Who’s there?

Ever wondered how cult members end up being brainwashed? It’s just a more extreme version of the ‘normal’ propaganda we consume every day.

You are part of a group.

Your group wants you to think alike.

Conform to the group.

We read about cult members blindly following their leader and turn around, thinking ‘this could never happen to me’ . As if we all have not the same psychological weaknesses like they do. As if all media is not constantly feeding us how life should be lived, according to those in power.

Oh, capitalism created tons of things that would not exist without it, like student debt, subprime mortgages, for-profit prisons… just think about all we would lose!

I always loved the saying, “The ‘S’ in IoT stands for security.”

I’d swap EA and Ubi. EA is as bad as Ubi AND has the tendency to take beloved franchises and kill them. Definitely Chaotic Evil. A tumor on the games industry.

The cat was Schrödingers example how super positions make no sense in complex organisms. It was a counter-example, yet everyone uses it as if there would be a undead cat in the box.

Human developers should not develop with the production DB, why the hell would you give an AI the rights to touch the prod DB?

For Americans the answer to ‘where did we go wrong’ is normally Reagan.

More in general, our biggest problem is that we let billionaires buy our politicians and didn’t riot. (Eat the rich, when?)

Aren’t they dangerous?

Ah yes, the trolley problem.

Smart. When you fight an enemy that cares neither for civilian deaths nor their own casualties, money is the only target that makes sense.

The story is nearly always the same:

develop service, gain customers, numbers go up.

Gain more customers up to market saturation, numbers go up.

Market saturation is reached, or nearly reached, numbers don’t go up.

Panic.

Try to get more money: add commercials, buying rivals, reducing workforce, raising prices, reducing services, … in short: enshitification for new growth/monetary gain

Numbers go up… for a while, until users leave.

Panic again.

Make it even more shitty for short term growth.

Repeat.

Flying dinosaurs, swimming dinosaurs, but not dinosaurs?

Yes, but if those aren’t Dinosaurs, what are they?

What are those in the ‘seem like dinosaur - are not’ group?

Are they from Toshi Station?

Well, if you ignore the ‘ick’-factor, there are two reasons to forbid incest: genetic problems with inbreeding and the power dynamics.

Genetic problems can’t happen in a gay relationship.

Power dynamics are also not a problem, since they both didn’t know about it.

So all-in-all not that problematic?

UBI is not the solution, but a great first step towards a better system.

To make it work well, you need strong regulations on a lot of systems: banks, utilities, corporations.

At some point it will be easier to just give the state control of everything concerning basic needs. Then to control institutions that ‘fight back’ the most against regulations, like banks and mega corporations.

You see where this might lead?

It’s a slow way towards a better economic system without the need for a revolution.

We need UBI (Universal Basic Income). People should have the choice to work, if they want more money or love their job. Not being forced: a choice.

If someone wants to follow a path that is not financial viable - be it art or just a hobby - that should be possible, too.

Life would become better for nearly everyone. Art would get a new golden age, people would no longer fear financial ruin, happiness and personal fulfillment all around.

Also paying people starvation wages or treating them badly would no longer work. Employees would have to be treated well or they would simply leave. Great wages and good conditions more or less guaranteed. People could support a big family and a nice house on a single wage again.

The only persons not happy would be the ultra rich, the exploiter, the CEOs. Because this would only work if everyone pays their due and the 1% no longer hoard the wealth.

I think this could create the best possible future, an utopia - if only our politicians were not bought and paid for. But sadly they are - and wealth only goes towards the rich, while we get poorer every generation.

I hope I live to see the day when the people notice that the rich rigged the game and react accordingly.

Of course. Capitalism favors exploitation of the planet, since it’s short term gain and the long term harm is hard to pin on the exploiter.

Hell, most damage to humanity will be countered with tax payer money (as long as that’s still possible).

So: exploitation of the planet? Great business model - especially for old people who won’t life till the worst consequences.

Most companies don’t look further than the next financial quarter anyway.