I work in the public sector (not at the federal level) and it’s great, but uhhhh. I’m sure we’ll be fine for a while where I am, but I’m not as enthusiastically pushing it as I was. But goddamn is it nice not working to make some asshole rich.

I like Robert Evans

Interesting, I’ve stopped listening to more than one podcast where the premise is “I learned about this thing and I’m telling you about it” when the podcasters got something wrong, got called out on it, and said “I’m not an expert, you shouldn’t be talking me seriously.” I’ve come to accept that podcasts are for entertainment only, and even if you think they seem well-researched, assume nothing you hear is true.

I don’t understand why this even needs to be researched. I’m no economist and I don’t know much about tariffs, but: costs more to get product to me for any reason = product costs me more. When has that ever not been the case? What am I missing?

Good! I hope to find more of that here, and I know getting off the internet is a good start, but it’s hard when it seems like most people are basic Democrats/neoliberals. Or not necessarily bad or wrong, just not really invested

You don’t think the “yes yes” is dismissive?

But now they’re all “DEI hires,” at least in the US, so we’re fucked over here

I think it’s really important to consume social media/whatever this and Reddit are conscientiously. Be aware you’re in an echo chamber and step outside from to time. Sometimes it’s just annoying (I was really into the show Mr Robot, and one of my many Reddit rage-quits was just being sick of seeing any speculation about where the show was going that was anything but the accepted popular opinion being downvoted) and sometimes just misleading (we all thought Trump couldn’t win), but there are so many ways it sneaks into your consciousness. For me, the tribalist culture wars became really glaring. We hate everyone who drives a car. We hate anyone who has a grass lawn. You can’t advocate for something there without making it about hating everyone else. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I firmly believe a lot of that is by design. I’m sure it will bleed over here eventually if there is a large exodus, but I hope there are counter measures.

While we’re on the way down the corruption hole, hopefully you can set an example for us to crawl out

As an American, I would prefer Romania right now. Tell us more about this healthcare you have…

Hello, I’ve been here for a few days now and getting the lay of the land. I live in Wisconsin, originally from Minnesota, so you betcha I’m a Midwesterner. I’m also a Reddit refugee (didn’t get banned because I stopped contributing a while ago, but I still couldn’t stop the doomscrolling. I definitely would have been banned. Go Luigi).

Although I live in a very liberal city, I don’t feel like I’m on the same wavelength as a lot of people. You don’t like the oligarchy taking over, but you simply cannot stop throwing your money at Amazon? Ok. Maybe the really radical ones will go stand in front of the Tesla chargers on Friday with signs, which is perfectly safe and I’m not sure accomplishes anything because everyone in this city agrees with you (although I am coming around to the idea that it builds a sense of community and a common cause, and maybe makes it ok to rebel just a little to start). I just feel like there has to be something else. I don’t even know what to call myself anymore, I’m sure as hell not a Democrat, even though that’s who I’ve always voted for, more and more while holding my nose. I know there are people out there who share my mindset and who can inspire me, and that’s what I’m hoping to find.

In the meantime, I’m focusing on limiting my capitalism as much as possible (I am far from perfect; I like my stuff and have to really curb my desire for additional stuff) and donating what I can to those who are doing something (ACLU, NRDC because right now lawsuits seem to be the first step), trying to get myself to read more actual information and not Reddit memes, and trying to figure out what I can do about what’s going on in this country, because I dont think I can live with just sitting around hoping it blows over.

Germany is a really interesting example. When I’m trying to decide if I’m overreacting about what’s happening now, I often tell myself a lot of Germans probably said the same thing in the 1930s. I’ve never assumed all Germans were Nazis, and always knew there was a large number, if not majority, who were victims of their own government. However, I remember my mother (born just after WWII and my grandpa fought in the Pacific) saying she grew up with a negative opinion of Germany.

Go beans

Then on to women!

Ok, I’m new here and I HAVE to ask what’s up with beans. If it’s not too uncool to ask

This idiocy must be weaponized

I’m not German and maybe I misread, but I took this as specifically singling out Germany

As a white American, I was just talking about this relatively new experience to me, and not in any way meaning to co-opt or undermine other people’s objectively worse experiences, by the way. Just wanted to throw that out there.

At the same time, while we might disparage Russia or China, to me that’s always meant the government, not literally the people. I hate that I probably took for granted that at least most other people thought the same way I did.

I can tell you as a sample of one that everything you just said would scare me off

I’m in my 40s. When people call me young I know they’re not just old, they feel lost in the modern world.

Also yes, I am fuming. (And no, while I’ll still vote for a Democrat to get rid of the fascists if ever given another opportunity, I would never again call myself a Democrat.)