Friend, I am no Linux shill, but I switched to Mint last week on my secondary laptop, and let me tell you, it’s kinda cash and pretty easy.

I had to verify the integrity and authenticity of the Mint download itself, but it’s straightforward and tells you how to do that. Once you’re done, you install the OS just like you would with Windows.

Full disclosure, I don’t use the laptop for much, so no fiddling needed for me.

Edit: I guess I am shilling it, but I mean I’m not a Linux fanboy

It was always in the EULA. You signed the contract when you made the account.

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Pretty shitty thing to say, but anyway…

Just because a few big corporations make cereal, doesn’t mean you have an “illusion of choice”. It’s kind of how the system works. A company that makes 1 brand of cereal also makes dozens of hundreds more. They are using processes and equipment already in place to make a slight variation on existing products. It’s kind of just how things work. Same with companies like Asus making dozens of hundreds of variations of monitors. I don’t think that’s illusion of choice. That’s actual choices, with actual differences.

Anecdotally, where I live, large corporations stock the grocery shelves with all their cereals, but local companies do make it in as well. I think in my situation, I do have access to items produced locally.

If you want to make an argument that some dickhead company like Mondelez owns fucking everything, I’m right with you, but whining about cereal variety makes the argument really weak.

Okay fair enough. Then as a Canadian, what’s your experience like?

I figured I was misunderstanding some context. Thanks for clarifying.

This still seems to me to be a US-centric post, not something involving all Western democracies.

Sweden is a western democracy?

Sounds like that Swedish centrist union should pound sand

For the first 2 points: Don’t use “Western democracies”. This is a US problem. Canada has much stronger labour and home protections.

3rd point: Getting banned online is a “you” problem. Your government has nothing to do with why your shitty opinions get you banned or muted. The fact that you even have the ability to complain about your government online is a luxury many other governments don’t afford to their people.

4th point: Whining about cereal variety makes the entire argument hold less water. Who the fuck cares about brands of cereal. Buy your cereal or don’t, but shut the fuck up about it. This is an empty complaint about capitalism.

5th point: Fair enough.

I don’t directly mean you, OP. Unless you made the meme… In which case I do mean directly you.

Or YouTube vanced/revanced for mobile

It really was weirdly good.

Totally valid.

You’d want people to pay you for using a product they consume, especially if it’s a quality product. You sound like you’re entitled to free shit just because someone made their “fair share” off a game, and I’m sure that fair share is whatever arbitrary number you deem valid, which I’m guessing is low.

I’m saying, pay developers if you enjoy their stuff, especially indie developers. Vote with your wallet. Make it known you enjoy their stuff, so they make more of it. If you want to pirate, feel free, I encourage it, but also pay people what their worth if you can afford to do so. That’s my main point.

For you, do whatever the fuck you want because you’re not interested in listening to logic or reasoning anyway.

And they deserve it for making great products, which should be supported if possible.

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Just my 2 cents, but those are devs that should be supported if possible.

Helldivers 2 with friends.

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. Hadn’t played since I was much younger. Forgot how fun it was to kick everyone off ledges.

Binding of Isaac - once I figure out how to get my GOG save file on my partner’s PC to sync with my PC…

Total War: Warhammer 3. Played this one on and off. A mod I love just dropped a patch so I’m bad into it for now, until CA fucks something up again.

I agree, it isn’t that nuanced. My point again, is just that the government should not be involved, legally speaking. Do you trust the government to allow circumcision under certain circumstances, but not others? I don’t.

I assume you’re in Europe or something. I’m in Canada, and our politicians are looking down south thinking they might have some pretty good ideas. Look at the bans on abortions in the USA, that are blanket bans, even when medically necessary. People literally have to flee their state to get an abortion. Their life being at risk is no consequence to these lawmakers.

I’m happy you believe you live in a place where you trust your politicians to make smart moves that benefit people. I don’t trust mine, and I will not be voting for anything that restricts personal autonomy. I can look down south and see how easily this can be weaponized against the population.

As a final note, I agree with the sentiment of the arguement. You should not be able to circumcise your kid just because you want to.

If this isn’t agreeable to you, we can agree to disagree and move on.

I appreciate the discussion regardless.

Of course not, because a medical professional would advise against it.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about: I had plastic surgery on my nose when I was a kid. I got into an accident which resulted in the near loss of my nose. I spent some time in the ER, and then had one of the best plastic surgeons in my area perform restorative work on my face.

If it wasn’t for this procedure, I likely wouldn’t have a nose today. Fortunately, because there was no law preventing a child from getting plastic surgery, I look completely normal as an adult.

Plastic surgery is a bit of a misnomer. There was no artificial material involved.

Do you see what I’m saying though? Giving plastic surgery to a kid sounds absolutely ridiculous, but there are its use cases, and if there was a flat ban on plastic surgery for children, it could harm people more than help, myself included.

The government often doesn’t understand the nuances of certain situations. In mine, the surgery was cosmetic, and the government could have deemed it unnecessary. I could have lived a happy life without a nose. Do I trust the government to make a logical argument for why my cosmetic surgery as a child is justified? Do I trust them to delineate between an unneeded surgery or not? Absolutely not.

Sometimes, it isn’t as black and white as Botox and burns.

… Right. So we agree.

The long and short of my argument is that the government shouldn’t have a say in any of it. Banning circumcision and banning gender affirming care are both stupid decisions. Anyone advocating for government intervention in personal matters is no better than all the bible thumpers injecting their religious beliefs into social policy. It’s a slippery slope when we vote to give the government power, as they seldom relinquish it. Just because the government exerts its power enforcing something you fundamentally believe in doesn’t mean it’s correct. The pendulum swings both ways, and just because it benefits your cause now does not mean it always will.

Furthermore, whatever you decide is a “common bullshit reason”, can be used against you and others down the road.

Anyway, I feel like I’m spinning my tires here. Vote on these things however you like, but if you or someone you love ever needs some sort of procedure that has been banned for a “common bullshit reason” in the eyes of whoever is deciding the policy, you will reap what you sow.

Sure, sure, fair enough. But who gets to dictate if the reason is valid. You? Me? The government? I don’t think any of those is an acceptable answer. To me, the answer is the parents, and their medical practitioner. It shouldn’t be anyone else’s business.