Unpopular Opinions You Hold

[Dunge]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Six years and plenty of events later, is this still unpopular?

I don’t think it matters whether it’s unpopular or not; none of America, Russia or China would accept it.

 

Besides, there’s an obvious question here of “who watches the watcher”.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, Dunge said:

I don’t think it matters whether it’s unpopular or not; none of America, Russia or China would accept it.

 

Besides, there’s an obvious question here of “who watches the watcher”.

Agreed, barring a massive change in the way people think. 

 

Which makes the present situation a Cassandra-style farce where some folks know pretty much exactly where things are headed, but lack any kind of power to either control or convince those who do control and have no chance of gaining it. 

 

Fun times. 

[Jon the Hat]

17 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Six years and plenty of events later, is this still unpopular?

It's still impossible.

[Jon the Hat]

15 hours ago, Dunge said:

I don’t think it matters whether it’s unpopular or not; none of America, Russia or China would accept it.

 

Besides, there’s an obvious question here of “who watches the watcher”.

I don't mind doing it, as long as it pays well and the travel is in First class.

[leicsmac]

2 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

It's still impossible.

Agreed, so see above re. fun times.

[The Horse's Mouth]

20 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Six years and plenty of events later, is this still unpopular?

It’s probably more unpopular now 

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

It’s probably more unpopular now 

So it seems. 

 

I guess the only pleasure will be when the shit hits the fan to hopefully have the time to say "told you so".

[Dahnsouff]

20 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Six years and plenty of events later, is this still unpopular?

Blimey, yes.

 

We need decentralisation of democracy (again with teeth) and not even more centralisation of powers, as you become utterly dependent upon the benevolent dictator type.

 

Grim fact is that a local self interested local dictator is less damaging to the world than one who has a wider reach.

[leicsmac]

23 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Blimey, yes.

 

We need decentralisation of democracy (again with teeth) and not even more centralisation of powers, as you become utterly dependent upon the benevolent dictator type.

 

Grim fact is that a local self interested local dictator is less damaging to the world than one who has a wider reach.

I thought this a while back too, because it's clear as you say that it's far too easy for that kind of power to both corrupt and attract the corruptible. 

 

Thing is though, as the present time shows, coordinating necessary action on a global level then becomes bloody difficult. There's simply too much self interest and not enough people willing to see and act upon the long game, and in the end that hurts everyone, including them.

 

Somehow, someway, on at least some matters global consensus regardless of nation states needs to be reached and acted upon by all of them. Whether that's through enforcement or fluffy agreement is of little consequence, what matters is that it must be done, or the consequences will be truly dire.

[Sampson]

I would’ve vehemently disagreed in the past, but I’m starting to come round to the idea the world was no worse off when different religions were a person’s main identity and the main model for governance instead of nation states and national identity. 
 

Even as a Athiest who could never understand why people believe the stories and thinks a lot of the ancient morals are repressive and weird, I’m starting to see the benefit of religion and the church as a binder of communities and bringing together different people every Sunday in a social space almost like a Meetup group for the local community - that part of religion has never been replaced. The lack of it feels like it’s making people more and more insular these days.

 

And I think a lot of alienation about the world and people feeling lost comes from just how hard it is to make friends and meaningful social relationships after you leave school/university these days and the church used to provide that for people.

 

I don’t know. Maybe thinking if there was more an activity day in every area people were compelled to go to every Sunday for fear of spending all eternity burning and wearing a Coventry City shirt instead.

Edited 5 September 2025 by Sampson

[Dunge]

42 minutes ago, Sampson said:

I would’ve vehemently disagreed in the past, but I’m starting to come round to the idea the world was no worse off when different religions were a person’s main identity and the main model for governance instead of nation states and national identity. 
 

Even as a Athiest who could never understand why people believe the stories and thinks a lot of the ancient morals are repressive and weird, I’m starting to see the benefit of religion and the church as a binder of communities and bringing together different people every Sunday in a social space almost like a Meetup group for the local community - that part of religion has never been replaced. The lack of it feels like it’s making people more and more insular these days.

 

And I think a lot of alienation about the world and people feeling lost comes from just how hard it is to make friends and meaningful social relationships after you leave school/university these days and the church used to provide that for people.

 

I don’t know. Maybe thinking if there was more an activity day in every area people were compelled to go to every Sunday for fear of spending all eternity burning and wearing a Coventry City shirt instead.

People like boundaries. Not all people, but a lot do. Boundaries give people security. They bind people. I can understand why many feel such a thing is missing in the modern western world.

[leicsmac]

55 minutes ago, Sampson said:

I would’ve vehemently disagreed in the past, but I’m starting to come round to the idea the world was no worse off when different religions were a person’s main identity and the main model for governance instead of nation states and national identity. 
 

Even as a Athiest who could never understand why people believe the stories and thinks a lot of the ancient morals are repressive and weird, I’m starting to see the benefit of religion and the church as a binder of communities and bringing together different people every Sunday in a social space almost like a Meetup group for the local community - that part of religion has never been replaced. The lack of it feels like it’s making people more and more insular these days.

 

And I think a lot of alienation about the world and people feeling lost comes from just how hard it is to make friends and meaningful social relationships after you leave school/university these days and the church used to provide that for people.

 

I don’t know. Maybe thinking if there was more an activity day in every area people were compelled to go to every Sunday for fear of spending all eternity burning and wearing a Coventry City shirt instead.

 

2 minutes ago, Dunge said:

People like boundaries. Not all people, but a lot do. Boundaries give people security. They bind people. I can understand why many feel such a thing is missing in the modern western world.

I can see the arguments here. 

 

Tbh as time goes by I become less choosy about the nature of the unifying factor too, because time is running out and the simple fact is that we need one, any one. 

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, Dunge said:

People like boundaries. Not all people, but a lot do. Boundaries give people security. They bind people. I can understand why many feel such a thing is missing in the modern western world.

Assume it is because one persons boundary is another persons repression, and social media gives a voice to all, those feeling repressed will always be louder than those in discomfort.

 

I agree with the sentiment wholeheartedly though.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, Sampson said:

I would’ve vehemently disagreed in the past, but I’m starting to come round to the idea the world was no worse off when different religions were a person’s main identity and the main model for governance instead of nation states and national identity. 
 

Even as a Athiest who could never understand why people believe the stories and thinks a lot of the ancient morals are repressive and weird, I’m starting to see the benefit of religion and the church as a binder of communities and bringing together different people every Sunday in a social space almost like a Meetup group for the local community - that part of religion has never been replaced. The lack of it feels like it’s making people more and more insular these days.

 

And I think a lot of alienation about the world and people feeling lost comes from just how hard it is to make friends and meaningful social relationships after you leave school/university these days and the church used to provide that for people.

 

I don’t know. Maybe thinking if there was more an activity day in every area people were compelled to go to every Sunday for fear of spending all eternity burning and wearing a Coventry City shirt instead.

In addition religion acts as a unifying force beyond national boundaries as well as binding us to and helping us understand our past. Those things are lacking in modern England.

[leicsmac]

On 21/05/2025 at 17:18, leicsmac said:

There is an extremely high chance that will be a secession event, civil war or total neofascist takeover (not just the diet version like at present), or combination of all of them, in the US in the next decade. 

 

And its effects will be felt everywhere.

 

I just hope that I can come back to this in around that time and say that I was wrong, though.

Still taking bets on this one...?

[Torquay Gunner]

I seemed to have been banned from General News thread for not being a fan of Charlie Kirk.  I marvel at the hypocrisy of the news outlets and social media in general whilst covering this shooting, fawning over the guy like he was some sage of his times.  Mirrored by Trump during his pathetic, partisan nation address, referencing a shooting in 2017 of a Republican member of congress and omitting any attacks on Democrats,  including the murder of Melissa Hartman just a few months ago.  I should perhaps make it clear that I am opposed to any political violence be it from the right or left, but the double standards are quite vomit inducing. 

[HighPeakFox]

This opinion may not be unpopular at all, but I can heartily recommend leaving X and applying strong filters, or a certain extension to Facebook (happy to tell you what I use) that gets rid of so much nonsense nobody benefits from seeing.

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Still taking bets on this one...?

What time is the Doomsday Clock showing doc?

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

What time is the Doomsday Clock showing doc?

89 seconds to midnight, apparently. The closest it's ever been. 

[leicsmac]

On the topic of organ donation, not only should opt-out rather than opt-in be the default, but opt-out should only be permitted for agreed extremely good cause. 

 

There's far too many people that suffer and die needlessly (bolded for emphasis) because they cannot find a matching donor in time. 

[The Horse's Mouth]

On 24/09/2025 at 03:54, leicsmac said:

On the topic of organ donation, not only should opt-out rather than opt-in be the default, but opt-out should only be permitted for agreed extremely good cause. 

 

There's far too many people that suffer and die needlessly (bolded for emphasis) because they cannot find a matching donor in time. 

That’s genuinely mental 

[leicsmac]

8 hours ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

That’s genuinely mental 

Right thread for it then, clearly. 

 

But I'd like to hear someone explain such reasoning to the family/loved ones of someone who just died because there wasn't a transplant match avaliable to them. 

[Zear0]

23 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Right thread for it then, clearly. 

 

But I'd like to hear someone explain such reasoning to the family/loved ones of someone who just died because there wasn't a transplant match avaliable to them. 

Thought you were in favour of body autonomy? 

[leicsmac]

8 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

Thought you were in favour of body autonomy? 

I am, which is why the option would (and should) still exist for people to opt out. 

[Zear0]

23 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I am, which is why the option would (and should) still exist for people to opt out. 

So not for "only be permitted for agreed extremely good cause"? Not against flipping the default position, but it should be the individual's choice.