I did think social media would make people more aware but it seems to just feed people’s need for outrage. Speaking to actual people living in Gaza, I don’t think it matters to them the politics of the situation, they just want to have a future.
Don't disagree with any of this, but then I think to the TikTok "ban" and the persecution of Julian Assange and now this Pavel Durov guy. Clearly there are powerful people and factions that still fear and loathe the ability of the plebes to communicate about various things (and no, it's not "drug trafficking" or child porn or whatever the excuse was with Durov) among ourselves. Doesn't that kind of count as journalism? We're sitting here powerless, speaking truth to (or more accurately, about) power and they don't like it, let alone that there still exist certain 'channels' in which we can still do so. But yeah, I guess "real" journalism is dead.
Twitter is controlled by a military-industrial oligarch and you can get your fill of the genocide there. Don't have any special insight into the TikTok ban stuff but fear of China is a big motivator.
Yeah, I didn't bother mentioning Twitter (or Meta) for that reason. In fact, while writing that comment I had in mind an article or post that I read earlier and had to scroll back up to yours to make sure I wasn't just parroting what you had already written. I can't remember where I saw it now. Basically, Twitter and Meta are already fully integrated with the MIC (from the get-go, as your book "Surveillance Valley" explains) so the "establishment" has no need to rein them in. They're parts of the same system of information/propaganda dissemination and narrative control. But the so-called establishment obviously sees a threat in Telegram, TikTok, Wikileaks and other independent media (see recent arrest of Richard Medhurst, raid on Scott Ritter, detainment of Kit Klarenberg, Craig Murray, Sarah Wilkinson, etc.). It's to the point where they're policing "thought crimes" - since that's all they are. We have information-as-entertainment, but can basically no longer do anything meaningful with it in the real world. Journalism in the sense of truth-to-power-with-consequences is mostly dead. Now they're coming for anything else that may influence our thoughts in any dissenting ways.
P.S. If I had the money to do it, I'd bet that Israel-Palestine is the main reason for the plans for TikTok (China a close 2nd or good cover story, anyway) and the Ukraine-Russia war (with perhaps some Israel-Palestine influence) is behind what's going on with Durov/Telegram.
You hit the nail on the head. I told my wife the other day that I'm just following the election as entertainment. Except in a few selected cases,I've quit talking about politics as well. There's no point and it's depressing. For the first time since 1972, I will not be voting. For sometime now my reading is mostly fiction; largely for the reasons you stated.
Thanks for the link to this in the other thread. I must have missed it at the time. I do think that it's of equal importance that us regular plebes are increasingly unable to even discuss Israel or its crimes in any remotely critical way. In the not too distant past, that might "earn" a person the (temporary) label of anti-Semite in "polite company" or on the Net. But now, as in Europe and the UK, it's entered the realm of legislation and law enforcement. It will determine whether a student at a state or private university can have a job in "journalism" (I think the scare quotes are self explanatory) or in "banking" (not as self explanatory - i.e., legalized casino gambling with house money backing you) or even finish their semester without being expelled for "violence" or "promoting terrorism."
It's really under my skin at the moment, and that's a problem because one of the huge stated and unstated (depending on scenario) goals of Israel-first Zionism is to *promote* anti-Semitism in countries where diaspora Jews live.
If I was that Cybertruck owner, I'd fight that in the courts. I think anyone who can afford to drive that piece of garbage can also afford an attorney.
I have no doubt, right after British women were given the vote, and the majority voted Conservative, someone, somewhere wrote something like this cri-de-coeur . . . .
Take some time off, Yasha; blow off some steam. Then, do what you can.
Voting was always a odd thing in the U.S. with our two parties and electoral college... But voting has taken on a new meaning for me as the Republican Party's judicial appointments work like energizer bunnies to ceaselessly and remorselessly tear apart the components of our system, i.e., the Corps of Engineers, NLRB, TPS status for the spouses of immigrants.... Maybe our system isn't worth much but, honestly, my day job depends on it and I will vote to protect it. I do with with trepidation knowing that this is the system, an imperial system, that supports endless war, a divided Korea, and a live broadcasted suicidal genocide, among other horrors. What choice do I really have?
I did think social media would make people more aware but it seems to just feed people’s need for outrage. Speaking to actual people living in Gaza, I don’t think it matters to them the politics of the situation, they just want to have a future.
Don't disagree with any of this, but then I think to the TikTok "ban" and the persecution of Julian Assange and now this Pavel Durov guy. Clearly there are powerful people and factions that still fear and loathe the ability of the plebes to communicate about various things (and no, it's not "drug trafficking" or child porn or whatever the excuse was with Durov) among ourselves. Doesn't that kind of count as journalism? We're sitting here powerless, speaking truth to (or more accurately, about) power and they don't like it, let alone that there still exist certain 'channels' in which we can still do so. But yeah, I guess "real" journalism is dead.
Twitter is controlled by a military-industrial oligarch and you can get your fill of the genocide there. Don't have any special insight into the TikTok ban stuff but fear of China is a big motivator.
Yeah, I didn't bother mentioning Twitter (or Meta) for that reason. In fact, while writing that comment I had in mind an article or post that I read earlier and had to scroll back up to yours to make sure I wasn't just parroting what you had already written. I can't remember where I saw it now. Basically, Twitter and Meta are already fully integrated with the MIC (from the get-go, as your book "Surveillance Valley" explains) so the "establishment" has no need to rein them in. They're parts of the same system of information/propaganda dissemination and narrative control. But the so-called establishment obviously sees a threat in Telegram, TikTok, Wikileaks and other independent media (see recent arrest of Richard Medhurst, raid on Scott Ritter, detainment of Kit Klarenberg, Craig Murray, Sarah Wilkinson, etc.). It's to the point where they're policing "thought crimes" - since that's all they are. We have information-as-entertainment, but can basically no longer do anything meaningful with it in the real world. Journalism in the sense of truth-to-power-with-consequences is mostly dead. Now they're coming for anything else that may influence our thoughts in any dissenting ways.
P.S. If I had the money to do it, I'd bet that Israel-Palestine is the main reason for the plans for TikTok (China a close 2nd or good cover story, anyway) and the Ukraine-Russia war (with perhaps some Israel-Palestine influence) is behind what's going on with Durov/Telegram.
The more you know, without the ability to change - the more helpless you feel ...in a good and bad way.
You hit the nail on the head. I told my wife the other day that I'm just following the election as entertainment. Except in a few selected cases,I've quit talking about politics as well. There's no point and it's depressing. For the first time since 1972, I will not be voting. For sometime now my reading is mostly fiction; largely for the reasons you stated.
Thanks for the link to this in the other thread. I must have missed it at the time. I do think that it's of equal importance that us regular plebes are increasingly unable to even discuss Israel or its crimes in any remotely critical way. In the not too distant past, that might "earn" a person the (temporary) label of anti-Semite in "polite company" or on the Net. But now, as in Europe and the UK, it's entered the realm of legislation and law enforcement. It will determine whether a student at a state or private university can have a job in "journalism" (I think the scare quotes are self explanatory) or in "banking" (not as self explanatory - i.e., legalized casino gambling with house money backing you) or even finish their semester without being expelled for "violence" or "promoting terrorism."
It's really under my skin at the moment, and that's a problem because one of the huge stated and unstated (depending on scenario) goals of Israel-first Zionism is to *promote* anti-Semitism in countries where diaspora Jews live.
Meanwhile: https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/tesla-cybertruck-vanity-plate-controversy-19986100.php
If I was that Cybertruck owner, I'd fight that in the courts. I think anyone who can afford to drive that piece of garbage can also afford an attorney.
I have no doubt, right after British women were given the vote, and the majority voted Conservative, someone, somewhere wrote something like this cri-de-coeur . . . .
Take some time off, Yasha; blow off some steam. Then, do what you can.
Agreed. Fiction may now be more honest.
Voting was always a odd thing in the U.S. with our two parties and electoral college... But voting has taken on a new meaning for me as the Republican Party's judicial appointments work like energizer bunnies to ceaselessly and remorselessly tear apart the components of our system, i.e., the Corps of Engineers, NLRB, TPS status for the spouses of immigrants.... Maybe our system isn't worth much but, honestly, my day job depends on it and I will vote to protect it. I do with with trepidation knowing that this is the system, an imperial system, that supports endless war, a divided Korea, and a live broadcasted suicidal genocide, among other horrors. What choice do I really have?