xkcd

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 27 points 5 months ago (7 children)

The average person probably can't tell you which way is west without looking at their phone, or point to where the Sun probably is during the day if it's cloudy.

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[–] homes@piefed.world 11 points 5 months ago* (4 children)

Do you really need to check your phone to notice which tables in the cafeteria are gonna get covered in sun while you’re sitting there?

You can usually notice a bit of a shift while you’re standing in line to get your food. It’s not rocket surgery.

I went to high school in the 90s, and that’s how I figured it out, and I didn’t mean to check any sources. I just looked when I walked in, looked when I got in line, and looked when I got out of line. Three points of reference, I noticed the shift, and I could figure out what table to sit at. Easy.

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 17 points 5 months ago (1 child)

You're just one of the ones who understands things more, and is confused that other people don't. It's okay though, as we can always invoke another well known XKCD and treat someone who doesn't get it as one of the ten thousand. Don't make fun of them, educate them.

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[–] homes@piefed.world 6 points 5 months ago*

I love that 10,000 comic. It’s one of my favorite.

“Don’t be an arrogant ass. Be an educator!”

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[–] arctanthrope@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago (1 child)

if the line at a cafe is long enough that the position of the sun will have noticably changed between the time I enter and the time I sit down, I'm probably just gonna go to a different cafe

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[–] homes@piefed.world 4 points 5 months ago*

During midday, when lunch usually is,… Wait a minute, no that’s wrong. It’s usually during the afternoon when the shifting in the sun is quickest.

Sorry, I came to make a point, but realized I was wrong mid sentence.

I guess I forgot how long I had to stand in line during lunch in highschool.

As an adult, I either sit inside where it’s always shady, or I intentionally sit outside in the sunshine. I haven’t had to think about it in a long time, lol.

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[–] SorryQuick@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 months ago

Because the average person has no reason to always keep track of the sun and their orientation related to it.

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[–] Hudell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 point 5 months ago

I can tell which way is west in my own language, but for some reason I have trouble translating east and west between languages. Eventually I just associated English "west" with "the wild west" and think about the direction from which native Americans would defend themselves as being west. Then I think what that direction is in my language to get the word for it.

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[–] celia@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 5 months ago (3 children)

You might be an astrophotographer and not know it

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[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

looks at mount, telescope, camera, and filter prices

not me for sure

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[–] DokPsy@lemmy.world 1 point 5 months ago

Just build them piecemeal. It'll cost as much if not more but it's not all at once. Or find a super cheap camera and wide angle lens with a low f number and do Milky Way photography. Lots of options with a lowish entry price

Or don't. I'm just 3 raccoons in a human suit

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[–] homes@piefed.world 1 point 5 months ago*

Or maybe you just went to high school in the 90s or earlier and learned to use more readily available points of reference

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[–] homes@piefed.world 1 point 5 months ago

Everyone has to deal with this, yes. That’s why this comic is so funny and relatable.