How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)
This week’s book:
Discourses and Selected Writings
Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.
Epictetus was born a slave around 50 ad. His owner was Epaphroditus, a rich freedman who was once a slave of Nero. Though he was a slave Epictetus was sent to study philosophy under Musonius Rufus.
Epictetus was lame and there are some stories it was caused by his master and others that it was caused by disease.
He was a freedman when all philosophers were banished from Rome in 89 by the Emperor Domitian. He then started his school in Greece, and had many students. He did not leave any writings from his lessons, but one of his students, Flavius Arrian, took notes and wrote the Discourses.
Epictetus did not marry, had no children, and lived to be around 80-85. In retirement, he adopted a child that would have been abandoned and raised him with a woman.
He died sometime around AD 135.
He is my favorite Stoic teacher. I love his bare bones and very straight forward approach.
Following is a paragraph-by-paragraph discussion of one of his lessons. Epictetus’s text appears italicized in bold, my replies are in normal text.
To those who are vexed at being pitied
I am annoyed, says one, at being pitied.
Ouch, I have this problem. Whenever I need assistance or have something happen that makes people feel sorry for me, I get irritated. I know this a problem with me and absolutely nothing to do with anything others are wrong about. I try to be sympathetic to others when they have misfortune and I need to understand it is the same impulse in them.
—Is it, then, some doing of yours that you are pitied, or the doing of those who show the pity? Or again; is it in your power to stop it?
It bothers me when there is no reason to be bothered. When I was on crutches last year, I was going into a store, and although I was a long way from the door, a man held the door and waited for me. While part of me appreciated him, another part was embarrassed and wishing he would not have done that.
—It is, if I can show them that I do not deserve their pity.
If I could have shown that I did not need the door held for me, then it would not have been an issue. I think the fact he was holding the door reminded me that I was weak and opening the door on my own would be an ordeal. I still feel that being weak is not something I should show to other people.
—And do you now possess the power of not being deserving of pity, or do you not possess it?
While currently I am doing well physically, there are still moments when people try to be nice about things that have happened to me or my family. While I am appreciative, I always have a little voice wishing they did not know what had happened. When I was in the hospital for a week last June, the only person I told was my boss. I did not want any visitors other than my wife. I realize this is selfish and am trying to do better. My Father-in-Law had the same attitude and that caused his last few weeks in the hospital before he died to be more painful for the family. Anytime anyone would visit, his blood pressure would spike and even though he couldn’t talk, my wife said looking at his face it was obvious he didn’t want anyone in the room. I do not want to cause that kind of stress to my family, so I will learn from his example.
—It seems to me, indeed, that I possess it. Yet these people do not pity me for what would deserve pity, if anything does, that is, my mistakes; but for poverty, and for not holding office, and for things like disease, and death, and the like.
When I am following the Stoic lessons, I see that my goals and what I consider to be setbacks are not the same as normal people.
—Are you, then, prepared to convince the multitude that none of these things is bad, but that it is possible for a poor man, and one who holds no office or position of honour, to be happy; or are you prepared to show yourself off to them as a rich man and an official? Of these alternatives the second is the part of a braggart, and a tasteless and worthless person. Besides, observe the means by which you must achieve your pretence: You will have to borrow some paltry slaves; and possess a few pieces of silver plate, and exhibit these same pieces conspicuously and frequently, if you can, and try not to let people know that they are the same; and possess contemptible bright clothes, and all other kinds of finery, and show yourself off as the one who is honoured by the most distinguished persons; and try to dine with them, or at least make people think that you dine with them; and resort to base arts in the treatment of your person, so as to appear more shapely and of gentler birth than you actually are.
I will not try to convince others that what they should be worried about for me is not any physical issues, but instead feel badly for me when I can not control my anger or when I worry about things outside of my control. Most people who know me already think I am a little odd, I do not need to be adding to that impression. Instead, I will accept their sympathy in the spirit in which it was intended.
That pisses me off even without the crutches angle. You are imposing a social obligation to hurry up and use the proffered door or else be rude to the “polite” person being nice. If I am not right on your tail – let the door close.
It’s like those drivers who endanger my life by stopping, blocking my view of the other lane of traffic and try to wave me past. You are not being helpful.
It didn’t piss me off, it just irritated me, probably because it was a visible reminder that I was not healthy.
Being on crutches added to it.
I can’t imagine being pissed off at someone who holds a door for me.
When I was on crutches last year, I was going into a store, and although I was a long way from the door, a man held the door and waited for me.
There’s an old guy that comes into my gym around lunch time. He has a walker and a leg brace. He has a circuit of machines he uses.
When I’m around the gym at lunch, I always wait and hold the door for him when I pass him in the entryway. I don’t even think about it. He always thanks me for it. If it annoys him, he doesn’t show it.
I’ve been both sides of this coin.
I hold doors open for people. If they’re not moving fast, I tell them not to hurry.
Heavy commercial doors are a pain in the ass when you are on crutches. I always thanked whoever held a door for me.
As long as it isn’t a security door, I’ll hold the door open for people. It’s not like I’m generally in a hurry.
Funny. I work behind a security door. We all hate it an will hold it open for known coworkers because of how heavy it is to open.
(It’s not a requirement that we card in and out so it’s not keeping track of who is in the area.)
We are required to card at the security door. There is even a security guard parked there just to make sure nobody lets anyone in who didn’t card.
Poor bastard has an eye-meltingly boring job, as it’s in a corridor where he’s on camera but can’t see anything except the door.
Sensei:
So… not a security door. 🙂
Nah, most places I’ve worked have not required scans for internal security doors (such as server rooms), as someone has to have access for you to get in and they’ll be the responsible party if something goes wrong. External doors have usually been a do not hold for anyone type of situation.
Mr Ilium, here the official policy is that any secure door that requires keycard access must be carded by all persons passing through it with the exception of escorted visitors with visitor badges which are just paper and can’t scan anyway.
In practice, it’s closer to the lax standard Sensei describes for the internal doors.
Neph, I have to card through a lobby turnstile that tracks my entry. I don’t have to card out, but if I stay past 7 I need to tell security I’m in the office.
All out doors are a “no piggy back” rule. I follow it…but that is about it
*our..
Meaning FAA facility
It won’t open because it’s a security door!
a man held the door and waited for me.
Was it winter? were there people inside yelling “Shut the fucking door, asshole”?
Maybe he was thinking back to his stint on crutches.
I always thanked whoever held a door for me.
It don’t cost nothin’.
There’s a lot of daylight between pity and the impulse toward simple courteous helpfulness.
Pitiless
“It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat, and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it,” Rubio said in a statement, adding that the organizations were “mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful and poorly run.” He echoed Trump’s statement that the organizations’ interests run “contrary” to U.S. interests.
This took Payal Shah aback. “We really have to ask ourselves: What are we saying our country stands for? If we’re saying that these institutions — that are aimed at promoting equality and protecting vulnerable populations — are contrary to our interests,” says Shah, director of research and legal work at Physicians for Human Rights.
Take up the White Man’s Burden. Provide succor for the feckless uncivilized darkies who, without our benevolent guidance and assistance, would surely perish due to their ignorance and sloth.
They’ve already been given soccer, we don’t need to give them more.
That piteous “People will die!” Doesn’t work anymore. To Hell with the UN. Pay for it yourself.
People will die regardless if we do something or do nothing. It happens all the time… natural causes.
Exactly. It’s the train tracks experiment in real life. Whether we pull the diversion lever or not people die. If we choose to not pull it we are not responsible for anything.
The solution to the trolley problem is the option that kills the ethicist.
Yeas, Payal, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Go on, now. Finish your thought.
He’s stealing bases claiming that this is what these institutions do.
-director of research and legal work at Physicians for Human Rights
No self-interest in her statement there, nosiree.
Do they believe in the right not to be locked down or forced into medical experiments?
that are aimed at promoting equality and protecting vulnerable populations
Point the first – “aimed at”. Nothing about whether they actually accomplish the stated goals. Or are just grifting opportunities for credentialed mid-wits that do nothing at all for the populations they are purported to ‘help’. Never mind whether the proffered help is actually helpful or harmful in the long run.
Point the second – “equality and protecting vulnerable populations”. Does Dr. Shah actually have a working definition for what these empty terms and sentiments actually mean in practice? Or are the just short-hand for the usual commie claptrap these arrogant ass-hats usually spout and promote (see Point the first for the actual outcomes of said commie claptrap).
Point the shorter – Fuck off Dr. Shah you commie grifting bullshitter.
Point the third: “promoting”. My, what a lot of useless busywork gets passed off in the name of “promoting” goodthinkfulness.
The whole statement adds up to “all process, no results”. As is typical for NGOs.
Not our circus. Not our monkeys.
What if it was the Ringling Brothers Barnam and Bailey circus? Would we own the monkeys then?
Then I would be making UN bureaucrats jump through flaming hoops and share cages with lions. Possibly firing them out of cannons.
“We’ve been looking for a man of your caliber.”
Praise Allah that they are mismanaged, wasteful, and poorly run, since their interests run contrary to ours.
Sweet Jesus, y’all get bent out of shape about people holding doors for you? Steer clear of the southern US then, you’re liable to stroke out because it’s SOP down this way.
Heatstroke will get me before I reach the door.
🥵
Hahaha yes. See below.
Not bent out of shape, I just wasn’t happy with the whole situation.
This. If you get your feelings hurt by people offering the mildest of kindness and courtesy to you, how the hell do you expect to react in your dotage when you need somebody to wipe your ass?
Accept other people’s kindness with graciousness and hire a therapist if it wrecks your ego to do so.
“Oh, it isn’t actually helpful. Oh, I don’t need your help.”
Fuck off. Smile, thank them, and get over yourself.
Greatest gift I ever received was the lesson of grace from my grandma.
Nobody’s going to help me in my dotage. I fully expect to be left sitting in a dark corner 23 hours a day, with one hour when the daylight pokes through the grimy window to make it merely a dim corner.
That is something that worries me.
On the other hand I was nice to the man holding the door for me, it’s not like I threw a crutch at him or anything.
Just to be clear Ron, my rant wasn’t pointed at you. I’ve ran into a few feminists over the years who have made it an issue.
Ron: It is the pride of a man that is hurt when people hold the door open for them. I understand this. It is hard to release that pride and accept kindness at times.
I don’t want to be noticed when I’m out and about. Not unless I seek the attention of another (such as at checkout). Forcing a social obligation on another is not kindness, it’s presumption.
that sounds rather uncivil.
It’s also an argument that UCS should be using the self-checkout. :-p
If they’re not giving me the employee discount, then an employee can do the work.
UCS:
This may be of interest for you.
You’re trying to get me in trouble!
I mean a simple “no thanks” would release the perceived obligation and if the person contines to hold the door, it has no bearing upon you.
Neph – excellent article. I’m going to quote a piece of it that I find especially toothsome:
Good so far.
Uh, wait…no?
Okay, stop this nonsense right now.
Get away from me. Now. I will cut you.
Would stabbing you like a sewing machine count as dehumanizing you? Because my hands are literally itching…
This is how high trust societies become low trust societies, right here.
Yeah, I imagined myself a New Vicky as I was reading Diamond Age.
Victorian Era.
I never would have met my wife under that culture.
I might point out that this whole forcing a social obligation on you thing, exists entirely in your head.
When I hold the door for someone, I have absolutely no expectation that they will break into a sprint. If I misjudged and they are more than a few steps behind me and I have to hold the door for a few more seconds, well, that’s on me.
Me, I am deeply cynical so when I see someone hold a door for me unnecessarily long it seems fake to me. But I would never make an issue of it or comment in any way. It’s just a me thing that I hold inside.
I don’t know how to feel about this until I know the race of the door.
Marathon.
And genderfluid status! Don’t forget that!
Forcing a social obligation on another is not kindness, it’s presumption.
Lighten up, Francis.
I can’t.
People keep holding doors.
A Stoic might point out that since you can’t control people holding doors, you might focus on your reaction to it, which you can control.
That is what I am trying to work on.
Ron may be my long lost brother.
The last thing I want is pity – even when I’m a complete hot mess.
You have my pity.
Nah, UCS. Hold it out in front of him. Give it a little shake with big, open eyes and a smile.
This is an interesting one. I don’t like to be pitied, but I do appreciate when people hold a door for me. But I’m especially annoyed when people DON’T offer help. When I go to the store or something, I’ll walk around to the trunk and get my wheelchair out. I can do it myself of course, but it makes me feel good when people offer to help. When there are a lot of people around and nobody even bothers to ask, I’m annoyed at how rude people can be in general. And then I adjust the onion on my belt.
Honestly, I find it a bit awkward to ask someone with a disability if they need help, unless they’re visibly struggling (or it’s something simple like not being able to reach something on a shelf). Even in cases where people were struggling, I’ve had them snap back at me that they were fine and didn’t need my help or pity.
On the other hand, there’s a local guy who I’ve seen at multiple shows go into the pit in his chair, and we all help him up immediately if he gets knocked over. Rules of the pit.
My rule is “Can I…” versus “Let me…”
They say no to the first, I move on.
Add “allow me to…” to the can column.
I can understand that. Sometimes disabled people are assholes just like anyone else. In turning down help, I usually say something like, “Oh I’ve got it, I’ve done this once or twice.” And then we have a laugh and that’s that.
OBE:
Yeah, it’s always a “May I”, or “Would you like help?”
TOK:
I get it. Just trying to give at least a pro forma defense to the people ignoring you.
I sometimes open with “Hey, I could use some karma points” followed by “Can I help you with that?”
That way, they are doing me a favor. And honestly, I think there’s an element of that whenever you let somebody help you with something. People don’t offer minor assistance to strangers because they think it’s such a burden that they have to bear. They do it because they want to.
My go to is to ask, “Do you need a hand buddy or mam?”. No response then I move on. If I get a yes or no, then I do what is appropriate.
If they have no hands, then I just clap and run away as fast as possible.
To me that’s the ideal situation. I’d say “I got it but thanks for asking!” Simple manners on both sides.
Clown show
Downing Street has condemned the move by X to restrict its AI image creation tool to paying subscribers as insulting, saying it simply made the ability to generate explicit and unlawful images a premium service.
There has been widespread anger after the image tool for Grok, the AI element of X, was used to manipulate thousands of images of women and sometimes children to remove their clothing or put them in sexual positions.
Grok announced in a post on X, which is owned by Elon Musk, that the ability to generate and edit images would be “limited to paying subscribers”. Those who pay have to provide personal details, meaning they could be identified if the function was misused.
You can’t restrict access to that technology we want to ban. That wouldn’t be fair.
How is it unlawful? If i hand draw lobster girl and had the skill to animate her than put it on the internet…I broke the law?
It’s unlawful under UK “law” for which you can be punished for things that are not actually crimes, and thought is criminalized anyway.
Now I need to go back to yesterday and find that animation again.
Sure, the law’s there to protect people even when there are no actual people involved.
Downing Street can fuck right off.
Ron, I have been thinking of you and of this series a lot lately. I have been feeling down because my recovery seems to be taking so long. I’m almost at 3 months. I have therapy twice a week, and doctor’s appointments, and while I’m making progress, it’s just a lot. I’m not able to play my sport, and I don’t have a timeline to return. It just happens when it happens.
So last weekend I thought about you and your health issues, and I decided to be Stoic about it. I also listened to some Buddhism podcasts for a refresher. And that seemed to help.
Today I had another follow-up, and I got referred to a eye specialist. I’m currently entertaining the idea of retiring from hockey. Not that I won’t get better, but now I’m much more likely to get another concussion, and it’s more likely it would be worse. I just can’t handle doing this all again. I have another follow up in 3 weeks, so we’ll see what happens between now and then.
But thanks for constantly putting things in perspective.
Concussions are scary, I would err on the side of caution.
Sucks giving up hockey, hope you can find something else to keep you active.
I am learning that yes, they can be scary. If I was out a month or 6 weeks, that’s one thing. But 3 or 4 months, or more, is a lot of time and that is weighing on me right now. I already have non-contact things to keep me active, thankfully. But I’ve been playing for 11 years and it’s been a big part of my life. It will be a big loss if it happens. I will have to handle this “skillfully” as they say.
Could you coach or something? Stay in the scene, but not risk getting your noggin cracked?
Maybe. I’d have to consider the late nights and long drives as part of the equation.
Annnnnnd you lost me…
Pushing this shit is ridiculous. “Can’t wire money out of country on public assistance” assumes all monies are from public assistance.
The theory is that if you are on public assistance, you shouldn’t have surplus funds to wire.
Same with the theory that if you have 1k in your pocket you must have derived it from nefarious means.
Nope. This will not be abused at all
Seems too invasive, just do away with the public assistance and it’s not an issue.
Yes, please.
Thinking about I’m initially against… However, you aren’t compelled to take the public assistance.
Essentially you are getting paid and there are stipulations associated with that. Don’t like the stipulations – don’t take the assistance.
That said I understand and share your concerns.
“Can’t wire money out of country on public assistance”
followed by an explosion of personal services that wire money on your behalf without involving the authorities.
which leads inevitably to another stupid law.
Lets short circuit it and simply forbid money transfers.
Cousin Jose stays off assistance. We all pay him X and he wires the money back home for all of us.
“It makes the battle against violence against women and girls much harder when platforms such as X are enabling abuse on such an easy and regular basis,” Waxman said, adding that the platform was having a negative impact on its users’ mental health because of the proliferation of violence, abuse and race hate.
“Why is that material not being taken down and those users being stopped?” she asked. “It is not safeguarding its users.” Waxman said she was concerned about Ofcom’s ability to police platforms such as X effectively. “Does Ofcom have the teeth to be able to really deal with these sorts of issues? That is a concern for me.”
Threaten to stamp your feet and hold your breath until you turn blue. That should work
Bitch, 4Chan already told you – you don’t get to regulate US companies operating from US soil. Your power stopped here 250 years ago.
The Guardian won’t be satisfied until Britain’s getting criticized by China for their human rights abuses and even then they might not be happy.
Words are not violence.
You’re welcome.
I have yet to test my new conviction that someone saying “Words are violence” will get punched by me. But I’m pretty sure I’ll follow through.
Someone creating a parody image of you is not violence. It may well be rude, possibly even defamatory, but it is not violence. Hanging you from a lamppost after a drumhead trial is violence. Maybe if you despicable petty tyrants and bullies stop now we can avoid you learning that distinction directly.
In Romania if you hold the door for a woman more than 15 seconds you are allowed to smack hes ass as she passes.
Tell me more…
I am so tired of the Saint Renee shit in the media.
It may slow down some… https://x.com/AlphaNews/status/2009679932289626385
That will not slow them down. This person was elevated and Maryland Dad set the case to continue with the praise and sainthood
Let’s hope so.
You know how it is. Commies will claim its a deepfake.
Her statue in St. George square will definitely be smaller.
The real victim.
So much this. ICE is immune. And I’m sure our martyr had extensive insurance coverage.
Whoever owns that assuming they have collision is out his or her deductible plus the aggravation of repair and replacement. I was one of the first things I thought of yesterday.
Can the accomplice be sued civilly for the deductible?
Possibly. I’ve seen ambulance chasers make crazier legal theories, but there is no money in suing for an insurance deductible.
It’s an angels on the head of pin discussion.
I thought it was going to be the dog in the backseat.
Pushing this shit is ridiculous. “Can’t wire money out of country on public assistance” assumes all monies are from public assistance.
Regardless of the source, is the money yours or isn’t it?
I vote “no”.
Body cam from the ICE agent.
I still hate cops in general, but this seems pretty obvious to me, especially if he had been drug by a vehicle before.
It was a setup. Maybe they thought they’d just get hauled off to jail for the night, but they wanted confrontation.
Doesnt mean she deserved to die, but dance with devil and all that.
They were cosplaying as badasses in a tense situation and things went predictably into the ditch. The idea that they can behave like that with no meaningful consequences will always catch up to you eventually.
The motivation here is not dissimilar from what drives school shooters and people who masturbate in public parks – a desperate pathetic need for attention.
Would anyone remember Joan of Arc if she hadn’t been burned at the stake?
Well the Heretic French Peasant Girl did deprive the English of their rightful control of Orleans.
+1 Rachel Corrie
I didn’t really catch what she was saying. Were they trying to get her to move, and she was being an asshole about it? Then they ordered her out of the car, and she floored it?
I was talking to my MIL about this today. If I did something like this to any local cop, I’d expect it to not go well.
Basically they planned to block traffic (and fuck her for bringing her dog on the ride, at least it wasnt the kid) and be confrontational towards any ICE agents.
Supposedly the wife is saying “drive baby drive.”
“US citizen, former fucking ”
Wonder what she was claiming there
. . . . the smugness of the “untouchable” which turns sobbing at the loss of a loved one.
a tragedy brought upon themselves.
I’m not hearing the shots? Anybody else catch them?
Right after his grunt from getting nudged by the car
I think they cut the audio for them.
The 48hr rule exists for a reason I guess. Much less ambiguous than any footage I’ve seen to date.
I also would consider the fact that if you are responsible for using a vehicle in a negligent way.
I would not try to put my self in this person’s head, but she appeared to be trying to evade arrest after recording a bout of virtue signaling.
Ding ding ding. Let’s push those MAGA mouth breathers as far as we can, then get the hell out of there.
The wife, and anyone training her on how to do this, ought to be in prison.
Playing chicken with a boulder rolling down a hill.
Brutal.
That is a hilariously brutal thread.
I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for Frey and Walz to apologize for their mendacious rush to judgment.
Not a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening.
I expect them to say this proves it was murder.
I can understand that. Sometimes disabled people are assholes just like anyone else. In turning down help, I usually say something like, “Oh I’ve got it, I’ve done this once or twice.” And then we have a laugh and that’s that.
“Is there something I can do to make that more difficult?”
Grok deepfaked that Minneapolis woman into a bikini? Why not black pajamas and a coolie hat, holding an AK-47?
Was it public facing Grok or someone who was using the API and unschackled some of its features?
I know where ICE should make its next stop….
Brilliant minds…
This is exactly the sort of thing that the US alone is uniquely required to put up with.
Celebrate, even.
I forgot to link this in the AM:
Supposedly,
-The US/UK/EU are going after Russia’s money via oil exports.
-Venezuela was about that.
-This has been going on for a while but the media hasn’t cared until now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dopbvNi538A
If true, that would imply that Hegseth and Rubio aren’t the idiots they’re portrayed as.
Venezuela was a big market for Russian oil? If anything it helps Russia as China, who was buying Venezuelan oil at friend prices, will have to make up the difference via Russian oil.
Possibly refined? Venezuelan crude needs to be refined specially.
So exchanging crude with refined products could be possible. Venezuela, naturally, doesn’t have great refining capacity domestically.
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/us-venezuela-crude-oil-refining-df3854d1?st=gQ592n&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
The “Shadow Tankers” were using Venezuela as a stopoff/transfer location, and that this fleet services Russia/China/and Iran.
Word in the street is they carried more than oil too. Weapons, gold, etc…
Remains to be proven.
So what he is saying is there is a vast amount of wealth
Krugman on some weird rant
no linky
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5679642-krugman-venezuela-oil-reserves/
It’s well known that their oil tends to be low quality and difficult to extract. Plenty of it but a much lower profit margin than typically seen.
Right but to outright claim there is no wealth there is dubious
Krugman went SugarFree.
Venezuela was a big market for Russian oil?
I was under the impression the Venezuelans were “re-branding” Russian oil to circumvent the sanctions.
transoil
laundered oil
I’m seeing a pic of a Persian chick lighting a ciggie with a burning pick of the Ayatollah.
She’s hawt.
I have THE best husband. I’ve wanted a tanker desk forever and one popped up on FB marketplace! He’s going to go get it for me. It’s a small one, but still a tanker. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it because I have a perfectly lovely and awesome 1980s-era Steelcase.
So apparently the lady who’s selling it was tired of it loitering in her garage (“It’s big, it’s heavy, it’s from the 40s.” Yes, I know.), and said she’d just give it to us. Wisely, my husband didn’t tell her how much that fucker’s actually worth.
You’re not kidding, those things are expensive.
I hope you and he have some strong friends! Congratulations.
Those Workers’ Comp claims don’t submit themselves. Still not going to argue here. Look at the replica.
NYC road-rage suspect shot dead in altercation with cops: sources
https://nypost.com/2026/01/09/us-news/nyc-road-rage-suspect-shot-dead-in-altercation-with-cops-sources/
Odd way to commit suicide by cop, however.
Why would you do that?
Two parts stupidity, two parts poor impulse control, a splash of suicidal ideation. Shake over ice, and garnish with two mincey little faggot balls…
Manda speaks:
ICE is not the victim
Amanda Marcotte
MAGA lies can’t hide the real damage done to people like Renee Nicole Good
I hope there is some real damage to people like her.
Ten years after his death, is David Bowie’s musical legacy at risk of fading from view?
I’ve got like 10 of his albums, but rarely listen to him. Still appreciate his music however.
During my spells with vascular necrosis, which caused my femoral heads to kinda die and crush into themselves, and when healing from my hip replacements… this was a pretty constant occurrence and train of thought. All in all, absolutely depended on the situation. I don’t think it *happened* all that much, but it was always on my mind. Just the recovery process. The goal is pretty much to never have anyone even think of possibly *needing* to help me out.
Instinct was always to not want help offered unless I really needed it. Like if I was carrying something, for instance. I liked getting help and people were always nice about it. Sometimes could spark a chat or possible playfulness. (In Korea, 95% of weigukin were ish-same age and part of an inherent expat community, and we’d run into folk daily, esp living nearby. I quite rarely spark even a sentence to a total stranger.)
There was a primal thought of ‘What if no one were here to help me? I have to be able to *do* this.” It was part of the recovery process and is something to address. Others didn’t know this, and it very rarely ‘came up,’ but I was kinda in Work Out Mode. This quickly can prod into ‘I don’t want people to think I’m helpless.’ <– (Often?) Stupid XY instinct again.
So, mixed bag, but nothing extreme, either way. (I'm kinda quite chill, mixing with introversion.) All depends on the situation.
Whoops. This is from above about UCS and others and Door Holding Etiquette.
I had a weird experience like that once… I was jogging on a very hot summer day and saw a lady in an electric wheelchair coming up the sidewalk. I moved into the grass, which is what I always do when there’s another person on the sidewalk because I don’t imagine anybody wants to be close to a man in short shorts pouring sweat and flinging drops of it everywhere when he moves his arms. I moved over, gave a little nod, then she says in a rather snippy tone, “Um, I can move over TOO!” I just kept running, but it was a weird moment.