this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2024
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:
- Both “200” and “160” are 2 minutes in microwave math
- When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you’re also watching your mom and dad grow up.
- More dreams have been destroyed by alarm clocks than anything else
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- If your topic is in a grey area, please phrase it to emphasize the fascinating aspects, not the dramatic aspects. You can do this by avoiding overly politicized terms such as "capitalism" and "communism". If you must make comparisons, you can say something is different without saying something is better/worse.
- A good place for politics is c/politicaldiscussion
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There's not necessarily a contradiction there. People often choose not to do things that would be good for them. For example, people need to exercise in order to be healthy, but they generally don't. If for some reason we lived in a society where everyone was compelled to exercise, the people saying "a lot of people are going to ruin their own health if we stop forcing them not to" would have a point.
(Note that I'm not trying to argue that they're right, just that they're not contradicting themselves.)
Some of the reasons for that are relatively modern. Sedentary jobs and also sedentary commuting (car-centric travel), lack of robust+accessible infrastructure (for instance the trail local to me is still closed from ~6months ago, uncertain end). That and most food that isn't made-from-scratch having a ton of added sugar, even things like bread and ketchup that people consider staple foods.
A lot of that goes away when you can just throw money at it (or said benefits are thrown at you). Time and space end up being a result of money too, particularly when money is a limit which is true for most people.
I think I largely agree with your assessment that modern society and all its benefits mean that people get less day to day exercise via "normal" routine but I feel like I have to disagree that not having a local trail makes people unable to exercise. There's people in NYC who run miles and miles every day. It's possible anywhere.
I was speaking for my personal situation (I have not left the house since then), the important bit about the trail is about having a destination and not needing to ride a bike on roads (particularly in a rural area w/larger distance).
NYC is a completely different scenario, and being able to walk (w/public transport too) fills that same niche. Also bike lanes and parks.
I also like riding a bike because of health issues, it's lower impact and faster (more airflow plus the trail is mostly shaded). That and I don't want to jog near the road or in a ditch. Also I don't think I could walk as far as I've biked before (11 miles and then back again), even just for the fact there's just something so boring and uncomfortable about walking even a block (at least around here, I don't remember walking in the city being like that, maybe scenery or smooth/level footing helps).