weastie

There's definitely an extent to which my conclusion of "it's okay to eat insects" stems from trying to cope with the fact that I have pet reptiles that need to eat insects.

I definitely believe that insects feel pain, which is why I try to give them a good life while they are alive. I guess I'm saying that if they are killed instantly, then they could potentially die a painless death, and maybe that's okay because they don't live that long in the first place.

Here's an actual scientific study where participants chose fake meat over beef burgers: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996923003587)

While not a scientific study, we also have some funny events like:

Sausage expert, trying to prove that plant based sausage isn't as good as the real thing, accidentally praises it: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-11485203/Sausage-expert-tricked-praising-vegan-alternative.html

Professional chefs were often wrong about which meat was real and which wasn't in blind taste test: https://www.livekindly.com/professional-chefs-cant-tell-the-difference-between-vegan-and-animal-meat-in-blind-taste-test/

Actually, vegan meats have won multiple blind taste tests over real meat. Google it, it's happened on multiple occasions -- in actual studies as well as DIY tests.

Lots of open job positions is very healthy for the economy, it gives the worker the ability to choose, and it makes companies have to compete. A ton of companies are literally being forced to increase their wages in order to get enough employees.

Firstly, I think it completely aligns with libertarian principles to regulate environmental impact. If a company pollutes the airs and rivers, that physical affects everybody.

Secondly, yeah, it is sad that many consumers will turn a blind eye to poor working conditions and environmental impact ... but I do think there is a limit. And honestly, most of the big companies in our nation are making some attempt to improve environmental conditions, probably because they know that some people will stop buying their product if they don't. It's not a lot, but I think the fact that it's happening at all is some proof that companies can certainly be pressured into doing the right thing without legislation.

What I like about the free-ish markets is that it at least gives you a personal choice. If you don't want to support a business, you don't have to. It sucks if other people support it, but let's be honest, if like 50% of the country wants to support a business that you don't like, then what can you expect?

Buying out competitors isn't a sustainable long term business strategy. Think about it, if one company was trying really hard to be a monopoly and simply bought out all their competitors, then anyone could make a shit ton of money by just continuously opening new competing businesses and selling out.

Secondly, if the strategy is to price out competitors, then... What's the problem? If the so called "monopoly" has to keep prices literally so low that no one else can compete, then they aren't doing any real harm. If they do eventually decide to jack up their prices, then that opens the door for a new business to open.

I really hate this sentiment because if you actually look into the libertarian party platform and their recent candidates, they are nothing like Republicans. LP has supported LGBTQ+ rights for decades, they support open borders, support social freedom, don't like religion in govt, etc. I mean, the only real overlap between the LP and Republican party is like, guns. I know many people would argue that they have similar economic policies but they really don't, all Republicans have done in the last twenty years is spend more money and specifically only remove the regulations that are actually useful.

But at the same time, whenever I meet someone who calls themselves a "libertarian"... yeah 90% of the time they are just edgy Republicans.

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say that a natural monopoly doesn't exist, but I think it's pretty clear that big companies have a lot of influence on the government, and typically can lobby the government to pass policies that benefit them, and make it harder for competition.

And I think there's an argument to be made that if the government were less powerful, then there would be less potential harm done when a corporation is able to influence the government.

I'm personally torn on this, because on one hand I think the government can be a useful tool in preventing monopolies, but on the other hand, I think expecting the government to not always work in favor of big companies seems naive.

My main pedals are Boss BC 1X (multiband compressor) and Darkglass Alpha Omega (preamp / distortion). I also have a Zoom MS-60B (digital multi-fx) but I only actually use it as a tuner.

I typically enjoy a pretty clean tone, but I want to try out Chorus