A Wild Lurker Appears! Hyoi's Random Banter #232

[Fyraltari]

Yeah, it occurs to me that only those who have enough of it can afford to claim that money does not matter.

The idea behind "Money can't buy happiness" isn't "money doesn't matter" it's "money alone won't make someone happy." It sure helps, but if you're not happy making enough money to pay all your expenses and tehn some, you won't be happy earning a million every week.

[Anonymouswizard]

The only straight in Persona is Adachi and that's the final word on that as far as I'm concerned.

I realize the conversation has moved on a bit but wanted to put in my two cents about it.

Fair enough, now we just have to work out who's cis.

I'm going for Chie, it just feels right.

Anyway on topic; money is bull**** and kind of evil. The people who said money can't buy happiness, knowingly or not, kinda lied to you. Money may not fill the gap in your soul, but it allows for a more stable life, which allows that happiness to flourish. The world would be better off if we didn't have it, but we do, so we deal with what we have.

I can't go too far without getting onto forbidden topics, but as a system for allocating resources money works well enough. If I have 0.0001% of the money I am entitle to swap that for roughly 0.0001% of the resources, but I can give up some or all of my share of a more valuable resource for more of a less valuable one, or vise versa. We can determine value in a number of different ways, but that doesn't quite matter here.

The issue is when some percentage of the population doesn't have the money to survive or participate. There's no issue in resource disparity in and of itself, until it becomes so wide that somebody's unable to afford food and shelter (plus whatever else you personally think is a basic human right, discussing that could be problematic). But as long as everybodyu does have the money to survive then the system is working, and if not the money itself isn't the problem as much as the disparity.

[enderlord99]

Money won't buy you happiness, and gasoline won't build you a car.

[Peelee]

The only straight in Persona is Adachi and that's the final word on that as far as I'm concerned.

I realize the conversation has moved on a bit but wanted to put in my two cents about it.

Anyway on topic; money is bull**** and kind of evil. The people who said money can't buy happiness, knowingly or not, kinda lied to you. Money may not fill the gap in your soul, but it allows for a more stable life, which allows that happiness to flourish. The world would be better off if we didn't have it, but we do, so we deal with what we have.

Money is a medium of exchange. As long as there is something to be exchanged (and there always will be unless you want to live In a very, incredibly specific way (eg alone in the woods), then having a standard medium of exchange is infinitely preferable to any other system to handle exchange.

Money itself is not evil. It's a collection of inanimate objects. Rather, it's lust for gold, power, or just being born with a heart full of neutrality, those are what is evil.

The idea behind "Money can't buy happiness" isn't "money doesn't matter" it's "money alone won't make someone happy." It sure helps, but if you're not happy making enough money to pay all your expenses and tehn some, you won't be happy earning a million every week.

IIRC several studies have concluded that money can, indeed, buy happiness. I want to say $85,000 is the general cutoff where you start ti see diminishing returns, but even past that happiness increases in correspondence to pay.

And,even if we discount those, it's easier to cry in a BMW than on a bus.

[Form]

The idea behind "Money can't buy happiness" isn't "money doesn't matter" it's "money alone won't make someone happy." It sure helps, but if you're not happy making enough money to pay all your expenses and tehn some, you won't be happy earning a million every week.

Sure, of course. But I do get the impression that at times that sentiment is expressed whilst glossing over necessities like food, housing, financial security etc. because the one expressing the sentiment has the luxury to not have to worry about those things to begin with.

[Anonymouswizard]

IIRC several studies have concluded that money can, indeed, buy happiness. I want to say $85,000 is the general cutoff where you start ti see diminishing returns, but even past that happiness increases in correspondence to pay.

And,even if we discount those, it's easier to cry in a BMW than on a bus.

I believe it's roughly 'if you don't have enough money for the lifestyle you want, then more money will make you more happy'. Roughly converting dollars into pounds in my head $85,000 a year sounds like the salary cutoff I've seen people quote most often, so I'm fully willing to believe that figure is from an actual survey somewhere.

Money can also buy you love, or at least sex and relationships, but this is the one place where I'd say 'the best things in life are free' is absolutely true. In my mind in a healthy relationship you never have to get the other person anything, but you do anyway.

But yes, almost anything is in fact easier in a BMW than a bus, if only because people don't give you a judging unstare when you sit next to them. Unless of course you own the bus, although at this point I think we've surpassed the guy who's crying in the BMW.

[Tvtyrant]

I believe it's roughly 'if you don't have enough money for the lifestyle you want, then more money will make you more happy'. Roughly converting dollars into pounds in my head $85,000 a year sounds like the salary cutoff I've seen people quote most often, so I'm fully willing to believe that figure is from an actual survey somewhere.

Money can also buy you love, or at least sex and relationships, but this is the one place where I'd say 'the best things in life are free' is absolutely true. In my mind in a healthy relationship you never have to get the other person anything, but you do anyway.

But yes, almost anything is in fact easier in a BMW than a bus, if only because people don't give you a judging unstare when you sit next to them. Unless of course you own the bus, although at this point I think we've surpassed the guy who's crying in the BMW.

Bruce Wayne always cries in private. Thankfully he owns so much stuff that counts as everywhere :P

[Anonymouswizard]

Bruce Wayne always cries in private. Thankfully he owns so much stuff that counts as everywhere :P

He's like a Seto Kaiba who doesn't play card games!

[Form]

Money can also buy you love, or at least sex and relationships, but this is the one place where I'd say 'the best things in life are free' is absolutely true. In my mind in a healthy relationship you never have to get the other person anything, but you do anyway.

Maybe I've been looking for par'Mach in all the wrong places.

[Tvtyrant]

He's like a Seto Kaiba who doesn't play card games!

He's almost a card Kaiba would play. "I play Blue Eyes White Billionaire in attack mode!" *Bewooop!*

[Peelee]

Maybe I've been looking for par'Mach in all the wrong places.

Better than looking for love in Alderaan places.

[factotum]

Well, this has been a very unpleasant week. Went to A&E on Thursday for a nasty skin infection. Nastier than I thought--it took three days of intravenous antibiotics and a load of tablets to bring it under control. Perhaps more importantly, though, the swelling underneath the infection is unrelated--it's actually a lymphoma tumour. Awaiting biopsy results now.

[Tvtyrant]

Well, this has been a very unpleasant week. Went to A&E on Thursday for a nasty skin infection. Nastier than I thought--it took three days of intravenous antibiotics and a load of tablets to bring it under control. Perhaps more importantly, though, the swelling underneath the infection is unrelated--it's actually a lymphoma tumour. Awaiting biopsy results now.

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that

[Anonymouswizard]

Better than looking for love in Alderaan places.

Eh, you've got what, 17 years from it's introduction in the series until it becomes a weapons test range? I'm sure even the most incompetent speed dater could find somebody in that time.

Well, this has been a very unpleasant week. Went to A&E on Thursday for a nasty skin infection. Nastier than I thought--it took three days of intravenous antibiotics and a load of tablets to bring it under control. Perhaps more importantly, though, the swelling underneath the infection is unrelated--it's actually a lymphoma tumour. Awaiting biopsy results now.

Ouch, hope everything goes smoothly with it from now on. With any luck the next time you talk about it we'll be celebrating your recovery.

Is coffee and walnut cake okay with you?


Actually, that's a weird thing. I hate walnuts, but love coffee and walnut taste. Shows what getting rid of a horrible texture can do for a food.

[Jasdoif]

Admittedly, using an interesting skill system that didn't rely on a "level" mechanic would probably be better; but designing such a thing sounds like a lot of work.

Hey, I haven't geeked about Prey in a long time.

In that game you unlock skills (on half a dozen trees) by consuming neuromods. You find those pretty much all over the game world and you can (and will, unless you're doing a challenge run) make more by harvesting the required materials, especially from downed ennemies.

Well if we're going down this road....


Sil doesn't have levels, instead using experience directly to increase rolls with a skill (cost based on how many times you've increased the skill) or special abilities tied to a skill (cost based on how many abilities tied to the skill you already have); the special abilities aren't overly tree-like, in that most don't have a prerequisites of earlier abilities.

The interesting part, though, is that the experience gain for encountering (and separately, killing) a particular type of creature is scaled down by how many times you've encountered (and separately, killed) that type of creature: half the second time, one-third the third time, one-quarter the fourth time, etc.; so loitering around an explored floor or hunting down a few stragglers for some more experience is possible but rarely worthwhile. (The really interesting part is that the thorough implementation of stealth, combined with getting experience for encountering a creature regardless of it ever notices you, means avoiding combat is actually a viable way to play if you can pull it off)

[Rater202]

The only straight in Persona is Adachi and that's the final word on that as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know, he's got some really suggestive lines regarding Yu in Persona 4: Arena Ultimax, and his social link in Persona 4: Golden is called The Lust. in the original Japanese.

Which considering the age difference between Yu and Adachi, is really creepy.

[LaZodiac]

I don't know, he's got some really suggestive lines regarding Yu in Persona 4: Arena Ultimax, and his social link in Persona 4: Golden is called The Lust. in the original Japanese.

Which considering the age difference between Yu and Adachi, is really creepy.

Lust for power, excitement, and entertainment, not people. The Hunger is a card that does not relate to pure sexual pleasure (and if we're being honest Lust in general doesn't, it's just the easiest and most base Desire to twist).

Now, don't get me wrong, Mr Badguy from P4 is an abuser, but that's because he finds Yu a fun plaything, not because he's attracted to him. If you want to fulfill your "enemy who loves you" kick, check out P5.

[Rater202]

Lust for power, excitement, and entertainment, not people. The Hunger is a card that does not relate to pure sexual pleasure (and if we're being honest Lust in general doesn't, it's just the easiest and most base Desire to twist).

Now, don't get me wrong, Mr Badguy from P4 is an abuser, but that's because he finds Yu a fun plaything, not because he's attracted to him. If you want to fulfill your "enemy who loves you" kick, check out P5.

I mean, he flat out says that Yu isn't being very attractive at the moment if you have Yu act like a know-it-all in Arena Ultimax.

And his comments about being recruited to help defeat the new bad guy in the same game sound an awful lot like... I'd quote them, but I think it might break the rules

[Bartmanhomer]

This is what I picture the Dragon Deities in their human form.

Bahamut: A police officer.

Tamara: A nurse.

Hlal: A comedian.

Tiamat: A lawyer.

Faluzure: A rich gentleman.

Garyx: A bodybuilder.

Chronepsis: A goth or emo.

Sardior: A rich gentleman.

Astilabor: A rich lady.

Lendys: A judge.

Aasterinian: A college girl.

Io: An elderly father.

[Anonymouswizard]

I wish more CRPGs would give customisable or equippable underwear, even if they don't make it completely removable (either with default 'you have nothing on' undies or just having to have the slot filled). It kind of bugs me to be able to play around with my party's clothing but to have everybody in the same pants, at some point my brain ends up screaming 'not everybody likes the same kickers in real life'.

It's not quite as far up there as 'more female protagonists please', but being able to change undies to something I think fits the character's personality would be cool.

[Bartmanhomer]

Tamara is taking care of a baby red dragon today. She such a wonderful mother.

[Qwertystop]

Money is a medium of exchange. As long as there is something to be exchanged (and there always will be unless you want to live In a very, incredibly specific way (eg alone in the woods), then having a standard medium of exchange is infinitely preferable to any other system to handle exchange.

Somewhat relatedly, it appears that a barter-based economy as you seem to be suggesting doesn't really exist in general – barter occurs primarily among people who are used to money but haven't got any; pre-money societies tend(ed) to do other things that often do not involve direct and immediate exchange.

[Peelee]

Somewhat relatedly, it appears that a barter-based economy as you seem to be suggesting doesn't really exist in general – barter occurs primarily among people who are used to money but haven't got any; pre-money societies tend(ed) to do other things that often do not involve direct and immediate exchange.

Interestingly enough, I wasn't suggesting a barter-based economy. I was suggesting literally anything other than a standard medium of exchange. Conveniently open-ended, that, which encompasses those societies that you point out.

[Bartmanhomer]

Today I asked what's Bort favorite Pokemon and he told me that his favorite Pokemon is Dragonite.

[Anonymouswizard]

Please, everybody knows that Jeremy is a Bulbasaur fan.

[Bartmanhomer]

Please, everybody knows that Jeremy is a Bulbasaur fan.

Ok, I guess Jeremy/Bort must have lied to me about it. His family favorite Pokemon:

Tiamat: Giratina

Io: Arceus

Lendys: Keldio

Tamara: Blissey

Hlal: Mr. Time

Chronepsis: Obstagoon

Sardior: Mewtwo

Astilabor: Regice

Faluzure: Gengar

Garyx: Charizard

Aasterinian: Pikachu

[Anonymouswizard]

Ok, I guess Jeremy/Bort must have lied to me about it. His family favorite Pokemon:

Tiamat: Giratina

Io: Arceus

Lendys: Keldio

Tamara: Blissey

Hlal: Mr. Time

Chronepsis: Obstagoon

Sardior: Mewtwo

Astilabor: Regice

Faluzure: Gengar

Garyx: Charizard

Aasterinian: Pikachu

You sure you were actually talking to Jeremy, and not his twin brother Bahamort?

[Lacco]

You sure you were actually talking to Jeremy, and not his twin brother Bahamort?

I'd avoid mentioning Mort - his cousins Bahamart and Bahobort dislike his irresponsible approach to family and are very close to Jeremy. Mort has enough trouble as it is, don't bring him into this if you don't have to...

[Anonymouswizard]

I'd avoid mentioning Mort - his cousins Bahamart and Bahobort dislike his irresponsible approach to family and are very close to Jeremy. Mort has enough trouble as it is, don't bring him into this if you don't have to...

True, Bahamort the sodium dragon has never been the same since he left the god business and retired to his koi farm...

That was a messy for everybody, better not being it up.

[Bartmanhomer]

You sure you were actually talking to Jeremy, and not his twin brother Bahamort?

Wait he has a twin?