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
I really don't know why anybody takes what Jim Cramer says seriously.
He's a funny guy, and he might occasionally have an interesting point, but he's been mainly an entertainer for a long time.
I always emphasize that when an instance puts up a block, that disempowers its own users to decide whether or not to block.
When a user decides to block, they are engaging their power to make that decision.
I think the contrast is stark: empowering versus disempowering people.
For that reason I'm firmly against #fediblock type efforts on #fediverse.
With #ChatGPT having such a buzz I've been amused to notice the similarity between that program and some of the dumber political commentators in #USPolitics.
As I understand it, ChatGPT operates by predicting what word would likely follow previous words and prompts, so it has no actual understanding of any of the words, it just parrots words and phrases that seem right.
The duller pundits do exactly the same thing, often misusing particular words and idiomatic phrases. Heck, ChatGPT probably does a better job! But it highlights how thoughtless those speakers are, and that they work by pandering to their audiences.
My favorite example of this is Sean Hannity appearing to have no idea what the term bellwether actually means as he parrots the term "bellwether state" to mean any state with a close or important election coming up. Well the phrase seems like it should follow whatever else he was going on about, so he uses it in his rambling chain of thought.
Plenty has been said about how ChatGPT is or is not a threat to different occupations, but I'm pretty sure it could replace a whole lot of these morons offering opinions on current events.
(And to be fair, I don't like to use such derisive language, but these people really deserve it: they really are just that ignorant and idiotic in their pronouncements, and their lack of understanding of their own words is both amusing and depressing.)
volkris
boosted
As I thought, quote-tooting is being implemented by apps because so many people want it, it's so obvious UX wise, and so straightforward technologically, that it was inevitable (it's really just a link preview that recognises the link is to a Mastodon post and opens in-app).
Mastodon needs to build in consent-based QTs fast, or it will be irrelevant pretty soon, and we'll just have a QT system that doesn't ask or notify you.
Sounds like you're just describing a platform that avoids one-size-fits-all solutions.
There are pros and cons to distributed systems, after all.
Sure, and the FairTax proposal would do exactly that, doing away with all of the income tax carve outs and mailing checks to the poor to cover their tax burdens.
Republicans have proposed it, but it's never going to gain traction.
volkris
boosted
If you’re planning on hosting your own instance on the fediverse, you might wanna take the time to think about not using #Mastodon.
It’s a really heavy, and resource-consuming, piece of software. Plus your server’s drive will get filled really fast (even though you can clear the cache on a regular basis).
If you’re, even slightly, into #SustainableDesign, please consider using Pleroma / Akkoma. A single-user instance can run on a RasPi!
If you want a slick interface (which you don’t have on Mastodon anyway :blob-grin: ) we’re always improving #Mangane. :blob-lurk:
Or you can use one of the many existing clients since #Pleroma & #Akkoma are compatible with Mastodon’s API.
Yeah, the fact that he doesn't admit his errors is part of the problem.
All the time I see him saying stuff that doesn't, for example, check out with regard to the actual legislative process in Congress. He'll make comments about how some piece of legislation is doing, comments that don't actually square with the rules of the chamber.
Or he'll talk about something the President has done that is the responsibility of a different branch of government, or he will talk about economic stuff that doesn't reflect the way the Federal Reserve operates, and on and on.
The guy just really doesn't know what he's talking about. He's a comedian. And I'm really disappointed that he doesn't stick to just being a funny guy, that he spends his time spreading false information instead of funny jokes.
I mean, the #TwitterFiles releases have shown Twitter deplatforming even true information about #COVID, so saying she was banned from #Twitter doesn't really say much.
I have!
And I notice that the US Treasury has plenty of revenues incoming to pay for it.
I was critical at the time of that deficit spending. Boo on them. But here we are, and the US probably shouldn't spend EVEN MORE money that it doesn't have.
But so often I see clips of Oliver saying things that are inconsistent with how (for example) government functions or easily debunkable based on two seconds of research on congress.gov.
He says false things pretty routinely.
Saying that he has a good research staff doesn't mean much when he clearly promotes falsehoods. I guess it just means his statements are intentional lies.
@Mastopoet @Npars01 @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr
The FairTax literally mails money to poor people.
And taxes the purchases that rich people will spend so much more on.
Some bias toward the rich...
Well, the FairTax proposes to raise the minimum amount of income exempt from tax to... all of it.
No, inflation is not temporary. By definition it is a core aspect of a currency, and being so core to the money itself, it ends up being pretty permanent.
It is extremely unlikely that the dollar will every again be what it was worth two years ago.
@Npars01 @csgordon@zirk.us @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr @Mastopoet @GreenFire
And the FairTax folks are extremely critical of the Canadian tax as they emphasize the substantial differences between their tax and the Canadian policy.
The FairTax folks agree with your characterization of Canada's plan, which is why they emphatically don't go that direction!
@dkbgeek @csgordon@zirk.us @Npars01 @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr @Mastopoet @GreenFire
And that's the exact reason why the FairTax proposes to mail people checks to make sure the middle/lower class isn't screwed by sales taxes.
That's a core part of the proposal.
Folks who talk about the idea without mentioning the parts that make it progressive are being dishonest.
That's a nice conspiracy theory you have there.
@Mastopoet @Npars01 @csgordon@zirk.us @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr @GreenFire
There is this unchallenged mythology out there that spending time in classrooms is necessarily beneficial to the student.
It's not.
But educational institutions do enjoy selling that story, even as students may find themselves unable to gain employment based on their certificates, and find themselves having wasted all that time, at least.
@Npars01 @Mastopoet @csgordon@zirk.us @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr @GreenFire
The FairTax proposal would directly send checks to the poor.
@TransitBiker @Npars01 @Mastopoet @csgordon@zirk.us @Clackable@tldr.nettime.org @stopgopfox@libretooth.gr @GreenFire
It's a 30% sales tax that applies to the wealthy (who buy expensive things, mind) instead of taxing the working class, leaving the working class with more money to buy things.
The global economy will be fine.
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
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