I don't have views on the credibility of specific technologies but I've hoped that these could be viable in places like coastal California where fog provides quite a bit of air moisture but it never rains--do you not agree with that?
I'm sorry you feel this way! I've felt very lonely in the past and it was among my hardest times--though I'm sure my version of it was different and doesn't have specific applicability, just figured I'd share.
You asked on "tips for giving yourself attention". Can you elaborate on what you mean by that? Are there examples you could give us of what that is like, to help us think of other ideas?
One piece of art that I loved that is about this topic is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7X7sZzSXYs. Like most art it doesn't really answer your question directly with concrete suggestions, but maybe it will be worth watching anyway.
Not sure if this the same experience as the person you asked the question of, but I went to Catholic school growing up, altar boy, youth group, the whole works. And I'd consider myself atheist, or agnostic maybe is better. But I call myself "culturally Catholic" because so much of how I grew up is still a part of me: a focus on finding universality in experience ("catholic" christian historically grew out of an attempt to find universality in the christian belief, and I think today amid globalization it still does that remarkably well); an impulse toward social justice; a tolerance of hypocrisy and inconsistency.
And like the prior poster said, many/most Catholics disagree with the Pope--I think something like 85% of American Catholics disagree with the official views on birth control and abortion and homosexuality--but that doesn't stop us from calling ourselves Catholic.
I felt it was beautiful but I don’t think you should feel dumb you didn’t also think it was beautiful! I think it’s not a set of facts, where there are right and wrong interpretations, so research paper might be the wrong analogy.
For me, I think she made me feel what it would be like to work toward an achievement, to fail, and to look back and contemplate on the idea that maybe the achievement was arbitrary and as simplistic and fantastical as a fairy tale.
I understand, conceptually, that people work toward achievements and respond to incentives like more money or promotion or power. And I understand, logically, that people often mis-identify what outcomes matter to them, and are instead working toward something that won’t ever provide satisfaction, all while the work exhausts them.
But I rarely contemplate that idea, marinate in it, feel it. She made me feel it. And she also made me realize that I’m also doing the same thing, and that I likely will some day look back on my life right now and contemplate that maybe everything I’m working for is simplistic and fantastical and not going to accomplish whatever it is I really want.
I’m curious, could you share some writing that made you feel something, and it made you feel?
Fun to see Ada Palmer posted here! One of my favorite essays by her is The Shape of Rome, which tells Rome’s history through its architecture. It is a fascinating history of course but her writing is what stood out to me: it felt fast, almost breezy, while still conveying the sense of just how much time had passed between events.
I wish more history writing were like it, and if folks have recommendations I’d appreciate it.
What happened with Dark Sky? I have used it for years and it seems just as good as ever. And it’s one of the few iPhone apps I give full location information to so I like that it’s owned by Apple since they have that info anyway.