No, of course it’s not unreasonable to ask that, and I never implied that it is. It would have been incredible if he had chosen a more potent time. But that’s not what is being said, nor was it what I’m arguing against.

And you are the arbiter of what’s meaningful to someone else? Spout off about “sportsball” all you want, but your lack of vision for what material change this might possibly inspire in others helps nobody. Someone, somewhere out there, is fired up over this, and they’ll enact more change than this dogwater attitude ever will.

Come on, do you truly think there was any chance they’d be interested in shaking hands behind the scenes? These people bowed so low to their king that their pants split months ago. They can’t even stand up straight at this point. Yet somehow, I’m the idealist here.

How would that possibly have prevented his confirmation? It still went through after Booker’s speech on a party-line vote, didn’t it? What could Booker have said that would have shifted their opinion? What would you have said during a filibuster that would have any other effect on the party that was bound and determined to confirm him?

No, that certainly is not all it achieved. It created awareness and engagement. It shows someone still has a spine. It gives those racist fucks that much more to choke on while they flail around with their dying ideals. Have some imagination.

And why bother being so outwardly dismissive of something like this? What does that achieve? A few upvotes from a few fellow dispassionates? God damn it, no wonder those assholes still feel like they are winning.

Is dethroning the 67-year-long record of some racists’ rant not good enough for you?

I’m currently job hunting for the first time in >7 years, and things have changed so much… it’s honestly so damn demoralizing.

Toasted whole grain bread, or a ciabatta roll if I have the money for it when shopping. Mayo and pepper to taste on each slice. Spicy brown mustard on one slice (or both, if you’re feeling saucy). Turkey/ham/moo meat as desired. Spinach on top, with a salted tomato slice on occasion.

This has been my go-to for years, and I can eat it just about every day without getting sick of it.

Would “incognizant” fit the bill? Or, perhaps, the XY Problem?

Yes, so don’t be lookin’ at its quack

Lots of great suggestions involving story craft and the like, so I’ll target the “religious hangups” bit with a couple non-fiction books:

• Sentience by Nicholas Humphrey (great to get a perspective on consciousness and sentience that isn’t marred with religious doctrine)

• Determined by Robert Sapolsky (a primatologist with a knack for getting you comfortable with the notion that we don’t have as free a will as religion tells us)

And just to include a bit of fiction:

• Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (about life as we know it, or maybe as we don’t)

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (deals with overwritten cultures. Also dragons.)