Hmm... Look, since you got that "controversial" warning on my thread, I’m gonna need you to chill out with those kinds of posts here. Seriously—they don't actually follow the point of the topic at all. They feel more like random chatroom chatter or stuff you should just be sending in a private DM instead.
ironmarlin1 said:Plus, he’s moved a bunch of threads over to other subforums because his grasp on philosophy is pretty weak—he just dumps everything into psychology instead. There was this one thread about suicide, for instance. He probably thought he was being clever by implying it’s strictly a psychological issue. I mean, maybe, but that’s his own philosophical stance he needs to actually argue for, not just force on everyone by moving the whole discussion. And honestly, does anyone even need to bring up the philosophers from ancient times all the way to now who tackled the subject? (I assume everyone's read Camus, except for William Gonzalez3).
Look, ironmarlin1, since I’m the one who actually started that suicide thread you're whining about, let me set the record straight:
That thread had a super straightforward opening post designed to let anyone jump in and share their thoughts. Sure, it started in the Philosophy section, so it had that "philosophical vibe" initially, but as the days went by, the conversation drifted heavily toward psychology. Because of that, William Gonzalez3 moved it over to Psychology, which was totally fair, and that's where the talk continued. Later on, I actually asked the Psychology mods to move it over to Alternative or Spirituality, because the whole thing started veering into reincarnation territory.
As for how William Gonzalez3 handles things, I don't know if there's a better moderator on this entire site, and I don't hang out in every single subforum, but from what I've seen, William Gonzalez3 is an incredibly sharp, tolerant, and fair moderator.
says: Assuming that kind of thing applies to such a massive hugechunk of the population is just plain arrogant—and honestly, pretty damn stupid.
Look, there’s also a massive huge crowd of people out there who actually believe you can treat schizophrenia with LSD. The whole point isn't about how many people think it—it's about how dangerous certain groups can be when they're peddling junk to people who don't know any better.
So, if nothing else, it’d be a hell of a lot better if these two PDFs were side-by-side. Sure, let them both claim to be "their own perspective" or whatever, but having them right next to each other would actually make things clear. It'd help cut down on all the nonsense and misconceptions flying around from either one of those files.
Look, the whole point of this suggestion isn't about trashing alternative medicine—it’s really more about logic. I’m just trying to point out that if we reorganized the PDF sections for Health and alternative medicine (basically with one 😁 smooth move), we could stop some of these "alternative methods" from being treated like gospel. If you put them side-by-side, people would actually see the downsides right next to the claims immediately—and yeah, the same goes for the other way around too.
(mandragora. It's not about moving the damn cabinet, it's about how you organize the junk inside it.)
I’ve been thinking—we really ought to move the Health PDF right up next to the alternative medicine PDF on the main page.
Let's be real, having the alternative medicine PDF sitting there is pretty sketchy because of stuff like this kind of thing. Look, I get it—plenty of people, myself included, probably blow things out of proportion when we start complaining about these topics. We all make mistakes.
But honestly? Burying the Health PDF way down the list while the alternative medicine one sits up top... it basically sends a message that science and actual medicine are second-rate compared to these "other" methods. It feels wrong.
So, I’m asking—can we please just put the Health PDF right next to (or even above) the alternative medicine one? That way, the folks out there looking for some "magic cure" online might actually stumble upon some decent, legitimate info for once.
The thread wasn't deleted for no reason, let me tell you. I wouldn't just brush off those potential values quite so easily if I were you. Why? Look, you can't just dismiss new medical approaches out of hand—especially when they might be debunked or proven right by some cheap little experiment down the road. Plus, there's this one thing you've always gotta keep in mind: Just because something smells like crap doesn't mean it actually is. 🙂
- Look, I’m all for alternative stuff—my handle pretty much screams that—and I’ve been "into" this scene for as long as I can remember. But honestly? Being in this rabbit hole for a long time has shown me exactly who’s actually trying to help people heal and who’s just running a massive grift. There are people out there treating this like a gold mine, refusing to give even the most basic, obvious advice—even when they know it’s wrong and could literally kill someone—just because they don't want to lose a buck. - If I point out that a certain user’s "degree" from some random holistic institute isn't actually a real degree—it's just a piece of paper that's only recognized by that one specific building and holds zero weight anywhere else in the US—that isn't trolling. It's just a fact. - And if I call someone out and demand they actually explain their "miracle cure" method—like, what does it actually do, what's the science behind it, are there any actual clinical trials, etc.—that’s not being a troll, either. That's just wanting actual information. - Or, if I point out that someone's story doesn't add up—like when they claim they "patented a secret medicine," even though patent filings are public record, or when they claim filing costs hundreds of thousands of dollars when the actual fees are way lower—then calling them out on a blatant lie isn't trolling, it's just spotting a fraud.
This right here? This is basically the heart of the whole problem. I really hope people start taking what you're saying more seriously, Kyle Nelson2.
Uh. I gotta weigh in here—and look, I really hope I don't catch heat from Tarot, who’s been killing it with his posts for ages, or from the admins, who, frankly, haven't exactly blown me away lately.
That "Alternative Medicine" PDF is basically a breeding ground for people to encourage self-harm or even straight-up suicide... because they're out there peddling stuff like drinking bleach or "colloidal" silver. By not letting the people who actually know how lethal this crap is speak their truth, you're just opening the floodgates for this file to mess with anyone in America reading it. It's dangerous.
As for that moderator over in the Religion section—man, I could go on forever about him. Let's just say he's anything but impartial, but since we aren't making this all about him, I'll bite my tongue for now.
Anyway, I just want to give a shout-out to Endimion17 and the other regulars who keep trying—including me right now—to point out how toxic these "alternative" methods promoted in that PDF actually are. They've got more patience than I do.
Later.
(Edit: Usually, I think the mods on that site are pretty solid and chill, so this whole situation caught me totally off guard.)
dustyharbor18, come on, for the love of God, just give him back that "original" title—seriously, if nothing else, do it for that one bubbly blonde who shows up at your door with her neon nails and enough makeup to paint a house, always flashing that bright smile whenever you actually bother to open the door for her. there’s really no difference between her and our buddy hiddenpuma75, except he does all that nonsense in a way that's just a bit more sophisticated and uniquely his own. so, just open the door for hiddenpuma75. 🙂
Look, Hi-Fi, It’s honestly hilarious that you felt the need to jump in at 2:40 PM to reply to a post I wrote at 2 AM—only to go ahead and scrub it about twenty minutes later. It’s such a perfect little display of how "inflexible" your whole persona actually is. And since you’re always whining about everyone else being "inflexible," well, your little complaint just completely blew up in your face by the way you handled this. 🙂
Seriously, why don't you tell those thousand "brilliant" moderators of yours 😕 to just drop this appeal? Instead, why don't you just hop over to a philosophy seminar so we can actually hash out the difference between mere belief and actual conviction? The ground is already perfectly primed for that kind of deep dive in the thread about misunderstanding.
Cheers,
(And regarding the whole deleting posts thing—public opinion doesn't even matter here anyway, since this is just a private forum. Plus, a moderator can only do a soft delete, which means any admin can still see everything that was wiped if they ever feel like checking up on what's been cleared out.)
I’m down to talk about pretty much anything—except for total illiteracy or that "atheist stubbornness" I’m putting in quotes. Look, I know I’m being biased there, but honestly, most of the believers hanging out in the Religion sub usually lean toward that whole "religious fanaticism" vibe anyway, so let's just call it a wash and keep things balanced. 😁
(By the way, Bryan Jones89, being a mod for the Religion sub isn't exactly a walk in the park, especially if you're stuck doing it for more than a month or two. 😁 You either lose your mind or you just end up Googling everything to stay sane. Maybe you should factor that reality into your decision-making process.)
Look, I’ll admit it—I’m a hypocrite. A massive, biblical-scale hypocrite. People have been more than happy to lay that out for me right here on this forum, and honestly, they explained it way better than you ever could! I’m bad, I’m ugly, I’m the whole package. But hey, maybe that’s just because I’m a Mexican? 😕
Anyway, don't come at me with that censorship nonsense. Sure, I’m a hardline opponent of drug addiction, nationalism, racism, and all those other "isms" that clutter up the world, but that’s a different story. 😁
As it happens, a user going by N'Dug—whom my own retarded brain somehow thinks is a total genius—just got slapped with 500 points for hate speech after claiming he thinks Canadians have a bandit mentality. See?
(And that little comment you made—"Let's make sure they don't love Mexicans!"—is so incredibly condescending it actually gives me a headache. 😵)
redmarlin3, I honestly find it hilarious how you basically don't get flagged for anything, yet—and look, I spent twelve years in that special education program back in Central Park😲—they drilled this into my head: hate speech is any talk targeting someone based on their race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, or even just attacking specific groups in a way that could spark hatred or some kind of aggression.
Both examples you brought up fit that definition of hate speech perfectly.
As for the rest of your post... sorry, but I’m not even going to touch it because your logic is all over the place when you try to explain what counts as an insult—I’m assuming it’s just a lack of focus or maybe you were just rushing to reply.
Anyway, even though I totally disagree with you regarding those "controversial" sentences, thanks for getting back to me regardless.
Can some other moderator please answer my question? because I’d love to just put "I think Mexicans are a hypocritical, evil, and ugly people" in my signature and then dive into high-level debates in the Politics subforum without getting slapped with a seven-day ban.
(I'm asking because I'm genuinely trying to follow the rules here, which—for some reason, probably due to my poor circulation or whatever—are still a bit fuzzy to me. Then again, maybe the problem is just that special school training.)
Satori said:So basically, being called hypocrites in every single post is totally fine... right? And since you clearly agree with it, you’re just tossing it out there like a plain old fact instead of an insult... good to know.
redmarlin3 said:Sorry, but I can't go around punishing people just for expressing an opinion. Calling someone a "hypocrite" isn't an insult like calling them an "idiot," a "scumbag," or some other trashy slur. Being a hypocrite is just a trait—you either have it or you don't. It's like trying to penalize someone for saying someone else is narrow-minded or mean. For crying out loud.
Besides, I can't punish something as an insult if it isn't even directed at anyone.
A sentence like "I think Mexicans are a hypocritical, evil, and ugly people" (just exaggerating here) IS NOT AN INSULT. Get it through your heads. If you happen to be a Mexican and you feel personally attacked by that (again, just an example), then tough luck.
My heart breaks every time someone writes that punks are narrow-minded stenches, so what? ☕
I've wiped out all the baiting from both sides, so please stop pushing this because you'll get appropriately rewarded for it.
Joseph Watson3, especially you. 😠
Look, I gotta say, redmarlin3's response above—which was aimed at the now-banned user Satori—really caught me off guard. Seriously though, isn't that bold statement actually hate speech? If any random user posted something like that in a sub like Religion or Politics, wouldn't they be slapped with a 500-point penalty? (And here I was thinking calling someone a "hypocrite" was an insult punishable by 40 points. 😕)
Could redmarlin3 or anyone else on the admin team be so kind as to explain what exactly I'm failing to grasp here?
Kate Fisher73 said:I’m just sitting here praying—and I mean really crossing my fingers—that the administration actually moves faster this time around compared to how they botched it last time...
Look, people act like it’s just some harmless little plant, but the whole "marijuana causes schizophrenia" thing isn't even a question anymore—it's a fact.
There have been endless studies trying to figure out if weed is actually the culprit behind psychotic behavior, and every single one comes back with the same scary result: if you're using marijuana, your risk of developing schizophrenia goes through the roof.
One of the most interesting ones—which is why I'm bringing it up now—was done over in the Netherlands. They ran this massive 14-year study following 1,580 randomly selected kids and teens. What they found was that people who showed zero signs of psychosis before touching weed started showing symptoms right after they started using. Plus—and this is the kicker—those who *already* had psychotic tendencies were actually more likely to start using marijuana later on.
Over the last 30 years or so, there's been a mountain of research all over the globe specifically designed to pin down that link between weed and schizophrenia. "The Classical study of Anderson et al.[36] was followed by longer term (27 years) follow-up of this cohort of Swedish conscripts.[37] In both studies, use of cannabis was associated with higher risk of development of schizophrenia."
An Israeli study found the exact same connection between teen marijuana use and later schizophrenia development. etc.
Seriously, you don't see a connection like this—this specific link between schizophrenia and marijuana—with any other drug out there. Bottom line? There’s way too much evidence to ignore how tied marijuana is to schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms. Voila.
So, once you've got the facts laid out like this, you really have to wonder: how can anyone try to bridge the gap between marijuana and spirituality while simultaneously denying the link between schizophrenia and spirituality?
But hey, maybe I'm just totally wrong. Maybe "true" spirituality is just a schizophrenic state. (If anyone's missing the links, just throw "marijuana and schizophrenia" into any search engine and see for yourselves that everything I'm saying is legit)
Since it seemed like—well, look above—even making a joke about drugs was basically off-limits, and because I'm worried about people potentially glamorizing marijuana (and by extension LSD and other illegal stuff), I'm taking the liberty of reminding everyone about the schizophrenia connection.
I'm hoping the admins react a hell of a lot faster than they did last time and do what they can to protect American youth from this damage. Best wishes to you all.
Kate Fisher73 said:Well, it seems my "inner voice" is telling me I should open up my soul here, on this Danielle thread.
First off, I have to admit—for the longest time, I was a total hardliner against marijuana. Just hated all the negative baggage and drama people drag along with it. But look, I’ll tell you what happened to me and why I finally flipped my script.
Basically, life just decided to kick my teeth in from every single direction at once. Everything was going sideways—electrical issues at the house, plumbing disasters... just absolute chaos. I lost my mind, my time, and honestly, even my garden was suffering because I was too busy fixing things. Then, out of nowhere, one of my dogs gets hit with acute pancreatitis. I was basically running an IV drip for him day and night. After five grueling days, the little guy finally pulled through, but then came the 24-hour glucose monitoring because the whole pancreatitis thing triggered diabetes. Just when things seemed to settle down enough for me to catch maybe four hours of sleep, my second dog collapses. Fever of 104—which, for context, is like me hitting 112. I scramble to get him to the vet for bloodwork, and sure enough, it's some viral infection. No cure. For the next few days, I was just running around like a maniac trying to nurse a dying dog while also managing a diabetic dog, just trying to keep my head above water.
So, what can I say? My nerves were shot, and I figured I'd light up a joint just to help with my meditation—which, given the mess I was in, was pretty much a necessity if I wanted to relax for even a second.
I take the first hit—nothing. Second hit—still nothing. I’m about to go for the third when suddenly, I hear a voice: "Greetings, poor soul. How may I assist you?" You can imagine how stunned I was. My first thought was, "Okay, the weed is definitely tripping me out, I'm hallucinating," so I tried to chill. Third hit—nothing. I was almost ready to give up on the meditation entirely when the voice piped up again: "Fear not, poor soul, I shall help you perceive the world as it truly is. Listen to my voice, and not only will you discover the depths of your own soul, but you will find it easy to merge with all other souls... Don't answer, just take another hit and start rolling a real joint, and of course, keep listening to my voice." (If you're wondering how I know exactly what the voice said—look, I don't know, it just *is*.) While the voice was talking, I started feeling these waves of pure bliss, stuff I've never felt in my entire life. I don't even know how to describe it, but suddenly, life felt beautiful... I took another hit, started rolling the joint the way it was suggested, but I couldn't help myself and blurted out: "Thanks for helping me, and sorry to interrupt, but could you at least tell me who you are?" And the voice goes: "I am the spirit of chamomile, the friend of intellectuals and the 'censored'-pal of the outcasts."
😕
"But, wait, how? Am I not breaking the law right now by using these controlled substances that warp my consciousness to the edge of danger for myself and others, even though it feels great and I don't care about the consequences!?" I asked, totally bewildered. "No, poor soul, you don't need that; you already have schizophrenia," the chamomile spirit replied...
Anyway, there's no point in dragging this out—what happened, happened. I think I'm gonna have to find a new dealer.
Lastly, big shoutout to Danielle—good luck to you, since you clearly aren't hanging out with the chamomile spirit.
The post above was nuked.
Seriously, why?
Hey, admin crew—since when did we lose the right to make a joke about drugs on this forum? Is everything that sensitive now?
redtinker36 said:.. damn it .. I'll never be able to write anything like that ..
.. but damn .. that’s just anarchy .. meaning .. what I think regarding John and those old shamans .. you guys are saying .. is just meaningless nonsense .. .. and I'm perfectly fine .. with you all thinking the same about my own speech ..
.. anarchy is how I carry myself toward another person .. assuming I am a human being .. and holding onto the right .. to clean up today .. just as I did yesterday .. truth be told ..
.. about John .. .. there were others .. I remember him and the soup .. equally good .. but John was the intellectual brotherly figure ..
.. this .. he doesn't matter at all .. I don't get it .. are you trying to say he's just some local nobody .. and that's why you bring him up .. ?
.. and damn .. while they were singing and mocking .. they were looking further ahead into the politics of slaughter ..
.. and then there were the third parties .. the ones who actually had to work so the singers and the butchers could eat .. .. the story of anarchy is really the story of those third parties ..
.. songs live on a single sensation .. on a single tone .. that is art .. they create .. an atmosphere .. an emotional state .. .. we could talk about that forever .. but I've already said too much .. so I'm bored of it ..
---
.. yeah .. I could have put this on a blog .. or somewhere else .. but I wanted it here .. damn it .. that's why I posted it here ..
.. does what you're saying imply a tone of .. "we let you in, so you should be grateful" .. ?
.. you enter a house by clicking and walking in .. and once you're in, you're in .. whoever wants to come in does .. whoever doesn't stays outside ..
.. so what, you're saying the noise from my house was bothering the neighborhood .. ? .. there could be several explanations for that .. a few come to mind .. maybe .. some bad ones .. but also .. some .. quite good ones ..
.. anarchy is .. this ..
.. there is a neighborhood .. and there is a house .. the neighborhood sets all the rules for how a house can be built .. but the one building the house has to accept that if necessary .. he might have to sell his soul .. .. you can follow every rule and still find it isn't enough .. he has to be with the neighborhood in his heart .. .. the neighborhood's love for him is massive .. but they demand it be returned .. .. they don't ask for it clearly or distinctly .. they just demand that you be one of us .. they want your blood ..
.. it's the same situation with Americans .. they love and help the whole world .. but if that love isn't reciprocated, they bomb them ..
---
.. listen kid .. I feel like this is my house .. and you're getting on my nerves here .. but what can I do .. I like you .. for certain .. sportsmanlike reasons .. .. and I endure it .. following the rules of the neighborhood ..
Look, if we're talking about "neighborly courtesy," you don't actually have to tolerate anyone—meaning, under these "rules of the neighborhood," you're totally free to "excommunicate" whoever you want from the conversation using the "ignore" button and make them "invisible"—basically virtually killing them off whenever the mood strikes you. Right? 😲
Bottom line: since these "neighborhood rules" basically let you kick whoever you want out of your house, you aren't following "neighborhood rules" at all. You're just following your own personal set of rules which—if it makes you feel better—you can call "good sportsmanship," but there's zero logic in blaming "this neighborhood" or its rules when you're really just doing whatever you want. 🙂