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I used to be an active socialist, but it felt quite hopeless when protests are ignored and democracy scarcely exists (you just vote for the least bad option once every 5 years). Now I moved countries and can’t even vote so am much more apolitical. I also didn’t like the shift of those groups into identity politics, and often focussing on treating symptoms rather than the cause - e.g. the push in many places to decriminalise theft under ~$300 instead of actually ensuring people have jobs and opportunities, or unfair rent control rather than building more housing and dealing with the distribution of employment.
But in general I just want a functional, meritocratic society with easy opportunities for education, wide use of technology and as little bureaucracy as possible. No monarchy or religion, etc.
I also think there should be much stricter punishments for violent crime, and better use of technology to investigate it. Ideally everywhere would be like Singapore with almost no crime due to excellent enforcement, and also good provision of education, housing, etc. to make it less attractive overall.
I learnt Spanish like this. Mainly finishing Duolingo and downloading some textbooks and doing a few MOOC courses and listening to slow podcasts, and then watching basic movies.
Once I got to the point I could watch movies and TV, I would watch a movie almost every single day.
It’s a lot of work, but to get to the point of speaking and listening it is necessary.
It took about 2 years in total - and then I started a job working in Spanish.