Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenzen also come to mind

Well :) the train arrived 75 years ago, and now we’re waiting for it to return.

In addition to their form of government, there is the everyday living experience to consider. China is modern and clean in some places but culturally, what is it like being an American professional in China? I actually don’t know because I don’t know anyone who’s actually done it. Japan, Thailand, Singapore, UK, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Canada, all yes, several times over. China? Not one. Why is that?

Europe has a lot to prove before we can believe that. Maybe step out of Putin’s shadow as a start.

Yeah but will those people also get those things? (squints hard in American) /s

I don’t think the intersection of “scientist” and “masochistic asshole” is actually big enough to carry us.

I guess science has been giving us some evidence to the contrary. But what can we do except try?

Not long ago I was talking to someone I know who struggles with depression and has always had a hard time motivating to exercise. They were talking about how their current living situation makes it really hard for them to exercise in a natural way, like going for a walk, because their location is not suitable for that. But they were looking forward to moving soon so they could solve that problem. And I said “That’s great, and I hope it works out. But I just want to point out how you have just given yourself a blanket excuse not to exercise until you move.” There’s no date set to move. It was totally just pushing the problem into the future in a self-serving but also self-harming way.

Some people don’t like hearing that they have more influence over how their life goes than any other single person in the world. I mean that’s a lot of responsibility to carry.

1. Do something that will help
2. Blame someone else for the problem

(Both buttons meme)

Exercise helps me with my mild depression.

There’s no need to read this so cynically.