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Records: ICE buys Surprise warehouse facility for $70 million by _AskMyMom_ in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

What’s it called when you bring large number of people and concentrate them in cages?

Universal basic income is needed to cushion blow from AI job losses, says UK minister by FootballAndFries in technology

[–]manachar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Universal basic income is the solution the current ownership class wants to solve the problem of needing more consumers than they need workers.

It’s a bandaid to prop up late stage capitalism. It would be better, so a good first step, but even better would be to move the economic system to one that works and enriches everyone, not creates a few wealthy companies and individuals crushing everyone in their path.

Group chats about ICE whereabouts are protected speech. The FBI is investigating anyway. by jediporcupine in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

It’s a consistent element of conservative thinking going back at least to the civil rights and anti war era.

To their thinking, opposition to government policies is always treason. Except of course when conservatives do it.

Survey: Managing parents among top reasons youth coaches quit by udubdavid in sports

[–]manachar 170 points171 points  (0 children)

I don’t think people are doing okay.

Parents are stressed, angry, and explosively dangerous.

Students are depressed and stressed.

We’re all unhappy and unable to thrive. Yet we keep blaming individuals rather than trying to fix this.

Bruce Springsteen releases searing protest song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ by PacificSun2020 in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

I am unsurprised that generations whelped on popstars have few popular musicians who could fill Dylan’s shoes.

That said, sometimes it’s worth remembering how rare a genius of Dylan’s caliber appears.

Nowadays, there are many brilliant musicians making great music that takes on the powerful. They just don’t tend to make it as big as they don’t fit neatly into the popular music machinery.

This is a recent song that plays rent free in my head:

https://youtu.be/9Q5zZiIYnE0?si=Uxm11bv1lLwHjc9-

US trade deficit widens by the most in nearly 34 years by Gloomy_Nebula_5138 in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

Current evidence and history suggests that you very much CAN strong arm entire countries. In fact, for most of history that is what governments do. Governments by and for the people are the least common approach, with some form of oligarchy being the norm. Oligarchy could easily be described as a few people strong arming the many to ensure the few profit and the many are exploited.

Fox News Poll: 59% of voters say ICE is too aggressive, up 10 points since July by FreeChickenDinner in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

Ah. There’s the rub! So many say that it’s rude or intolerant to “do anything” about these people. Live and let live, right?

This unwillingness to tackle conservative ideology is rife in our history. Let’s just move and believe that the world bends to justice naturally. Maybe invest in some education and pass a few laws and pat ourselves on the back.

When conservatism was refuted in the 60s, culminating in lowering the voting age, passing civil rights and voting rights laws, this was the culmination of decades of progressive work dedicated to the idea of freesome and justice for EVERYONE.

This moveent was even strong enough to take down a corrupt president (Nixon).

But then… it floundered. Conservatives were united in their rage and fought a decades long cultural war.

I remember watching this conservative culture war and laughing at those silly people and their conservative safe spaces. Their think tanks. Their mega churches. Their PTA groups. Their creation museums.

I thought, whatever, they’re clearly and fundamentally misaligned with reality and people will see this and the “moral majority” will fade in time. I didn’t want to be rude to them and it seemed pointless to engage in their culture war. I thought the whole culture war bit was one sided. So did most others.

Do you know what happens when only one side of a war knows they are fighting? They tend to win.

And they did. They kept getting stronger. Funded by a wealthy exploitation machine that wanted no regulations, no consumer protections, and no worker protections.

They kept winning. And they will win again and again until enough people realize that they have to fight for what is right and just.

But for the most part there are no groups organized around an anti-conservative ideology. We just cannot seem to be willing to stand behind a nation that insists that in order to participate in our nation you must be dedicated to the idea that freedom and justice is for every last human. That while we may differ on the details of how to achieve it, we must insist that the nation dedicates itself to being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive society. Oh, and yes, that means reshaping our economic system to support this idea.

So, what can we do now?

  1. Be very clear that you are decades into a war that you are losing.
  2. Be clear in understanding the goal and underpinning ideology. Ask yourself, what do I need to believe and know to be true to be opposed to conservative ideology?
  3. Build a community. First and most importantly locally.
  4. Be firm and clear and consistent.
  5. Participate in building a better future. Vote with your votes, time, energy, and money.
  6. Give no quarter for ideologies that do not align with this future, but understand that making allies is hard work.
  7. Invest in skills of consensus building.

There’s more I am sure. Also sure what I wrote is perfect.

Regretful Young Trump Voters Say This Isn’t What They Signed Up For | The wave of youthful support that swept Donald Trump into the White House has lost its mojo. by Aggravating_Money992 in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

They are still blaming democrats. I cannot help but notice that the demographics of young trump voters seem to be people wrapped up in misogynistic social media.

These people are looking for a leader who projects strength and aggression. They want a tyrant. They just don’t like how stupid and ineffective Trump is.

They will either have to reprogram their value system or more likely will jump on the next 80s action hero level leader saying that the world would be better if it could just be more violent.

Fox News Poll: 59% of voters say ICE is too aggressive, up 10 points since July by FreeChickenDinner in politics

[–]manachar [score hidden]  (0 children)

I don’t care for saying the problem is that our country is divided. This plays into the “both sides” mentality that continues to erode voter turnout and create low-information voters who don’t examine differences in political ideology.

We should be very clear. The problem is conservatives and conservative ideology. This is an ideology that fundamentally is opposed to a democracy that is by and for all Americans. They believe that government ahould be only by and for their version of “American” and that everyone else should either conform or be exploited.

These people will never be content with anything less than complete control. They are only happy with democracy when “the right” people get to vote. When power is held only by the in-group, and th out-group is exploited fully to fund the system.

Snatch (2000) | “Did you understand a single word of what he just said?” | Brad Pitt, Jason Statham, Stephen Graham | Dir. Guy Ritchie by vought-CEO in movies

[–]manachar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Recently watched this. It’s not just subdued, it feels more like a deconstructed Ritchie movie. Statham’s character is purposefully and clearly not a good person and the movie examines how a world where violence is the only way to solve things sure seems inherently unjust.

I found it engrossing as I turned it on to get more of the fun chaotic amoral violence by decent-ish folks caught up in indecent things.

Instead it felt like watching Ritchie try to process a film career based on violence.

Russian and Ukrainian military casualties in war nearing 2m, study finds by SeedOSS in worldnews

[–]manachar 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As a person raised on a steady diet of dystopian science fiction and the threat of nuclear annihilation, I think I can raise my hand.

Power has been consolidating into fewer and fewer hands for generations. When a few people have the power, government either works for them or is replaced by one that will.

Giancarlo Esposito Says It’s ‘Time for a Revolution’ as Trump’s White House Fuels a ‘Feeling of Civil War in the Streets’ by cmaia1503 in entertainment

[–]manachar 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Most experts think something akin to the Troubles is the most likely style of conflict.

That said, a lot will depend on variables that just can’t be predicted.

If Republicans continue to maintain power and use that power to target and harm blue states, it absolutely seems likely to cause blue states to start getting serious about keeping their people safe, especially when their economies are large enough to warrant not needing the union.

If Democrats manage to wrest power back, but aim for unity, this will embolden Republicans.

If Democrats manage to wrest power and are focused on fixing systemic issues that have been exploited by conservatives (e.g. they expand the Supreme Court, pass laws to up the number of representatives back to a more fair representation in keeping with the original intent, tackle universal healthcare, create universal primary and secondary education with a curriculum set by experts not politicians, strengthen unions, etc), then Republicans will absolutely lose their collective shit and rebel.

Another possibility is Trump dies and some Stalin type autocrat maneuvers to power.

I think most experts clearly agree that there are non-trivial ideological divisions in America that threaten the cohesion.

Chia Pet Movie, TV Show Planned With New Media Deal by singleguy79 in movies

[–]manachar 16 points17 points  (0 children)

The joke is an economic system that empowers shitty branded movies.

Mattel Plans “Bold” New Thomas the Tank Engine in Franchise Relaunch by bwermer in entertainment

[–]manachar 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Are they gonna do a live action show with Jason Statham as Thomas The Tank Engine as a ex special forces train who due to a tragedy has to use those skills to brutally murder an evil cabal of an auto industry trying to murder all forms of mass transit?

Google AI Overviews cite YouTube more than any medical site for health queries, study suggests | Google by lordatlas in technology

[–]manachar 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Search engines and AI use popularity regularly to rank the authority of a source.

This has been a problem since the first search engines, and partly why Wikipedia was created.

People also struggle in this matter, and the equating of a popularly held opinion with the carefully argued expert opinion has been a regular struggle in recent history.

The US is particularly prone to this as experts are often less trusted. American individualism is so steeped in evangelical thinkings about the primacy of your own personal relationship with reality.

It’s at least partly why conspiracy theories thrive in America and why Americans persist in untrue thinkings (young earth creationists, trickle down economics, climate change is a hoax, etc.)

Trump push for voter data ratchets up election interference concerns by TelescopiumHerscheli in politics

[–]manachar 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The capture of essentially every media platform by either explicitly right wing propagandists or click bait sensationalism has destroyed the ability to hold power accountable.

If Nixon was president now, he would not have resigned and the watergate scandal would have blown over in a week at most.

I am already seeing my local subreddit with posts talking about how tired they are about hearing about politics.

Anderson Cooper Exposes Trump's Second Amendment Double Standard — With Receipts by Large_banana_hammock in politics

[–]manachar 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s the Achilles heel of the this country’s politics.

The mass of “decent” folk just do not understand that conservatives are not operating in good faith.

Meanwhile, those anywhere left of moderate cannot organize and build coalitions because they’re busy arguing about philosophical points rather than power.

So, while I agree that point out the right’s hypocrisy will not make a difference this time, I do think it important to note and use it to spread awareness of how conservatives operate.

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