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PaperclipPerfector  6mo ago (text post)   4110 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for November 5, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I've noticed what I think is the strongest source of Russell conjugations in my life: road rage, specifically with regard to cutting off people. It's amazing how strongly I feel it, even after I've noted the hypocrisy in myself. It's just the first and most basic instinct I feel in any of these situations. And I've even noticed a gendered component of how I think, informed by the political climate.

I merge into the lane, because I need to get into that lane, but they're stubbornly not letting me in.
He cuts me off, because he's a selfish dick who thinks he's a better driver than me and thinks I suck as a driver.
She cuts me off because she thinks that I'm a patriarchal male who thinks he's entitled to the road, which ultimately leads to her acting like an entitled bitch.

I struggle to think of what the Russell conjugations could even be for things like not using the turn signal or driving slowly in the passing lane on a two-lane highway for miles. I experience virtually no road rage at all even when another driver does something exceedingly dangerous, because I can usually imagine an innocent explanation and I've made those mistakes myself on occasion. But inconsiderate actions which are not plausibly the result of some mistake or lapse of attention make my blood boil and, if my wife's not in the car, profanity fly.

Use your fucking turn signal.

Use your fucking turn signal.

Driving is one of the activities that erodes my faith in humanity. People just don't care, and there is no direct consequences to their behaviour, so they will be lazy. Changing lanes without indicating (even in a multi-lane round about), tailgating, petty refusal to let people merge in front of them etc.

I'm reminded of that old joke about 50% of the population being below average intelligence. Frankly I'm amazed at how many traffic accidents don't happen.

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