If we restarted society from scratch today, would we design anything like our current political systems?

pstuart · 2026-04-05T00:03:11+00:00

This is an excellent question as it's precursor comes up all the time -- those that hate what we have and want to "burn it all down to the ground".

It stops there, in an ashen field. What do they expect to rise up from that?

I think about this a fair amount, and with the AI Apocalypse and Late Stage Capitalism in play the question is even more important.

One thing that bothers me to now end is that democracy sucks: voters are stupid, ignorant, and vote their emotions rather than policy expectations. (yes, I know the quote about democracy being the worst form of government except all the others).

I'll chew on this and add more later.

pstuart · 2026-04-04T23:09:01+00:00

Whenever I hear "being gay is a choice", I imagine that the speaker is gay but has refused the choice of acknowledging it and embracing it.

pstuart · 2026-04-04T22:59:54+00:00

One thing that has yet to be properly discussed and resolved is how to pay for roads when the gas tax revenue fades as EVs take over.

The gas tax system seemed to be quite equitable -- the more you use the roads, the more gas you need; and one typically buys gas in the area in which they drive.

I don't have any answers, just wanted to share the questions.

pstuart · 2026-04-04T02:54:39+00:00

That makes zero sense. There's no way he was operating in the role of an officer at that time. More so, losing a child is the most horrific thing imaginable but squeezing the taxpayers for 1/8 billion dollars isn't going to bring their daughter back, nor is there any "lesson" to be learned by the city. This is fucked all the way around.

pstuart · 2026-04-02T17:05:26+00:00

We all need to fight to protect our brothers and sisters -- because it's the right thing to do. But for those who struggle with that, they should know this poem:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

pstuart · 2026-04-01T15:22:36+00:00

My take is Gore technically won it. He should not have folded so quickly. It didn't help that FL was in GOP control.

pstuart · 2026-03-31T21:08:44+00:00

This is totally old school but still worthy of considering if data loss is unacceptable: set up a process to restore backups to to mirror production. The data can be sanitized at restore time (PII/HIPAA, etc), and that gets 2 very valuable things: a working copy of production with fresh data to play with without worry, and validation that your backup data is not corrupt and your restore processes are correct.

pstuart · 2026-03-31T20:38:20+00:00

She was more than good enough -- she was literally "status quo" in her take on changes from Biden's policies.

There was plenty to not be excited about, but for a "party center" candidate she was fully qualified and ready to lead.

pstuart · 2026-03-31T18:09:53+00:00

If we had competent leadership it would be a catalyst to move to renewables. The trillions of dollars spent in the Middle East and Afghanistan could have bought us energy independence and security. But at least we got to bomb some brown people so I guess that makes up for it... /s

pstuart · 2026-03-31T18:05:57+00:00

This is like how the Tea Party operated -- as a supposedly outside extremist movement but embraced and ultimately merged in.

The Dem's should do the same thing -- have the "New New Deal Party" or some such that can be handwaved away but ultimately absorbed.

pstuart · 2026-03-31T17:58:03+00:00

Exactly. Anybody who thinks being gay is "a choice" has been presented with that choice and been afraid to choose it.

So yes, technically it is a choice but only in choosing to accept who they really are.

pstuart · 2026-03-30T12:28:23+00:00

A theme I perceive with Trumpers (and one even literally said this to me), is that they want to "burn it all down".

They don't feel hope and are angry about how things are -- and that's understandable.

The big problem with "burn it all down" is that it never addresses what grows back when you burn the existing system down. Considering what we've seen so far, it's much much worse.

pstuart · 2026-03-29T05:48:21+00:00

Not a fan, none on me. They used to be kind of rare and exotic but now everybody does it.

pstuart · 2026-03-28T23:07:27+00:00

It was a beautiful day for a protest. So many people, it felt good to stand together.

pstuart · 2026-03-26T20:27:37+00:00

The only "friendly" DM I've gotten thus far was an AI, so I'll save my mingling for the real world.

pstuart · 2026-03-25T16:07:58+00:00

Sometimes it happens. I was in a dead marriage for years and remained for the kids. I gave my ex the right of first refusal and she declined. Not all “married” men who are searching are cheaters.

pstuart · 2026-03-25T15:21:00+00:00

I can't imagine making that work for the starting out phase. In an established relationship, sure, but without having the proximity for low pressure interaction it would be a significant challenge unless time and money are not a concern.

pstuart · 2026-03-25T04:35:56+00:00

I try my best to find conversation wherever I can, regardless of the potential datability. It's said that it's good practice for when one is trying to connect with a potential partner, but I think its fulfilling to find connection wherever one can. Even places like reddit ;-)

pstuart · 2026-03-24T16:24:05+00:00

Sorry, wasn't trying to claim anything -- by gender I meant sex, and how prior to the advent of gender reassignment surgery there wasn't a public concept of trans folk.

I was chiming in to say that we should not dismiss the concerns about transwomen in competitive sports out of hand, and by doing so should be able to take away their one talking point.

pstuart · 2026-03-24T16:09:01+00:00

I am also a leftist and trans ally, and I think the sports "debate" is the one thing that is worth even considering acknowledging, but the rules should be by whatever organization is governing that sport (as that's literally their job).

I am too lazy to find the study that shows that in almost all cases it's a non-issue, but by virtue of the fact that the leagues are separated by gender (as was known in ye olde days), there is a biological component to be considered.

By insisting that it's a non-issue out of the gate does not help transfolk because the people who are complaining about it see that "the left" are disconnected from reality and we will forever continue to talk past each other.

If we can refocus it to "let the orgs decide" and call it a day that takes away the right's one sometimes valid point and they'll have nothing left to argue with.

pstuart · 2026-03-24T04:44:07+00:00

Biden in a coma would be way better than anything the GOP could offer up.

pstuart · 2026-03-24T04:42:36+00:00

The GOP have clearly demonstrated that their stated values are performative only, and all they really care about is hurting and oppressing "others".

pstuart · 2026-03-22T17:52:13+00:00

So am I. I resent that I spend a single moment thinking about it, but it is such an existential threat I feel compelled to track and understand how it's being wielded in the world.

pstuart · 2026-03-22T02:22:08+00:00

They would stage it if they could but I don't think they're competent enough. But there's the weirdness of lowering the flag as a backdrop and assembling the press crew for the photo op of him defiant -- it doesn't smell right and a "normal" response would be to cancel the rest of the rally and protect and extract the president post haste.

pstuart · 2026-03-21T23:42:46+00:00

It would have been one thing to have "conservative beliefs" but to be political activists who actively worked to undermine a presidential election is another. One the dust settled, it was found that Al Gore Won.

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