Ah, yes, I agree. It seems to be a toss-up.

I could just as easily say the opposite from my experience and those around me. I get $1 charges all the time. Not all do, of course, but plenty do.

A nice gesture that’s focused on the validation of the giver, in clear violation of the stated wishes of the receiver, is not a nice gesture.

I think this is the heart of it. Really depends on OPs delivery, but if this was at least communicated, I can’t see how they wouldn’t see where OP was coming from too.

It’s so hard in this consumerist society to tell people sometimes it’s a better gesture not to wastefully buy things just to say you cared.

“Europeans recognize his vision about free public transit and universal childcare. We expect our governments to make these kinds of services accessible to all of us,” said Verbeek. “We pay higher taxes and get civilized societies in return. The debate here isn’t whether to have these programs, but how to improve them.”

Yes.

Because of Ronald Reagan obviously.

America’s doing real great right now.

Followed by American Pyscho

Music for Airports by Brian Eno or anything by him at all really.

Ugh this is all wrong. It’s GUINAN. :)

Soulless marvel character showcases disguised as feature films won’t cut it anymore.

I already don’t believe it should cut it, but the masses are the stupid masses.

We might actually get a proper indie scene. AI is going to pull us out of the Hollywood bullshit era.

And how do you propose this would happen?

I’ve still yet to understand what the purpose of the How To Train Your Dragon remake was.

I’ve come across Against The Machine by Paul Kingsnorth. This is pretty much getting at the same. He’s a great writer, imo.

Depends on the bus type though. A lot of buses have a rear door, and sometimes it’s kinda rude to go out through the front when there’s a lot of people coming in through the front. So then you end up leaving through the rear and it would be awkward to shout ‘Thank you!’ to the driver, over everyone’s head.

The far right which has taken over ICE and the Federal government under Trump is terrorizing many, many people in this country. JD Vance, Noem, and Trump know it (the cruelty is the point) and yet all cast any criticism of this fact as “terrorist rhetoric.” That kind of table-turning projection is foundational in the authoritarian playbook.
But what I don’t understand is - why does the American public discourse seem to tolerate all these tactics?

Except Trump himself, somehow, unfortunately, does not suffer from his own stench.

Who are you talking to? See, you’ve included me in a group which i am definitely not even a part of. If this is how people like you behave, this country has no hope of reconciliation. (I have, and would never vote for, someone like Trump, btw)

I don’t know… just like how “black voters” are not a true homogenous voting block, neither are “MAGA” proponents all of the same ideology. There’s no rule book they all “abide” by. It’s a spectrum of ridiculous people.

A funny joke - but said at the wrong time for sure.