A Near-Majority of Americans are Authoritarian Racists (And They're Just Fine With That)

 It's one thing to be a racist, but it's another to be called a racist.

Here's what I'm thinking about as American Democracy collapses under international attack:

American Exceptionalism (wiki link, lots of reading)

    My current sense is "most people" think of the US as an outlier nation - above all others in moral foundation and righteousness of action. Because we think of ourselves as a dominant power, we feel we're immune to attack (Russia, China) which is partly why those countries efforts to influence our elections are working.

Racism (and Sexism) predict support for Trump

    A Google Scholar search with lots of results. Key insight: Trump voters love the raw power of racism and sexism. They'll die to uphold white supremacy. Worse, they'll kill, too.

 Narcissism.

This is America's "real problem" however it intersects with the above in ways that predict authoritarian outcomes. To Republicans, "government" = "police" = "state violence." Advertising media amplifies this signal to +1000 overwhelming our ability to create a reality other than theirs.

The Overton Window

It has moved to the Right after The Fairness Doctrine was struck down (by Republicans... of course) which makes formerly centrist ideas appear "far left" (i.e., racial justice, police reform, medical care)

Running thoughts:

• There is no American "left" to speak of, there is only a right wing noise machine that is basically a racist propaganda system. The "left" is a product of right-wing thinking, specifically "there must be an enemy to defeat" + false equivalence = "liberals are enemies!"
• Facebook is a right-wing propaganda amplifier and has always been. Yes, they can buy your data from other companies, but getting away from the ecosystem entirely has health benefits that go beyond mental/emotional.
• The sons and daughters of the WWII generation went on to raise a nation of sexist authoritarians who think Hitler might have been onto something in the first place.
• Internet hosting companies who have "de-platformed" neo-nazi groups have never fully answered to how/why they were platformed in the first place...

TOE's (Theory Of Everything)

 Peak Complexity:

• Predictable human response to complexity is seeking (or reducing to) simplest form(s)
• Some things can no longer be reduced (mobile phones, radio technology, internet, etc)
• All national and cultural origin stories are up for examination / deconstruction / annihilation. This is a worldwide existential crisis and predicts pockets of fundamentalist violence.
• Most "entry level" jobs are now specialised (barista) and require specific training or behavioral adherence (i.e, food safety standards).Early entry to the workforce is critical to long-term positive outcomes, and higher bars to entry leave too many behind.
  

Adobe Audition is NOT for Music Producers

 ..and they say so right here in this forum post:

"Audition is a multitrack audio editor, and doesn't even attempt to cut it as music creation software, as such."

 Yes, the software can be used to edit music clips together, but it does not support VST instruments, the core of how music producers work these days.

The software also has latency issues that make recording / monitoring in realtime a bit challenging, which again, is only an issue for musicians.

This is really too bad, and I should have looked up the specifics before doing a subscription, but I'm only out about $40.

Braindump: Adobe Audition and Headphones on Laptop

Here's a quick brain dump re: using Adobe Audition on a laptop (specifically in this case a Raider GE75, but this applies to others that use the RealTek audio hardware/software). In most apps (your web browser, Netflix) when you plug in your headphones, the system automatically connects that audio device and assigns the current audio to that output.

In your experience, you plug in your headset and it "just works."

But because Adobe Audition has taken over the system's "master clock" it cannot simply switch audio hardware or outputs - i.e., "hotplug" - so here's the little trick if your headphones don't work in Audition:

(*For MSI / Realtek / Raider)

Plug in your headphones (IN THE CORRECT JACK) and open the Realtek Audio Console.

Take note of the device name underneath the headphones icon, in this case "ReakTek HD Audio 2nd output."

Adobe Audition / Edit / Preferences / Audio Hardware -->

Drop down the "Default Output" options and select the (now available) headphone output.

VOILA! You should be hearing your work through your headphones!

I hope this helped!

Musicians: It's Ok If You Don't Know Why You're Successful

Few things are more confusing and confounding than success. Especially in music where "success" is defined individually yet also collectively in the form of capitalist measures (i.e., sales, followers, etc).

My latest acquaintance who's recently reaped some small financial rewards attributed his windfall to "persistence" and "just stayin in the game" and never once investigated his own data to find out what he should repeat. He ended up writing /releasing another single that sounded kinda like the one that was already selling - it didn't. Why? Nobody knows.

Success can be terrifying if you  don't know why because you also don't know what to repeat. How can you change/refine if you don't know what's working? Instead you just have this static fear that it will disappear without warning - AND IT WILL if you don't know what you're doing.

Few areas are as full  of mysticism as the professional arts - sans politics maybe - and I'll never understand WHY so many artists are content to remain ignorant of their own formulas.

Without exception the folks I see who are continuously successful are not only driven, they are disciplined, gentle, willing to change, and they trust their advisors. They are part of a TEAM and woe to those who fail to recognize the contributions of others to their own successes.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN 'INDEPENDENT' ARTIST!

On George Floyd and White Rage

Putting this thought down and hoping I'm wrong: it looked personal.

I have some firsthand experience with whiteness: I am.

It looked personal.

That white hot, righteous... rage. I've seen it and felt it. Ask me how I know: I'm white.

It felt personal.

I didn't know either of these men and I'm probably wrong about this.

(Note: I reserve the right to change my opinion when I feel like it.)

Hello Ladies: My Dating Standards Are In No Way Unreasonable

Hello ladies, thanks for checking out my profile on this site! Ask me anything! I'm looking forward to meeting you and telling you what a disappointment you are when you don't meet my In No Way Unreasonable Dating Standards. But first, more about ME:

I'm a laid back cool guy man guy that does guy stuff like FIX SHIT (usually by taking it to another man who I'll pay with your money) and you'll know I'm a MAN'S GUY by how I (don't) dress, more specifically, I'll never wear a dress! Dresses are for ladies and I'M A MAN who's here for the ladies so gay dudes, sorry but I'm not available LOL (See, I know I'm a man's type of guy and that means that any shred of non-manness in you is gonna want to get pregnant by me and unless you're also a solid bro man guy hombre like me, you're just gonna get turned on and come at me, bro!)

Anyway, this profile is for the ladies who like REAL MEN and not FAKE MEN like all those other guys who also happen to be employed but that's just because people are afraid of REAL MEN but they shouldn't be because I'm just a harmless teddy bear GUY that will take care of you and always be gentle unless someone cuts us off in traffic or disagrees with me on social media in which case THAT PERSON should look out because a REAL MAN doesn't take shit from nobody but he does show other people how easily undermined he is and that's what I'll do with you!

I spend a lot of time doing MANBROGUYDUDE things like man-biking the guy-trails of Dude's Peak in the manscaped jungles of lower Ballsackian County where my uncle grew up and also my dad. So I don't have a lot of time to waste on time wasters but I have just enough to incessantly bother you for attention and validation when my needs demand it.

Me and my friends are so cool and awesome you won't need any of yours! This is great because I only want to do things I want to do, which involves everything from casual sex to other kinds as well!

Speaking of sex, I'll demand you're constantly at the sexual ready should I require it, but I won't be able to until after we're married and I'm on your healthcare and seen a doctor! But it'll be so worth it to have kept your non-existent needs in check while we're waiting on the "ALL CLEAR!"

You'll always know where you stand with me! For instance, is there a hotter woman in the room? Then you won't be standing next to me! Otherwise, your job is to be the hottest woman in the room, which should be easy because my totally reasonable standards mean you'll already be hot just by the fact that I'm dating you! I'm so good for your self-esteem!

The way I see it, the only unreasonable thing in the world are women that won't date me! That's a joke because I'm not!

I mean a dilapidated mobile home on some abandoned feral property. Why? I love nature and ecology or something, also this total bitch of a judge said I couldn't live near a school or parks and they just seem noisy to me and REAL MEN LIKE IT QUIET!

It's the only way to obsess over my insecurities.

So, tell me more about you? And by "you" I mean specifically "me" and by "tell me more about" I mean I'd like to hear compliments now about how awesome I am. Yes, I'll wait until right after you get back from the ladies room.

.......

Facebook is horrible

Facebook - (ahem, FACEBOOK) is horrible. I'm not going to rant too much other than to say I've had the oddest feeling this "thing" is working against "us" and for someone else. We're out here trying to build a future and FACEBOOK wants to live in it's prime, which is now our past.

This is only one hint of how problematic this thing has become as an unregulated corporate institution - remember the disdain they've displayed toward public interrogation - and if it's this bad on the surface, what unimaginable evil have they been up too over there?

I've lost trust in this platform for a number of small reasons, this simple case makes for Exhibit: Infinity.

Don't Play In Traffic

Quick brain dump:

• Here's a list of things we do in our bedrooms:

• Sleep
• Fuck
• Eat
• Relax
• Cry
• Retreat
• Change clothes
• Deepthink

• Here's a list of things we do in our cars:

• Sleep
• Fuck
• Eat
• Relax
• Cry
• Retreat
• Change clothes
• Deepthink
• Drive

My point: Our vehicle interiors are emotionally/psychologically connected to our bedrooms via a perception of safety. Our car's interior is one of our safest spaces.

And like any other safe space, we're uniquely tuned to perceived threats to its safety, and by proxy, our own. In some ways, this invisible stress - the moving of our safe space through an unsafe territory (read: traffic) - is one of the deepest roots of anxiety present like static in the background of our everyday experience. "I hate driving."

So here's my non-intuitive summary: please don't stop traffic as a means of political protest, unless you've absolutely got the numbers. People can react unpredictably to perceived threats to their safety, and you NEVER know who's behind the proverbial wheel. It is simply not worth the risk (IMHO) to your life. 

(Note: this in NO way forgives the "vehicle as weapon" scenario. That is a different psychology, but tangentially connected. Separate post.)

New Rules for Democratic Candidates

We're only a couple of months into 2020 and already the proverbial ground is shifting in the political world, and having read almost 10 tweets hashtagged with #politics, I'm ready to tell Democratic candidates the best strategy (I mean, they're all the best but plural nouns confuse me when I'm short on Red Bull and simultaneously listening to a Joe Rogan podcast)

• Under no circumstances should you accept any campaign donations greater than $10. As we are well aware, this nation has a proud tradition of electing candidates that received the highest number of contributions from "everyday people." Ronald Reagan was famous for only accepting $5 bills from people on the street during his California Gubernatorial race.
•  Only hire campaign staff that are willing to work for ramen and suffering. They should be highly skilled, of course, and above reproach in every possible way.
• If participating in a "caucus", remember to take great care and consideration when selecting a high school gymnasium from which to select a representative of the nation & person who will command the the largest and most vicious military in history. Create an excel spreadsheet of all the regional mascots and accompanying wordage. Sort by proximity to a charter school. Select the one with the worst parking
• Compile a histogram timeline of words commonly used in a sexist and diminutive sense regarding women. Examples: Shrill, high pitched, whining, pathetic, bickering, easily manipulated and powerless. Now apply all of these to yourself and your party.
• Open a Twitter account and make sure your notifications are audible. That way you can know instantly when a random 17-year old fresh into the foster system needs to hurl sexually specific accusations into your DM's at 3am. He'll be a voter one day, so remember that!
• Some voting blocs may demand specific concessions, like watching you fuck a bald eagle. Bear in mind you support "big tent" politics and if it takes a few eagle-fuckers to get you into office so you can finally enact  your Great Plan For America, well, then the eagle-fuckers get a voice. Just a less than $10 per individual eagle-fucker voice... 
• DON'T BE UNELECTABLE: Here are some things that typically earn a candidate the dreaded "unelectable" scarlet letter...
• Being a woman
• Being a Democrat
• Being non-white
• Speaking languages other than "American"
• Having parents from somewhere other than "just up the road"
• Complete sentences.
• Hold no wealth. Homes and steady incomes are for the 1%. To truly represent the "real america" you must suffer more than your constituents. If you've gone to college, be sure to convey you learned nothing.
• Listen to your constituents (or their favorite podcast). The corpulent, high-school dropout truck driver who's double-wide sits in floodplain most likely possesses a nuanced grasp of the finer contours of international diplomacy. Just kidding! He likes meth.

Final note: NONE of this applies to Republicans.

Nothing To Marvel At

Cleaning out some old boxes and found a story/essay I'd written in elementary school. I was maybe nine years old at the time. The story's arc is pretty simple: space aliens are invading and only specific knowledge of American military hardware can be counted on to save the world (read: America) from whatever thing(s) the invading aliens did different.

The point of this horrific narrative was I thought it would impress my forebears, in this case not only my immediate father but his paternal power figure as well, aka my Grandfather.

So I did my best to imagine - at 7 to nine years of age - what story would appeal to both generations of parentage, the final desired outcome being the opening of the elder family's proverbial purse-strings and elevating me (and by proxy my family) from rural poverty to....well, whatever was better than that.

Which was pretty much everything.

But I digress. My larger point is this:

To me, this is what the Marvel franchise films feel like; someone tried to write a story that was meant to impress their elder family for whatever selfish reasons and what ended up on screen was a perfectly predictable outcome of that.

What does Facebook do with your nude photos?

Quick: before you let your brain trick you into the safety of "probably nothing" please take into consideration these facts:

• software that identifies nude photos has been functioning "in the wild" for over a decade, i.e., it's not new,
• software that takes said photos and automatically archives them is hilariously easy to deploy,
• why wouldn't a team of misogynists dude-bros create their own unique wank-bank of constantly-updating porn courtesy of blissfully unaware women?
• The US political system has a long history of using intimate/private communications to unseat unfavorable actors

Now I'm not saying this is happening - that's silly - I'm saying the probability of this being the case is high enough to warrant a "this is probably happening." I'll leave the implications up to you.

Facebook is a New Thing, insofar as it doesn't really have an analog in history, which means what we learn from it's eventual demise will be new, too.

I don't know what Facebook really is, and neither do you. I have this gnawing sensation that it ultimately serves - somehow - a tiny percentage of powerful people in a way that undermines the rest of our ability to enjoy a functioning society. I'm not sure even deleting Facebook is enough to get away from this thing.