• The American Gun Control Debate

    Lol, then why would you prefer that to be the case? If not allowing businesses to hire children is unjustified, then that implies businesses should be able to hire children.
  • The American Gun Control Debate

    So, the world would be a better place if businesses were able to exploit child labor?
  • The American Gun Control Debate
    You restrict the rights of children to work. What if they want to? Instead they have to sell chiclets on the streets.NOS4A2

    Selling chiclets on the street is a form of work. Children are free to start their own business, and many do. But it’s ridiculous to think that employers should be forced to hire a child simply because the child wants to work.
  • The American Gun Control Debate

    You didn’t answer my question.

    As a business owner, shouldn’t I have the right to hire whomever I want, for whatever reason? I should also have the right to pay whatever wage I want, but the government restricts these rights. My question is whether or not you think this restriction is justified.
  • The American Gun Control Debate
    But you don’t restrict the rights of everyone to be alone with children so as to protect children. Isn’t that so?NOS4A2

    We do restrict the rights of every employer to employ children or discriminate based on sex, race, etc. in order to protect children and other marginalized groups. Is that ok?
  • The American Gun Control Debate
    If everyone agrees that people with severe mental illnesses should not have guns, then why not start requiring mental health exams to purchase firearms? Not only should this appease both sides of the debate, but should also improve overall well-being by ensuring that mental health becomes more of a priority on par with physical health.
  • Why do we get Upset?

    :up:

    Just to elaborate, I often think that the ideas we’re most emotionally attached to are the ones we have the least justification for. That makes us somewhat insecure so we compensate with “passion.”
  • Top Ten Favorite Films
    Ones I forgot:

    The Dark Knight
    American History X
    Morvern Caller
    The Chumscrubber
    Elephant
    The Elephant Man
    Saw
    Se7en
    A Huey P. Newton Story

    TV Shows:

    Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra
    House
    Person of Interest
    The Andy Griffith Show
    SpongeBob SquarePants
    Criminal Minds
    Oz
    Chopped
    Anne With an E
    Deadliest Warrior
    Forged in Fire
  • Top Ten Favorite Films


    Lol, it’s a parody of the movie Menace II Society.
  • Top Ten Favorite Films
    Just what comes to mind, in no particular order:

    Requiem for a Dream
    Pi
    Natural Born Killers
    Gummo
    Julien Donkey-Boy
    Stay
    Oldboy (original)
    Akira
    The Shape of Things
    Enter the Dragon
    300
    Gladiator
    Rambo
    Don’t be a Menace to South Central while Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
    What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
  • What are you listening to right now?


    Oh, ok. I do typically post metal songs, so you’re memory is correct.
  • What are you listening to right now?


    Yeah, Tomas is always impressive, as well as Meshuggah. Kinda apples and oranges to me though with Sepultura. To me you can feel their personal connection to the music. Almost like it’s spiritual, soulful. Meshuggah is strict precision and technique. More machine like. Both impressive, but for different reasons.
  • What are you listening to right now?
    Such an incredible performance!

  • Deep Songs
    Everyone's afraid of their own lives
    If you could be anything you want
    I bet you'd be disappointed, am I right?

    No one really knows the ones they love
    If you knew everything they thought
    I bet that you would wish that they'd just shut up

    Well, you were the dull sound of sharp math
    When you were alive
    No one's going to play the harp when you die
    And if I had a nickel for every damn dime
    I'd have half the time, do you mind?

    Everyone's afraid of their own lives
    If you could be anything you want
    I bet you'd be disappointed, am I right?
    Am I right, am I right, am I right?
    Am I right, am I right, am I right?

    And it's our lives
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    We're alive for the first time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    We're alive for the last time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    To live before you die

    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    That our lives are such a short time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    When it takes such a long time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember

    My mom's God is a woman and my mom she is a witch
    I like this
    My hell comes from inside, comes from inside myself
    Why fight this?

    Everyone's afraid of their own lives
    If you could be anything you want
    I bet you'd be disappointed, am I right?

  • Merging Pessimism Threads
    @schopenhauer1’s threads that I’ve encountered/participated in didn’t have anything remotely close to “life sucks” as a premise. Therefore, I don’t see how the title of the merged thread can be viewed as anything other than demeaning/insulting. I mean, what other reason is there to choose not to name it something generic like “Antinatalist Arguments” or some other benign title. Should pro-natalist threads be merged into a “Life is Awesome!” thread?

    That said, when the author of any thread continually starts the same discussion from slightly different perspectives, it makes one question their intent. To me, once you’ve had the discussion, and it’s run its inevitable course there’s no need to do it all over again. It’s isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind or accomplish much of anything. Also, I could see how newcomers to TPF could be led to believe that this is primarily an AN site, with half of the threads on the main page being dedicated to that topic. So something clearly had to be done. I just think titling the thread using negative language is asking for criticism and concerns of biases among the mods.
  • What are you listening to right now?
    Industrial music created by a mechanical engineer who creates his own instrument controllers.



    Here’s an explanation for those interested.

  • What is the meaningful distinction between these two things?


    In general, I don’t advocate for making act’s illegal unless they cause actual harm, not just because they have the potential to cause harm. Besides, law should also be as scientific as possible, so making the case that someone watching/having sex with childlike adults will cause them to do the same with actual children seems like a very weak argument.

    It may play some role in actual pedophilia, but it may not. There would need to be studies done to determine any causal factors between the two, but these studies themselves would very likely be unethical. Therefore, I would err on the side of allowing adults to engage in whatever sexual act they prefer as long as it’s consensual.

    Behavioral analysis would consider having sex with childlike adults an acceptable replacement behavior for actual pedophilia. Taking that potential replacement behavior away may actually cause people who are attracted to children to perform more drastic actions in order to satisfy their desires.
  • What are you listening to right now?
    I want to watch the NIN deep dive, but 40 minutes is a commitment. I will watch soon.Noble Dust

    I don’t think all of them are that long.

    Also, is she single...Noble Dust

    Just wait until she says she wants to fuck you like an animal. :rofl:
  • What are you listening to right now?
    The only indie rock band needed:Noble Dust

    Nah.



    By the way, I found this a while back and thought someone like you might enjoy it. Basically a music theory deep dive into NIN and other 90’s alt bands. Mostly over my head, but still interesting.

  • Do you realize ...
    everyone hates God?Agent Smith

    Actually, it’s the other way around…
  • What are you listening to right now?
    I forgot Nine Inch Nails; Trent is a genius.Noble Dust

    I agree, but wasn’t lumping them in with nu metal. I just find it confusing how you can like NIN/Ministry, but not Static-X, or how you can like Rage, but not System. Static-X is like Ministry 2.0, and System is pretty similar to Rage too.

    I just re-listened to Chop Suey. This songs blows.Noble Dust

    :rofl:

    I think it’s pretty good, but not their best. They’re first album was more aggressive, and probably more experimental as well. Here’s a couple examples.







    They have a couple cool covers as well.

    Original is by Berlin


    Original is by Black Sabbath
  • What are you listening to right now?
    The only good "nu metal" band, although they don't really count:Noble Dust
    :brow:

    Cherry Waves is close to my favorite Deftones song, but I gotta disagree that all other nu metal bands suck, lol.

    How can you like Rage, but not System of a Down? NIN and Ministry, but not Static-X? Explain yourself!
  • Deep Songs


    What It’s Like

    [Verse 1]
    We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
    The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
    He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
    "Get a job, you fucking slob" is all he replies

    [Hook]
    God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
    Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)

    [Verse 2]
    Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
    He said: "Don't worry about a thing, baby doll; I'm the man you've been dreamin' of"
    But three months later he said he won't date her or return her calls
    And she sweared, "Goddamn, If I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls!"
    And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the door:
    They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a whore!

    [Hook 2]
    God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
    Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)

    [Bridge]
    I've seen a rich man beg
    I've seen a good man sin
    I've seen a tough man cry
    I've seen a loser win
    And a sad man grin
    I heard an honest man lie
    I've seen the good side of bad and the down side of up
    And everything between
    I licked the silver spoon, drank from the golden cup
    Smoked the finest green
    I stroked the baddest dimes
    At least a couple of times
    Before I broke their heart
    You know where it ends
    Yo, it usually depends
    On where you start

    [Verse 3]
    I knew this kid named Max, he used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
    He liked to hang out late, liked to get shit faced and keep pace with thugs
    Until late one night there was a big gunfight and Max lost his head
    He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit and wound up dead
    Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain
    You know it comes that way, at least that's what they say when you play the game

    [Hook]
    God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
    Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    Then you really might know what it's like (what it's like)
    To have to lose...
  • Wading Into Trans and Gender Issues
    This issue, like most, begins and ends with the definitions. The question of what makes a man a man, and a woman a woman has yet to be adequately answered. Is it the presence of specific genitalia? Is it specific traits or characteristics? Some combination of both?

    Until that can be answered, it’s impossible to know what it means when someone says they identify as a man/woman. It’s reminiscent of figuring out what it’s like to be a bat. Unless you are a man/woman/bat you can’t claim to know what it’s like to be one.
  • Trouble with Impositions
    One should definitely avoid actions that:

    1). Cannot be performed consensually.
    Tzeentch

    I think most actions affect, or have the potential to affect, millions of people. It’s impossible to get the consent of everyone your action may affect, especially if we’re supposed to consider those who do not yet exist (which one has to do in order for this to be relevant to AN).

    2). And are also irreversible.Tzeentch

    Everything is irreversible, unless I’m misunderstanding what you mean.

    3). And can also inflict great harm.Tzeentch

    Again, many actions have this potential.

    4). And one can also not oversee the consequences of.Tzeentch

    I don’t know how anyone can do this unless they’re God and have control over every variable.

    The consumption of basic needs like water, trash, and electricity is a good example of what I’m getting at. The waste from this consumption contributes to the very climate crisis many believe we’re in the midst of right now; so it affects people who’ve never consented to your consumption of these utilities (number 1 on your list), your consumption cannot be undone or reversed in any way (number 2 on your list), contributes to the total destruction of this planet we all depend on for life (number 3 on your list), and none of us are personally able to oversee the consequences (number 4 on your list).
  • Trouble with Impositions
    Parents are aware of the harm that may befall their child, so it is intentional.Tzeentch

    There’s the potential for harm to occur in every human interaction. Therefore is all harm caused intentional?

    They just assume on the child's behalf that the harm will outweigh the good.Tzeentch

    I think you have that backwards, but we make this same assumption all the time when we interact with each other.

    Having made the voluntary decision to create another human being whose well-being will depend entirely on them, the parent has incurred responsibilities and is no longer in a default situation.Tzeentch

    Ok. Then is there really a default situation where no one is depending on us? For example, our parents may depend on us to have children so that they can become grandparents, which will improve their happiness/well-being.