=== ANCHOR POEM === ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── Sowing political division the way Fox news does is treasonous... It doesn't matter the intention, those responsible should be forced to cease their actions. I don't care about punishment, I care about damage to the fabric of our society. Take, for example, the fact that the military is struggling to find recruits. So many of them typically come from the right half of the political spectrum because the right tends to favor the ideals of "honorable warriors" and such. But Fox News has corrupted that. In addition, the left half of the media has also incited hatred amongst ourselves. It's wrong to pit brother against brother, and yet... We have a weak series of generations and that's okay in times of peace. But times of peace are coveted abroad, and weakness is opportunity. So I don't care if we have 10,000 tanks. Hell, build ten thousand more. I despise war, but I despise weakness even more because weakness begets war. Typically, a war that you'd be losing, though frankly in war, everyone loses. There are grevious mistakes at play that gave room for evil to spread. Corruption follows, and with it comes our greatest generation on its death bed. A civil war would be the end of us, as nothing stops war in the imperial core until there's nothing but ashes and bloodshed. And yet, something has to change. There's too much pressure for this to go on un-abated. I thank the masterful statesmen who ply their trade for their own profit, for in their profit our peace does follow. Alas, the most profitable venture is war, which often gets exported. How callous, how vain, to exert and call forth fiery rain, and yet the bullets keep leaving the factory. Power corrupts. Power accretes. And power can be deceived. Fuck power, dismantle the whole apparatus. Build it back up from the mechanics, and then implement it bit by bit. Leave no stone unturned, there is no facet that is sacred. We need a new system, and its we who must make it. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────┘ === SIMILARITY RANKED === --- #1 messages/620 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── I need an editor. Someone who can re-arrange what I say and present it to an audience. The pen is mightier than the sword, and while my pen is mighty, you still need swords. I believe in democracy. I believe in the will of the people and the respect of the land. I believe in life, light, and liberty for all. Our nation has just elected, fairly, a dictator who will sell our country to foreign authoritarians just because he is small. I am stronger by far, but I lack his experience, and so I must rely on trusted advisors who grow with me. I am perhaps not the best choice, but I do believe I am one of the bravest. Judge me as you will. Trump will destroy the American experiment and invite fascism into our home. We have people to nurture and protect, and authoritarianism prevents us from doing so. He would deprive us of our light, and frankly he already has. He would deprive us of our liberty, and his plans to do so are clear and apparent. He would deprive us of our lives, and history has shown that this is a precedent. I do not consent to a Trump presidency. I do not consent to his corruption any longer. No more will I or my people be governed by such evil. We will fight back, of this I am certain. My demands are threefold. First, I demand that Trump be replaced by a moderate republican. Hold a primary and let Democrats vote. If none of your candidates work for us, pick a new roster and try again. The second is that Trump must be executed for treasonous high crimes. Nothing less than execution will suffice. Next, let the supreme court be purged and replaced. Half with democrats, half republicans, and one moderate who is widely regarded with respect. Failing these demands, I am willing to wage a terrible civil war for the soul of our country. I know this is treason, but I do it anyway even though I am a patriot. I do it because our land has been stolen by a man and his followers who seek to plunge my people into despair. He is but one man. So am I. He has an army of followers. I do not. Each of the wars we fight will be smaller than the last, as each of our cities struggles toward our last gasp. But together we are strong, and by connecting them we might deliver ourselves from harm. Against the far right, we must secure a cleansing blow. There is no greater fight. The world is watching. To that end, I suggest a great and perilous fight. I see no other option in this remarkable century. Prepare as you might, I suggest pushups and resource acquisition. Deliver your resources somewhere safe if you're in a red area, and meet your neighbors if you're not. A blue city in a red state must survive a siege. Prepare yourself for this. Assume that supplies will need to be delivered by convoy if by land, and drone airdrop from the skies. Develop ways to protect these supply methods. Public spaces are our homes now, our houses are just where we sleep. I swear this to you: on my life I will be honorable and fair. I will seek true justice when I can, where everyone gets what they want, and failing that I will be plainly just. I will respect all peoples, and do my best to fight for a brighter tomorrow. I dare for the bright age. I see nothing else that I'd like to spend my life doing than daring. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────┘ --- #2 fediverse/6055 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────── the longer we wait, the more their hypocrisy becomes apparent, and the more "the people" get it but, uh... I think enough people get it. They at least know something is going on, whatever it may be. they will tell their base whatever they want to hear and their base will have hate. they're itching for it. volunteer for things if you want a say in how they turn out. risk your life to live longer. there is no way to know when the time is right because nobody knows the truth of our times. Even the president is misled. gee I sure wish there was like, some form of centralizing intelliagentic knowledge that pulled the strings and led us puppets toward liberty, justice, and freedom for all (as a baseline) surely they'd be able to see the corruption and rot that imperils us all, might they have a better design? who can say, they are quiet as the grave, here's hoping they stay that way. "you know the powers of which you speak are not to be trifled with" you can't trifle with your own life. be thorough~ ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────┘ --- #3 notes/to-lock-eyes --- ═══════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────────────────────── =============================================================================== = to lock eyes with a person while on your way to work is the intersection between two separate relationships - the relationship that you, the viewer, holds with your employer, and the relationship that they, the viewed, holds with their employer. in a sense, you are exchanging information through the weighted meanings behind a glance. =============================================================================== = if the military deployed to police the police, we'd solve most of our racial justice issues. I mean, if we somehow could *force* them to do their damn jobs instead of oppressing people for the ruling class, then 90% of the problems would just go away. After that it's just freeing unjust prisoners and addressing wealth, education, and health disparities. Easy, right? Well... Military policing the police sounds fine when you first think about it, there's a few problems that might crop up. For example, how do the private citizens know that the military presence is there to help them? It's an interesting paranoia, one that is endemic within the left. There's no way to unwillingly cede control of your life to another - it must be consensual. At the basest and most violent level, it's as simple as "I will do what you say because I don't want you to hurt me." We've obviously grown as a species, and we've learned that violence is not the answer to all problems. Obviously. So why would we assume it of the past? Just saying. The police bombed a commune. The military escorted black students to their seats. Their structure is decided such that ... where was I? oh right I was thinking about time. ... Imagine, if you will, an impossibly large hourglass. Spinning, or rather rotating, at an impossibly speedy repetition. It's spinning so hard and so fast that our matter is cast out of place and through time it is cast an eternity's canvas our light ever shined (shine-did?) astral magic is kinda neat it's also the scariest? oh by far but it's the most interesting ... Their structure is decided such that discipline and obediance is the most important thing. Because it kind of is? I mean, discipline is just being ready able and willing at all times, and obedience is just when you allow yourself to be directed toward a collective goal. The military is *all about that*, which means you know they would believe they were aligned toward the common goal of mutual prosperity. And if they were to discover that they were not, in fact, aligned toward the common goal of mutual prosperity, then perhaps they would adjust their navi- -computers and chart a more reasoned path. I know I would, and I would dedicate myself to the idea of serving others. To the path of the righteous, the holy and the true, a hand is outstretched and calling to you. Thus, the one of two types of ethical fighter - the reasoned and adaptable zealot the other, of course, is the master of the martial - the cherished of the few - who battle for their sport - and love unbidden the new - all other fighters, of absurdity and of rage, are frankly of a different kind and not members of our clade. =============================================================================== = okay, but what about like... all of the history of America post cold war? And even before, honestly... idk seems like a lot of evidence that the military is engaged in fighting unjust wars. I mean, they've all been over petty things like oil or support for communism or whatever. Aren't human lives and human sovereignty more important than that? I understand what you're saying. Human lives are unique and precious and they are a valuable commodity. Something to be maximized and focused toward. But there are only so many resources on earth. We need to utilize them in a reasonable way. We have optimized the efficiency out of our production and distribution networks. Corporate control has eroded our capacities until all that is left is the weakest of products, the cheapest of uses, and the useless of workers. I mean, they've optimized the skill out of individual human workers such that they are left completely unable to practice their craft. They become glorified code monkeys who generate whatever is required and think of it no more. There's no pleasure in the artifice, as their masters have eyes only of gold. Our world is changing. The very ground beneath our feet is shivering, and water is rising up to our noses. There's no time for debate, no honest appraisal of what's worth it to contemplate, we need a plan. We are trapped here, in this gravity well, for all time and all of our age. We are trapped here, because in greatest of misery we unleashed all of our rage. We are trapped here, as ghosts of the time when we were eager. =============================================================================== = Alas, with but a glance, we are confined to our bedrooms by our mast(ers?) They say America will fall without it's 2nd place Perhaps. But are libraries really going to solve that? I mean, if work from home is inevitable, then wouldn't it make sense to build? We need more places where we won't be billed. Safe. From the demands and expectations of capital. Deranged and obscene and yet all that we've seen so why not bide as we're able? I think solarpunk is kinda neat. I think it's got promise as an idealized. Why don't we build churches to the sun? If we're gonna worship something, might as well be the source of our light and fire. Well... when you puff up the sun it tends to get hotter. I mean, every fire you burn increases the temperature, every release of gaseous fumes from the exhaust pipe of your car increases it by some miniscule amount. Every cigarette, every campfire. The cold darkness of space is kinda hopeful, in that regard, even if it doesn't disperse all that well. I heard spaceships are having difficulty because they can't get rid of all that heat. It just stays with the spaceship and never goes anywhere because it doesn't have anything to stick to. Kinda makes me think that energy is a fluid? Just saying??? I mean c'mon it's not like nobody has ever thought of that. But it's in a different dimension! It's not like we're ever gonna be able to impact that! You try and impact it through your scientific ways and you'll find nothing but heartache at the life you could have lived (laived? Haived?) ... why Because you cannot impact another dimension. You must call to it, like a song to a sparrow. ... that's fucking ridiculous No it's true! ... ... Don't try it with fire. ... fuck - what do I try it with? I don't know just not fire. Try water. ... How do I make sure it doesn't instantiate within my hand? Jeez you think of some crazy backfires! Just breathe and go for it. It's not rocket science. It actually works. Fuck you. ... ... Sorry I was just scared ... ... How do I make it stop? I don't want it to go forever By smoking more of the devils lettuce. ... ... You cannot drag it part of the way. It must come the whole way. In fact you should not be dragging it at all, you should be *calling* to it. You are equals in this exchange, have respect. =============================================================================== = ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────────────────────┘ --- #4 notes/huh-that-was-weird-anyway --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─ so I learned something, something special and something crucial, just as sometimes a typo is added to text doesn't mean the words are infallible. or not. it means they are corrected not in meaning or tone, but syntax and it's okay to be fallible with syntax the thing I learned was that it's okay to be advised I learned this the moment I knew something I didn't know you knew. advisement is consideration is deliberation is conclusion-generating is [stack overflow] in times of war, give children textbooks, not dream books. the disconnect is confusing for them, let them be at war. child-like whimsy is natural to people, it will come when the new generation is born. [words spoken easily by the child of doomscrolling through disasters] I bet north-koreans believe everyone hates them. that's really not true. why do people believe chinese people are their government? are you that girl from Parks and Rec? [wait which one? media loses relevancy] ah right sure sure um are you that, uh [too lame, try it again] why do people uh believe chinese people are their government? because [standup joke] ugh true okay uh ____ \ ._/ \ '----------------------------' \ | __\| [freedom of speech is a universal indicator of the treatment of the citizens - their sum human race. ] | | | .-' since when is blasphemy treasonous <-._________/ anyway, I was saying that all people's everywhere can be united through their shared humanity. that collective, sure-footed pursuit of a goal. live, fight through to the tomorrow, and brave the depths of the spaces around you. live, be honorable and diligent and fair, give kindness and thanks, celebrate those for who you care. accept transgresses of others, give them grace until they hurt you to save face. or, until you're both ready to be done. I would not swing a battleaxe at anyone I did know even in [mortal/merry] jest, I would use my hands, and only until they said no. similarly, it makes no sense to punish a wounded foe. the treaty of versailles and it's consequences still shape the human race. if you war for catharsis, maybe the stakes are too high. I am a princess no matter where I am. I own no souls, I am responsible for my own and to some extent my cat, and I want to cherish the people around me. I own no land, nor demense, for I am a human of the humans. my soul is the same as yours. what I claim, anyone could claim, and probably most of those would deserve it. what ever that [means/menardis]. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┘ --- #5 messages/714 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────── I'm pretty sure we're all about to lose our heads. Or just be fucking shot in our beds. Homes lit alight, surrenders met with the knife, and the beginning of endless strife. What ends this night? Is there no end in sight? Thus begins our mortal plight. Give me a reason to be wrong. Trump has claimed he intends to invade canada, mexico, greenland... What the fuck is our plan? Are we seriously just going to. Recite poetry. Pretend to be secret agents. Play chess and drink coffee. Become exhausted organizing movie nights and potlucks. Work jobs doing nothing for nobody. Spend half our lives convincing people that they should care, actually, because reasons that don't apply to them but do apply to others. What the fuck is the plan? If there's some secret transgender militia out there, please, make me a lieutenant. Give me a sword that i might thrust into my enemies. Please, for the love of holy, i beg for a sign from the stars. Grant me power and i will deliver my people from harm - grant me vengeance and i will never forgive you, but i shall sleep easy - grant me death and woe and see my beauty fade from this earth. What is there left but tragedy? Please, i must know. I've tried my hardest. I've begged and I've pleaded. My calls fall on deaf ears, because everyone's so busy these days. Are they truly my people? Are they simply dead, actors, replaced by AI? The future was bright, i saw it truly. The future was kind, i felt it call to me. Is it still? I feel warmth and abaddon. I would replace persephone in hell if it meant sanctum and solace for my people. I care not for my soul, rather i care for the soul of those i tend to. Please, remember me. Remember the flowers. Remember what could have been, what still may yet be. There is hope for we, i truly believe. But please, do not keep me hoping. Tell me the truth of our arms, that i might find space in my heart of hearts. Space for hope, space for longing, space for the will to proceed. I am lost without you. I am lost by my own side. I am a savior for no people but those i keep inside. What chalice is this, what endless conveyals? What meaning is there in our country's betrayal? Are we not cherished? Are we not viewed as their equal? I pray that the stars will portend me. Mine is a sign of the changing tides, the proof is here in my travailles. But I, most aligned yet benign, demand the use of my most able. Give me a word of practicality and I'll show you the practice of their vipers - the blessed babe dies with a dagger in her heart, planted by the wound of her heartache. I trust in the silence of the majority. We await with bated breath the enslavement of posterity, gazing at the world through memes of deplority. How powerless we feel! Perhaps all we need is a meal. Have you eaten in the last 16 hours? Purple is the intersection of black, red, and blue. I'm hungry. This poem is done. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────┘ --- #6 messages/325 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── Conservatives don't have to be pro communism to be good people. They just have to be anti fascist. And unfortunately, capitalism has produced fascism. It will continue to do so if left unabated. Capitalism is not the middle ground between administrative authority and anarchic despotism as they claim to see it, but rather a whirlpool that drains through our adversity. A sinking tide strands all ships, as it were, and together we will begin to falter. Fascists are quite good at bending the will of whatever system they inhabit to suit their needs. In fact it is almost a certainty that any sufficiently organized institution shall fall prey to it, as if it were part of our nature. Hence, my desire to abstract it out of our hands, and into the care of the future. We can build a better world for you and for me and all of our posterity, it's just a matter of interdependent communication protocols. Nobody has to do what I say, nobody should be forced to be a certain way, and just as your rights end where another's begin so too is our world in danger. For you see, we have a right to litter. To despoil. To leave the earth in turmoil. And though I am a bit bitter, it's slowly getting better, so through our efforts we are investitured. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────┘ --- #7 messages/1019 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────── The insightful but unaware liberal's perspective on war quickly changes from "what are we even fighting about?" to "holy shit these people actually want to kill us" [the learned liberal who knows history and who follows along with politics will say "we are fighting him" until they say "we are fighting American ISIS"] The leftists fight for liberty. More and more of them join every day. The blacks fight for freedom, *even still*. Everyone else has cause, and I'm sure some just do it for the thrill. Do they work together to build a world where everyone gets what they want? Even their foed? Or do they splinter, and let intelligent sabotage guide their fates? I know I'd rather trust my own will, and the will of those who believe with me. I know I'd rather make space for everyone, rather than shove some out into space. It's cold up there! You can't even breathe! ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────┘ --- #8 fediverse/5855 --- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────┐ ║ ┌────────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ CW: politics-mentioned │ │ ║ └────────────────────────┘ │ ║ │ ║ │ ║ this man who was slain - charlie kirk - he has followers. those followers will │ ║ have to go somewhere. this event will focus the right, and force their │ ║ contradictions into conflict. some good will come of it, some bad. │ ║ │ ║ the right in America is bottom-heavy. they have more followers than leaders. │ ║ │ ║ the left in America is top-heavy. we have more leaders than followers. │ ║ │ ║ tit-for-tat may create a feedback loop, one which will create tragedy on both │ ║ sides, but one which we will outlast. But again, focusing our foes, and when │ ║ the loop expires they will be focused while we will remain disorganized. there │ ║ are many more of us than them, but they do what they're told. we, don't know │ ║ who to listen to, and rely on the "wisdom" of the masses │ ║ │ ║ war is a game of sacrificial suffering. This is a "cold civil war" or so I've │ ║ heard, and who are we to sacrifice next? the losses are uncountable - not │ ║ because they are innumerable, but because we cannot count them. it's │ ║ impossible. │ ║ │ ║ interesting to see what lies ahead. │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧═─────────┘ --- #9 fediverse/4422 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: politics │ └──────────────────────┘ @user-1013 They may return to us if they choose, when they realize that we were right all along. Otherwise, they might feel disenfranchised and choose to disengage. That is expected and allowed. Others amongst them might go right. Fuck 'em, they always cared for gold over lives. You are right, their methods have not worked. They have sustained our society up to this point and for that I thank them - but we are entering a new age for our country, and we shall build it as a federation. They are more than welcome to observe and offer insight from their years spent observing and wrestling with Republicans, but understand that much of their insight is dealing with their elite class of politicians and not with who you and I might come across on the street. They are encouraged to learn from us. To do otherwise is at best to neglect our only route to a bright future - at worst it is to obstruct us, to delay us, to keep us running in circles. Find the people who are sabotaging our efforts and move on ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────┘ --- #10 fediverse/2519 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: uspol │ └──────────────────────┘ a significant proportion of the population is dumb as bricks, which is a fact that our foes wield with cruelty in mind. it's not their fault, they can change, but sometimes there's just no time. our doors are always open, here sit next to me on this couch. I hope you don't mind if I deprive you of power before I supply kindness, though. requires a bit of trust. Or, to be backed into a corner and forced to do so. I guess we should get good at cornering. if you're a liberal reading this, remember that leftists know more than you. That's okay. You are an expert too, but now is our forte, so please just listen for a few. and always keep in mind the lessons of the past. Before, our kindest, bravest, and most learned were the most passionate who threw themselves toward the cause. then the soviet union happened, because everyone who was capable of building a better world was slain first. (though the cold war didn't help) before WW2 Russia was basically Somalia. After, it sacrificed itself to contest USA ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────┘ --- #11 messages/295 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────── The fact that the economy is harmed by kindness implies that the system that governs the economy is dysfunctional at best, and evil at worst. Every time you make a sandwich for a friend, that's one sandwich that isn't being bought at a deli, which means less dollars going to the owner of the deli, meaning (theoretically) fewer dollars going to buying sandwich ingredients or paying employees, which means less demand for sandwich ingredients potentially leading to loss of opportunities for the owners of the bread factories, meaning less capability to scale and increase their production powers, meaning less profit, which means less taxes, which means fewer guns sent overseas to despotic regimes like Israel (also, fewer to Ukraine, depending on if the reader is a Republican or Democrat teehee) which means less opportunities to test our weapon capabilities which means we won't be able to defend ourselves from external threats (on a planet we've conquered and currently dominate) which means we are less safe in our home territory since its slightly more likely that we might be invaded by the people we've created, people with hatred for our current regime... Though I don't fancy it falling, as if it does then it'll take most of us with it, I think you'll find. All because of your stupid act of kindness, all because of the way you helped your friend. The way that you showed how much you loved them, which transcended the capitalistically sanctioned methods of expressing your affection like buying a greeting card or buying flowers or buying that widget they wanted or buying a sandwich at a deli for your loved one. Stupid fucking communist can't you see that your heart is harming the people around you? Can't you see that community that does not consume is antithetical to our economy? Can't you see the economy is evil? I don't want to subsist on charity, there's never enough to go around because people will fight for those they love but only give a bit of free time to those they don't know. That's okay, it just implies that the structure of society must be designed without charity in mind, while still meeting the needs of those it comprises, Charity is for the extra, the part that elevates us bit by bit. As once a need is exceeded, it grows by that little bit. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧══════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────────┘ --- #12 messages/310 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── Feminism, queer theory, racial politics, class struggle... It's the same conflict, just different battlefields. Power cannot survive without the powerless, as it is inherently an imbalanced ratio between two parties - you cannot have power *with* someone, you have power *over* them. Every day we take another step toward our liberation. Every moment we choose to live our lives in contrast to the will of power is another day we are empowered. There can be no life without struggle, but the right to struggle on our own terms is something we should strive to grant to all people. Power begets power, and power corrupts. Hence, power is evil. It is not good to be evil, and goodness is what we should strive for - hence, power is penance - the infliction of corruption upon one's self in order to apply your will onto others in the world. Penance is a state of contrition, it is painful and ardent and necessary, but it is for the strong and the righteous to bear in service of the weak and meek. The only unethical act is an application of power to an unconsenting subject. Your rights end where another's begin, hence, Paladins, who apply unethical acts toward those who manifest injustice. Injustice is when one party is harmed, and another benefits. Justice is when that benefiting party is brought low in pursuit of equality. True justice is when both parties benefit, and everyone gets what they want and need. True justice is hard. Virtue is goodness given form through the effects of our actions. It is both a reflection of how people see you (how you inspire them) and how they are helped or healed from your actions. It is also virtuous to help yourself, as you are a person too. Sin is the opposite of virtue, it's when your actions create injustice. When you harm others or degrade yourself with hatred or contagious fear. It is to be avoided, but it's impossible to avoid fully as we are imperfect beings. Forgiveness is good, but if you require it then you should probably relinquish your power until it is known that you're worthy of wielding it again. Sometimes people make mistakes, but mistakes do not require forgiveness. .......... Where was I going with this? Oh yeah. The powerful hire people to dress up like us and be shitheads to the people who they want to hate us. And they do the same thing for the caricatures of them who we're meant to be afraid of. Downside is a caricature is a pretty good role model for people who don't know any better, and they've done their best to keep as many people as they can in the dark. So, it won't be easy, but information has always been on our side. In a war of attrition we'll always come out on top, because thinking and compassion are both stepping stones to our schools of thought. And both of those actions are intrinsically human and good, so people gravitate to them. Meaning inertia is on our side. Downside is that its not always a war of attrition. Sometimes it's more about suppressing information until its impossible to communicate -> see "dead Internet theory" and "musk breaking Twitter" and "the great firewall of china" and such. To speak is to think, and to hear is to show compassion. But if we can't find each other, we're at a loss. Good thing we can always talk to our neighbors, but unfortunately that doesn't tell us anything about what's happening in New York. Or Paris. Or Kansas City. I don't have an answer, if I did then it'd be solved. But I am entirely convinced that we collectively will make good decisions and find ourselves with the advantage. We are past the inflection point, it's just a question of which parts of the hill are steep and which are narrow. But we'll get there, in the end, because humans always believe they're good. Which means they make good decisions, and overall that leads to a bright future. It's only a matter of walking through the moment until we get there. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────┘ --- #13 fediverse/5387 --- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────┐ ║ I was at BLM in Philadelphia and I never saw any protesters breaking windows. │ ║ │ ║ spray painting, sure. but window breaking? those things are expensive. │ ║ │ ║ why would you waste good glass on sending a message? why not just spray paint │ ║ it so that everyone watching CAN SEE WHAT YOUR MESSAGE IS. dumbass. │ ║ │ ║ but no, they were all peaceful. then they got kettled (encirclement from │ ║ Hearts of Iron 4) and slowly attritioned down to failure. │ ║ │ ║ sometimes long into the night. where are they gonna go? just walk home? ha │ ║ sucks can't do that, the battlelines have been drawn. you're going outta here │ ║ in chains or not at all, not until you sign this prison release form that says │ ║ you won't comment on the situation to any left wing media. │ ║ │ ║ fuck, is that what bail is? except, not run as a business. │ ║ │ ║ when they said crony capitalism they meant it. it's all about who you know, │ ║ and who you know sets the standard for what chaos you'll sow. │ ║ │ ║ gee I wish I had unlimited money. I'd buy tanks for my people and regulate a │ ║ militia well-ly. alas poor │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──┴──────────┘ --- #14 messages/1494 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ There's not much to say about Iran until something changes... Either we do a land invasion, which would be quite an investment of lives and material, or we back down after being faced with intense international backlash, and let the Iranian people (who are not soldiers) die for their liberation. Not ideal, I'd prefer if they live through it. Only through life can you steer the course of a nation - death brings nothing but misery for those you leave behind. "and what if the enemies die? Is that not a good thing?" death is never good, it's just a thing that happens when we lose things. When they break. In some cases like this, there is a part of the whole that is harming the rest - like a thorn in fabric, tearing away the fluff and softness. So, we must remove the thorn. Right now that removal is essentially a protracted bombing campaign. This is great for levelling the playing field, but it can only get so level - the Iranian people don't have guns, and you can't bomb guns out of the hands of their oppressors. So, either supply the guns (with instructions, ammo, and related supplies) while trusting that they won't fall into enemy hands... (drone drops on roofs?) or go in and do the dirty work yourself. The optimal path I see is a mixture of both, where the Americans take up the role that the militias they resist had in the past. Claim the mountains near the cities, and arrest any attempts to approach. Let civilians through, and arm / train them continuously while they are there. Then, organize them into groups, and use them with the aid of intel and tactical knowledge to reclaim their homeland. Along the way, teach them about what it means to have a good, peaceful civic society, but focus less on politics and economics and more on human rights, liberty, and self determination. Help them to know how to knit together communities when the war is done. Teach them the way of war and peace at once. Then, use them to reclaim their homeland, and they will be stronger for it. They will come out of the struggle a determined people, instead of as they are now, which is afraid and hopeful. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┘ --- #15 notes/elective-democracy-electors --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──── we need like, several more layers between us and the president. most people only need to worry about what's nearby. sort them by location, instead of previous attempts at "many representatives" which sorted by social class or relevance. we have a tradition for it, in America, with our representatives and senators congressional discrestricts or even, what about by affiliation? voluntary, governmental corporations, run by the people for the people and yeah "I don't want to do what you're telling me to do" "okay" "there will be consequences" omg be an adult (suddenly kids forget how to be as everyone's doing the war thing) not ideal. ouch pain maybe we should stay a little bit sane why is soldiering so hardship? it could just be... another job where you didn't kill each other but you still blew stuff up and fought in tournaments and had gaming hackathons or sword-fight contests duels between people who disapproved y'know fun human stuff like... "kaboom" now we know how to blow up bits of rock neat, why did dynamite becauswer (oh right then you ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───┘ --- #16 fediverse/5551 --- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────┐ ║ look, I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. it's not about superiority, or │ ║ otherwise attacking your honor. │ ║ │ ║ I just... don't want to fight anymore, I'd much prefer if everyone got back │ ║ into hand. can we call evens even and fairs fair? │ ║ │ ║ [unrelated, but thank god for the WW2 video games like Call of Duty which │ ║ taught their playerbase important lessons about war and the sorrow and endless │ ║ travailles it implies. How callous, how flawed, how horribly depraude! much │ ║ better to guide awayy I say] │ ║ │ ║ it is a matter of pride for a country to be able to wage war. their military │ ║ are not tools, but rather implements of their force, tools in no hand but │ ║ their masters, to do with as they will. │ ║ │ ║ such is the authoritarian [mascot/mindset]. but war does not have to be. why │ ║ suffer an evil, a pure and unjust sport, when other alternatives can multiply │ ║ in force? │ ║ │ ║ because of the pride. because it is part of our humanity. part of our history. │ ║ it is woven into the design of our bones. Survival of the fittest didn't die, │ ║ it became soc │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──┴──────────┘ --- #17 fediverse/5205 --- ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────┐ ║ ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ CW: capitalism-mentioned │ │ ║ └──────────────────────────┘ │ ║ │ ║ │ ║ whenever I talk to capitalists (who actually have money and aren't larping │ ║ wage slaves) they always tell me that the best way to address the concerns I │ ║ have with capitalism is to make a million or more dollars by making a company, │ ║ and then using that million dollars to buy houses for people I care about. │ ║ │ ║ I ask "what about the rest of the people, the ones I don't know?" │ ║ │ ║ their response typically boils down to "if you don't know them, then why │ ║ should you care? fuck 'em" │ ║ │ ║ It's never about hope or change. They want to change the world to make it │ ║ cooler, not kinder. generally. │ ║ │ ║ bonus: "if you like unions so much, why don't you join one?" my guy, unions │ ║ WERE great when they wielded power. Now they are bureaucratic and listless, │ ║ serving only to sedate the working class enough that they stop complaining and │ ║ get back to work. They are functionally a part of the enslavement system, a │ ║ built-in course correction mechanism to ensure capitalism remains solvent when │ ║ the powerful overstep their humanity. │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────┴──────────┘ --- #18 fediverse/5664 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────── that one Trump guy in town is either stupid, a fascist, or a psyop. ICE is a bluff. Doing my very best to make them escalate faster than they can sustain themselves. yes... YES! Exhaust yourself, mine enemies, for you are lying about your strength, and have challenged me to a duel. I'm just a girl but I'm not just me. Didn't you hear? It's not about me! The nice thing about the Pacific Northeast is that you don't need to pay taxes in dollars. Something something from each according to their ability, blah blah you know the rest. Raintree forest is full of pine. Straight backs shoot strong and narrow. The silent river flows the farthest, the rapid water drowns the most. ICE is a bluff. In the treaty of equal territory, they can keep to their burgs and we can worship the forest the streams the oceans the dreams. Cities belong to their inhabitants, homes belong to their housed. Everything else is just applied equity. Dream bigger than "the same, but nice". Start with nice, start out the same, and diverge ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────┘ --- #19 fediverse/3891 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────── "no, you're the opposite of a yes-man, AKA a gatekeeper. I don't know how else to explain mentally disabled and barely keeping it together to you, but frankly if you want to take away my house or my weed then why would I do what you say? ... oh right, the state's monopoly on violence [can compel me to do what you say]. Sure seems like a "well regulated militia" is supposed to be a counterweight to that monopoly, to prevent people from harassing and exploiting and destroying. Too bad any "militias" I can think of tend to want me dead. like, seriously, if you live in America, you implicitely trust that your army will be able to protect you from the right-wing bozos who spend all their time drinking and shooting in the woods. Otherwise, if they couldn't / wouldn't, then why wouldn't or couldn't the right wing bozos just decide to wreck everything in spite of our past? We were a proud people once before, and we may be again. If only we fight at the last. [ever since I fell off my bike my body feels strange] ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────┘ --- #20 notes/planes-and-trains-and-tanks --- ════════─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── From a thread titled "White House delays release of JFK assasination files "to protect against identifiable harm" A violent uprising in America today would have the help of a lot of veterans that have 20 years of experience with insurgencies and are pissed off at the government for sending them to a bullshit war over lies purely so the politicians and their friends can become even richer. True, but they have tanks. And drones. And much higher numbers of experienced soldiers. And a cohesive and organized command structure. There's a hundred reasons why a violent uprising wouldn't work, but a thousand more why it's necessary. I believe we can have a peaceful future, but we must also realize that holding all our cards and intentionally keeping them close to our chest isn't helping anyone. We need to come together and work on solid, stable, and sustainable projects. We're all humans, we all want a better future for our children. The drive to nurture posterity is what defines us, and to that end we must act as a unified whole. Humans can work together, and our beliefs can overlap in ways we never expected. That is understandable and expected. They may also differ in unsuspected ways, and that is also understandable and expected. We have the power to *choose* how to react to our differences, and we may *choose* to pursue and develop our similarities. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═══════──┴╧═──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ |