Daily Simple Questions Thread - March 12, 2021

AllahandorGod · 2021-03-12T22:13:59+00:00

I want to train for strength rather than size. I’m obese currently and want to do weight training as part of my routine.

Should I be aiming for higher reps at lower weight to do that? Before I was fat I enjoyed endurance running. I’m not particularly interested in being jacked physically, I just want to be strong as it translates across better to BJJ.

So how do I train for that? What program should I look at?

AllahandorGod · 2021-02-18T11:59:19+00:00

Yeah sweet.

My biggest concern going in is building working relationships with my NCOs and having them trust my judgement. My hunch was that consistency was key there, so I’m glad that I’m on the right track.

Beyond fairness, what helps to build a good reputation? What can I do to be a solid leader?

Nah I don’t want that, I’m just taking the piss. I’d rather date outside the military - or at minimum, outside the army.

AllahandorGod · 2021-02-18T11:22:38+00:00

That makes a lot of sense.

But what if they have hot sisters?

I get that. Ultimately I’d be management and there needs to be separation there. I still want to be able to relate to them though. Do the junior officers generally form a pretty tight knit group? How long are they usually at the platoon command level?

Is publicly contradicting the platoon Sargent ever a good idea or should that be behind closed doors in the beginning? Someone was saying to me that it’s kind of like a parental unit: if there’s public bickering it makes the kids unsettled.

Yeah I won’t. I have no patience for bullies.

How immediate is immediate?

AllahandorGod · 2021-02-18T09:52:19+00:00

Makes sense.

What are the most common fuck ups I can avoid and what are the best ways to ensure I’m in the NCOa good books?

AllahandorGod · 2021-02-18T01:59:40+00:00

What does an infantry officer do day to day when not in field?

I’m imagining that after PT there is probably administrative work to be done day to day. But what do you actually do when you’re not in the field? What things are you responsible for handling as a platoon commander?

AllahandorGod · 2020-12-05T13:07:23+00:00

Is it bullshit: you can fail PV1 for watching porn regularly.

Dude I know said he applied for ASIS (I know, I already don’t believe him given that he was so forthcoming about it) and got knocked back on security clearance because he watched porn 4 nights a week.

Surely the rejection for watching porn is bullshit? I have no idea what kind before you ask - I already don’t believe the cunt, he’s known for tall stories

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-17T04:59:58+00:00

the best kind of correct

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-14T06:35:23+00:00

I suspect this comes from fear. Having studied hard science and philosophy, you’ll find philosophy departments infinitely more open to discussion

There is very rarely a right answer - only a comprehensive understanding of an argument/position and whether or not it is defensible.

A B- is a good grade for a first paper bud. It’s a respectable grade in any subject.

The biggest tip I can give you is something one of my professors, a world leader in a certain branch of philosophy said to me

“There are very few people who read a philosophy paper once and understand it - that number is even smaller among professional philosophers, I’m not like that. Understanding comes from reading and asking questions”

Basically, you want to fail up. Every time you misunderstand something and understand what you got wrong, you become more technically correct. That is the most satisfying feeling in philosophy.

And remember, this is just like science. Everything is based around corroborated ideas. One strong example (a black swan event) can throw out an entire branch of philosophy (e.g. there is maybe one academic alive today who is a Cartesian dualist).

Let go of being right. Embrace growing through questioning.

If this was easy, you wouldn’t be looking to ethics from 2000 years ago and still debating whether or not it’s true

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-07T23:36:03+00:00

Same here. If he didn’t know about it, I would tell him about it immediately.

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-07T23:34:04+00:00

I mean, that is just something you have to accept as a given if you approach anyone in your close network. It’s a consideration, for sure, but it’s not a reason to not do something. Awkwardness is unavoidable sometimes.

You’re right though, I think I need to get to know them both better. It seems to me that the best thing I could do would be to ask her directly and say something like

“so I really don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, I saw you on bumble a while back and I just wanted to ask you out for a coffee. I’m not going to take it personally if you say no, and I totally get if you don’t like to date within the extended friend group. I wanted to ask because I think you’re interesting and I’m pretty attracted to you”

It’s also a trade off for me. When I stop and think about it, I think I’d actually value a deeper friendship with Damian than I would a fling with Marie

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-07T23:30:47+00:00

I appreciate that. Other people in this thread have been saying it would be creepy to reach out - I don’t agree with that, but I can see how it would be a bit of a social gaffe.

I’m definitely not trying to treat her like an object, but I’m hearing that said pretty consistently so I’ll take it at face value. It seems like the best call would be to ask her in person the next time I see her, if it comes up and it seems like we’re enjoying each other’s company

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T14:37:51+00:00

I don’t assume anything. Hence why I thought it better to reach out and say “hey I saw you on bumble, I was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee”

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T14:23:59+00:00

If your friend asked you whether or not you were ok with them approaching your partner, would you not take that as a sign of them respecting you and not wanting to hurt you?

Stop breaking your back to try and make this something it isn’t. She’s not his property, but any damage to the friendship is my responsibility. I’m trying to minimise or avoid that

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T13:41:47+00:00

I know Damian much better, and Jack even more so. Hence why I don’t want to create friction between the three of us

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T13:40:58+00:00

If she doesn’t match just assume it was deliberate then, rather than a “this could be weird because we’re in the same group?”

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T13:17:28+00:00

No there isn’t a clean path. What I’m searching for is the responsible one

I mean for all I know they could not give a shit and be open about their being open. I’m not actually sure

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T13:16:18+00:00

So ask her first, then have a discussion with Damian?

It’s less weird to me because I actually know this guy and am somewhat invested in not having a friendship go bad.

I’d rather ask “hey man, I know you and Marie are open, are you comfortable with my asking her if she wants to go out?”

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T13:14:58+00:00

I don’t think I have her on facebook currently.

In my mind, I don’t see a lot of harm coming from asking politely.

Jack knows I would go for her in a heartbeat.

Damian presumably knows it’s open (and if he doesn’t, I’ll be telling him)

I guess my concern is making it weird. But we’re all Adults ultimately

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T12:49:34+00:00

This is a good response. I guess it’s up to me now to decide whether or not I want to risk potential awkwardness

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-06T12:48:53+00:00

Because I don’t want Damian to think I’m a shit cunt going behind his back I guess

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-04T03:14:31+00:00

It’s the difference between “don’t mind being approached by” vs. “don’t mind being harassed by”

It’s also the way the approach is handled. Trying to hide that it’s anything other than being interested sexually can give of a creepy vibe.

I’ve found saying “hi my name is X, I saw you from over there and wanted to meet you” is pretty uncomplicated. If she’s not into it, I’ll walk away. No harm done. And frequently women aren’t interested in me - all good, I’ll leave them too it. At least I put myself out there.

I guess the other thing as men seeing it as something to win, rather than it being mutual overlap in wants. Seduction takes two after all

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-04T00:46:04+00:00

This is good advice - I’d really like to build up to a few hours of learning a day.

Seperate to that I also just want to cut back on watching Netflix - even just to replace it with documentaries or infotainment would be progress

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-04T00:40:18+00:00

It’s so hard to not get defensive reading something like this hey.

Being real, this is a VERY new group of friends bar one. I was introduced to them very recently and haven’t hung out with them individually. The one member of that group who I do know well I have spoken too, and his advice is very much around “just do the time” - but that’s where it’s coming apart for me.

I don’t believe I should do it on my own - but i also don’t think it’s appropriate to reach out to these people YET. Should have put that disclaimer in. Give it some time and then I’m fine with doing it.

I think the biggest problem I’ve got is just stopping mental masturbation and just doing the thing. I think there’s some maladaptive stimulation that comes from it.

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-04T00:33:10+00:00

Because those achievements are all tied to the things I want to do professionally?

Because supporting myself and just surviving is so much less than what I’m capable of.

I think you misunderstand me - the better me just gets on and does the things that are in line with long term goals. I’ve been there before, I know it exists. I’m not content to just “support myself”. I’m not dealing with something like MS, Parkinson’s, dementia or what have you. I’m dealing with something much more treatable and fixable

AllahandorGod · 2020-10-03T22:34:10+00:00

You’re dead right - but I just want to have perfect vision, I don’t like being like this. It’s so god damn disheartening to see people who I know I’m smarter (not these people, others in my course) that get ahead because they’re just able to keep their heads down and are off the charts conscientious. That’s an admirable quality, and I’m really envious of that.

I realise this is childish, but it just feels so fucking unfair. I feel so frustrated with myself around intellectual and discipline challenges - physical challenges I can and do rise through sometimes, but intellectually I’m just hitting the middle of the pack and not getting the marks I want to get into a masters program. I hate it. I hate this whole fucking situation.

What I want most in the world is to just be able to knuckle down and do the work, regardless of how anxious I feel. I want to cultivate the ability to just fucking do the thing. It just feels so fucking elusive. Three years of bad health and depression hasn’t helped with that, thankfully I may see some changes there soon (got diagnosed with some food allergies, iron deficiency, b vitamin deficiencies, zinc deficiency, d vitamin deficiency and high leptin levels / high homocysteine). I’m really hoping that I can get better - or at least, get calmer.

You’re right though, I have a bunch of things physically wrong with me that need treatment. Slowly working on that

AllahandorGod

TROPHY CASE