this is a phrase I've started to turn around in a trans-affirming way: god doesn't make mistakes, do you really think he couldn't conceive of a trans person?

Hey love this idea! Random shit to start a convo: I just lost my job today (not great but I'll be ok). I am maybe turning the corner w/ a longstanding chronic pain condition, after which I'm gonna get back to my hobby of fighting people in the park.

Also, if you feel like playing too: what have you been up to today?

Ultimately, we're discussing two different styles of communication that I don't see as any better or worse than each other - everyone finds what works for them in their circumstances and environment and your style probably works great for yours!

There's a fair bit of hostility and harassment I encounter in public for various reasons, and I also have some inherent difficulty processing speech and verbalizing. As a result, I take a pretty blunt approach to communication - one in which I do not mind showing that I'm angry, because that is a necessary thing to be sometimes.

I practice mindfulness a lot and do not generally feel required to say the first thing that comes to mind. But if a drunk asshole is following me home, I'm not looking to outwit em. I'm looking to stay focused on my safety while letting em know that I see em and I'm probably more trouble than they're looking for.

In serious conversation with people I care about, I do swear, but it's because phrases like "I'm so fucking sorry that happened to you" come naturally to me and are effective. The emphasis that a little bit of swearing can add in moments like that is pretty useful.

This all doesn't have to be your thing, like I said this is all down to personal preference - but it would be a mistake to assume that people who swear aren't communicating as meaningfully. It's just another tool that we have at our disposal.

My answer too.

And also for the benefit of anyone who's just played the base game: the DLC is basically a sequel, and I found it even more impactful than the base game!

1. why is letting off steam indicative of a weak character? I think that when under stress, it's actually indicative of someone being emotionally intelligent to recognize they need to let some stress out and find an avenue for it. I can't explain exactly why, but swearing has always been a pretty effective way for me to let out some stress mid conversation while staying focused on a problem.

2. some contexts call for aggression. i.e. If someone's making me or someone I care about uncomfortable in public, it can be pretty useful to bare my teeth back. A simple "fuck off" doesn't require me to engage with any of their bullshit at all, gets the point across, and carries it with a mild aggression that actually does make people fuck off much of the time.

3. it is imprecise, but in many contexts it's precise enough to convey displeasure and dismay enough to get the point across. In fact the power of "fuck you" is in how concise yet universally applicable and understandable in so many situations.

For some reason most of my partners have ended up being Cincinnati refugees. So I think I can second this. "it's a good place to be from" is a common refrain.

as a Colorado native I've disliked most every other person I've met from the state elsewhere, no particular reason outside luck of the draw I think

Much of the time communication isn't about being creative or coming off smart. It's about effectively conveying meaning with the tools you have. Sometimes that means simple, crude language is more effective at conveying something than all the wit in the world.

So when I'm in a situation that calls for its use, I don't care that "fuck off" is a dime-a-dozen phrase that doesn't make sense. It's never misunderstood, it's cathartic to say, and I don't need to think on the spot to figure out something more eloquent - my mind is on, y'know, who or what needs to fuck off instead.

I lost my chance to stop years ago

Especially considering a lot of the creative talent behind Valve's acclaimed single player catalog are no longer at the company. Valve is a different company now and so their games will be different too.

funny you say that, I'm drawing from some past cult-adjacent experiences when I think about the subject. there's definitely lots of overlap and I think a lot of the social motives are one and the same.

It happens in many different contexts and often I feel there's a logic to it. Lots of people who are marginalized in one way are privileged in another. Maintaining access to that privilege can also mean an expectation to maintain your own marginalization. If someone feels they end up better on the whole by doing so, and isn't deeply connected to others without that privilege, and doesn't feel safe navigating life without that privilege, it gets pretty easy to justify on a personal level.

Detective Costeau hasn't figured it out yet, you haven't even met him yet, he's still sleeping off his last bender. Kim, on the other hand, already had your pronouns in his notes alongside a comprehensive psych eval

Sure, but broadly reducing red meat consumption is a pretty good idea for a lot of reasons. I think you're acknowledging this re: factory beef farms, but I think it's important to call out and also to note that a like 80% plant-based diet can be nutritionally complete, not ridiculously expensive, and more sustainable.

Sorry, just now seeing this! Essentially there's two different routes (up or down) you can take, with two different sets of regions, bosses, and story beats for each. The "down" path is entirely complete, and there's two regions of the "up" path complete. So the entirety of the story isn't there yet, but what's there is very polished and there's at least one major story arc complete. There are a couple characters that don't have art yet and so they're placeholders visually, but they're fully voiced and the placeholders aren't too out of place. They've published a more detailed roadmap that seems pretty reasonable for them to deliver. Overall it seems like 70% done and I don't think what's there is even going to change too much by the 1.0 release.

As someone who's skeptical of a lot of EA models, this is in my mind the right way to do it. I've played for 30 hours so far and haven't finished the "down" path yet and I feel there's still going to be a decent bit of content left after I do. Imo it was well worth $30 in its current state!

Hmm... usually I prefer push-in 😇

Gotta say I'm glad we can be and date any genders we like these days with much milder pushback (on average) than used to be the case. Really does help zoomers be a lot healthier imo, even if we've got other issues in the internet age.

yeah I heard this album, it's ok but personally I just think CD Laser Lens Cleaner has elevated the genre further

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/cd-laser-lens-cleaner/cd-laser-lens-cleaner/

young men have been told that white men are the worst thing to be.

Ok, but try not being a man and see if people think that's any better...

good news, the vast majority of the game is out in early access and it's really great so far!

But yeah I feel the same. Some time has passed in-universe since the first game so all the old cast have changed in their own ways. Chaos has evolved too but is still the same in spirit and I like how their change in presentation reflects that!

Oops good to know, thank you!