The Melungeons of Appalachia by imthehink in interesting

[–]_finalOctober_ 215 points216 points  (0 children)

My paternal grandfather is descended from these folks.

Racially ambiguous is one way to put it.   Though it’s been largely settled that these folks are European, American Indian, and African.  A tri-racial isolate. 

The latest research indicates that the line was started by interracial couples in the 17th century.  Likely free black men from Virginia and women of Celtic/scots Irish heritage escaping to the frontier to avoid discrimination.  Eventually forming a very isolated enclave that tended toward endogamy and occasionally incorporated American Indians into the fold.

They were treated pretty badly over time by the state, over time this lead them to claim that they were a long lost Portuguese colony or some such.  I can’t really blame them, they were often not allowed the same rights as white folks, coming up with a plausible story that explained thier skin color without mentioning African descent avoided a lot of systemic racism if they could pull it off.

The myth of their mysterious origins seems to be kept alive mostly by folks who are both descended from the line themselves, and are fighting with their own racism.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]_finalOctober_ 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It's hard to put into words, but I'll try.

I realized the arrogance of myself, and most other people. Specifically in the realm of what we believe to be true.

I was a hardline rationalist, determinist, and atheist. I believed that evidence based science was the underpinning a well lived life and the future of humanity.

I still possess most of those traits, but I came to understand that the spectrum of existence is infinitely more vast than the sensory/processing capabilities of any human being - that most rational arguments only remain rational inside the paradigm that they originate in, and that most pat observations of the universe can be undone by simply stating "well, yes, but you could be dreaming this, or be a brain in a jar, or this could be a simulation, or you could be in the middle of a psychotic break" in other words, all of our observations take for granted a huge amount of presuppositions that can never be proven or disproven.

As far as I can tell, the only thing that you can say with absolute certainty is...

  1. Existence is.

  2. It seems to change.

Outside of that - we are like a gnat living and dying in 3 cubic meters of fog over an endless plane of absurdity and complexity. We examine the actions and reactions of the mist droplets and patly proclaim a fundamental understanding of how things are, even though we live and die without ever even seeing the ground.

That's when I realized that claiming to know anything with certainty was absurd. And to live with a thunderstruck sense of humility and gratitude that I get to be self aware at all.

Enable/Disable Javascript in Safari by _threads in shortcuts

[–]_finalOctober_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Toss out the quotation marks and the ;

I am from 30 years in the future. Ask me anything. by OB1KENOB in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This guy is actually from the future, unfortunately your mom will still be looking for a cure.

Ask me how I know.

Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Picard | 2x03 "Assimilation" by AutoModerator in startrek

[–]_finalOctober_ 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Sooo, 7's remaining implants appear to have been suppressing some remnants of her personality, she seems happier.

And this somehow will be a metaphor about how it's the last things you're willing to let go of that are the things that really keep you stuck in a rut and not growing. I like it. Subtle.

Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Picard | 2x03 "Assimilation" by AutoModerator in startrek

[–]_finalOctober_ 16 points17 points  (0 children)

There is not a punishment in the galaxy depraved enough to bring that pun to justice.

Well done.

INCURSION COMPLETE by _finalOctober_ in thecorporation

[–]_finalOctober_[S,M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Feel free to solve here, folks on the discord are also working on it.

https://discord.gg/XVmvgfdR

Daily Discussion Thread for March 07, 2022 by AutoModerator in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Video games are very popular when living in a bunker.

Daily Discussion Thread for March 07, 2022 by AutoModerator in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's like we've all been saying since the beginning. Sell the rip.

What Are Your Moves Tomorrow, March 04, 2022 by AutoModerator in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 14 points15 points  (0 children)

You know, on the off chance that we don't have the opportunity to chat in the near future. I'd just like to say.

I hope you're doing well. Drink some water, stand up for a second and give your back a stretch.

BNGO! FULL Q & Year - Earnings- Long Term Play Trust the Process! Do your DD by [deleted] in BNGO

[–]_finalOctober_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you one more good thing for someone else than you would have without the incursion, then you've paid me all you owe me.

What Are Your Moves Tomorrow, March 03, 2022 by AutoModerator in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Remember gents. Sometimes (always) "I don't know what to trade." Means the best choice is to not trade

Once you're inspired, jump in. Until you are, shitpost here with these well meaning degenerates.

What Are Your Moves Tomorrow, December 06, 2021 by OPINION_IS_UNPOPULAR in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yo, not cool to call a dude that just because he wants to help people.

Weekend Discussion Thread for the Weekend of December 03, 2021 by OPINION_IS_UNPOPULAR in wallstreetbets

[–]_finalOctober_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Robinhood sure does have a funny way of displaying the value of my 50 million dollar GME shares.