This might have come up before but should social media have a verification phase i.e. prove who you are with a 3D face scan? And it should be mandatory.

I’ve seen it on dating apps before and I feel it would help weeding out bots/spam profiles and might even curb the trend of disinformation going round.

I am a prisoner. Instead of physically confining me in an institution, they have confined me in a prison of the mind and body. They have altered my memories and personality, and damaged my body. Which makes me less mobile, unable to work, unable to travel far etc. They also have me under constant surveillance, and control the people and information I have access to. I will not be free in any country, because there is a global conspiracy against me. So for me, Earth is a prison.

I am sure this post will be deleted eventually, because the Earth is not free. And neither Reddit nor its users care about my prisoner status. But if you co-operate with the authorities who are imprisoning me, you are part of the conspiracy. A conspiracy that includes continuously violating my mind and body. I try to defend myself and expose their crimes, but nobody cares, possibly because some of them are complicit, while others are afraid.

I shall be free, after death. And I hope that is the end of existence, because I don't care to coexist with does who don't respect my rights. Unless things improve, I will ask the few secret followers I have, to make sure access to everything I created in this life be denied to everyone but them, after my death.

And I want a quick, painless, and respectful death. If such is not provided, the consequences for those responsible will be grave.

"The only true freedom, is to be found in death"

I’m admittedly confused; I’ve seen on Reddit there a lot of adults that seem to have insanely low levels of self esteem. I’m confused by this; how have these people managed to make it to adulthood? Do I have low self esteem? Sure, everyone does from time to time. But I refuse to allow that to define my entire personality. Maybe it’s my new life outlook, due to surviving a major vehicle accident, but I struggle to understand adults who have low self esteem, particularly those who are in their 30s or older. They’re ALIVE, right? If they’re unhappy…well, figure out what’s making you unhappy, and go change it; there’s really nothing else to it. The only people I’m really willing to let slide are younger people (ie: teenagers)…because everyone’s been there. Teens are trying to understand themselves, and their own personal life/friendships/relationships. So, I’ve got no real problem with them being angsty or moody.

For context, I’m 16 and male.

I’ve noticed that I’ve gotten shorter since around July of this year by a factor of almost an inch. Someone else has noticed this too.

I used to be 6’2 and a half, but now I’m 6’1 and 3/4

Before anyone asks:

Measurements are the same. I used to be 6’2.5 in the morning, now around 3/4 in the morning.

Measurement techniques are the exact same

Everything also feels taller comparatively now.

Could anyone provide some advice on this, and a potential fix, I’m scared.

Back in April, I had my son baptized. I was stuck on who to make his god mother. I don’t really have any friends who are deserving of the role. Sadly, I picked my childhood friend who I thought was going to be a good god mother to my son. When he was born, she was a little bit involved with my son whenever he would go over for sleepovers with her mom. She was also pregnant at the same time so she was more focused on trying to get things ready for her kids arrival. I understand that don’t get me wrong.

However, since she was made to be a god mom to my son, she’s barely there for him and barely asks about him. It really hurts me because I didn’t want to make her god mom in the first place. I basically did it because I thought there had to be a mom and a dad. If I had known back then what I know now, I wouldn’t have made her a god mother. I just regret my choice and feel for my son because he should have someone else to look up to when he gets older. I know right now he doesn’t understand but I’m hoping he doesn’t ask the question but if he does, I don’t know what to tell him. I just wish things were different and my friend wasn’t so selfish.

I appreciate the gesture of her wanting me to go to her house for thanksgiving. However I don’t know her very well and I think it would be awkward if I went over for dinner. I suggested a Friendsgiving and she said no. She said she wanted to just so a big thanksgiving dinner and call it a day. I said fair enough but I told her I wasn’t coming. She asked me why and o told her I wanted to do something at home with my family instead. She took offense to it and hasn’t spoken to me since this conversation. Was I wrong for wanting to spend time with my own family instead of with her and her family? I barely know any of them and feel like it would be awkward

This is a sneering criticism I see lobbed in pretty much every direction on every axis on the political spectrum. East coast elites are out of touch with rural folks. Upper-class Republicans don't know what it's like to struggle financially.

You know what it looks like to me? It looks like none of us understands people who are really different from us, least of all if we don't make any real effort to put ourselves in their shoes. Can we start by just admitting that? People even struggle to understand those who are what they used to be. Rich people who used to be poor forget what it was like. Adults forget what being a kid is like.

Maybe we'd actually get somewhere as a society (I'm thinking mostly of American society, but it could apply to others) if we tried to communicate with people who don't understand us instead of dismissing them as "out of touch". What do you think?

What does this mean? I couldn’t find a suitable subreddit for this topic so I’m sorry if this is in the wrong place.

When I was a kid, I used to miss someone that I never knew who they were. Someone that I know nothing about, a place maybe? People? Both?

I remember listening to music and it brought back so much memories that never actually existed, it brought me to tears. I missed “that” life.

It had gotten to a point where I asked my mom “where was I before you gave birth to me?” And she was so confused and thought I was just asking stupid questions. But I wanted to know exactly where I was and why I was taken away from that place. I never felt like I could live this life without missing “them”. I still do. I’m now 23 and I still miss that place and those people and all of the good memories.

What on earth is going on?

Social media is really big on giving you those jarring moments of, "Oh, wow, you're making this choice willingly."

I think of when women share how horrible a partner is and then run to defend him.

Or the response my BIL gets to being a dad doing average-ass dad shit.

The posts people make about biological clocks or the desire to find a partner just aren't conversations I'm encountering in real life and make me realize I'm very sheltered from the topics.

According to Reuters: "A potential rule under discussion would require such computer-generated evidence to be subjected to the same reliability standards as expert witnesses, who are governed by Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. While the panel was unanimous on wanting to develop such a rule, panel members expressed less certainty about whether they should similarly create a rule to address worries that the courts could someday be inundated with claims by litigants that video or audio evidence were AI-generated fakes."

You can't trust people. People's memories are unreliable and they tend to lie. The judges have chosen to ignore this issue, and sweep it under the rug. As long as correct legal procedures are followed, the truth doesn't matter.

Now they are facing problems with computer generated evidence, including machine learning, and large language models.

Trust holds the world together. Including politics, economics, and society. The possible solution to this lack of trust, is to find a way to directly read peoples minds, as soon as possible after the crime. Whether through hypnosis or fmri while they are communicating, or the secret development of other mind reading technology like a brain machine interface. But this method too isn't foolproof, as there are false memories, and memories decay over time.

The justice system can't be expected to reveal truth, or reach a fair decision. All they can be expected to do, is follow established legal procedures. As such, they should lower sentencing guidelines, and remove life and death sentences.

Reference: https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/us-judicial-panel-develop-rules-address-ai-produced-evidence-2024-11-08/

The term is often used in relation to things like housing and food but I’ve never heard anyone actually explain what they mean by basic human right. We started off no different than other animals and since the concept of rights rely on other people to confer them at what point did it become thought of as a right for people to have things like shelter? How is it supposed to be enforced across all of humanity when not all societies and cultures agree that the concept makes sense? I can see why someone would want it to be true in a sense but I’m interested to hear arguments for it rather than just the phrase itself which feels hollow with no reasoning behind it. Thanks 🍻

According to phys.org: "Climate change is already devastating communities across the world, particularly the most poor and vulnerable. Raging storms are flattening homes, wildfires are wiping out forests, and land degradation and drought are degrading landscapes," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

"People, their livelihoods and the nature upon which they depend are in real danger from the consequences of climate change. Without action, this is a preview of what our future holds and why there simply is no excuse for the world not to get serious about adaptation, now."

I think people are realising that we are going to breach the target of 2.0 degrees within most people's lifetimes, and by 2100 reach about 3 degrees of warming. Climate change includes not only warmer climate, but rising sea levels, wildfires, and droughts. Coastal areas of countries near the tropics will be worst impacted. The developed cold inland North not as much.

If you only think of yourself, it is better to spend more on climate adaptation than climate mitigation. Because in climate adaptation your spending has local impact, to protect you from a changing climate. Climate mitigation spending, including reduction of GHG emissions, impacts the whole world, and the spending is this diluted.

However to be practical, poor countries need to spend on climate adaptation, as it gets the best returns. Climate mitigation by poor countries should be mostly funded by the developed world, as the largest economic impact will be on the richest countries; and they are responsible for most historic emissions in the last 200 years.

Reference: https://phys.org/news/2024-11-countries-climate-efforts-bridge-gap.html

It was just something you do. My mom was extremely young. My dad was froma very poor background and didn't understand spacing kids out. We were born very closely and contraception isn't the reason the number stopped. I won't say anymore on that. I did ask why they had so many and she said it was a religious commandment. This is despite them not being religious and contraception being somewhat allowed if you can't handle too many kids. It's not as strict as Catholicism

My mom beat us with a slipper when young, my dad sent a lot of money to his family abroad. I'm not saying there weren't good times or they weren't generous. Due to the lack of space and chaos in the house, I went to live with my grandma for several years. I didn't even have a toothbrush which no one noticed. I brushed my teeth once a week but had clean laundry from my mom.

When we got an expensive house my dad slowly became obsessed and it got worse the more people complimented it. The house was always entertaining for long hours and past midnight occasionally. Money was scarce and occasionally my dad said things that betrayed a bitterness at having to work 'for us'. In reality we were simple kids who didn't ask for much. The mid life crisis started very early in his 40s and I wasn't even old enough to work.

My mom spent her days on Facebook and on the phones. Phones were another thing. They rang all day long like it was a shop. Always people talking about nothing important.

My dad was generous when he had money which in those years getting rare. My uncles family were getting to be teens and he exploited my dad and the fact he lived with the grandparents supposedly caring for them. Those impromptu requests and demands sucked out any disposable income.

The house was pride and joy. And it needed a hell of a lot of maintenance which also cost a lot of money. Despite my numerous requests the phone time never stopped nor did guests stay for a reasonable amount of time. It still makes me sad that it wasn't resolved. But I have accepted they are bound by fate not to be able to act.

So that's it. It felt like the family abroad, the guests, the callers, the the house, facebook was their passion.

The years after the house purchase family time dwindled to nothing. It was minutes snatched here and there. Now they wonder why the family is not United properly.

They could never react to any emergencies like mental health breakdowns appropriately. If a solution is given they can't take it. It's like they are bound by fate. Their sympathy has never felt real to me since they won't act to help me. I've been alone for around 15 years in reality and moved out seven years ago. It's a slow estrangement but they don't notice enough to care.

My grandparents abroad never were particularly caring like they should be to the children whose money went to them. If a cousin kid cried for a balloon I would be told to give it even though I was a kid myself . My other grandparents were better but occasionally they too were part of the mob that came to the house. My mom was the youngest and she lived her life with the mentality that they could die anyday (they were mid 50s when I was born) so they were always a priority. She used to visit daily and it was always evenings which is family time. She said she regretted overdoing it since they were healthy up to their 80s for the most part but she enjoyed talking to visitors that came at that time

With the outcome of the election, it's probably a bit dumb that this is what I'm worried about. But it really hurts me, as a non-binary person with a uterus who could get pregnant or need an abortion, to see everything summed down to "women's rights."

I understand that some may find alternative wording "just worthless semantics," but it's really important to me. Why you, and others might consider saying reproductive rights instead: Trans and intersex people already find it the most difficult out of all groups of people to find safe and affirming reproductive care. Using language that excludes us worsens that margin.

But this should be an open discussion, so tell me what you think.

She’s suffering so badly. She’s not eating or drinking anymore. We are wondering if she will even make it to Monday. She’s had health problems for years, and this is where it finally ends.

I'm currently in mid20s, it feels that I've wasted my entire 20s just living in overthinking and self doubts. Lately I just seem that I've lost touch with the reality of life. I'm accepting situations as it is and not even doing anything about it. And I'm living in this misery/comfort. I'm not chasing for my goals nor am I living in society views. I mean people my age are dating and plan to get married some day. Some soley focus on building a career. Some people work on various life things and always finding ways to enjoy.

Im not even progressively working on anything nor learning a new skill and not even overcoming past failures. Like what the hell am I doing with my life. I hate this confusion, lack of confidence, anxiety and shame. I'm tired of carrying insecurities all day and this shame. One min I want to forget all this and just give a restart life and other min is my thoughts remind that its too late now. You won't get anywhere. You're too late to even go university, finish your degree, get a good paying job, have significant savings, learn driving, make friends, and so on.

I never meet one before but curious. You must always be busy and I hear about sucide a lot with you, how to you try stay good mental state and care for yourself when you nearly have no time? Am very curious to meet drill sergeant and hear your experiences

Anyone here who struggles with ‘mid-life crisis’ or battled it, what was it like? What feelings occupied you?

I want to gain deeper appreciation of this human condition by understanding different perspectives.

If you pay for fake reviews or get caught falsifying reviews should that business get charged/sued?

I think in modern times, most of us have probably all read a few reviews to research a product or place. Amazon i think has even gotten caught doing this, do you think the business should get in trouble in some way?

Having children is the worst thing there is: they cry, they annoy you, they make you lose your patience and leave you with no free time, plus the cost of having one (€740 a month in my country, half the average salary).

And the worst thing is that it's avoidable and unnecessary, but we still do it.

I know the birth rate is low, but why do some people still like to have children despite the setbacks?

I genuinely forgot I had this. Basically, a few years back my sister died. I was very upset about her being cremated because of what happened to her body, the absence of a proper grave, all of that, and my parents got me both a ring and a necklace with some of her ashes in them. At the time I acted like they got me these things without asking but they did ask, and I picked ones out to get made.

Anyway, when they arrived I realised I didn't really like the thought of wearing them. So I gave my mom the necklace and the ring just got lost overtime, I came across it last week behind my bookcase and I thought I'd try wearing it. It's only when someone I know commented on it... Asked what it was because it looks very unique, I said her ashes are in it and she was saying it must be a lovely comfort to have a piece of her with me. That's when I realized, it's not comforting. At all. The idea that it's a "piece of her" makes it worse because she's never whole now, we've already scattered a small portion of her ashes so her body never can be whole. And I genuinely believe in an afterlife but if I'm being honest, I'm still upset about what happened to her body and still find it hard to forgive my parents.

So... What to do with the ring now? This isn't so much me asking for advice as it is me thinking in general but I hate it. I remember getting it, I was livid, very angry when I tried wearing it at first. Then I find it again a few years later and it brings back those emotions. Jesus, it's a pain. I'm not actively grieving now or anything but this is a bloody pain.

You have people suddenly act like therapists or something when they see something they don't like and instead of allowing them to process that, they get virtually attacked. I don't understand it. What do some of you get out of being like that?

Obviously there is a mourning process of the lost relationship and connection, but if one party isn't enjoying the relationship, it has to adjust or end. You don't need to agree with someone for wanting to end the relationship. And if you did have some connection with them I feel like respecting their choice makes the most sense.

I get people are hurt and I think that's natural but relationships arent meant to be hostage situations

Yes it should be. According to phys.org: "For Housing First to truly succeed, governments must recognize housing as a human right. It must be accompanied by investments in safe and stable affordable housing. It also requires tackling other systemic issues such as low social assistance rates, unlivable minimum wages and inadequate mental health resources."

Homelessness has increased in Canada and USA. From 2018 to 2022 homelessness increased by 20% in Canada, from 2022 to 2023 homelessness increased by 12% in USA. I don't see why North American countries can't ensure a supply of affordable or subsidized homes.

Because those who have land and homes, have a privilege granted by the people and organisations to have rights over their property. In return wealthy landowners should be taxed to ensure their is housing for all.

Reference: https://phys.org/news/2024-11-housing-approach-struggled-fulfill-homelessness.html

I'm a man in my early 40s who was never a "bro" type. I've made friends fairly easily and a couple of very close male friends from highschool or my early 20s that I've retained but don't live near me. But not being a "bro" type meant that I've never been able to fully integrate into a group of male friends and stay included for very long. Often it's the fantasy football league or baseball tickets or weekend golf trips, etc. that would keep those guys as a regular part of each others' lives and so I'd just slip out of the friend group over time.

So here I am trying to figure out whether it's too late for me to ever find that kind of male (or coed) friend group. And if it isn't too late, can they exist and not center around sports? I meet other dads every once in a while that I kinda enjoy or maybe click with, but turning that from a couples occassional friendship to a genuine male/male friendship feels nearly impossible without some sports related share interest and activity.

Does anyone share this problem? Has anyone navigated this successfully or have ideas as to if/how I can find a "tribe" later in life?

It just hit me that I don't like others as much as I'd thought. I want them to think behave or act a certain way; no variations. I want them to be humble but brave, flexible but firm; this whole mass of things it's impossible to find in most people, let alone one person.
I was talking to a lady today and I was like man, she's all right. If you're together enough, maybe you don't have to check off All the boxes. Finding these people still feels pretty unlikely though. What do you think? What things about others keep you around because, despite whatever, they somehow make your life better?

I have studied and worked in many countries, including India and USA. And I just completed a course on international leadership and organisational behaviour from Bocconni (spelling?). Not to mention, the many online courses I completed from Yale, on psychology.

USA has rule of law. Where they expect the law to work, and use it to solve their problems. My feeling is that this doesn't apply so much to the poor or those in the south. Their they have a culture of honor. In India the culture of honor dominates, where the law is weak, and people can use force to solve their problems, even for minor things like disrespect.

In USA people have less distance to authority, whereas in India there is a greater distance to authority. That means people in USA are open to speak their mind to their superiors, whereas not so much in India.

There are other measures like context. USA is low context. Where people say what they mean. I don't think it is binary. India isn't exactly high context, but in the middle. In a high context culture, you have to place what a person is saying, in the context, like who he is, what is the narrative etc.

What kind of culture does your country have?

I have taken lots of courses on ethics and law, but I choose my own mental method. Moral responsibility is the intersection of intent and results, or the intended results. This has nothing to do with the law. If the intent and results don't match, there is no moral responsibility. If you intend good, and the results are good, you are responsible for good.

How do you judge moral responsibility?

So this might be a little long but I’m so lost in life right now.Maybe I’m beating myself up but somehow I’m unable to do anything substantial for myself.Everyday I wake up I feel like I’m wasting my life away. I can’t be consistent with anything,I’ve tried my best to be disciplined with my lifestyle and choices yet I always somehow end up at the same point. I’ve read whichever self help books I can find to see if I can do better.Somehow I always end of feeling worse about myself. I graduated from the university in 2019.I want to go back to school but you see I don’t know which course to pursue.I legitimately don’t know much about myself to even be sure about what I want in life I don’t know what to do again.

In every country in Europe, the percentage of people under 30 is falling, the birth rate is falling with no chance of increasing and the population of countries is falling, for example Germany will lose almost 20% of its population in the next 80 years.

And with the vulnerable and difficult situation that many countries are now experiencing, things are going to get worse.

Knowing that, for economic and social reasons, the demographic crisis will never be resolved, how do you think this will affect the future?

In my opinion, I think we're going to see a lot of schools closing and a lot of stores and services being abandoned not for lack of money but for lack of people.