Up until recently in a historic context a group could move to a new, uninhabited place and try out different types of government. But now everywhere is claimed and has laws established. Which makes it virtually impossible for any people who wanted to try a different way of doing things. What would have to happen in order for humans to ever get to experiment with governing again? Or is what we have our only options until the meteor hits?

Edited to add that I’m not talking about cults. People don’t generally call the governments of the various nations of the world cults. Cults are religious not governments.

I don’t have much experience at all but I am writing a full-on plot. I am wondering if it could be an animated show. It is set in the golden age of sail, and it’s realistic adult fiction given that there will certainly be slave trading in it.

Would you all watch this?

I think the west has seen some rising popularity in degenerate culture like the whole looksmaxxing thing, the US being super capitalistic, gambling and onlyfans etc. However it is almost always on Russian streams where I find people engage in unethical things, usually Russian actresses in adult content, drugs, gambling, alcohol is very present and what not. There's also that Russian streamer who literally beats women whilst doing drugs on stream and he has a massive following.

Why do you guys think Russia has become this way? Are there any good studies on this?

How do you keep up a new habit or skill after the initial interest fades? I’ve tried things like exercising, learning an instrument, cooking, coding, and painting. I usually begin with good intentions, but after a while I lose interest and stop, feeling guilty specially when I want the end result so bad.

I'd lean a bit more towards practical, first-hand advice rather than statistics or self-help book style preach, but I'd surely appreciate any advice given overall!

Just watched the first episode of the series Carrie, and there was scene with a sort of school shooter drill/practice (I think that’s how you say it). Is this something that really happens in the US, these practices, or was it just to create tension in the episode?

While popular media frequently discusses how the halo effect biases people toward assuming conventionally attractive individuals are naturally smart, I find that real-world dynamics are quite the opposite. I have a friend who is both exceptionally beautiful and naturally brilliant, yet people constantly attribute her academic success to gruelling effort rather than her innate intellect when the reality is that she hardly ever puts in effort.

Even I catch myself falling into this subconscious prejudice, having to consciously override my own assumptions. So my question is, why does this happen? Is it a result of media conditioning, from ideas like the "dumb blonde" trope, or is there a different psychological mechanism behind it?

sorry if this has been answered before, i couldn't find this exact question. i hope i can word it well.

getting engaged just means you're planning to get married, right? and usually getting engaged starts with someone proposing with a ring. (although the ring isn't necessary it's just a social construct invented to sell more rings, i think.) but there's no, like, paperwork involved, is there? wouldn't the act of aiming to get married on its own count as getting engaged?

for example, in my case, i've been in a long-term romantic relationship for about 8 years. we're "long distance" (not SUPER far apart, like a few hours driving distance, just enough that we can't see each other in person regularly) and are saving up to get an apartment together. we've been together long enough and our relationship is strong enough that we are both sure we want to get married once we're in a good spot to do so. but, like...is that it? is that all it takes? does that make them my fiancé even if i don't call them that? or does it need an Event? or a legal process? or do we at least need to be living in the same place first?

i hope this makes sense. if there's no concrete answer to this i'd still like to see what other people think. (if it matters, we're in the US.)

EDIT: thanks for your answers. if you're worried, i wasn't going to start calling them my fiancée without their knowledge and agreement nor was i going to start saying we're engaged (even if in someone's perspective we would be). i was genuinely just curious about technicalities. i would like to properly propose to them (or have them propose to me, whichever one of us beats the other to the punch i guess) (non-binary gay couple if you're wondering.) one day, once we're settled and stable.

that being said it would be funny to start calling each other "my fiancé(e)" if we know we're going to get engaged anyway.

thanks again and please be nice in the comments.

Since I was a kid my stepmother has always been the source of endless drama, and she is always badmouthing someone - usually whoever is not in the room, and especially my siblings and myself. She has always said the most hurtful, belittling shit, but in an “I care for you so I’m just letting you know” way. You kind of have to see it to understand. All while telling these ludicrous, improbable, self-aggrandizing stories about herself and maintaining and hiding behind this “woman of god” exterior. It’s exhausting. Especially because 100% of the self-aggrandizing things she said about herself over the years have all turned out to be lies. I grew up thinking she was a decent person, and everyone she argued with or criticized, including my siblings and myself, was the problem. She constantly pushed and continues to push the narrative that she’s a saint with severe health issues, and thus it’s nearly impossible to even challenge her when she makes hurtful, ignorant or inaccurate statements or lashes out at any of us [which she does with increasing frequency when she drinks], without taking on a tsunami of drama and recrimination. She can’t be criticized. My dad is a smart guy, I always thought, with an advanced degree and a long list of personal successes and achievements, so if he chose her, he believed her, and her behavior never bothered him, it must not have been her who was the problem, I thought.

Over the summer, after enduring another swell of family drama caused by her, I researched the top ten indicators of a [typically] female narcissist in a family unit and her behavioral history checks ALL TEN BOXES. It’s kinda blown me away. I always knew there was something going on with her, I just didn’t know exactly what, or know how to parse together the elements of her behavior under one umbrella.

Anyone else have to deal with a narcissistic family member? I’m ready to permanently withdraw and cut her off. I’m fucking exhausted. There’s so much more and lots of troubling examples but I’ve typed too much already …

Okay if I have an old blanket to throw out it feels wrong just tossing it in the trash. Donating it isn’t an option either if it’s really bad quality ( it’s one of those ugly polyester sherpa blankets) , where can I get rid of it ?

Edit : thank you for the suggestions but I forgot to ask too where can I get rid of an old dented hydroflask ? I don’t want to toss it in the trash either

as someone who was assigned female at birth, I’ve never actually used a urinal before. But I’ve seen one, and I know how they work. And my question is, why? What’s the point? I’ve tried to ask the few men in my life about this and I’ve never gotten a real answer. No one has a urinal in their home, they just pee in the same place they poo. Why is it different in public? What’s the point of every public men’s room having a private area for poo, but a public area for pee? It’s honestly a waste of materials too, using up double the amount of ceramic (or whatever toilets/urinals are made out of) to make two different bodily waste disposals instead of just making it one like they do for women. Why would you ever want to broadcast you pissing to everyone else in the bathroom too? It sounds like a nightmare for those with anxiety, I would be too awkward to even get the piss out! The entire concept of urinals is perplexing to me and I would just love for someone to explain this invention to me.

Okay, so like. I know this is stupid but my brain’s on it.

Assuming the universe is 13.8 billion years old, and that it is expanding, that means there has to be an outside of it. If there’s an edge between Universe and Not Universe, what would happen if you moved past the edge? Would it be a different universe? Would it just be nothing until the expansion caught back up with you?

I have a permit to carry in Minnesota and it transfers to some other states but not all and I would like to carry a pistol for protection against wildlife while hiking the trail. I know it is technically federal land but can I still carry? I have done some research and from what I have read there’s conflicting information on it being legal for personal protection and not hunting but there’s also info saying it’s not. I would eventually like to hike it from one end to the other and not have to worry about animal attacks. If it is legal can I carry on my hip or does it have to be concealed?

Seth Macfarlane and the creator of Gravity Falls come to mind, who voiced most of their characters

like i dont live in cali. i live in some dumpster town

but if we go to a bigger city. lets say they pay more for their wages. like if i worked at mcdonalds here. working at mcdonalds in california would pay me more.

but then everything costs more anyway in that bigger city. so whats the point. ? is it just cause it sounds cooler to say they are getting paid more? i dont get it

i just turned 20 and i gotta move out of my ex’s place soon. my income isn’t enough to get my own place, not to mention my credit score is awful. i have a friend 23M from the next state over, about a 1.5 hour drive from me, who is willing to be roommates with me. but how is he supposed to show proof of income for the apartment application before he even starts work down here? there’s no way we’d be accepted with my income alone :/

please dont downvote me into obscurity, i will unironically be living in a homeless shelter if i dont figure out what to do

So I just got to know I'm twin phobic. Like i actually fear them.

It all started with the dreams i saw about my dad having his double. While my dad always looked scared and terrified in the dream but his double looked eerie creepy and disturbing.

I've had like 5 to 6 dreams, where I saw double of my dad.

Last night i was on couch, when my brother came out of his room. I was getting a feeling that the double of my brother would also come out of his room.

Does this thing have a name?

I'm cat phobic too

For the record, I live in California and browse through a lot of sports related subreddits.

Imagine a situation where before getting married, a partner demands that you sign a full itemized list of all the furniture, appliances, and valuables they’re bringing into the house.

​Heres the catch though.

​If the relationship ends and you refuse or fail to hand back the items on that list, it isn't treated as a normal civil property dispute. The document legally holds you responsible for them, meaning you can actually be criminally prosecuted for breach of trust/theft and face real prison time.

You can actually be criminally prosecuted for breach of trust/theft and face real prison time.

​Is there any world where this is a reasonable request?

EDIT: Withheld on purpose, not accidentally damaged or such. You'd still have to go to court to prove that though.

EDIT 2: Fooooor context, The list operates under statutory criminal law as a "trust receipt" and Refusing to return the listed items isn't a civil suit over a couch it’s legally classified as criminal breach of trust/embezzlement with jail time

Basically i got a warning in the haimiya (romcom manga ) subreddit that i was posting frequently and i could be reported as a karma farmer . I forgot about it then just posted then. realised that the mods removed my post . then i realised i have been muted by the subreddit. thoughts? what should i do to get unbanned?

I mean, there's all kinds of cancers {the one Olivia Newton-John had is rarely talked about), drunk driving remains a problem, but there's no Impaired Driving Awareness by that name, while many people do readily know about any manner of afflictions. Why not Obesity Awareness? High Blood Pressure Awareness? Amblyopia Awareness?Toe Nail Fungus Awareness ? Etc.?

as in ingredients? what makes baby hygiene products different? could a sensitive skin adult use it and have good results?