this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2026
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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
  3. No politics
    • 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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At no point in my lifetime has there not been war going on in the Middle East. Are we going to run out of boots or faces first I wonder? Or will it really just last forever?

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[–] ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip 7 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

It's amazing how so many people blatantly break the rules of this comm. I'd say it's most posters.

This breaks rules 2 and 3.

[–] AnarchoEngineer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

Rule 2 is that the shower thought must be contained in the title. The main shower thought is in the title. The extra text is an explanation of the thought.

Rule 3 is no politics, but a) everything is politics and b) the rule mentions that if one is making a potentially political post, they should avoid using political terms like “capitalism” and “communism.” I didn’t use those terms, and I didn’t explicitly state that certain actors are to blame or that they are better/worse than others. I think that satisfies the grey-area requirements of rule 3.

[–] ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Fair enough. I don't agree with a lot of what you said, but I also didn't report your post because it feels like maybe it lands in a grey area and perhaps my judgment on this is biased.

As for rule 2, I think the entire point of this rule is that there isn't a "main" shower thought separate from anything else. The title is the shower thought, and that's supposed to be the entire post. It seems like people break this rule constantly, but since it's mostly harmless they're allowed to do so. I just felt the need to say something.

This idea of "everything is political" is something I vehemently disagree with, and I think people who use this are frequently being disingenuous. They want to break the rules and this argument allows them to do so, and I've seen this argument used with blatantly political posts before (I'm not saying yours is blatantly political).

But I also think that sometimes current events are inherently political, or at least they are seen that way, and it seems absurd to stop people from talking about things that are happening in our world every day. I'm torn on this one.

I think people who use this are frequently being disingenuous.

I’ll agree with you there. I think it’s more of hyperbole than rigid truth that everything is political.

Saying “why do we bake cookies and cook bacon” is an example of a shower-thought I’d say is truly non-political. But I feel like thoughts on deeper topics like philosophy or the actions of society/cultures are going to be political in some way.

[–] AbsolutelyNotAVelociraptor@piefed.social 33 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

At no point in my lifetime has there not been war going on in the Middle East

And every time you look closely, there's a Burgerland president somehow involved. I wonder if there's anything we could do...

[–] DigitalAudio@sopuli.xyz 13 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

The situation is eerily similar to that of the Crusader States and the Latin Empire in surprise surprise the "Holy Land".

Not to mention those wars also came as a general result of prosperity and wealth in Christian kingdoms that fought and pushed back against the Islamic states.

Israel has a lot in common with the Latin Empire really. Fully supported by a foreign, far away power with strategic interests in the region.

[–] AnarchoEngineer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Not to be a downer, but if the US fell, do you really think there would no longer be oil or other interests in the Middle East? Do you think Israel would simply give up and actually keep a peace treaty just because the American government fell?

I doubt it. If the US were to collapse, the rich who survive would move to other countries, as would the majority of people involved in the military industrial complex. And Israel and others would simply end up buying the same tech from new countries.

Those who profit off the war would simply pay for weapons and propaganda from new nations; the demand would not fall and the supply would rise to meet it. The players might have different names, but I think the wars would go on just the same.

[–] AbsolutelyNotAVelociraptor@piefed.social 11 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Not to be a downer, but if the US fell, do you really think there would no longer be oil or other interests in the Middle East? Do you think Israel would simply give up and actually keep a peace treaty just because the American government fell?

Yes. I do. I think most people don't want a war that can reach their homes, and the reason why burgerlanders are not so worried about wars is because they always happen half a planet away from them.

And yeah, I absolutely believe that the new nazis of our world would be much more calm and collected and much less nazis if they didn't have the biggest military of the world backing every nazi thing they do as the good lap dogs they are.

[–] AnarchoEngineer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

I suppose I didn’t think about the distance, but in the past I don’t think that’s been much of an issue. WWII seems to be a good example of war literally right outside the countries involved. The isolation of the US actually seemed to discourage involvement rather than encourage it.

Now I’d imagine the immediate aftermath of the collapse would slow conflicts for a time. However, I think the collapse of the US would increase the already increasing desire for weapons production in Europe and with “defense companies” in the US dissolving, the manpower would head wherever there is pay for weapons. (Or it would stay in the US forming terrifying little weapons manufacturer feudalist states still making weapons for wars across the sea… I really shouldn’t give the universe any ideas…)

I also think the collapse of the US will fuel the already growing right wing movements in other countries as Nationalism and “protecting our country from the enemy” will become even stronger pathos in the wake of fear and insecurity caused by the upset in world order.

On your note of locality, Ive just had an interesting thought: Maybe the most effective way to end war in the east would be to have multiple simultaneous armed conflicts happen nearer to every nation. If you are dealing with a war on the home front, it is unlikely you’ll be willing to spend resources far away. And people who have seen the ravages of war first hand are probably not going to want to start new ones once the fighting finally stops. Kind of like forest fires doing less damage if they burn through a forest quickly, the world explodes with war and for once actually tires itself out.

[–] AbsolutelyNotAVelociraptor@piefed.social 7 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

WWII seems to be a good example of war literally right outside the countries involved.

We're not that generation of people. We are much less interested in war, and proof is how many people in Europe today don't want a war with Iran. It's not "just a few".

Now I’d imagine the immediate aftermath of the collapse would slow conflicts for a time. However, I think the collapse of the US would increase the already increasing desire for weapons production in Europe and with “defense companies” in the US dissolving, the manpower would head wherever there is pay for weapons. (Or it would stay in the US forming terrifying little weapons manufacturer feudalist states still making weapons for wars across the sea… I really shouldn’t give the universe any ideas…)

Europe only wants weapons because the world is becoming more violent since burgerland elected the pedofile.

I also think the collapse of the US will fuel the already growing right wing movements in other countries as Nationalism and “protecting our country from the enemy” will become even stronger pathos in the wake of fear and insecurity caused by the upset in world order.

Do you know who's been fueling and powering those right wing movements here? Yup, it's, again, something from burgerland: facebook, twitter... and now even tiktok. Getting rid of them would only do us good.

[–] AnarchoEngineer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 13 hours ago

Do you know who's been fueling and powering those right wing movements here? Yup, it's, again, something from burgerland: facebook, twitter... and now even tiktok. Getting rid of them would only do us good.

Actually iirc most of the right wing bots/mouthpieces exposed on twitter were not posting from the US. Now the people paying them might have been American or may desire to prop up parts of the American govt., but again, I doubt the interests behind that kind of propaganda will just disappear with the government. They’ll move to manipulating whatever country they can and keep going.

We're not that generation of people. We are much less interested in war, and proof is how many people in Europe today don't want a war with Iran. It's not "just a few".

Believe it or not the same can be said of “burgerland” There are unfortunately many people who supported Trump near me. Even those people do not want this war. Will they still enable it through inaction and apathy? Absolutely, but my guess is that applies to Europe just as much as it does to the US.

Europe only wants weapons because the world is becoming more violent since burgerland elected the pedofile.

And the collapse of the US will simply be painted as another sign or rising violence in the world.

Look I honestly hope you’re right, and I’m sorry to fight your optimism with my rather pessimistic view of humanity, but I don’t think the collapse of the US will be the miracle cure you hope for.

Regardless, in the event we do prevail, if revolution takes the US, remember it’ll be up to you and others in Europe to prevent the evils that escaped our grasp from taking root over there and starting the process all over again

Inshallah comrade

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I think we need to get The Grimmace to fight our wars. Nothing can kill the grimmace!

[–] etherphon@piefed.world 1 points 7 hours ago

They have been fighting over this land for thousands of years.... it's of religious importance to several major religions so there will most likely continue to be fighting until they just decide to wall it off and decide no one can have it lol.

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 5 points 14 hours ago

Ok, so basically it was being predicted that the future was going to suck, before I was even born. So it only made sense that my parents would want to have sex and create me. Because if the world is going to suck, then I should get to experience that, right?

So boomers, I want you to take note. This world sucking right now, has nothing to do with Millenials, ok? Even your generation knew the world was headed to fascism before we were ever born. This one's on you. And also most other stuff is on you as well. I mean seriously, you ruined TMNT:Secret of the ooze! The first TMNT movie was awesome! I'm 42, and legitimately thinking of rewatching it just for the character work. It was dark. It was gritty. But kids could still enjoy it. But adults could ALSO enjoy it.

Then you smooth brained knuckleheads got together and said the turtles can't use their weapons. The tone needs to be more cartoonish. There were so many restrictions that we didn't get anywhere near the same level of quality as the first movie. Somehow what we got was Vanilla Ice rapping in a warehouse for 15 minutes? Um.....what?

Yes I'm still mad about that. I told you 34 years ago it was stupid. You told me I'd understand when I'm older. Well, I'm older, and you're still in the wrong for that one, and I'm still mad. Oh, and don't even get me started on TMNT 3. What the fuck was THAT shit??? These are YOUR policies. You did this.

Now a boomer is in the white house, bombing the middle east. I bet when we get a millenial president, it'll be the most boring president ever, and we can all stop being stressed over what new hell we'll get to experience when we wake up in the morning.

Clinton was known for getting a blowjob. Bush was known for 9/11. Obama is known for Obamacare. Trump is going to be known as a pedophile. Biden is going to be known for......uh.......history is probably going to forget Biden existed. He didn't really DO anything. Which was nice, because the previous 4 years had been hell. Then we got Biden, and all was ok. And now we're back in hell, except now it's amplified.

I like boring politics.

Nothing lasts forever. Sure, you could see this as a continuation of Western imperialism (it is), which could be seen as a continuation of Roman imperialism (more debatable), but the Mongols were at it at some point too, and the Egyptians and the Akkadians (and those more knowledgeable than me can surely provide more examples) so idk, at least the villains and the geographical regions affected change over time, lol. Will we reach some "end of history" moment, where we're all sufficiently moral and humane not to engage in forced labour, murder and pillage for the sake of comfort and profits? Maybe, maybe we'll destroy ourselves, directly or indirectly (is our planet okay or at least okay-ish?!), before that happens. 🤷

I'm sorry, I meant to be more positive with my reply but this is what came out. 🥲

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Or will it really just last forever?

Donald Trump and Israel seem to be happy with this as an outcome. Israel needs america to fight the war on its behalf though.


I too was thinking about 1984 a lot since the iran conflict. Many read 1984 and ask "so when will it happen in our future?" as if it's a certainty rather than a possibility.

I would conjecture that we'll look back on the USA-israel hegemony (194? - 2026) as being our own little Oceania/Orwellian-era. I think the war with iran will be what quickly and ultimately collapses this status quo, which was already receding. We should probably be thankful that living under it wasn't as hellish as the book [1984] describes.

Though you can, honestly, take any part of that book and find events across the gloval american empire which plqyed-out exactly the same as in the book; the torture ( or, 'advanced interrogation') the thought-crimes, the mass-surveillance and the establishment of controlled opposition groups.

[–] DomeGuy@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

1984 is an anti-tyranny dystopia that has more bad readings than any other work I can think of.

The essential problem isn't new-speak, the five minute hate, constant war, one-party rule, rat-based psychotorture, or even ubiquitous surveillance. Rather, it's the abandonment of truth. It's not nearly so bad if Big Brother is Watching, except that Big Brother lies.

(And Orwell wasn't even inventing the danger out of whole cloth: both the German Nazi and Russian Communist tyrannies had well trod the path of internal propaganda and historical revisionism)

((AND you don't have to squint all that hard to argure that 1984's Britian was most plausibly a pariah state that didn't actually have any power beyond its aquatic border...))

Like nearly all science fiction, 1984 wasn't so much written about its future as it was written about the past.

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

I know. And yet all of that lines up with the modern "regime" we live in

[–] OriginEnergySux@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

M I S A N T H R O P Y

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 0 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

You are picking and choosing your predictions from 1984 though. The UK hasn't become airstrip one and ingsoc hasn't taken over. Newspeak is something we often bemoan when politicians speak but that's more of a critical shorthand than accusing them of actually talking in double plus ungood words. There is still a royal as the head of state and the capitalists hold the power. There is no room 101 in London (except for the TV show). We are more connected to the rest of the world and aware of the shit that's happening than in the 1940s.

Orwell may have been prescient in some areas but also wrong in others. It's a bit like Nostradamus. Add salt to both.

[–] AnarchoEngineer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

This wasnt meant to be “1984 was so right! Orwell is a prophet”

I just remembered that specific quote in the shower and realized it seems like it’s—the quote, not the book as a whole—already come true

[–] FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 2 points 11 hours ago

Thanks for the clarification. It sounded like an "Orwell was so right" post to me. My mistake.