Posts by Brenda Cooper3

Why aren't the photos I'm uploading via the IMG code actually showing up??
They aren't even huge; I resized them down to 500 x 370.
What gives? 😕
Is anyone else running into this issue?

placidjackal36 said:Cocaine—it isn't just about whether white people are disappearing from the equation; it’s also about asking how many African Americans aren't being cast as the Magical Negro.
It’s a glaringly obvious trope in cinema. There is always some "wise African American character" who drops a profound piece of advice and then just fades into the background.



It’s always that same old "rural wisdom" trope, isn't it? whitey Dammit, he just can't wrap his head around it.

Looking at this image, one specific association immediately comes to mind: those American or Brazilian period dramas that depict the historical relationships between Black slaves and white plantation owners.

Being a proprietor back then meant you were living the high life. People in those positions often have the clout to engineer solutions or force their way out of a corner, but even they occasionally need a word from someone more grounded—someone with that seasoned, battle-hardened wisdom. And let’s be honest: that kind of wisdom is usually earned through getting hit hard by life.
Sacrifice, self-denial, and pure endurance—these are the pillars of spiritual growth. You see it everywhere, from African American history to Native American traditions, even among Buddhist monks. At least, that’s what someone like me can gather by watching how movies tend to exhaust the soul through these themes. Blah, blah, blah...

Even that "Magical Negro" trope might just be nothing more than that same wise, composed servant lurking in the corner, solely existing to aid some mediocre white guy.

And honestly, in these movies, it feels like all those white characters just lack the capacity to get things right on the first try. It takes actual wisdom to make the right calls, doesn't it? 🥳

Maybe I just botched the whole thing, but hey, it wouldn't be the first time.

I don't know what it is, but I’ve always had a soft spot for those films featuring The Magical Negro. There's just something about them that resonates with me... I've always felt a certain connection to African American characters in cinema. 🤷
Unless they're massive, mean, and out there wiping out rival gangs block by block... which, let's face it, is basically the whole plot. 🙄

Oh, please, it’s about more than just racial dynamics. You know that classic setup? You have a movie with two friends: one is the polished, high-achieving, straight-laced type, and the other is just... well, laid-back, messy, and lacks any sense of decorum. It's a tired trope.

It’s always the same story. You have this "leading man" type front and center the whole time, only to end up in a total mess—and then he's bailed out by some goofy, small-town sidekick friend.

Maybe the whole point of those movies is just "don't underestimate African Americans" or "not every Black man is a gangster"... or who knows.
What would you even call this latest one? "The Magic White Dumb Boy"? 🤔

Brutal... Honestly, Gerard Butler really shines when he plays the "man of justice" type. He leaned into that same energy back in 300. 🥳

Beyond that, you can't beat the scene where he strips down right before getting arrested. 😍

I wish they had included more moments like that. 🤣

As for the plot itself... it’s nothing groundbreaking. We've seen this formula a dozen times. It reminds me of that movie where Samuel L. Jackson misses a court date because Ben Affleck cuts him off in traffic, leading to a high-speed chase through the whole film. That one was a bit less violent, but fundamentally, it's the exact same setup, isn't it? 😁

hollowtrucker77 said:There are plenty of mods over on Psychology Every Moment, aren't there? Reinforcements will be arriving soon.
I hope this answer meets your expectations.
🙂

Genetically modified? 😕 😲
😁

Terry Kim3 said:I’m inclined to agree—I see this exact line of thinking even among people I'm close to. I’d like to hope it’s just an outlet for anger expressed in a messy way, but honestly, you never truly know what someone is capable of when they're pushed into a blind rage.

It’s that primitive, animalistic instinct that kicks in—and look, I get it, I really do—but at the end of the day, we’re supposed to be human beings. We should be striving for a bit more rationality, more empathy, and a shred of tolerance, no matter how disgusting or infuriating a situation might seem.

I can't stand seeing people transform into carbon copies of the very monsters they despise. They convince themselves they're being "righteous" or somehow morally superior by acting out, but in reality, they’re just becoming the exact opposite of what they claim to hate.

People, please—try to act more like something divine and less like wild animals. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against animals, and I certainly don't have anything against people...🙂

You can tell me, though it feels almost absurd to debate this—people reacting so violently to these topics... do you know why? Because everyone here is just talking out of their ass.
Everyone is ready to spout any nonsense just to be noticed, blah blah blah...
So there's no point arguing about who "turned into" what—these people were just typing. They wrote some words, that's it.

Now, that’s a different story... say you're walking down the street and some idiot is holding a cat and pulling its tail, for example.
What would you actually do? Honestly.
I’d yell at him to leave the cat alone. That’s it. I’d snap at him. If he didn't listen, I might try to distract him... away from the cat.☕
No violence, no outbursts. It’s a different thing entirely. What I’d *really* want to do in that moment is grab him by the ears.
But this abstract discussion of "what if" is just pointless.👎

Terry Kim3 said:👍 Honestly, it baffles me too—those people who go out of their way to dream up even more depraved scenarios for monsters... they claim to love animals, yet they'd demand a punishment a hundred times worse for this perpetrator.🙄

Honestly, they only write stuff like that to emphasize how repulsive the crime was. It's just their way of making it clear where they stand and showing they’re completely against it. Same old pattern.
People seem to experience this sudden surge of cognitive activity only when they feel the need to chime in—just enough to convince themselves they’re being brilliant.
They can beat their chests all they want about this or that, but if we’re being honest, they probably haven't even given someone a fair slap in the face in their entire lives. When it actually comes down to "vengeance," they’re likely smaller than a grain of sand.
Let's be honest... all these threats are completely useless.
It’s better this way.
Just imagine if people actually sought vengeance for every single injustice in existence.
There wouldn't even be two—maybe three—people left on Earth.

I’m not trying to make excuses for anyone; I just think people get carried away quite often and end up making massive mistakes.

Just look at this:
two cases with a similar vibe:
1) A woman out in rural Montana—she kills her old man with an axe, just absolutely thrashes him. Blood spraying everywhere.
2) A woman living in downtown Chicago—she’s out there asking around at garden centers for rat poison or something similar. That evening, her husband comes home, she offers him tea in a nice porcelain cup, and slips in a lethal dose. He drifts off and never wakes up.

People everywhere share that same killer instinct (when it hits them), but they express it differently depending on how much of a mess they can stomach.
Folks from the countryside aren't quite as squeamish because they're used to dealing with livestock.

🤣
Beautiful... truly beautiful.

casualharbor9 said:😵 you literally commented on it, you absolute clown !!! ☕️ 🥃 🥓

I have no idea which post, when, where, or what we're even talking about. And I am absolutely not scrolling back through the thread to find out! I won't, and I won't, and I won't!

I'm determined 😳

edit: damn, I completely missed your irony. Argh 🤦

casualharbor9 said:... apparently nobody gets my sense of irony boo 🙂

I really don't have the energy to dig through your old posts right now.
Just rewrite it.
Maybe I'll actually find it funny this time. ☕

🙂

☕

We had some kids with special needs back in elementary school... 😕
They weren't out of their minds or anything, but they definitely stood out.

I doubt a single book will make much of a difference. I’ve seen firsthand what agitated people are capable of doing to anyone within their reach.
Irritability seems to be the most contagious emotion we have.
If your goal is to cheer someone up, there are plenty of ways to do it—but you actually have to put some thought into what specifically resonates with them.
On the other hand, if you're looking to spread panic, you don't even need to think. Just start spiraling, and everyone else around you will be just as frazzled in no time. 🙏

Thanks, swifthawk23 😘

casualharbor9 said:... and then there’s the blonde... those blondes with the piercing eyes and sharp facial features, they're the ones who really stand out from the crowd...

I don't really register blondes at all. They are completely outside my field of interest, period.

If I had to say anyone stands out to me, it’s people with a relaxed style—those with wide smiles and a certain perspective on life; the liberals who remain critical thinkers, the natural-born leaders.
That’s the type of person who catches my eye. I respect them, and I wish they leaned more into their strengths, especially since they often excel in multiple areas.

On the flip side, it absolutely irritates me when some mediocre fool gets center stage and everyone flocks to them like they're a free dessert, when in reality, they're just a low-class amateur with nothing intelligent to offer.

When I was about 14, I lived with my grandmother and my uncle. They were a duo just like the ones you’re dealing with right now.
The difference is, I didn't have siblings to contend with.
My grandma knew exactly how to push my buttons. She used to drive me into such hysterical screaming fits—once, I actually screamed for so long that my throat was raw the next day. It felt like I had a genuine case of laryngitis.
But honestly? It doesn't matter anymore. I don't react to her at all now. If I do, it's usually just a quick "SHUT UP!"😠 Since I know that won't get an actual rise out of her, ☕ I just redirect my thoughts elsewhere and slip back into that defensive mode of total indifference. It's the same thing your sister is doing to you.

If you want my honest opinion, the only real fix is to change your environment. You need to move out.
It's truly the only way!!! 🙏

I can't stand hysterical, high-strung, anxious people. I hate being around them. I run from that kind of energy like the plague.

placidjackal36 said:It’s honestly fascinating to me how, regardless of which sub-forum these topics pop up in, you always attract the exact same breed of lunatics. They all spout the same repetitive nonsense: advocating for punishments that would qualify as crimes against humanity.

You people genuinely have no clue what kind of garbage is leaking out of your brains. I sincerely hope this constant stream of writing is just a byproduct of some deep-seated, pathetic frustration over your third life goal, rather than evidence that you’re actual psychopaths.
And I don't get it—I really don't—why none of you are being penalized for this, especially since it's one of the most clearly defined rules in the site guidelines.

What’s even more interesting is watching the textbook cognitive dissonance play out here. You’ll read a description of an atrocity that you would personally commit, yet you react with absolute outrage if that crime was committed against someone outside of whatever ideology you've decided to cling to.

If everything you spew across this entire platform were taken at face value—since much of it is actually illegal because it glorifies heinous crimes—the world would be a terrifying place. Just look back at the military camps from the American Civil War. Take, for instance, certain infamous concentration camps. I’m picking an example that hits particularly close to home on purpose. Those camps didn't just hold civilians targeted for their identity; they also housed the depraved psychopaths from various paramilitary "special units" who performed acts so vile that normal people weep just hearing survivors recount them.
Why mention Lara? Because it was one of those prisons where Americans, acting without any shred of hesitation and driven by pure sadistic malice, committed horrors identical to those committed by the monsters they fought. It doesn't matter. Whether it's gouging the eyes out of an innocent shopkeeper snatched off the street in a van in the middle of the night, or brutalizing a military policeman caught in some small town, it’s all the same. A crime. Horrific, devastating, and completely beneath the standards of human decency.
People spend their lives in prison for the very things you guys sit here celebrating. What’s next? Are we going to start glorifying corporal punishment for cat abusers, or eventually anyone who simply gets on our nerves? If war breaks out with our neighbors again, are you going to start shouting "Mexican on the hill"?
I don't have the authority to ban you over on Psychology, but if you bring this trash over to Natural science, you aren't going to like the outcome.

You truly have no idea what you're playing with. You are messing with the very foundations of a civilized, humanistic society.

Just remember it once and for all: a crime is a crime. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES.

I was just saying how nice it would be if the world ended—just a passing dark thought, nothing serious.
But when you actually look at things, as long as there are living beings, there will be suffering... specifically for innocent creatures.

I’m not going to post threats; let’s face it, the person who did this probably won't even get a slap on the wrist, let alone actual justice.

People post about wanting to abuse cats likely because they feel powerless, knowing exactly what I just said: that the perpetrator won't face any consequences at all.
I doubt anyone here is some kind of psychopath. Most people wouldn't have the nerve to commit such cruelty... not even the idiot who mutilated that animal.

I don't know what's gotten into you lately. You're taking internet forum debates far too seriously.
Maybe you're just burnt out from moderating. Take a short break. 😉

Terry Adams19 As I was saying:
Look, I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades—I can handle just about anything. Most people seem to like me, but if I'm being honest, most people tend to get on my nerves. 😉
That’s most likely because I’d describe myself as a walking contradiction. 😉

I know someone who is truly one of a kind. She’s a regular at Mensa, and honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone simpler or more straightforward. This is probably the best short description of her I could give.

As for my own specifics... I know that, as of right now, I don't know anything at all. 😉

The people I find most tedious. 🙂

I was scrolling through Facebook earlier and stumbled upon this group...
Punishment for the monster who cut off a dog's four legs

And the photo of the dog:




Honestly, humanity is a lost cause. This world is just going to hell...☕

I wish I could just stop exhausting myself trying to make sense of people who simply don't get me, and who clearly don't care to.

Interesting🙂

Great topic!

I love those little granules when I pour them into my mug—add a splash of milk, a bit of sugar... 😍
mmm

But honestly, even just a standard cup of drip coffee with plenty of milk isn't bad either... 😁

Or even just a basic machine brew topped off with a mountain of whipped cream...

Still, nothing beats that cheap gas station coffee you grab for a buck, the kind that sends you sprinting to the restroom to lose a couple of pounds instantly. 😲 🙏

In my opinion, the true quality of coffee should be measured by its diuretic potential, whatever that actually means. 🤣

Amanda Morgan47 said:Honestly, this is the worst subforum by far. I haven't encountered this much rudeness, intolerance, or hostility on any other part of the site—just because you don't share their exact opinion. You say one thing, and they twist seven facts and invent four more things you never even mentioned... But the absolute worst part is when some kid asks a question and they immediately tear them apart. 🙄
I haven't posted much on the Department of Education boards, but I read plenty before I ever actually logged in, and that’s the impression I walked away with...

Nothing else is popular there besides making fun of people. 🤷

placidjackal36, I honestly don't know how you managed to analyze all of that; I admire you for it. 🙏

Though, if you ask me, anyone who hangs out on forums like this is a bit of a psycho. The mere fact that someone chooses to communicate virtually with a massive crowd... well, most people in my real life find it pretty bizarre 👎 when I mention I read something on a forum, even though I occasionally find genuinely useful information there.

Fine, maybe I lean too heavily on other people's opinions. Perhaps the people around me are just "old school," using the internet strictly for Word, gaming, or Facebook—which everyone uses nowadays because it's popular, not because they care about virtual socializing...
So... I don't know if I'm the psycho, or if it's the others, or the ones who don't use the net at all. It's hard to tell.

Oh, I should also add that the tech support/IT subforums seem to be where the least "psycho" users hang out. But then again, those folks are in their element, so it's no surprise they spend more time online and here. People like them have been doing this for twenty years. 😁