mindsets

RE: @dgar@aus.social

It's dawning on me that to have owned only four mobile devices—such that only two are "smart"—in one's life is uncommon for an adult in a developed nation. In my case, in reverse chronological order:

• Two smartphones: one for several years and counting, the other for nine (!) years.

• One flip phone for several years.

• One candy bar phone for several years.

Anyway...welcome to my first quote post, everyone. And special thanks to Dgar.

From a few hours ago—the author of the following Reddit comment is the most self-aware neurotypical person "(probably)" that I happened to come across this month.

"People don't think much. I don't say that as an insult, but many just operate on autopilot. No reflection, no questioning, neither their own actions nor those of systems.

"[Neurodivergent folks] question the hierarchy because it doesn't run automatically for [them]. Neurotypicals are shaped automatically, by childhood and their social environment. Hierarchies are modeled, noticed through cause and effect, and since everything happens subconsciously without conscious thought, it's adopted as one's own code. A neurotypical person adopts this and doesn't question whether it comes from them or from outside because it runs smoothly. Once the code is installed, it runs and is recognized as its own code and is no longer questioned.

"I am a NT person (probably) who developed ND traits because I found the world meaningless and without any logic. But I had to actively work on it.

"I had to ... examine myself. Why do I do what I do? It doesn't actually make sense. Ok where does this behaviour come from. Do I really want to be that way etc.?

"But the realization that I do things that are meaningless simply because they became part of my behavioral repertoire through conditioning was a real cognitive challenge."

Bravo. Dazzling. The human condition, in 200 words.

#neurodiversity

https://old.reddit.com/r/SeriousConversation/comments/1rgzazq/why_are_people_surprised_that_the_elites_are/o7uz5y4/

I guess not everybody, from every instance, can see this...but I'm intrigued by how the visual artist whose work appears most under my media tab, as of this writing, is José Luis García-López (praised be his name).

Mr. García-López is among the most impactful in his field, so maybe his impact upon my media tab was predictable. Despite never having been the main topic of any of my posts or replies.

Well, until the current post.

All right, you've twisted my arm: now I'll add another example of his #artwork, in case there have been hiccups with our instances so far.

#AtariForce
#comics

Around here, I'm often afraid someone will find out I've never sat through an entire DOCTOR WHO television episode. Regardless of its timing or era.

Nor any contemporary "Star Trek" television episode since STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, over thirty years ago.

😬

I've noticed that whenever I post anything over 100 words, up to half a dozen followers go away (though if boosts occur, then departures and arrivals mostly cancel out). My choice of topic doesn't even make a difference.

Still, I try to write at least 100 words per post semi-regularly, to help me avoid becoming a lazy or superficial communicator. Accordingly, I now declare that I'm developing a new post that'll greatly exceed 100 words.

If that distresses—up to half a dozen of—you, then feel free to leave at this time.

Just want to warn you.

#AttentionSpan

I had difficulty, over the decades, trying to fully watch or rewatch PICKET FENCES (1992-1996; about the last time I opted to possess a TV set). Perhaps my favorite fictional #television show ever. But I succeeded eventually, as indicated by a prior post of mine.

Hallmark Channel showed reruns of PICKET FENCES long ago. But accessing Hallmark Channel, and homing in on specific episodes, wasn't straightforward. Therefore I never attained a complete viewing experience, back then, from that source.

As of this writing, according to JustWatch, getting any season of PICKET FENCES beyond the first is still a big challenge in my country. Unsurprisingly. That amounts to sixty-six "lost" episodes...of the best 20th century TV show that I happen to be aware of.

@setsly@mindly.social

https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/picket-fences

Let me share my favorite in-story welcome message in all of #literature. It's spoken by Pablo in STEPPENWOLF by #HermannHesse (occasionally misquoted in translation):

"'This little theater of mine has as many doors into as many boxes as you please, ten or a hundred or a thousand, and behind each door exactly what you seek awaits you. It is a pretty cabinet of pictures, my dear friend; but it would be quite useless for you to go through it as you are. You would be checked and blinded at every turn by what you are pleased to call your personality. You have no doubt guessed long since that the conquest of time and the escape from reality, or however else it may be that you choose to describe your longing, means simply the wish to be relieved of your so-called personality. That is the prison where you lie.'"

Another guy who upbraids/upbraided his readers a bit, huh? Though not overtly.

#transcendence

@setsly@mindly.social

At times I wonder if I upbraid my readers too much. Even if usually not overtly.

But then I check out what the great WEATHER IS HAPPENING Weather Man is (always) telling his readers. Overtly. Reminding me how maybe we all should be upbraided more, not less...

Yeah, it's a fine mess we've made! And no, I don't think Weather Man is only joking around. Not truly.

#repentance
#WeatherIsHappening

@WEATHERISHAPPENING@weatherishappening.network

In general, the reason potential reformers do not sufficiently organize is that they don't fundamentally dislike bad stuff. Not purely on the basis of it being bad. Not on that principle, really. Instead, they just dislike how the bad stuff makes them (or others) feel; the hurt or harm which they (or others) feel as a result of bad stuff. So this undercuts their prep time. Which, in turn, makes the timely growth of their movement unlikely.

#organizing

I seldom agree with critics' remarks such as:

• "This show was way better than it needed to be."

• "We're don't deserve such beautiful music."

• "This book had no business being this good."

If taken literally, I mean.

My usual opinion is that art which is less-than-good shouldn't be offered to the public in the first place. Because I want high artistic quality to be the norm. To be the normal public expectation.

Making art is nearly always worthwhile for its creator, even if not good. And it typically deserves charity, too. Yet I think its audience ought to remain small unless the creator has achieved #mastery, or come close.

How much a work of art is able to benefit its creator is rarely matched by how much it is able to benefit society in general. If it benefits society in general at all...that takes lots of practice, wisdom, and sacrifice.

Remember Sturgeon's law.

Of course I'm not saying PEOPLE should stay hidden unless they meet a high standard. I'm only saying that their CREATIONS should. It's all right for people to have highs and lows, middles, and whatever else.

Um, my viewing of the movie KPOP DEMON HUNTERS prompted me to write that last paragraph for clarification. Figuring that Generation Alpha needs it. As well as some dear older folks, maybe.

"Multinational mishmash in motion"

...that's my nomination for the best catch-phrase in the whole Mastodon realm (found on the profile linked below).

Is it for the user called klu9?

Is it for #fediverse activity in general?

Is it for humankind itself?

You decide. 🫵

@klu9@ohai.social

@Sunny@universeodon.com

There are probably some settings you could adjust, to reduce or even totally eliminate the gremlin(s). I have disabled most such "features" on my devices. I know they hurt more than they help, if left on their own.

Part 25 of a series—things I've said here that seem worth repeating on their anniversaries, such as the following words from exactly one year ago.

"The human body requires chloride, chromium, fluoride, iodine, and molybdenum. Why, then, do virtually no food #NutritionLabels include chloride, chromium, fluoride, iodine, or molybdenum data? Breakdowns of soluble and insoluble fiber would seem very helpful too.

"I can find no credible source providing an answer. Why did those omissions apparently become standard policy in the United States and elsewhere? Perhaps I'm overlooking some rudimentary fact(s) about such things—? I wonder if any expert on the subject might notice this post.

"And I'll ask about particular essential fats and proteins another day, maybe."

@setsly@mindly.social