It sounds like you've never turned on Fox News. Alt-Right reality is now a caricature of itself. Turn on Fox and see - the simulacrum. — ZzzoneiroCosm

I think we have CNN/MSNBC for the left wing simulacrum and FOX for the right. Again, I'm not into simulacrums, but so far the left seems to be going further into the abyss, than the right.

It's only a simple question if you have no concern at all for persons with gender dysphoria (et al) trying to make sense of their complicated feelings.
In short, if you're a fucking asshole - it's a simple question. — ZzzoneiroCosm

Why do you assume one's feelings should trump reality? And a person disagreeing to engage in a falsehood is automatically an asshole?

Diverse sources.

It's cute when Lauren Boebert (American Republican representative) says that no one's gonna make her get the Fauci Ouchie, and there's plently more like her in office. — praxis

Just for the record, Boebert, MTG, Gaetz, Rand Paul are very reprehensible people for trying to derail lendlease to Ukraine. On the other hand, why should she get the fauci ouchie if she doesn't want to?

Yet antinatalists LITERALLY don't do anything to ANYONE. Pushing a view versus pushing a whole life onto someone else. Let's see which one profoundly affects someone ELSE more. — schopenhauer1

Live is perceived as a positive things. If you don't, you are welcome to leave this beautiful world.

Again, I've only heard of anti-vax protests. I haven't heard of vax protests or riots. — praxis

Maybe its because the state immediately jumped onto vaxxing bandwagon, so the vaxxers didn't have stuff to protest about. On the other hand, you could have seen lots of BLM, LGBT, anti-gun or pro-abortion riots going on.

Vaccination is another one of those great examples where people seem to show radical intolerance for dissent - mass formation at work. — Tzeentch

Wait til we get to climate change. :rofl:

Is your inner thought police making you understate the facts? Internal blockages of this nature are not healthy. — praxis

Could you be more specific here?

Yes, so it seems to help against dying if you are in the risk-group, but does little if you are relatively healthy to begin with.
Radical vaxxer is someone who makes new booster shots once such are available.

I think I already explained it above. In my country we had about 60% vaccination rate and every day I would read the news that about 10k people tested positive, 6k of them were vaccinated and 4k unvaccinated. So pretty much no effect here.
Yet about 10 died, roughly 8 of whom were unvaccinated, 2 vaccinated. So some effect here.

Also me and all my family had Omicron and all of us, ranging from radical vaxxers to radical antivaxxers, had it exactly the same way - like a very mild cold that lasted for about 20 days.

They work wonders in general, like eradicating smallpox, polio, etc.
yet if you are talking about a particular covid vaccine which was developed against delta, its effect against omicron seems rather limited.

You got all of that from a single question asked by a hypothetical stranger? — Tzeentch

He is pretty much projecting his dark inner world, yet completely unwilling to understand it. sad story. ;)

Thank you for a great insight into a mind of a feminist.
Seems like a rather dark place to be in. :(

As for Omicron, in my country vaccinated and unvaccinated people got sick at the same rate. So no, it did not prevent you from catching or spreading it. Yet there seemed to be a benefit for people in the risk group to have a milder illness and not die of it.
So my policy suggestion would be to inform risk people and provide them with a vaccine if they decide to, yet nothing mandatory, no lockdowns, etc.

I think liberals have a caricature of people one the right in their heads, like "fox watching, bible thumping, guns touting rednecks". :) Of course, we, in return, see libs as "prius driving, bed wetting" :)

Bear in mind that antivaxers died for their views, in many cases. That’s commitment, or perhaps paranoia. I recall Desmet mentioning paranoia, don’t you? — praxis

I'd say it depends on the severity of the case. For example, "aaa! Bill Gates will chip us all via vaxing and control us through 5G!!!! AAA!!!" of course is crazy. While looking at the data and seeing that vaxed and unvaxed people were getting Omicron at pretty much the same rate and being not at risk for any complications choosing to not to vaccinate, might be a reasonable decision.

Maybe if there is a heaven, there can be no evil here on earth. Imagine a serial killer tortures you to death and you find yourself in heaven, wouldn't you thing something like "hmm, being in that mortal body was an interesting experience."

Antinathalists are welcome to leave this world if they wish, yet instead they prefer to stay, suffer and push their decrepit view onto other people.

Exactly so. Recently had read how there were lots of peaceful attempts to build communist communes in the late 1800s, all of which peacefully fell apart withing a few month. So the only way Bolsheviks were able to keep their experiment running for over 70 years was with the use of force.

Another thing Desmet describes is that this phenomenon of mass formation and totalitarianism (other than classical dictatorships, for example) come from inside the population itself, in other words, we're on a path towards radicalism because people have become more radical, and not only are they fully aware of the dangers, they wish for them, for example censorship, because it protects their radical views. We're in this situation because people want to be in this situation. — Tzeentch

I might argue that such desires for totalitarianism might come out of one's weakness. A person subconsciously believes he is too fragile to take care of himself, so we wants an all-mighty state to do it for him. Which in turn points to the education system that has turned into a 'safe-space' and it very much against kids solving their own issues, instead of telling an adult.

You explained it very well. Lucky me to live in the sane part of Europe. :)
What do you think might happen to the west? would it be able to return to its senses or would it crumble, freeing up space for something new?
Some believe a new world power might arise from Poland & Ukraine. We'll see...

Well one of those people is an activist whose hobby it is to go after people and the other a person trying to navigate the treacherous waters the activist has created. — DingoJones

Well yes, guess it's easy for me to say, as I live in a relatively sane society ( Latvia, Europe )...
not even sure what Americans could do to fix their society, as having similar crazy activists on the other side, might not be a good solution. Probably the society would need to reevaluate itself and learn to ignore the activists.

why, what word would you use?

I wouldnt agree that its “”fragile delusional lunatic”, at least not just on one side of this debate. Sadly most people on both sides of any given debate in the US operate in this fragile deluded state. There are two opinions for most people stateside these days, your opinion and the opinion of your sworn enemies.
There is a complex answer to how that happened, but its the way it is. — DingoJones

Actually yes, looking from the European perspective, the American's gun and abortion debate seems to be pretty much artificially constructed.

When did the idea that people are obligated to discuss religion and politics to every troll become the rule. — Hanover

It depends on the person, I see myself strong enough to speak freely and, most important, to entertains ANY ideas freely. For everybody, of course, it is different.

They are “hypothetical”, it is a very real social concern. There are, right now, people waiting, searching, for anyone to “speak their mind” in the wrong way so they can met out social justice. You answer someone in the street today, maybe you end up jobless tomorrow cuz some self important douche appointed themselves the arbiter of opinions. Then they will say something along the lines “ freedom of speech doesnt mean freedom from consequences” or something equally as blind and dumb.
You are right though, it is an act of cowardice. — DingoJones

Sees so, but on the other hand how did it happen that, at least in the US, the most fragile delusional lunatic deems that is ok to say and what is not, while virtually all sane people cater to their demands.

Than again it is understandable, as a normal person would not spend his time trying to get those lunatics fired, while the lunatics might try doing it to the sane person.

I'm just ignoring you two, as you are trolling, instead of contributing to the discussion.

No, I certainly don't support the gender-theory or any of such movements.

It’s amazing how a simple question can strike such reticence and confusion. They likely understand that an answer that runs afoul of certain ideologies could end in forms of ostracism or even assault. It’s the captive mind. — NOS4A2

Yes, truly so. That's ( their captive mind ) is what fascinates me so much.

That's your approach. I usually find power in speaking truth, so it's hard for me to imagine a scenario where I would avoid a response. )

I think you just missed a very good opportunity to keep your opinion to yourself. )

Is there an intent in this piece of yours? Can you explain it? Would you want to explain it? — Fine Doubter

I'd say I am amazed by how easily seemingly grown up people would bend over backwards to cater to some hypothetical bullies.

Not sure if what you said makes any sense, try rephrasing.

My comment was that refraining from discussing one's position isn't equivalent to internally suppressing one's position. Whether that behavior is cowardly or prudent has no bearing on my comment. — Hanover

In this example the person being interviewed, instead of refusing to answer, was siding with the bullies, while presumably knowing that their position is delusional.

I'd say that is a rather cowardly approach - being afraid to speak your position just because some petty bully might not like it.

My principal would be to tell the truth and generally trust people. So suspecting a street interview for a malignant intent would not be my immediate reaction.

Am I walking on eggshells? Never thought about myself that I am.

Another thing: one can say a woman is a fine mind — Fine Doubter

If a female is dumb as a door-nail isn't she still a woman?

Why? I like interacting with people, even if I completely disagree with.

Thank you, I'll look into this. :up: