Random thoughts

[His_Highness]

We've come along way in terms of the ridiculous things people believed hundreds of years ago..... its a shame that I'd have to martyr myself to get all those virgins though.

 

[shredder]

I dont think things have changed all that much.

Just look at what fox viewers and msnbc viewers believe to be true in this age of disinformation.

Theres always a boogie man coming to get you, whether its the devil or church or science.

 

[florduh]

The human brain is basically the same as it was 200,000 years ago. So yes, delusions still abound. But the delusions have become balkanized significantly. Very different than having all of society reinforce specific delusions from birth. I could be wrong. Just my random thought after watching Robert Eggers films recently. He does a good job at demonstrating how people in the past lived in different psychic worlds from our own. It doesn't mean modern people are any more reasonable though.

 

[vapviking]

The same director made The Northman. Similarly, no one alive today knows what it's like to believe Valhalla is literally real. In the psychic universe of vikings though, it literally was. It's almost impossible for modern humans to know what that's like.

Yeah a different reality for primitive folk. And today's globe has shrunk, with so much cross-cultural mixing, it's harder for some religions (=superstitions) and to persist. Less of the "whole culture" reinforcement of status quo.

But I do think many humans today live a reality immersed in fear and superstition, that includes a very real afterlife, every bit as real as Valhalla to a viking.
I guess I'll have to check out Northman, though from the ads all I saw was violence. I owe it to my Nordic roots...
And tbh I didn't see Witches, prolly not my thing. Are these supposed to be, like, period-accurate stuff?

 

[florduh]

Yeah a different reality for primitive folk. And today's globe has shrunk, with so much cross-cultural mixing, it's harder for some religions (=superstitions) and to persist. Less of the "whole culture" reinforcement of status quo.

But I do think many humans today live a reality immersed in fear and superstition, that includes a very real afterlife, every bit as real as Valhalla to a viking.
I guess I'll have to check out Northman, though from the ads all I saw was violence. I owe it to my Nordic roots...
And tbh I didn't see Witches, prolly not my thing. Are these supposed to be, like, period-accurate stuff?

The Northman is very violent and the Witch is pretty scary. They're both striving to be accurate portrayals of the time. I think they're both different enough from the usual fare to be worth a watch.

 

[macbill]

Geezer Rant
It used to be you could go all day without needing a phone. Now, I feel naked if I leave my condo WITHOUT MY PHONE. Cell phones have turned us all into anxiety-ridden worry-warts.

 

[florduh]

Geezer Rant
It used to be you could go all day without making a phone call. Now, I feel naked if I leave my condo WITHOUT MY PHONE. Cell phones have turned us all into anxiety-ridden worry-warts.

Seeing video of people lining up for the first iPhone looks like the first scene of a horror movie, given how everything played out.

 

[macbill]

I have reason to believe this period of American history we're living through is an anomaly.

But then again... I'm insanely stoned.

 

[Ramahs]

Geezer Rant
It used to be you could go all day without needing a phone. Now, I feel naked if I leave my condo WITHOUT MY PHONE. Cell phones have turned us all into anxiety-ridden worry-warts.

Meh..., I like this reality. My phone in my pocket is my terminal to the world and it allows me to accomplish things in a few minutes that would previously taken most of a day...plus, it allows me to be more connected with my valuable family, friends I'm separated geographically from, and other social and business connections than would have ever been previously possible.

I would NEVER want to go back to a time before smartphones. Much of what I do socially and for recreation would be very difficult without my "terminal" to the world.

Funny enough, I almost never come here on my phone. I much prefer this site from my desktop browser.

 

[florduh]

Meh..., I like this reality. My phone in my pocket is my terminal to the world and it allows me to accomplish things in a few minutes that would previously taken most of a day...plus, it allows me to be more connected with my valuable family, friends I'm separated geographically from, and other social and business connections than would have ever been previously possible.

I would NEVER want to go back to a time before smartphones. Much of what I do socially and for recreation would be very difficult without my "terminal" to the world.

Funny enough, I almost never come here on my phone. I much prefer this site from my desktop browser.

I definitely don't miss the days of printing out MapQuest directions. Shit, when I'm in NYC I don't know what subway stop to get off at unless my phone tells me.

 

[gaseous_clay]

MLB now has the universal DH. Why stop at one DH? The game is already ruined by pitchers not hitting, who not take it a step further and allow unlimited designated hitters? Then baseball can go full-on with lineups of players who have zero interest in doing anything but swinging bats

 

[Ramahs]

 

[macbill]

 

[Ramahs]

 

[vapviking]

Meh..., I like this reality. My phone in my pocket is my terminal to the world and it allows me to accomplish things in a few minutes that would previously taken most of a day...plus, it allows me to be more connected with my valuable family, friends I'm separated geographically from, and other social and business connections than would have ever been previously possible.

I would NEVER want to go back to a time before smartphones. Much of what I do socially and for recreation would be very difficult without my "terminal" to the world.

Funny enough, I almost never come here on my phone. I much prefer this site from my desktop browser.

I definitely don't miss the days of printing out MapQuest directions. Shit, when I'm in NYC I don't know what subway stop to get off at unless my phone tells me.

You guys are funny.

Knowing what life is (that reality) without a computer or cell phone is a gift I treasure. It is a much quieter place I can find in my mind.

Is that like, an Ayn Rand quote or something?
I can get behind it for the victim who is healing or otherwise working out issues.
But what about forgiving each other when it's for petty bullshit? We should be able to forgive each other, cause we all fuck up sometimes...

 

[florduh]

Knowing what life is (that reality) without a computer or cell phone is a gift I treasure. It is a much quieter place I can find in my mind.

I don't disagree. Social Media and teenagers with cellphones wasn't around when I was in high school, and was barely a thing in college. I am extremely grateful for that, and feel kind of bad for kids today.

 

[Ramahs]

I don't disagree. Social Media and teenagers with cellphones wasn't around when I was in high school, and was barely a thing in college. I am extremely grateful for that, and feel kind of bad for kids today.

I disagree. I was an adolescent and teenager before smartphones and social media was really a thing like it is now, and I wish we had all this back when I was that age.

I was always a little different than average, especially as a kid. Because of that I had a hard time finding friends I could connect with, because most kids were interested in shit that I didn't give a damn about and I was interested in shit that they didn't give a damn about.

All of that stunted me socially, and if I'd had the wider reach that the internet and social media provides, I would have had the opportunity to socialize with a much larger community that includes more people that I could connect with.

Social media has allowed me not only to have a significantly larger number of people that I socialize with, but it has allowed me to organize a local social meetup group around a shared interest that has hundreds of members locally that has largely been where most of the local friends that I hang out with in meatspace came from.

I doubt I would ever want to go back to what the world and life was like before the internet and social media, as I feel that the benefits very much outweigh the dangers/negative effects that can be argued...especially for young people trying to figure out who they are.

 

[florduh]

I disagree. I was an adolescent and teenager before smartphones and social media was really a thing like it is now, and I wish we had all this back when I was that age.

I was always a little different than average, especially as a kid. Because of that I had a hard time finding friends I could connect with, because most kids were interested in shit that I didn't give a damn about and I was interested in shit that they didn't give a damn about.

All of that stunted me socially, and if I'd had the wider reach that the internet and social media provides, I would have had the opportunity to socialize with a much larger community that includes more people that I could connect with.

Social media has allowed me not only to have a significantly larger number of people that I socialize with, but it has allowed me to organize a local social meetup group around a shared interest that has hundreds of members locally that has largely been where most of the local friends that I hang out with in meatspace came from.

I doubt I would ever want to go back to what the world and life was like before the internet and social media, as I feel that the benefits very much outweigh the dangers/negative effects that can be argued...especially for young people trying to figure out who they are.

That's all totally fair. And thank you for sharing that perspective. Usually you only hear about the negatives of social media and the post-iPhone world.

I'm probably one of the worst people to poo-poo all of that. Because I kind of feel like I hit the sweet spot. In high school, I still had my own computer and access to the internet. Not social media or smart phones. But there were forums (like FC) where you could talk to like minded individuals about shit most high schoolers had no interest in. And everyone had AOL Instant Messenger, but only at home.

I think this gave me and my peers the best of both worlds. There was an outlet to connect online, but there wasn't social media that amplifies some of the normal cruelties of high school life.

I don't think the problem now is the technology itself. It's great, and if you have the right mindset, it's mostly positive. The problem is that the technology is owned and operated by massive corporations who realized setting up their algorithms to maximize human depression also leads to higher usage on their platforms. That allows them to sell more advertising.

 

[invertedisdead]

I don't disagree. Social Media and teenagers with cellphones wasn't around when I was in high school, and was barely a thing in college. I am extremely grateful for that, and feel kind of bad for kids today.

I feel bad when I go to a concert and almost the entire audience is watching the live event from their phone screen

 

[florduh]

I feel bad when I go to a concert and almost the entire audience is watching the live event from their phone screen

A few years ago a photographer started removing phones from his photos. Looks so odd. It would take a while, but I'd like to see one with a big crowd staring at their palms instead of the stage.

 

[vapviking]

It seems everyone agrees that the time period we each grew up in was the best of all possible worlds!

 

[florduh]

It seems everyone agrees that the time period we each grew up in was the best of all possible worlds!

I dunno. I'd probably trade the AOL in High School for entering adulthood when college was $700/year and a starter house was like $30,000, and pensions weren't unheard of. All the new modern conveniences and non schwag weed help to salve that desire, but not totally. Oh well. You gotta play the ball where it lies.

 

[pxl_jockey]

I feel bad when I go to a concert and almost the entire audience is watching the live event from their phone screen

This. So much this. You see it at any event really. Ive seen artists make a point and ask crowds to put their phones down to experience the moment for just one song and still some just can’t. It’s just the way they experience the world but I can’t imagine seeing the Grateful Dead or KISS or Earth, Wind & Fire‘s stage performance back in the day and everyone’s watching the stage through their own tiny screen. Also in the late 70’s through early 90’s going to shows didn’t cost $$$ so you could be a regular kid with regular resources and still see all your favourite acts.

I know I sound really f-in’ old but I’m honestly so glad for all the memories and mental movies!

I also have to recognise everything @Ramahs said is true for lots of people as well, socially & developmentally. Plus I know that most young people fact-check and research pretty much everything all the time and that’s all to the good. Much better than just wondering, which is what we always used to do.

EDIT Source on young ppl: Although I’m really f-in’ old, I got 18 & 20 yr old kids so I’ve witnessed the youth of today.

 

[shredder]

The human brain is basically the same as it was 200,000 years ago. So yes, delusions still abound. But the delusions have become balkanized significantly. Very different than having all of society reinforce specific delusions from birth. I could be wrong. Just my random thought after watching Robert Eggers films recently. He does a good job at demonstrating how people in the past lived in different psychic worlds from our own. It doesn't mean modern people are any more reasonable though.

Source on young ppl: Although I’m really f-in’ old, I got 18 & 20 yr old kids so I’ve witnessed the youth of today.

We have 20 yr old grandkids, you ain't old, lol.

 

[gaseous_clay]

Not to be religious, but when Jesus did the Last Supper & said the whole "eat bread, it's my body" thing... was it matzah? At that point he had not risen.