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-rw-r--r--content/about.md8
-rw-r--r--content/entry/dont-overthink-it.md62
-rw-r--r--content/entry/loop-earplugs-review.md29
-rw-r--r--content/entry/on-personal-cybersecurity.md1
-rw-r--r--content/entry/on-the-term-low-functioning-autism.md2
-rw-r--r--content/entry/presumptuous-neurotypicals.md27
-rw-r--r--content/entry/snow-white-syndrome-the-autism-version.md107
-rw-r--r--content/entry/stop-platforming-jordan-peterson.md16
-rw-r--r--content/entry/thank-you-destiny-for-exposing-maga.md2
-rw-r--r--content/entry/why-i-timestamped-my-journal.md4
10 files changed, 247 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/content/about.md b/content/about.md
index 72d385d..59af9de 100644
--- a/content/about.md
+++ b/content/about.md
@@ -9,14 +9,10 @@ _build:
---
## Contact Info
-If you have questions or comments about anything related to this journal, contact me over SimpleX. It's private and secure.
+If you have questions or comments about anything related to this journal, or proposed patches to my Git repositories, contact me over SimpleX. It's private and secure.
[:speech_balloon: SimpleX](simplex:/contact#/?v=2-7&smp=smp%3A%2F%2F6EwfYlug2qIm7KYA3gcBHvQGFeUycERcma3IduapK6o%3D%40smp.nicholasjohnson.ch%2FO5isf6iqZ_eRChuVqfqkGbiJy0IvDvPz%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-3%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEA0lEMm1n_WPUOjkkeuSnmn2by8Zs7mFe1pJOmyaqiJgM%253D%26srv%3Dnicholase6bxecz4c3o6kstvpujj7jx6qlihnivlhovzh3ehs6tum6ad.onion)
-For patches or proposed changes to my Git repositories, email me. If you email me about anything else, I won't respond.
-
-[:email: E-mail](mailto:mail@nicholasjohnson.ch)
-
## Signing Key
@@ -80,5 +76,5 @@ To provide some assurance that I don't use AI tools to write this journal, I tim
```sh
git clone --recursive https://git.nicholasjohnson.ch/journal
-ots verify -d "$(git -C journal show-ref --hash signify-signature-10)" journal/static/static/timestamp-2.ots
+ots verify -d "$(git -C journal show-ref --hash archive/signify-signature-10)" journal/static/static/timestamp-2.ots
```
diff --git a/content/entry/dont-overthink-it.md b/content/entry/dont-overthink-it.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57b0491
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/entry/dont-overthink-it.md
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+---
+title: "Don't Overthink It"
+date: 2025-04-26T00:00:00Z
+tags: ['autism']
+draft: false
+---
+Many of us autistics have a habit of overthinking things. When I say overthinking, I'm referring to using thinking as a *substitute* for other things like socializing, feeling, and taking action.
+
+
+## Socializing
+
+For example, I used to avoid asking questions. Instead, I'd try to figure everything out on my own. If I didn't understand some part of a lecture, I wouldn't raise my hand in class or ask my study group. I'd go back and read the textbook, or research it by myself. If I didn't understand how to do a work task, I'd try to deduce it instead of asking my boss or coworkers.
+
+I think it was partly a masking thing. Sometimes when I ask questions, people tell me nobody else has ever asked them that. Also, I sometimes ask very basic questions whose answers are obvious to neurotypicals from context that I don't pick up on. So to not stand out, I used to avoid asking questions.
+
+Another part was social. Sometimes the person I'm talking to either doesn't have the answer or doesn't understand *why* I'm asking. If they don't know the answer, it can make them feel bad, which isn't my goal. And when they don't understand *why* I'm asking, they provide me with what they think I want to know rather than what I asked for literally.
+
+Despite that, I still regret not asking more questions when I was younger. The best way to get better at asking questions is to ask lots of questions, and realize that it's not always that you asked a bad question. Sometimes the other person's reaction has more to do with them than your question or the way you asked it. So don't do what I did and waste lots of time trying to piece things together on your own when you can just ask.
+
+There are times to use your problem-solving skills to figure something out, and there are times to use your social resources instead. Relying too much on either one isn't good. When you overrely on socialization, it can get annoying and waste other people's time. When you rely too heavily on problem-solving, you're not making an efficient use of your limited time and cognitive resources. The way you find that balance is not by thinking about it, but by asking questions.
+
+
+## Feeling
+
+Another example is using your problem-solving skills as a substitute for feeling. This is related to [alexithymia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexithymia "Alexithymia"), a phenomenon characterized by difficulties in noticing, sourcing, and expressing emotions. It co-occurs with autism at a higher rate than in the general population, but it's also not uncommon in the general population. To give you a better idea about it, I wrote a few statements that might describe an alexithymic:
+
+* I don't know what I feel
+* I can't explain how I feel
+* I get happy/sad/angry/[generic emotion] without knowing why
+* I (don't) like it when... (using "like" instead of an emotion word)
+
+Alexithymics might do something like create a pros and cons list, assigning points to each item, and calculating the total to decide whether to be with someone *instead of* feeling out the relationship. It's turning an emotional matter into a logical analysis. Another way to think of it is literally using the logical brain for a situation that calls for the emotional brain—you're *thinking* when you should be *feeling*.
+
+Regardless, the reason it's so bad to use the thinking mind instead of the feeling mind is that you never actually process your emotions. They're suppressed, which leads to health problems, directionlessness, and an inability to account for your own actions. E.g:
+
+* I woke up angry. It must be because my roommate didn't do the dishes yesterday
+
+You're not *recalling* what made you angry. You're *deducing* it post hoc, because you don't actually know. Your logical brain and emotional brain aren't communicating properly, so the logical brain fills in the blank the only way it knows how.
+
+This can lead to serious consequences for your relationships. Since you can't identify your feelings or motivations, all you can offer others to account for your behavior are post hoc rationalizations (i.e. guessing). When these guesses contradict each other, or they don't seem to line up with the other things you do, you appear unpredictable and untrustworthy.
+
+Lack of trust quickly erodes relationships. So if I just described you, taking steps to become more familiar with your emotions should be a top priority.
+
+
+## Taking Action
+
+The last example I want to cover is when people sit around overanalyzing a situation and making no progress. This is called [analysis paralysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analysis_paralysis "Analysis Paralysis") and I have a good story for this one:
+
+I once met an older autistic man online who, judging by his career history and how good he was at strategy games, certainly had some impressive skills. But he had been out of work for a very long time and was struggling to find employment. What was he doing about that?
+
+Well, he created a very detailed requirements list of what he wanted out of a job. He took into account factors that he thought were preventing him from getting a job. He shared his thoughts on the job hunt process. He talked about potential mental blocks he was facing and the therapies available to overcome them. He received feedback from others, and came up with reasons that the feedback either wouldn't work or didn't apply to him.
+
+In short, he was stuck in analysis paralysis. He was wasting tons of energy *thinking* about how to get his dream job. Now in my experience, it can be useful to take a step back and reconsider the strategy you're using to find a job. What isn't a good use of your time though is spending *all day* considering and reconsidering your options as a substitute for actually doing something.
+
+What became clear to me was that this guy needed to *stop thinking* and *start doing*. Even if you start with a really ineffective strategy for getting a job, you can iterate on it to improve your chances over time. You can apply with different versions of your résumé. You can apply for different positions. You can gain experience interning for a non-profit project. Getting firsthand experience by doing, even if it takes you a long time to refine the process, is more valuable than just aimlessly second-guessing yourself over and over.
+
+
+## Conclusion
+
+It's important to point out that non-autistic people also suffer from overthinking. Personally though, I've seen it way more in autistics. It's something I can speak to because I've personally battled against it. People still tell me all the time that I overthink, and I know they're not wrong. I just don't always notice when I'm doing it.
+
+So if you know someone who's autistic, or who tends to overthink things, please share this with them. If my experiences with it help even one person, this entry will have been worth it in my book.
diff --git a/content/entry/loop-earplugs-review.md b/content/entry/loop-earplugs-review.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8693606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/entry/loop-earplugs-review.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+---
+title: "Loop Earplugs Review"
+date: 2025-06-04T00:00:01Z
+tags: ['autism']
+draft: false
+---
+**Note:** This review is not sponsored. I'm writing it because I liked the product.
+
+About a year or so ago, I ordered [Loop earplugs](https://www.loopearplugs.com/ "Loop Earplugs") for my noise sensitivity. I was happy that I could finally stop using the bulky noise-cancelling headphones I was using that stood out like a sore thumb in public, easily fell off when I bent over, took up a lot of space when transporting them, and made my ears ache and sweat.
+
+The first model I ordered was the original Loop Switch, which permitted three different volume options by rotating a sliding plastic piece in the earplugs. It was a neat feature. I didn't even have to take them out to change the volume setting. Sadly it came at the cost of being able to wear them for more than a few hours and thoroughly clean them. Due to discomfort from the hard plastic, they couldn't be left in for long. And only the tips were able to be washed, not the plastic part.
+
+So I changed them for the [Loop Quiet 2 Plus](https://www.loopearplugs.com/products/quiet-plus "Loop Quiet 2 Plus Earplugs") earplugs, which only have a single fixed noise setting, but are easy to clean and don't make my ears ache even after wearing them for hours. If you're considering buying a pair of Loop earplugs, get the pure silicon models, not the Loop switch.
+
+In both models, the package itself came with all different sizes of silicone ear tips. It took some trial and error to figure out which size best fit me. I had an issue where they kept falling out because I was using a size that was too large. Also, I initially didn't know how to properly insert them, so I wasn't getting a seal and the insertion was creating uncomfortable pressure inside my ear canal. So if you buy a pair, take the time to test out which size is right for you, and practice inserting them properly so you avoid these issues.
+
+The [Loop case](https://www.loopearplugs.com/products/carry-case-black "Loop Carry Case") was compact and easy to carry around in my pocket and put on a keychain. The interior of the case was shaped to secure the earplugs, so they didn't fall out when I opened it, which was a nice detail.
+
+I can't comment on the [Loop Link](https://www.loopearplugs.com/products/link "Loop Link") accessory since I didn't get one. It's a device that you wear like a necklace, and it holds your Loop earplugs. Perhaps I will someday get one since it allows for quick and easy removal and insertion of the earplugs, but I find the carrying case quite convenient already anyways.
+
+I'm happy with the volume option I chose (Quiet, 24 dB). I live in Mexico, a noisy country, and a higher volume option would've been insufficient. At this volume, I'm able to navigate around in the city without becoming overwhelmed by the ambient noise, while also hearing enough to be able to hold conversations. Sometimes I miss what people say, but asking them to repeat themselves louder is better than suffering from the surrounding noise.
+
+For acute loud noise, such as a neighbor's dog barking as I walk past or a trailer truck passing by, the earplugs work great. But there are certain situations I face where they don't help, like with continuous moderate noise. Here in Mexico, it's not unusual to hear music being blasted outside for hours at a time. It's not very loud if you're indoors, so the volume isn't the issue. It just makes it hard for me to focus since I can't tune out noise. For that, I may invest in the [Loop Dream](https://www.loopearplugs.com/products/dream "Loop Dream Earplugs"), which has more noise reduction than the Quiet model.
+
+The price of the Loop earplugs seems reasonable for what you're given. I base this on the quality of the product and cost comparisons I've done with other noise-cancelling earplug brands.
+
+Overall, I'm a satisfied customer. The Loop earplugs have significantly improved my quality of life here in noisy Mexico. They've enabled me to go out and do things I otherwise wouldn't have been able to do. For instance, sometimes the movie theater sound is overwhelmingly loud without earplugs, and wearing headphones the whole time is too uncomfortable. They've also made regular tasks easier, such as going out to buy groceries. I've been able to use them in situations where using big, bulky headphones just wasn't feasible.
+
+In conclusion, I would recommend Loop earplugs to anybody else who has noise sensitivity and has been managing using headphones like I was. My only regret is not having discovered these earplugs years earlier.
diff --git a/content/entry/on-personal-cybersecurity.md b/content/entry/on-personal-cybersecurity.md
index 2f8a027..a07b58e 100644
--- a/content/entry/on-personal-cybersecurity.md
+++ b/content/entry/on-personal-cybersecurity.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
---
title: "On Personal Cybersecurity"
date: 2025-04-05T00:00:01Z
+tags: ['computing']
draft: false
---
I think the recent [US government Signal chat leak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_government_group_chat_leak "United States government group chat leak") creates a good opportunity to talk about personal cybersecurity and offer a few high-level tips.
diff --git a/content/entry/on-the-term-low-functioning-autism.md b/content/entry/on-the-term-low-functioning-autism.md
index dce87f2..935cc56 100644
--- a/content/entry/on-the-term-low-functioning-autism.md
+++ b/content/entry/on-the-term-low-functioning-autism.md
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
---
-title: "On the Term \"Low Functioning Autism\""
+title: "On the Term \"Low-Functioning Autism\""
date: 2023-01-31T00:00:02
tags: ['autism']
draft: false
diff --git a/content/entry/presumptuous-neurotypicals.md b/content/entry/presumptuous-neurotypicals.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b05b5b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/entry/presumptuous-neurotypicals.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+title: "Presumptuous Neurotypicals"
+date: 2025-05-13T00:00:00Z
+tags: ['autism']
+draft: false
+---
+When I was younger, people scolded me probably hundreds of times for "not paying enough attention". No matter how hard I tried to pay attention though, it didn't help. When I told them it wasn't helping, they still kept insisting that I wasn't paying enough attention anyways.
+
+Eventually, I got to the bottom of my "attention" problem. Surprise surprise, it had nothing to do with a lack of attention. I found out that I'm autistic, and other factors were at play.
+
+One of which was an overwhelming environment. I was unable to keep my attention narrowly focused on what I needed to focus on because my brain can't filter out distractions as easily as neurotypical brains can. What I needed was a calmer, quieter environment with fewer people. No one ever suggested that a change in environment was part of the solution though.
+
+Another was people communicating too quickly. There are certain situations where I don't process new information as quickly as most people, so I need to ask them to repeat things more slowly, or write them down for me. No one ever suggested that was the answer either.
+
+And being told to pay more attention is but a single example of people who didn't even have a solid grasp of the problem blaming me when their solution didn't work. I've been assigned so many [harmful, innacurate labels](/2025/02/14/labels/ "Journal Entry: Labels") by cocksure neurotypicals who thought they knew what my problem was.
+
+For example, they told me I was dramatic when reacting to loud noises. Considering they couldn't climb inside my head and see what noise is like for me, the only basis I see for them to have concluded that I was being dramatic is the fallacious assumption that I am like them. It's incredibly frustrating when someone who doesn't have autistic noise sensitivity and hasn't done any research on the topic prescribes an overly simplistic solution for it, and then blames you when it inevitably fails.
+
+And I think this is a common problem us neurodivergents face. Tourette syndrome? "You're just undisciplined. Try harder to control it." Autism? "You're just antisocial." OCD? "Just don't think about it." A lot of it just comes down to ignorance about mental health. People either don't recognize you're different than them, they explain it away because they're in denial, or they watch one documentary and think they know it all. My wife has known me for over ten years and she still learns new things about my autism.
+
+So neurotypicals, please have some humility. Some of us have autism, alexithymia, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, sociopathy, or some other deviation from the neurological average. You may think you know what we're going through, but you don't. And you definitely won't fix our unique problems with a soundbite.
+
+In my own life, the effective strategies I've learned for coping with autism (more like coping with non-autistic society) have either come from experience, my own research, or another autistic person like myself. Perhaps my memory fails me, but I don't recall a single time when a neurotypical suggested how to deal with an autism-related challenge I was having, and it worked for me.
+
+I'm not trying to say that you neurotypicals should never give neurodivergents advice. More like you should recognize that you don't have all the answers. Remember that others face challenges that you don't. They may require unusual or uncommon strategies for overcoming even common challenges. Recognize that not everyone is like you, things are not always what they seem on the surface, and it's not others' fault if some generic piece of advice doesn't work for them, *even if they don't have a diagnosable condition*.
+
+Finally, if you found this entry insightful, you may also enjoy my other entry "[How to Help an Autistic Person](/2023/02/02/how-to-help-an-autistic-person/ "Journal Entry: How to Help an Autistic Person")". I know the title says it's for autistic people, but I think the advice generalizes to neurodivergents and people with disabilities as well.
diff --git a/content/entry/snow-white-syndrome-the-autism-version.md b/content/entry/snow-white-syndrome-the-autism-version.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0cfb09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/entry/snow-white-syndrome-the-autism-version.md
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+---
+title: "Snow White Syndrome, The Autism Version"
+date: 2025-04-26T00:00:01Z
+tags: ['autism']
+draft: false
+---
+## Introduction
+
+This journal entry is supplements a previous entry I wrote titled "[Why Autistic People Are Targets of Manipulation and How to Avoid Becoming a Victim](/2022/06/07/why-autistic-people-are-targets-of-manipulation-and-how-to-avoid-becoming-a-victim/ "Journal Entry: Why Autistic People Are Targets of Manipulation and How to Avoid Becoming a Victim")". In it, I wrote about a common autistic trait that makes us vulnerable to manipulation. First, I'll explore that trait and its consequences more deeply, then I'll share some advice for autistics on how to avoid being manipulated.
+
+Please keep in mind that my writing in this entry comes from my own personal experience as a [low-support-needs](/2023/01/31/on-the-term-high-functioning-autism/ "Journal Entry: On the Term 'High-Functioning Autism'") autistic person. Other autistic people may have different experiences.
+
+With that out of the way, let's move on to the meat and potatoes of this entry.
+
+
+## Analysis
+
+
+Here's the quote from the previous entry I mentioned that explains what this autistic trait is:
+
+> "[...] we tend to assume other people are always telling the truth. [...]
+>
+> I think the reason for this is due to a cognitive bias everybody has: we tacitly presume others are like us, that they do what they do for the reasons we would do them.
+>
+> So us autistic people assume everybody is straightforward and rarely lies. The problem with that is first, the average person communicates mostly via body language and doesn't say exactly what's on their mind. And second, the average person frequently lies."
+
+In my own life, I've had people tell me insane fabrications just to mess with me or see what they could get me to believe. I've also had manipulators tell me obvious lies in furtherance of their malicious goals. And all too often, I fell for it.
+
+I call this phenomenon of autistic people believing whatever we're told "Snow White Syndrome" because many of us autistics are like Snow White—innocent, naïve, and assuming that everybody has good intentions. Thus, like Snow White, we're also exceptionally vulnerable to deception.
+
+As a side note, there's already a condition called Snow White Syndrome, which is why this entry clarifies by appending "The Autism Version" in the title.
+
+
+### Underestimating Autistics
+
+Now despite what I just said about autistic people being like Snow White, I don't think we're quite as naïve as non-autistics suppose, especially those of us like myself with low-support-needs autism. In fact, I think non-autistics underestimate our social understanding because they're so bad at reading us. They think our unusual gaze or lack of reaction means we don't know what's going on. They think we don't know when we're being made fun of even when we do. They think they're getting away with lying to us even when we're not buying it.
+
+
+### Backfire
+
+Another observation I've made coming from my own personal experience is that those who do manage to deceive me in an attempt to gain an advantage for themselves very rarely achieve the results they're hoping for in the end. I'll attempt to explain why I think this is using the plot of [Atypical](https://libremdb.iket.me/title/tt6315640 "TV Series: Atypical"), a comedy-drama following the life of Sam, an autistic teenager.
+
+In Season 2 Episode 5, Arlo, a school bully, suggests that Sam donate $700 to a party at Arlo's house. Arlo, knowing that Sam loves penguins, offers to let Sam watch the penguin egg hatching on Arlo's home theater system at the party as a ploy. Sam falls for it and gives Arlo the $700. Then Sam tells his mom Elsa about the party because he doesn't realize it's a secret. Elsa then tells Arlo's mom about the party, and Arlo's party is spoiled. In anger, Arlo smashes Sam's phone at school while Sam is watching the penguin egg hatching, then pushes Sam down to the ground. Another student lends Sam her phone to watch the penguin egg hatching. Later, Sam's parents visit Arlo's parents, and Arlo's parents return the $700 with a new phone for Sam.
+
+So in the end, Arlo not only didn't achieve his goal, but also ended up ruining his party and costing his parents money. I think this is a good portrayal of what can happen when non-autistic people try to take advantage of autistic people for personal gain.
+
+It could be that people just overestimate the chance of a favorable outcome when tricking someone in general. But what if tricking autistic people actually has a *greater* chance of backfiring than tricking non-autistic people? To be clear, I don't have any hard evidence that this is the case. It's just a hypothesis, but allow me to explain why I think it *might* be the case.
+
+If you're not aware of the [double-empathy problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_empathy_problem "Double-empathy problem"), it posits that the struggle of autistics to understand and empathize with non-autistics isn't always an inherent deficit of ours, but rather stems from *bidirectional* differences in experiences between neurotypes. I.e, non-autistics *also* struggle to understand and empathize with us.
+
+Therefore non-autistics' attempts to trick autistics for their own gain often fail to take into account *how we're different from them*. Think about it. If the person you're trying to trick doesn't share your motivations, has different emotional reactions to situations, perceives the world in a different way, has a different brain structure than you, then why would you expect that deceiving them would result in a predictable outcome that's favorable to you? What if, like with what happened in Atypical, we act on the information you give us in ways you didn't anticipate?
+
+For me, even when their only goal was to provoke, my reaction never satisfied them. We don't necessarily react in ways that non-autistics recognize. Many people with bad intentions have made themselves extremely frustrated, almost to the point of madness, trying to get a rise out of me.
+
+
+### Summary
+
+Summarizing my analysis of Snow White Syndrome, The Autism Version, we autistics *can* be overly naïve and trusting, *but* non-autistics overestimate their ability to trick us and, I believe, underestimate the chances of their schemes backfiring.
+
+
+## How Not to Be Snow White
+
+So now that I've discussed Snow White Syndrome and explored how it plays out, at least based on my experience, I want to talk about what we autistics can do to prevent it from being exploited in the first place. This is important too because, although it often backfires for the person trying to exploit us, the consequences of their attempts can be ruinous for our lives.
+
+
+### Talk is Cheap
+
+My first tip is to recognize that people can *say* anything. For all you know, this entire blog could be bullshit. It could be AI-generated. Maybe my name isn't even Nicholas. Maybe this is a copy of someone else's blog. It's not, but are you going to confirm that?
+
+We tend to assume people are being truthful unless we have a reason to suspect they're lying. This basic assumption holds society together, but it's problematic at the same time, because we know that **people lie a lot**. So take that as your new mantra, and repeat it to yourself until it sinks in:
+
+People lie a lot.
+
+People lie a lot.
+
+People lie a lot.
+
+
+### Context is Expensive
+
+Another thing to pay attention to is context. I can't emphasize this enough. We autistics have such a myopic focus on **content** that we completely forget about **context**. *Content* is always intentional, which means it's the most likely way people will try to deceive you. *Context* is usually unintentional because it takes more mental effort to fabricate.
+
+Talk is cheap, but masking one's tone of voice, speech patterns, posture, mood, *when* one wants to say something, etc, especially over a long period of time, is very expensive. It takes a lot of cognitive resources to keep up an elaborate act, so you're less likely to be fooled if you focus on the overall context in which someone says something rather than just the content of what they're saying.
+
+
+### "Vaccinate" Yourself
+
+I have one final strategy to avoid your Snow White Syndrome being exploited that I'd like to share in this entry. It might seem a bit unusual, but it's based on my own personal experience from enduring years of bullying, deceit, manipulation, and fake friends. The fact that I had to learn how to resist this the hard way had big negative impacts on my well being. *No one* should have to go through that, which is why I'm sharing this tip. I'll introduce it by means of analogy.
+
+Vaccines expose you to a weakened version of a pathogen that triggers an immune response. That way, if you come into contact with the real thing, your immune system will recognize it and be prepared to fight it off. You don't want your immune system to fight off the real virus first, because it may not figure out how to fight back in time.
+
+Likewise, you don't want your first encounter with malicious behavior to be with a highly manipulative person, because they can wreak havoc on your life. Ideally, you want to inoculate yourself against being taken advantage of *before* it happens. That means learning to recognize toxic and manipulative behaviors, and effective ways to respond to them, before you encounter them in the wild. Neurotypicals pick up on things more through socialization, but we autistics don't always. For us, it can be better to *explicitly* learn it.
+
+I'm not going to cover all that information here, because I'd be here all day. There are just too many ways people can fool others. But there are plenty of free online resources that cover how to recognize it, and how to fight back. Take advantage of those resources.
+
+Autistic people are seen as easy targets (regardless of whether we are or not) and it's frequently the very people we trust, like "friends" and family, who are taking advantage. That's why it's so critical to at least be aware of the telltale signs someone is being deceitful or manipulative.
+
+
+## Conclusion
+
+To round off this entry, I just want to make a few comments.
+
+Manipulation is everywhere, not just in certain places. Autistic people can be just as manipulative as non-autistics. Someone who is mostly honest may be deceitful in certain situations or with certain people. Manipulative people can be very popular and charming. Deceit can take place inside trusting relationships too. You may be the manipulator in a relationship and not even realize you're doing it.
+
+Also, don't think you're above being tricked. None of us are. While we're not all equally vulnerable to it, all of us are vulnerable to *some* form of manipulation.
+
+Don't let that make you paranoid. My goal in this entry isn't to make anybody worry excessively, but rather to educate and prepare you so that you don't have to learn things the hard way, as I did.
diff --git a/content/entry/stop-platforming-jordan-peterson.md b/content/entry/stop-platforming-jordan-peterson.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da22695
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/entry/stop-platforming-jordan-peterson.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: "Stop Platforming Jordan Peterson"
+date: 2025-06-04T00:00:00Z
+draft: false
+---
+I've already said everything I can say about Jordan Peterson's rhetoric in my entry "[Re: Dr. Pordan Jeterson: Answering the Toughest Question of All](/2023/09/06/re-dr-pordan-jeterson-answering-the-toughest-question-of-all/ "Journal Entry: Re: Dr. Pordan Jeterson: Answering the Toughest Question of All")". I think his most recent debate featuring [himself versus 20 atheists](https://yewtu.be/embed/Pwk5MPE_6zE?local=true "Jordan Peterson vs 20 Atheists | Surrounded") did a good job of demonstrating exactly the problem with his rhetoric that I mentioned before. I watched probably ninety percent of it. It was exasperating, as expected, and felt like a waste of time. Clearly his nonsense hasn't evolved any since my last entry, so I'd say my prior assessment of him still stands.
+
+The only thing I would change about it is the following part:
+
+> "...I don’t believe he creates word salads on purpose. He seems to genuinely think he’s making sense when he just isn't."
+
+Given all the conservative loonies he platforms on his own YouTube channel, I'm not so confident anymore that he isn't just a grifter. I'd be surprised if his non-answering of direct questions and tactics of muddying the waters aren't at least partially motivated by his goal to maintain his conservative audience.
+
+Regardless, I think this recent debate should serve as a reminder for why nobody should ever again waste their time debating or boosting the reach of this obfuscation artist. There's simply nothing left to be gained from giving him more attention. As such, I probably won't dedicate any more journal entries exclusively to him unless something changes.
+
+Finally, if you're looking for a laugh, take a look at DarkMatter2525's new relevant animation "[Jordan Peterson Goes to Hell](https://yewtu.be/embed/AXwbXcyuMgs?local=true "Jordan Peterson Goes to Hell")".
diff --git a/content/entry/thank-you-destiny-for-exposing-maga.md b/content/entry/thank-you-destiny-for-exposing-maga.md
index badc213..2399c33 100644
--- a/content/entry/thank-you-destiny-for-exposing-maga.md
+++ b/content/entry/thank-you-destiny-for-exposing-maga.md
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ Before I talk about internet streamer Destiny's work, I just want to make clear
## Destiny's Work
-Edit (15-02-2025): Destiny's videos covering MAGA have been very valuable, but due to credible allegations against him which I became aware of after posting this, I must clarify that I don't endorse his online community, I recommend against funding him at this point, and I don't think he's someone to look up to as an exemplar of ethical behavior. Don't make [heroes](/2023/08/22/never-meet-your-heroes/ "Journal Entry: Never Meet Your Heroes") out of people folks.
-
Steven Kenneth Bonnell II, online alias Destiny, has worked tirelessly [exposing MAGA](https://yewtu.be/channel/UC554eY5jNUfDq3yDOJYirOQ?dark_mode=true "Destiny's YouTube Channel") as the dangerous cult it is by debating Trump supporters and disseminating factual information about January 6th and election issues. Thank you Steven!
What I think Destiny has revealed in his recent debates is that **the bottom line for MAGA supporters is that they want Trump crowned king**. They (speaking in general) actually want the United States to become an authoritarian dictatorship under Trump's rule. They don't believe in democracy. They don't care how many crimes Trump commits or how brazenly he commits them. There's absolutely nothing he could do to lose their vote. According to them, all information that casts Trump in a bad light is part of the global media conspiracy against him. They're completely divorced from reality, with many believing in the craziest of conspiracy theories. They don't care about facts or evidence. As Destiny said, they live in "an epistemological echo chamber".
diff --git a/content/entry/why-i-timestamped-my-journal.md b/content/entry/why-i-timestamped-my-journal.md
index de31e47..9304fca 100644
--- a/content/entry/why-i-timestamped-my-journal.md
+++ b/content/entry/why-i-timestamped-my-journal.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Commands:
```sh
git clone --recursive https://git.nicholasjohnson.ch/journal
-ots verify -d "$(git -C journal show-ref --hash signify-signature-10)" journal/static/static/timestamp-2.ots
+ots verify -d "$(git -C journal show-ref --hash archive/signify-signature-10)" journal/static/static/timestamp-2.ots
```
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ Timestamp chaining could perhaps provide stronger assurance of the legitimacy of
But one good idea contained in that entry was to restamp this journal's Git repo to future-proof its timestamp. The old timestamp was performed on the old repo which used the broken SHA-1 hashing algorithm. Since then, I converted the repo to the new SHA-2 object format and SHA-2 support in Git has been stabilized. So everything I needed to create a new, stronger timestamp was present. Well, almost everything.
-The only issue I ran into was that the OpenTimestamps software does not have sufficient [Git integration](https://github.com/opentimestamps/opentimestamps-client/blob/master/doc/git-integration.md "OpenTimestamps Git Integration") to embed timestamps within Git objects in SHA-2 repos like it can for SHA-1 repos. So I just timestamped [the most recent tag](https://git.nicholasjohnson.ch/journal/tag/?h=signify-signature-10 "Most Recent Tag of Journal Repo") manually, creating a fully separate [.ots proof file](/static/timestamp-2.ots "Timestamp Proof File") which is verified without using OpenTimestamps' GnuPG wrapper.
+The only issue I ran into was that the OpenTimestamps software does not have sufficient [Git integration](https://github.com/opentimestamps/opentimestamps-client/blob/master/doc/git-integration.md "OpenTimestamps Git Integration") to embed timestamps within Git objects in SHA-2 repos like it can for SHA-1 repos. So I just timestamped [the most recent tag](https://git.nicholasjohnson.ch/journal/tag/?h=archive/signify-signature-10 "Most Recent Tag of Journal Repo") manually, creating a fully separate [.ots proof file](/static/timestamp-2.ots "Timestamp Proof File") which is verified without using OpenTimestamps' GnuPG wrapper.
Hopefully the new timestamp lasts. If not, both [Software Heritage](https://archive.softwareheritage.org/browse/origin/directory/?origin_url=https://git.nicholasjohnson.ch/journal "Journal Repo on Software Heritage") and [Archive.org](https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://nicholasjohnson.ch/ "Journal on Archive.org") have centralized timestamps of this journal as fallbacks.