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Das Boo posted:Only age group of children I hate are teenagers. It's the reason I could never be a mother. Highschool teachers must be utterly insane. Actively choosing to spend every day around teenagers? That decision is incomprehensible to me.
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Mar 17, 2017 05:10
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Tiggum posted:Highschool teachers must be utterly insane. Actively choosing to spend every day around teenagers? That decision is incomprehensible to me. My dad taught high school algebra and engineering classes when he retired from his job for about 8 years. He said it was the best time to get to know students because they were old enough to appreciate honesty, but young enough to accept criticism. Have no idea if that's true or not, but that's what he said. He also loved his 8 years of teaching waaaaaaaaay more than his several decades of electrical engineering.
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Mar 17, 2017 05:34
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At least you can relate to and reason with a teenager on a more real level. If I ever taught in a non-college setting I would only want highschool. You get to start to teach them actually interesting things and see them start to transform into an adult. There are difficulties and frustrations sure but don't pretend that teaching a bunch of 8 year olds is all rainbows and sunshine either.
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Mar 17, 2017 05:50
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Unpopular Presidents Chat: Nixon was pretty alright looking back at his actual legacy of stuff like normalizing relations with China, implementing the EPA/OSHA/Philadelphia Plan/SSI/Clean Air Act/NOAA/National Cancer Act/etc, etc, etc, trying to pare back federal authoritarianism, working out the SALT and the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaties to thaw relations with the USSR, finally getting out of Vietnam and even policies like the Nixon Doctrine make sense in light of recent experiences in the middle east (tho his latin america policies weren't good at all but that's par for the course in the 60-70s). He even flirted with the idea of a universal basic income for all Americans at one point. He certainly wasn't perfect but hardly any presidents are. Assuming his sadbrains could have even handled by a psychologist or the drugs he loathed so much he could even have been a Great President in another timeline.Baronjutter posted:Marx's understanding of capitalism as a whole was extremely insightful for the time, but Das Kapital is mostly analyzing and criticizing capitalism and making suggestions on what not to do, or ways of looking at economics to judge if something is working well or not. But never did he really lay out in detail what an ideal system would look like beyond "workers control the means of production". People like Lenin and the Bolsheviks had to pretty much invent a system 75% on their own and what they came up with was both flawed and was born out of the most non-ideal situations imaginable. Then Stalin took over. In all fairness Marx's idea was to create principles which, when followed, would allow planning committees, or The People, to fashion a Just System where there would be no Unfair Inequalities anymore. He was a philosopher and he tried to develop coherent. rational principles to underpin and guide the whole thing, the problem was it was very abstractly formulated because he was still first-and-foremost a philosopher. He thought things like systems of law would be objectively wrong if they were ungrounded by a common, systemic logic even if they was perfectly pragmatic and sensible in practice. In your example of the labor theory of value, Marx very theoretically produced his own understanding of it by wondering at the common metaphysical substance that unites fundamentally different objects that both share the quality of value while sidestepping how values are arrived at in practice. It's unsurprising that a lot of modern communists are stuck in the academic mindset of developing the most Inscrutable Theory Ever because Marx did it, his take wasn't perfect (or even very good imho), but hypothetical planning committees still rely on having good ideas to guide the fair distribution of communal resources. He never completely finished his work either. Even in your link the authors try to work out principles and algorithms a supercomputer could crack out to run a fair but immensely complex communist economy because ultimately figuring out what makes fair, fair, in an objective and repeatable way is kind of important to the system. There are other assumptions too (a benevolent, hyper capable committee, a fully committed population, etc) that also make the idea look great on paper. Anyway your link was an interesting read on the whole, I went through it last night. I def don't quite agree with everything I read but it was nice to see someone outline practical solutions rather than just work out more abstractions but I think it fell into the trap a lot of socialist/communist literature falls into: it's very easy to critique capitalist systems because they all have very well-known problems they aren't even shy about admitting either, but there is often a failure to examine what causes those problems in the first place and addressing how a new system would succeed where they failed. Often it's just assumed that all inequalities/problems are the result of these really spooky industrialists who live to exploit the ever-loving poo poo out of everything. Let's consider just a few of the most basic changes the west (and everyone else) has been dealing with for the past couple generations: continued exponential population growth, the explosion of the labor markets thanks to greater general participation and globalization, and their resulting effects on the environment. I don't see how in -any- system, communist or not, the individual value of labor would manage to stay the same when the pool of available manpower increases by over 70% in 30 years due to population booms (and people entering the workforce who weren't traditionally allowed to before) or how a planned economy would avoid having to intensify resource extraction at the expense of the environment to give all these new people the things they need. The Soviets and Chinese have def done their share of damage to the environment in sorting out their needs. If we hadn't seen the emergence and sudden rise of the new industries such as tech and the like there'd now be roughly 4 workers trying to squeeze into a system that needed only 2 in past generations. That's excluding automation killing certain old industries dead but also excluding services that expand along with rising populations. That kind of unavoidable shift would be catastrophic under any system and, in the end, it was failures in economically providing for the masses that led to the civil unrests that ultimately crumbled the USSR. Population growth and rising workforce equality are not bourgeois plots either though employers definitely gain immensely from available labor going from scarce (post-war population dips, lower % of participation) to plentiful and then losing some of their bargaining power in the transition. Globalization doesn't help the situation either when some jobs can also be outsourced but globally this transfer of wealth does at least enrich people living in very poor countries. One way of avoiding that is pretty much going full Trump/tory and endorsing protectionist policies that bottleneck these transfers, tear up international trade agreements and maybe even cut back on immigration. I doubt a lot of people like any those alternatives tho, especially not progressives and there are even worse outcomes. Criticizing capitalists for other things like running up national trade deficits or their national debts doesn't address how an alternate system would deal with the underlying issues that caused those things in the first either, even though it's real easy to point how lovely capitalism's problems are while you're still trying to work the very basics of your own system. Even more complex changes have occurred socially and globally in the past few generations to unbalance industries and production, these are just the basics that alternatives don't try to engage. I don't know how exact this is but I expect the general sentiment to be accurate. Not counting things like global climate change some real spooky things are going to happen to resource availability and accessibility even in the first world in the coming years as other other countries begin to take their fair share of the earth's finite resources, ultimately reducing our own access to them and diminishing our quality of life to the gain of theirs whether we're socialist or not. It's only fair that other people have nice things too after all. Whenever hypothetical systems are brought up where certain disinclined people just don't have to work anymore to enjoy their privileged first-world access to the world's resources I always wonder like, how? yeah I eat rear end posted:At least you can relate to and reason with a teenager on a more real level. If I ever taught in a non-college setting I would only want highschool. You get to start to teach them actually interesting things and see them start to transform into an adult.  although I think once kids can communicate articulately and independently they're a blast to be around, there's interesting and fun things to teach a younger kid too, like stuff about dinosaurs 
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Mar 17, 2017 07:08
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The lime juice after marinating shrimp for ceviche is actually the best part.
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Mar 17, 2017 09:45
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MLM poo poo isn't really that different than any other capitalistic enterprise and the people who do it are generally already well enough off to get into it. Also it serves as some sort of identity thing for whoever does it. There are ones that target teenagers and poor people but those obviously don't work as well. The only difference between MLM businesses and others is the insanely quick amount of time poo poo changes and then suddenly it's no longer a fun money making hobby you invested thousands into but a job where you have to self promote. And also the business you work for is suddenly just a random person who works for Satan So like I said it's actually not that different from a normal job Aesop Poprock has a new favorite as of 10:16 on Mar 17, 2017 |
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Mar 17, 2017 10:12
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Have you actually looked at the economics of the things? If you just break even you are performing well above average. I know someone who got started in Lularoe which requires a 5000 dollar or so initial fee just to get started, and she is not even close to making a profit. There are so many people selling the poo poo that you have to undercut each other to the point where you're selling things at or below cost just to get customers and at least get some money out of it. It is not like running a regular business at all because you can't pick what you're selling and you can't control the quality of the product. In a regular business you'd identify a demand and supply a better quality product than what they can already get. In a MLM you have to sell low quality stuff for a higher price than they are already paying. It's a business, but a very bad one, and almost everyone claiming they make something ridiculous like 8000 a month is lying and/or purchasing product themselves to bolster their sales numbers and get to the next level.
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Mar 17, 2017 10:37
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Marx was pretty much 100% correct in his diagnosis of the problems with Capitalism. I have yet to see where his critiques are actually wrong outright, merely only the degree of change he expected. There are obvious problems with his cure to the problem of Capitalism but his diagnosis is loving spot on, and people would do well to realize that instead of throwing Marx out all together.
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Mar 17, 2017 15:40
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It would help if his proponents weren't so drat obnoxious.
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Mar 17, 2017 17:26
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hard counter posted:Commiechat The author of that book is actually really accessible. I had a bunch of questions/concerns/criticisms after reading his little outline and emailed him and we had an interesting back and forth. I don't at all have an "academic marxism" background or anything but I was able to have an informative human conversation with him. I wish more people wrote things like that, I wish the "marxist community" spent more time brainstorming practical solutions and systems and refining those rather than yet another 500 page purely academic analysis of the labour theory of value. Yes understanding those core philosophical points is important but if you have absolutely nothing practical to show for it in the end no one's going to buy what you're selling.
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Mar 17, 2017 17:37
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yeah I eat rear end posted:It would help if his proponents weren't so drat obnoxious. Being a proponent to any ideology or mode of thought is inherently obnoxious. Chill out dude. 
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Mar 17, 2017 17:48
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We are all proponents of an ideology whether we are aware of it or not.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:02
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doverhog posted:Being a proponent to any ideology or mode of thought is inherently obnoxious. Chill out dude. It's not, though. I deal with people I fundamentally disagree with all the time at work, and unlike hardcore marxists they don't have the smug aura of "I am talking to a literal child who will never be as enlightened as me".
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Mar 17, 2017 18:05
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yeah I eat rear end posted:It's not, though. I deal with people I fundamentally disagree with all the time at work, and unlike hardcore marxists they don't have the smug aura of "I am talking to a literal child who will never be as enlightened as me". Marxists are so extremely rare in the wild though. Libertarians or "anarcho-capitalists" are sorts I actually run into in real life...
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Mar 17, 2017 18:06
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Yeah, I gotta ask, where do you interact with hardcore Marxists? Baronjutter posted:We are all proponents of an ideology whether we are aware of it or not. Having an ideology and actively "proponing" it are not the same.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:17
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I lump anyone who identifies as a "leftist" in my "hardcore marxist" category because I don't care to understand the intricacies in their belief system.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:24
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So I take it you are a libertarian? Talk about obnoxious.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:34
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doverhog posted:So I take it you are a libertarian? Talk about obnoxious. Not even close. I choose not to advertise my political beliefs online and instead just criticize other peoples'.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:39
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Baronjutter posted:Yes understanding those core philosophical points is important but if you have absolutely nothing practical to show for it in the end no one's going to buy what you're selling. That's a big reason why I think those ideas only really took off with people living in direst of conditions surviving under actual despots, vague promises of parity and fairness will do a lot to shift the imaginations of people reminded everyday of their social inferiority and will serve as a good platform for reaching the ~*hearts and minds*~ of those guys, people who might've revolted for a representative republic or something under different circumstances. More regular folk who have some understanding of the market will tend to want more tangible solutions that directly address their problems. I personally think capitalism with a touch more transparency, oversight and obligation is the way to go since it's much easier to attack known bad business practices with legislation, or even informal market protests, than it is to abstractly rework a whole system and society
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Mar 17, 2017 18:43
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yeah I eat rear end posted:Not even close. Ok, just realize that taxation is an inherently leftist concept, so your lumping is kind of nonsensical.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:45
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doverhog posted:Ok, just realize that taxation is an inherently leftist concept, so your lumping is kind of nonsensical. Maybe instead of "hardcore marxists" I should have used the more accurate general catch-all of "people I don't like".
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Mar 17, 2017 18:50
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here's my ideology: if it ain't broke, don't fix it! if it's killing millions of innocent people, you should do something about that!
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Mar 17, 2017 18:53
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spit on my clit posted:here's my ideology: if it ain't broke, don't fix it! if it's killing millions of innocent people, you should do something about that! so you are saying down with capitalism, then good
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Mar 17, 2017 18:55
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steinrokkan posted:so you are saying down with capitalism, then ill give you five bucks if you shut up
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Mar 17, 2017 18:57
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spit on my clit posted:ill give you five bucks if you shut up I smell a mod challenge to break up this derail
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Mar 17, 2017 20:01
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Sentient Data posted:I smell a mod challenge to break up this derail it was a poor attempt at a joke
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Mar 17, 2017 20:02
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Here's an unpopular opinion: Spending more than like a grand or so on vet costs is an extravagant and selfish waste of money, specially with a really old suffering animal. Put the poor animal down and get another one. I love animals and pets and if you're well off I get wanting to spend a couple grand on an operation to save your 2 year old dog who is great and the operation will make him fine. That's understandable and almost reasonable. But people who create gofundme's or cry on facebook that they just HAD to spend $2000 on surgery to prolong the life of their 10 year old blind incontinent cat and now can't pay rent or their student loans are idiotic. Fantastic, you just wasted all your money so this poor animal can suffer on another few months maybe, all because you're too big of a blubbery baby to do the right thing and put them down.
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Mar 17, 2017 22:25
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yeah I eat rear end posted:I lump anyone who identifies as a "leftist" in my "hardcore marxist" category because I don't care to understand the intricacies in their belief system. yeah I eat rear end posted:Not even close. I choose not to advertise my political beliefs online and instead just criticize other peoples'. So you're scared to be judged by your own ideological belief system so you judge others in hopes that you'll be validated when everyone else fails.
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Mar 17, 2017 22:44
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Surprisingly unpopular opinion: Nixon deserves no credit for EPA, OSHA, or any of the other domestic stuff apologists like to drag out. Look at the Congress he had to work with: they were going to pass this stuff with him or without him. Nixon was a good enough politician to know when to step in front of the parade, that's all.
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Mar 17, 2017 23:03
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in all fairness if you want to follow the chain of causation down from the president amorphous events like the santa barbara oil spill were then responsible for a significant portion of Nixon's reforms because contemporary events like that were what first spooked the public into outcry and spurred policy makers into action even though people like Nixon would be the ones to actually shape the form of the bill, use executive order to expand its mandate and later consolidate everything into a single agency besides it's not like it doesn't behoove a leader to listen to the people and otherwise adapt appropriately to new circumstances
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Mar 18, 2017 00:43
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Pad Thai isn't very good
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Mar 18, 2017 04:25
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GIANT OUIJA BOARD posted:Pad Thai isn't very good Rice noodles are better.
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Mar 18, 2017 04:31
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GIANT OUIJA BOARD posted:Pad Thai isn't very good Thai food in general isn't very good. It's my least favorite of all the Asian countries cuisines. Laotian is a close second. But nothing will ever be as bad as Ethiopian food. It is hot garbage served on disgusting bread that tastes like a sponge and paper towel had sex with sourdough. Its just disgusting globs of over spiced stew thrown onto a trencher. No idea how anyone can like it.
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Mar 18, 2017 04:35
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I really like Thai food and there's an Ethiopian/East African buffet that I love because it's just simple wholesome mush that feels good to eat.
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Mar 18, 2017 04:55
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Never had Ethiopian but over spiced stew strewn on bread sounds pretty good.
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Mar 18, 2017 05:40
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I like Ethiopian food but I can't stand injera.
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Mar 18, 2017 05:46
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doverhog posted:Never had Ethiopian but over spiced stew strewn on bread sounds pretty good. That's what I thought too! But yeah, just ain't my bag.
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Mar 18, 2017 07:11
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pineapple on pizza is elder-god-tier Hawaiian pizza is the poo poo
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Mar 18, 2017 07:40
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Baronjutter posted:Spending more than like a grand or so on vet costs is an extravagant and selfish waste of money, specially with a really old suffering animal. Put the poor animal down and get another one. Solice Kirsk posted:Thai food in general isn't very good. It's my least favorite of all the Asian countries cuisines. Laotian is a close second. But nothing will ever be as bad as Ethiopian food. It is hot garbage served on disgusting bread that tastes like a sponge and paper towel had sex with sourdough. Its just disgusting globs of over spiced stew thrown onto a trencher. No idea how anyone can like it.
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Mar 18, 2017 10:18
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Solice Kirsk posted:Thai food in general isn't very good. It's my least favorite of all the Asian countries cuisines. Laotian is a close second. But nothing will ever be as bad as Ethiopian food. It is hot garbage served on disgusting bread that tastes like a sponge and paper towel had sex with sourdough. Its just disgusting globs of over spiced stew thrown onto a trencher. No idea how anyone can like it. I like Ethiopian food a lot, but these sentences were a pleasure to read.
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Mar 18, 2017 19:41
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