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1. Embed this notice
   Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Wednesday, 12-Nov-2025 20:31:41 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

   I recently discussed the topic of Autism on IRC, and clarified that I consider autism to be the default state, at least from my own perspective; I am autistic.

   I once had a good laugh with two other fellow autists. We were sitting at a table, eating our dinner, and a group of so-called "neurotypicals" were wining and dining near us; they were speaking Dutch, but it didn't matter. We knew what they were saying: nothing.

   We tried to emulate smalltalk amongst ourselves and couldn't stop laughing.

   • Embed this notice
     Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 20:47:14 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

     in reply to

     • Gary Houston

     @ghouston Quote: "Finland and Sweden have been cited as countries where there is little culture of small talk and people are more comfortable with silence.[27][28] "

     Finland and Sweden sound like great places to live.

     The woman's boredom, in that painting, resonates quite strongly within me.

   • Embed this notice
     Gary Houston (ghouston@mamot.fr)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 20:47:16 JST Gary Houston

     in reply to

     @libreleah I think there's a kind of conversation which is neither small talk (containing nothing of substance) nor infodumping, as the meme describes. I can't imagine an entire dinner conversation being nothing but small talk.

     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_talk

   • Embed this notice
     Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 20:53:27 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

     in reply to

     • Gary Houston

     @ghouston i mean, people can do what they like in their homes. doesn't bother me in the slightest.

   • Embed this notice
     Gary Houston (ghouston@mamot.fr)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 20:53:29 JST Gary Houston

     in reply to

     @libreleah I can live with silence. That illustration looks more like it would go well on a mansplaining article, and he may even be infodumping.

     But how great is it that we got rid of smoking indoors, and is Trump going to bring it back?

   • Embed this notice
     Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 23:30:25 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

     in reply to

     • Gary Houston

     @ghouston Smoking is obviously not recommended, in any setting.

   • Embed this notice
     Gary Houston (ghouston@mamot.fr)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 23:30:27 JST Gary Houston

     in reply to

     @libreleah I guess you can still smoke indoors in your own house, although rental contracts usually forbid it, where I live.

   • Embed this notice
     Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Thursday, 13-Nov-2025 23:36:31 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

     in reply to

     • Gary Houston

     @ghouston if someone is smoking though, is it better than they do it outside, where it will then waft through the windows of neighbours?

     it's a bit of a stupid question, what you asked. i think people should just make their minds up. we decided some time ago now that smoking in public spaces at least is quite uncouth. like bars, restaurants and so on.

   • Embed this notice
     Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot (libreleah@mas.to)'s status on Friday, 14-Nov-2025 17:48:56 JST Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot

     in reply to

     • Gary Houston

     @ghouston ok.

   • Embed this notice
     Gary Houston (ghouston@mamot.fr)'s status on Friday, 14-Nov-2025 17:48:57 JST Gary Houston

     in reply to

     @libreleah It's not just being uncouth, it's a real health risk and causes cancer and other diseases. Things would be different if these diseases could be cured before causing much discomfort. Some people may also just find smoke unpleasant, or aggravating to their lungs.

     You should be free to do as you like, but within limits, such as not causing pollution that affects others.