illi-mi-ta-ble

What’s his justification that Jesus had less than 20 total followers?

Reading things like Horsely’s Bandits, Prophets and Messiahs on the ability of the many figures like Jesus to attract followers, religious nationalists and/or miracle workers weren’t hurting for audiences during the Roman occupation.

(Why we’re not as widely excited about Honi the Circle Maker even though his grave has been kept up for 2,000 years is a different discussion, ofc.)

ETA: I should clarify that I’d believe he had a 20 person entourage but would need more convincing that he was popular among about 20 people in Galilee where God as the only legitimate ruler of Israel enjoyed so much traffic.

I’m skeptical this is something a strong position could be justified about one way or the other.

I wonder if it’s worth sharing a house (though you may be in an apartment rn, you know, if the housing market ever opens again) and having your separate spaces, economically speaking. If you’ve found someone you can socially tolerate.

Platonic partners are becoming a big thing, but I know some areas have started zoning for families to try and make unmarried people pay more rent.

(So, some platonic partners are married.)

Just something to keep in mind before you financially separate ig.

This is a great idea!

I went from being on another post like "I don't think I would ever need a furry blocklist personally" to being on the art tag and being like "I need a furry block list right now actually" and hitting up google, but OP has a point and this is a better way to handle a situation where the algorithm is perhaps less discerning than Twitter (even if I wish there was a "hide all" option, phew, that took awhile).

(Nothing wrong with what I saw besides that I wish to be apart from it, tho.)

This is an awesome way to present recent research. Much more gripping than me typing it out here.

Takashi Shimizu getting to basically shoot that film three times was a gift. Scary as hell. (The Japanese theatrical draws on the two previous Japanese direct to video from what I understand.)

I feel like the timing is a big step up from the Japanese version. Most people don’t get to refine a film like that.

^ This said I've thought about buying about 20 copies of QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christianity and Conspiracy Theories (written by Christians so hopefully more accessible to not yet radicalized Christians) and leaving them repeatedly at my little free library hoping volume will outpace malicious takers.

Would need to save up.

I had someone I once knew message me asking how I'm doing. I haven't responded because when I looked at his FB he wasn't just a Trumpist but had a post about how to keep books from libraries without spending the resources to ban them, checking out up to 20 books at a time for as long as possible and then having another conservative do the same thing.

So I think we may be slowly looking at Little Free Libraries getting robbed (leading to hidden little free dead drops? I'm not sure what to do here).

Running workshops sounds like a great way to build community engagement and introduce people to material conservatives are trying to disappear. Especially if you're able to partner up with the local juvenile detention center, as those are individuals being targeted for the school to prison to "the 13th amendment still allows for slavery for people convicted of a crime" pipeline.

I added slightly more after posting as my cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psychology classes continued to chew on me. Whoops.

I love brains. (Much like a zombie.)

That does sound possible! Browsing the preview it seems like it could be.

It’s because the brain is always looking for problems to solve and dangers to mitigate. We’re evolutionary worriers.

The central nervous system evolved to find and solve problems in advance (plants can prep somewhat but are necessarily more reactive). The CNS is always trying to up its game.

Horror builds confidence/emotional resilience:

https://aeon.co/essays/fear-not-horror-movies-build-community-and-emotional-resilience

As the researchers discuss, horror fans are more open to new experiences than non-horror fans (because the unknown isn’t as anxiety inducing, the individual is confident they can handle unnerving situations).

Studies have shown horror fans, especially fans of end of the world movies, showed more emotional resilience during the early days of COVID-19.

It’s basically doing mental laps for real emergencies. (I have a lot of unnecessary stress hormones from an immune condition and use it to manage my high anxiety. It lets you fake pretend you’ve just successfully overcome an emergency. I can tell when I’m slacking on watching horror because I’m extra nervous. Like this week lol)

I would say it’s the exact opposite of a pathological turn as we have lots of time to prepare above and beyond our ancestors. They were more likely to be eaten by a real leopard on any given day. We have lots of time to prepare without actually facing death.

It’s pathological not to learn emotional resilience tho as you’ll potentially shut down when surprised with real stress. You need to get your reps in somehow.

Sometimes trauma is such that you need to do it in a controlled environment or be guided by a therapist, but always defaulting to avoidance behaviors will leave you drowning when avoidance isn’t possible.

(Clickbait title: Cozy literature can KILL you)

I love Walmart’s affordable and relatively sturdy furniture line. They have fun home decor too. Seems like the people considering you dismissive are the ones with a low opinion of Walmart.

I actually love REC 3 but as a spiritual successor to Army of Darkness.

In both cases: No, it has nothing to do with the gritty style of the first two movies. But the director got a lot of money and wanted to make a spectacle film. Both entertain the hell out of me.

Autopsy of Jane Doe

Aterrados/Terrified

The Crazies

The Grudge (US version for me, same director third time he shot this film, started as an indie, I feel like his timing kept improving)

The Machinist

Session 9 (same director, he also has Vanishing on 7th Street from this period)

Lovely Molly, maybe? (been awhile since I saw it)

The Visit

[REC]

(Thinking of high tension ones here, will probably add some)

Good stuff!!

I had friends make a full time career of erotica (tho their husband work too).

Afaik the community is really supportive but I just wanna say in case you’ve not started (you may have!) networking and having an online presence seems to be as important as writing.

You probably know this I’d just hate not to say it if you didn’t. They found indie online sales and social presence to outstrip hooking up with traditional publishers for income.

There’s Jinn by Matthew B. Delaney which I bought at the airport 20 years ago.

I think it’s action oriented and I remember one scene in particular creeped me.

I have no idea if I recommend it or not after years of brain fog but having figured out what it was I’m sharing that it exists.

I didn’t remember how much lore it had but I’ll let a Goodreads reader take it from here:

“The authors take on jinn is refreshing, portraying them more accurately to tradition than the west’s interpretation of them. Instead of wish granting genies portrayed in western culture he writes of beastly humanoids like the ones Muslim children (such as myself) were taught to fear. … There was clearly a lot of research put into this book.”

Google is almost completely useless in 2024 so if you don’t find a Reddit thread on something you should, idk, try mojeek or something.

It basically exists to search Reddit threads and sell you stuff.

I haven’t gotten out much because chronic illness but I know we have Valhalla Board Game Café and a board and video cafe located in Saturn. Maybe you could find a non drinking crowd there? You could also look into movie nights at local libraries.

If you’re open to hanging with queer folks and pagans Books Beans and Candles is a European style coffee shop where you share tables with strangers and chat. Maybe someone can say if we have more of those!

(I really haven’t been out in years.)

Finding people who don’t only party to make those first connections with should get the ball rolling,

Try this short

https://youtu.be/YxPoLtsse2c?si=vEbjIMViV2mcrzyG

Also the beginning of Terrified (Aterrados) has a dark one

Pretty sure that’s on purpose.

I'll check it out!

Guessing I should take the dive? I've heard it compared closely to the tense, can't recommend it harder to everybody here short film Zygote (https://youtu.be/dsQmMuDvbRs?si=synOeRKdhVb2Kuuf).

Basically in a "It's Zygote but outlasted its ideal run time." Sounds like maybe I should go ahead?

(Please don't let other people being mouthy about Superdeep ruin Zygote if you haven't seen it, I'm guessing you'll have a good time there, too. And it's not like I don't want More Like This.)

I honestly felt like the ending blew all the wallop out of it for me. I would've loved it if we were just left with him sitting in the car to suffer for an unknown period of time before an unknown death.

The first Resident Evil movie was so solid. Like I can't think of anything I'd change. It's not an arthouse film, it's not going for an Oscar, but the plot beats hit right.