Hey Bud. You okay?

This reads like you’re feeling defeated. It’s okay to have hope that the world can get better, even if it feels like the dark days.

And if you’re in this position where you see this all as fact, then what is the alternative?

IMO there is none.

Trying to rebuild the system at the time of an election is the wrong time. You have two options - because that is the reality you live in (right now).

Work on building something better AFTER the election, change the system, fix it for the future. But for NOW, you get a choice. Not voting (in this system) is a vote for ambivalence, and you dont seem like the person that doesn’t care.

But importantly, work to change the system later. You have valid concerns and the system you are in is broken, but you can make a change.

Edit: to not be misconstrued, I agree with the issues at hand that you’re highlighting. I’m just saying that the alternative is worse and that is a likelihood in this reality no?

When will the pressure be applied? It sure as shit won’t be the current election, so you’re betting on it still being a thing in 4 years that they can change their mind on?

Calling your representatives changes more opinions than “not voting” or “voting for someone else” in a two party system.

I thoroughly agree. Which is why we need governments and regulation IMO. Consumers are working in a vacuum of knowledge, businesses are not incentivised to give said knowledge.

Just because something is expensive doesn’t always mean that the standard of living of those making the product is any better. Nike sweat shops for example.

Consumers dont have a lot of transparent choices here. Governments have roles in regulating and making the true cost of products more transparent. I’d say businesses have that responsibility, but clearly that doesn’t work, otherwise we wouldn’t be here etc. Businesses dont want people feeling guilty when they buy their product, so why would they tell people.

For a business to be competitive in a harm free supply chain, then the playing field needs to be levelled. Transparent supply chains everywhere, make everyone feel guilty all the time, maybe something would change.

Say something dumb in an IRC channel? Get banned.

The good ol’ days when I was young and irresponsible and got banned for it. I learnt how to converse with people online through this. Talk shit, get banned. I also feel like I forgot some of this on later platforms.

I hated it at the time, but like most learning experiences, grown to appreciate it later. I can’t believe I had free and unmoderated access to the internet’s back in the early 2000s. Shout out to those mods for putting a teenager in their place!

Ah, see that’s where I am going wrong. I don’t engage in any content, but I do code in Rust.

I reject your reality, and choose to substitute my own. I’m going to remain 36 forever… Please…? 🥺

So, I’ve been running Linux as a desktop for a number of years, never had a problem of it dieing weekly or monthly. I’ve had my share of “ah shit, I should restart because some package updated and tings got a little spooky”, but never out right ded.

In saying that, I’m used to this modus operandi, and how to fix these things, but I’m curious as to why you were having weekly/monthly issues. E.g. were you running the latest distros, and not LTS versions?

A comparison with windows is that they control the whole OS, and on theory everything is LTS. Linux gives you those freedoms, and also those problems if you choose to use them etc.

See, I sometimes complain about having to use a Mac (the hardware is fine, the OS, meh), but you have reminded me that it could be worse. Thanks for your suffering.

The latter more often than not