Someday I will devour the entire universe 🌌🌀😋

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🐹🥕 I have changed my lifestyle since mid-December. I have almost completely given up sugar. This means that I haven’t had any cola, lemonade, or sweets for about eight weeks - except for two homemade cheesecakes and chocolate milk.

🚭🐛 Additionally, I quit smoking completely from one day to the next and made my diet more diverse. I follow a daily fitness program and have gained over 20 kg (44 lbs) in the last 7–8 weeks without putting on much fat. Everything feels firm and toned. Eight weeks ago, I was underweight at 64 kg (141 lbs), and now, at 85 kg (187 lbs), I’m back in my comfort zone.

🧠👨‍💻 The past year has taken a toll on my nerves, especially because I was working through trauma and grief while also dealing with unnecessary and unfair behavior in my personal life. I buried myself in work, ate too little, thought too much, and spent too little time outdoors.

🌈🌎 I also put a lot into this project over the past 6 years. After all, I invested not only several thousand euros but also countless hours of work into the megagroundsloth project. Then Instagram’s algorithms changed, and public sentiment shifted significantly against diversity topics. That frustrated me a lot.

🚫👎 When I brought up the subject of ADHD, a few people showed interest and I responded in detail. Strangely enough, it seems normal to then simply stop the conversation or complain because I didn't respond quickly enough - I didn't expect a thank you.

💔😳 When I announced a long break from Instagram at the end of December, only two people cared. That was really hurtful. How would you feel if you had been involved with people for years, and no one reacted when you said goodbye?

😵‍💫⁉️ When I expressed my frustration in my stories, intensified somewhat by quitting smoking, I quickly realized that this wasn’t the right way to handle it. I apologized right away.

🦥✨️ If you noticed: I drastically shortened my announced break. I’m back and mostly posting selfies. Yes, I’m here, and I’m claiming my space. I write texts that are meant to make people think, and even if only two out of a thousand people read them, I’ll keep going.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

😊🏖🥕 My skin color is not due to the sun or artificial sunlight, but rather my daily consumption of carrots and carrot juice. These contain substances called carotenoids.

☘️🦐🦩🍅🥕 Carotenoids come in hundreds of different varieties, with a color palette ranging from yellow to the pinkish-red of flamingos to purple. They are produced exclusively by plants, as carotenoids are important for photosynthesis. The most well-known carotenoid is beta-carotene found in carrots. However, flamingos cannot make use of carrots and shine in vibrant colors because they absorb special carotenoids in highly concentrated forms, for example, from crabs, which in turn feed on algae. Algae from the genus Dunaliella are extremely rich in pigments. For flamingos, their appearance is necessary for survival: without the right feather color, they do not attract potential mates, and there is no offspring.

☺️🧡 Beta-carotene also offers health benefits for humans. It binds free oxygen radicals and neutralizes carcinogenic substances. When the skin contains a lot of beta-carotene, it is better protected against UV radiation. It does not redden as quickly. Furthermore, it acts as a provitamin, a precursor to vitamin A - not only important for vision but also for the immune system and the communication abilities of nerve cells. There is no need to fear an overdose of beta-carotene. Only as much beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A as the body needs. Anything beyond that is stored as a pigment in the skin and subcutaneous fat tissue.

🥕🧈 A common misconception is that carrots must always be consumed with fat. This is only partially true. While fat is necessary for the carotenoids to dissolve, it is sufficient to have consumed something fatty beforehand, as it will meet the carotenoids in the digestive tract (fat is digested slowly and often remains in the intestines for several hours).

🥳✨️ I enjoy both, the health benefits and the flavor!

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

💖🔔😴 A heart of joy is my dream catcher.

✨️👻✨️

🕯 In some European regions, especially in the Middle Ages, small bells were attached to doors and windows or hung above the bed to keep evil spirits or demons at bay. The sound of the bells was considered protective or banishing. It was believed that the sound not only warded off the "evil" forces but also energetically purified the space.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

⚖️ I am against any form of injustice - whether it concerns physical characteristics, psychological traits, gender, origin, religion, or interests. This is not just about social peace but also about fairness and the foundations of constructive coexistence. Aggressive rhetoric cannot be helpful, as it builds walls. Journalists must work responsibly to avoid reinforcing harmful narratives.

🎯 In addition to the rise of right-wing extremist forces, I am also frustrated by the dichotomous view of gender. It is not helpful to portray men as the root of all evil. If only about 1-2 % of men become violent, one cannot act as if men, in general, are incapable of resolving conflicts in a normal way. This aggressive rhetoric against men, in particular, demonstrates that the problem cannot lie solely with men. 20–30% of men have been violent at least once in their lives (e.g., in a fight, domestic violence, or in other situations). Most of these occurred at a young age and drunk.

📰 We are not incapable of talking about or regulating our emotions, but the way we are portrayed in the media might make us start believing that we are (gaslighting). Just because measurable differences exist in studies, they should not be taken out of context to demonize men!

🔎 Prejudices regarding empathy, in particular, are often distorted, even though the studies themselves emphasize their limited significance. It is about respect and decency. About objectivity in pursuit of a common goal!

🎣 Polarization generates attention, engagement, and ultimately profit - whether in the media, politics, or social networks. Clear enemy images make complex problems seem easier to understand and emotionalize the debate, which in turn leads to more clicks, higher ratings, or more votes.

🐾 The fatal thing is that such narratives often take on a life of their own. Once a group has been established as "guilty", every single misconduct from within that group is perceived disproportionately and reinforces the stereotype. At the same time, a dynamic emerges in which factual discussions become increasingly difficult because any contradiction is seen as "trivialization" or "taking sides" with the other group.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🔧🧰🌍 Easier than repairing the planet!

If a hair clippers has served you well for over a decade and then stops working, it might seem reasonable to just buy a new one. The exact same model today costs between 40 and 50 euros. From a personal effort standpoint, it initially seems more plausible to buy a new one rather than repair it.

♻️ However, the issue is the resulting electronic waste. Especially small appliances quickly end up in the household trash, even though they can be dropped off at any major electronics retailer for recycling. But even when it's properly taken to recycling, only about 60 percent is actually recycled. Additionally, a lot is illegally disposed of or sent abroad, where cheap labor is exposed to toxic chemicals, and groundwater gets contaminated. This doesn’t have to be the case!

🔧 Usually, it’s just a small thing that needs to be repaired, like a small part or even just the battery, as in my case. With a little skill, you can either do it yourself or find someone who wants to help. There are repair cafés, classifieds, and even online services that accept defective electronics to repair them.

🤓 I decided to give it a try myself. Since I often tinker, I already have a soldering iron set at home (which isn’t expensive either). I carefully disassembled the hair clippers and guessed it was the batteries. After such a long time, it’s a logical assumption. So I ordered the appropriate replacement batteries online, focusing mainly on size (AAA) and voltage (1.2 volts). The cost for the batteries was 6 euros, plus 6 euros for the unfortunately oversized shipping (why such a huge box?). I removed the old batteries by melting the solder and sucking it up. Then I installed the new batteries and soldered them in place. Unfortunately, I worked a bit carelessly and damaged the circuit trace for the LED lights. No big deal! The hair clippers work! I just had to reassemble it correctly. I unnecessarily took the cutting head completely apart – this turned out to be a bit tricky to reverse – but in the end, it was successful! Here’s to another decade with my hair clippers!

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🤺 Male Violence? A Distorted Perspective!

Discussions about violent crime often highlight that about 93% of such offenses are committed by men, implying that "masculinity" is the core issue.

However, this ignores an important fact: about 0.3 to 1.4% of men actually commit violent crimes (🇩🇪). The vast majority of men are not violent offenders, making it misleading to link violence to masculinity itself.

🎯 Social Dynamics Matter More Than Gender

The real question is why a small percentage of men turn to violence. While testosterone may influence aggression, socialization plays a much greater role. Boys are often taught to be tough and independent, while emotional expression is discouraged. Violence is sometimes normalized through rough play, peer conflicts, or societal expectations.

However, social influences extend beyond men. Parents, caregivers, and broader societal structures shape early behaviors. Dysfunctional family dynamics, neglect, or emotional manipulation can contribute to violent tendencies, regardless of gender. Violence is less about being male and more about the environments that shape behavior.

⚖️ A Balanced Approach to Reducing Violence

To tackle violence effectively, we must move beyond gendered blame and address the root causes:

👪 Early emotional education to help boys and girls process anger constructively.

💑 Promoting healthy conflict resolution instead of normalizing aggression.

⚡️ Recognizing harmful behaviors across genders, not just “toxic masculinity”.

🌈 Challenging restrictive gender roles that reinforce destructive behaviors.

🔎 A meaningful discussion about violence must look at the bigger picture - social structures, upbringing, and cultural norms - not just statistics that fuel one-sided narratives.

-

😶 I have been violent myself. As a teenager I fought with boys my own age. I can remember five fights. Three of them were in a children's home. I also once hit my father in the face. As a child I was often hit by my mother, but never by my father. I have never hit a woman. My mother once asked my father to hit my older brother. He didn't.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

I pull on doors that say push. But actually I like efficiency. My bed is efficient. And I want to present things accurately. That's why I look at the world critically and question a lot. Journalists, well, are not necessarily the best measure to properly assess the methodology of studies. Simplifications are much more catchy!

It is often assumed that women are more empathetic than men because of their social connections and supposedly stronger emotional perception. However, this assumption may be inaccurate because it does not fully capture the complexity of empathy and human perception. Rather, it can be argued that women develop a greater basic knowledge of other people's emotional states because of their kind of social connections. This basic knowledge often leads to a greater agreement with others' feelings because they often apply their own emotional projections to what they observe. However, this agreement is not always a sign of accurate empathy, but rather a result of the personal ideas and assumptions that are projected onto others' perceptions.

Men, on the other hand, may try to understand others' emotions and thoughts from a more unbiased perspective without automatically imposing their own assumptions. This may lead them to look more closely when recognizing feelings or needs, even though they may make more erroneous judgments in doing so.

Empathy is not just an intuition, but an active, individual process based on discussion and reflection. It requires the ability to set aside one's own prejudices and understand others.

Experiences in which one is outside the social norm and is therefore often confronted with misjudgments create a deeper sensitivity to the complexity of perception and empathy. They recognize how easy it is to draw wrong conclusions based on projections or preconceptions and experience first-hand how important it is to consciously detach oneself from one's own ideas in order to really understand. This outsider perspective can therefore provide a valuable basis for deeper and more precise empathy that is based less on assumptions and more on genuine discussion.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🧠 People who are so focused on rationality that they fail to acknowledge their own emotions can miss important opportunities for self-reflection.

❤️‍🩹 When individuals mistake their feelings for objective logic, they risk avoiding accountability for their role in a situation.

👻 The real problem might be the way people, in general, avoid difficult conversations, whether through ghosting, blaming, or running away from emotional responsibility.

🌱🌱 Real growth happens when people face discomfort, acknowledge their emotions, and take responsibility for their part in conflicts.

🤷‍♂️ I wonder why people keep making seemingly critical statements, but as soon as an argument comes up that contradicts them or relativizes the statements, they can't discuss them. Instead, other measures are taken: silence, ignoring, aggression, escape.

👫 This applies to all genders, including those who regularly claim that they are able to deal with emotions so well.

🎯 I present my personal views publicly. There is the option to comment and people can write me messages. Sometimes my posts are seen by several thousand people. If I were afraid of that, I wouldn't do it. And I know that some of my views are controversial.

🤗 I would therefore like to point out again that I even offer an anonymous contact form on my website (megagroundsloth.de -> contact -> anonymous contact).

😶‍🌫️ This is specifically designed so that people who don't dare to criticize me directly can do so in this way.

🥱 However, most people don't do anything at all.

⚡️ I find that sad because I like being criticized.
⚡️ I love creative friction.

🌈 I know that no one is free from errors in thinking and that no one can completely keep their feelings out of their perception.

🙃 And sometimes - if not often - I want to deliberately provoke people so that they think. Being right all the time is less important than the exchange of ideas.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🌞🚴‍♂️ Today there was beautiful sunshine. It's a bit chilly at 5 degrees Celsius, but that doesn't matter. A bike ride is always fun. I cut my hair yesterday. I've been doing it myself since 2011, but now only a short haircut is acceptable anyway, because everything else looks really sick when you lose hair. My skin is a bit orange because I eat carrots and drink carrot juice every day. But that only comes out in certain lighting conditions, like in this photo. I just have this special glow. I'm sitting here at the riding arena in Bommersheim - the largest horse village in Hesse. There are often riding events here at the weekend. I gave my bike the nickname Bikephalus, after Alexander the Great's famous horse Bucephalus. This horse, like me, had to learn to overcome its shadow.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.