Posts by wiredsailor10

Jeffrey Gray4 said:I’ve been stuck on one question lately.

Are proverbs meant strictly for the enlightened elite, or should their wisdom actually be useful to the average person?

To clarify:
When I read these "wise" sayings, I often notice they're so convoluted that half the population can't even wrap their heads around them.

So here's my point:
Can someone truly claim to be wise if they aren't willing to make that wisdom accessible to the common man?

I think Foucault argues that these types of thinkers don't always act wisely. Personally, I believe there's wisdom in everyone, whether they're a regular Joe or someone famous.

mistycyclist5 said:Just like someone on that thread predicted, the "conspiracy theories" are starting to pop up. 😁

I’m with the guy here; I want to see if there's any actual substance to this file.😁

So, what do you think it actually means?
It means you're a troll. In plain English, being called a troll just means you don't agree with whatever the moderator thinks.

And if you've already been whining about an infraction or a ban, they'll label you a troll x or a troll xx.

Mark Torres14 said:Obviously, in a hypothetical scenario like this, evolutionary theory would take the biggest hit.
We'd have to rethink what "life" even means in any form. Just the idea that two separate evolutionary paths exist in the universe would trigger massive questions:
Is there just one single evolution spanning the entire cosmos where we’re just a tiny fraction, or are there multiple, distinct evolutions? If it's the former, it gives massive ammunition to anyone claiming life didn't start on Earth but came from deep space.
On the flip side, if there are separate evolutions, comparing them would be fascinating. Do they share common elements—universal laws that hold true regardless of the planet or star system they emerge in?
Even if nothing else, we'd know our own evolution isn't just some isolated quirk of complex matter, but something non-local that relates to the whole universe.

Plus, this would absolutely wreck any philosophical theories built around humans—basically, anthropocentrism. Creationism would definitely be called into question, and there's a huge chance we'd approach religious concepts from a completely different angle.
God, who would now have to account for another intelligence, wouldn't be served by traditional rituals and prayers anymore, nor would those things feel like an obligation for a "true believer."
The same goes for fundamental philosophical problems like existence, being, ethics, or the source of morality (looking at you, Kant). We’d likely pivot toward totally unexpected perspectives. I can't even imagine what happens when you mix our way of thinking with the culture of a consciousness that developed entirely apart from us.
Then there's the question of whether such a being—one capable of interstellar travel and advanced tech—must have its own versions of law, morality, politics, and economics, or if those concepts are strictly human constructs.
And of course, there's the physical form of alien life. I'm not talking about looks, since we don't know that, but rather their social structure. They might exist as a collective instead of individuals like us, or maybe they aren't social beings at all and live as solitary units. Something along the lines of the creatures described in Vernor Vinge's "fire above the depths," where a single individual actually consists of four to six physically separate entities.
Just throwing ideas out there. We could dive deeper into any of these if you guys are interested.

I agree with the first point. Religion and evolution aren't actually as different as people claim (that's just my theory 😉), because they actually share something in common—absolutism.

As for the second part, hmm, I think that's possible to explain. Since anything is possible for God, that includes both what we know and what we don't. 😕

crimsonjackal63 said:If we just go straight from the very beginning all the way to the end, we’ll wind up right back where we started.

But if we try to head straight from the end back to the start—well, we just end up at the end.

So, what actually came first: the chicken or the egg? Or more accurately—the Beginning or the End?

First off, you have to establish some baseline points. For instance, is "the start" just any random starting point, or are we talking about a specific new beginning?

If you move from the start toward the end, there is zero way you're getting back to the start unless you go in circles or backtrack.

Mark Torres14 said:Obviously, in a hypothetical scenario like this, evolutionary theory would take the biggest hit.
We'd have to rethink what "life" even means in any form. Just the idea that two separate evolutionary paths exist in the universe would trigger massive questions:
Is there just one single evolution spanning the entire cosmos where we’re just a tiny fraction, or are there multiple, distinct evolutions? If it's the former, it gives massive ammunition to anyone claiming life didn't start on Earth but came from deep space.
On the flip side, if there are separate evolutions, comparing them would be fascinating. Do they share common elements—universal laws that hold true regardless of the planet or star system they emerge in?
Even if nothing else, we'd know our own evolution isn't just some isolated quirk of complex matter, but something non-local that relates to the whole universe.

Plus, this would absolutely wreck any philosophical theories built around humans—basically, anthropocentrism. Creationism would definitely be called into question, and there's a huge chance we'd approach religious concepts from a completely different angle.
God, who would now have to account for another intelligence, wouldn't be served by traditional rituals and prayers anymore, nor would those things feel like an obligation for a "true believer."
The same goes for fundamental philosophical problems like existence, being, ethics, or the source of morality (looking at you, Kant). We’d likely pivot toward totally unexpected perspectives. I can't even imagine what happens when you mix our way of thinking with the culture of a consciousness that developed entirely apart from us.
Then there's the question of whether such a being—one capable of interstellar travel and advanced tech—must have its own versions of law, morality, politics, and economics, or if those concepts are strictly human constructs.
And of course, there's the physical form of alien life. I'm not talking about looks, since we don't know that, but rather their social structure. They might exist as a collective instead of individuals like us, or maybe they aren't social beings at all and live as solitary units. Something along the lines of the creatures described in Vernor Vinge's "fire above the depths," where a single individual actually consists of four to six physically separate entities.
Just throwing ideas out there. We could dive deeper into any of these if you guys are interested.

Even though evolutionary theory is built into everything, it still feels pretty absolutist—like there’s this assumption that everything can eventually be explained through its lens (even if we don't realize it yet, it's theoretically possible).

And honestly, if aliens actually exist, they might operate on a dimension that is totally alien to our own.

Our human theories are just too linear. 😉

Mark Torres14 said:Interesting. Which theories are we talking about, bohemia?

Well, I guess what comes to mind as a possibility here is evolutionary theory.
🤷

Mark Torres14 said:Let’s say humanity runs into an alien intelligence in the near future—something that evolved completely separately from us. That reality would absolutely wreck the scientific establishment. We'd be forced to tear up almost everything we think we know and rebuild our entire worldview from scratch.
The real question is: in this hypothetical scenario, which philosophical stances, theories, and methods become totally obsolete?
For instance, the idea that "man is the measure of all things" would become just as useless as claiming the Earth is a flat disc.

Hmm, interesting. After thinking about it for a second, I guess it turns out the theses that seem the most convincing right now are exactly the ones that would end up being obsolete.

Listen, people, this entire Politika subforum has basically turned into some weird fan club for Thompson and the Ustaše

Look, this guy is clearly enjoying his little flirtation with fascism here and also right here

I'm requesting a ban for him

Thanks

Ustaše ideology and Fascism are basically one and the same

Here’s what Wikipedia says

The Ustaše—the Revolutionary movement (also known as the Ustaše)—was a far-right, ultra-nationalist, fascist, and National Socialist movement in America.[1]

Right now, that specific salute is banned
I just haven't seen anyone actually get banned for using it, except maybe revolution.

Michael Adams2 said:🤣

Hey, Sarah Wilson95! Look, I might just send you a screenshot later so you can go at it with those needles, since it looks like you’re still totally obsessed... haha!

So, like... Revka mod? I mean, I guess we’re talking about that now? Maybe? Haha! Just throwing it out there!😂Man, if that actually happens... I mean, we’d be talking about the end of all logic, right? Seriously, it would just be total madness. Total chaos. Everything would basically go out the window!

Alright, let's just let obsessed Sarah Wilson95 run wild and talk all about this Forum!

Anderlon is such a total leftist, man, I swear! And of course, he’s totally loving it that everyone over at Politics belongs to his little crowd—you know, just a bunch of uneducated, clueless, zero-wit trolls, one after another. It's kind of wild, honestly.

If their main selling point is just that one girl, then man... you already know how desperate this whole situation is. I mean, honestly, it's kind of pathetic, don't you think? Maybe I'm being too harsh, but it really feels like they've got nothing else in the tank!

So, like, he’s been grinding for years trying to basically wipe out anyone with right-leaning views on the Forum, you know? And his big master plan is just appointing mods who are either straight-up trolls or mostly just these hardcore lefties. But honestly? It’s just not working. Like, at all. You can’t just force someone to be smart if they simply aren't. I mean, it's just impossible, right? Yeah, that's pretty much how it is.

Look, let's be real here—the term "leftist" isn't actually a bad thing on its own, you know? I mean, it's just a label. But when people start talking about that specific brand of, uh, old-school American leftist... man, that's a whole different story. It’s like talking about some relic from a bygone era that’s just totally lost in time and space. It’s basically someone who's stuck in the past and just constantly pushing outdated nonsense. I guess you could say they're just out of touch, maybe? Yeah, definitely.😁

So, like, you get ten conservatives banned, right? Just totally wiped out. But then, suddenly, one single banned leftist shows up and everyone just loses their minds! It’s like a massive uproar over nothing, I swear. Everyone starts making such a huge deal out of it... it's wild!

Look, Albatross, you really should’ve just gone ahead and banned those right-wingers one after another—just for being annoying or whatever, honestly—especially since your admins were totally covering your back the whole time. But then, the second you actually had the guts to ban a notorious troll like Constantinople, or even someone like Kevin Mitchell, they just totally blew you off. It was like, man, you can't do that! You should've known better, I guess. And especially when you shut down that thread about the cross... oof, yeah, that was basically your death warrant right there. Though, if I'm being real, maybe you shouldn't have closed it at all? I mean, we don't exactly need a ban to tear apart those uneducated left-wing trolls, you know what I mean?

Look, it doesn't even matter, okay? Like, the whole point is just... it’s rigged! If you go around banning dozens of conservatives, the admins basically give you a standing ovation. But the second you try to shut down one single leftist troll? Boom. You're the bad guy. It's totally one-sided, I guess.

Then you get people like Sarah Wilson95 and her whole crew just hysterically screaming at the PŽK and the admins about what’s happening. Honestly, it's wild. Like, she's out there basically trying to micromanage Politics from the shadows or whatever... I don't know, maybe? There's nothing more tragicomic in this world than watching that play out, I guess! 🤣

Man, Albatross, your bio is just straight-up terrible, even though you definitely had the potential to be great. But seriously, dude, you were pulling more censorship than they did back in Stalin’s day! I mean, banning posts about Mason? That was absolute madness. You’d just lock entire threads for no reason at all. Instead of actually moderating the discussion, you’d just shut the whole thing down. Like, what kind of logic is that? Seriously.

Honestly, why even bother wasting breath on an edge who just bans anyone whose opinion doesn't fit his little vibe? It’s such a joke. That whole resonator thing was just the beginning—like, where did that guy even come from? I mean, seriously, he hasn't written a single post worth reading. Not one! Total waste of time, I guess.

Man, Simba is basically being set up to run the whole damn camp. I mean, if everything is going strictly by the book, that guy doesn't even bother to look up or think—he just follows orders blindly. He actually took an entire thread over on Politics and turned it into a total circus just to pick on one random user, then went ahead and wiped out a few pages of perfectly legit posts too. It’s wild. Then you’ve got Anderlon, who just starts barking at him and goes off on a huge rant—mostly because, let’s be real, he can’t stand the guy no matter how much he tries to play it safe and follow the rules. And don't even get me started on New York City, who has honestly become such a pathetic, miserable little creature lately. It’s honestly a miracle how much nonsense people are willing to swallow just to grab a tiny bit of power. Seriously.

Politics is just being run by trolls now. Man, this Forum used to be such a legit brand, you know? You could actually sit down and read these genius posts from a whole bunch of users—it was so funny it’d practically make you lose your mind. But today? It’s just a total dumpster fire of trolls. Now people like revka and his crowd are the big stars...😁. It’s honestly bottom-of-the-barrel stuff.

But hey, that’s what administration wants, I guess. If their side can't stay on top naturally, they’ll just turn it into a troll paradise, and then anyone actually worth reading just gets lost in the noise.

So yeah, I barely go over there anymore, and honestly, I hope I don't have to go back at all soon.

It’s a total tragedy, really. Like, you’ve got these half-witted trolls who were basically handed power because they're good at making stupid jokes, and now they're out here sanctioning someone like Hrobato, who probably has more talent in his pinky finger than all of them combined in their entire brains. They won't even let him post! Can you believe how absurd that is? The mediocre people are constantly messing with the talented ones. It’s just like the country, too. And then we act surprised when the whole nation is a mess. The government basically functions on the same principle as this Forum. If the country is only as good as the Forum, then things are looking pretty grim. Just imagine the horror if you actually gave mods like this some real power in the US. What would that even look like?

Or like when they go after the Stoker, who is hands down one of the funniest guys (besides Phyla Linnot) to ever show up on this Forum. It’s like some middle schooler who wrote a cringey little love poem trying to shut up a legend like Krleža.

I’m not sure who this Jerry Garcia is—if it’s not just a new nickname for Cats, since I don't remember her from before—but man, she’s staying firm.

What else can you even expect? More of the same, I guess. Anderlon is just gonna keep hunting for ways to make sure the leftists take over the Forum. He’ll use whatever means necessary. But, uh, how he’s actually going to make those leftists smart? That’s the real question. Medical experiments are super risky and, like, way too expensive, so he probably won't pull the trigger on that. I mean, they probably don't matter *that* much to him anyway.

Oh, really? I hadn't noticed that's how Politics works around here. Honestly, I’d say more of a Thompson vibe is running the show over there.

driftingdriver said:- Jonathan Morales79, I have to hand it to you, you actually managed to get a laugh out of me. 😂 I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such a staggering collection of wrong judgments and delusions about a person. 🙂 Since we both hail from the same parts of the coast, I once suggested we meet up face-to-face so you could see firsthand just how much you've "missed the mark." But clearly, you either lack the nerve or you're simply terrified of being confronted by your own flawed perception of my insignificance. 🙂
Everything you claimed about me is completely baseless; honestly, what you wrote was just good entertainment. 😁
- Then again, every Reddit needs its own version of Jonathan Morales79, Jalnuški, and the rest of that crowd. 😂

Here we go again—you’re acting like you took a personal hit. Look, that’s just his opinion, so deal with it. If everyone else gets to air their views, he should be allowed to air his too.
Look, you already said all that back when things were still looking good at the start. We read it, we got it, and it was fine. There’s really no need to keep repeating yourself. 🙂

hollowtrucker77 said:lol, wiredsailor10, thanks
though, I honestly doubt that my arrival would change even a single shred of how people perceive the moderation of Politics here
let’s do this just for kicks—list the Politics mods and drop your grievances
🙂
at least from my perspective as a PZK moderator, I've kept an eye on them
if Jesus himself showed up, the only difference would be that they'd probably nail him to the floor with an electric nail gun this time around

Rachel Sanchez11, I can only sign my name to what you wrote here

I don't really agree. Not all complaints are the same, because someone's religious beliefs shouldn't be the deciding factor in who gets banned. I expressed my disgust regarding propaganda from the Catholic Church, and I was banned for that.

Unless we're living under some kind of religious totalitarianism, I believe I have the right to hold that opinion and express it publicly.

So, you can't just make such broad generalizations. I think everyone should have a "voice," but that doesn't mean you have the right to use that voice to terrorize someone else.

What I'm trying to say is there needs to be some level of tolerance for these kinds of complaints, since they aren't all identical.

hollowtrucker77 said:granitefox16. I remember that thread, and I have to agree, it was actually quite good
as far as basic guidelines go, from what I can tell, they already exist; it’s just a massive pain to actually implement them
🙂
neither myself nor Jerry Garcia are even part of this together
I write my own stuff, she writes hers, and there isn't any secret pact or agreement between us
if anyone wants me to, I’ll step out of the debate entirely, just so it doesn't look like we're dragging someone else into it, covering for one another, or playing favorites

in the meantime, we’re talking about moderators, because that really is the burning issue here
basically, people who pigeonhole themselves into specific sides or political parties have this tendency to try and sort everyone else around them into those same little boxes
no set of rules is going to fix that—at least, none that I’ve ever seen
personally, I actually enjoy having this wide spectrum of opinions and perspectives present, seeing users from all walks of life on the Reddit
if only it were possible for all of this to happen without the insults, the trolling, and the constant mockery (well, at least not the vulgar, malicious kind), then I think we’d have a community that the rest of the world would actually find worth watching and learning from

So, I'm putting my vote on you. 🙂

hollowtrucker77 said:wiredsailor10, you’re playing the exact same role here that I am: a fellow Redditor engaged in discussion
🙂
There is always room for improvement—on that, we are definitely on the same page
Now, the real challenge is actually identifying and defining where those gaps are

Drastic changes don't mean much on their own, but in a situation where nobody is happy with how things are going, my take is that we need to establish some basic, rock-solid rules first. We need to set up some fundamental order so that we have a foundation to build actual organization upon later on
Right now, while the PDF-politik looks like a total battlefield, I don't see any room for fine-tuning minor details yet

As for those warnings you received, YOU might not think they were warranted, but clearly the moderator thought they were, and the Admin backed them up
Everywhere in the world, that’s where the conversation ends, regardless of what you personally feel about it

A ban is practically the only tool moderators have to maintain even a semblance of peace and order within their subreddits
Of course, there are different levels to it; in some places, a simple warning from a mod is enough for people to correct themselves and get back to civil discussion, whereas in other spots, even a ban isn't an immediate fix for issues like clones or constant petty bickering

It honestly saddens me that so many people fail to realize that mods are actually working for them and trying to help them, yet they treat them like "class enemies" or forced authorities
I say, let's just scrap moderation for a month and see if any threads stay alive or remain suitable for actual debate at all
Some people claim the owner only cares about click counts
Fine, if you make a move like that, the number of clicks will certainly skyrocket
But will anyone sane actually care about the quality of the content anymore? Will it even be possible to write anything and receive a meaningful response?
😉
Look at this, we've been mocking each other for two pages now, and still, not a single concrete or constructive suggestion has been put on the table
All we do is say we're against something, or that we're dissatisfied, or that we wish someone would just fix something

My dear friends, that is not how things work, and that is not how you get things done
Not in Politics, not on Reddit, and certainly not in life

This comment of yours completely kills the whole point of this thread.

hollowtrucker77, look, I don't exactly hold any official position here, but I really can't get behind what you wrote.

First off, there's always room for improvement. Why be so pessimistic about everything?

Secondly, making such drastic changes doesn't actually achieve anything—it just creates a massive mess.

I ended up getting three warnings in the Politics section, and honestly, I don't think I deserved them, let alone getting banned because of it.

And at the end of the day, a ban doesn't solve a thing. The aggressive types will just come back even more heated than before. As for those who aren't looking for a fight, they won't even bother coming back (myself included), and for people like that, a simple warning every now and then is more than enough.

@Sarah Wilson95 😉 you've already started getting all dramatic on us. If you really need one, just suggest someone, like Jerry Garcia said.

Are the people who are already moderators elsewhere totally burnt out? 😉

Give Sarah Wilson95 a chance to show what she can do 🙂

hollowtrucker77 said:wiredsailor10, once you step into the role of a moderator, you simply can't win by being reasonable
😉
it’s always the same story, honestly—you’ll inevitably find someone ready to call you biased, illiterate, or just plain arrogant...
it’s a basic human instinct, I suppose, which is easy to understand, but you eventually realize that this constant scrutiny also strips away a certain level of professional gravity

I haven't really been following along, but I trust you've kept your edge. 😉

@Jerry Garcia
I get it. That’s just how it goes when you're working with people. Honestly, it's a big deal that you actually asked and were open about it.

It seems to me that you guys aren't exactly short on candidates, so why on earth aren't they being rotated more frequently on such challenging platforms like Politics?

What Cheops suggested isn't actually bad, mostly because of two things. First off, he pointed out that it would lead to much more objectivity.
And the second thing is this: we’ve basically concluded that just because someone is a great member of the community doesn't mean they're actually any good at being a moderator.

No, that probably isn't even being considered.

Maybe Sarah Wilson95 will have a suggestion.

Jerry Garcia said:Go ahead, shoot. 🙂 I'm here. I started this discussion, but I'm not claiming to have all the answers. I'm just listening to what people think about who would make a good mod.

That’s great. Honestly, those are exactly the kind of people who should be moderators.

Furthermore, I think your question is a little tricky. People who are actually being objective will probably hold back from naming anyone, while the ones who do nominate someone will likely just pick their personal favorite.

I can't even suggest anyone myself. I'm new here—well, I mean, I haven't been around for years. So much has changed since I was last active, and I barely remember any of the old handles.

What has the experience been like? Who usually turns out better: the person who rarely posts in a specific sub-forum but then gets appointed moderator, or the person who volunteers themselves? Is it the power user with thousands of posts, or the quiet type who stays out of the fray?

Why don't you implement some kind of trial period for moderation in sections like Politics? It causes so much unnecessary drama when someone isn't a good fit. It ends up being awkward for both the moderators and the people who end up getting penalized. I've noticed that driftingdriver is actually a way better forum member than he is a moderator. There's really no reason to drag him through the mud just because of that one thing.