volkris @volkris@qoto.org
I think the most pressing and fundamental problem of the day is that people lack a practically effective means of sorting out questions of fact in the larger world. We can hardly begin to discuss ways of addressing reality if we can't agree what reality even is, after all.
The institutions that have served this role in the past have dropped the ball, so the next best solution is talking to each other, particularly to those who disagree, to sort out conflicting claims.
Unfortunately, far too many actively oppose this, leaving all opposing claims untested. It's very regressive.
So that's my hobby, striving to understanding the arguments of all sides at least because it's interesting to see how mythologies are formed but also because maybe through that process we can all have our beliefs tested.
But if nothing else, social media platforms like this are chances to vent frustrations that on so many issues both sides are obviously wrong ;)
Joined Dec 2022
What in the world?
If your local library is so controlled from DC, then it doesn't sound very local.
This is a symptom of a problem.
@Nochem Well you are welcome to give up.
This is the path forward. This is the only path forward. If you think it's futile, okay. Go ahead and give up. Don't waste your time on any of this.
But if you would like to change things, this is the way to change things. This is the only way to change things.
Again, if you want to just roll over and take it then go enjoy your life as best you can. I am always a supporter of the idea that people should go read books under trees and ignore all of this stuff.
If you want to change things, this is your option. If you don't want to, or you don't think the option will work, then it gets you to the same outcome either way.
This is the way to change things. Take it or don't, But I would suggest that you don't waste your time and efforts away from more fulfilling personal enterprises.
Oh, let me go ahead and emphasize that you can make things worse.
@Nochem so again, that's exactly the kind of rhetoric that got Trump elected.
You can speak in these abstract high-minded verbiage all you want, but strategically, it plays into the hands of folks like Trump. Right-wingers literally quote statements like that to build support for their causes. I hear it literally every single day.
You need to rebuild strong international left-wing movements? Okay, great! How? And I would counter with the rhetoric that you are using right in that comment builds the right wing. So even as your rhetoric is supporting the right wing, promoting their causes, how are you going to the international left-wing movement?
Great, your rhetoric is being used by the right wing to elect more right-wingers. How are you offsetting that in building the left wing at the same time?
Because as far as I can tell you're only helping the right wing with that kind of talk, not actually making the left wing any stronger in trade.
@ReggieHere exactly!
So the way to stop them from coming to power is to engage with that minority of people. If it's a minority of people, it makes it even easier because there are fewer people that you have to convince.
It's a heavily gamed democracy? Great! That means the rules of the game stand, and gaming the rules can help change the course of power.
This is the point.
@Nochem But history shows that this stuff hasn't worked. It's literally why we have Trump in the US and right-leaning movements gaining steam around the world.
History shows us the folly of that approach.
We tried it. It didn't work. It made things worse. It got these people elected.
So let's stop doing the same thing that keeps electing these people.
Yes, history shows us that the strategy doesn't work. Let's listen to history and change course.
@Nochem again: you can say that but also realize that it would build his support in the US.
This is about political strategy. If you think supporting his rhetoric is worth it then great. You can decide for yourself whether the trade-off is for the best or not. But you do need to keep that in mind.
A whole lot of Americans will increase their support of #Trump based on that.
Again I emphasize, I'm not saying that's a good thing or a bad thing or saying whether the trade-off is or is not worth it, I'm only saying if you want to talk about political strategy this is a major part of the equation.
@YourShadowDani You're talking in the abstract, but I'm talking in the substance here.
We are still recognizing voting. The people coming to power are coming to power based on votes. They aren't seizing power, the people standing next to you in line at the grocery store are voluntarily choosing to use their votes to put these people in power.
So if you don't like their choices, engage with them, talk to them about why they should use their votes differently.
That is where we are right now. We don't need to jump into this post-voter concept because right now in the real world we are still respecting voting.
@CdnCurmudgeon Guess who doesn't care?
I don't mean that with personal judgment, I mean that to point out that, a whole lot of people who voted for Trump did so specifically to protest against international norms like this.
So that Trump might not technically be allowed into 38 countries would only support the perspectives of many of his voters. It confirms their thinking.
I don't know if this is a be careful what you wish for a moment, but it is what it is. To a lot of people, pointing this out only confirms their support for the guy.
@whitequark pragmatic.
The word you're looking for is pragmatic.
Yes, sometimes we do make that trade-off because it's better for some to have the knowledge then for nobody to have the knowledge. It's better for some progress than no progress at all.
Don't like it? Well sometimes reality gives us choices we don't like.
@cemedia nah, you have to follow it back a step:
The problem is that the country votes to put those people in charge.
This is not just pedantic, it points to the solution. If you want change you have to engage with the people around you to convince them to use their votes in a different way.
@Daojoan authoritarianism?
The word of the day is that Trump is guilty of disassembling governmental structures, so he's anti- authoritarian.
The propaganda mills really need to make up their minds!
@cstross I suspect you still have a copy of the books. Every one of them.
No, they weren't stolen. You still have them.
We really need to make this clear so we can get away from this sort of sensationalism.
@ruedi The rate of abortions has gone up in the US lately.
All of this talk about the US not allowing abortions anymore, or not allowing medical care for pregnant women, it's just propaganda. It doesn't match what is actually happening in the US.
It's dystopian nonsense, and it needs to be called out for what it is. It's fear-mongering.
@Nonilex I mean you can say all day that is wrong, but make your case, show your reasoning, don't just yell nu uh! and cuss about it.
@skua But it's a tech bro associated social media micro blog platform that specifically is designed so that tech bros can't monopolize it.
So that's a bit exciting.
Even if microblogging is a deal-breaker for me personally, it's still interesting to see influential folks actively and consciously give up their influence.
@arrrg The Huff post crowd can't seem to make up their minds about whether the Supreme Court is all in on Trump or not.
@cowanon It's almost like success is n't the defining feature of whiteness
@Lyle That's the opposite of what's happening, though.
Clickbait articles aside...
@mr_greeb Even more quality!
@lindasgoluppiart I'd take it.
American rail safety has long been pretty sketchy, so some added professionalism there would be a positive.
I think the most pressing and fundamental problem of the day is that people lack a practically effective means of sorting out questions of fact in the larger world. We can hardly begin to discuss ways of addressing reality if we can't agree what reality even is, after all.
The institutions that have served this role in the past have dropped the ball, so the next best solution is talking to each other, particularly to those who disagree, to sort out conflicting claims.
Unfortunately, far too many actively oppose this, leaving all opposing claims untested. It's very regressive.
So that's my hobby, striving to understanding the arguments of all sides at least because it's interesting to see how mythologies are formed but also because maybe through that process we can all have our beliefs tested.
But if nothing else, social media platforms like this are chances to vent frustrations that on so many issues both sides are obviously wrong ;)
Joined Dec 2022
