It's the end of the world as we know it

[Crick]

I also feel like some of these are a stretch. Like I wouldn't say 2 is true, it's not that technologies don't work, it's monopolies, etc. Also, like, I wouldn't say 6 is true either unless you're taking a VERY pessimistic view of the world today. I dunno.

[Mongrel]

Ohio!

[hngkong]

I also feel like some of these are a stretch. Like I wouldn't say 2 is true, it's not that technologies don't work, it's monopolies, etc. Also, like, I wouldn't say 6 is true either unless you're taking a VERY pessimistic view of the world today. I dunno.

I don't know, 6 seems to be true to me, and I don't think I'm "VERY" pessimistic. The school I used to work at had a student attempt to make mustard gas. That school is considered one of the best public schools in the state. Shit's not going great out there, and domestical terrorism seems like it is treated like a joke by law enforcement. Some of those that work force, etc. etc. And the language out there targeting LGBTQ people is getting worse.

[Crick]

I also feel like some of these are a stretch. Like I wouldn't say 2 is true, it's not that technologies don't work, it's monopolies, etc. Also, like, I wouldn't say 6 is true either unless you're taking a VERY pessimistic view of the world today. I dunno.

I don't know, 6 seems to be true to me, and I don't think I'm "VERY" pessimistic. The school I used to work at had a student attempt to make mustard gas. That school is considered one of the best public schools in the state. Shit's not going great out there, and domestical terrorism seems like it is treated like a joke by law enforcement. Some of those that work force, etc. etc. And the language out there targeting LGBTQ people is getting worse.

All of that is true, I don't want to diminish all of that at all, but I think that's a slightly different scenario than a rise in crime and terrorism makes people pull back.

Unless it's recently changed course, crime has been falling for a while, and we do indeed have a domestic white nationalist terrorist problem, but I don't think the public at large is reeling from it. Is this too off the mark?

I think we're seeing a rise in certain kinds of bad shit for, well there may be many small reasons, but I see two big ones: the wealth inequality is hitting a terminal point and there's a kind of-- pretty historically consistent-- backlash against meager social progress made in the last few decades (mostly from people who think equity feels like "oppression").

And, not to ramble, but I think there are a TON of people who haven't "pulled back". There are plenty of videos of people chasing of Proud Boys and counter protestors out numbering Nazi rallies.

Again, I'm not an expert, I could be wrong, but my goal isn't to say things rule right now, but I think there's a human tendency to mistake pessimism for realism (not that I'm calling you a pessimist, I just mean generally) and I want to push back on that.

[Mongrel]

we do indeed have a domestic white nationalist terrorist problem, but I don't think the public at large is reeling from it. Is this too off the mark?

Well, an important question here is how you would categorize mass shootings.

[Friday]

I think 6 is, imo, both right and wrong. Sort of like the COVID one, which states 200 million deaths but is actually "only" at 6.3 mil at time of posting. But the effect is the same irregardless of less casualties in terms of what it did to the economy and furthering (massively) wealth inequality.

So as far as 6 goes, the world has pulled back in fear, but not because crime is on the rise. EXCEPT IN COPS LOL. Terrorism is certainly on the rise in terms of domestic white ultra-nationalist and everything adjacent to that. But again, crime is actually low, especially violent crime AGAIN EXCEPT COPS DOING IT LOL. But nonetheless people consistently report they feel "less safe" when polled and even cite crime as a reason. So I dunno.

[Crick]

Yeah, those are good points. I suppose I have a different idea of what "pulling back" is in my head, and that could just be wrong.

[Friday]

I do think people are ready to help and do good but also consistently report they feel lonelier, less safe, more detached from society, etc. It's sort of a mixed bag. Like a lot of us want to help and do good and when there's something obvious we CAN do we do it, but the problems of society are so incredibly vast and complex that we feel helpless, depressed and afraid. Which a lot of the time manifests as an anxiety disorder. I don't know of any data comparing prevalence of anxiety disorders in Millenials vs everyone else, but it wouldn't surprise me if we were like 2x or even 3x more likely to have them. I'm sure the Zoomers will too when they get to their 30s.

As Lee-ham said once, where's the team of teenagers with colorful spikey hair to take down the load-bearing villain and fix everything. Is it Murdoch? It might be Murdoch

[Crick]

I think it's probably a Council of 5 villains, including Murdoch, but they each have like 6 under bosses and each one takes like TWO WHOLE EPISODES TO DEFEAT, AND SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK AND--AND YOU NEED TO CLEAR THEM BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU CAN E-EVEN [panic attack]

[Mongrel]

I think it's probably a Council of 5 villains, including Murdoch, but they each have like 6 under bosses and each one takes like TWO WHOLE EPISODES TO DEFEAT, AND SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK AND--AND YOU NEED TO CLEAR THEM BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU CAN E-EVEN

(sorry, it's just too perfect)

[hngkong]

Fuck, you posting that made me realize that Lammy is playing the hose with the wrong hand.

[nosimpleway]

That contributes to the anxiety