Austin, we won.

Stimulants have similar effects and don’t cause added risk of giving deranged lunatics with guns (as many) crazy hallucinations

Thank you for the example! I’ll look into it :)

You often treat the entire American electorate like one big guilty party.

Yes.

I think criticizing Russia, China, or North Korea is only bannable if you’re also annoying.

skill issue

Absolutely, every time I’ve tried to “debunk” a lie that someone’s bought into it comes off as saying that “China can do no wrong”. I don’t think anyone is receptive to that message. Mentioning specific good things that they’re doing and focusing on what we can learn from communist nations is much more palatable.

I’ve had this essay bookmarked for a couple weeks now, I should probably actually go read it 😅

Yep, everything China does is malicious, evil, and cheating.

When we do the exact same thing it’s good now actually :)

Really goes to show the incredible entitlement westerners feel towards other countries resources.

I started with some of the conditions included with IMF & World Bank loans. Mentioned that anything that prioritized self-reliance is discouraged, the effects of aid on local agriculture. Specifically called out Sankara & Burkina Faso since I knew that he refused aid and under his leadership living conditions were improving before he was couped. His successor accepted IMF loans and immediately fucked the economy.

They’re sovereign nations that keep picking China, if we want to reduce China’s soft power the only thing we can do is offer better terms than them.

I also mentioned the quote “Every time the China comes, we get a hospital. Every time Britain comes, we get a lecture.”

Then from there talked about how the media reports on these issues. When China builds that hospital it might be reported to enslave the local economy, whereas IMF loans with absurd terms are reported as giving money away for economic development.

It’s probably more trouble than it’s worth to stop Carney from showing up.

Also none of this rhetoric for Amazon, which is subsidizing its marketplace to destroy competition.

It is both worse and also cheating apparently

“There is no fair competition with the Chinese automotive industry. They massively subsidized this sector and they are now dumping vehicles around the world. Europe was soft on China. Look at what the outcome has been: 90,000 auto jobs lost last year because they’ve allowed dumped Chinese vehicles into their market,” he said.

There surely is no way to counter Xi’s evil economy magic… They’re materializing the EVs out of thin air!

I really enjoy playing classical guitar but haven’t ever reached that “flow state”

At least the activity from job is good for health!

What kinds of gaming / writing do you do?

That is entirely my relationship with Path of Exile. I have difficulty listening to podcasts / audiobooks without it because I feel like I need something to do with my hands to absorb anything

Sounds very good for the soul :)

Hell yeah! I’ve tried to play but scheduling always seems to get in the way…

I never find myself feeling 100% rested after playing video games. When I’m trying to get some reading done hopping on a mindless game and listening to an audio book really helps me absorb the info though.

Knitting is so hard! My stubby fingers were not built for that kind of fine motor work lol

Video games + audio book is absolutely goated combo

Yeah, I’m trying to pursue more activities outside of reading theory so I can have more in common with my community. Being a politics nerd is great but your average person won’t respect you until you’ve already built a connection with them.