Alex_Krycek

What are you suggesting? Should the government never have required the oil companies to pay taxes? And if they do, they are somehow complicit in all the wrongs, abuses, and overreach that the oil industry has caused over the decades? As StringJunky has pointed out, there must be some level of cooperation between the government and the oil industry, as fossil fuels have been the cheapest and most accessible form of energy for a long time (not to that mention our entire infrastructure is developed around it). How much cooperation there should be is up for debate, and at this juncture I believe the government should be assuming a more dominant / proactive role with respect to this industry as we transition away from oil. But to tar and feather the government as equally culpable simply because they gained tax revenue from one of the most profitable private sector industries is a bridge too far. And to say that the government shouldn't have any authority at this stage in the relationship simply because of a past history of cooperation is illogical.

In the United States this is definitely the case. Without getting too off topic, politicians here are paid vast sums of money by private interests who expect a quid pro quo once the politician takes office. It's not a true constitutional democracy (or Republic, to be technically accurate) in that sense, more of an oligarchy. There's a sort of "revolving door" policy with government officials. While they're in office they create favorable policy for their former industry, then when they leave they are rehired in that industry and get a comfortable position in exchange for their service.

I agree. But when the oil companies have (paid) allies within the government who tilt the playing field in their favor, then that is no longer a free market. Those who determine energy policy should not be at the whim of narrow financial interests. In a true Democracy those who set energy policy should be impartial and not beholden to any one industry, nor should they bend to the financial will of those in that industry.

True. But the level of pressure on oil companies has been far too low for far too long. It's an industry that has stifled innovation, competition, and the acceleration towards sustainable energy for decades. This makes sense considering how many oil + gas executives have assumed powerful positions within the Federal Government, and how many in Congress take money from the industry, not to mention the financial incentive they have to drag their heels on the road to efficiency. What level of control does the oil + gas lobby have within the British Parliament? Simply put, we're way behind schedule thanks to this industry, so a legislative kick in the pants isn't out of order at all. We need to make up for lost time. Countries like Germany, Norway, and even Uruguay are leaving us in the dust when it comes to renewables, not because they are more capable or have more resources, but because they have the political will to get it done.

I disagree. I think it's actually too late in the game. This kind of tough legal action should have been taken far, far sooner. We're now firmly on track to hit (at least) a 3 degrees Celsius rise by 2100. Hitting 2 degrees Celsius was the proposed death knell. Many climate experts believe catastrophic damage is now inevitable, which is probably why New York feels they have nothing to lose with this move. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/ng-interactive/2017/nov/03/three-degree-world-cities-drowned-global-warming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO6M2HsoIA&t=403s TED has an interesting talk regarding smart regulations and AI. It's called "3 Principles for Creating Safer AI" by Stuart Russel. His principles for designing AI are as follows: 1.) Altruism - AI must be programmed to do good for humanity, it's sole purpose is to make our lives better 2.) Humility - AI is programmed to want to be good, but it's programmed to realize that it doesn't know what good / bad is, so it always defers to the human being to decide these ethical choices for it 3.) Observation - AI observes human beings and works to understand what we want in life, this principle accords with principle 1 In any event, we need to be proactive and start nailing down some safeguards now, before this pandora's box is opened. If not, we'll end up with something like this:

Yes, you are correct. I was referring to the system of compensation that has existed throughout the industrial age. We compensate those based on what they are able to produce in the marketplace, not for simply being a human being (unless you live in a country that believes in social welfare, such the UK). We do support the elderly and those with disabilities although they cannot produce, but as you say, we do so at considerable cost. This altruistic support involves some other value system other than one based on pure material gain derived from what a human being can produce i.e., it esteems those with disabilities or those too old to work as being valuable because they are human, and thus are worthy of respect and dignity. This higher appreciation of the value of a human being is what I hope can be extended as AI continues to take over the role of production. However, there are some people in society who do not believe in human rights, or that a human being has any value if he / she is not producing something that the current economic system deems valuable. If this view gains dominance as the tools of control wielded by narrow interests become more and more powerful, the outcome for the vast majority of people is going to be extremely dark.

My view: there must be a fundamental shift in how we perceive the value of a human being. Throughout the industrial age, and on through the information age, a human being's value has been equated to what he / she can produce. As machines continue to advance and take over the production role, the value of a human being, if judged by the metric of the industrial age, will be nothing. Human beings will be seen as obsolete machines, and those who control AI will be able to dispose of the unemployed as they see fit. This misanthropic view will usher in a genocide unlike anything we have ever seen, with only the top tenth of 1% remaining on the planet. Alternatively, society could shift and see the value of a human being not as a producer, but as a creator. If we dispense with the erroneous notion that only a few people are the creative ones, and realize that every person can tap into his / her creative genius if they are not preoccupied with manual labor, then every human being will be valued as infinitely important. AI then becomes a foundation on which humanity can pursue its true calling, which is to allow each individual's creative intelligence to unfold to the highest possible level. Imagine a society where every person, those who were once janitors and desk clerks, is working at their own unique talent, engaging in their own infinite creative pursuit, and educated to a the highest level possible. The amount of creative ideas generated would multiply exponentially, and machines would be the tools to implement these creative ideas. This is how I hope things unfold, anyway.

I seriously doubt that you are that bad of a person. You are just stuck in a mindset of self hatred and self loathing which feels right to you because you have believed it for so long. As far as your self esteem, then yes, it would solve nothing. You have to solve that. Escorts are more to help you become comfortable with the physical aspect of sex and the whole experience of pleasure, if you so choose. And chances are you would not fiend for sex afterwards. Perhaps you would see that sex is fun, but ultimately not that big a deal. More negative self talk. I doubt you are that ugly or unattractive to where an escort would decline your business. It is their job to meet all different kinds of people, some with serious disabilities. Until you change these beliefs about yourself, there is nothing anyone else can do.

Just some info about me. I lost my virginity at 28. I was abused when I was young and had a horrible time getting up the courage to talk to women, let alone put my hands on them or be sexual. However, I followed one of those seduction programs you can buy online, and after going out over and over again, talking to a whole bunch of women, I lost my virginity and ended up sleeping with 10 different women in little over a year. For me that was a big deal. The point is that I was as much of a lost cause as anyone, but through repeated action I changed my reality to how I wanted it to be. This is why I so firmly believe that any man can do it.

Oh right. Thanks. I did read this OP but forgot he posted his age. If you're 25 and you're still a virgin, that's going to be a big obstacle. If you want a "scientific reason", that could be a legitimate one. There is so much to do with body language, confidence, flirting, and generally the entire interaction that comes from already having some experience with women on a physical level. So much of being around women is non-logical, non-thought based. It is more on an instinctual, emotional, sexual level that they feel rather than think about. You are probably sending out cues subconsciouly that you don't even know you're sending that you are insecure and do not have much experience. But don't worry, all this can be taken care of pretty easily. One possible solution for you, and I am not joking here: see a high quality escort, you know, like the Bunny Ranch or whatever, and lose your virginity that way. Your virginity is acting as an unecessary barrier to you and doing this is a way to get the physical aspect out of the way. If you want, hop on a plane to Germany. We have legal prostitution here and I can recommend some good places.

How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?

You say you "gave loving myself a try", which implies that the positive attitude was a deviation from your default negative beliefs. It was a temporary effort to change, but you at some point you gave up on changing your inner beliefs and reverted to old paradigms that you were comfortable with, such as thinking you were "made to be this way". I think this is why you are in a state of self doubt. You are looking for "scientific reasons" for not having a girlfriends, when the only real reason is your own psychological mindset. That is the only logical reason for your current state: your beliefs. You can be physically ugly, out of shape, not wealthy, and dress poorly, and still get girls IF you have confidence and act confidently around women, which means you have high self esteem. It is all about the confidence when it comes to getting women, and confidence comes from how you value yourself. Women ostracize pretty much every guy who steps to them, especially if the women are hot. This ostracization is called a "shit test". Your confidence is being tested, they want to see how strong your really are, i.e., what your confidence is. A truly confident man will blaze right through being laughed at. It's all part of the process.

If you truly believe this, then this is the reason you are not doing well with women. This attitude that you are a shitty person will contaminate all of your interactions with women. If, on the other hand, you believe that you are a worthwhile, decent guy with something to offer, then that belief will begin to positively affect your behavior and thus the results you are getting. Feelings influence thoughts, thoughts influence behavior, and behavior influences outcomes. Changing your negative feelings about yourself is the first step on your way to success.

My question is really about the prevalence of suicidal thoughts in human beings and whether or not they are in fact a normal part of being human. Currently, these thoughts are deemed abnormal by the mainstream, and people with them are ostracized. But if these thoughts are really so abnormal, how come so many people have them, or actually commit suicide, or go from being strong and healthy to suicidal so suddenly?

Probably you are stuck behind a computer screen too much. This is the reason I think many Japanese men show no interest in sex, according to studies. They are too engrossed in computer games, their phones, etc. Meeting women requires that you go out into the real world and introduce yourself, talk, flirt, etc. It requires that you get out of the safe space of sitting behind a computer.

It's an interesting fact about science that there are so many errors riddled into everything that it claims to have authority on, and that there is so much resistance to new ideas and concepts that contravene the status quo. Ultimately I think it comes down to human nature: human beings like the psychological security of a certain paradigm or belief system and feel deeply unsettled when they are in a state of psychological chaos.

In society today suicide is generally seen as abnormal human behavior, and is considered the result of a "mental illness". But it seems that a large percentage of human beings experience depression and suicidal ideation at some point in their lives, and many have persistent trouble with these thoughts. In many instances it is taboo, and people who have these thoughts keep them to themselves. In ages past, suicide was not entirely frowned upon, especially as a result of some dishonor in war (the Japanese Samurai considered suicide as a respectable form of self sacrifice if they were dishonored). Some countries such as Switzerland allow people with terminal illnesses who are in pain to come and end their lives in a controlled manner. Recently there was a case in Europe where a country was considering letting a 'terminally depressed' young woman kill herself on ethical grounds. My Uncle committed suicide when I was a kid. The plant that he worked at closed down, and as a result of losing his job he drove his car into an empty parking lot and shot himself. Recently I discovered that a friend that I had worked with this summer attempted suicide. It seems that this psychological phenomena is all around us, and is a part of who we are as human beings. There are even accounts of animals committing suicide in captivity. So it is logical to ask, why do we think like this, why do a great many of us want to die at some point, and is it normal behavior at the end of the day, despite what all the drug companies and psychologists tell us? It seems we as human beings are always on the edge, despite what we would like to believe. Thoughts?