Nefara

A hot dog a day is not a tiny amount...

Funny, I was going to say the same to you

Yes, because context matters. Exceptions don't make the rule, and speaking generally about things is allowed when they are related.

So what is the exception here? You said, and I quote, "science is by nature unethical". So you're saying any experimental methodology in any school of science exploring any number of completely benign things is somehow unethical.

This isn't debate club.

I see you're new to the internet.

Ah yes, everyone knows how famously unethical astronomers are, they should respect the privacy and consent of supernovas. Filthy perverts peeping on those innocent stars!

You said "science", not any specific type or category of study, so if you mean a specific school of science is unethical you should make that distinction.

Why do you think that asking questions, making a hypothesis, testing that hypothesis and writing down the results is unethical?

IMO the show did not do a good job introducing characters and settings, and failed to do a lot of "screen writing 101" stuff like establishing who the characters are and their relationships to each other in the first few episodes. It also failed at using visual language or motifs to define the different settings and distinguish them which was frustrating and confusing. I started the show first and was intrigued enough to pick up the books, but absolutely reading the books gives you a shortcut past all of the "who's that guy?" and "wait, I thought those people were in the same place" type moments of confusion. I still really enjoyed the show and I figured everything out eventually, but yes it benefits from a read-through.

I quite enjoyed Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time series, which is also (relatively) hard-ish sci-fi and has a creative and interesting exploration of non-human intelligences. I enjoyed the first two books but was meh on the third. Certainly would still recommend them but they don't scratch quite the same itch the Expanse does.

Another series I devoured and then re-read a year later was the Murderbot Diaries. It's dystopian but also kind of hopeful, it's a story about realizing one's personhood and self determination and making a life for yourself, with a very dry sense of humor. It's a great audio book read, (the Kevin Free version) and was recently turned into a series on Apple TV.

Finally got around to the Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan and it's more relevant than ever. It absolutely predicted the world we're in politically now and has some insight and analysis as to how and why and what to do to help. Definitely worth a read or reread if you haven't read it or it's been a while.

Love those books. Extremely easy to read and reread and set the standard for modern hard sci fi.

It DOES bother me that so many depictions of "strong women" in media are characterized like men. Apparently in movies a "strong female character" has to be physically strong and be able to kick ass. I would love to see more respectful and nuanced portrayals of feminine strength (in male AND female characters) through nurturing, empathetic, patient, and perceptive protagonists. I do think that femininity has been devalued in Western culture and could do with more respect. However he's clearly full of shit about the "biological imperative" bullshit and has been huffing the Jordan Petersen pop evo psych junk "science" pervasive in the man-o-sphere.

There is no "the one", and there is no such thing as a soul mate.

If someone convinces you that they are your soul mate, and you genuinely believe it to be true... how much bad behavior would you put up with? Would you put up with insults? Passive aggressive digs? Resentment? Substance abuse? Physical abuse? What would it take for you to leave your soul mate? How bad would it have to get for you to give up "the one"? You would think that you might say, "well that person clearly isn't the one", but maybe this is just a rough patch. Sometimes things can be so good. They make you feel like there could never be a bond like yours, and after years or even a decade, it can be a hard truth to come to terms with.

If you are in a relationship, it's with another flawed human. There are people who have traits, personalities and temperaments that will be more or less compatible with you. You can think about how that relationship fits or doesn't fit in your life, what your needs are, and what behavior you will or won't tolerate. Most importantly, YOU ARE FREE TO LEAVE. If you feel relief when you are alone, and feel a sinking dread when they call or text, you do not owe that person a relationship.

And anyone who threatens suicide if you leave, or says earnestly that they cannot live without you, is not entitled to your life in return. Someone who says that is either bluffing, or just looking for an excuse. You only get so many years of life to waste on misery.