Ponder
6mo ago
Is there anything that you can only get from belonging to a religion that you can’t get from secular alternatives?
There are things that you can get from both religion and secular alternatives (such as moral guidance, community, solace). Is there something about religion that makes religion the better place to seek them?
Ponder
6mo ago
you would have to be totally disconnected from reality to think a single piece of media reshaped someone's entire worldview.
A single piece of media can get someone to buy a product. A single piece of media could make someone decide to try a drug, or always avoid that drug. A single meme can cause people join online groups and that can lead to real-world consequences. It is directionally correct that media reshapes people's worldviews. Some people just steelman the main points to more reasonable positions instead of responding to the literal content of the post.
More generally, people lose interest in things over time. A video game can be fun at first, but then you get to the end and lose interest. You realize there are more fulfilling ways to spend your time. You skim top-level posts for the few topics that most interest you and ignore the rest. You can predict what will happen if you post a reply. There is no longer an expectation of getting into a novel conversation or learning something new.
Ponder
7mo ago
This is already an issue with prescription drugs that are far more addictive and dangerous than psychedelics. This risk could be further mitigated by diversion control requirements like: the newly legal drugs must be stored in a locked location that only adults have access to, a log must kept anytime the drug is consumed/sold/gifted.
If a parent allowed kids to consume the drugs then they could face harsh penalties under the existing laws regarding providing controlled substances to a minor.
Ponder
7mo ago
I definitely knew people who did coke on weekday afternoons in college, presumably cost wasn’t an issue for him.
But coke is usually a social drug and he was found alone. If he wanted a stimulant to use alone I assume he had access to prescription Adderall or Ritalin. I don't have personal experience on this subject so this is just speculative guesswork.
Also, I thought fentanyl test strips are often ineffective for eg laced coke because it could be just a tiny fraction of the powder that’s fentanyl, so the strip could come back fine even if the drug isn’t?
That is true that there is a detection limit on test strips. You could just test a larger sample, but then you'd have to turn the coke/water mixture back to coke or take it sublingually.
Ponder
7mo ago
When I left reddit I removed all my posts and comments
I think some people have taken this even further. Intentionally poisoning the AI training data with false facts or doing SEO type shenanigans to get it to promote their products.
Ponder
7mo ago
I’m paranoid I’m doing something laced now and have largely cut out doing anything now.
There are safety precautions when taking something that didn't come from a pharmacy:
- Fentanyl test strips
- Reagent test to make sure you got the expected substance
- Never use alone and have Narcan on hand. That way if you have an adverse reaction someone can call the paramedics in time.
dealers either sell both and cross contaminate or lace other drugs to get people addicted.
The dealer's incentive is to get people addicted to something that will get the user coming back frequently to buy more. Fentanyl is cheaper by weight than many other drugs and doesn't last very long before it puts the user into withdrawals and causes them to seek out more.
If a first-time user comes in for drug X and then get addicted to fentanyl the dealer then has a daily recurring revenue stream.
In this case a potential pipeline is that the deceased user started with a party drug in the past, but it was laced with fentanyl and he then became addicted. Like you say it is hard to imagine what other drug he would have been intending to use on a weekday afternoon that would have been laced.
some would say things like legalize drugs to kill fentanyl and people get “safe” drugs
The DEA scheduling system is absurd. They should make some of the safer ones legal (especially psychedelics) so that:
- People are getting a pure substance
- People can create safe environments to use the legal drugs in (because if the drug is legal then you can legally have medical and support staff in the environment).
- Takes money away from the drug dealers (who are selling impure/laced product) and creates tax revenue (which can be used on support services to get people to quit more dangerous drugs).
Ponder
7mo ago
That’s a good point, but I think the court can ultimately conclude if something is addictive. This would be similar to how the court can conclude if something qualifies as a religion. They use a list of characteristics common to established religions and say these things indicate something could be a religion, but at the same time realize that not every religion would meet all the criteria.
Furthermore, people can become addicted to video games, gambling, or porn and there are some established criteria for what those addictions look like. In the DSM-5-TR Internet Gaming Disorder is included in the section recommending conditions for further research:
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Preoccupation with gaming
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Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
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Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
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Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
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Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
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Continuing to game despite problems
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Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
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The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
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Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming
Ponder
7mo ago
I wonder if there are any parallels between this case and lawsuits against tobacco companies where those companies had been covering up the health risks associated with smoking. I'm not very familiar with the cases. I'm thinking there is probably some precedent that if you have internal data showing something is dangerous/addictive and then you continue to present it as not dangerous/addictive then that opens you up to legal liability.
Since social media companies collect tons of data to optimize engagement on their platforms they probably have something that shows they know social media is addictive. If you have that internal data then you put out something that says, "Facebook builds its products to create value, not to be addictive" https://about.fb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-The-Social-Dilemma-Gets-Wrong.pdf then I could see how this case has some legitimacy. It could also be strategically correct. They know social media companies will settle out of court to avoid a discovery process that would expose the internal documents showing that social media is addictive.
Ponder
7mo ago
trying to figure out how to treat my depression without making my dick not work
You could use supplements like Icariin/Yohimbine or prescribed pharmaceuticals as a temporary solution.
...maybe find a kinky alt girl with weird makeup...I have this intense craving for sexual novelty. I want to explore kinky sex...
A lot of your desires for novelty and kinks could probably be explored with your current partner. Work on training your imagination so that you can feel different things when you are intimate with your partner. Get creative with the use of costumes/makeup/props/toys. Exploring many kinks is best done with someone you know deeply and are comfortable with.
Ponder
7mo ago
Do you have any recommendations on which series is best (1959-1964, 1985-1989, 2002-2003, 2019-2020)?
Are there any episodes that you felt stood out above the rest?
Ponder
7mo ago
Does anyone know of a sci-fi anthology series like The Outer Limits (1995-2002 TV Series)? There is something about this series that I don't seem to find in shows that are recommend as similar. The things I like most about the show are:
- It felt connected to real-life psychology concepts (like the unconscious mind)
- The future uses of technology mostly seem plausible
- Twist endings
- Most episodes felt like there was a meta level moral commentary on human nature.
The closest show I've found is Black Mirror.
Ponder
7mo ago
I've tried DL-Phenylalanine alone and didn't get much of an effect at 500mg.
However, when taken before Kanna it did seem to give a small mood + focus boost to the Kanna effects. Kanna itself upregulates VMAT-2, which causes more monoamines (including dopamine) to be released. Kanna also does many other things, so it is hard to exactly say what mechanism caused the subjective effects.
I've also tried Oroxylin A which has a Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor component. This felt much stronger than the dopamine precursor. I would say it felt somewhat like caffeine, but more noticeable and clean. It also synergized well with Kanna and enhanced the mood + focus effects.
I've had really mixed results with Kanna and I've used it less than 10 times. These combinational anecdotes may just be a coincidence. Sometimes I barely notice the Kanna and then when I take the same dose again the mood and focus boost is much more noticeable.
I once lived in an apartment complex that would have occasional events where you could have snacks and meet with the neighbors. It was a good way for people in the complex to meet others and socialize.
Maybe if you proposed an informal event that had food and games (yard/board) where the main purpose was getting to know your neighbors there would be some interest. There seems to be demand for this type of thing. People like to know their neighbors but need someone else to take initiative and come up with a reason for people to meet.
Then at this event you could briefly talk about the neighborhood org and also ask people if they have ideas for future events and would be interested in helping organize the next one.
ETA: If I was invited to an event where the main purpose was to get me to join an neighborhood org I would probably decline because that could lead to work and commitments that I'd prefer to avoid. It sounds like a ploy to get me to do unpaid work. However, if someone was organizing an event to meet the neighbors I'd be much more enthusiastic because that sounds casual and fun. Then if I was vibing with the neighbors at the casual event and someone brought up the neighborhood org I'd be much more inclined to help out with it.
Ponder
8mo ago
The only reliable way to meet people in person anymore has been, in my experience, through academia. I had decent dating success in graduate school, though I think that might be more a statement about me/the social settings that I thrive and in
I think you're on to something here and you may be able to replicate this success by carefully selecting the IRL settings. Two key things that help IRL are (1) finding a place with singles that you find attractive and (2) places where you can be in a position of slightly higher status/expertise relative to the other people in that setting.
Things like volunteering or running a niche book club are potential places where you might be able to find success.
Ponder
8mo ago
Why did you join the org?
Other people might want to join for the same reasons as you.
If you can't think of a good reason why you joined then why not just leave the org and let other people handle it?
Ponder
8mo ago
There may be some unfulfilled part of your mind is inaccessible to the conscious mind. It is alerting you that you are ignoring it by manifesting as unhappiness. You could try to get in touch with that part of your mind through things like Internal Family Systems, Internal Double Crux, a therapist, or psychedelics.
Once you have a better idea of what this unfulfilled desire is then it should be much clearer what you need to do differently in your life to feel happy. It could potentially be a lack of some type of deeper connection with people and/or the world.
Ponder
8mo ago
Another comment mentioned testosterone and I will add n=1 that when I supplement testosterone (Cistanche or Tongkat Ali) I feel slightly more competitive.
I will also add that I don't like artificial competitions like sports or video games. I do things because I enjoy them not because I need to compare my results to others. I focus on collaborative non-hierarchal endeavors such as attending support groups and book clubs. That makes me much happier. IMO building things together with people feels better than winning competitions. Sometimes there is a small competitive component such as wanting to your local organization/club to be held in higher esteem than similar organizations, but that would never preclude me from helping out my competition if they asked nicely.
Ponder
9mo ago
I haven't fully fleshed this one out but big pharma appears to have some amount of control over the FDA.
There are effective and unique Russian drugs (https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/08/16/an-iron-curtain-has-descended-upon-psychopharmacology/) that the FDA goes out of their way to keep out the hands of Americans. You can't get them prescribed by US doctors and the FDA has been cracking down on vendors that sell them (https://liftmode.com/product-discontinuation/). It is legal to import and sell them if you market them as 'not intended for human consumption' but they appear to be cracking down on this by arguing that the vendor knows that customers are buying with the intent to consume them.
If the FDA really cared about it's stated goal of 'protecting the public health' then it would create a safe and legal path for these drugs to be obtained by Americans. Since the FDAs actions benefit American big pharma at the expense of public health I would assume that big pharma has some amount of influence/control over the FDA.
Ponder
9mo ago
I haven't had a girlfriend in years, but I have low sex-drive. I believe I'm on the autism spectrum and being around people for extended periods of time is emotionally draining to me. I would describe my life as content. Objectively, I have decent career. I'm in situations where I could find a girlfriend if I wanted to, but it doesn't seem worth the effort unless I were to encounter a woman who was very unique and idiosyncratic in ways that complimented my neurodivergence.
There are definitely ways to live a fulfilling life without a romantic partner, but it often requires finding meaning and connection from other sources. I think your limited social life may be a source of dissatisfaction in your life. I am able to get many of my social needs met through a close friend, social events where we talk about deeper topics, and some spiritual exploration.
You might consider asking yourself questions along the lines of:
- Does the way I'm living provide a meaningful life to me?
- Do I feel a sense of connection to others and/or the world?
If you are experience dissatisfaction in areas like those then that would probably indicate that on some level you want more out of life and need to make changes. The changes may be unrelated to your relationship status.
Ponder
9mo ago
When am I allowed to mace a hobo?
If that is a question that you really want to know the answer to then ask a police officer that is stationed in area. They are the ones that enforce the rules/laws so they should be able to give you an idea of how this would play out and may give you some tips on how to do it in a way that would cause the least amount of trouble for you. They probably dislike dealing with the hobos so they might be incentivized to give you useful advice in dealing with the situation. The caveat being that an individual police officer may not speak for the whole department.
I think a more relevant question is:
- When should you mace a hobo?
The answer to that question is probably close to never, unless you are personally in danger and can't deescalate the situation in some other way.
Hobos have a lot less to lose than you. A sad reality, as you are probably aware, is that many times the person who cares the least about the consequences of their actions often has a power advantage in the situation. Gabbling hobos usually fall into at least one of 2 general buckets:
- Oblivious to some relevant parts of reality and therefore dangerous because their behavior is unpredictable
- Know that they can get away with their behavior because other people don't want to deal with the potential social/legal consequences of trying to stop them.
Furthermore, this question has an ethical component:
- Why should you intervene to help other people if it is not your job and has no benefit to you?
My personal view on this is something like this: If society encourages/rewards me for helping people, and there is no risk of consequences to me, then I will often be happy to help other people. To a limit of course: I'm not being paid to do it and therefore much of my time needs to be spent pursuing my own economic interests. There are many benefits to society (and therefore me as participant in said society) if people help each other out, and doing good deeds can often be its own reward.
However, in your story so mention your coworker's attitude to this situation was to worry about that "that poor man's mental illness" instead of encouraging you to help the woman. Ideally, society's response to standing up to hobos that are harassing people would be something like this:
- The people in the area appreciate and cheer when someone stands up to the hobo.
- If you tell the story of standing up to a hobo the response is near 100% that you are good person who did a good deed.
- The authorities have a clear policy that it is ok to mace hobos if they are harassing someone and the authorities will not take any action against you.
- People that justifiably mace hobos never face legal consequences.
If those conditions are not all met then my default response would be that I'm only responsible and obligated to solve problems that personally impact me. If there is a problem in society where those conditions are not met then other people need to change their norms and attitudes to incentivize me to help them.
If society wants to tolerate anti-social behaviors in an attempt to be more compassionate towards people suffering mental health issues then that is fine. Just don't expect people to be good Samaritans when that "tolerance" creates social stigma against intervening in situations where someone with mental health issues is causing problems for others.
I'll find other situations and environments where my help is appreciated and respected.
Ponder
9mo ago
- I avoid eye contact, and I get very uncomfortable if I force myself to hold eye contact
- Trouble understanding non-verbal social cues, especially in real-time
- Flat affect (showing very little emotion even if other people are). I also don't feel emotions much at all.
- Disinterest/frustration with social interactions especially in large group or with people I don't know well
- Disinterest in small talk, sports, etc.
- Very logical/rational thinking and wanting to do things efficiently without regard for emotions.
- Sticking to routines (eating similar food each week, doing similar things on a weekly basis, etc.)
Ponder
9mo ago
I don't drink often (~twice a month, never more than once a week) and only at bars. I aim for about .06-.08 BAC when I drink. On days I drink I also take Phenibut in the morning, which potentiates the alcohol in the evening. I become very confident and charismatic when I'm in this state (as long as I'm interacting with non-sober people). It feels amazing and euphoric. It is also like exposure therapy because some of the confidence remains when I sober up.
I intentionally only drink at bars so that I do not become dependent on needing alcohol in everyday situations.
What has your experience with alcohol been? Do you think I should drink or more or less than I do?
Ponder
9mo ago
I don't think any of these dates developed emotional attachments to me. The pattern seemed to be that she would view me as a nice/pleasant/reliable person but there wasn't enough beyond to generate a deeper emotional attachment.
Ponder
9mo ago
For spiritual growth you probably want to meet with a priest, not ask an internet forum for relationship advice. Likewise a financial planner is the person to talk to about your retirement account.
Indeed, and I am pursuing non-internet advice on those things. I was mostly bringing them up to make the point that they seemed more salient than romantic relationships in terms of life satisfaction.
I will add though that someone here mentioned John Vervaeke's Awakening from the Meaning Crisis and that has been really helpful on my spiritual journey. It gives me grammar and knowledge that I can use in other places of spiritual exploration.
You are correct I'm not asking if I should belong to a religion. I was pondering the concept of 'Religion of No Religion' that John Vervaeke talks about
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