My “deprogramming,” was more a series of small hints I was on the wrong path.

At first, people who tried arguing pushed me further toward the right. They came at me from inciting angles, making up facts to support their arguments. Yeah, the left bullshits too, and if you believe everything that supports your point of view without question - you’re not that different from the people you hate.

I remember someone asking me to a Fahrenheit 9/11 showing at university, called me a Bush supporter when I wouldn’t go. I wasn’t, I just didn’t like Michael Moore. Still don’t for the above reasons.

Looking back, I could have gracefully immersed myself in other viewpoints if it weren’t for the constant needling of wannabe academics and the automatic disdain they had for my views. I was attacked for even bringing up points because I was questioning myself. Honestly, I get why conservatives hate academia.

I will say some arguments stuck, though. Statements that sounded like complete nonsense in the moment make sense to me now, years later. It’s not wasted breath to share your views with someone, they’ll remember.

Regardless, I was still wrong and it wasn’t other people’s responsibility to educate me. I did that through meeting good, patient and understanding friends, actively trying to dismantle my biases, and through therapy. Oh, and some pretty intense acid trips. That shit will fast track you to a feeling of oneness with your community real quick.

There’s a interesting sci-fi book with a (vaguely) similar premise - House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds.

deleted by creator

After years of trying to build a solid workout routine I’ve managed to do at least 40 min of cardio every morning for the last two months, to the point where I’m craving more.

I’ve started taking my writing seriously as well, and after some online courses have vastly improved over the last year. I’m working on a collection of short stories now.

Congrats on your new fear.

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/necrotizing-fasciitis-flesh-eating-bacteria

The flesh eating disease. It’s everywhere and you can get it from a minor cut.

Turn that into your armour. I threaten my friends and family with my search history so they’ll never be tempted to snoop.

All it takes is for leadership to slip up one time to start questioning everything else they told you. Like learning the tooth fairy doesn’t exist, casting doubt on the easter bunny and Santa Claus - except there’s incentives for belief. Would I go on with the charade while harbouring doubts? Escape entirely? Depends.

At the very least I’d carve a glory hole in the wall.

Trump either dies suspiciously or gets openly assassinated.

California secedes from the union which starts off hopeful but ends in their own Calexit debacle.

The severing of intercontinental data cables leads to the isolation of formerly global communities.

Calls and texts - and only through icons. Otherwise it’s do not disturb 24/7.

I’ve tried and failed. No matter what, it keeps seeping in. Filters, only following certain communities and people, avoiding some platforms, it doesn’t matter. I’m considering getting a dumb phone and running off to the woods.

Hey! I thought we lost you! We need you back at Unhelpful Back Handed Comments.

If I could push a button that removed me from the timeline, I would.

Rage.

You’re why I need to meditate.

And now I need to get a pinball machine. Thanks, I was trying not to spend money.

Probably for his media around the subjects of islam, race and gender.

This is one of the more balanced pieces I can find on the issue since it cites sources - and though this editor and Harris are in a feud, Klein links to Harris’s rebuttal on his own website. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/27/15695060/sam-harris-charles-murray-race-iq-forbidden-knowledge-podcast-bell-curve

“Just let it go. Stop. Do it.” This is what I need.

I like that it’s free, you don’t need an account, and there’s variety. The voices seem AI-ey but whatever, I did a seven minute meditation with “Will” and no longer care who’s a robot.

Needle felting. The tools and materials are cheap, you can do it anywhere, and you create by stabbing something thousands of times.