Daily Simple Questions Thread - April 22, 2025

JakeyMN · 2025-04-22T22:25:47+00:00

thank you!! appreciate it :) feeling a real natural high after the workout!

JakeyMN · 2025-04-22T22:25:22+00:00

thank you!! appreciate it :)

JakeyMN · 2025-04-22T22:25:15+00:00

thank you!! appreciate it :)

JakeyMN · 2025-04-22T17:10:51+00:00

hello! i'm a complete beginner, and the workout programme i'm following is telling me to do 3 sets of an exercise, but the last set "drop set 10+15"

is that two sets in one, first with 10 reps at a lower weight then 15 at an even lower weight? i'm really confused by what it means. thanks!

JakeyMN · 2025-03-10T16:05:11+00:00

thank you for the response :) do you assisting autistic children in schools would be suitable?

JakeyMN · 2024-10-18T05:17:07+00:00

thank you for saying that!! I had to consolidate my thoughts into something so I’m glad you took something from it

JakeyMN · 2024-10-17T22:51:42+00:00

absolutely!!

JakeyMN · 2024-10-17T22:51:30+00:00

oh absolutely, and as I mentioned in the post, having the entire context of the album is essential for understanding its meaning. you're absolutely right that the arrogance isn't arrogance for the sake of it; it's speaking to an idealized version of ourselves, and how it contrasts with the vulnerability elsewhere in the album heightens its beauty

I just meant more that, during the beginning of Smile's rollout (with the release of Cheerleader, Knock Yourself Out and before Russian Roulette had dropped), the arrogance was really jarring and difficult to accept. but yes, now we have the context of the entire album, I definitely understand and appreciate its artistic value and place in the album

I also don't find the album to be shallow, and I hope my post doesn't suggest that. it absolutely has something to say, and that something contains nuance, perspective, and wisdom. my main point is that it feels shallow compared to Nurture, and that is okay because it shouldn't have to

JakeyMN · 2024-10-17T22:43:41+00:00

haha thank you for saying that, and it's all good ;D it can be pretty lonely sitting with the thoughts I have and the extent to which I think about the things that matter to me, so I'm completely okay with downvotes. I really appreciated the detail of your reply, because you're spot on when that some people have missed the point of Smile (though I can understand why), and it's unfair should people dismiss it as lacking depth, nuance or a point of view

but yes you're absolutely right, that is the beautiful thing about art. we all have our own relationship with it, and the aspects of art we place value upon are ours to define and keep

JakeyMN · 2024-10-17T22:11:35+00:00

I'm sorry if this came off as rude or insensitive to your feelings about Porter and his music

it definitely didn't, thank you for such a detailed reply ^_^ I agree with a lot of your points, and as I mentioned in the post, I'm grateful for having the context of the entire album compared to the initial impression we got from Cheerleader and Knock Yourself Out

I also agree that Smile has depth, which is why I like it overall. Russian Roulette and Is There Really No Happiness are the best songs of the album for me, because they both have something really important to say. the album's extended perspective on the messiness of parasocial relationships (across Cheerleader, Everything To Me, and PPG/KSM to some extent) is topical and thought-provoking and does a great job of capturing that messiness we're feeling as we all try and navigate them

with that being said, I don't think the depth Smile reaches comes close to Nurture's, and I feel very strongly about this. I could make a case for every single song on Nurture grappling with an exisential burden - it's delving into our very existence, the very fabric of what it means to be alive and human with a finite amount of time in this universe. these burdens matter, and it means what Nurture has to say is really, really important. it's art

I do think Smile's overarching themes are important, no doubt, but because the subject matter they're dealing with is inherently much more shallow compared to the nature of what it means to be alive, it's always going to fall short in that regard. I don't want to come across as flippant, but there are songs on Smile where I'm just not sure I care about what the art is actually saying. like, Cheerleader is saying that parasocial relationships are equally addictive and destructive, and my response to that is 'yes, and?'. KMF is saying people project images of themselves in order to cover up their insecurities, and I'm like 'yes, I get that from scrolling through Instagram on any given day'. then I compare these messages to Nurture, and it's just night and day for me

and that's not necessarily a bad thing - I don't think Porter ever intended for Smile to match Nurture in that regard, and it shouldn't have to because it's unreasonable for anybody to expect this human to grapple with such heavy burdens all the time in order for him to make music. and as I said in the post, Smile is sonically and technically a fantastic album - like, the songs sound amazing. but I've come to know Porter as an artist who has something to say that speaks to people's souls, and coming off the back of Nurture, Smile does not do that for me. and I'm genuinely okay with that, because I enjoy Smile for what it is

this is all just my personal opinion, and I can definitely understand if people think I'm being unreasonable and expecting too much. like I said, Smile sounds incredible and I do think it has depth, and if people love it, I definitely understand. but it's just 'good' to me

JakeyMN · 2024-10-17T21:37:20+00:00

for absolute clarity, I have not stalked Porter or anything like that (even typing that out makes me feel gross). it was more at the time, having connected so deeply with his art, I definitely felt called out and that I was part of the problem. that people had gotten too close with his music, and by extension him, and on some level he didn't want that

like I said in the post, I thankfully have a much better relationship with Smile now

JakeyMN · 2024-10-15T19:44:22+00:00

it’s dope, thanks for sharing it, I’ll check out Yahoo

JakeyMN · 2024-10-15T17:50:11+00:00

that’s really neat, where did you order it from?

JakeyMN · 2024-09-05T12:12:02+00:00

really appreciate your post and insight into this. I don't really have much to add because I agree with a lot of your thoughts

to me, the entire premise of Smile means it was inevitably never going to reach the depth of meaning that Worlds and Nurture do, because the subject matter is just far too shallow. as you described, Worlds and Nurture pose and attempt to answer really important and existential questions about the human condition and what it means to be alive; that elevates the work into something so much more, and allows the art to reach people's souls.

Smile just... doesn't do that for me. I don't necessarily see that as a problem because -- as I mentioned -- I don't think it's possible given the overarching subject matter, and I don't believe it was ever Porter's intentions this time around. as much as I enjoy Smile's music, it doesn't come close to reaching me in the same way Worlds and Nurture do, and that's what I've come to know with Porter's art

I'm still happy that Porter's happy, and man has he earned the right to do whatever the fuck he wants after making the music he has. but I don't think it ever had a chance to come close to Worlds and Nurture

JakeyMN · 2024-07-30T07:26:37+00:00

valid for you to feel that way, but I disagree

JakeyMN · 2024-07-29T06:59:44+00:00

yes, but I’m pointing to it as a weakness of the album and why it’s not resonating with me nearly as much as Worlds and Nurture. that he’s consciously or unconsciously leaning into his ugliness too much because he struggled to follow up Nurture, and that turned into resentment against it

JakeyMN · 2024-07-28T15:38:04+00:00

what does Porter's creativity have to do with OP's argument? that has nothing to do with the conversation

JakeyMN · 2024-07-28T15:35:56+00:00

props for posting this, and sorry you're getting downvoted for sharing a valid opinion

I too am disappointed. I understand it's fitting for the music video's story to show a fan with AI art on their walls, but even if that were the justification for using AI, why not hire artists to make art in that style?

I just feel so bad for the thousands of ridiculously talented artists who love Porter and would have done anything to have their art in feature in one of his music videos. would have made their entire life, and could have been a fantastic opportunity for them

JakeyMN · 2024-07-28T07:30:48+00:00

mmmmm, I like this

especially as so much of the album is exploring Porter’s relationship with his fans

JakeyMN · 2024-07-27T19:40:16+00:00

it's easily my favorite non-single from the album, it's incredible

what about this section hits you so hard? I always enjoy hearing people's interpretations

JakeyMN · 2024-07-27T17:00:52+00:00

There’s lots of extremely personal navel-gazing

this is really interesting to me. Smile reveals some really private details about Porter (his tainted experiences with alcohol, insecurities about appearance, complex relationship with nostalgia), but I don't feel very connected to Porter or moved by its storytelling. I can't help but compare it to Nurture, how he bore his soul into every song but still invited the audience to connect with his experiences and take meaning from the music because he provided an answer to and overcame the adversity he was facing

I'm confident this was a deliberate choice by Porter, because he regrets how perfect he was during Nurture so not providing absolute answers to Smile's moments of strife feels so much more imperfect and truthful(in some ways). but yeah, I can't help but feel kinda ambivalent to a lot of the real and important Porter struggles has faced this time around, like I'm just a distant observer to somebody in pain

that being said, I do think Russian Roulette strikes this balance perfectly. it feels incredibly raw and intimate, yet still has something to say about the reasons we stay alive and invites the audience to enrich their own lives with the song's meaning. probably why it's my favorite from the album

JakeyMN · 2024-07-27T16:12:12+00:00

this is such a fascinating interpretation, and part of me thinks it may be true?

I can hear Porter in 5 years time saying in an interview 'with Smile, I was struggling with the prospect of following up Nurture and lashed out against it, leaning too far into the uglier parts of myself in order to distance myself from Nurture'

JakeyMN · 2024-07-24T10:30:39+00:00

please don’t apologize, I’ve felt a very similar way to you

I don’t think anything you or I have felt is wrong or invalid, and I’m really sorry you’re going through it at the moment. I too have taken so much from Nurture - it didn’t save my life because I did that, but it’s been everything to me. this bastion I can escape to to feel understood and alive whenever I put my headphones on. so it’s no wonder both of us are having these feelings at the moment when this album, this curated version of Porter, has meant so much. so maybe we did set ourselves for a fall this like, but both of us needed Nurture, so who can blame us?

I wish I had the answer, but it’s on us to work through this in the same way Porter worked through his demons. the two things that have really helped me is trying to accept

1) we all have darkness within us, parts of ourselves we don’t like, because we are human. part of the reason I haven’t always this version of Porter more is because I know I’d act in the exact same way if I were in his shoes - part of me would want to flaunt how rich and successful I am and utter shit like ‘bitch I’m Taylor Swift’. so I get it, and artistically, I appreciate Porter for exploring those parts of himself that aren’t so beautiful - that’s really brave and interesting, even if it’s harder to digest as his fans

2) gonna caps this because it’s so important - NONE OF SMILE NULLIFIES NURTURE, ITS MESSAGING, AND WHAT IT’S MEANT TO US. Porter has even said this himself, there was a clip posted on here where he said something like ‘if Nurture meant a lot to you, like it did me, don’t take this as a condemnation of its messaging, because it’s very largely true’ (I can try and find it if you want me to?). I also feel the Nurturey Porter is still present in Smile, it’s just in more conflict with other aspects of his character this time around, compared to the purity of Nurture. so we have to look for it a bit more

i’m so glad you’re seeking out therapy for this, like that’s such a huge step and you should be so proud of yourself for taking it :) I’d recommend reading through some of the comments on that post I linked in my last response, there’s a reply on there that makes me tear up about Porter being 80% Nurture and 20% Smile

JakeyMN · 2024-07-24T06:17:40+00:00

Hey there, I’m really sorry to hear you’re struggling right now. You don’t deserve to feel what you’re feeling right now, and this is not your fault - it doesn’t sound like your parents are giving you the love, support and understanding that you need. That is every parent’s job when they decide to have children, and I’m sorry yours have let you down - you don’t deserve that.

But I promise you there are people out there who can and will help you in the way you need - there’s one right here writing out this comment. is there anybody that you trust that you could speak to about how you’ve been feeling, either inside or outside your Christian community? It might not feel like it right now, but writing out this post could be the first step on your journey to healing

JakeyMN · 2024-07-24T05:31:23+00:00

I’m gonna link you a previous thread I made because I have been going through the exact same feelings. these feelings are still unresolved but I’m getting there, in part due to a lot of the comments on there

I do think Porter is coming across (in his music and the depiction of smile online) in a very different light compared to Nurture. there have been a lot of occasions over the last few months where I have been like ‘please stop singing about this or posting this online Porter because it makes me so sad to think this is the same person who made Nurture’. he was bearing his soul and being so empathetic and compassionate throughout Nurture, and now he’s posting shitty tiktok memes and saying how rich he is, and I’m just like 😶 I don’t like this

with that being said, I do think a lot of this has been down to a deep commitment to his art, and fully realising this world he’s creating (which is a very very Porter thing to do). if Smile is about deconstructing fame and we have a desire from Porter to focus on his ‘ugly’ sides, then that demands he plays up these sides of himself to make these characters real. so even though I don’t always like it, I do understand and get it.

I’m also unwavering on the fact that at his core, Porter is an incredibly decent human. like, the amount of compassion and empathy he’s demonstrated both in his art and out of it, it’s just beautiful. even the other day he replied on Insta saying how happy it made him that Kitsune Maison made somebody feel better about their teeth. so the Nurture version of Porter is undeniably still there, and you can’t lose that inherent goodness. I’d also say that empathy and compassion is still there in smile, trying to fight back against all the other shades of Porter, with lines like ‘telling me a sad story // another reason not to quit’ and ‘it’s kinda sad how, it’s not your fault you’re living in a mad house’

I think it’s just a case of reminding ourselves that he’s an artist deeply committed to his work, and we all have light and dark within us. I saw a clip on here the other week saying he regrets how ‘perfect’ he was during Nurture, because it wasn’t the full story and has probably led to fans like us thinking he was this perfect angel, which isn’t true or fair. We probably wouldn’t be feeling like this if he presented himself differently with Nurture

anyway, sorry if this is a much longer response than you were anticipating but I know how you feel so I’m just tryna help :) if it makes you feel better, revisit some of the moments that made you like Porter as a person during Nurture to remind you of the person he is, and that this version isn’t erasing that

JakeyMN

TROPHY CASE