

So what kind of source would you accept?
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-021-01137-9
Although neurons of the PFC are generated before birth, the differentiation of its neurons and development of synaptic connections in humans extend to the 3rd decade of life.
The development and maturation of the prefrontal cortex occurs primarily during adolescence and is fully accomplished at the age of 25 years.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know
The brain finishes developing and maturing in the mid-to-late 20s.
It seems to me that there is a scientific consensus on the subject.
So I agree it shouldn’t be used as an excuse, but in a perfect world it would definitely be grounds for diminished responsibility. If your brain hasn’t fully developed its decision making centre then you aren’t on a level playing field with those whose have. And it’s a fact that full development of the prefontal cortex doesn’t occur until mid to late twenties. They’re just not at the you-ought-to-know-better endgame, neurologically.
You’re right, except it’s the only game, not the endgame. Since neoliberalism became consensus, public assets have been sold off and paid for again by the public, but privately. We bought the roads, railways, waterways, weather stations etc with our taxes, they were sold, and we didn’t see a penny of the profits, and then we have to buy them again with our wages. The endgame is where there’s nothing left to sell off, no more exponential growth to be had, that’s when it all collapses. Greed, it seems, allows you to see past the fact that this collapse is inevitable.
“That Thou Art Mindful of Him” is the robot story of Asimov’s that scared me the most, because of this exact reasoning happening. I remember closing the book, staring into space and thinking ‘shit…we are all gonna die’
I’m autistic, so it’s hard for me to map those cartoons onto a real face. They all kind of look like captain Barnacle to me to be honest. It’s probably better if I don’t know, I suppose.
Bottom line though is of course that nobody should be judged on their appearance because that’s blatantly stupid. Further, I think, when you break it down, judging someone because their appearance conforms loosely to your idea of the appearance of a population which is most concentrated in a country whose government’s military is committing atrocities against a country whose population’s appearance conforms to one to which you think you belong… is beyond stupidity and can be nothing short of outright malicious. Fuck that you have to deal with that. Especially since you’ve been outspoken in your opposition to the crimes of that government.
I’ve only ever found Muslims to be at worst civil and at best excellent friends. And I used to live in Luton (highest proportion of Muslim population in the UK). I’m not Jewish though.
Weird question - I’ve never been able to say for sure if someone is Jewish by looking at them (unless they’re wearing a yarmulke or Hasidic getup). I remember someone at work telling me to go talk to Mark, he’s the ‘obviously Jewish guy’, and having zero idea who that was. Even when he was pointed out to me I couldn’t see what was different from him and any other dark-haired European. Is this a me problem or are people just projecting patterns?
Don’t be daft lad, you’re one of us now!
Anyone putting up with this fucking weather is.
2 rules:
Anyone othering you is in breach of rule 1 and will be tutted at furiously
“Antisemitic rhetoric” should be in quotes too, if you were going for sarcasm. I hope you were going for sarcasm
This is a top notch post and thread, and has reminded me why I continue to use the internet. Good job everyone.
You are absolutely right
I’d just like to add an argument against the death penalty. The common argument is that we sometimes get it wrong so we can’t have it because you can’t reverse the sentence, and that is a strong enough argument. However, if one day we have a justice system that can be 100.000% certain of guilt (or society at large is persuaded of this, even if it isn’t true…) then I still don’t believe we should have the death penalty, because it’s not possible to be 100% certain that there is no chance of rehabilitation. I’m someone who has had a family member horrifically and senselessly murdered, and I still believe revenge achieves exactly nothing. It just adds bodies to the pile and increases suffering. It won’t bring back your loved ones, or, crucially, reduce your suffering one iota to see the guilty suffer or die.
The question really is: why the hell would any civilised society, whose citizens believe themselves to have mastered their animalistic nature, want the death penalty?
“Please, just reject the evidence of your eyes and ears, it’s no biggie”
I think it’s mostly despair that decent people are feeling right now. Because a hate merchant has taken office.
You choose to talk about hate…Accusing people of the things you feel guilty about is a common pattern among far right sympathisers.
Welcome to the UK! Hope you have a great stay. Probably avoid London, it’s a silly place.
I hope (desperately) that you’re right. There’s always hope.
I think this legitimisation of them will only make them stronger. Growing up in the UK, the far right was so inconsequential it might not have existed. Small pockets of nutters who were ridiculed any time they tried to organise, nothing more. Now they’re a serious problem, they’re recruiting young men by the ton, and they’re coming in second n elections everywhere. These views are becoming mainstream, you hear them on the street and in the pub. They aren’t a majority yet, but their rise has been mercurial to say the last. If the trend continues we will have a white nationalist in power by the end of this decade. And I’m not seeing any signs of delay. Interesting times 😔
Ok, so in this particular instance, they’re not having their strings pulled by the puppet masters? Is that what you’re saying? They are acting on their own now? You said they are puppets. WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS TO FORCE THEM TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS?
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Oh ok. Right, so the west (Europe, UK, US) are PRO-Israel, meaning they are AGAINST the arrest warrants for Netenyahu et.al. If the west we’re pulling the strings of the ICC, then it wouldn’t have issued the warrants in the first place.