zakobjoa

I don't think you need to own your own place to call it a home. Having grown up in East Germany, most kids I went to school with didn't grow up in a house their parents owned. It's different in the countryside, but in the city I grew up in easily >90% rented.

It would be nicer though, for sure. For me it's also not on my financial horizon to ever own a house or flat.

I'm with you on everything else. The question remains: leave for where? Everywhere is going to shit.

In Germany the parents (and later, the children themselves) receive a little over 250€ per month until the child is 25 or finished an apprenticeship or uni.

Germany has a very low birth rate.

Edit: copy of a text where I laid out the benefits we get in a similar discussion:

In Germany we have protection of pregnant people from when their doctor deems them unfit for work until delivery – continued payment of full wages. Two months after delivery with 70% wages and 12 months to split between both parents, which can be taken together and stretched by taking half the money for twice as long. Until your child is six you may (with some exceptions) take unpaid leave for parenting. Your employer has to keep your position for you. Childcare from 1 till school is affordable (ca. 250€/M). Healthcare is paid as a percentage from your income (ca. 15%) and has very little extra cost. You get 250€ per child per month just for having a child. Tax credits. If you are still struggling: Assistance for rent, school materials, clothing and more.

We have (compared to the US) pretty solid workers protection laws. We have a (not great but you won't starve) state pension. We have unemployment benefits, that don't run out (conditions apply). We don't have the weird Japanese shut-in young men on a scale that's worth a mention.

We also have one of the lowest birth rates in the world.

Yes, the oppressiveness of a capitalist society is a factor – Germany is far from free of that, and getting worse. But compared to the US we should be popping out babies like crazy. But it's emancipation of women and it's education, that afaik are the most decisive influences of a low birth rate.

Russia is not communist, though?

TIL that Jesus was 4ft tall.

I know the police cause you trouble,
They cause trouble everywhere,
But when you die and go to Heaven,
You'll find no policemen there.

– Woodie Guthrie, ca. 1944

I foolishly bought one of the first multi-GPU cards, the HD4870X2 (I think Radeon?). Apart from almost no game using two GPUs and most just straight up not working, that thing ran hot like a smelter. I got that thing regularly over 105°C, and around 90°C seemed like it's normal working temperature. Not overclocked, still lasted almost two years. Which, back then, was when you're GPU was outdated anyways. I love that I can still play almost everything I want with a 2080 nowadays.

Maybe they're counting Japanese people as Pacific Islanders? Which imo seems more racist somehow.

Freedom Flaps

I hate to break it to you – but we're already here.

I got my 1996 Renault Laguna up to 200km/h and it felt and sounded like the engine block was about to jump into the passenger cabin.

Yes! Focus on cost of living – gas, groceries, rent! Help people¹ out!

¹(white, hetero, cis men)

Hah, Tate last had that much hair when he was eight.