Posts by Matthew Castillo5

neonsailor26 said:Now, I wouldn't say it's a huge majority—I'd probably estimate it at maybe 2% to 3% of the population.

Which, let's be real, isn't exactly a tiny number either, even if it doesn't sound overwhelming at first glance.

I actually went as far as asking my psychotherapist if there were support groups similar to those for domestic abuse survivors or people in recovery—you know, places where those of us who grew up with a toxic parent could gather to share experiences—but he told me no such thing exists yet, simply because it's still such a taboo subject to discuss openly.

It really is quite sad...

Look, you can sit around waiting for someone else to take the lead, or you could step up and try to start a support group yourself. That said, if we're going to have that conversation, a thread dedicated specifically to 'Toxic Parents' would be way more appropriate than this one.

I’m right there with you on this. Honestly, the subforum has become such an unreadable, tedious slog lately that I’ve pretty much lost the motivation to even click on it anymore. Consider me officially backing the request to actually do something about this mess and turn things around.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:I honestly haven't a clue—maybe some local school district or something? I mean, we did get an email from the principal, so I guess it’s legit enough. 🤷

Look, I was just speaking in general terms, not focusing on one specific school. If you actually received an official email from your principal, then it's probably legit.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Is computer science really optional? I heard through the grapevine that they’re making it a requirement for 5th and 6th graders starting next school year!

But with which teachers and what kind of equipment? 🤔

It’s not happening anytime soon—not until the necessary conditions are met, as they’d say in Congress.

(Look, I actually work in training computer science professors, so I know for a fact there aren't nearly enough qualified instructors to pull this off by next school year.)

Robin Lopez2 said:I remember once I cornered my psychiatrist, demanding he give me a straight answer about my exact diagnosis. He just looked at me and said, "Look, we aren't obsessed with labels; our priority is actually getting you healthy."

Honestly? That’s a perfectly valid way to look at it. 👍

David Flores68 said:I’m not entirely sure I follow what that idiom is supposed to mean.

Does it imply that if too many people treat a child the way grandparents do—you know, constantly coddling them and giving in to every little whim—the kid is just going to end up spoiled, weak, and lacking any sense of independence?

Well, in English, we have a similar saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth." Basically, if you get a whole crowd of chefs hovering over a single pot of soup, all chiming in with their own opinions on seasoning or tossing in extra ingredients, you’re probably going to end up with a total mess—way too salty, too spicy, or just an unrecognizable sludge.
It’s the exact same logic here: if you have a dozen different grandmas (or grandpas, for that matter) swarming around one child, each one pushing their own conflicting ideas about how they should be raised, the kid is inevitably going to suffer for it.

Anyway, hopefully that clears things up a bit.

Maria Fowler39 said:🤦
Honestly, there’s just no point in even engaging with this kind of nonsense.

It’s not nonsense. I’m not saying you were the one behind it, but your buddy lonebadger6 definitely was—which he pretty much admitted himself if you listen closely enough.

It’s honestly irrelevant which of those two subforums they used to moderate, so please don't go thinking you've somehow corrected a vital fact or contributed something meaningful to the discussion by pointing it out.

Sure, it was a threat—and it's a threat that has now been carried out. You can try to interpret it however you want, pretending it wasn't a violation of some rule (whether written down or just understood), but anything I posted in that subforum could have served as the "final straw" that led to my Partial status.

Oh, and I totally forgot to mention the part where they were egging on the other moderators (from different subforums) to come after me with warnings and bans.

Who can I actually talk to about getting protection from the targeted harassment I'm facing from certain moderators (specifically lonebadger6 and Maria Fowler39)? It all kicked off over in the Politics Story subforum, where I was being slapped with warnings and penalty points just because my views didn't align perfectly with the moderation team's agenda (I’ve already gone into full detail about this on the Ban Corner and with the Women's Rights Organization), eventually building up to a Partial ban last summer.

Then, a few weeks ago, lonebadger6 sent me a DM essentially threatening me, saying that once he became a moderator over at Television (which, by the way, he has since done), I'd be looking at a Partial ban the first chance he got. Well, today that threat became a reality.

And let's be real: the super-mods and the admin, Nice, are obviously going to jump straight to their defense and claim that I'm the sole problem here. But they aren't. They really aren't. I doubt the forum owner is even going to bother getting involved in this mess. So, I'm assuming there isn't any actual authority left to turn to, but I'd love for someone to tell me if I'm right or wrong about that.

wanderingbadger44 said:For heaven's sake, please explain to me why it would be in a teacher's best interest to force a child to learn something specifically when it goes against what the parent wants. I am genuinely asking you to walk me through that logic.

What exactly is this supposed "teacher's interest" you're talking about?

I could certainly give you plenty of examples regarding a teacher's interest in not pushing back against a parent's wishes.

But I want you to tell me: what is my personal incentive to insist on something that contradicts a parent's will?

Why on earth would I try to force biology on Manchild's kid or John Doe's child—using those specific names Manchild mentioned—or push Faulkner, when at the end of the day, the parent is the customer, and we all know the old adage that the customer is always right?

I clearly see how it benefits society and the community for children to read, to become literate, and to grow more educated. But as for my own personal gain, kill me now, because I simply don't see any.

And if society has such an interest, then society should have the mechanisms in place to make it happen. Instead, society ties my hands behind my back and then expects me to act like it's my personal mission to ensure kids read, even though I have no way to fight for it.

How did we actually get here? I mean, when exactly did the needle shift so that parents—rather than the students themselves or their teachers—became the primary drivers of the entire educational experience? It feels like we’ve drifted into this weird era where the classroom is just a backdrop for parental involvement, and honestly, I can't quite wrap my head around the turning point. 🙄

Look, I’ve got it pretty easy since I teach at the university level, so I rarely have to deal with parents breathing down my neck. But looking back at when I was actually in school? Things were totally different. Back then, parents usually only showed up on campus if they wanted to hear a teacher or a counselor give them the rundown on how their kid was doing—you know, specifically regarding whether they were actually hitting their academic milestones or behaving themselves.

Honestly, this whole trend of parents trying to dictate exactly what teachers should or shouldn't be teaching their kids feels fundamentally broken to me. It’s just wrong. To me, it feels exactly like if I took my car into a mechanic in Chicago, and then spent the entire appointment trying to lecture them on which parts actually need replacing and which don't—despite the fact that I don't know the first thing about internal combustion engines. If you're paying a professional for their expertise, you should probably let them do the job they were trained to do.

Look, Persephone, don't take this as a jab at you. I really don't. Honestly, I totally get why you're so frustrated right now.

I’ve noticed from my own experience that student motivation isn't just about the syllabus—it’s heavily tied to how much enthusiasm I actually bring to the lecture hall. If I’m genuinely excited about the material, they tend to catch that spark. If I'm just going through the motions? Well, they pick up on that immediately too.

Paul Anderson15 said:To whom? The devil or the Bear? 😂

Neither of them. And honestly, none of the above.

Paul Anderson15 said:Where on earth would he come from then? 🤔 (Though, I suppose there are some demons over there too, but they're really just minor characters meant to be dealt with by the actual deities. 🤣 )

Heh, honestly, I have no clue. If he wants to make a case for himself, he can step up and explain it. It’s not my job to be his defense attorney.

Paul Anderson15 said:Yeah, and? What does that actually have to do with taking responsibility for your own actions?

Look, if you're a Christian, I have no interest in debating your faith with you. Let's just agree to disagree on that one. 🙂

He isn't Christian; if my memory serves me right, he leans more towards some kind of Hinduism.

Would anyone here be interested in joining a support group for "Hearing Voices"—specifically for people dealing with auditory hallucinations or intrusive thoughts?

There’s a real possibility we could get something like this up and running in Washington, D.C. over the next few months, so let me know if you'd actually show up.

hiddensurfer16 said:Exactly

Honestly, I’m starting to feel like I’m shouting into a void here. It’s like nobody on this sub actually takes me seriously. 😢

Richard Sanders7 said:It’s physically impossible because part of the pipe is sticking out above the water line. Honestly, any other reason you throw at me is just as valid, since every single one of those scenarios is a physical impossibility in practice. Listen, if you’re going to navigate the real world without losing your mind, you might want to actually sit down and study the laws of thermodynamics. Seriously. It sounds like some heavy academic nonsense, but it’s basically the rulebook for how everything in the universe—from a cup of coffee in a Starbucks to a massive jet engine over Chicago—actually functions. It isn't just about heat; it's about energy, entropy, and the absolute inevitability of things falling apart. If you don't respect these principles, you're essentially fighting a losing battle against physics. Trust me, I learned that the hard way when I tried to "optimize" my old home heater setup back in the day. Total disaster. Just do yourself a favor: get the fundamentals down first. Physics doesn't care about your feelings or your shortcuts. ☕

People with this kind of creative spark seem to operate on a plane that’s somehow entirely above the laws of thermodynamics. 😁

People with half a brain actually know how to use Reddit and AdBlock. I don't see a single damn ad on this forum. ☕

Laura Castillo6 said:I mean, you can't really make that argument while those mental health diagnoses are still sitting right there on the official list of medical conditions. Look, I’m all for exploring other ways to handle things—there are plenty of alternative approaches to managing psychological struggles without immediately jumping to a prescription pad. But we have to be realistic about the heavy stuff. When someone is in the middle of an acute psychotic break, where they've completely lost touch with reality and are being driven by hallucinations, things get dangerous fast. They could end up hurting themselves or anyone else nearby. In those intense, high-stakes moments, medication isn't just an option; it’s often the only way to stabilize the situation and keep everyone safe.

I just can't bring myself to mess with medication recommendations just because there's a kickback involved. It's just not how I operate.

Look, until we actually get a handle on how to manage psychotic disorders—to the point where someone experiencing them actually has enough clarity to realize what’s happening and can proactively reach out for help during those brief windows when they're feeling okay—it just feels reckless to suggest anyone should ditch a treatment that’s providing even a modicum of relief. I remember talking to a friend back in Chicago who struggled with similar issues, and seeing how much they relied on their routine just to stay afloat... it really puts things in perspective. Telling someone to walk away from something that's helping them survive, even slightly, seems totally irrational to me.

Actually, Harold Anderson3 said pretty much the same thing you did. So why are you picking a fight with him?

He wasn't telling people to throw away their psych meds; he was specifically warning them *not* to do exactly that.

I’d say I’m a bit of an overachiever when it comes to being a forum regular, and honestly, I have the receipts to prove it.

Jose Ward4 said:Good grief, you could have just left a link so we could actually see the details! Instead, you drop a link at 2:00 AM when the lectures start at 9:00.

Fair point, but I didn't get home until late last night, so I couldn't get it up earlier.