You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[Erick Estrada]

I find people that bring up politics all the time in social situations are usually miserable and unhappy which kind of makes sense as I can't think of another way to feel more miserable than to spend a lot of time reading and watching political news.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

There was a time not all that long ago when a person couldn’t practically spend more than about 4 hours a week consuming political content. That’s how long it would take to read the pertinent sections of a daily newspaper and watch a few current events shows on TV. And even then you’d be looking at a super-keener. Most engaged people spent maybe 1 hour a week reading, watching, or talking about politics.

With infinite political content available on social media today, it has become a hobby/sport for many. And I don’t see any evidence that hyper-engagement has made them, or anyone else, any happier.

I don’t talk politics at all in general social situations, and find people who bring up politics all the time are invariably annoying about it.

In fairness, the level of the content isn't the same either, though. At one point, we were seeing reporting that explained issues and gave you a fuller rundown, so that you could be informed. That is dying, and a lot of the content people are getting now is one-sided because it's fed to them by the algorithms, and shallow.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I find people that bring up politics all the time in social situations are usually miserable and unhappy which kind of makes sense as I can't think of another way to feel more miserable than to spend a lot of time reading and watching political news.

I have 2 friends who are like that. I haven't seen them in months. It's all they wanted to talk about.

[PepsiFree]

I find most news and politics depressing or frustrating so I try to consume the bare minimum in most cases, with some exceptions for things that directly impact me or my friends and global topics I’m interested in (even then I avoid daily and even weekly updates).

But I don’t think there’s much value in judging someone’s mental state, temperament, level of happiness, etc by just the general broad topics that interest them (with some exception). How interested someone is in politics is no more an indication of what’s wrong with them then how interested they are in sports.

I’ve known people on both sides, people who are trapped in a cycle of consuming and disseminating depressing political topics who do seem miserable, and people who relish in the details and actually get joy out of it, and probably everyone in between.

Are political junkies miserable? Or is there just so much that one could be miserable about that miserable people are drawn to it?

To Slava’s point, where is the information being fed from? Social media much of the time, which a number of studies have shown makes people more miserable, as we sit here and discuss “other” miserable people on our social media platform lol.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I find most news and politics depressing or frustrating so I try to consume the bare minimum in most cases, with some exceptions for things that directly impact me or my friends and global topics I’m interested in (even then I avoid daily and even weekly updates).

But I don’t think there’s much value in judging someone’s mental state, temperament, level of happiness, etc by just the general broad topics that interest them (with some exception). How interested someone is in politics is no more an indication of what’s wrong with them then how interested they are in sports.

I’ve known people on both sides, people who are trapped in a cycle of consuming and disseminating depressing political topics who do seem miserable, and people who relish in the details and actually get joy out of it, and probably everyone in between.

Are political junkies miserable? Or is there just so much that one could be miserable about that miserable people are drawn to it?

To Slava’s point, where is the information being fed from? Social media much of the time, which a number of studies have shown makes people more miserable, as we sit here and discuss “other” miserable people on our social media platform lol.

Maybe I miss-spoke. It isn't exactly that they are miserable. It is being around them that is miserable.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I have a family member who I think the world of but who is one of those people who just seems to think that a) it is incumbent upon him to come up with and inflict on everyone around him a topic of conversation regardless of the context of the interaction, even when we're just hanging out, and b) that the only two topics that will ever accomplish this goal are "what are you reading lately" and "did you hear about this [insert political thing]". It is unfortunate.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I find people that bring up politics all the time in social situations are usually miserable and unhappy which kind of makes sense as I can't think of another way to feel more miserable than to spend a lot of time reading and watching political news.

For many people, you can replace the word politics with a different word and everything is about the same.

The amount of people who talk about shrinkflation and inflation in the most exhausting ways... so many.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

For many people, you can replace the word politics with a different word and everything is about the same.

The amount of people who talk about shrinkflation and inflation in the most exhausting ways... so many.

One only has to go to the FOI section of this board to see that you can even replace that word with something an inconsequential as “hockey” and the result is the same.

[Engine09]

I have a friend I don't see too often, when we do it's a quick 20 mins being astounded and laughing at the orange rapist then it's on to other things.

Then there is another who's been ignored by a mutual friend for well over a year and I'm now doing the same. Too much conspiracy talk and praising Dannielle Smith, it's just painfully stupid to listen to, I wonder if he'll ever clue in that he's being avoided.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Slava

In fairness, the level of the content isn't the same either, though. At one point, we were seeing reporting that explained issues and gave you a fuller rundown, so that you could be informed. That is dying, and a lot of the content people are getting now is one-sided because it's fed to them by the algorithms, and shallow.

Yeah, their source is often someone they follow on Bluesky/X/Facebook, who’s repeating what they read from a rabidly partisan blogger, who cherrypicked the content for a biased news source. And as you note, it’s all fed by an outrage-inducing algorithm. So unless you’re in the same information ecosystem, there aren’t even any facts or context you can agree on. It’s pointless to engage.

[Fuzz]

You know on Bluesky you can choose to follow actual reputable reporters and news organizations, and can choose to to be shovel fed tripe, right?


You are demonstrating your medial illiteracy if you put Bluesky in the same conversation as X and Facebook. They don't use an "outrage-inducing algorithm," and you can always choose your own view. They certainly don't stuff the rabid racist bigoted crap of their owner in front of you every 5 posts. But you know all of this, because you are an educated media consumer, right?


Here's a good explanation of how you can control it yourself.


https://recurpost.com/blog/bluesky-algorithm/

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

You know on Bluesky you can choose to follow actual reputable reporters and news organizations, and can choose to to be shovel fed tripe, right?


You are demonstrating your medial illiteracy if you put Bluesky in the same conversation as X and Facebook. They don't use an "outrage-inducing algorithm," and you can always choose your own view. They certainly don't stuff the rabid racist bigoted crap of their owner in front of you every 5 posts. But you know all of this, because you are an educated media consumer, right?


Here's a good explanation of how you can control it yourself.


https://recurpost.com/blog/bluesky-algorithm/

[Hemi-Cuda]

I haven't been able to sneeze for over a week now. I pulled a muscle in my back and whenever the urge to sneeze comes, I get all the way until the final big breath in, which triggers a spasm of pain in the muscle and the sneeze instantly disappears. All the watery eyes and irritated nose from a sneeze without the satisfying payoff, it's driving me absolutely nuts

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I haven't been able to sneeze for over a week now. I pulled a muscle in my back and whenever the urge to sneeze comes, I get all the way until the final big breath in, which triggers a spasm of pain in the muscle and the sneeze instantly disappears. All the watery eyes and irritated nose from a sneeze without the satisfying payoff, it's driving me absolutely nuts

So you're "edging"

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I haven't been able to sneeze for over a week now. I pulled a muscle in my back and whenever the urge to sneeze comes, I get all the way until the final big breath in, which triggers a spasm of pain in the muscle and the sneeze instantly disappears. All the watery eyes and irritated nose from a sneeze without the satisfying payoff, it's driving me absolutely nuts

The pain from a sneeze in that situation doesn't sound too pleasant. When I hurt my back, the prospect of a sneeze was terrifying.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I don’t talk politics at all in general social situations, and find people who bring up politics all the time are invariably annoying about it.

When you rank who are the biggest losers in the world, it's hard not to rank people who live, breath and devote their lives to discussing which sociopaths should rule over them, right at the top. It doesn't mean we shouldn't discuss policies, vote for our elected officials, or hold them accountable. But lines get crossed when the "my team is better than your team" gets brought up each and every chance they get and suddenly everyone is a subject expert on it.

Went to my goddaughter's bday party a few months ago with a bunch of toddlers and one guy and his wife going on and on about Trudeau, liberals, PP, the election, the whole smorgasbord. All while I'm trying to fill my plate with food from the delicious spread in front of me doing my best to ignore him. Went bowling with friend's recently and every time I'd chuck the ball and walk back to my seat, a buddy is right in my face about Carney and taxes. The left, the right...every time someone says those goddamn words I want to slap them in the lips. Heard some loser in line at Callaway park in the summer in line behind us in the bumper cars telling his kids this one worker was a jackass and "that's what liberals do". Like, common. Absolute loser mentality.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I haven't been able to sneeze for over a week now. I pulled a muscle in my back and whenever the urge to sneeze comes, I get all the way until the final big breath in, which triggers a spasm of pain in the muscle and the sneeze instantly disappears. All the watery eyes and irritated nose from a sneeze without the satisfying payoff, it's driving me absolutely nuts

The French call a sneeze La Petite Mort (little death).

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by troutman

The French call a sneeze La Petite Mort (little death).

lol not quite…

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I haven't been able to sneeze for over a week now. I pulled a muscle in my back and whenever the urge to sneeze comes, I get all the way until the final big breath in, which triggers a spasm of pain in the muscle and the sneeze instantly disappears. All the watery eyes and irritated nose from a sneeze without the satisfying payoff, it's driving me absolutely nuts

I tweaked my back sneezing the other day. Had to go to physio to get it sorted out. I'm absolutely livid about it. I would have rather slipped on ice and gotten hurt that way.

Originally Posted by troutman

The French call a sneeze La Petite Mort (little death).

Is the sound of this sneeze, "Achoo la la"?

[Geraldsh]

Funny, I don’t recall ever sneezing during sex. Not even when the lady was French.