this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2025
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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:

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  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
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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
  4. Posts must be original/unique
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[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 41 points 6 days ago (2 children)

At least using asbestos has some value. If we had not found alternatives we would still be using it. One reason measures were taken to improve safety in manufacturing rather than just banning from the get go was lack of alternatives. What im trying to say is pro-asbestos is not as coocoo crazy as anti vax and such.

[–] Rogue@feddit.uk 17 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

We do have alternatives to vaccines though:

You simply ban abortion and sex education which increases the birth rate and therefore it doesn't matter that a few babies die from preventable illnesses.

[–] themurphy@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 days ago

Damn, take my vote in any presidental election.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 13 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

It's still pretty bonkers to know something will kill you if you use it, and we just ignore all the science.

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 35 points 6 days ago (1 children)

That would be tobacco.

Asbestos is not dangerous when it is in a solid form and left alone, which is the vast majority of the use cases. It becomes dangerous when it is damaged, since that lets the fibers into the air. That is why in residential areas we leave it alone, but if it needs to be removed then hazmat type safety equipment is required. We leave it alone, which is the normal use, because removing it is the unsafe situation.

Asbestos should be banned for anything other than extremely well regulated industrial situations that may need it like any other hazardous material.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 9 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Water will kill you if you don't use it with care, but everybody older than a baby uses it despite clear science on how deadly it is.

The relevant question is can we mitigate risk enough.

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Risks and benefits. There are very few severe adverse reactions to vaccines. Yet some will die after receiving one. Do we now allow infectious disease to kill and maim instead? No, we weigh the risks.

If we can get the same benefit with lower risks, like asbestos replacements, we do that. Still better than dying in a fire, though.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 6 points 6 days ago

yeah exactly what I was getting at. While we did not have good alternatives we kept allowing its use with regulation to make it as safe as possible but then as alternatives became available its usage was increasingly curtailed which is why it took so long to ban. Although just in time since I would not be surprised if todays health agencies recommended adding it to breakfast cereals.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

100% of people who have come into contact with water will die.