I agree. There is an added layer of depersonalization, but it's still real life, just like driving in traffic. The same people who would be courteous in person could be cutting you off and being freely offensive on the road. The interactions are no less real, maybe even more real than some situations that prescribe some distancing, like a job interview or talking to a coworker, depending on how close you are.

Yes and no. It was.

Yes: stay away and do not join. Seek real progress and learning outside of avoidance, superstition, and bias.

Sincerely,

an adult on an ongoing journey to deconstruct different traumas from being raised in said high-demand cult.

(Also, I can confirm the promise of a planet was canon, and infinitely more than just a single planet. But they recently decided to downplay that part of the doctrine, and some members now deny that there was ever a promise of achieving godhood. The cult always has a justification, and most members are more than satisfied with mental gymnastics.)

HONK

And which distro would you pick with confidence? (Legitimately asking, I don't know which one I'd pick)

I haven't had trouble swallowing pills, so I don't how helpful this is, but it's something that still made it easier for me: I used to try to swallow the pill by just pushing it with water on an initially empty throat. Once I started swallowing the water first, then letting the pill ride between gulps in the stream's momentum, it became more comfortable and automatic.

I second the curiosity. What would it look like? Sudden crouching? Paralyzing indecision?

I have been having the same issue tonight, glad to know I'm not the only one.

That's the next level of what turned me away from Spotify the very first time I used it years ago. Their ads would pause if you muted the audio or even lowered the volume too close to muted. Sure, I could take off my headphones, but it was a matter of principle at that point.

Objectively, I fully believe what you said. I just wish I could subjectively accept it in my heart as well and no longer feel worry about what others think.

Admittedly, there is value in being aware of social expectations and its nuances. What I want is to find out how to have the sensibility without the anxiety.