Posts by slymaker9

Michael Reed45 said:If only I had lost weight instead... I’ve actually gained pounds faster than most pregnant women would warn against 🤮

I have no appetite at all. Food tastes like nothing. I basically eat one tiny thing once a day, usually only when I start feeling dizzy from hunger and need to shove something down my throat.🤷
He claims this is normal for depression.
Those psychologists think everything is "normal."😂

After my session with the psychiatrist today, my treatment plan was updated. I’ve been prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL. Apparently, it is effective for this kind of lethargic, "can't-be-bothered," fatigue-heavy depression, and it should theoretically jumpstart my energy and appetite within about 15 days. Does anyone have experience with it? Out of all the antidepressants I've tried, only Faverin caused me issues and felt terrible; others, like Cipralex or Zoloft, were just mediocre. Right now, I am feeling quite unwell, having lost a significant amount of weight...

Honestly, I find it hard to believe. 😢

This is the root of all the stigma surrounding mental illness.

I got hit with a verbal reprimand followed by a formal written warning, but from what I can tell, a few other people caught heat too. She needs me there to act as a sort of stabilizer; moving me would go against her own interests.

briskpuma23 said:Do you want to talk about this in general terms, or should we break it down by specific subreddits? I'm not really sure how to approach the latter.

Managing an average subreddit—and I mean actually responsible moderation—takes way less time than actually reading through interesting threads.
Engaging in the discussion is much more demanding than just moderating.

So, unless you're looking at those few massive subreddits that need a huge team just to stay afloat, moderating is pretty easy for any active user who has consistent standards, or at least some sense of them.

But anyway, that's not even the point. The real question is why anyone would even want to be a moderator on Reddit, and I’d argue the reason is the exact same one that makes someone join the platform in the first place.

If you ask me, let's keep it general, though I have seen plenty of petty rebellions.☕

Serious discussion is quite taxing, and it seems likely to me that some mods spend far more time crafting posts than they do moderating.

Edit: By the way, I checked, and as far as I can tell, you aren't a mod under this username.

briskpuma23 said:He can snack on it whenever he feels like it.

Why doesn't he just swap out or something, assuming he even manages this subforum.
People on the PŽK board are constantly complaining: "Is there actually a moderator for the Cars section besides the one who just claims the title?" and things like that.
That said, PŽK is honestly one of my favorite subforums.
It's always the same old story: "The mod is crazy," "The mod has lost it," "Someone stop this rogue moderator..."😂

briskpuma23 said:People become moderators for the exact same reason they join Reddit—to actually contribute something.

Every single question the OP asked could have been directed at any regular user. I mean, why on earth would you give away your thoughts, ideas, conclusions, and questions to everyone else for free? Why spend hours deep in discussion? What drives someone to spend over an hour just drafting an opening post? And you’re doing all this pro bono. So, what’s the actual payoff?

At the end of the day, a moderator is just a regular user with a few extra permissions.

And just because someone makes money off a certain situation—well, people make money off the fact that we're breathing, too—it doesn't mean it's smart to quit living.

There is a fundamental difference here: being a user is a right you exercise whenever you feel like it, with zero obligations.
A moderator, however, has taken on a responsibility.

It honestly baffles me that people do this for free; I was genuinely surprised when I found out there’s no compensation involved.
Then, on top of that, these same people turn around and criticize you or complain about your decisions, leaving you to defend yourself—it's unbelievable.
I could perhaps wrap my head around the motivation of a journalism or sociology student looking for experience, but generally speaking, I just don't get it.

slyfox49 said:I mean, sometimes people just do things because they love it! But honestly? I’d happily pay double just to have some people stop working altogether... like our government, for example.

"Arbeit macht frei"😂

People definitely work for satisfaction sometimes. For example, they party just for the hell of it... 🤣

Joking aside, a job well done provides a sense of professional satisfaction and fulfillment. But honestly, I wouldn't show up to my current job if I wasn't getting paid, even if I do find occasional satisfaction in what I do.☕

Lisa Morales4 said:slymaker9, the joy you get from dancing depends entirely on whether you're dancing with the right partner

In the same way, the satisfaction you find in any project is really just a reflection of how much you enjoy working with your specific team

Look, at the end of the day, people work primarily to secure their livelihood. It’s great when you find a job that allows for genuine self-fulfillment, but that isn't easy to come by in an economy with such high unemployment rates.

In my current environment, it would be very easy for my desire to transfer to be misconstrued as laziness or a lack of work ethic, but I couldn't care less about that perception. I reached my breaking point, and I had to take action.

dustyskipper3 said:I really hope it works out for you. 👍

Thank you. 😘🙂

Since I have this little corner dedicated to Stella, I might as well brighten it up a bit.😁
I haven't figured out how to build a time machine to revisit the past just yet, but I have taken a step inspired by what Harmony suggested: I officially requested a transfer to a different work environment. If it goes through, I believe a fresh start would be incredibly significant and beneficial for me. 🙂
Generalizations are dangerous. No matter where you go, if things are broken, you’re just stuck in the same spot wearing a clown hat.
I've decided to try and find—and move to—a much less toxic workplace. We'll see if my request gets approved,🤷 but I am glad I took the initiative.🙂

Walter Hill6 said:... I guess what I find both depressing and somewhat fascinating about this entire discussion is my own disbelief that any man would ever actually start a thread like this by flipping the question on its head...

It really just speaks to who has it easier in life. 🙄

I have to disagree; the existence of transvestites is living proof of that.🙂

lonegardener said:I hear you, but why? 🤷 Personally, I don't have any burning desire to be a woman for even a single day. Especially not a gorgeous woman who has every guy in town tripping over themselves to get her attention. 🤣

I mean, if we're talking fantasies, I'd much rather be able to fly through the sky and hurl fireballs around. LOL.

Or okay, maybe something a bit more "realistic." I’d like to spend three weeks being the oldest son, three weeks as the middle child in a family of fourteen, three weeks as the baby of the family, three weeks as one of two identical twins, three weeks as a famous actor, three weeks as a Nobel laureate, three weeks as a heavy machinery operator, three weeks as the CEO of ExxonMobil, three weeks as Roger Federer... basically, any version of all those incredible things I'll never be. I'd choose all of those before spending even three weeks as a woman (and then there's all the different versions—the busty blonde, the intellectual with no curves, the overweight lady with a mustache, etc.).

See, I don't get why you think "being a man" is such a simple, singular thing. Like, if you were "a man" for three weeks, you'd supposedly "know" how it feels? Not really. You'd know what it's like to be THAT specific man, and nothing else. You still wouldn't know what it's like to be in my shoes. 🤣

True. But those statistical trends, as I mentioned, don't mean much for a specific individual in a specific set of circumstances, regardless of gender.

Interesting. For me, sitting down is the way to go—keeps things from splashing everywhere. 🤣

Besides, women can pee standing up too. 🤷 Just head out into the wilderness where you're totally alone and don't have to worry about "aiming"... and just enjoy the freedom, LOL.

Look, it is indisputable that every person is unique, and some are certainly more unique than others, 😬 but there are certain biological and gendered traits shared by all women and all men.
Generally speaking, humans share far more commonalities—species-level traits—than differences. It is only that our differences capture more attention because they constitute our personality and individuality.
The *differentia specifica* is what draws the eye and distinguishes one concept from another, or one person from another, allowing for differentiation. However, the specific difference that sets a concept apart from its closest "genus" covers much less ground than the commonalities they share.

That would suffice for me; in society, nothing is ever 100%.

Exactly. But those statistical indicators, as I mentioned, are of little importance to a specific individual in a specific situation, regardless of gender.

I disagree. As I stated above, we simply pay more attention to differences because they are naturally more striking and interesting.

Interesting. Personally, I prefer to pee sitting down so I don't make a mess everywhere. 🤣

Besides, women can pee standing up too. 🤷 Just head out into nature where nobody can see you and you don't have to "aim"... and enjoy the freedom, LOL.

Do you pee sitting down?🤣🤣🤣
I could, but I’d likely end up making a mess of myself, and that isn't exactly a goal of mine.:P

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePresencePortal#p/a

Here is an interesting link for you.
I find the argument quite compelling: the idea that if women want to step outside traditional gender roles, they essentially have to adopt masculine behaviors to succeed. There is certainly some truth to that.

lonegardener said:Hmm, maybe it is, in a way. 🤷 (Especially in certain parts of the world)

If you look at it purely from a statistical standpoint, sure. But I don't know how much those numbers actually matter to you. Statistics deal in "majorities," and a majority is just an average. 😬 It sounds like you aren't just looking at this through your own experience, but rather through some lens of metaphysical or social "justice." That’s a whole different conversation, though. Honestly, I don't see what’s "unjust" about one person being born beautiful, smart, and talented while someone else ends up plain, dull, and untalented 🤷.

At the end of the day, those statistics don't help or hurt you personally (or me).

Essentially, I believe women often hold a prejudice that men always have it easier, better, and simpler, and they frequently use that to rationalize certain things.
Generally speaking, men find it harder to open up; they complain less, talk less about their intimate struggles, and are less inclined to overanalyze problems because they were raised to be men and to remain strong. I think that is why it sometimes seems to women that men have far fewer issues.

That is why I would love to try living as a man for a week, just to experience it firsthand.

In many life situations, men are indeed in a better position, but there are just as many scenarios where women hold the advantage.

It isn't easy being a man, whether you lean modern or traditional.
If you are "modern," you have to balance satisfying women—who want you to be caring, gentle, communicative, and supportive—with ensuring your male friends don't label you as soft or weak.
If you take a more traditional approach, you carry the massive burden of being the successful provider and the head of the household who always knows exactly what to do.
It is not that simple.

Which is why I'd like to test it out. And for the sake of peeing standing up. Peeing is 👍

Sean Cruz said:Well, I honestly don't know. I already mentioned that I can't find a rational reason to feel that way. Maybe if reincarnation is actually a thing, 🤔 I was some sort of sensitive courtesan in a past life. 😁 🤣

You remind me more of a sensitive Madam.😁🤣

northerneagle3 said:Alright, I'm back. 🙂

First off, I think we’re just talking past each other because we’re using different definitions here. When I say I respect or don't respect someone, I’m talking about whether I consider them "real"—you know that feeling when you see a woman and just think, "Yeah, she’s the real deal, hats off to her." That’s what I mean by "real" women. But if we’re strictly looking at the biology of it, then obviously every woman is real, and I totally agree that while we all have our similarities, we’re all incredibly different individuals. 🙂

So, here’s the thing... how exactly is a woman supposed to express traits that any man could carry too? It’s such a ridiculous question when you really sit down and think about it. Look, I’m about to go off on a massive generalization here, so consider this your fair warning... 🙂
Look, let’s just talk about the love for a child for a second. It’s a universal thing—both the father and the mother absolutely adore their kid. But if we’re being honest here, a mother’s love just has this different kind of tenderness to it. A man? He’s usually more grounded, more rational about how he handles things.
Men tend to see everything in black and white, like they’re stuck in some binary code where things are either right or wrong and there's nothing in between. It’s exhausting. We deal in a million different shades of gray, which actually makes us way more tuned in to what's happening around us—not that we just blindly accept it, but we actually process it. Because we’re more in touch with our emotions, we think on a much broader scale; we’re out here digging for the root causes and overanalyzing every little detail, while a man will just sit there and take whatever someone tells him at face value without a second thought.
Protecting the family? You ever see a mother bear defending her cub? It’s not even the same ballpark. When a woman snaps, she snaps hard. A man might lose his cool and get into a scrap, sure, but if a mother reaches that point where she strikes someone to protect her kid, she’s capable of killing. That instinct is absolutely wild—terrifying, honestly, but just wild.
Honestly, men are just naturally blunt sometimes, and I actually find that pretty refreshing. It’s simple. But when a woman decides to be honest? Man, she is *really* going for it. There is something incredibly powerful about a woman who actually takes the time to sit with her feelings, deconstruct them, and then looks you dead in the eye and tells you exactly what is happening inside her head. Most guys are "honest" just because they aren't overthinking things—they say what’s on their mind because they haven't bothered to process it yet. It’s just "this is how it is." But for women, honesty usually comes after a massive internal deep dive. We question everything, we dissect every emotion, and when we finally land on the truth, it carries so much more weight because it’s been earned.
I honestly think we’re just wired to feel things on a much deeper level than most people give us credit for. We process emotions more intensely, we live through experiences with this raw, heavy weight that others just don't seem to grasp. It’s like we’re tuned to a different frequency entirely.

Everything else boils down to what society expects from you, and honestly, I don't even compare those pressures to what men deal with. A woman can actually afford to fall apart sometimes; she can ask for help without the world ending. Women aren't forced to be this hyper-independent just because everyone around them expects it. But when a woman consciously pushes back against that pressure—when she decides to be truly self-sufficient, firm, and steady on her own feet—I find that absolutely incredible. Most people would probably dismiss this as some trivial thing, like if a cabinet door falls off its hinges, but look at how most women react: they’ll immediately call their boyfriend, a friend, or the neighbor to come fix it. Not me. To me, a "real" woman is the one who grabs that damn screwdriver, rolls up her sleeves, and gets to work herself, even if she ends up making a complete mess of it six times over. 🙂

Look, let’s be real here—upbringing and all those other circumstances play a massive role in who someone turns out to be. I get that. I really do. I don't hold it against women who just couldn't break free from the mess they were raised in or the situations they found themselves stuck in. But let me tell you something: I have nothing but respect for the ones who actually managed to pull themselves together and rise above it all. Those are the only ones I truly consider "real" in my eyes.

So, there you have it—hopefully I made myself clear... if I didn't, just let me know. Honestly, I feel like whenever I talk about my "rights," people over here just hear it as me saying "I appreciate this" or some other soft version of what I actually mean.

Anyway, catch ya later! 😍

Beautiful post; it would have been a shame if you hadn't written it.🙂

lonegardener said:Why did you send me that link? Just to clear up any confusion, when I mentioned being "under attack," I was talking about that memory-erasing device from Men in Black, NOT locking a woman in a windowless, fortified room. 😲 🤣 🤣

It fit perfectly with what you were saying, and honestly, you're the only guy here actually sticking to the topic without being completely wasted.😉
That aside, you didn't answer my question: do you believe men, as a general rule, find it easier to navigate through life?

Sean Cruz said:I wouldn't bet the house on that. Maybe in certain specific instances, sure. But let’s not forget how incredibly good people are at lying to themselves.

Child trafficking and the sexual exploitation of minors should carry draconian penalties. However, the real issue is that pedophilia is a pathology, meaning both the child and the adult are essentially victims. The harshest sentences should be reserved specifically for the traffickers and pimps who act out of pure greed.

Agreed. I feel the exact same way about drug dealers.

Good for them, then. A solid defense mechanism is worth its weight in gold.🙂
And what exactly is there to empathize with? How can I feel for someone who doesn't feel anything at all?🤷

Linda Taylor11 said:🤣🤣🤣

Or maybe: "Just pop some Xanax All the answers will find you eventually
Just take your Lexapro And finally see the light at the end of the tunnel"

🤣 🤣

You could actually put that in your signature.🤣🤣🤣

I’m going to go ahead and kick back on the couch for a bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14njU...eature=related 🤣

Sean Cruz said:I recently watched the movie human trafficking. It was terrifying, but what really hit me hardest was the child exploitation aspect.

Even in those situations, there usually comes a moment where an exit strategy opens up, giving them the chance to choose a different path.

I'm not so sure that actually happens as often as you'd think.

More often than not, it boils down to career choices—picking the path of least resistance or the quickest way to make some cash. It's a choice I personally can't wrap my head around.

I can somewhat understand the motivation behind these women's actions, though I certainly don't view it as an excuse. On the surface, working a grueling manual labor job for pennies seems harder than sex work, but once you look deeper, the reality shifts. It might be "easier" in terms of immediate cash, but how much of that money actually belongs to them? You've usually got pimps, organized crime syndicates, and various handlers involved. Besides, nowadays, they don't even have to label themselves that way; being a "sugar baby" is a common enough cover.😁

I think they rationalize their profession in a way that is fundamentally alien to my own personality. I don't necessarily feel empathy for them. If anything, I just feel pity, similar to how I might feel for people like Vlatko Pokos or Simon Gotovac.

I don't pity them. My sense of empathy is directed more toward the emotional weight of imagining myself in such a situation. I recognize that they process things through a completely different lens than I do—at least most of those who can stomach that kind of work just to live a more carefree lifestyle.

But I am certain that sex workers will always exist in society.

Of course, demand creates supply, and that's a constant. But the most tragic demand of all is the demand for children. 😢

People can be incredibly inhumane.
Child trafficking and sexual exploitation are particularly horrific because, when facing an adult, children are undeniably the weaker party and are completely powerless.

I understand (to an extent) the motivation behind such women, though I cannot accept it as a mitigating factor. On the surface, it might seem easier to enter prostitution than to work manual labor jobs for pennies, but when you look deeper, the situation is reversed. It is "easier," conditionally speaking, because of the money, but the question is how much of that money actually belongs to them, given that pimps and the mafia are usually involved. Of course, women today don't even have to label themselves that way—being a "sugar baby" is enough.😁
I don't pity them; my empathy is directed more toward a deeper emotional level regarding how I process such a situation. I recognize that they think in a fundamentally different way than I do. At least, most of those whose stomachs can handle that kind of work just to live more comfortably.

Personally, I would find manual labor far easier than prostitution, without question.
But that is just me; I believe some women see prostitution as an easier path to survival. Truly easier, because they view it through a completely different lens.
They view their bodies and sexuality as tools for income, just as I view my intellect as a tool in my profession.
I pity them precisely because I believe this mindset is deeply self-defeating and degrading, and that this rationalization will eventually collapse if they live long enough.😢

Naturally, demand will always exist, and with it, supply. To me, the most tragic demand is the one for children.😢

There should really be draconian penalties for child trafficking and sexual exploitation. However, the real issue is that pedophilia is a disorder, making both the child and the adult essentially victims in the eyes of psychology. Severe punishments should be reserved specifically for the traffickers and pimps who act purely out of greed.

Jamie Jackson3 said:The entire discussion could be distilled down to this single sentence.
It isn't necessarily better or worse; it’s simply more straightforward when you're a man.👍

I have a question for Apemant: do you agree with this premise?

Morgan Martin7 said:Seriously, just think about it—you’re stuck in some kind of dystopian nightmare where everything is wrapped in black and you can barely see out of your own eyes. You have no say in anything, you aren't even allowed to leave your house... it's just a list of horrors at this point. I honestly don't get how we ever let things get this far—like, shouldn't the people behind these kinds of ideas be women who were at their most vulnerable, or maybe caught sleeping, just so they could be targeted the very next day? It would be like being 🙂 totally 🙂 including those women who simply didn't know how to stand up for themselves. Maybe I'm overreacting, though I've actually toned down what I really wanted to say

Lani was in Tunis, and I have generally observed that in certain Islamic countries, women can actually find themselves in much better positions and receive more respect than in the West. Once you scratch beneath the surface, you realize it isn't that simple.

lonegardener said:Fritzl + Greek mythology😢

Sometimes I wish that device from Men in Black actually existed—you know, the one that wipes your brain clean. 🤣

I’d be first in line... though, honestly, I probably wouldn't be able to help myself. It would be mighty hard to resist.

I have a link for you:
http://news.us/crime/story...5/0073006.html 😲

So, ladies, if you were unfaithful, never admit the child isn't the husband's.

Tell me, do you believe that life is, in principle, simpler for men?