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Questions and Answers

  1. Published on Jul 4, 2018, 7:24 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Part of what makes me so angry about this latest GOP tax scam is that I don't think we'll ever learn. We didn't learn when Reagan cut taxes, or when W. cut taxes. Never have corporate handouts ever accomplished anything, but we keep doing it, and it's just such a pointless self-defeating cycle of artificial austerity. How do we break this cycle and get people to realize that the GOP has been conning them on taxes for 40 years?

    Ian replied:

    The problem is that, on some level, many of the people voting for tax breaks for the rich don't actually mind if it doesn't improve the economy, if a high tide doesn't float all boats, if they will never be rich enough to benefit from the tax breaks. They may believe these things, but if you prove them wrong, they'll still vote in favor of the tax breaks. Because, on an ideological level, they believe that the wealthy DESERVE lots of money, and that the government taking it from them is vaguely tyrannical. They may not believe this in a wholly conscious way, but, at a gut level, it will always feel wrong to increase taxes on the wealthy, and they will look for truthy-sounding arguments for why it's good for the economy.

    An underlying component to this gut feeling seems to be the belief that, in order for society to function, we NEED to have wealthy people. That the only reason we have all the good things we have is because of the actions of the rich; we wouldn't have affordable food chains, cool technological devices, or possibly even employment (i.e. "job creators" has become a synonym for "rich businessmen"). Yes, the rich fuck us over left and right, but, if they were less rich, we'd probably still be getting fucked over but we'd also not have any of the conveniences the rich take credit for.

    If we want to combat that, we need to stop addressing the lies used to justify this system and start addressing the ideology behind it. We need to speak to what people's actual concerns are, and not just what they tell us their concerns are. We need to emphasize that most of the good things we have in society are due to collective effort by masses of normal people working together, and not the billionaires who slap their names on the product of that labor. We need to undermine the Great Men Of History narrative that tells people wealth and accomplishment are the same thing. Conservative rhetoric is largely a bunch of lies conservatives tell themselves, so you have to do a bit of digging to figure out why they do what they do because they won't tell you; they won't even admit it to themselves.

    But, as I've said before: We need to stop assuming that, if we just correct some misinformation, everyone will agree with us.

  2. Published on Jul 3, 2018, 6:55 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    You seem pretty shitty towards the economy dude!

    What do you think of states like Texas that require all counties to keep a balanced budget and to not run a deficit or they will be fined?

    Ian replied:

    That's the right way to do things, wish any Republican President in the last 35 years did that.

  3. Published on Jul 3, 2018, 6:50 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Not sure if you've answered this in more detail anywhere else, but how do you think Samox should have approached the topic of women in the Smash community differently to the way Milktea was added to the Smash Doc?

    Or rather, in his upcoming new series 'Metagame' how do you think the topic could be readdressed - maybe a dive into the current work of Smash Sisters?

    As an aside, I realise I've never properly thanked you for your 'Things of Beauty' video on the Smash series. It was that video that got me into the scene where I'm still an active competitor/TO ~3 years later. Also helped me discover the rest of your channel which I simply love. So yeah, thanks man x

    Ian replied:

    Thanks so much!

    Somewhat addressed here, among a number of other topics related to women in Smash: http://innuendostudios.tumblr.com/post/138805871007/dont-be-surprised-women-in-smash

    In general, I don't think Samox has the touch to meaningfully address what Smash Sisters is trying to accomplish, so I'd rather he just have some more women talking heads in Metagame and otherwise not comment on it. Portray women as part of the community, draw more attention to the Smash Sisters, and then let them speak for themselves on their own platforms.

  4. Published on Jul 3, 2018, 6:47 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    So how high do taxes need to be to support all the services Amerikkka provides, or doesn't provide?

    Ian replied:

    Let's be honest: taxes aren't that important as a means of paying for services.

    Whenever Democrats try to fund social programs, Republicans always demand, "How are we going to pay for this?!" But this isn't a sincere question; Republicans are just trying to bait Democrats into admitting they want to raise taxes. They don't actually think the program is too costly, or that running at a deficit is bad. They want low taxes and no social programs for ideological reasons, and use the "Democrats raise taxes to give money to welfare queens" argument as a smokescreen for that ideology.

    When Republicans are in office, they always - ALWAYS - slash taxes and raise spending. Always. And every 4-8 years, a Democrat takes office, pays down the debts Republicans ran up, makes some attempt to put money into safety nets and healthcare, and then a Republican takes office again and the cycle repeats itself. Republicans outspend Democrats every single time they're in office.

    W. didn't pay for the Iraq war by raising taxes OR balancing the budget. He just went into debt. We are 21 trillion dollars in debt. They'll only rarely say it out loud, but the entire Republican tax policy is built on Reagan's argument that *deficits don't matter*. We're the richest country on Earth, no one who owes us money is coming to collect any time soon, we literally spend as much as we want without consequence.

    So how high to taxes need to be? They can be fuckin' anywhere and we cans till afford universal healthcare, universal basic income, a robust space program, investment in sciences, student loan forgiveness, and free tuition. We can pay for it the same way Republicans pay for everything: just fuckin' go into debt.

    Is that a smart plan? No. The proper way to do it is to put taxes back to around where they were in the 60's, close loopholes in capital gains taxes, penalize tax evasion, and reduce military spending. Because sooner or later running on a deficit will bite us in the ass. But we don't have to suffer Republican crocodile tears about fiscal responsibility in the meantime; if they won't let us raise taxes, fuck 'em, we'll just run up the debt in the meantime, because who really gives a shit.

  5. Published on Jul 3, 2018, 6:34 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    In your review of NitW, you talk about finding time to play it again. Did you? Did you like it more the second time?

    Ian replied:

    I want to play it again now that Weird Autumn is out, and I never played Longest Night or Lost Constellation, so I should do that one of these days. But, no, I haven't done it yet.

  6. Published on Jul 3, 2018, 6:32 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think of assisted suicide?

    Ian replied:

    Euthanasia is a right.

  7. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 10:06 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Any thoughts on dicks?

    Ian replied:

    they make me think of Freud

  8. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 8:56 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Did Gore not have a strong message at the time? I only know him as the only US politician to ever talk openly about climate change/global warming.

    Ian replied:

    No, he didn't. I was 17 at the time, and wasn't super keyed into the conversation, but I remember Gore, like a lot of Democrats, having some vague statements about solid diplomacy and fiscal responsibility and other liberal sentiments that never really added up to a vision for the country. Most of his notoriety to discussing climate change has arisen since the election.

  9. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 4:12 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What's your opinion on child marriage?

    Ian replied:

    No one ever asks that unless they've got some bullshit lined up as a second question.

  10. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 11:51 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Any thoughts on Sigmund Freud?

    Ian replied:

    he thought about dicks a lot

  11. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 11:51 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Is Brian De Palma one of your favorite movie directors? It's been too long now since he last made a film

    Same goes with John McTiernan

    Ian replied:

    Uh, McTiernan went to jail for illegally tapping his co-producer's phone and then lying to the FBI about it, and declared bankruptcy from prison. I, uh, don't think he's gonna make a new movie any time soon. He was a great action director in his day, though his movies were more pulpy fun than they were good. Can't deny, especially amid the stuff people were making at the time, that Die Hard 1 and 3 are ridiculously well-directed, though.

    No strong feelings about de Palma.

  12. Published on Jul 2, 2018, 3:15 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you think the next recession will get here while Trump is in office?

    Ian replied:

    Every time Republicans slash taxes, there is a recession. I'm just hoping it's a minor one.

  13. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 11:01 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What your talking about reminds me of what I thought when Huckasands tweeted specifically about the restaraunt, naming it. "Holycrap.... she's TRYING to get people to wreak havoc on it. Then again, from Trump, who mentioned an identifying detail of the place. Do you think there's a conscious attempt to get people to react violently from the administration?

    Ian replied:

    There's a conscious attempt to cause harm to the business. Hard to say whether they *want* violence against the business to happen or if they just don't care if there's violence. The difference is functionally meaningless.

  14. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 10:59 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    whats it like doing a capitalism?

    Ian replied:

    it's real bad, fam

  15. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 9:12 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    "In a 2011 story, the Capital identified Ramos as an employee of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with a degree in computer engineering and no previous criminal record."

    "Ramos’ aunt, Vielka Ramos, 59, expressed disbelief over the attack and described her nephew, who grew up in nearby Severn, Maryland, as “very intelligent” but “a loner” who “wasn’t close to anybody,” the Sun reports.

    http://time.com/5326056/capital-gazette-shooter-jarrod-w-ramos/

    So this information makes him alt-right?

    Ian replied:

    https://www.salon.com/2018/06/30/exclusive-accused-annapolis-shooter-had-deep-dark-links-to-the-alt-right/

  16. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 7:46 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    https://twitter.com/NAmirite/status/1012388492070907904

    http://archive.is/e05y4

    Well?

    Ian replied:

    I'm not here for this redefinition of doxxing as "getting recognized in public," even when the recognition is crowdsourced.

  17. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 7:42 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    So in your thread on Milo, do you support escalation of Antifa members by carrying guns and killing their supporters?

    Ian replied:

    That's not happening.

  18. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 7:42 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    I hate to ask about 2020 in 2018 but I have a question Ive been pondering: will the 2020 Dem candidate be a reformist FDR to Trump's Hoover, or will she be more of a "Return to Normalcy" candidate?

    Ian replied:

    That's loosely what we saw in the 2016 primaries, with Hillary - fairly or not - representing "more of the same" and Bernie - fairly or not - representing reform. Both had platforms that were more complex than what they symbolized (Sanders was an ardent class warrior but is proving more Centrist than Clinton on a number of social issues), but the symbols are what carry the most weight. The DNC went through a similar boondoggle in 2017 when choosing between Tom Perez and Keith Ellison for the new chair; they aren't that far apart politically but Ellison represented a move to the Left and Perez represented The Establishment, and the Democrats pushed HARD to keep The Establishment in control of the Party.

    I imagine this tension will continue going into the 2020 primaries. The Democrats are having an identity crisis as they try to decide whether they are going to keep up with the liberal, incrementalist, conciliatory strategy they've followed - to little success on the Presidential level - for 35 years, or if they're going to give voice to the Leftist wing of the Party. I wouldn't be surprised if the primaries reflect this, with at least one serious contender from each camp and the voters deciding which way things will shake out.

    I can't predict what will happen, but what I WANT is a reformer to win the nomination. I mean, what is the establishment Democrat position on tax reform, immigration, or police brutality, other than "moderation and cooperation?" I can tell you what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or any of the other DSA electees' positions are on these issues. Democrats seemingly have no opinion on anything other than how polite they should be while they do their jobs. And I think any Democrat without a strong message is doomed to fail elections, the same way Gore, Kerry, and Clinton did.

  19. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 7:26 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    So do you have any proof that the Blatimore shooter at the newspaper was a milo fan?

    If not then you're gonna look pretty bad imo.

    Ian replied:

    The fact that I have to point out that I commented on Milo in reference to the Annapolis shooting of two days ago and not the Baltimore shootings of last night depresses the hell out of me.

    No, I am not going to look bad if I can't prove Milo directly contributed to the Capitol Gazette shooting, because that's not how shootings work. With only rare exception, people do not conduct mass shootings because one, single person told them to, or because a movie inspired them. It's not one-to-one like that.

    Milo is a contributor to a culture in which journalists are being demonized to the point where many people, not just Milo, advocate violence against them. And this is part of a larger pattern of increasingly justifying violence against your political opponents. This extends to the people attacking protesters at Trump rallies and Trump offering to pay their legal fees; this extends to the ACLU securing permits for the Unite the Right rally that directly led to the murder of Heather Heyer; it extends to the constant downplaying of violence and harassment of minority voices in politics today. (And, before you ask, no, it does not extend to Richard Spencer getting punched in the head a few times at rallies, because we're talking about systemic violence.)

    When authorities and public figures advocate violence on the regular, more violence happens. I could go into the psychology of it - people with authoritarian leanings want nothing more than to be "the arm of the law" and don't even care who the victim is so long as someone powerful says they're the enemy - but I don't think the psychology matters. When public figures say "this population of people deserve to be murdered," and they face no real repercussions for saying it, don't be surprised when that population gets murdered.

    Milo is one of the starkest vectors of this phenomenon because not only was he advocating murder of journalists, which was brushed off as "trolling" by his fans and a decent chunk of the press, but his fans HAD ALREADY SHOT PEOPLE on his behalf at one of his rallies. He knew full well that his audience was willing to kill for him.

    It's already been confirmed that the Annapolis shooter, Jarrod Ramos, was an Alt-Righter, so it's quite likely he was aware of Milo's statements. I can't prove he acted in direct response to Milo, and I don't have to; anyone in the Alt-Right is immersed in the same attitude about journalists on the daily. Milo is guilty for perpetuating and amplifying that mentality. He is cause and symptom.

    But if you want to reduce that down to "if the shooter wasn't directly inspired by Milo, you're wrong to criticize Milo," I can't be bothered to deal with you.

  20. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 7:06 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think of antifa doxxing ICE agents?

    Ian replied:

    Before I answer, can you tell me what kind of doxxing has occurred?

  21. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:52 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    The ultimate goal of socialism is to be free from all chains created by man incuding drugs

    agreed?

    My father drank a 2 bottles of Jack Daniel's a day for a full week when he knew he had cancer.

    What type of life of life is that?

    Ian replied:

    Stop making up definitions of socialism.

  22. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:52 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Other than the trans pride flag which is objectively perfect, what do you think is the most aesthetically pleasing thing in any definition of the term to your opinion?

    Ian replied:

    I don't know if this is the right answer, but what I keep coming back to is the cinematography in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. It's just the mot beautiful movie.

  23. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:47 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    "Any thoughts on mumble rap?

    did you just make that up?"

    Not at all, man. Check this out, they exist... sadly:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR-8vFfuRHI

    Ian replied:

    No opinion.

  24. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:45 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think of alcohol being banned under a potential socialist government?

    Ian replied:

    Alcohol used to be banned under our capitalist government, marijuana is still banned in much of our capitalist government, so I don't see what socialism has to do with it. I'm in favor of decriminalization of substances in any scenario.

  25. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:44 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Should US pay reparations to Bangladesh for climate related damages and why is the answer yes, definitely, absolutely?

    Ian replied:

    Yes, but also... you can't pay reparations for slavery until slavery has been ended. We should probably pay reparations for climate change after we actually deal with climate change. In the meantime we should obviously send aid, but I don't think it should count towards our debt.

    This is all fanciful talk, of course, because it's hard to imagine the US paying reparations for anything.

  26. Published on Jul 1, 2018, 1:37 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Why do you give such short answers?

    Ian replied:

    I give long answers when I have a long answer and short answers when I have a short answer. Lately I've been getting a lot of questions that are "do you prefer X or Y?" or "have you heard of X?" or "is Y good or bad?" Most are pretty low-calorie questions and I delete about 90% of them, but occasionally I respond with a low-calorie answer.

  27. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 10:04 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think of capital punishment?

    Ian replied:

    it's bad

  28. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:56 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    I just want to say thank you for your ongoing series, the Alt-Right Playbook. It’s helped me understand an argument I had back in 2014. One that nearly perfectly illustrates the ideas of “control the conversation” and “never play defense.”

    For example, he disagreed with me that black people’s experience of America, and college in particular, significantly differed from white people’s experiences. He never presented a reason *why* I was wrong, iirc. He just *accused* me of being wrong. But I defensively played the part of trying to prove how it was true. Only for him to continue to say, no, I’m wrong.

    We also got on the topic of the humanities, which he argued are mostly useless, especially English—my degree—because who goes to college without a solid ability to write anyway? (As a counter I said it would be as bad as going into college without believing in evolution, which seemed to get under his skin.) He tried to get me to concede that the humanities didn’t have any hard sciences. I said, sure, there are separate colleges for the sciences, to which he said, aha, but my school was called the College of Arts & Sciences! So there were sciences in the humanities!

    (This all happened at a party hosted by professors of psychology, btw.)

    Near the end of our “discussion,” I called him out on a contradiction (as he had tried to trap me in one). But before I could explain why he had contradicted himself, he loudly interrupted me to say no he hadn’t. I just sort of shook my head because the thing he said proved he hadn’t contradicted himself wasn’t anywhere close to what I had in mind. By then, though, I knew I wouldn’t get a word in edgewise, so… I just said he’s missing the forest for the trees, he said he was sure he was, and I walked away.

    Since then I’ve been uncomfortable with the idea that he appeared to “win” that debate. And that I possibly sank to his level. Looking back, I wish someone had told me that I don’t have to play the game at all! At least, not with bad faith actors.

    Ian replied:

    That sounds maddening.

  29. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:55 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you accept unsolicited submissions of 110,000 word epic novel trilogies about gods who fight for control over humans they don't even know exist and destroy their own kingdom in the process and it's actually a metaphor for capialism and it's deep and good?

    Ian replied:

    What would you want me, a YouTuber, to do with your epic trilogy?

  30. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:54 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Can you give me an example of a good video on youtube?

    Ian replied:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-Jjvqu3U4

  31. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:52 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    New Jersey or Los Angeles?

    Ian replied:

    New Jersey's not a city.

  32. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:51 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Janelle Monae or Tessa Thompson?

    Ian replied:

    Yes.

  33. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 12:51 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.

    Agreed?

    Ian replied:

    Nothing you create will live forever, and a life that doesn't leave a legacy behind is still valuable.

  34. Published on Jun 30, 2018, 1:10 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Would Puerto Rico have gotten more aid if it were a state?

    Ian replied:

    Puerto Rico would have gotten more aid if it were white.

    Being part of a state didn't help Flint, MI.

  35. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 11:51 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    So given the fact that a lot of people are unhappy at YouTube for not fixing the issues, do you think there needs to be reform within the US Copyright Law?

    Ian replied:

    There needs to be major reform to copyright law regardless of YouTube.

  36. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 11:50 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you like or dislike the term teetotaler?

    Ian replied:

    It's adorable.

  37. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:54 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Will Republicans' destruction of norms or decorum ever bite them in the ass when Democrats decide to stop capitulating and play dirty?

    Ian replied:

    Don't hold your breath.

  38. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:53 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    If Roe vs Wade gets repealed, will people finally admit that there is still a need for feminism in the modern day?

    Ian replied:

    Don't hold your breath.

  39. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:53 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you consider yourself to be a Democratic partisan or are you more independent minded? I believe you've called your work partisan in the past, I just don't know whether you care about the Ds are just support them more from necessity.

    Ian replied:

    I am considerably to the left of the Democrats as a whole, but Democrats cover a wide range of beliefs, and some Democrats align with my beliefs pretty well. Yes, I vote Democrat because, of the two parties, they are the least evil and the one I am most able to work with.

  40. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:51 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    I have a larger than average penis.

    Ian replied:

    I'm sorry to hear that.

  41. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:50 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Any thoughts on Nightcrawler, a film from 2016, written and directed by Dan Gilroy? The one starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed and Rene Russo

    Ian replied:

    It was interesting.

  42. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 12:49 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    If someone (who is not me) has never dated by 22, is it too late or is there still time?

    Ian replied:

    If you're not dead, there's still time.

  43. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 2:25 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    do you agree with the recent miniseries extra credits is doing on politics so far?

    Ian replied:

    Haven't watched it.

  44. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 2:25 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Did that last anon just suggest that all compassion is fake?

    Ian replied:

    Just liberal compassion, I think.

  45. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 2:14 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    as someone more center-right, I have always found the left's supposed compassion to be contrived. i.e. where's the dividing line for where dems actually care about illegal immigrants vs. pining to accrue new democratic constituents?

    Ian replied:

    Where's the dividing line for where the Right actually cares about border security vs. trying to deport people who vote Democrat?

  46. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 1:52 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think about the proposal to split California into three states?

    Ian replied:

    I seriously doubt it would ever happen, so I'm not invested.

  47. Published on Jun 29, 2018, 1:51 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Should Democrats make DC and Puerto Rico statehood a top priority?

    Ian replied:

    There are like 30 things that deserve to be Top Priority and it's hard to rank them, but statehood for DC is up there. Puerto Rico is more complicated; *I* believe it should be a state, but Puerto Ricans are somewhat divided on whether they want statehood.

  48. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:59 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you think that changing voting systems should be a priority for the left in the US?

    Ian replied:

    Yes.

  49. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:58 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Do you follow any female models on Instagram, Twitter?

    Ian replied:

    I'm not on Insta. Some of the women I follow on Twitter might be models, I dunno. I mostly follow people who say good shit and don't always check what their professions are.

  50. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:58 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    I got blocked by my state's Secretary of State on twitter for asking if he still thought voting was a privilege. I thought it was pretty funny at first, but now I can't view important information about my state with logging off. I feel pretty dumb now.

    Ian replied:

    that is not a question

  51. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:57 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    opinions on Drake?

    i think he's overrated

    Ian replied:

    https://imgflip.com/i/2d21n2

  52. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:53 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    kubrick or lynch?

    Ian replied:

    Lynn Ramsey

  53. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:46 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    What's a good elevator pitch to quickly summarize Trump Admin's ongoing and deeply set corruption to low information voters who don't pay attention?

    (I happen to know quite a few low info voters and I've been trying to get the precise words down for months, so any help is greatly appreciated.)

    Ian replied:

    We need to get away from the idea that simply giving people accurate information is going to change their beliefs. Trump voters are misinformed, but that's not why they disagree with us. They are ignorant, but that's not why they disagree with us. They disagree with us because they actually have a different conception of what culture should look like, of what is and isn't moral, and who should and shouldn't be in power. And simply correcting their misunderstandings isn't going to change that; they are low-info voters because they have all the information they need within their moral system.

    I think it's wonderful how many people believe that, if folks were just operating on the same set of information, most of them would come to the same moral conclusions. It shows a great faith in humanity. But that faith is misplaced, and it will get you into trouble. Racists are not in power because of a misunderstanding.

    The reason they don't agree with you is because they don't understand you. And the reason you're having trouble explaining yourself is because you don't understand them. You need to stop assuming they're just like you only ignorant and start trying to understand what it is they actually believe, and how Trump makes sense within that worldview, and what it is you need to do to communicate what your worldview is and why it's better. I suspect we hyperfocus on correcting misinformation because that's much, much easier than changing minds, and we'd rather believe that simple misunderstandings is all we're up against.

    I started The Alt-Right Playbook in the hopes of understanding what the Right actually believes and how to chip away at it. I don't know if I'll succeed, but that's the problem we need to be working on.

  54. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:36 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Are film analysis necessary? Especially on Kubrick's films...

    There seems to be lots of subliminal details that are in most Kubrick films from 2001: A Space Odyssey onwards...

    There's this guy called Rob Ager whose YouTube channel called Collative Learning, who dedicates analyzing, deciphering hidden messages and sharing what he believes is Kubrick's truest intentions in the stories that he's told

    Ian replied:

    Film analysis is valuable, whether or not it's necessary.

  55. Published on Jun 28, 2018, 3:36 AM

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    Anonymous commented:

    i know you play falcon, but do you like ganon

    Ian replied:

    I love watching Ganons, but I haven't gotten the hang of playing him.

  56. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:34 PM

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    Anonymous commented:

    Is there any chance a unified Democratic front, despite their minority, to prevent any confirmation for Justice until #afterthemidterms ?

    Ian replied:

    If we put enough pressure on them, and keep primarying them with further Left candidates who put the fear of god in them that they won't get reelected unless they actually stand for something... maybe?

    I can't say I'm hopeful but it's important to pressure the shit out of them right now, so let's not get pessimistic just yet.

  57. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:32 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What is the purpose of underwear?

    Ian replied:

    it's fun to take off

  58. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:31 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    h3h3 doesn't piss people like us liberals off that easily, you shouldn't worry

    if your future research involves something about liberalism and euphemism, try watching h3h3...

    H3H3 is like an off the wall comedian youtuber who often deconstructs other peoples vids in comedic ways. He sometimes brings his wife onto the show. He's very much liberal in the sense people should be able to say anything.

    Ian replied:

    Why is this so important to people? I've gotten like 20 questions about H3H3. If I were interested, I would have sought it out by now.

  59. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:30 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Any thoughts on mumble rap?

    Ian replied:

    did you just make that up?

  60. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:30 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    slim or curvaceous or plump?

    Ian replied:

    they're all good

  61. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:30 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    rude or arrogant or ignorant?

    Ian replied:

    they're all bad

  62. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:30 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Every Frame A Painting or Nerdwriter?

    Ian replied:

    EFAP

  63. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:30 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    one night stands or abstinence?

    Ian replied:

    long-term stable polycule and some casual dating/friends-with-benefits from time to time

  64. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:29 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    jar jar binks or darth maul?

    Ian replied:

    Rose

  65. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 11:28 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    I live in Ireland and an older american relative visits every year for her holidays. I know I can't convince her but I find it difficult to just stay quiet knowing she voted for and openly supports trump. Should I keep quiet or is there an effective way to voice my disapproval? I also wonder how you can explain to people who just aren't very in the know concrete reasons why they shouldn't just gice trump and the republicans a pass.

    Ian replied:

    You're right that convincing her may not be an option, so I think it's far more useful to simply demystify what your own moral code is and how your worldview influences your decisions. Most people on the Far Right are willfully ignorant of how the Left actually thinks and feels, having only a caricatured, Fox News version of the liberal as a reference. The best way to counter that - at least, based on my research so far - is to simply be loudly and explicitly yourself in front of your Trump-supporting relative. Talk freely about your beliefs, not just in isolation but also how they fit into your larger way of looking at the world, and, as much as possible, do this outside the context of an argument. Don't debate the validity of your views, just express them, firmly and confidently.

    I've also read that finding points of commonality - something both you and your Trumpkin friend care about - and discussing those issues or even doing some work around them can be a good way of building a bridge. If she can start to see how something she cares about fits into a different worldview, she may be able to see that worldview a little clearer.

    I would tell you more if I had more to tell. When I have better answers, I'll be putting them in videos.

  66. Published on Jun 27, 2018, 1:57 AM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What did you say about h3h3? I missed it before you deleted it for the anti-semitism in the ask.

    Ian replied:

    Just that I don't watch them, and a lot of people ask me if I do, and that I generally don't consume media I'm confident will piss me off unless I'm researching it for something specific.

  67. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 4:46 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Do you think transhumanism is a good thing?

    Ian replied:

    I think transhumanism is A Thing, and don't have a moral judgment on it one way or the other.

  68. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 4:36 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Do you have some sort of garden on your property?

    Ian replied:

    Stop trying to figure out my address.

  69. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 4:36 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What do you think of almond milk?

    Ian replied:

    I don't spend a lot of time thinking about almond milk.

  70. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 12:45 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What's you advice on future screenwriters and filmmakers who had to direct a scene that involves nudity and sex, especially if it involves women?

    Without manipulating or forcing them to do so

    Ian replied:

    I hear what actors prefer is to give a lot of direction.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEMMuyOhBO4

    I would also recommend a lot of frank conversations about what they're comfortable with.

  71. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 12:40 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What happened to "All Lives Matter?

    We all just can't stick to one thing huh?

    Ian replied:

    It was never sincere.

  72. Published on Jun 26, 2018, 12:39 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Have you ever wanted to leave your city, house, and go somewhere else to start a new life? If you did that, how many times have you moved?

    Ian replied:

    That's how I moved to New England. Decided it was time to leave California, so, after a few months of planning, I got on a train and four days later I was in Providence, Rhode Island. Didn't know anybody, had never been there before. Just started over.

  73. Published on Jun 25, 2018, 11:24 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    hopes/fears for the new Smash?

    Ian replied:

    I guess I hope some more characters come down the line? At launch they're more focused on bringing back old characters than introducing new ones. My dream has always been that they'll add NiGHTS to the roster.

  74. Published on Jun 25, 2018, 8:48 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    Why doesn't the US have more commuter rails?

    Ian replied:

    Because we don't invest in transportation that is primarily used by The Poors.

  75. Published on Jun 25, 2018, 8:48 PM

    A

    Anonymous commented:

    What are some things about video production that you wish you knew when you started?

    Ian replied:

    You don't wanna know how many years I didn't realize there was an "edit multiple frames" button in Flash, or how to use the inkbottle tool. The number of hours I wasted...

Anon commented:
Ian replied:

CuriousCat is an anonymous Q&A social networking site. It is set to be discontinued on Oct 7, 2024.

This is an archive of the 15094 questions and answers from my CuriousCat page.

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