How Factorio helped me fix my Life!

OK, so, we're doing it. And apparently Factorio is the chosen game. I mean, I couldn't have a say in it - like, which one ought to do it. That's not how this works. And that kind of stuff is actually more along the lines of what this about. So, before we get there, the thing is, Factorio didn't really help me fix shit! Well, not yet - but as opposed to before I now have a plan.
Well - or an idea or goal - it's complicated. I mean, my mind works different I guess.

And sure. Right from the bat a Christian might be caught off guard by the choice of using a word other than Jesus in the savior slot. But that's the thing. When the invisible God "comes into the picture" - well ... the whole invisibility part doesn't do well with pictures. Well, depends on the type of invisibility and the type of picture, sure - but anyhow.


I mean, I'm already way beyond the "Jesus saved my life" part. Like, lifetimes beyond I have to assume. And yea, me being in need of saving for Jesus to then save me is ... not really the core of our relationship either. And in some way we could put it up to ADHD that I'm not really down with the meditation and prayer part either. I mean, people CAN dedicate their whole life to doing just that, ("you hypocrite!"? - "Mammon is no excuse before the LORD! (~basically~)"), but yea, I enjoy playing video games from time to time. And yea, God doesn't seem to take issue with me having a good time. I mean, yes - He sure likes to make a good time too, I assume, but ... I mean, it's all coming together somehow. Let's ... just ...


So, Factorio. Who hasn't heart of it yet or bothered to check it out is a Videogame in which you're tasked to build a Factory from scratch to basically build a rocket to escape the planet you're stranded on. In more useful terms, it's a game about building "things" that can harvest minerals or produce things - and you have to take care of how the things get from one "thing" to the other using conveyor belts and stuff.
"Factorio 2 - Curse of the Flying Spaghetti Monster".
And when playing it enough, and enjoying it, it's its own unique world with its own rules. The term here is "Game Theory" - which is a very real-life-application theory, which states that every closed system when given enough time will find some kind of stable equilibrium. Like, traffic is what people who would speak of it tend to point to, so I'll follow suit. I'm not saying that I comprehend traffic, but I understand Game Theory and how it applies to various systems. And the thing is this: Every System only has so and so many moving pieces and lanes for those pieces to move along. On top of that, different parts of the system provide different functions - and as each piece has their own set of goals and opportunities, there's only a limited number of way things can go for everyone. And as everyone is trying to optimize their individual thing - over time some kind of equlibrium will appear. In Competitive Games there's what's called "the Meta". That's the knowledge of the Game Theory. Which unit is the best when used in which way? What can be done with this or with that? And sure, winners and losers emerge. But also important is, that people will eventually adapt. Eventually things may come full circle, eventually they'll get stuck. How the 'equilibrium' or "final state" looks like is ... 'the qestion', following Game Theory, regarding any system - somehow.

In this instance it simply means that "the rules of throughput" for instance are a thing that emerges from the units and paths in the game. It's not unique to Factorio, but between Factorio and other games of that exact same kind, there are already differences. But for all I care they could be minimal and factorio could be just as real life. But so, engaging with the rules of a game is - kind of - like engaging with the real world. Except that what you're doing in-game may prove to be utterly useless. Not saying that doing things in real life is automatically smart.


So, throughput means: How much stuff can move through a system. Or a line. I mean, I suppose there's no clear definition and people mean different things when saying it. But that's now where the story starts.
Because ... I came home today and finding nothing to do, say down and figured that I might clean up a bit. I meant to do it - and so I put my chair into a good spot, sat down and looked at it - and something in my mind did the usual part: "Nah, it's fine!". And then I did the Spongebob "all the hidden stuffs" meme to myself - trying to prevent myself from slipping off or whatever, somehow got stuck - the thoughts evolved a little ... and then I realized. I have to look at my household like a Factorio system. So, liking the idea and the solution I had found it also made sense. My mind wasn't saying "Nah, it's fine!" - that's just what it understood. Because ... deeper down it was thinking that once I'm done cleaning things will end up just like this in no time anyway. So ... why not just manage that as it has worked out fine so far?
But why would they end up this way? Because further down the line there's another stuckage. So, I have to find the "exit" - say, which room has to be cleaned first, so the dirt from all the other rooms can move into it - so when it is clean again, more can move in ... and so on. Finding ... some ... logic to the Chaos maybe.

...

So, it was right for me to deprioritize the kitchen. But so. Something I meant to also shed a light on is thiis idea of how stupid this is. That it took me so long to realize something so obvious. I'm sure someone smarter than me can explain better how I'm being stupid here. I mean, this was going to be the main topic. But now somehow it's the end? What?


Oh yea - and the inner eye is still well open. And I'm starting to recognize a distinct difference between starting to smoke weed after getting up and starting in the evening - and also both while not smoking weed throughout the day. So far, this latter option is actually better than the second one.

Anyway. So ... . It may be useful to look at something else first. It maybe goes into the same direction. Selection Bias? Survivor Bias? Something like that. I mean, the amount of times I hear that someone who died of cancer had stopped smoking - makes me believe that stopping it wouldn't help me prevent it. If anything, it might exasperate it. Do we know that? I mean, another interesting issue: Porn. Is it true, that Porn addiction will inevitably lead to more and more extreme stuff - or are people who are innately drawn to the more extreme stuff also more likely to develop a Porn addiction?
I mean - this "Porn addiction leads to more extreme desires" line seems like the prelude to the next "Cannabis is a Gateway drug". So, we'd make it illegal so that people who innately seek a connection with them need to resort to crime or misery.
Usually both, I assume.

Like, seriously. Do we have to explain to God how consensual Sex works? I think not. "But uhm ..." - nope.
What makes a habit bad?

Sure. Porn addiction is ... bad - I have to say - because I'm sure that the person right there would want to do more. But what are their options? Outside of taking a look around on the Dark Web? Making questionable acquaintances and all that? I'm not saying that it's automatic - but if you turn on your "Game Theory Filter" you'll see that "Sure, Jesus is his only option!" - which is like saying that it's Bad. And the Bad thing is that ... fixing it isn't a Jesus problem. Because to Jesus ... the person in question isn't as Broken as YOU think - perhaps.
So, in other words: Porn addiction is a dead end. But it's not supposed to be one. Or ... it doesn't have to be one. And maybe it's also just a Symptom - or a Band-Aid. But in that case ... Orgies were the solution. And I'm sure ... at that point we can also have a little Porn here and there. But whatever.


Oh, at some point I'm sure Eden also makes a good example. An example as part of an attempt to find an answer to this question: "How could [this thing] have slipped by [that entity]?"


And sure. Either it did or it didn't - but since it did ... it happened to be so nonetheless. That's a bitter pill to swallow. But sometimes it just happens to be so, that your excuses won't matter.
But that's the thing. I'd have a hard time recounting specific examples - but I feel it in my guts that I've been through this a few times. And sure. It has humbled me. I admitted to taking baby steps then. Though ... in my defense: It's like ... the first time any baby steps were offered to me.

And to set the Bar lower ... . I mean - the Bar is the Bar. Like, to me. I don't say where it is. And there is no way to clear it but the way to clear it. And in as far as I can deliver, the Bar is being cleared. Though I'm not sure which one we're talking about now, so ... whatever. But so is the thing. To recognize that there's also a less I can do ... that there's a step below or backward from where I was. And because it seems so counter-intuitive I didn't think it was the way to go. But eventually I realized that I didn't get anywhere. And that was that.


And sure. When it comes to planning and organizing a project for instance, that would be work for several steps below where I was. But then - a proper plan can only be constructed from knowledge ("and know-how") - and since I was basically also just following an intuition ... I could skip this part.
Or so I thought.
And yea - so far ... I mean ... . It's not like I had an option.

But it's also like ... conveniently simple. Too simple - and yes, the problems that come from not having a plan ... they still exist. But in as far as God has a plan ... that's supposed to be enough. And yea, if I cannot have a plan for myself - for my own life - regarding any of the things that I've spent my whole life working on - then ... and all that remains is the gridlock of "systemic societal oppression" (Capitalism). Well, what I expected? Hmm ... . Well - a way perhaps. The point is - if I CAN'T have one ... it's possibly because it interferes with another. Which then means either of two things. Either I'm part of it, or I'm not to interfere with it. And so, how is it then that God gave me two talents, and both take me into dead ends? Or is it three? Well, sure - I have my profession now. Cool cool.

So, it's possible.
So yea ... uhm.


Need I say more/"Back to you, Cat!"