redfiesta posted:

So what's the ideal end game for the US here in your opinion?

Obviously global imperialism. :tinfoil:

Uganda doesn't have anything of worth aside from human rights violations and malaria.

sounds like a natural candidate for 51st state then

littlegreenpills posted:
i wonder why nobody on lf has made the leap into unironic creationism

there were a couple of dudes on old LF i made fun of who didnt believe in natural selection, not because of creationism, but rather because it was offensive to their pomo retard beliefs

• Observation & Condemnation, but no physical intervention.
  
• Humanitarian Corridors w/ Troops to protect them. Note that this may include the opposition using such areas as a safe base of operations.
  
• Arm the Opposition
  
• No Fly/Drive Zone, similar to Libya, but only with UN Security Council Approval.
  
• No Fly/Drive Zone, similar to Libya, REGARDLESS of UN Security Council Approval
  
• Full scale ground invasion.
  
• The U.S. should forcibly annex Syria as the 52nd state (Canada being the 51st of course )
  

Ironicwarcriminal posted:
I realized a long time ago that something was dramatically different about how I think in comparison to friends, family, and coworkers. I had always just wrote it off as people being far too emotional and undisciplined in their decision making. E/N has been a showcase for that, in fact - how many threads have there been about people's hilariously awful life decisions (impregnating their girlfriend, sticking with family members that are past the point of redemption) that are purely a result of emotion left unchecked?

I have watched myself become more and more callous and cruel over time. When I was 16, I was capable of pretty significant emotions over girls. At 25 they are mostly just toys. Family means very little to me, they are an annoyance for the most part with the exception of my brother, who I recognize I care for primarily because he is entertaining to me. And that is the heart of the issue in general - all feelings relate back to self-centered reasons. When I feel attachment or care for someone I am in a relationship with, it is because it gives me easy access to sex or to comfort, to relaxation, or to some semblance of a non-hollow life.

I have excelled in my career. I work for what many on SA would call a private military company. It pays very well (about $18k a month + bonuses), especially for my age, and the job is pretty enjoyable for the most part. I have taken aggressively to networking and have a plethora of contacts in a multitude of organizations and companies. The work schedule is pretty great - I work less hours and days per year than a normal full time employee would, and have a 90 on/ 30 off vacation schedule. I have phenomenal health insurance as well (no co-pays or limits and I can go anywhere in the world for treatment). I have a hard time imagining going to work every day at a normal company and reading reports or writing memos about upgrades to a firms widgets. Violence is certainly much more intriguing and interesting and this definitely plays well to the portion of me that seeks out risk. I have increasingly taken on more dangerous work because the thrill of it is at least something.

While the company compensates me appropriately I am unable to build a future outside of a bank account. I recognize that I could be a millionaire at 29 but the process of getting there would not be pleasant. What I miss most is sex. I will be quitting that job in August of 2012 to go back to school, where I know I will have extremely easy access to pretty and naive women. I will be 26 years old with a penthouse apartment and a Porsche, on top of everything else, so I suspect it will be like fishing with dynamite. I know I will derive little overall happiness from this, other than potentially a short-lived sense of accomplishment and the entertainment value provided by girls throwing themselves at someone because they have nice things and superficial charm. I do very much enjoy the nice things money can buy me, though that is ultimately just a reflection of my assessment of my own self-worth.

When I finish grad school I will likely go into banking or consulting, where the cycle will just continue. I know that I am most likely incapable of love. I will hold out hope for it in some pathetic attempt at a display of normality but I know the end result will be that anyone I become involved with will end up hurt or destroyed. Whatever mental pattern creates this behavior state is rending to those that become emotionally close to me. Because of the superficial charm I have developed as a means to prosper, women always seem to think that I'm a nice guy that is just a jerk on the surface. I don't know why, but that is a truth to every single relationship or fling I have ever had. I will even tell them "I am not a good person", and try to explain why it is best that they do not develop an attachment to me, but that doesn't stop them from believing I'm just being hard on myself. They will either break it off preemptively when they start to catch a glimpse of my true self, or for most of them, they will become increasingly attached to someone they find intriguing that by the end they are emotionally devastated and usually unwilling to see the evil.

It is generally a lack of self esteem that causes this but from my vantage point very few people have what I would consider self-esteem or confidence; most everyone is obviously emotionally flawed and self-conscious about one thing or another. This is so easy to take advantage of, and I do it as part of routine operations. I live every day of my life thinking about how to better my position, to increase my power and influence. I know that I will never achieve anything resembling a state of satisfaction or happiness no matter how successful I am. I am lacking that part of my psyche. I want so badly to be able to care for other individuals but I can not. I can see and fully understand others emotions and I can emulate them very well, but I can not experience them.

check your privilege

Ironicwarcriminal posted:
I realized a long time ago that something was dramatically different about how I think in comparison to friends, family, and coworkers. I had always just wrote it off as people being far too emotional and undisciplined in their decision making. E/N has been a showcase for that, in fact - how many threads have there been about people's hilariously awful life decisions (impregnating their girlfriend, sticking with family members that are past the point of redemption) that are purely a result of emotion left unchecked?

I have watched myself become more and more callous and cruel over time. When I was 16, I was capable of pretty significant emotions over girls. At 25 they are mostly just toys. Family means very little to me, they are an annoyance for the most part with the exception of my brother, who I recognize I care for primarily because he is entertaining to me. And that is the heart of the issue in general - all feelings relate back to self-centered reasons. When I feel attachment or care for someone I am in a relationship with, it is because it gives me easy access to sex or to comfort, to relaxation, or to some semblance of a non-hollow life.

I have excelled in my career. I work for what many on SA would call a private military company. It pays very well (about $18k a month + bonuses), especially for my age, and the job is pretty enjoyable for the most part. I have taken aggressively to networking and have a plethora of contacts in a multitude of organizations and companies. The work schedule is pretty great - I work less hours and days per year than a normal full time employee would, and have a 90 on/ 30 off vacation schedule. I have phenomenal health insurance as well (no co-pays or limits and I can go anywhere in the world for treatment). I have a hard time imagining going to work every day at a normal company and reading reports or writing memos about upgrades to a firms widgets. Violence is certainly much more intriguing and interesting and this definitely plays well to the portion of me that seeks out risk. I have increasingly taken on more dangerous work because the thrill of it is at least something.

While the company compensates me appropriately I am unable to build a future outside of a bank account. I recognize that I could be a millionaire at 29 but the process of getting there would not be pleasant. What I miss most is sex. I will be quitting that job in August of 2012 to go back to school, where I know I will have extremely easy access to pretty and naive women. I will be 26 years old with a penthouse apartment and a Porsche, on top of everything else, so I suspect it will be like fishing with dynamite. I know I will derive little overall happiness from this, other than potentially a short-lived sense of accomplishment and the entertainment value provided by girls throwing themselves at someone because they have nice things and superficial charm. I do very much enjoy the nice things money can buy me, though that is ultimately just a reflection of my assessment of my own self-worth.

When I finish grad school I will likely go into banking or consulting, where the cycle will just continue. I know that I am most likely incapable of love. I will hold out hope for it in some pathetic attempt at a display of normality but I know the end result will be that anyone I become involved with will end up hurt or destroyed. Whatever mental pattern creates this behavior state is rending to those that become emotionally close to me. Because of the superficial charm I have developed as a means to prosper, women always seem to think that I'm a nice guy that is just a jerk on the surface. I don't know why, but that is a truth to every single relationship or fling I have ever had. I will even tell them "I am not a good person", and try to explain why it is best that they do not develop an attachment to me, but that doesn't stop them from believing I'm just being hard on myself. They will either break it off preemptively when they start to catch a glimpse of my true self, or for most of them, they will become increasingly attached to someone they find intriguing that by the end they are emotionally devastated and usually unwilling to see the evil.

It is generally a lack of self esteem that causes this but from my vantage point very few people have what I would consider self-esteem or confidence; most everyone is obviously emotionally flawed and self-conscious about one thing or another. This is so easy to take advantage of, and I do it as part of routine operations. I live every day of my life thinking about how to better my position, to increase my power and influence. I know that I will never achieve anything resembling a state of satisfaction or happiness no matter how successful I am. I am lacking that part of my psyche. I want so badly to be able to care for other individuals but I can not. I can see and fully understand others emotions and I can emulate them very well, but I can not experience them.

that sounds awesome

Groulxsmith posted:
my real life friends are very five-years-ago-d&d

what... what kind of guys does she like