Bet's recent activity
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Comment on Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is weaponizing consumer protection laws against nonprofit organizations in ~misc
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Comment on Why we’re turning psychiatric labels into identities in ~health.mental
Bet LinkI thoroughly enjoyed this article, and find my own thoughts very much in alignment with the perspective presented therein. This excerpt, in particular, stood out to me: Yea, I agree with that....I thoroughly enjoyed this article, and find my own thoughts very much in alignment with the perspective presented therein. This excerpt, in particular, stood out to me:
In “DSM: A History of Psychiatry’s Bible” (2021), the medical sociologist Allan V. Horwitz presents reasons for the DSM-5’s botched revolution, including infighting among members of the working groups and the sidelining of clinicians during the revision process. But there’s a larger difficulty: revamping the DSM requires destroying kinds of people. As the philosopher Ian Hacking observed, labelling people is very different from labelling quarks or microbes. Quarks and microbes are indifferent to their labels; by contrast, human classifications change how “individuals experience themselves—and may even lead people to evolve their feelings and behavior in part because they are so classified.”
Yea, I agree with that. People like to fit in, so it’s no surprise that they would — after finding themselves belonging to or accepted into a certain group — have a vested interest in staying within and further binding themselves to the norms of that specific community. Especially formerly lonely people who know what it is to be left out; why would they jeopardize this newfound sense of connection? It is, after all, quite the relief to feel understood. So, if people subconsciously pull select, ‘well-documented’ in-group prevalent aspects of their disorder closer to the surface, whilst tucking away and minimizing some less commonly acknowledged ones, in the interest of fitting the accepted mold, then that’s that.
This actually brings to mind something an acquaintance once brought up during a discussion about mental illness. They were a practicing psychologist, and something they had noticed within their own experiences with schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients in particular was that people raised within DSM informed cultures reacted to their own delusions and hallucinations differently from those raised without. That is, the patients all definitely had the disorder, however, the manner in which they each experienced the disorder strongly conformed to the expectations of the culture to which they belonged. So, as the excerpt states: “… human classifications change how individuals experience themselves.”
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Comment on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pitches mandatory national service at eighteen in ~news
Bet LinkNow, I know this isn’t a joke, but… is this a joke? What in the world is going on in the UK?Interior minister James Cleverly told broadcasters there would be no criminal sanctions for skipping mandatory service but that people will be compelled to do it, without providing further details.
Asked by the BBC if forcing adults to volunteer was at odds with the Conservative Party’s liberal tradition, Cleverly said: “We force people to do things all the time.”
Now, I know this isn’t a joke, but… is this a joke? What in the world is going on in the UK?
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Comment on How a profane joke on Twitter spawned a legal army in ~tech
Bet LinkLink sans paywall: https://archive.ph/afQbyLink sans paywall: https://archive.ph/afQby
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How a profane joke on Twitter spawned a legal army
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Comment on US Supreme Court ruling greenlights nearly all racial gerrymandering in ~misc
Bet LinkHighlighting the issue: Really driving it home: Further reading on Thomas’ concurrence, which is, frankly, terrifying.Highlighting the issue:
Now, Alito writes, the courts must give lawmakers a “presumption of legislative good faith” when they are accused of racial gerrymandering. The clear line between partisan and racial gerrymandering is suddenly very murky. Under the majority’s reasoning, racial discrimination in redistricting is “simply a side effect of the legislature’s partisan goal” and, therefore, permissible.
Really driving it home:
To bring a claim of illegal racial gerrymandering in the future, litigants must provide a “substitute map” showing “how the state could have achieved its legitimate political objectives…while producing significantly greater racial balance.”
Further reading on Thomas’ concurrence, which is, frankly, terrifying.
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US Supreme Court ruling greenlights nearly all racial gerrymandering
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Comment on Toward a feminist criminal law: Mass incarceration means police and prisons are not simple allies for feminists who want a more just world in ~life.women
Bet LinkUniversal Basic Income (UBI) would go a long way towards alleviating all sorts of abuses, as a first step. And, frankly, UBI is nearly always the answer — from suicide prevention to addressing...When I speak on feminism’s role in US mass incarceration, people often ask me: ‘Well, if not criminalisation and punishment, what are we supposed to do about violence against women?’ I generally respond: ‘Give women money.’
Universal Basic Income (UBI) would go a long way towards alleviating all sorts of abuses, as a first step. And, frankly, UBI is nearly always the answer — from suicide prevention to addressing domestic violence to creating preliminary safeguards from free-falling directly into homelessness.
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Comment on Cyberattack forces major US health care network to divert ambulances from hospitals in ~health
Bet LinkThe healthcare system near me was hit with something similar to this about a year and some change ago, and I live in the middle of podunk nowhere. Wild stuff. At this point, it’s just...The healthcare system near me was hit with something similar to this about a year and some change ago, and I live in the middle of podunk nowhere. Wild stuff.
At this point, it’s just irresponsible to not prioritize addressing this issue at all levels, but it also seems clear that everyone who can affect true change will be dragging their feet till something catastrophic happens to goad them onwards.
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
Bet Link ParentThe comment you replied to did not state this. There is no naming of Biden, Trump, or any other politician by them — they’ve neither endorsed nor castigated any political leader’s specific agenda...I said Bidens policies won't come close to "reversing" climate change like the comment I replied to stated.
The comment you replied to did not state this. There is no naming of Biden, Trump, or any other politician by them — they’ve neither endorsed nor castigated any political leader’s specific agenda or policies in any way; rather they only made mention of certain pertinent political issues which will most definitely be directly addressed on the upcoming ballot.
You introduced discussion of Biden, not them. And whilst the tone of their comment may have been a bit prickly, possibly even annoying, and almost certainly poorly considered given the fact that they are complaining about a topic they could have easily avoided by utilizing the blocking feature on this site — it still was also very much not the contentious opinion your responses here have made it out to have been.
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
Bet LinkHats off to Macklemore — this is quite an admirable thing to do. However… why, oh why oh why oh why oh why, must we include the idea that not voting for Biden is somehow a good and righteous...Hats off to Macklemore — this is quite an admirable thing to do.
However… why, oh why oh why oh why oh why, must we include the idea that not voting for Biden is somehow a good and righteous stance to take if one supports the people of Palestine? That “not voting for [Biden] in the fall” will somehow, miraculously, not simply amount to a tacit endorsement of Trump?
Fuck. That.
Vote. Voooooooottttttttttteeeeeee.
You politically conscious yet dumb m***********. Vote.
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Comment on Have you had a life-altering change in who you are? in ~talk
Bet Link ParentBut organized religion and Christian tradition are two separate concepts. They overlap, yes, but belief or disbelief in one doesn’t necessitate a belief or disbelief in the other. And how one...But organized religion and Christian tradition are two separate concepts. They overlap, yes, but belief or disbelief in one doesn’t necessitate a belief or disbelief in the other. And how one chooses or does not choose to proselytize is altogether a different and equally contentious matter in and of itself.
:Not saying this has anything to do with what the original commenter to whom you addressed your question might believe or think, only noting something that caught me as interesting about your comment.
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Comment on My shooting range, my doctor's practice, my general [translated from German] in ~misc
Bet Link ParentI’ve lived all over the states, and if there’s one thing that is true, it’s that the US has a lot of variation in local flavor. Good to know sanity reigns supreme at least somewhere around here....I’ve lived all over the states, and if there’s one thing that is true, it’s that the US has a lot of variation in local flavor. Good to know sanity reigns supreme at least somewhere around here. As it is, where I’m currently located, things are only picking up steam as we head closer towards the election.
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Comment on My shooting range, my doctor's practice, my general [translated from German] in ~misc
Bet LinkThis is completely normal, unfortunately. It should be over-the-top, as you’ve said, but it is not, and, frankly, the constant barrage of ugliness, the weight of it, is wearing us all down. I’ve...reading it (and from an outside perspective) it's just so over the top ridiculous that I'd really like to know what people from the US or living there think about it.
This is completely normal, unfortunately. It should be over-the-top, as you’ve said, but it is not, and, frankly, the constant barrage of ugliness, the weight of it, is wearing us all down.
I’ve long since lost track of how many US flags with either Jesus laying hands over a ‘pious champion of the faith and faithful Trump’ or the words ‘We The People’ superimposed over the stars and stripes I have seen over only the last few months — let alone the last few years. Or the black-on-black, purposefully designed to look torn-at-the-edges US flags being flown mounted on lifted pickup trucks that seem to be gaining popularity in my area at the moment, nearly always paired with ‘Trump Is My President’ or ‘God, Guns, and Trump’ stickers.
And the perspectives of the people in the article simply match many of the ideas shared widely where I’m located, as well. Man, you should hear what the MAGA candidates for office have been saying — at this point, all of the conspiracy theories are mainstream, just par for the course. So many people are burnt out waiting for that next shocking thing, yet others seem galvanized by it. It is a tumultuous time in the good ol’ US of A.
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Comment on "The One Who Is". Who on Tildes recently called God by this name? in ~humanities
Bet LinkNot the commenter who commented your looking-for-that-missed-connection comment, but, just as a general possible answer, that strikes me as an Exodus 3:14 reference. Some religious traditions...Not the commenter who commented your looking-for-that-missed-connection comment, but, just as a general possible answer, that strikes me as an Exodus 3:14 reference. Some religious traditions simply preclude the direct use of a name, considering doing so to be profane. It’s not necessarily uncommon. Also, sometimes it’s just another ‘name’ in and of itself.
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Comment on A new service is trying to fight California's loneliness epidemic in ~life
Bet LinkMy interest is always piqued by this sort of thing. Is this something that many people would consider using? I can’t imagine it for myself, but then again, I also have never used dating apps, and...My interest is always piqued by this sort of thing. Is this something that many people would consider using? I can’t imagine it for myself, but then again, I also have never used dating apps, and they are basically the same concept.
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Comment on Black LGBTQ+ youth need spaces that embrace them fully, researchers say in ~lgbt
Bet Link ParentEmphasis mine. I’m not seeing anything remotely similar to segregation suggested within this article.Experts say that supporting Black queer youth means creating safe spaces that embrace them fully. They want non-LGBTQ+ organizations to become more welcoming and for LGBTQ+ organizations to address barriers around race that make it difficult for kids of color to use their services.
“I think this is also especially a call to action for faith communities to double down on things like supporting Black queer youth in their communities and making sure that they feel safe and included,” said Charleigh Flohr, associate director of public education and research at the HRC Foundation.
Ka’Riel Gaiter, director of services for the Chicago-based LGBTQ+ nonprofit Youth Empowerment Performance Project, said safe spaces for very vulnerable queer youth in their city increasingly enforce rules that sometimes make it hard for kids to access services — like requiring IDs for entry. IDs can prove to be unattainable for youth who haven’t been able to update their names or gender markers or who are experiencing homelessness.
Emphasis mine. I’m not seeing anything remotely similar to segregation suggested within this article.
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Comment on US literary magazine retracts Israeli writer’s coexistence essay amid mass resignations in ~books
Bet Link ParentAh, I see! Thank you for the clarification.Ah, I see! Thank you for the clarification.
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Comment on US literary magazine retracts Israeli writer’s coexistence essay amid mass resignations in ~books
Bet Link ParentQuestion: Am I incorrect in assuming that, in both this comment and the last, you are specifically critiquing the article written by JTA and the TOI staff about Chen’s essay, and not Chen’s essay...Question: Am I incorrect in assuming that, in both this comment and the last, you are specifically critiquing the article written by JTA and the TOI staff about Chen’s essay, and not Chen’s essay itself?
Because, it seems as if the two replies here are directly addressing the Chen essay, and, truth be told, that’s initially also the article I’d thought you were commenting about before the addition of this latest comment with the quote.
What I’m saying here is that I am somewhat confused, lol.
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Comment on US literary magazine retracts Israeli writer’s coexistence essay amid mass resignations in ~books
Bet Link ParentThis criticism doesn’t hold water. Chen’s essay is more than worth the time it takes to read, and very much does acknowledge the inherent imbalance imposed by the Israeli state on the Palestinian...- Exemplary
This criticism doesn’t hold water. Chen’s essay is more than worth the time it takes to read, and very much does acknowledge the inherent imbalance imposed by the Israeli state on the Palestinian people.
Nuance, reading comprehension; let’s just go ahead and slap those little guys on the critically endangered list, because — for goodness’ sake, even the poetry she selected speaks so eloquently for itself. How much bitterly myopic dogmatism did these people bring into their reading of this writing to twist the narrative so terribly?
From the retracted-for-being-too-offensive-to-our-sensibilities piece:
Two weeks after the present war began, I took the plunge and again began driving children to hospitals. My own grown-up children were against this, but I was determined to go. The night before my first drive since the war started, my husband and I decided he would accompany me, just in case. My son scoffed at this: Go on your own if you must, he said wryly. If anything happens, we don’t want to lose both our parents. We woke up at 5:00 a.m., made coffee, and waited for the coordinator to give me the go-ahead. The rules had changed: instead of waiting for them in the parking lot of Tarkumia, I was instructed to leave the house only when my passengers had gotten through security. At 6:30, I got the call, and we drove in silence to Tarkumia. The road leading to the checkpoint was deserted; since October 7, Palestinians had been forbidden to leave the West Bank for work in Israel.
We arrived at the parking lot, and I got out of the car. A small boy with a shock of black hair and his father were waiting at the other side of the parking lot. I hesitated as a soldier came up to me, and I fumbled for my driver’s license and the details of my passengers, sent to me earlier: Jad, age three, accompanied by his father. Suddenly, the little boy waved to me from across the way, and I waved back as they walked over to my car. The father spoke a little Hebrew. We introduced ourselves, quickly strapped Jad into the booster, and drove away. Ten minutes later, I dropped my husband off at the junction below my house. I felt safe. I was doing the right thing. This boy deserves medical treatment; he is not a part of the war, I thought. On this first journey, I focused on only the job at hand: to get Jad to the hospital. An hour later, I said goodbye to them outside the pediatric unit of Sheba Medical Center. While the father busied himself removing an overnight case from the trunk of my car, I unbuckled Jad from the booster, and he held out his arms and smiled up at me. Shukran, shukran, thank you, the father said as I cradled Jad in my arms for a moment. And I wanted to say, No, thank you for trusting me with your child. Thank you for reminding me that we can still find empathy and love in this broken world. I followed them with my eyes as they disappeared behind the glass doors of the hospital, and then I switched the radio on.
Two weeks of pause to rebalance emotionally before plunging right back ahead into action largely deemed as stupid, traitorous madness on one side, and hopelessly never enough on the other. Brava to this lady, and what a fucking dunce that Tranen character is for equating Chen’s deeds and words from this essay as supportive in any way of genocide.
How incredibly alarming. Paxton is and has always been a corrosive force working against justice, so these tactics of intimidation are only more of the same — however, the sheer arrogance and audacity to claim it is his right as an AG to access any private information he chooses, at whim, so long as it has even the most tenuous of connections to Texas, simply because he wills it so is hair-raising.
Well, this article was as informative as it was infuriating.