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 often think about how I do wish we had the word idiot to describe somebody who is uninformed or otherwise simply incapable of making good public policy decisions.
I'd like it to be not even a judgmental word. I think government should be a thing that works, so that most people don't even have to think about it at all. Most people can go about their lives, reading books, seeking fulfillment, and just living without thinking about whatever's happening in capitols. That's the ideal.
So yeah, reclaim idiot! It doesn't mean a dumb person, it just means a person who's not up to date on politics and therefore doesn't really have informed opinions!
Ah well, that's not going to catch on.
volkris
boosted
I think it's brave of PICARD to take the things that define STAR TREK, like the idea of crews of highly trained utopians using science and diplomacy to solve problems in a bright and shiny future, and just completely jettison all that to focus on people bickering in various underlit locations.
A thought into the void: #Mastodon and other #Fediverse clients need a filter option based on number of hashtags to avoid hashtag abuse.
I'm seeing posts with something like twenty irrelevant hashtags today from trolls.
volkris
boosted
Last night the 11yo broke down the Google Slides middle school Chatroom for me:
1. At first they used a Google doc but the infinite scroll was too chaotic
2. In the slide deck each new slide is one “post”—some all text, some images, some both—
3. They use slides’ comments feature to “reply” to each other’s “posts”
4. This allows participants to easily flip between posts using the slide thumbnail navigation, so they can find the conversations they care about easily
5. He owns the file & if anyone spams it, deletes other people’s posts, or gets nasty, he can revert the file to its previous save state & remove the spammer’s access
6. He did share the file with me on purpose, I think because he was proud & wanted me to see what he’d made
Essentially they’ve created a chatroom with moderation in Google Slides, so they can get around the school’s ban on platforms like Discord. It’s kind of brilliant
volkris
boosted
Hello #fediverse! Why not try some #indie #synthwave #music?
This is my track "Atlantis", released last summer. World love to head hour opinion.
#spotify #electronica #electronicmusic #musodon #outrun #futuresynth #newretrowave #retrowave #80s #80smusic
https://open.spotify.com/track/32r8Vkl1HUtJfyOvoLXO8T?si=-JWlyiMKT5iaDYIAhZJwRA
volkris
boosted
@stux #socialdiscovery has suffered a bit although and requires the #extensive use of #hashtags to help spread the #word and have the same #reach.
This is possibly problematic because #hashtags aren't moderated at all, allowing other parties to infiltrate and overwhelm feeds by spamming irrelevant posts with a specific hashtag.
"That's the #freespeech," some would say. Well, others say it degrades the quality of your #timeline. Some would reply that you should just follow the people that you want and associate with #instances and #federations that you are interested in.
It is a difficult thing, and the idea of #groups as some has proposed might be a good idea. Because I myself don't see anything relevant in the #hashtags in the #mastodon app. Where an algorithm could help a bit, but then again, that information needs to be extracted from somewhere, again coming down to #privacy and #moderation.
I would like to see a page of hashtags people I follow are following.
I appreciate this humorous analysis of the legalities of shooting down balloons.
volkris
boosted
One of my blog posts got cited in a book and now I have to carefully migrate my URLS every 6 years when my other garbage needs a new home.
volkris
boosted
Elno has introduced a 4000 character limit for paid subscribers and the main reaction has been "Hell, no! Don't feed the trolls!" Most #Misskey and #Calckey instances, like blahaj.zone, have a 3000 character limit as standard, and no trolls. 💁♀️ No more 1/X #Mastodon & #Twitter threads, and posts are conviently collapsed so it doesn't effect the scrolling experience on your timeline ♥️ #fediverse #feditips
Wow
Today the Board of Supervisors approved our ordinance to ban City leaders from requiring appointed commissioners to submit undated resignation lett...
volkris
boosted
Journalists will never stick around this app long term sadly unless it adds quote posting. We desperately need it to communicate effectively, build on each others ideas, and add crucial context to posts. These are things replies simply do not accomplish. Also quote posting or reblogging does not = harassment! Tumblr, for instance, has had the feature since the beginning. We need it here now too 🙏🏻
volkris
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The best thing the Biden administration has done on infrastructure is waive Buy America provisions the president signed into law. Tonight, the president promised to enforce those regulations. https://reason.com/2023/02/07/biden-promises-to-stop-waiving-his-own-terrible-buy-american-mandates/
The topic of #CitizensUnited came up, and since I pulled up this quote, I'll share it here.
There has been SO MUCH misinformation about what CU actually said, so I always encourage people to read it directly, especially since Kennedy writes with a certain artistry.
Here's one quote that I always find to capture the essence of its reasoning, showing that it's all based on individuals associating, not so much corporations:
"[The rich always have access] yet certain disfavored associations of citizens—those that have taken on the corporate [or union] form—are penalized for engaging in the same political speech.
"When Government seeks to use its full power, including the criminal law, to command where a person may get his or her information or what distrusted source he or she may not hear, it uses censorship to control thought. This is unlawful. The First Amendment confirms the freedom to think for ourselves."
https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep558/usrep558310/usrep558310.pdf
volkris
boosted
A deep dive into what happened with the Russiagate story is also an explanation of how major media outlets damaged the public's trust. https://reason.com/2023/02/03/getting-trump-was-more-important-to-some-journalists-than-getting-the-story-right/
Well this is one of the better steamed hams spoofs
Is #SteamedHams a hashtag around here? Well it is now!
Here's a great thread with screenshots and two second overviews of some different #Fediverse projects! (#QT below)
You might have heard that the #fediverse is more than just #mastodon odon. There are cool other projects such as 📺#owncast for livestreaming video ...
volkris
boosted
"Did you know that if you read a Mastodon thread not on your server, you won’t see the same content as someone on a different server? You’ll only see answers known to your own server...."
https://benlog.com/2022/12/28/dont-let-federation-make-the-experience-suck/
Here's @jwz providing a sample comparing reach and engagement with content on #Mastodon / #Fediverse
Sure, a small sample, but it does show surprising levels of engagement vs followers.
( a #QT )
I've seen a few folks saying that despite fewer followers Mastodon has better reach, so I looked up the numbers for my last few posts: twit followe...
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
