=== ANCHOR POEM === ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────── The rich should act as courtiers in the houses of America. They should not be lords of labor, nor directors of change. They should represent our best hopes and refinement - essentially, kings from another time. I would gladly be inspired by a virtuous leader. And yet none has yet to appear. I wonder why the media wouldn't show us a good representation of the people we are meant to fear? ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧══════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────┘ === SIMILARITY RANKED === --- #1 fediverse/4110 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CW: government-corporations-capitalism-mentioned │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ if you have a job, your life is dictated by your corporation just as much as it is by your government. And yet corporate leaders are not elected, but rather selected. And that is unfair for all the reasons that primogeniture was. It is unjust for all the same reasons that monarchy was. It is a tool of oppression, just like autocracy is. The world will never be free until we can be as we choose to be. Our society is simply too enmeshed with capitalism to destroy it, but we could, with the minimal required effort, dismantle the corruption and authoritarian control that is wielded against us as we weld our own chains day after day. We can replace them. We can vote for them. We can select leaders who know more than us and are better suited for the role than those who seek only to maximize profit over all else. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────┘ --- #2 fediverse/2270 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: uspol │ └──────────────────────┘ @user-1203 The judges prevent the politicians from harming the people who elect the politicians who select the judges. Sounds like it should work well, no? well... the people are divided, but the politicians it seem are hardly so. So, the politicians elect their judges, who allow the passage of such laws which contradict the will of the people. The keys to power should rest in the hands of those who deserve it, not those who claim it. If those who claim it do not relinquish it for a worthy other, they are corrupt and must be dethroned. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────┘ --- #3 messages/982 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────────── if you want a government to be unable to harm it's citizens, you must deprive it of the power to do so. or rather, have the main capabilities in the hands of the citizenry. can you imagine if soldiers had to prove themselves to civilians in order to be trusted with mechano-chinery? who would ever choose the non-valorous and determinable? instilling the culture of greatness within the archetypes and character structures that we believed were confisight bold and determined and measured and freely detectable who would slay the brave paladin? none but the fools, who shared in their lack of conviction. determined? ha, I am as you see me. Come and claim me, that I might determine you some more. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────┘ --- #4 fediverse/5381 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────── ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: nazis-mentioned │ └─────────────────────────┘ @user-138 they say that not all monarchs are evil or inept, but the worst ones definitely are. such is the same for all leaders, elected or otherwise. sometimes, it's better to question authority than to grow to resent it. resentment is inaction. it is an untenable [charity./tragedy.] ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────┘ --- #5 messages/1276 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════── in a socialist country the criminals would have just as much wealth without any crimes. "we want more wealth" means "we want there to be fewer of us" bastards the noblest monk does so with less (oath of poverty, rewardingly forgotten) ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─┘ --- #6 fediverse/4076 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ CW: spirituality-gestured-at │ └──────────────────────────────┘ the "heaven" they offer you is just a world of your own design, which is what you can do when you're perfectly disciplined and granted the ability to perfectly perceive perception, begets reality and lo! we only see what we want to see life is so much more interesting than death, death is just... a spiral of your penitent peers living their lives glued to their screens and passing through spacetime as if in a dream life, meanwhile, is anything you can conjure on this tiny planet earth. At least we have indoor plumbing, right? I'd rather make friends with the angels in this life, so they can convince me to stop torturing myself. someone... please convince me... ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────┘ --- #7 fediverse/3884 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────── ┌────────────────────────┐ │ CW: children-mentioned │ └────────────────────────┘ children should be raised in museums, not classrooms they should visit parks, not fenced in playgrounds. they should eat with family, at festivals, in restaurants, and under the stars they should sleep content, knowing that their next day will be greater than the last. children should be treated like people, not frustratingly loud and messy little brats children are to be nurtured like a sapling, not harnessed like a machine I'll never have kids, but I can dream. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────┘ --- #8 fediverse/4803 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────── ┌────────────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: politics-mentioned │ └────────────────────────────┘ I say only executed after a general strike because the general strike is the signal. the display of our intentions. we are serious about this, see how many people walk the streets? how many walk off the job? they have families. if our demands aren't met, their families will be punished. how cruel. would you really do such a thing? what kind of government would not care for it's citizenry? sounds like everything we've known to fight against. Autocracy and despotism. I refuse to concede. I do not run. I do not confess. I have nothing to hide. I don't lock my door. I don't own anything that they couldn't take from me. I own nothing. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────┘ --- #9 messages/322 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── When they invade America, it won't be with planes and tanks and battle lines stocked with artillery It'll be with speed boats, and semi trucks, and rifles glimmering in the dark. It'll be with consumer drones, with power stations brought low, it'll be with bridges blown and safe houses on the roads not oft taken. Immigrants are our friends when the world is in peril, and America is a safe haven from the woes of far off shores. But when America is the peril, those who immigrate do so with intention. 99/100 people are innocent, and I would rather a million guilty murderers go free than an innocent perish. Which is why we need rifles. When the time comes, it won't be brother against brother. They want you to think that because they want your eyes on the wrong target. They want you to think that because it doesn't tip the hand of those far off shores, and once the cards are revealed, suddenly everyone knows when to go. They tie up our officers at the border, but the border's not what's at stake. No body lives at the border, and no nation state would send it's trained warriors in such a way that they'd get caught. At least, not more than once. Should we build a wall, should we patrol each and every state, we'll find ourselves in peril of collapsing under our own weight. But should we relinquish our duty, our sworn and sacred responsibility, then together we share the same fate. Brothers in fate are kin until death. Immigrants aren't bad. They're good people. They benefit our society and bring us wealth and prosperity. Which is why they hide wolves in the sheep, armed like a man. It's a mistake to point at your neighbor and say "you're on your own". It's a mistake to say that home is all that you own. We are united in our state of solidarity, in our collective purpose as a nation in our hearts. There's no dividing line between this land and mine, save for a line we draw in the sand that determines the range of our just demands. I wish I was a man. It's what I was born as. It surely would be easier to not contravene nature's ordained gender scheme. But I'm not, and I'll trust that you'll trust me when I say that. I hope you would hear where I stand before my body goes cold. The media is meant to enlighten us, but in this enlightened era it serves only to blind us. Do you know your neighbors, oh unfriendly city folk? If not, how do you know they're alright? The world won't change overnight. It's always calm before the storm, but every state of calm does not call forth a storm. I believe we can fashion a peace out of our mutual sincerity that leaves room for the hopes of all posterity, and to that end I say what we have isn't working. It's too rigid in its definitions, too heartless in its cruel machinations, and yet the wolves do also hide amongst our homeless. I don't want to alarm you. Things are being handled as they should. I guess I just want to offer a hand of friendship, a hand that your companions would stab me for. At least, that's what the media tells me. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────┘ --- #10 messages/408 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────── If our government was of the people, by the people, and for the people, then it would aim to make all of its citizens as rich as it could. A good place to start would be by encouraging deflation, so people could buy more high quality goods on the international markets, and by regulating the power that select few individuals may use to extract wealth and labor from the "lesser" citizens. I don't know about you but I believe that all men are created equal, and it is unconscionable that some may bend others to their will. Liberty, liberty, freedom for me but not for thee, for I am a despot you see, of my own little fiefdom, this palace of renown - I built my playground from the blood and bones of your kin, and I stand here on the high ground. Come at me! See what my army of drones can do. I built them overseas, with an army of slaves that I'm not accountable for. Come at me! See who the police of this nation will protect. I paid for them, after all, with my endless coffers and vaults of inherited wealth. Come at me! See who will believe ye, the media is at my beck and call. Propaganda works on everyone, and everything you see on your phone or TV was written for me. So take care, little one, lest I kill you with a thought. Less than a thought, for you are just a number to me. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────┘ --- #11 fediverse/4010 --- ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────┐ ║ ┌──────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ CW: pol │ │ ║ └──────────────────────┘ │ ║ │ ║ │ ║ I think that the best design for cities is for them to act as massive utility │ ║ deployment stations. │ ║ │ ║ like... "we have all these people who can do all these wonderful jobs, what │ ║ should we work on next?" rather than "my company wants me at my work-home at │ ║ 8am sharp and I don't get a pension" │ ║ │ ║ there's no such thing as a revolution that does not inspire. and aspirations │ ║ are human and natural. therefore there must be some kernel of truth to any │ ║ social movement. │ ║ │ ║ However, much effort has been spent on making them sway. Hence, why nothing │ ║ ever gets done - because leaders naturally emerge, and people follow them. But │ ║ those leaders lead them astray, and they find themselves in situations like │ ║ this one - where the people have never felt less represented. │ ║ │ ║ I mean sure, yeah, they've felt more oppressed. And it's true that things are │ ║ generally always getting better... │ ║ │ ║ so why should we always assume for the worst? │ ║ │ ║ We're making progress with technology - can't we just put our warries on hold? │ ║ Seriously just... be chill │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────┴──────────┘ --- #12 fediverse/892 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────────── @user-622 ah but a noble house would have armed guards who would drag you kicking and screaming out onto the cold winter night the moment you offended m'lordship frankly I could do with a good drag-and-kicking myself, where have all the good men-at-arms gone T.T ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────────┘ --- #13 fediverse/2976 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: uspol │ └──────────────────────┘ on our current trajectory, the presidential election is already won. now we can get back to on-the-ground organizing, the part that actually improves life instead of maintaining our current (unethical) state. As long as our allies (liberals) continue to work, perhaps there may come a day when we can stand against them as friendly equals in the ballot box. But for now we are best known through friends and community rather than TV. I am optimistic in a way I haven't been for a while. I know that the more we speak, the more we share, the more they falter, the more people we can save from their vice grip of despair. There is no better world than the one we build together! ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────┘ --- #14 fediverse/640 --- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────────────┐ ║ socialism doesn't necessarily look like the DSA. It's more like, the bonds you │ ║ share with others. Ideally you can trust your fellow countrymen, but that's │ ║ not always a given. Alas, if only we could see that through cooperation (it is │ ║ the key) we could reach further and build brighter? casting ourselves inward │ ║ is the only other option, which leads to starvation and plight. What's the │ ║ honest opinion, what's the goal of their dominion? Are they true to the heart │ ║ [of the night/light/in their heart]? │ ║ │ ║ downside, there's no guarantee that your opposite is doing the same thing you │ ║ are. So to more fairly determine your direction, you should be able to talk to │ ║ them and co-re-align yourselves. │ ║ │ ║ is that why they don't let people in jail talk to each other? I mean, like, │ ║ they could keep two people separate, and that way they'd never be able to talk │ ║ to someone who they could trust. Not in a private setting, of course. Wow, │ ║ such ethical confusions, such thoughts we dare to bring to bear - maybe save │ ║ it for after the revolut │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧══════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────┴──────────┘ --- #15 fediverse/2273 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: uspol │ └──────────────────────┘ @user-1203 perhaps they learned from our mistakes, or they were guided by better sense during their founding. I wonder, with our title of Commander in Chief, do those governments you mentioned also invest supreme military direction into their head of state? I don't see how it could be any other way, as the military must be tied to the will of the people. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────┘ --- #16 fediverse/6276 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────── ┌────────────────────────┐ │ CW: politics-mentioned │ └────────────────────────┘ democrats in the senate back down when people in their houses sit down. senators in their houses get hyped when people all about town are pumped and colorful. I'm sick of us-vs-them, why can't they just be more like me? oh right, because diversity. I am normal, look how normal I am. I'm definitely normal enough to lead a nation or a band. gonna take a moment to do nothing for as long as I can. gonna take a moment to be productive as I can, which in my case, since I'm so normal eyeroll is to play video games to keep myself busy, smoke weed to keep myself from feeling busy, and sleep for 16 hours a day because that's what babies do and babies aren't busy, they're just sleeping all day and being amazed about their hands. don't ever sacrifice your people. least of all your leaders. it's not worth the price, your people are your greatest resource. squander them and despair, have faith in them and be fair, and nothing's that simple or easy but there are some lines not to cross. dark magics ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────┘ --- #17 messages/399 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────── The schizophrenic sees the truth in dazzling displays of color that are nigh incomprehensible, while regular people see truth in shades of gray that you can understand and work with. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────┘ --- #18 fediverse/2851 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: uspol │ └──────────────────────┘ democrats want the kind of society that Joe Biden represents. that's who they're voting for - the memories of life as it was for their grandparents. people vote for Trump because they're sick of living in the same country as these other people who don't feel just like them. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────┘ --- #19 fediverse/1271 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────────── ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: sliiight sadness, nostalgia │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ @user-883 the future is what we make of it. it happens both slower and faster than imaginable, and it's not evenly distributed. when I yearn for the future, I find myself drawn to the past - the natural world around me inspires me in ways that my computer never could. Just as my computer inspires me in ways that a tree, a brook, a cloud alight might not. though the future may be terrifying, we're here for it together. And nothing has changed in our humanity, save for our slight addiction to social media. frankly I'd take social media over leaded gasoline any day! ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧╧═════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────────┘ --- #20 fediverse/1324 --- ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────────┐ ║ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ CW: fiction-silly-image-that-popped-into-my-head-with-no-context │ │ ║ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ ║ │ ║ │ ║ the president of america glances down at the trembling pen in his hand, before │ ║ grasping it resolutely and adding his name to the list of world leaders │ ║ arrayed before him. │ ║ │ ║ "I'm sorry, everyone. I... tried. Fedi has won." │ ║ │ ║ they hang their heads and collectively proceed to the party thrown in their │ ║ honor by the denizens of the earth who collectively just overthrew them. │ ║ │ ║ "Hooray, now everyone can eat!" but there's no rules so the more feral types │ ║ had already been digging in. They shuffle in the door all mopey like and take │ ║ their place of honor at the empty chairs of the round table before deciding │ ║ "hey maybe it's not so bad if we mix things up a bit." │ ║ │ ║ police have been replaced with honorable chess duels, credit cards are now │ ║ just a way to make sure someone isn't buying up ALL the beanie babies and │ ║ lighting them on fire or whatever, and rent payments are a foregone │ ║ conclusion. Hooray, for simplicity, hooray, for stability, hooray, for our new │ ║ century~! │ ╟─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────┴──────────┘ |