+bonifartius 𒂼𒄄 @bonifartius@qoto.org

We are very happy to present you with GIMP 3.0.0 RC1! 🥳

This is our first release candidate for what will be GIMP 3.0.0. Now is the time for everyone to test!

It is the result of years of work. I'm sure it still has many bugs (and you should report!), but we hope you will still appreciate the new version. 🤗

https://www.gimp.org/news/2024/11/06/gimp-3-0-RC1-released/

Certainly! Here’s an analysis that sheds light on some of the underlying factors influencing the trend of Gen Z men leaning conservative.

- You told entire swaths of the population, for example, all men, that they're horrible and evil and bad and should be eliminated as soon as possible if not sooner
- You told these people that they're not welcome pretty much anywhere and if they don't like it they should find their own spaces
- If there was any money or clout to be had in those spaces, or if those spaces could be used to grandstand and push your message (for example, media, video games, and other hobbies), you invaded those spaces and continued to villainize the natives
- These spaces had a lot of *younger* men and younger men are more likely to push back than to just move on
- So they pushed back
- And you, ironically, gatekept the shit out of the spaces you invaded so you had absolutely no clue that these people were pushing back, and so got completely blindsided by it

Let me know if any aspect of this breakdown needs further exploration or clarification.

Eric Hoffer's "The True Believer" contains many insightful observations about mass movements and their followers. Here are some of the lesser-known but thought-provoking ideas from the book:

## The Interchangeability of Mass Movements

One of Hoffer's more intriguing arguments is that for the true believer, the specific ideology or cause is often less important than the act of belonging to a movement itself. He suggests that followers can switch between seemingly opposed movements with surprising ease[1]. This implies that the psychological needs fulfilled by joining a movement may be more important to some followers than the actual content of the movement's beliefs.

## The Role of Boredom and Meaninglessness

While frustration is a key factor, Hoffer also highlights how boredom and a lack of purpose can drive people to mass movements. He argues that those who feel their lives lack meaning or excitement are particularly susceptible to the allure of a cause that promises to give their existence significance[4].

## The Paradox of Self-Esteem

Hoffer presents an interesting paradox regarding self-esteem and mass movements. He suggests that while joining a movement often stems from low self-esteem, once part of the movement, followers often develop an inflated sense of self-importance. As he puts it, "The vanity of the selfless, even those who practice utmost humility, is boundless"[5].

## The Importance of "Make-Believe"

Hoffer emphasizes the role of what he calls "make-believe" in mass movements. This refers to the ability of movements to create alternate realities or narratives that their followers can immerse themselves in. This make-believe element allows followers to escape their personal frustrations and feel part of something greater[4].

## The Appeal to the "New Poor"

While poverty is often associated with susceptibility to mass movements, Hoffer makes a more nuanced argument. He suggests that it's not the "abjectly poor" who are most likely to join movements, but rather the "new poor" - those who have recently experienced a decline in status or wealth. This group, having tasted better circumstances, finds their current situation more frustrating[6].

## The Power of United Action

Hoffer argues that the appeal of mass movements lies not just in their ideologies, but in the opportunity they provide for united action. The act of working together towards a common goal, regardless of what that goal might be, can be deeply satisfying for followers[6].

## The Role of Doctrine as a Practical Tool

While many focus on the content of a movement's beliefs, Hoffer suggests that doctrine often serves a more practical purpose. He argues that it acts as a shield against doubt, providing followers with ready-made answers and justifications that help maintain their faith in the movement[6].

These insights demonstrate Hoffer's nuanced understanding of the psychological factors driving mass movements, going beyond simple explanations to explore the complex interplay of human needs, frustrations, and desires that fuel these phenomena.

Citations:
[1] The True Believer Revisited | Issue 34 - Philosophy Now https://philosophynow.org/issues/34/The_True_Believer_Revisited
[2] Management lessons of The True Believer - Strategy+business https://www.strategy-business.com/blog/Management-lessons-of-The-True-Believer
[3] Hoffer and the True Believers | The Russell Kirk Center https://kirkcenter.org/essays/hoffer-and-the-true-believers/
[4] Book review: The True Believer - The Unhedged Capitalist - Substack https://theunhedgedcapitalist.substack.com/p/book-review-the-true-believer
[5] Eric Hoffer's 'The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass ... https://www.opeu.org.br/2024/03/11/eric-hoffers-the-true-believer-thoughts-on-the-nature-of-mass-movements/
[6] The True Believer Summary | SuperSummary https://www.supersummary.com/the-true-believer/summary/

Now that our american friends start to calm down we can maybe refocus our attention on things that are great for everybody.

Spread #foss, #righttorepair and #SelfHosting into your environment.

Take care of your loved/fellow ones and be kind and gentle.

Start the change with yourself. Everything else will follow naturally.

And last but not least: Do not give up hope. You are strong. You make a difference. Just don't give up before seeing the results.

@tyler

@DCR banana split > brain split. Ich fand den mal gut, damals als Freiheit statt Angst noch cool war.

Seine "Prognose aus August"?
Puh. Also, ich kenn veganes Eis aus Bananen, doch Prognosen aus August... muss ich mal probieren.

Andreesen Horowitz, Goldman-Sachs, Dick Cheney, Google, George Bush, Bill Clinton, Beyonce, Eminem, LeBron James, Ben and Jerry's, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Economist, Vogue, xkcd, Buzzfeed, Al Sharpton, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, the entire Bush family, David Hogg (S), Bill Gates, George Soros, John Oliver, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, John Kerry, Bill Nye, Michael Moore, Tarantino (S), James Comey, Taylor Swift, Jimmy Kimmel, both DJ Jazzy Jeff *and* the Fresh Prince, Peter Frampton, Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper, every goddamn labor union, all of the Kennedys except one, and they even trotted out the chick that played a hooker in Idiocracy.

Every reprehensible globalist piece of shit (hi, Bill Gates), every media puppet with a globalist hand up his ass (hi, Jimmy Kimmel), everyone that took a plane to Epstein Island, all of the venture capitalists, all of the private equity firms, all of these motherfuckers. All of the worst people and all of the people that they'd trot out when they wanted to tell people what to do, and it flopped. I mean, close race, right, but every single stop was pulled out, every dollar, every organization, they played every card they had, and it still flopped.

So many people that they had to split the Wikipedia page into several sub-pages ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kamala_Harris_2024_presidential_campaign_endorsements ), and even the sub-pages are huge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kamala_Harris_2024_presidential_campaign_non-political_endorsements .

This has got to be the funniest shit I have seen in a while.
trumpnowdance.gif
trumpparty.gif
trumpsumoskate.gif
uk_subs--2--02--sabre_dance_extended_version.mp3