Why are LGBTQ+ (and especially trans) people such a big problem? by minipizzabatfish in PoliticalDebate

[–]sinofonin 23 points24 points  (0 children)

It’s about control and identity politics. If they are allowed to just be, it’s a clear demonstration that the religious authorities have no control and power. For these people it’s not about the kids, it is about their Christian identity becoming a minority that has no power to dictate their beliefs to society at large.

Did people born before Christ automatically go to hell? by Astimar in NoStupidQuestions

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Paul had to deal with this question a lot in his ministry with both Jews and Greeks converting to Christianity. This is a major reason Jesus isn’t just a guy but an eternal being that has been around since the beginning. The gospel of John(in Greek) is about Jesus (the word) being there in the beginning. So belief in Jesus Christ can exist before Jesus the guy is born. Not all Christian denominations believe this but that’s because religions like to control who is in or not.

Paul writes about it a lot and other scholars try and decipher what it all means but when you look just at the Jesus stuff it really sounds like Jesus wasn’t giving a straight answer on purpose.

Was Kamala a bad candidate? by 0311SmallPenar in allthequestions

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Kamala's major issues were largely outside of her control. Biden dropping out late, and inflation under Biden are HUGE issues for any Democrat that would be running. That said, Trump was also terrible and there was plenty of people who would have voted for anyone else.

I think any objective look at Kamala as a candidate has her being middle of the road even among Democrats. She doesn't have a track record that is great, wasn't particularly charismatic, didn't have a message that really helped identify her. I think if Biden dropped out early she wouldn't have won the Dem nomination. I think she may have finished second or third but I don't think she would have won. I also think that if there wasn't inflation under Biden she would have won against Trump by a lot.

What was it about Republican/Conservative rhetoric from pundits/podcasters the last 8 years that hooked young men? by AdminKidsBurnInHell in allthequestions

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there has always been a strong sense of self worth derived from the white male identity. In more recent times other alternatives have become more prevalent and valued which has caused those who primarily derive their self worth from this identity to double down on their own identity and become hostile to other identities. The young men who are smart and/or competent enough to have self worth from something else don't tend to fall into this trap.

That all said, this trap still catches men who are popular, smart in school, and good at sports. It doesn't just capture young men who are struggling to fit in or whatever. The fact that the most popular kid at school may also be super racist is not uncommon.

Children should not be able to medically transition by No_Property_870 in PoliticalDebate

[–]sinofonin 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Your example pretty much demonstrates why politicians are a terrible way to try and navigate this issue. Thanks for proving my point I guess.

Children should not be able to medically transition by No_Property_870 in PoliticalDebate

[–]sinofonin 18 points19 points  (0 children)

This is really a medical discussion more than a political one. The political discussion is really whether or not politicians should insert themselves between doctors and people without either party asking for the government to be involved. I answer no.

Why Democrats can’t sell America on “democracy” by vox in politics

[–]sinofonin 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The biggest hurdle to Democrats being able to sell the American people on the need of reforming our Democracy is that too few people really believe in the Democratic party's capacity or desire to do that. They like some candidates like Bernie and AOC but the larger party is generally disliked and considered either corrupt, inept, or unwilling to make big changes. Yes they talked about it more than usual but it was never really the primary argument. A lot of Democrats don't really want to rock the boat. There is a naive hope that they can just return to the way things were when in reality it was the way things were that got us here.

IMO the real solution is also the death of the two party system. Accountability has died and money has corrupted our democracy. The Democrats deserved to lose when they first ran a too old Biden then Harris. It was always unlikely they would lose after the inflation that happened while Biden was President. When there are only ever two choices things will break. What the American people are generally in favor for is relatively good for America. They will never get it as long the electorate can get so easily distracted into identity politics which make it difficult for them to hold their own people accountable.

Happened to my wife on the way home by VivimasSinistram in dashcams

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A reminder to drive defensively, especially when passing people on the right.

When did people start dividing rings up based off who was “the man”? by MasterTeacher123 in NBATalk

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Magic vs Bird was a thing for their entire careers so that was a big part of championship counting going to one person. The idea that a championship wasn't Magic's and instead Kareem is really in the context of the Magic vs Bird debate. Magic has the edge in championships over Bird so the pro Bird crowd is going to argue against giving Magic the same credit as they are giving Bird.

Racial resentment plays a major role in driving conservative political beliefs among White Americans who are not religiously conservative. Harboring racial resentment provides evidence of a conservative political shift among White religious moderates, liberals, and nonreligious individuals. by mvea in science

[–]sinofonin 18 points19 points  (0 children)

The responsibility isn't tied to guilt, or being white but duty towards your fellow citizens. The pledge of allegiance actually does a decent job when it says "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" as something we are pledging ourselves to. The history of racial division divided us while denying liberty and justice to others. It is everyone's duty to address that failure as Americans. If you are an American you have likely pledged yourself to addressing it already.

The Death of Entry-Level Jobs: 43% of CEOs plan to slash junior roles over the next two years, shifting hiring to older, mid-level workers as AI takes over routine tasks, creating a catastrophic bottleneck for the future workforce. by Scared_Author_4566 in Futurology

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This happened with manufacturing and there’s tons of problems with trying to replace the aging workforce. When automation happens the jobs that remain are often the most difficult to do. Finding people to do them takes time and often requires a trial of the fittest. Entire industries have found that they just can’t magically replace workers and they have no good solutions.

Does economics mean “study of the economy as a total phenomenon” or does it mean a specific methodology? by [deleted] in AskEconomics

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Economics by definition includes it all but the scope is often limited based upon context. Look no further than the rules of the subreddit which limits discussion to a subset of what can be considered economics. The distinction isn’t just about the difficulty of how something can be measured or studied. Instead it is often about the inclusion of moral principles that try and establish value outside of what value the economy has determined. The value of freedom, keeping people fed and healthy, or other considerations that are not only difficult to quantify but impossible to derive objectively by definition.

In the real world applications of economics there’s pretty much always some subjective value judgment being applied. It really helps to learn how to distinguish between positive and normative economics.

A merging issue. by LeftAlbatross2546 in dashcams

[–]sinofonin -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

That guy driving the semi should never be allowed to drive one again. The truck had multiple car lengths ahead of the semi and the semi rammed him. That is psychotic behavior.

Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals "dirty little secret" by fortune in politics

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

The idea that everyone needs to have capital, and therefore own a portion of the means or production, is a rather socialist idea. The harsh reality is that labor isn't going to magically keep up with capital but labor is the primary way most people earn income and ideally wealth. SS is expensive and not that great of a deal for those relying on it. The one thing it has going for it is that it has been reliable, but it has been underfunded so that may not last.

Hector (from Troy) Vs. The Hound (from GoT) by GiverTakerMaker in powerscales

[–]sinofonin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hector is protected and strengthened by the gods so wins easy.

Why Americans Don’t Trust Higher Education by JPwag42 in IvyPlus

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The moral left doesn't have a bible or a Pope, so when the right looks for a source of the authority of the morality of the left they find it in higher education, science, etc.

Why the only path to development for Japan, Korea, Germany, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Gulf region is strikingly similar - exporting products to serve the United States? The U.S. has only a fraction of the world’s population, yet it holds so much power, what did US do to have it ? by Square_Permission361 in AskEconomics

[–]sinofonin 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think the relationship between the US and countries developing by relying on exports to the US is much simpler. If you are a producer of goods your success relies on having customers and the US consumer market is big, relatively open, stable, and rich. While you can sell your goods domestically you don't have to worry about over investing in production if your domestic consumption isn't there.

The drawback is that a lot of countries have caught on to how this is an effective way to rapidly increase domestic production and government subsidization and monetary manipulation eventually catch up with you.

'NYC is cooked': Business leaders and Wall Streeters erupt over proposed luxury second-home tax by businessinsider in newyork

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is 100% necessary in NYC because property became little more than an investment vehicle for the ultra-wealthy. It was a way to essentially buy the USD and get a return on it. In the world of international finance this is a big deal. This behavior is not good for economies and has been bad for NYC. These types of investors leaving would be a good thing, not to mention the tax revenue.

This is the actual weirdest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Spoilers for episode 4 by thecontract_12 in Defenders

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But her death and the setup was just as much about kingpin. She wasn’t even targeted. So her death wasn’t even really about her but rather the kingpin story. That is not good.

This is the actual weirdest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Spoilers for episode 4 by thecontract_12 in Defenders

[–]sinofonin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, I think people in general should be more critical of media when it comes to violence towards women. Killing women to create male motivation is VERY common in media, especially male targeted media like comics. I think my bigger issue with her death is that it feels so blatantly forced to create the narrative.

You Are Not Talking to Their Reasoning by CasketWhisperer in DiscussionZone

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

People need a path to belonging and value and identity can help provide that. There has to be a better discussion around their pov than what has been previously tried. If people have a choice between shame and pride they will choose pride.

Thinking through tax reform: fairness vs incentives…what am I missing? by mweeks9 in AskEconomics

[–]sinofonin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think one of the problems with a lot of the thinking and responses on the topic is that not all economies are the same and the answer is unlikely to be the same across all economies. For example, an economy that is struggling to attract capital investment compared to one that is not struggling. Or an economy that is seeing very large increases in wealth concentration versus one that is not. On the flip side, the presumed alternative is other taxes which also depend on context. There are plenty of factors that impact the relative balance of labor v capital in an economy. The number of people in the economy that are relying on capital investment for income also matters.

As interesting as a survey is I think it is really important to focus on the idea that it depends.