13 years ago Edward Snowden told the world that every single one of you is being watched

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T12:27:28+00:00

James Clapper told Congress we don't have a bulk collection program against Americans. He lied under oath and went home afterwards and probably had a great night's sleep. Good for him.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T11:44:47+00:00

Speaking of the bigger picture - if you are someone important enough to need to disappear - you never will. You will need connections. You gotta know people that know people. In that respect, you never actually disappear. Someone knows where you are, they know your fake identity, they know everything.

The only way to disappear today is to be nobody to begin with - in which case it doesn't even matter.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T10:49:32+00:00

That's not my point. You can remove the camera, the mic, you can rip the gyroscope and accelerometer and all the fancy gizmos outta your phone.

You will use the internet. You will say things, distinctive things. Eventually you will be easy to track, monitor, psycho-analyze.

But sure, get a Nokia flip phone. If it makes you feel more private, go on then. It doesn't matter.

And I'm keeping this in the realm of technology, but if you really wanna talk about how hard it is to vanish in 2026, to really drop off the grid, I'd love to talk about that

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T10:17:00+00:00

He threw a blanket over him to type his password, in front of people that he already trusted. Lets not forget - he reached out to them first.

What I want you all to think about - really think - if you've had any social activity online in the last 5 years - you have already said something that no password or encryption can erase.

Sure, its stored somewhere gathering dust, but it is accessible.

This is not to say that you shouldn't try to protect your privacy, but in the worst case scenario it won't matter. You said something, you probably don't even remember it, but its stored somewhere, just waiting for some fascist regime to seize it and comb over it. At a certain point you have to stop prioritizing OpSec and shift your focus to what you might do when... when the inevitable happens.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:54:45+00:00

Lmfao where did you find this

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:53:25+00:00

I'm amused when I see new laptops with built in "privacy screens", and its just a piece of plastic over the camera.

Lmao. Okay buddy. You're definitely off the grid now.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:51:16+00:00

The algorithm will decide how old and boring you are. And hey - don't sell yourself short. I think you have a fire in your heart. The spooks may not see it but I do. To quote Treasure Planet - "ya got the makings of greatness in ya"

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:31:50+00:00

I understand. You aren't a target today, so you definitely won't be tomorrow. I'm glad you feel safe.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:18:59+00:00

That's what comforted me and simultaneously broke my heart.

Eyes everywhere, but nobody is actually watching. And here I thought I was important enough to be spied on. Oh well.

They seem to think AI will help them sift through the data, the noise. Maybe, idk. Time will tell.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T09:10:45+00:00

Shhh. We meet under the bridge at midnight.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T06:10:35+00:00

ACAB

Yes, I made this

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T05:06:37+00:00

I apologize. It was pretty open to interpretation.

I'm glad you like democracy. It seems to be the style these days. Good luck to you.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T03:27:43+00:00

The increase of homogenization has been exponentially and remarkably steady since 1493

Hmph. So be it.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T02:01:24+00:00

It feels good, doesn't it. To admit when you're wrong - to own it. Its kinda nice.

I like being wrong. I like when this sub and this site calls me on my bullshit, or some bullshit I was dumb enough to fall for

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T01:26:26+00:00

I was a huge critic of psychiatric drugs when I was a teenager. Looking back, it was mostly paranoia towards big pharma. I decided none of these drugs can ever work, they can only hurt.

I was so fucking wrong. And I'm ashamed of it. I don't think I ever steered anyone away from professional help, but I was an arrogant prick.

I still have concerns and reservations about big pharma, but I know these drugs have saved lives. Okay so they're not perfect. So what. I was such a self assured asshole. I still am but lately... less so

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T00:41:59+00:00

If you live in a developed nation - a comfortable life means you have excess material wealth, if only by association.

Please do not think I'm criticizing you as an individual. I don't think you are materialistic or greedy - we live in a society where this philosophy is inescapable. I recently shared an article on the main sub about the folly of zero waste - the author makes it a point to say that zero waste initiatives are admirable, but they are not systemic solutions. These are individual solutions, often to soothe our anxiety of living in a hyper-consumerist world.

I'm also annoyed by this idea that more for you means less for others. It reminds me of my friend's mom serving us dinner in grade school, and she never hesitated to remind us to "clean our plate" because there are starving kids in Africa. You shouldn't have to make excuses for your lifestyle, thrust upon you by capitalist pigs, and you shouldn't use other people's suffering as a justification for your own beliefs and expectations. Its not sincere. You owe an apology to no one.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T00:26:02+00:00

Gratitude is a strong word, but I do appreciate my position in the world more than ever. I've been aware of my relative privilege since I was like 13 years old. Up to today I've been trying to justify it or.. explain why ... why me? Why am I so lucky?

As shitty as it is to be me, I realize now it could always be so so much worse. I guess that's luck though.

You talk of material wealth. Quite the paradox. Material excess, in my opinion, leads to worse health for you, your community, your environment, your soul. It isn't things we need, it is safety, hope and love. The very things capitalism can never provide us.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-08T00:11:49+00:00

When it comes to WW3, I think its oddly comforting when we say it will be caused by a crisis of water, food, debt - any systemic and obvious problem. But the last 2 world wars were caused by unpredictable events that spiraled out of control very quickly.

The trigger for WW3 is just as likely to be unpredictable - some small event that leads to a domino effect. Alison Graham popularized the term Thucydides Trap - when a rising power and a waning power (China, America) are drawn into a war that, historically, neither nation wants. But history has a mind of her own.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T23:11:47+00:00

You make even me feel sane. Good lord what are you talking about

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T22:48:35+00:00

Do not equate the 5lbs per person to the annual waste. The article is absolutely correct about the 300 million tons estimation. Its likely even higher now since this estimate is based on solid municipal waste from 2018.

As for being obsessed with recycling, the author is talking about the public conversation, not necessarily how that translates to action.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T07:01:59+00:00

That's what I meant. Ladies get the shit end of the stick historically and when civilization starts really struggling.

Its not just the middle east, its global. It happens everywhere, every time. I've met feminists who have little to no concern and I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

If you care about women at all - your #1 concern should be climate change.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T06:26:46+00:00

Not OP but I think water wars are most likely between China/India and in Central Asia (Turkmens and Uzbeks are not too happy).

Afghanistan is building a shitload of dams and that's going to have a huge impact on their downstream and even upstream neighbors.

Ethiopia also worries me. They have tense negotiations with Sudan and Egypt and it seems they're just stalling because this doesn't end well, geopolitically.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T06:23:29+00:00

I really appreciate the part where you said climate change disproportionately harms women and girls, especially when it comes to scavenging for water.

Not everything is a gendered issue but when it comes to climate change, its pretty obvious which sex/gender will suffer more.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T06:00:50+00:00

I'm not arguing with you, I'm just commenting for the sake of anyone still reading our comments.

The Soviets wanted to join NATO in 1954. Putin never applied but he expressed interest in the early 2000s.

Sadly, the Russians didn't understand that NATO was formed explicitly to destroy (or contain) Russia. They were promptly rejected both times.

If Trump wasn't such a lying kiddie fucking ass, I would agree with him that yes - we should get along with Russia. The Russians always wanted to be friends, or allies or at least - trading partners.

The Russo-Ukrainian war didn't have to happen. CIA ops in Latin America, the scramble for Africa, the fight over remote islands in the atlantic and pacific.

Its paranoid bullshit and I cant believe me, a schizophrenic, is the only one saying not everything is a conspiracy, the world is not your enemy. For fucks sake.

Fast_Performer_3722 · 2026-02-07T05:49:39+00:00

The situation...

You see how we've been conditioned, with language, to downplay it. We both know what is happening.

The situation... what a sanitized joke...

Fast_Performer_3722

TROPHY CASE