[Phredreeke]

Danukem, on 06 September 2022 - 03:04 AM, said:

I think I will just cease to exist, which is infinitely better than burning in hell, while also infinitely inferior than being in a good place forever. But at the same time, and somewhat paradoxically, I'm increasingly convinced that my concept of self is confused and based on illusions. I can certainly imagine myself reaching a point before I die where I accept that nothing of value is really being lost because what I have is just a transient and illusory reflection of something greater and eternal that was never under threat in the first place. Our meat urges us to be afraid, though.

"When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.", Martin Luther King Jr.

[Jimmy]

I hate the heckin' culture on this website so much! I hate it so much I can't stop posting here! I could go to DoomWorld or Discord where my beliefs are codified into the rules but I have to post here! I hate that I can't stop myself from freely associating with people I hate! My reputation is sullied because I have to post here!

[Danukem]

Thrice Cursed, on 12 September 2022 - 02:58 AM, said:

Maybe you never dealt with serious self esteem issues or poverty or whatever, but people who display a lot of anger that results in aggressive policies towards an adversary whether real or imagined, that's definitely a fear response. They need to confront that shit. It's much easier to do that knowing you're not a complete pushover.

Fear and hate are closely related. We typically don't expend the emotional energy to hate someone unless we believe they have caused us actual harm or think they are some kind of threat.

As for what I've dealt with...keep in mind I'm on the older side and I've had time to mature in certain ways over the years. If I start to feel hate towards my political adversaries, I remind myself that what I really desire is for me and them to be separated so that they can do their own thing (and most likely fail spectacularly and wreck themselves) and I can do mine without us interfering with each other. What makes it hard is when I know the desire is not mutual.

[Aristotle Gumball]

Jimmy, on 12 September 2022 - 10:55 AM, said:

Discord

I checked out random Discord servers and people are banned left and right for swearing or saying the wrong thing. Doesn't matter what the server is. Just every couple of minutes a person will be banned and they've automated it to an extent with bots. No one but woke leftists online. I tried a few "free speech zones" that I heard about and they're bad in a different way. Everyone's a deranged nutjob and you can't even talk to them. Also extreme paranoia. R u Joo?!

I downloaded mIRC to see if there were still IRC channels worth a shit, but most of the servers I remembered look dead.

RIP internet. The conditions that led to me meeting my wife haven't existed for many years now. Women are the first to go when you let idiots roam free. Now there are only women with penises.

[Balls of Steel Forever]

Thrice Cursed, on 12 September 2022 - 03:00 PM, said:

Now there are only women with penises.

"A girl without a dick is like an angel without wings"

plan to get the snip soon. I don't like being no angel.

[Aristotle Gumball]

What always personally bothered me wasn't so much the surgical mutilation, but the potential complications (and believability of the neovag). To be fair though, that person claims their issues went away eventually (after numerous corrective surgeries). They also live in Sweden, where these expenses are covered by universal health care. But OK, let's say this isn't a concern. The second thing is having to be on hormones for the rest of your life, which will also cause side effects (anything to do with extreme low test in men). As you know I struggled with dysphoria as a teen, so I have some sympathy for trans folk. I'm still friends with a few MTF's (a few years ago those were the only ones you'd meet) and they are decent albeit extremely traumatized and depressed individuals. Well, finally, I started to feel shame once I actually lived with a woman for the first time and saw the amount of shit that they deal with regarding their cycle, how it affected their mood, being physically weaker and deemed lesser in general in the eyes of men, and the risk of rape. It made me ashamed that I desired to be some over-sexualized version of it without considering all the problems. Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts. You do you.

[jkas789]

Danukem, on 11 September 2022 - 10:45 PM, said:

This is extremely important. It does seem that among the privileged, many people have the luxury of being able to segregate themselves in real life from those with opinions they hate. For those of us who have to be nice to the general public all the time in our jobs, that kind of segregation isn't an option. We learn how to deal productively with a wide range of people, including some assholes, but mostly including people with very different values whom we may regard as adversaries in some contexts.

I have witnessed in my lifetime a growing percentage of people become intolerant and unable to deal with opposing viewpoints in a civilized way, and I think a lot of it has to do with them being spoiled on the internet where it is easier to find echo chambers.

Agreed. As a side note, I work with a lot of doctors that I hate on a personal level. However I work with them because they are the best at what they do. Funny how that kind of tolerance seems like a superpower this days.

[Jimmy]

41%

[Aristotle Gumball]

Jimmy, on 21 September 2022 - 12:55 PM, said:

41%

He who marries the spirit of this age will be a widower in the next.

[Forge]

Jimmy, on 21 September 2022 - 12:55 PM, said:

41%

100% of them can't reproduce, so they'll breed themselves into near extinction. Along with the ecoterrorist proglodites that voluntarily refuse to have children because of muh environment.
Don't worry, the open southern border will replace their numbers with exploitable non-citizen slaves and child sex dolls

[Jimmy]

Reaper_Man, on 11 August 2022 - 03:15 PM, said:

Why is everyone in this community such a huge piece of shit to each other all of the time? And why do the admins let it go on forever? It's embarrassing. I am genuinely embarrassed to be associated with this community pretty much every time I look outside of the EDuke board, which is a shame because I've been around this community longer than a lot of you have been sucking air.

Reaper_Man, on 21 September 2022 - 10:27 AM, said:

This may be the most utterly pathetic thing I have ever read in my entire life, made more sad only by how absolutely serious you are.

[Radar]

The reality of transgender surgeries is horrible. I used to have a more combative attitude regarding the subject, but after closely knowing someone online for 2 years that suddenly came out as trans, now I'm just deeply saddened. These surgeries cripple you by design. People who get them are in and out of the hospital for the rest of their lives. I wish there was a way to depoliticize the issue and make it a common sense issue. Though maybe the "common sense" factor is why it's political these days.

[Aristotle Gumball]

Now I know you're not full of shit about having trans friends. It is deeply saddening. No one I know has been better off long term. Maybe it lowered their dysphoria temporarily, but passing is really hard. Most likely you'll always be a "third thing". Good luck finding partners. Good luck finding people to relate to, fundamentally. The other thing is... they've just accepted their fate. I mean, the ones I know aren't any more sad about not having a dick than they were about never having a normal life anyway. Even if they regretted their decision, their mental state was so wretched to begin with, that surgeries & following medical procedures is just yet another thing on their already full plate. For us, the procedures are the tragedy. For them it's their whole lives.

I feel too much for people honestly. I don't know where I read this, or maybe it was a line from a movie, but it was about sentimentality leading to cruelty. That sentimental men are very cruel men. I think the cruelty comes out in me when I realize the full weight of the tragedy of a persons existence, and being unable to help them, that help might be beyond them even. Well, first it makes me very sad. But later, I get fucking angry. I'm a fixer. That's what I do for a living and that's generally how I conduct myself in my daily affairs, so when I can't fix something, I'd rather throw it away than keep looking at it.

I admit I've cut people out of my life for this reason while giving them another one. Women are the fucking worst because I attract damaged chicks like shit attracts flies. I can't help them unless I'm sleeping with them, and that's not for lack of trying on my part. Most people just need genuine love and attention 24/7 to make up for what they didn't receive growing up, and you can't do that simply being a friend.

Occasionally I'll feel deep self hate for not being able to do more/be more. Extrapolating further from that I just wish the whole world would be nuked. Yeah no one is perfect, we all have our lives, blah blah blah. Our lives are fucking bullshit, though. When you hit your 30s, you realize how fast time flies by. Whatever work you do in this life most likely won't be remembered by anyone. You don't get to take your money into the afterlife. So maybe we should all just be sacrificing ourselves for each other. I don't buy that shit of asking for forgiveness of sins, acceptance for weakness. A true Christian is Christ-like.

I'm not joking, but you can laugh. I know it's ridiculous.

[Fox]

Aristotle Gumball, on 29 September 2022 - 03:25 PM, said:

because I attract damaged chicks like shit attracts flies.

[Aristotle Gumball]

Fox, on 29 September 2022 - 03:38 PM, said:

I mean I can send some your way if you want

[Danukem]

@Aristotle Gumball

On a few occasions I have heard about hoarder houses where they found a lot of cats, and then people fixing the situation ended up killing most or all of them, "humanely". That's not quite the same as nuking the whole world because it's too fucked up to fix (mainly because you could justify killing the mistreated cats as protecting the community from an unwanted cat population) but it reminds me of it nonetheless. I don't know why I thought that was worth mentioning, but I typed it so I'm posting it.

[Aristotle Gumball]

It's not so much that it's too fucked up to fix, I mean I know I said it's a personal thing where I can't face the "problem" past a certain point, but with human beings it's also about mercy.

You mentioned protecting the community. That can be a rationalization. There are probably some evolutionary reasons why this mental switch happens. I know it's not exactly uncommon for men to feel like this. I guess in the past I'd be the one to kill or leave behind the sick/dying tribe member. When I "cut someone loose" it's not like I don't get impacted. As I said I end up hating myself a little bit more each time, but the sadness of their lives is worse I think. I end up spending too much mental effort and can no longer deal with my own issues.

But generally I think people ignore a lot of easier to solve issues too. There is definitely a space to help others without compromising your own well-being. I've given so much money to my friends, but they always pay me back, so it's fine. I try to listen to my friends problems and brainstorm solutions with them.

Sometimes, though, I have this feeling of wanting to drop everything I'm doing and focus 100% of my efforts towards helping one person. I've felt this way ever since one of my ex gf's died (we weren't together at the time, but still good friends). I know exactly what I would've done and that it most likely would've worked. I just ignored the signs out of comfort and not wanting to get involved.

[Jimmy]

You ever just want to suddenly up and leave in such a way that no one knows where you are or how to find you? Such as having relations with others is a burden in itself?

[Aristotle Gumball]

Yeah, but it's just a thought. Would feel like failure at this point in my life. When I was 18, sure, and I did.

[Danukem]

It's too bad that I will have to die in the next 30 years or so because I want to see how certain human storylines end and that timeframe will leave cliffhangers. One story that I think I will get to see unfold a lot more though is the whole covid mask thing. I live in a very "woke" area where a lot of people still wear the masks all the time, but they aren't being forced to by the government. One interesting thing I've noticed is that females tend to wear them at a much higher rate than males, even amongst couples. This got me wondering about the history of women's coverings in traditional Islamic cultures -- maybe it started with certain optional coverings that everyone could wear and then women wanted to wear them more because it made them feel safer from men, and this trend became so strong that it ultimately became mandatory and imposed by both women and men.

[Aristotle Gumball]

During the recent protests in Iran, there were reports of women beating other women for not wearing the headscarf. It definitely comes more from the men, though. I mean, in most Islamic countries, women are born "owned" by their fathers and brothers pretty much. So they have an incentive to cover up the woman so she doesn't get attracted by other males/get raped, which lowers her value substantially. The ones who are already married have to cover themselves up because their husbands don't want other men eyeing their wife.

As for the face masks, women are just more rule following in general and engage more in virtue signaling. They care what the rest of the herd thinks. Wearing the mask past the point of requirement is just signaling your virtuous nature that much harder.

[Danukem]

It makes sense to me that women would be the main enforcers of the standard, even if it's the men who hold the power. Crabs pulling each other down and all that. And I still think the origins of the coverings could have reasons that differ from what perpetuates them now.

In any case, the percentage who use covid masks does differ markedly between genders. You may be right about the reason why. I think it's quite possible that it could morph into some fashion thing which overlaps with muslim headscarfs or veils.

Speaking of Iran, it has one of the highest rates of gender re-assignment surgery in the world (2nd only to Thailand). It is widely believed (and I presume correctly believed) that this is because homosexuality is not accepted, so if you are a male who wants to be with other males, there is pressure to be a woman (or vice versa).

People can dismiss this as anecdotal, but here in the U.S. some of the increase in transgender people does seem to be coming at the expense of homosexual people. I have seen firsthand how some young girls and boys who in ages past would have simply accepted that they had some traits stereotypically associated with the other gender, and/or had some attraction to people of the same gender, now identify as being the other gender. Just to be clear, I think people should be able to do what they want with their bodies and identify in whatever way is true to them, but equally people should know what they are getting into and the costs, which sometimes kids don't.

[Aristotle Gumball]

Danukem, on 07 October 2022 - 09:15 PM, said:

Speaking of Iran, it has one of the highest rates of gender re-assignment surgery in the world (2nd only to Thailand). It is widely believed (and I presume correctly believed) that this is because homosexuality is not accepted, so if you are a male who wants to be with other males, there is pressure to be a woman (or vice versa).

People can dismiss this as anecdotal, but here in the U.S. some of the increase in transgender people does seem to be coming at the expense of homosexual people. I have seen firsthand how some young girls and boys who in ages past would have simply accepted that they had some traits stereotypically associated with the other gender, and/or had some attraction to people of the same gender, now identify as being the other gender. Just to be clear, I think people should be able to do what they want with their bodies and identify in whatever way is true to them, but equally people should know what they are getting into and the costs, which sometimes kids don't.

Yeah, you presume correctly. I've seen some videos about that where the gender reassigned individuals admit it's so they can still be with men and not be murdered basically. Trans people have used it to claim how progressive Muslims are lol. Some leftists too.

The other point, yes, it is absolutely happening at the expense of gay individuals in general. We're totally going backwards culturally with regards to accepting differences. In the 90s it was becoming cool to be a freak, an effeminate man, etc. Now it's like the trend is reversing itself and if you act girly as a guy, you're probably trans. There is solid data on this too showing that kids with dysphoria that don't transition, 80% of them become gay as adults.

I'm actually friends with a few gay people who want to exclude the T from LGBT. I mean it's a rather common sentiment at this point. Even Dave Chappelle made a joke about it.

[Radar]

I think it's completely reasonable to suggest that gender reassignment surgery for children should be categorically banned. I guess I can agree that past the age of 18, you're free to clinically butcher yourself if you'd like to. Maybe. Anyone in support of these surgeries should ensure they've informed themselves on the outcome of them by checking out some photos. They hack off skin from the thighs in order to make a penis out of it, leaving massive permanent scars. Barely a "gender transition", just a monstrosity.

I don't say this to be spiteful. I grieve for people struggling with these thoughts. I want them to find comfort in any way they possibly can. But these surgeries are where lives are destroyed.

[Sangman]

Radar, on 08 October 2022 - 02:27 AM, said:

I think it's completely reasonable to suggest that gender reassignment surgery for children should be categorically banned.

In Canada, having an opinion like this is considered child abuse. What a world.

[Aleks]

Danukem, on 07 October 2022 - 09:15 PM, said:

Speaking of Iran, it has one of the highest rates of gender re-assignment surgery in the world (2nd only to Thailand). It is widely believed (and I presume correctly believed) that this is because homosexuality is not accepted, so if you are a male who wants to be with other males, there is pressure to be a woman (or vice versa).

It's apparently state-funded in Iran - so you basically get a choice of getting a gender re-assignment or hanging from a crane. It's insane to see what's become of Iran in the last ~50 years, pretty much a fast-forward version of what happens when religious freaks start to govern a country. Guess it's all in the hands of women there now to overturn this bullshit.

[Danukem]

Radar, on 08 October 2022 - 02:27 AM, said:

I think it's completely reasonable to suggest that gender reassignment surgery for children should be categorically banned.

This is a tough one. In the end, I don't think it should be supported by taxpayer money except in rare cases, and I think there is an obligation to fully inform the family of the possible outcomes and their likelihood. But I don't think it should be banned. Rather than provide reasons, I'm just going to throw out some questions without answering them.

In a place where it is banned, do you think that families who want the surgery would simply give up, or would (some? most?) of them get it anyway? On a possibly related note, Planned Parenthood is launching a mobile abortion clinic program to help provide abortions to people in places where it is becoming more restricted or banned.

Following up on that question, once it is banned, do you think that advocates would then blame everything that goes wrong with it on the fact that it was banned? "The surgery would have gone better if it wasn't done in a back-alley" or "I could have transitioned smoothly but I was denied surgery/hormones and was forced to go through _____ puberty because I lived in ____. "Thanks, Republicans!"

Are we in fact in a cultural war? And would you say that one culture, more-or-less, promotes traditional families that give birth to and raise their own children, while the other, more-or-less, promotes values and practices to the contrary?

Would you agree that the vast majority of familes where such surgery is seriously considered are members of only one of those cultures?

Would you agree with the following: When your enemy is self-destructing, get out of the way.

[Radar]

Danukem, on 09 October 2022 - 04:55 PM, said:

In a place where it is banned, do you think that families who want the surgery would simply give up, or would (some? most?) of them get it anyway? On a possibly related note, Planned Parenthood is launching a mobile abortion clinic program to help provide abortions to people in places where it is becoming more restricted or banned.

Sure. They are welcomed to go to Canada or Europe where these procedures are still permitted. And they shouldn't feel obligated to return either!

Danukem, on 09 October 2022 - 04:55 PM, said:

Following up on that question, once it is banned, do you think that advocates would then blame everything that goes wrong with it on the fact that it was banned? "The surgery would have gone better if it wasn't done in a back-alley" or "I could have transitioned smoothly but I was denied surgery/hormones and was forced to go through _____ puberty because I lived in ____. "Thanks, Republicans!"

"You're welcome."

Danukem, on 09 October 2022 - 04:55 PM, said:

Are we in fact in a cultural war? And would you say that one culture, more-or-less, promotes traditional families that give birth to and raise their own children, while the other, more-or-less, promotes values and practices to the contrary?

Would you agree that the vast majority of familes where such surgery is seriously considered are members of only one of those cultures?

Would you agree with the following: When your enemy is self-destructing, get out of the way.

Leftist ideology is universally destructive, but the left as an opponent is not a self-destructive force. Otherwise they wouldn't have been capable of taking complete control of modern Western thought. Also, I don't find your line of thought compelling since you yourself are not opposed to accessible abortion or trans surgeries. I'm not sure what your opinions about the left are, but I presume you support these procedures NOT as a means of witnessing the left self-destruct, but rather as a matter of principle.

[Danukem]

Radar, on 09 October 2022 - 06:51 PM, said:

Leftist ideology is self-destructive in the sense that they intend to take the whole world with them, but the left itself is not self-destructing. They've taken complete control of modern Western thought. Also, I don't find that conclusion rather compelling since you yourself are not opposed to accessible abortion or trans surgeries. I'm not sure what your opinions about the left are, but I presume you support these procedures NOT as a means of witnessing the left self-destruct, but rather as a matter of principle.

There are cultures at war. But I don't agree that the current woke culture should be identified with "the left". The left have other priorities that go back hundreds of years that have little to do with the woke stuff. The current woke culture *IS* self-destructive...when it is allowed to fail. On a related note, a parasite that takes over its host and is in the process of killing it may appear very successful, right up to the point where the host dies. In this case though I don't expect anything quite that dramatic. When the current woke culture dies out, this will not mean the death of the left. I believe the normal left will live on, and the traditional priorities of the left will reemerge and regain prominence.

I would not characterize my position as "supporting" any procedures. I said they shouldn't be banned outright. Note that as someone with a strongly libertarian bent, I'm for allowing for people to do all kinds of things that are dangerous and potentially harmful to themselves. When it comes to children, I think that there should be a strong presumption of parental rights.

While children are not chattel and do have rights, they are in some ways the property of their parents. I think of it as a sliding scale -- a pre-fetal embryo is close to 100% the property of its parents (moreso the mother since she carries it). As it develops into a child it becomes less their property until at some point (in U.S. law we have arbitrarily decided age 18) it is no longer their property at all. This is why parents have the right to try to instill in their children their preferred values, even if those values may be contrary to popular culture, and to a large degree dictate their diets, activities, etc. If you want to categorically prevent parents from having surgery performed on their child when they believe it will make the child's life better and they are fully informed etc., in my opinion that is giving the state too much power. Yes, it might prevent some bad surgeries (but maybe not -- see my previous post), but now you are strengthening a principle that the state can interfere in this way. Think ahead. The woke judges and lawmakers can get their revenge later. Maybe they will argue that bringing a child up with certain Christian values is causing it great harm and should be outlawed and they will say it is the same principle that prevents gender re-assignment surgery. Better to leave parental rights intact, and tend to your own family. If they are that determined to do it, let them do it. And for fuck's sake, don't grieve for them. They don't want your grief anyway.

[Aristotle Gumball]

Danukem, on 09 October 2022 - 04:55 PM, said:

In a place where it is banned, do you think that families who want the surgery would simply give up, or would (some? most?) of them get it anyway? On a possibly related note, Planned Parenthood is launching a mobile abortion clinic program to help provide abortions to people in places where it is becoming more restricted or banned.

Lol @ back alley dick snips. Honestly I wouldn't care at that point. Enough kids would be saved I think. If anyone wants to leave the country because of that, let them. Then that country can deal with them.

I mean in the UK kids who grew up after their parents and doctors allowed them to get hormones and surgeries, are now suing because they realized they weren't trans after all and ended up wanting biological children, felt they weren't fully informed of the consequences of their decision to transition, etc. It's fucked all around, but someone's gotta put their foot down.

Danukem, on 09 October 2022 - 08:34 PM, said:

If you want to categorically prevent parents from having surgery performed on their child when they believe it will make the child's life better and they are fully informed etc., in my opinion that is giving the state too much power.

I hope no one's convinced by this argument.