[worry]

I'm connected to Nico on other social media. I won't divulge anything personal, but will say he is a real person with a real and essentially normal (though not average) life!

I will also say he's not of an age where all the Cold War hide-under-your-desk paranoia was routine or would have gotten to him, so it frankly perplexes me this obsession with Russian might and the inevitability of worldwide hell-war.

Breaking off from Nico in particular, I do tend to think these deep dives into believing conspiracies has a lot to do with feelings of personal control and relieving yourself of wider responsibility. Actually engaging in civic society is (or at least is perceived to be) hard for so many, with seemingly small, gradual, not-necessarily-permanent forward changes coming as a result of great, widespread effort. And giving yourself over to collective action can be difficult for particular individuals anyway. It's just kind of easier to think you should break things down to what you, personally, can handle if it comes to it. And if that requires this fantasy future where all your preparations will be justified, so be it.

What it really is, of course, is removing yourself from current affairs so you don't have to feel responsible for whatever is going on civically right now. We already know conservativism is linked to fear-based reasoning (LINK). Add to that fear of responsibility, and you get this extreme libertarianism/conspiracism. If you remove yourself from the situation, you can't be responsible for it, right? It's like those dudes who leave their families and are like "I wouldn't have been a good dad, you were better off without me" instead of doing the actual work to be a good dad.

[Morgoth]

I suspect the main issue here is that Nico doesn't have the foggiest idea what society is like in Europe, nor does he seemingly realise that Europe is composed of lots of countries with vastly different societies and government structures.

It would be helpful though, Nico, if you could explain what it is you mean when you say 'freedom' and how you think it differs from the US to the UK, or France, or Norway for that matter. As I stated previously, but which you never responded to, the US does quite poorly on the different freedom indexes, and so it would be helpful to know how you define the concept.

[Gorefest]

Only two? Doesnt even make the headlines anymore here in the UK. They should get some of the teachers armed. Or better yet, all the students. That will probably solve the issue.

[HoosierDaddy]

I'm not sending my niece and nephew to school without a bazooka for each.

God, the right is frothing at this already. Already forgot the dumbass teacher that accidentally fired off a bullet cleaning their gun in class.

[Maark Abbott]

 Gorefest, on 20 March 2018 - 08:34 PM, said:

Only two? Doesnt even make the headlines anymore here in the UK. They should get some of the teachers armed. Or better yet, all the students. That will probably solve the issue.

Silly sausage. The solution is -o b v i o u s l y- more schools.

[Nicodimas]

I would like to point out these poor robots couldn’t fight back...another case of why the 2nd is the best. Can’t just have the goverment armed ya know ?

https://nypost.com/2...-communism/amp/

See when we arm the robots they will be more able to destroy there tyrants! (I for one am for robot freedom)

I actually wouldn’t be against arming robots at schools to defend kids. That might be the best solution yet... that would allow teachers to do their thing. You could probably 3-D print them too.

[Mentalist]

What if they'll be communist robots?

[Tsundoku]

"Put the nerd down. You have 20 seconds to comply."

Can't possibly go wrong.

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This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 31 March 2018 - 06:13 AM

[Macros]

Skynet

[Nicodimas]

 Slow Ben, on 19 March 2018 - 07:31 PM, said:

I'm telling you all, for the longest time we thought Nico was a bot. Then he convinced us otherwise.

Are we just being fooled by an intelligent radicalized far alt right bot?

Lol I love you guys. I roll my eyes if any of you all resort to name-calling.

Your all A) above that nonsense should know my stance on certain politics at this point— I chuckle when some people are surprised c) accordingly to Facebook I’m a moderate! I used to be believe in a strongly segmented personal freedom based world based off a very anarcho-capitalistic slant.. seems like ages and ages ago.

I think myself a true liberal (https://www.merriam-...nary/liberalism)that the loves the constitution.. as I get older some of my love for capitalism has been extinguished.. but fuck the idea of a center controlled goverment is also bleak. I like to view from both points. It always strikes me odd if everyone agrees on everything- just asking for disaster I tell you... It will work itself all out soon enough. As with anything I think we all figured out Reality is far more dynamic then a few folks throwing opinions based off other sides of the globe.. with all sorts of different experiences. Back to the thread at hand as it got a wee bit serious and got to bring it back.....

Case in point the UK ! Baffling place..

U.K. I’m focusing on this place ! It sound like total madness over there. As some of you know knife guy , blacksmith on the side , but banning sending knives and the future. I can’t imagine a society falling into this weird state of decay of self defense, it’s honestly a fear. See this:

https://www.gov.uk/g...erious-violence

I’m a bit baffled about this actually. The sending of knives now? See where does it stop? Why do we have this madness as people to control every damn thing ...Then justice gets all sideways over there with stuff like this:

https://www.strategi...-civil-war.html

This particular article gets sidetracked, I mainly was using it over the defence with a knife! That’s criminals seem to be overtaking a major city.. which may be more a criticism over the idea of major cities being the worst idea of human civilization ( which Author James Kunstler postulates in his books often).

Overall though U.K. it seems to be all mixed up over there!

This post has been edited by Nicodimas: 11 April 2018 - 06:35 AM

[Nicodimas]

@Primateus... totally agree! I will never say a comment I have stated has not been dumb.. or not thought out( That’s just madness and nobody here is above that). I’m not even saying I’m 100% correct. (Or posted drunk...when I prolly shouldn’t ) I have never stated something here either and been like .. wth that’s not what direction, or where I was going with that comment! The idea should be to challenge the concept of what you believe in and find that perfectly presented argument.

Also as a note I have enough confidence in my belief structure at this point in my life to not let someone bug me.

Now that we are past all that civility I will calmly go back to explaining the nature of all this.....and why you should just believe everything I tell you.. it’s better this way.

[worry]

Interesting (and not overlong) personal essay on the thrill of growing up in militia culture and the paranoia that feeds it: https://www.vox.com/...vement-90s-guns

[Maark Abbott]

 Nicodimas, on 11 April 2018 - 06:34 AM, said:

https://www.gov.uk/g...erious-violence

I'm a bit baffled about this actually. The sending of knives now? See where does it stop? Why do we have this madness as people to control every damn thing ...Then justice gets all sideways over there with stuff like this:

"I'm baffled about why restrictions would be enacted on the sale of knives online when you require proof of age to purchase them within a shop that you are physically proximate to"

And

"I'm baffled as to why the sale of corrosive chemicals are being restricted when there has been a sharp increase in the number of assaults on members of the public using readily available, easy-to-obtain corrosive substances"

Kappa. Knife sales have required ID for a long time over here, mainly because the core demographic who are using them for mischief are 12-16 year olds (granted, there's a set of people over that age who carry them as weapons, but overall it's chav teenagers who are the main problem). I see no problem in ensuring that the law applicable to the high street are also applicable online.

[Vengeance]

A good look at the need for guns to protect us from Government Tyranny.

https://thinkprogres...y-f831c6aa871c/

[worry]

Well there's data like that, and then there's style: https://twitter.com/...944820658102272

[Primateus]

 Luv2B_Sassy, on 30 April 2018 - 09:52 PM, said:

Well there's data like that, and then there's style: https://twitter.com/...944820658102272

Well, that's not terrifying at all!

[Malankazooie]

You see, because the gun represents his penis and when the boy who wants to date his daughter says: "a healthy appreciation for the 2nd Amendment, sir", it gave him an erection.

[Gorefest]

Is the NRA trying to tap into a new market?

https://www.theguard...-dog-shoots-man

[HoosierDaddy]

And again.

I'm lost for answers in this climate. There is a simple solution that will never happen, but it should.

[QuickTidal]

Fucking hell. Just heard.

I hope the kids and young people who organized after Florida are taking notes and names still and that they will keep pushing as they reach voting age for stricter regulations.