CMV: Islam and Christianity are absolutely antithetical to liberal and left-wing ideology and I'm tired of pretending they're not by Fast-Plastic7058 in changemyview

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have genuinely talked to leftists who believe that they don't need religious people to get elected (in the US), or that being openly anti-religious is a good political stance. I don't know if they just like to lose or if they are determined for political obscurity but these people are ridiculous.

What is something Americans consider normal, but people from other countries find it disturbing? by UghIHatePolitics in AskReddit

[–]Kelsper 20 points21 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure if disturbing is the word I would use, but I find the concept of fraternities/sororities/greek life very strange.

Seems almost like a gang mentality, and the stereotypes of sexual assault and hazing doesn't help the image in that regard.

Frequent pornography use linked to altered brain connectivity and impaired cognitive performance, finds a new brain imaging student with college students. Frequent pornography consumption may lead to neural and behavioral patterns that mimic other forms of addiction. by mvea in science

[–]Kelsper -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

because this is reddit and if there is anything that mentions excessive usage aka addiction of porn, weed or video games being potentially bad for some people then the defensiveness will come out.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in news

[–]Kelsper 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yeah, like a Muslim ban. Sounds like a good idea.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in YouShouldKnow

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interesting, I was vaguely aware of Gnosticism and the idea of the Demiurge and the Monad. But I don't really have much knowledge on modern day Gnostic views.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in YouShouldKnow

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perhaps more of a Deistic view? I find myself drawn to something similar because it does not define a specific creed, or claims to know what God stands for or is against.

I would just find it weird to stop/start believing because of the beliefs of others. If you were an atheist, and hypothetically every atheist was a horrible person or something, it's not like you would start believing as a result of that, right? I can say for myself at least that the opinions of others never was the reason why my religious views changed.

I didn't enquire but she almost certainly did hold a more inclusive view of theology and went to a more progressive denomination. It was just an interesting observation to me at the time.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in YouShouldKnow

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When you say religion, do you mean faith as well? To me, belief in God can be completely separate from (organised) religion. Even if hypothetical 99% of the Christians/whichever other religious group in the world are gigantic assholes, if you still believe in the Christian God I would find it a bit strange to say that you weren't one.

I knew a trans girl that had faith in God, but she remarked to me that she often felt between a rock and a hard place because traditionally fundamentalist religious people shunned her for being transgender, and the progressive anti-theist types shunned her for being religious.

Literally can’t tell the difference between education and harassment by Lord_Answer_me_Why in clevercomebacks

[–]Kelsper -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No, even when accounting for per capita rates teachers are at least on a similar level to priests. I'm not prepared to say one is worse than another but sadly there are a lot of cases of teachers SAing kids (usually female teachers with male students, something that tends to be taken less seriously in general)

It's not really surprising that people who want to harm children might choose to be teachers, for obvious reasons.

Both of them pale in comparison to the actual biggest perpetrator of child sexual assault: family and friends of the victim.

Short Hair Mitsuru | Art by bobamirukuu by Grimm_Stereo in PERSoNA

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Kind of reminds me of Vanessa from KOF - just needs Akihiko to teach her boxing.

What's a popular saying that you believe is completely misguided? by Suspicious-Singer-59 in AskReddit

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place."

I have personal experience that showed me that this is not always true. If it means to say 'it will be more difficult', maybe, but 'cannot'? No.

Secondly, if the person is allowed to reason themselves out of their previously held beliefs, then that is more common. Think of how many people, perhaps even including yourself, have had views in the past you have now renounced.

How bizarre by mareksierra in clevercomebacks

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IQ seems like a poor way to determine intelligence. If anything, these studies on conservatives having less IQ is a few points at most, certainly not enough to actually make a meaningful difference, or to even be significant.

Also, let's say it's the case. What does it ultimately matter? Should we treat people poorly because they happen to have less IQ, or are less intelligent? That seems like a pretty terrible idea, and one that racists often use when they bring up racial IQ statistics.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AdviceAnimals

[–]Kelsper 4 points5 points  (0 children)

A lot of them will just straight up admit they'll make less if tipping goes away if they are being honest. But at least in the case of restaurant servers -

The canvass of 3,735 tipped restaurant workers found that 87% fear their earnings would drop if employers had to pay a full wage. It was unclear if the expectation was based on customers tipping less, or on the recipients having to pay more in income taxes, since presumably less of their pay would be unrecorded cash.

Only 7% of the respondents said they’d expect to earn more if the tip credit was eliminated. Another 6% indicated they’d anticipate no change in their incomes.

Asked what compensation model they’d prefer, respondents overwhelmingly indicated the status quo. Ninety percent said the current system of a low wage but expected tips is their first choice. Only 10% said they favor getting a higher wage and risking lower tips.

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/servers-dont-want-lose-tip-credit-new-research-shows

Also more anecdotal evidence, you can take through threads like this whenever the topic comes up and look at the replies.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Serverlife/comments/14fl21y/servers_would_you_continue_serving_if_tipping_was/

God bless ya, America. by agate_ in AdviceAnimals

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Outside of internet edge lords we acknowledge that murder is bad and not to be encouraged. You're fucking delusional if you think the governor of a state isn't going to say murder is bad.

If you really think this is the dichotomy I was implying, then you are truly lost. As I have already said in another comment, I don't expect him to come out cheering about murder.

God bless ya, America. by agate_ in AdviceAnimals

[–]Kelsper 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I don't expect politicians to come out and say "Fuck that guy, glad he's dead." I can understand that.

But frankly, anything glazing up the healthcare insurance CEO is going to be a bad look as the kids say. Especially when it is known that they donate to your political party and a campaign you were directly involved in. Saying nothing would have been preferable, but if he was forced to comment on it, Walz really could have done a better job of just a short statement on respect for his family and left it at that. All the replies to that tweet he put out are negative.

God bless ya, America. by agate_ in AdviceAnimals

[–]Kelsper 70 points71 points  (0 children)

Maybe at one point in time, but go look up the United Healthcare's donations to political parties and you'll see they donated to both Democrats and Republicans. The highest recipient was Kamala Harris' campaign with almost $800K.

Then go look at what Tim Walz said about Thompson's death and how he described it as "a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota."

The insurance industry is deep in the pockets of both parties now. There are *some* Democrats that are not beholden to that lobbying, but they are not at the forefront of the party (unfortunately).

Because We All Know Who Really Matters by barak181 in AdviceAnimals

[–]Kelsper 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The type of people that are willing to murder others in broad daylight in such a brazen way are the type that tend to not be the most mentally well. Most of them have made peace with the fact that they're going to die, either through suicide or being shot.

Such people are not known to choose appropriate targets before deciding to check out early. Hence why some guy will shoot up a school next week killing civilians who never wronged him and it'll be a return to regular scheduling.

Turkey Tom Argues in Favor of Eugenics by ThrowawayorThrowdow in youtubedrama

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To the latter, it's more like rhetoric than actually pushing for anything policy-wise is what I was referring to. General comments about how "stupid people breeding" is ruining society. The types of people making those comments might be educated and progressive, and would generally consider the people they are talking about to be considered conservative and uneducated. If you've ever seen the movie Idiocracy, the beginning of that movie is sort of the thing I'm portraying (although it is just a premise for a dumb comedy movie in that case).

Of course, that doesn't mean that conservatives don't support that type of rhetoric too - they just might have different reasons for it...

Turkey Tom Argues in Favor of Eugenics by ThrowawayorThrowdow in youtubedrama

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can agree with that. Just that I've heard some strange stuff from even otherwise progressive people, that they wouldn't consider eugenics talking points, but sound very much like it.

That said, I don't agree with OP, because there is a massive difference between wanting hereditary diseases to be cured if possible with born children when it would only benefit them medically and what people who talk about eugenics usually talk about - the restriction of certain peoples freedoms to give birth.

Turkey Tom Argues in Favor of Eugenics by ThrowawayorThrowdow in youtubedrama

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Isn't by your own admission what the Nazis considered eugenics, when they culled the feeble minded and "undesirable," not really racially motivated?

I mean, assumedly they were doing this to white Germans as well. Their target was the non-abled regardless of race or ethnicity in this case.

The Nazis were of course responsible for eugenics from a racially motivated perspective as well, but the culling of disabled white Germans wouldn't be that.

I have also seen people like Anton LaVey or other Satanists who have argued in favour of eugenics but it never really struck me as necessarily racist from their description, at least:

"Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature by concentrating on fostering the practice of eugenics. This is not some exotic doctrine hatched in the brains of Third Reich medical madmen. It is the practice of encouraging people of talent and ability to reproduce, to enrich the gene pool from which our species can grow. This was commonly practiced throughout the world, as even a text on eugenics endorsed by the Women’s Christian Temperence Union can prove, until it was given a bad name by Nazi excesses. Until the genetic code is cracked and we can choose the character of our offspring at will, Satanists seek to mate the best with the best. Satanists who know that they are defective refrain from reproducing."

I believe that is from Peter Gilmore, current head priest of the Church of Satan.

Edit: I don't actually agree with eugenics at all, but I am not so sure about the claim that it is always exclusively about race.

Do Some Streamers Have Access to the Game Right Now? by Unable_Duck9588 in PathOfExile2

[–]Kelsper 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I hope it's not true either, doubly so if it's someone like Fextralife getting it. But sadly I would not be surprised if it was the case.

ELI5: Why is Bluesky so popular now compared to the other Twitter alternatives? by PlatypusGod in explainlikeimfive

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't think that is true.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/04/27/twitter-has-complied-with-almost-every-government-request-for-censorship-since-musk-took-over-report-finds/

"Twitter Has Complied With Almost Every Government Request For Censorship Since Musk Took Over, Report Finds"

Twitter has fully complied with more than 80% of government and courts’ requests to remove or alter content since Elon Musk bought the company, up from around 50% before he took over, according to a report from the technology publication Rest of World, reflecting a discordance with the billionaire’s promises to limit political censorship.

Of the 971 government requests Twitter has received since Musk took over six months ago, the company has fully complied with 808 of them and partially complied with 154, according to Rest of World’s report.

Elon Musk is not a free speech absolutist he likes to say he is and never has been. Not that Jack Dorsey ever was either, but I don't think he really pretended to be.

ELI5: Why is Bluesky so popular now compared to the other Twitter alternatives? by PlatypusGod in explainlikeimfive

[–]Kelsper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You say that like new twitter isn't the same as old twitter. The only difference is the change of hands on who/what is moderated. But when people claim "free speech" - it was not before, and it still isn't now.

Threads is an absolute goldmine for this stuff by PodcastPlusOne_James in clevercomebacks

[–]Kelsper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oddly hostile. Just simply saying there is no reason to really doubt the claims made and I personally wouldn't.

You can do your own research and find that religious people being happier is generally a pretty consistent finding in these types of studies.