“Making fun” isn’t quite right, but they were definitely being sarcastic. I think people throughout this thread are encouraging you to be less self-absorbed so that you can 1. Enjoy things around you without feeling like you’re being judged for it, and 2. Develop empathy for those you interact with.

I know it seems trite, but it’s important to realize that social interactions are way more fun if you pay attention to other people and are curious about them.

Exactly right. We spent hours and hours in a Ford van playing Pokemon red/yellow/blue in the 90s 😂

Like, the people who work to redo the high-end kitchens every couple of years, maintain the gardens, nanny the kids, and clean the toilets. Those normal people. Rich people are terrified of them.

Edit: “terrified” isn’t quite the right word. There’s definitely fear involved though.

Definitely look into European universities if you can afford the plane tickets. I wish I had as a young adult – I’ve heard great things about education quality as well as affordability.

Many states in the US are on an anti-abortion warpath. I live in North Carolina, which recently outlawed abortion after 12 weeks. I want to move elsewhere – I feel unsafe and uncared for.

Dunno bud, I’ve met and heard about a lot of rich people in my life (my partner builds high-end houses), and they’ve all been absolute assholes, though some more overly than others. I know exactly 2 nice rich people out of dozens.

My theory is two-fold: one, to get rich you probably screwed somebody else over, and two, once you get rich you feel an inherent need to protect your resources without ever actually feeling satisfied (gated communities, voting for your own self-interest, suspicion towards normal people).

I do think that having large sums of money almost always lead toward personal corruption, and I wish we all just had enough resources and societal support to be healthy and happy.

What else have people learned through Bluey?

Very excellent. My partner and I do some hobbies separately, but I couldn’t imagine throwing a party without him. (Given how few I’ve thrown, that would be a remarkable event for me.) Sensory issues absolutely make sense as a reason to avoid that, though.

I love and respect the way people with different preferences make relationships work… Power to you both!

That sounds perfect

Woah your marriage is different from mine. I’m interested.

I agree, and it goes both ways. I was taking to a Mexican immigrant yesterday who hasn’t been home to see his mother in more than 20 years as he doesn’t have the ability to cross the border, and she has continuously been denied visas without explanation.

There’s a lot of shit the US puts immigrants through as they walk on the edge of being allowed to exist here. My opinion is that we should both open our borders, and document the people who come through.

What in the world is that emoji? I think my eyes are getting worse.

Yes, weren’t the implications from the Chevron case that the FDA wouldn’t be able to ban ingredients anymore? I thought the government departments were all basically stripped of powers and could only make recommendations to Congress.

Got to go read, now, and figure out what I misunderstood…

You and Clarence Thomas both can leave, now. There’s no room for you here.

It’s not too late. Imagine if Biden actually had a health crisis between now and November and had to drop out. No way would the Democratic party not galvanize to find a replacement.

Ezra Klein has had some good content on this topic recently. He talks about how a new candidate might be agreed upon at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, and the positives and negatives that might result from that switch. The drama of it all would likely lead to increased political engagement, too.

A bear on my road has learned to open cars by using the door handle. Pretty amazing. It got into mine, ate something sugary, and left with no damage other than mud absolutely everywhere.

Now I lock my car doors at night with respect for this boss bear.

I was going to ask about your home language, as dogs definitely do not “wa” in the US 😹 I love those differences.

Edit: Also, I think of German children’s stories as being very bloody: kids get maimed, and the world is generally dangerous. Is that still present at all, or am I out of date by 100+ years?

Edit 2: For anyone interested, https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-struwwelpeter-illustrations-childrens-moral-lesson-book

Hidden gem. Thanks!

I got got. Germany is exotic to me, and I’m gullible.