them out when their sentence is up." so even if the plan for abolition was "just let them all out," that was already the plan anyway, we're just doing it faster.

  72. How can pure socialism and democracy coexist if citizens can just vote to bring the private sector back?

    clarification before I answer: do you consider the US a democracy?

  73. Do you think the field of mental health is, by accident or design, is a crutch to hold up capitalism? I'm sure there are helpful and well meaning people in it but as a whole it just seems to exist to shave down the edges of people so they can better fit into whatever slot society seems profitable

    no.

  74. Do you like metal

    hell yeah

  75. (Feel free to ignore if it's too personal) I remember you once wrote about being mugged and having your jaw broken, and how traumatic that was. I've also seen you strongly advocate for restorative justice over punitive justice, which I find myself agreeing with more and more.

    I imagine most people who went through the former would not be advocating for the latter, but clearly that seems to not be the case here. Do you have any insight as to how come you didn't get more pro-punitive-justice after that incident?

    the immediate answer is, I don't think I'd feel better knowing the person who broke my face is in jail. what good does that do me? does that fix the numb spot on my lip? does that make my teeth fit together like they used to? does that reimburse me for the medical bills? the shit already happened. I'm surprised how many people feel like something bad has to happen to the person who did it before they can feel better. some part of me feels "eye for an eye" is basically saying "it's ok you took my eye out cuz I got to take out yours, now we're even." no, nothing is gonna make it ok, and I resent the idea that throwing someone in jail is supposed to make it better. that's not how trauma works!

    but also, what good is it to send someone to jail for 5 years or whatever and then just let them back out on the street? what's to stop them doing it again? I got mugged for my bag, now the person is free and probably broker than before and unemployable. they have even MORE incentive to mug somebody! I have a problem with what happened to me, I don't want it to happen to other people, which means I need an actual SOLUTION, which all research into the prison system shows: prison is not a solution. but if a person was actually reformed, I may not personally forgive them, but I'd at least know the streets are a little safer. and when my PTSD flares up walking home after dark, that's what I actually need.

Anon commented:
Ian replied: