I was excited to return and exchange ideas on Hubski. To discuss current events, etc. We are living in what has to be the most interesting time in human history. Huge, titanic shifts in politics the world over, the advent of AI, blockchain technology and the increased ability for human space exploration. Wow! What a time to have discussions. There will, no doubt, be varying opinions. We could have robust debates re public policy, technology and finance. Think Christopher Hitchens v Buckley. But that seems impossible here, now.
User OftenBen posted an article about a 14 year old girl that was denied being placed on a heart transplant list because her parents refused to have her get the Covid vaccine. I’m muted in the discussion, so I cannot make comment there, which is fine. This is a tool we built here so that people can curate their experience. In the past I have used this tool to mute spammers and people that are overtly hostile/vulgar. The link to the post is here..
My overall point in that thread is that we no longer need to exclude anyone from anything because they don’t have the covid vaccine. I also make the point that her parents are nuts for not getting her vaccinated in order to get on the heart transplant list. As a father, I find that choice insane. I stand by everything I wrote there and would be glad to have my thinking challenged. Maybe my mind would be changed? It happens often.
But instead a hubskier replied with
Then, a Hubskier ButterflyEffect whom I’ve interacted with off and on for the better part of a decade replies to that post with empathy for this hubskier, saying, “ appreciate your citations, too bad it’s not going to get through to him. your problems, my problems, and the problems of people tng doesn’t interact with on the daily, might as well not exist.”
What have I ever done to elicit such harsh condemnation?
I’ll be leaving Hubski, with the exception of an occasional Pubski, posting bad original music, and the weekly music thread. -which is such a gift. Thank you for keeping that going rezzeJ
For the record, I did not support Harris or Trump for President. No matter who would have won, I would have hoped for their success as it relates to advancing our countries and our citizens interests. And I would have been critical of either when their policies ran afoul of what I think is best for our country.
Below are the tenants I have always held dear and always will:
1. Peace. Avoid war at all costs.
2. Freedom of speech and expression. Anti censorship.
3. Personal liberty. As long as you’re an adult and aren’t infringing on someone else’s liberties or breaking the law, you be you!
4. Anti corporate corruption. We need a constitutional amendment to repeal citizens united.
These are things I have always believed in. I go out of my way to help my friends and community the best I can. I donate money to causes I believe in. I give of myself, but could certainly do more here.
It’s a hard time politically for me. There are things in the current administration that I am in favor of and many I am not. It’s hard because so many people want you to proclaim that you’re a supporter of “X”, or Y.” It’s turned into such a tribal battle. And if you’re not a liberal and staunchly anti everything this administration does, well you’re, “sucking Joe Rogans Cock,” and people you once thought rational and kind will get behind that sentiment. It’s a scary time. For all of the hand wringing re totalitarianism as it relates to Trump -and some fear there is warranted - the side that has been the most hostile and resistant to any dialog re policy has been the left in my recent experience. When every person that expresses dissent from modern liberal orthodoxy is called a Nazi, an idiot or is said to think that people they disagree with are, “problems to them,” how can we interact?
I am a man without a party. But I am not a man without convictions. And I say with complete sincerity, I love this country, I love my countrymen and I feel it’s my duty to challenge and be critical of all of our public servants, dem or republican, Trump, Kennedy, Biden, Harris, all of them. But if you like any of those politicians and their policy proposals and I don’t, I won’t think you’re evil. I’ll be glad to have a civil conversation with you.
I’m super disappointed with Hubski right now. The interactions I’ve had have largely been gross. In short, I’ve not changed all that much, but Hubski certainly has.
Good luck out there. Be kind. Be curious.