JasSmith

@JasSmith@sh.itjust.works

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⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon wants to live on Super Earth⁩ ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago⁩:
Yes this is why democracy is messy. Everyone has a different preference for the pros and cons of policies.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon wants to live on Super Earth⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago⁩:
A lot of Westerners look at dictatorships and authoritarian states and cannot comprehend why the citizens would accept such a fate. The answer is: food, safety, housing, and cultural and religious homogeneity. People don’t really care that much what the people in charge are doing as long as their life is good.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon notices some fan service⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩:
Hot take in 2026.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon has a hobby⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩:
This really shouldn’t turn me on but here we are. What the fuck am I supposed to do with this boner, anon?
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon is terminally lonely⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩:
We lost the cultural appreciation for selflessness and duty. Caring for loved ones is hard work at times. Stressful. Maybe even thankless at times. But it’s incredibly fulfilling. That meaning is often worth more than the fleeting feeling of happiness we primarily seek out in the modern world. Giving to others is important for our psyche. Not in the abstract, like donating to a far-away charity, but in helping someone in your life. Children are a timeless way to find meaning in life. Yes it’s hard work, but damn do they put everything into perspective. If you don’t want kids, volunteer. Meet your neighbours and see if you can help them somehow. Pick up trash in your community. Run for local office.

Anon seeks meaning in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon argues on reddit⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:
Yeah I never got death threats on Reddit but I’ve had several on Lemmy. The last time I admitted this someone asked, “well what did you say?” As though death threats are okay if you hold the wrong political opinion.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

Well then John Cena is overweight. In fact, he’s obese, with a BMI of 33.9. So BMI isn’t objective reality. And I think it’s useful only as a very rough guideline.

BMI is a population level tool. There are individuals who are extremely muscular who can be in the obese range. I’m not seeking a perfect description - nor will ever such a description exist. If that is your standard then you are taking a postmodernist approach which is “everything is made up and the words don’t matter.” If up means down and the person in the discussion genuinely doesn’t care, there’s no real way to have a discussion after that.

We started with the question “Is Tilly fat?” And now suddenly you’re talking about medicine and health.

Because you raised the concept of soulism and utility. If we were to consider soulism and utility, I think using objective metrics make sense. I agree that there are many other frameworks we could use.

Humans view the world through their lenses of experience. Tolkien wisely remarked on creating fictional worlds that we should endeavour to change as little as possible compared to our world in order to suspend disbelief. When we do make changes, they should be meaningful, important for the story and world, and consistent. Unless Tilly’s weight is explicitly described as healthy and normal, and it is part of some new universe law and storyline, I don’t think we should be making any such assumptions. I think most people would balk at such a storyline and in-universe change. It would feel performative.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:
I like how that focuses on the desired outcomes. Research shows that health risks increase (on average) after a BMI of 25 (slightly more for women). So I would propose a soulism approach in which anyone over a BMI of 25 be considered overweight. That’s generally how medical guidelines categorise weight now.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

Yes, you bashed out the tired old trope that if gay people are to exist in fiction then there must be a narrative reason.

No, that’s not what I wrote. If you’re going to try to strawman my position the least you could do is put some effort it.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:
It’s true that general obesity can make it hard to identify overweight people today. I’m lucky to live in Europe, and it’s not as bad here yet. Wiseman is somewhere around 35-40%, which is where the official diagnosis of “obesity” begins.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

dude, gay people exist

Of all the thought terminating cliches to ever exist, this one exists the most. No one claimed gay people don’t exist. Re-read what I wrote please.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:
Cultural inoculation is like a right wing conspiracy theory, but here you are stating it as fact. Maybe you’re right, and the writers really do view Star Trek as tool for cultural power and reeducation, instead of entertainment and art. I hope you’re wrong.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:
Mary Wiseman is fat. [1] [2] Not obese, but overweight. It’s okay to acknowledge reality and not make fun of her for it. I don’t see why we need to gaslight people about being overweight. We can all see she’s overweight. This is such a silly hill to die on.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Karim Diané on playing Star Trek’s first gay Klingon⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

Because they’re humanoids. We see ourselves in them.

I don’t. I think one of the more powerful aspects of Star Trek has been accepting completely alien lifeforms as inherently valuable without anthropomorphising them. We can accept the value in life without making them just like us. That’s a cheap writing technique to shortcut any kind of important world and character building, or moral uncertainty. This is one of the reasons “new” Trek has been so controversial. Writing is as subtle and nuanced and interesting as a YA novel.

To be clear, I’m not claiming Star Trek has never anthropomorphised aliens. Nor am I claiming it should never do it. I’m arguing it should be done sparingly and only when it serves a more interesting narrative. To make a topical American culture war issue the defining characteristic of a Klingon is easily one of the laziest writing mechanics I’ve seen in Star Trek, ever. It’s beating the audience over the head with a message. Star Trek has always presented moral uncertainty to viewers and allowed them to make up their own minds. This is far more powerful and interesting storytelling. Ironically, this is why The Orville has been such a hit. Despite the comedy aspects, it feels like Star Trek because it’s comfortable with moral ambiguity and treats the audience like adults.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon enjoys the little things⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
Each person is different but the medication is cheap and you can try it for a couple weeks and see if it helps.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon acts like a jerk⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
Most men go through this. We start life sweet and innocent. We hold doors open for girls. We listen. We try to be great friends. We don’t touch them unless they ask us to. And we become permanently friendzoned.

Most of us start observing what the successful guys do. Almost the exactly opposite. They ignore women. They touch them without consent when going in for a kiss or hug or affection. They tease them and call them names. It works.

Then we get into a long term relationship and realise that the skills which worked to attract women don’t work so well in a relationship. Now we need new skills. Communication. Resilience. Diplomacy. Compromise. Grit. Understanding. Often this is where relationships end, but many of us learn and adapt and grow again.

I have come to understand that most of what shaped me is the needs and demands of the women I have been seeing. I didn’t make these changes because I wanted to make them. I did them out of necessity. I wanted a relationship and a family, so I did what I needed to do. I’m not sure what it’s like from the women’s side. It seems easier.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon enjoys the little things⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
Yeah Pink Lady are outrageously good. Store in the fridge. I normally preference crunch over taste, but Pink Lady has it all. A seriously good balance of sweet and sour, and arguably the best crunch in an apple.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon enjoys the little things⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
Holy shit this comment could have been written by me. Normally people have issues with lactose. Or gluten. Or FODMAPS. Nope. My stomach hates everything. Thank goodness for meat, rice, and eggs.

FYI I recently discovered I have bile acid malabsorption. It was a long road to diagnosis, but a lot of people with IBS have BAM. In the U.S. they just prescribe the medication and see if it helps. It helps me a LOT. To the degree I can eat small amounts of FODMAPs and lactose now. Just a piece of apple, but you know what? That’s better than no apple. I’m down to 1-2 poops a day, and they look almost normal.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon works in cybersecurity⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
I’m not sure which “pill” I’m about to take but I really think what you describe is less “sexism” and more “human nature.” I’ve seen attractive men and women get promoted on the basis of their attractiveness and sex appeal. It is especially prevalent in customer-facing roles. For some reason, people buy more from attractive people. They trust them more. They’re less likely to cancel contracts. They complain less. They agree more. Everyone just seems happier and more content. A slew of psychologists have a lot to say about this phenomenon so I don’t need to rehash it.

I think sexual appeal is inextricably linked to being liked, for good and bad. Some people are born on third base. Some people need to work much harder to be funny and charming.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon works in cybersecurity⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:
We just tell ChatGPT to check our networked containers now.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon works in cybersecurity⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

how positively I’m perceived on a given day seems to not correlate with any work done

seems to mostly depend on how I look in meetings

I have discovered that being liked is more important than doing anything. This appears to be a near universal reality, and applies to work, relationships, family, religion, politics, home renovation, economics, finance - you name it. Always be nice to your colleagues. Smile a lot. Be interested in their hobbies. Say yes to social time. This is how you get promoted. If you want to make it to the C suite, you need to put in a little effort. Not too much though. You don’t want to become too important in your role to promote.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨UK inflation rises by more than expected to 3.8%, largely driven by air fares⁩ ⁨⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
Flights account for 0.51% of the CPI and 0.41% of the CPIH, which includes owner-occupied housing costs. They’re not seasonally adjusted, so they’re just averaged over the year. You’re right that there are some months which are heavier on certain items, but that doesn’t impact the calculation, just the realised inflation by individuals.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon thinks there is a bicurious double standard⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
Yes! It’s intentionally used to invoke blame. Foremost by implying that some list of bad behaviours is only or primarily displayed by men, and secondly by implying that it is the fault of men (often read as all men) when they exhibit these behaviours. I would much rather we just call it toxic behaviour. Both sexes are capable of violence, jealousy, etc. “Toxic masculinity” merely ensures half of the people one is speaking to switch off and might even take the opposite side of the discussion because it’s really offensive.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon thinks there is a bicurious double standard⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
Yes! We need a translator because what many of them say is not what they actually mean. I kept being told I was emotionally unavailable. So I started opening up more, which killed the attraction pretty quickly. What they meant was that they wanted me to listen to them and react in a way which implied I felt their feelings. Most women definitely DO NOT want a man who is in touch with his emotions or is “emotionally available.” They want to feel emotionally validated.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon thinks there is a bicurious double standard⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
You wouldn’t believe how many progressive women only date stereotypically conservative men. Here is a metanalysis of five studies showing how women in general prefer men who espouse and act out “benevolent sexism.” This is the age old problem for men: women say they want one thing, but date something completely different.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Dairy farmers say worker shortage is threatening UK food security⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
Isabelle Thiebaut, a co-author of the opinion and president of an European organization for dieticians, said that it is important to explain to parents about “weight-loss and psychomotor delays, undernutrition, anemia” and other possible nutritional shortfalls caused by a vegan diet for children.
1. The Spanish Paediatric Association advises against a vegan diet for infants and young children.
2. The Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS), together with the Italian Federation of Pediatricians (FIMP) and the Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine (SIMP) issued a joint position paper which concluded that vegan diets cannot be recommended for children because the diet leads to deficiencies in vitamin B12, calcium, DHA, iron and vitamin D. When these nutrients are missing, it negatively affects children’s growth and neurocognitive development.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Dairy farmers say worker shortage is threatening UK food security⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
Dairy and meat are important components of the diets of children.

Health aspects of vegan diets among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analyses

Meta-analyses showed lower protein, calcium, vitamin B2, saturated fatty acid, and cholesterol intakes, and lower ferritin, HDL and LDL levels as well as height in vegan compared to omnivorous children/adolescents.

Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review

The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small.

Vegan diet in young children remodels metabolism and challenges the statuses of essential nutrients

Detailed analysis of serum metabolomics and biomarkers indicated vitamin A insufficiency and border‐line sufficient vitamin D in all vegan participants. Their serum total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, essential amino acid, and docosahexaenoic n‐3 fatty acid (DHA) levels were markedly low and primary bile acid biosynthesis, and phospholipid balance was distinct from omnivores. Possible combination of low vitamin A and DHA status raise concern for their visual health.

Growth, body composition, and cardiovascular and nutritional risk of 5- to 10-y-old children consuming vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore diets

Both groups [vegans and vegetarians] had lower bone mineral content (BMC). The difference for vegetarians attenuated after accounting for body size but remained in vegans (total body minus the head: –3.7%; 95% CI: –7.0, –0.4; lumbar spine: –5.6%; 95% CI: –10.6, –0.5). Vegetarians had lower total cholesterol, HDL, and serum B-12 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] without supplementation but higher glucose, VLDL, and triglycerides. Vegans were shorter and had lower total LDL (–24 mg/dL; 95% CI: –35.2, –12.9) and HDL (–12.2 mg/dL; 95% CI: –17.3, –7.1), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, iron status, and serum B-12 (–217.6 pmol/L; 95% CI: –305.7, –129.5) and 25(OH)D without supplementation but higher homocysteine and mean corpuscular volume. Vitamin B-12 deficiency, iron-deficiency anemia, low ferritin, and low HDL were more prevalent in vegans, who also had the lowest prevalence of high LDL. Supplementation resolved low B-12 and 25(OH)D concentrations.

Adults are a little more resilient and some can survive on a carefully designed vegan diet.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anon is feeling romantic⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
This is the worst 4chan space I’ve ever seen. It’s like Reddit’s r/Politics. There’s a comment decrying the patriarchy with 55 upvotes.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
I like it in theory but there have been no real world examples of it actually working. There are only supplementary implementations which exist next to representative democracy. One of the most cited reasons that it could not work is the mental and decision load expected of an average elected representative. They make many decisions each day, big and small. When agreeing on a Bill, they might read tens of thousands of words, negotiate with hundreds of other representatives, and make dozens of various deals to achieve their preferred outcome. In a direct democracy system, either those bills would be split into 10,000 constituent parts, and each would be voted on by the public; or there would be 10,000 ombibus bills proposed by citizens, each with subtle variations, and the public would be expected to vote on them. Or both of those scenarios, at the same time.

The outcome seems painfully clear to me: in both of those scenarios, 98% of the public would check out. That’s far too many words to read, far too many meetings to hold, far too much information to process and on which to provide reasonable judgement. The legislature would be controlled by a hyper connected and independently wealthy 2% who would lobby for their preferred bill using their fortunes and connections.
⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Half-a-million members sign up to new left-wing party founded in Britain⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:
I’m not so sure. Humans are incredibly diverse by nature. We have evolved to inhabit every ecological niche in existence, and then we invented many more. We can’t get a population to agree that the sky is blue or that water is wet or the Earth is round or that vaccines are safe. There is always at least 10% who disagree on any subject. When you map each 10% group as a Venn diagram, it covers everyone in the population on some issue, big or small. In terms of governance, this means that any direction chosen will be opposed by a relatively large minority. There are only two options here and it is absolutely binary: majority rule, or minority rule. History has taught us that minority rule is horrific. It tends to create massive inequality, death, suffering, and eventually revolution. Democracy is the solution presented for majority rule, and I am intimately aware of the phrase “tyranny by the majority.” In fact I would categorise democracy as exactly that. Despite that, it is better than the alternatives.

So I think we are evolutionary bound to a best case scenario in which the majority chooses a generally agreed upon direction, while a loud minority gets really angry. Democracy ensures that that loud minority doesn’t get violent because they’re given a seat at the table and a voice, even if they don’t get their way this time.