The Oatmeal reads my brain

[sabotabby]

Via rohmie:
10 reasons to avoid talking on the phone.


Yes. This. All of it.

Another bit of common technology that I dislike.

Comments

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

Freedom is a difficult concept, especially in the ways in which it relates to other features of society. I am not sure what the point of your statement to the effect that your utopia allows for more of it is.

Point about democracy needing intolerant assholes conceded. The weird thing, however, is that intolerant assholes are often wrong. The other weird thing, is that I really don't want to occupy that niche politically while being somewhat prone to extremism in temper. Needless to say, I am radically against propositions of the form "Marxism is what you have to arrive at once you've thought about things long and hard enough". No, Marxism, for many people, is what you arrive at once you give up hope of ever truly integrating into normal human society on all of its imperfections. I dread such fate. I have a complicated history of relationship with normalcy, and that you do too is the reason I was, and am, drawn to your journal. But I must avoid the fate of the other loonies who became Marxists.

[sabotabby]

What's hilarious is that, from the perspective of a detached, objective observer, I integrate much more comfortably into normal human society than you do.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

I am not entirely sure. What are the quantifiable parameters according to which you propose to verify this claim?

[sabotabby]

Gosh, shelestel. This is a public entry. I'm pretty sure you don't want to go there.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

I asked you to outline quantifiable categories. I believe you can do that without saying anything that does not belong in public.

[sabotabby]

Career. Financial stability. Long-term relationships. Social networks.

Not saying, before you protest, that these are all things that should be valued or held as a measure of one's success as a human being.

How did we get to these sad subjects?

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

Screen if you like.

Career: well, you are two and a half years older and you work as a high school teacher. Before that you were working rather low-paying jobs and doing some free-lance stuff. I have the option of working as a high school teacher, and perhaps will have the option of working as a programmer of sorts, although I'm beginning to doubt that I want to do that. Before that I was teaching part-time privately. You've done more work during your life, and I've definitely been latent for long periods.

Financial stability: I don't have much money now, but I've mostly supported myself for the past 5 years. I've never been in debt. I would say I am pretty stable, although I am definitely not rich.

Long-term relationships: Men typically start later. I have started later than most men. I've never had what you might call a long-term relationship. There was something that lasted for about half a year, but it was a bit weird. I feel myself to be in constant transition, and I am not sure I want to take anyone along for the ride at this point.

Social networks: You have more friends and you socialize more. Many of your friends are on strained terms with well-being, but aren't we all. The one thing I am somewhat proud of is closely knowing a good number of academics and graduate students, as well as IT professionals and engineers, but that reflects my social inclinations, not my degree of integration.

I think the categories you propose deal with "stability" more than with "normalcy". Not to say that stability is not a large part of normalcy. Here are a few I would add:

Mental health: I have never been on medications. This may reflect a cultural difference: we Russians don't do SSRI's nearly as much as you North Americans, but I don't think it is limited to that.

Family: I am on good and close terms with all my immediate relatives without exception.


Overall, I think that you are both better integrated and more of a control freak about integrating. I'll give you an advantage, but I'm not sure it is huge.

Re: How did we get to these sad subjects?

[sabotabby]

I'm not on anti-depressants. Haven't been for years. I have Marxism now.