Chocolate Filled Skepticism

(i know i have some historians as followers who will probably want to chime in on this and please do as i am not a historian.)

the luddites weren't exactly against technology. they would have happily used the new machines being developed at the time if they could've owned them. who wouldn't want their lives to be made easier? but they couldn't own the machines. the machines were big and expensive and took a lot of energy to run. this meant that only wealthy industrialists who owned factories and mills could afford to own and run them.

the luddites realized they were losing their craft and their way of life to wealthy industrialists who were only willing to pay them a tiny fraction of what they were making before. not to mention that going to work for an industrialist meant being told what to make, when to make it, when to make it by, how much to make, etc. and all for a massive pay cut. it was a loss of income and freedom. (the machines produced a lower quality product too btw which was also a concern of craftspeople who actually gave a shit about what they were producing.)

the industrialist took the profits from skills and knowledge they themselves never learned out from underneath the people who actually had the skills and knowledge—all because they could afford the machines and factories. sound familiar?

so the luddites took it upon themselves to protect their way of life from wealthy industrialists. this led to organizing and direct action like sabotage and stuff. unfortunately, the luddites lost their battle and their name went down in history as a pejorative against people who are afraid of technology.

in the words of farmboy, as you wish

the lake is quite cold, and as a result, these seals are very loaf

the babbeez are white poofs with lil eyebrowses

it is incredibly deep, and over a thousand species of plant and animal live ONLY there

and the Lake Baikal oilfish, which is the deepest-living freshwater fish, and has a lot of similar adaptations to deep sea fishes

“ ..we had to climb over the bob wire!”

“Dude, did you just say ‘bob wire’?”

“Yea man, that spiky shit!”

“You actually think it’s called bob wire? Like fucking Robert wire? You think it’s called Robert wire?”

“Well what the hell do you think it’s called?”

“It’s BARB wire you idiot! Like Barbara wire!”

*the third guy* “Oh my god. You guys. BARBED wire. Because the wire has barbs, it is BARBED.”

“Oohhhhh!”

Renounce useless guilt.

Don’t make a cult of suffering.

Live in the Now (or at least the Soon).

Always do the things you fear the most; courage is an acquired taste, like caviar.

Trust all joy.

“Are you comfortable with me ranting about my day for a few minutes?”

“Oh, this is your poetry? Would it be okay if I read it?”

“Do you mind if I use your phone for a few minutes?”

“Wow, your meal looks awesome. Could I try some?”

It will save a lot of grief, especially in a developing relationship. Eventually, with consistent “yes’s” and “no’s” you can figure out more permanent boundaries and guidelines.