Maybe you can get one of those people who make cakes that look like other objects to make you some light bulb cake pops? Then you can have your light bulb and eat it too!
A few years ago I saw the German movie Toni Erdmann in the theater. I hated it until about 3/4 of the way through when the main character, who up to that point had been essentially harrassed the entire film by her prankster father, did something harmless but really shocking and bold, involving both her father and her coworkers. And people went along with it. It was the kind of thing I would only do in a dream, and it gave me a very strong feeling of, "Oh. This world is like a dream and you CAN actually do what you want." For that alone the film was worth it. (I think at some point they were making an American version, which will no doubt be three times as heartwarming, which will ruin the whole thing.)
I think you underestimate the extent to which there are things which feel like options neither for stereotypical Democrats nor for stereotypical Republicans?
You could buy a bunch of cheap flip phones. You could host a dinner party for a bunch of people you don't know. You could tag along with a maybe-it's-ghost-hunting group (found on meetup.com for my local area, yes really). You could possibly audit a college course just by means of showing up and hoping people won't ask any questions, or otherwise show up to meetings that aren't "for" you.
This reminds me of Sartre's idea of radical freedom. You really can do anything you want, it is just that there may be outside forces (like the police or your friend group) that may impose costs.
I realize it's SO not the point of this, but it still made me oddly gleeful that I've done all but four things on that list :D ). +/- 1 depending on how I quibble about definitions.
Maybe you can get one of those people who make cakes that look like other objects to make you some light bulb cake pops? Then you can have your light bulb and eat it too!
A few years ago I saw the German movie Toni Erdmann in the theater. I hated it until about 3/4 of the way through when the main character, who up to that point had been essentially harrassed the entire film by her prankster father, did something harmless but really shocking and bold, involving both her father and her coworkers. And people went along with it. It was the kind of thing I would only do in a dream, and it gave me a very strong feeling of, "Oh. This world is like a dream and you CAN actually do what you want." For that alone the film was worth it. (I think at some point they were making an American version, which will no doubt be three times as heartwarming, which will ruin the whole thing.)
For the average reader of this blog, I'd guess the grayed-out options are more like:
* Be a stay-at-home wife and mother
* Start going to church regularly to have a social group
* Start carrying a gun for self-defense
* Go to a monster truck rally
I think you underestimate the extent to which there are things which feel like options neither for stereotypical Democrats nor for stereotypical Republicans?
You could buy a bunch of cheap flip phones. You could host a dinner party for a bunch of people you don't know. You could tag along with a maybe-it's-ghost-hunting group (found on meetup.com for my local area, yes really). You could possibly audit a college course just by means of showing up and hoping people won't ask any questions, or otherwise show up to meetings that aren't "for" you.
This reminds me of Sartre's idea of radical freedom. You really can do anything you want, it is just that there may be outside forces (like the police or your friend group) that may impose costs.
I realize it's SO not the point of this, but it still made me oddly gleeful that I've done all but four things on that list :D ). +/- 1 depending on how I quibble about definitions.
And thanks, great post!
Dammit now I kind of want to put the narrow end of a lightbulb in my mouth! :p
100% I now want to put the wide end of a lightbulb in my mouth
Also related (h/t Ana): https://milan.cvitkovic.net/writing/things_youre_allowed_to_do/
Related LW articles:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/NRnQBj8AzqZYKdJxw/commitments-and-affordances
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/a8Z74oZWHrkCjrren/affordances