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- how are some people able to fall asleep anywheres?
I see people sleeping on concrete, in cramped plane seats etc How do y'all do it?
- Is it weird that I enjoy imagining being a witness/victim of various tragedies?
(TL;DR): I love being terrified, and this has led me to a fascination with imagining being a witness to / a victim of various tragedies. Is that weird?
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The earliest example I can remember of wanting to know what it was like to be a victim of a tragedy was when I first learned what happened on 9/11. We were visiting my grandma, and she was watching a documentary about it. That's the first time I had seen the footage and heard an explanation of it all, and I was still a child (like way too young to be processing what I was seeing), but I was fascinated by it. Even after everyone had left the room to hang out on the porch, I stayed in the living room to watch more. I wanted to know everything, but most of all I wanted to know what it was like to be there. Both as a witness and a victim.
To this day, I would pay good money to get hooked up to something like Roy from Rick and Morty so I could safely experience it without knowing I was safe. And I'd like to choose as many perspectives as I want. From the hijackers, to the people on the directly impacted floors, the people on floors adjacent to the impact, the people who jumped, the people who were outside and witnessed the crashes and collapses, the people who were trapped on the upper floors and remained inside during the collapse...
Besides 9/11, others at the top of the list are things like mass shootings, earthquakes and other natural disasters, catastrophic workplace accidents (mostly explosions), the sinking of the Titanic, Hiroshima/nuclear testing sites, other war related events, various atrocities committed by/against mankind (like the torture committed by the CIA against people suspected of being involved in the 9/11 attacks), the Heaven's Gate mass suicide, a significant portion of Charles Manson's life... It's a mix of wanting the experience and curiosity about the stories/information that never made it into public knowledge.
I don't have a death wish or anything, it's just for some reason I have a fascination with terror. I love getting sleep paralysis and having nightmares, and I feel a weird sense of catharsis when I wake up and realize I'm safe. My favorite ones are when I'm utterly convinced I'm going to die. Even as a kid I loved terrifying shows (like Courage the Cowardly Dog and Mr.Meaty), and as a teenager it evolved into broader consumption of surrealist art, and then I started watching Live Leak videos where I got a more realistic sense of terror. I watched all of the Bjork stalker's tapes, which, if you aren't familiar, they end with him shooting himself after mailing a letter bomb to her. Knowing he filmed his suicide was what piqued my interest, but I also wanted to get into his head so I started from tape #1.
How weird is all of this? Any psychological explanations/speculations about why I'm like this? (And are there any other subs I should ask this in?)
- Why are people talking about flying a flag upside-down?
Today, a bunch of people on my Mastodon feed are making declarations about somebody apparently flying a flag upside down, and this apparently has something to do with the New York Times being terrible.
What happened?
- 4ish years ago when I bought a house I was convinced not to get a house inspection, would it be crazy to get one now just to make sure it's all good?
Was 25 and super nervous, so when the realtor was like "oh yeah they just check for basic stuff, but I looked around and it looks great" I was like "Oh okay, this is so astronomically expensive every penny saved is good..."
Everything has been great as far as I can tell. House was built like 40 years ago but super well maintained it seemed and I've been super happy. But just curious if maybe I should hire someone to make sure there was nothing outstanding from back then, and no major issues have popped up in the last couple years like leaks/foundation issues, the like.
Is that crazy? Is it weird to call and be like "I'm not selling, I just wanna make sure there are no issues I need to address before they get worse"
Is there a certain type of inspector I should get? I know some inspectors are notoriously lazy.
Also I moved in 2 weeks before covid lock downs happened for time line stuff.
- Solving CAPTCHA for 'Bicycle' -- Include Rider?
I wish to solve CAPTCHA with bicycles, motorcycles etc. in a manner consistent with chaotic good alignment, benevolence, humanitarianism, etc. Shall I select squares that include riders/passengers but not also their conveyance? Was reminded of my uncertainty about this when reading this recent post by @Wilshire to the Technology community.
- Why Didn't Democrats Do More When They Controlled Both Houses of Legislature, The White House, and The Supreme Court During Obama's First Term?
I've been wondering for a bit why during the time the Democrats controlled the legislature, executive, and judicial branches during Obama's first term in 2008 more wasn't accomplished. Shouldn't that have been the opportunity to make Row V Way law and fix the electoral college? I understand the recession was going on but outside of Obamacare getting passed which didnt go far enough it seems like they didn't really do much with all that power. Are there other important accomplishments from this time that didn't get the news they deserved? It seems like the voters have done their job in the past to elect people to fix things and yet we are still here begging people to vote to fix issues like abortion rights.
- Could I get an autopsy done on myself while I'm alive?
Completely random stoned hypothetical. Lets day im old as fuck and I decide I'm ready and done. Could I have the same postmortem autopsy done on me while I'm still alive? Like give me a ton of drugs and let me watch myself get dissected as my final moments. I understand there is a legal and possibly moral concern, but is it really ethically that bad if I also want it? Like I'm not taking myself out at my prime, I'm nearly dead anyways. Lemme see myself cut apart that'd be cool as shit, only if I couldn't feel any pain though.
- "Hacked" Instagram
My other half discovered that some dodgy person/company had managed to send instagram messages advertising handbags to all of her followers from her account. She changed her password immediately, but what could have happened here? Is it the case that a “hacker” had access to her full instagram account, or would they have used some tool that allows posting of messages via some kind of proxy without requiring access to her actual account? There was no record of other logged in devices on the security page of her account.
Update: She’s just been through her junk email folder and found a “We’ve noticed a new login” email from instagram yesterday, so I presume that means they were fully in to the account then. How they got the password is anyone’s guess, but could be any of the suggestions below. Thanks all for the responses.
- I this a firm and polite way to tell an opinionated coworker to stop pushing his agenda I don't care about?
cross-posted from: https://linux.community/post/906126
> I've observed if I say nothing (because I simply don't know how to react), opinionated people think you agree with them, which I don't. I don't care. > > what I want to tell him, next time he starts ranting: 'I don't care what you think, leave me alone'. > > However, I may have to work with this person in the future, so what about 'you don't have to tell me everything you think, most of the time I don't pay attention' and if he keeps pushing it 'it's tiring working with a person who has to rant to feel good, it's boring and makes me ignore you, which is a problem, because we work together.' And leave. > > What about 'everybody has problems, maybe talk to a therapist? I cannot help you'. > > Or maybe simply leaving when he starts his rants?
- Why don't more filtering systems enable sorting by least viewed/visited, including for older pages/material?
Sometimes what I'm interested in may be more specific or niche, but a lot of search engines and filtering systems don't seem to provide a way to drill down to those results. What may be some reasons behind that?
Or am I overlooking some obvious ways to search/filter this way?
- What is a good eli5 analogy for GenAI not "knowing" what they say?
I have many conversations with people about Large Language Models like ChatGPT and Copilot. The idea that "it makes convincing sentences, but it doesn't know what it's talking about" is a difficult concept to convey or wrap your head around. Because the sentences are so convincing.
Any good examples on how to explain this in simple terms?
Edit:some good answers already! I find especially that the emotional barrier is difficult to break. If an AI says something malicious, our brain immediatly jumps to "it has intent". How can we explain this away?
- How come hotel check-in time is always 3-4?
I got in on an earlier flight, and arrived at 6 it was a pain in the ass.. I literally had to walk around for like 4 hours until things opened, and I was so tired and weary all day.
- How do I read trade paper back comic book collections, but in cohesive narrative?
Sorry if the title is confusing, but that's as succinct as I could think to make it.
I've been out of comics for a while, but I'd like to read some more. I don't like collecting issues, but I do like larger collections. Call them trade paperbacks, graphic novels, whatever. I've read some over the years (Sandman, Transmetropolitan, Akira, etc.) but I wanted to try some mainstream (DC, Marvel, etc).
I got a Green Lantern TPB (I loved the cartoons!) but the story was super confusing. It jumped back and forth, the characters referenced things that weren't in the book, and random side characters joined and left without any explanation. I asked a friend who said that the publishers would put a narrative arc in several different titles, so as to make people buy different things. So readers were somehow supposed to get all those random issues to understand what's going on.
I'm fine buying whatever, but I want a cohesive narrative. How can I make check that a complete narrative is in a TPB and I don't buy the incomplete style like I did previously?
- What if as I get older, like a Mandela effect, everyone's understanding of what the average life span is increases?
I know this sounds like the basis for a cult or something but it's kind of a crazy thought.
- Did Obama Becoming President Make People Hide Their Racism?
It felt like it was uncool to have even a touch of racism when Obama got elected and through his presidency. But since the MAGA movement, I feel like subtle and out-right racism has increased. Like a gateway was opened.
Am I trippin?
- Does Lemmy have a bump system?
By bump system I mean someone interacting with a post causing that post to move higher in the main feed.
If so what are the specifics? Is it just upvotes? Just comments? What about if someone archives your post?
Also what's to stop someone from trying to manipulate their own post by adding new comments to try to raise the post in the feed to get more interaction?
- How come there aren't any moral geniuses?
When kids do linear algebra or they rise to the level of GM in chess within the first two decades of their lives, such people are obviously geniuses. Their intelligence is undeniable.
But it's like moral/spiritual geniuses aren't recognized in the same way, if at all. How come their intuitive expertise isn't recognized so easily ?
- [EU Politic] which "European party" has done the most to prevent a new Qatargate ?
In the context of the European election next month. I am surprised that the Qatargate where several elected official have been charged for receiving Qatari money against service (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_corruption_scandal_at_the_European_Parliament ) isn't more discussed by media.
So I am curious, at the European level, which "party" (e.g. PPE, S&D) has done the most to prevent such a case to happen again ?
- As someone who is aging. Late thirties. How can I keep my finger on the pulse of current trends, particularly in music?
As an example. I grew up in hip-hop but at a certain point I stopped listening to new people and realised recently that I’d slept on some bangers. Like Kendrick particularly, but even people like Juice WRLD and Xxxtentacion.
The same for the Kendrick and Drake (the nonce) beef which has given some rabbit holes to go down.
So I’m wondering what I can do to keep in the loop with my younger brothers and sisters?
Is it something as simple as watching trending videos on YouTube (somtheing I’ve never done) or are there people to follow etc. I don’t like Twitter though so hopefully it’s not that.
Edit: Man I got so many replies. You guys are awesome. I am going to work my way through them all today, but I’m hella tired and off to work so may take a while. I will reply to you all.
Edit part deux: God damn I think I got all the replies.
- Why do we associate reverby electric guitar with the ocean?
c.f. surf music and spongebob's sound cues
Did our ancestors find God playing the electric guitar standing next to the ocean or something?
- Why does Sync not display some comments?
I've posted something today and somehow Sync gives me notifications in my inbox for replies to that post, but when I open the post, it can't find any. I can interact with them just fine in the inbox and in the browser. But in Sync on the post, the number of replies is shown to be 4, while the comment section states that no replies have been found.
This happened before and also in other posts with some replies, but I just shrugged it off as common federation issues. But the people replying can be found when I open the post in my browser under the lemmy.world instance, so it's not due to my instance not finding them.
What's happening here? This seems like a Sync problem. Should I move to another mobile frontend?
- Does it seem odd to track my lifespan?
So I have a widget in my phone's home screen tracking the days I have lived so far, to remind me of the time I have, and not to waste it. I was sitting in the school dining hall, glancing at my phone to check the time and my friend remarked how it is weird that I'm counting the days I'm living. I didn't say anything but I'm confused about how is it weird. We are 15~16 y/o.
- Is there a movie with a significant portion of it shot through a telescope?
Or a very very high zoom to get a similar effect.
No real reason for this question, just a random wonder I had. Basically the effect this would have on perspective might be interesting, and I wonder if any movie used this kind of shot for more than a couple of seconds.
- Why is head hair different from other hairy parts?
Why is my hair smooth and soft compared to the other hairs?
- What is that sound effect in the House M.D theme music?
Yes it's old, I know.
In this opening theme, that deeply unsettling fuzzy vibrato tone.
I'm sure it's copying some kind of hospital sound effect, like an old-tech intercom tone or a warning buzzer, but I just cannot fucking place it. I know I know this sound.
It's driving me nuts. Can someone please tell me what it is? Bonus points if you can link to a recording.
- How can I create an alter ego for publishing stories?
I wrote some stories I posted online some time ago and now I'm planning on following up that passion. The think is I'd like to monetize them in some way but I don't want people knowing they are mine.
- Am I supposed to ask stupid questions here, or *not* ask stupid questions?
It’s kinda how you read the name, innit?
- What is the longest discontinuous marriage?
I’m thinking along the lines of older spouse dies, younger spouse marries someone younger and becomes the older spouse. Then older spouse dies again and repeat. Has anything like this happened in a long enough chain to be significant? Is it so mundane no one cares?
- Did the premise of an entity approaching you only when it's not being viewed originate with Doctor Who's Weeping Angels?
The Weeping Angels apparently originated with Steven Moffat seeing a statue of a weeping angel in a structure in a cemetery and returning later to find out it was gone. At least according to this RadioTimes article. They first appeared in 2007 in the episode Blink.
I am wondering if this mechanic has been done before though?
It's become quite common in the indie horror scene.
In the 2007 video game Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis Watson would not move if in the player's view but would teleport behind the protagonist when given the opportunity. A video of it can be found here.
Considering this could be an easy place holder for developers or a way to get around programming walking animations all together I'm surprised no one took the idea and ran with it before then.
All that said it could have been used in books or movies. Maybe a twist on some other vision-centric myth like Medusa or Orpheus and Eurydice?
- Why do arranged marriages persist in many cultures?
I have friends who are Afghan who have had arranged marriages so this led me to be curious to ask, why does this practice still persist into the 21st century?
- American wanting to move abroad, what's the best bet for an registered nurse?
Hi there, I'm a registered nurse in Phoenix, Arizona and I'm seriously considering moving abroad because this country is driving me insane for a lot of reasons. I was considering moving to Israel since I'm Jewish and I've heard they have a better healthcare system there and pay nurses well but this war has made me not really consider that anymore, so I'm open to suggestions. Thanks
- How to manage contact information between Android and Linux without any Big Tech software?
I used Google before, but since I degoogled, I only have my contacts on my Android phone. However, I would like to be able to access them on Linux too and have them synced.
- I'm so tired of hearing about US police brutality and China being authoritarian. Why does it feel like everyone is a hypocrite here? Where are the posts about Chinese protests and police brutality?
I bet if the kind of things happening in the US happened in China, I wouldn't be able to stop hearing about it. I mean, people are still criticizing the Tiananmen Square massacre, and hasn't anything happened since then? It's like still making conspiracy theories about Kennedy's assassination or 9/11, those are old news.