You voted for Trump because "he tells it like it is"?

How is that a way to make a decision?

"I didn't think I would lose MY job if Trump got elected!"

Why not? You didn't consider that possibility when you made your choice? How? Why would you not think through possible scenarios? That doesn't make any sense. How do you get through the day this way?

I'm not being facetious or self-righteous here. I am BAFFLED. I really am.

I don't understand how or why this happens, and I am TRYING. It sort of feels like the fate of the human race rests on figuring this out and how to deal with it (I don't mean me specifically figuring it out; I'm not Elon Musk. I don't think the fate of the human race is in my hands).

I'm starting to not feel human. When I try to understand how we got in this predicament, I can't.

I mean, I can trace the history. I observe the blatant social manipulation & propaganda. I can see the decades-long series of events that led to this moment.

But I can't comprehend the people.

And it is killing me.

At this point I kind of wish I was "sheeple". I don't really enjoy "seeing through" things. Sleepwalking through life sounds kind of nice, honestly. Sure, if you're a sleepwalker, you never actually understand what is happening to you or why, but apparently you also don't really wonder about it anyway.

Whenever I find out someone's decision process for something like "who should I vote for for president?" is not:

- assemble the facts
- look for incorrect or unfounded assumptions
- reason out what results you could expect from the decision, based on what you already know
- determine your desired result, based on your moral & factual frameworks
- take the action that appears to lead most directly to said desired result

(in some order, give or take some steps) I am always very confused.

Among many other things "white-passing" does not mean the same thing as "they look white to me. 🤷♀️"

It's a phenomenon that has a lot of facets, and you (fellow white person) need to acknowledge you don't know what the fuck you are talking about.

Y'all, I know we've learned the terms "white passing" and "colorism", etc. and there are appropriate times for us to bring them up. For instance, when discussing who is given opportunities and why: it's important to understand the realities, and it's important to communicate those to others.

But if you find yourself making determinations about who is "white passing" and what that should mean to people in Black communities, back the fuck up.

Isn't it a bit weird+ that personal injury lawyers are considered the scummiest lawyers?

I'm not saying they're all saints, but isn't it weird that the legal professionals who are the only reason corporations ever get held accountable for the harm they do to individuals are supposedly all really sketchy and a scourge on a society? "Ambulance chasers" they call them.

+when I say weird I mean convenient for rich people

I'm not saying you should make yourself rich off of other people's suffering, but frequently a personal injury lawyer is the only way someone can get any compensation for truly horrible things that have been done to them.

What is so sketchy about that exactly? Or is it the fact that they advertise at bus stops & in poor neighborhoods and run ads in Spanish? You know... advertising their services to the people most likely to need them due to being systemically disadvantaged.

Welp. I bought the cheap drafting table I've been wanting, because it's probably going to cost 2x as much soon.

Is this a boost to the economy?

@Flisty
Yeah, that's kind of the thing. I always knew they were a scam. I didn't realize *how much of a scam* until the Canadian rebate story broke, and then the final pieces slotted into place.

Maybe calling it *a* scam is incorrect: it is several scams bundled together.

I'll be honest, I'm starting to strongly suspect that Tesla is not so much a car company as it is a scheme to collect electric vehicle tax credits/rebates, and in the process of that they occasionally sell some real cars.

Are you a fan of Stardew Valley? Do you read Tarot?

I really want this Kickstarter to be funded, because I personally want a Stardew Valley tarot deck.

http://kck.st/4hHTOaE

#KickstarterTarot #Kickstarter #StardewValley #TarotDeck #Tarot

@futurebird
I struggle so much trying to unlearn my aversion to creepy-crawly critters.

I've realized that it's terrible the way people respond with "kill it!" the moment we see a critter in our space, but that doesn't help at all making me comfortable with things scurrying around in the dark.

(I have also taken great pains to make sure that being in her crate is not punishment. She trots right in there willingly whenever I tell her to, so I don't consider it a hardship for her to have a little "box time" when it's needed)

Sometimes I feel really bad and guilty that my dog doesn't "obey" me, but then I think about what pet ownership means to me, and it's like, the only things I need her to "obey" me for are her well-being and safety and the well-being and safety of other people and creatures around me.

I do not need a dog who always does exactly what I say at any moment no matter what, and I don't think I believe in that mentality.

I've got no issue with service dogs—it's pretty clear that those dogs can live happy and fulfilling lives. We've literally created certain breeds of dogs who generally tend to do better when they are asked to perform/given tasks, and dogs who don't thrive in those conditions wash out of the programs, but there's no need for my pet to be constantly disciplined.

Some training is necessary for safety and peace, but I think I should probably stop feeling guilty that I don't keep this animal fully under my thumb every moment of the day.

This is one of the many reasons I prefer cats as pets in general. Other than teaching them to stay off things like food-preparation surfaces and not tolerating unprovoked biting/scratching, you really just let them do their own thing, and nobody makes you feel bad about that.

Dogs can be trickier because badly-behaved dogs can be very dangerous to people and other animals (and themselves!) but I still don't think that means total control.