Covid, WFH, Musk, The fall of Twitter, Netflix plateau, Reddit Blackout, Crippling interest rates, Trump, Decentralisation, Tech Antitrust, Ukraine

Adding in Edit: AI, Climate Crisis, Nazis, Fascism, Democratic backsliding, automation, mass unemployment, rising homelessness, wild fires

How are you feeling these days?

We sure do live in interesting times

  • Plume (she/her)@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    We could indeed be on the brink of something. The conditions are there but for what? Will we end capitalism, make a new system and try for a better world? Or will we fall into fascism once more?

    Even if it’s finally the day we move on from this system that keeps threatening to collapse on itself every 6 months… it’s gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better…

      • agentsquirrel@beehaw.orgEnglish
        1·
        3 years ago

        AI is going to usher in an age of workerless utopia for corporations, or at least significantly less workers. AI is computationally expensive and capital intensive, so only those with capital are going to be able to deploy it and benefit from it on a large scale. Hiring people is the bane of capitalists. Once business figures out how to use AI beyond customer support chatbots and data analysis, we’re going to see a lot of unemployed and/or unemployable people.

        • dmdeemer@diggit.xyzEnglish
          1·
          3 years ago

          This argument applied to computers back when they took up entire rooms. Now we have much better ones in our pockets.

          AI will get cheaper and more accessible. In other words, it will be democratized.

          Now, if we are able to mix AI with robots to automate more manual tasks previously done by humans? Yeah that will cause some unemployment.

      • TerryTPlatypus@beehaw.orgEnglish
        1·
        3 years ago

        Yeah, it is kind of scary. We’re at that cusp of development which could be as big as that shift in globalization and technology was in the late 1970s…we have made so much technological progress, but little social progress, and that means we are very ill equipped to deal with the awesome power of the technology in front of us…

  • Rowin of Win@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    It think we have cycles because people remember things that happen in their lifetime but fail to adequately instil that knowledge in the next and subsequent generations. The wealth inequality of the 1920s was the catylist for much of the economic turmoil of the great depression and laid some of the context for the New Deal era. The strong rules for antitrust and managing monopolies were put in place to prevent a repeat and while the generations who lived through the great depression were dominant they survived. As those older generations died out and as the following generations grew in influence those protections were weakened and eventually mostly dismantled, resulting in massive changes from the 70s onwards. Those protections were eroded and wealth and income inequality grew until we reached and surpassed the levels of the 1920s.

    I think the same happens for other things like the idea that Nazis are bad or must be resisted, or that religious ideologies should ve kept seperate from the government, or healthcare is something we can help each other to gain, or that workers can have power by working together. What I find hopeful is hearing discussion of all of these ideas in fairly accessible places and people do seem to be studying history in order to avoid repeating it.

  • TerryTPlatypus@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    At this point we should have a “We Didn’t Start The Fire” parody for all the nonsense that’s happend over the last 3 years. Feels loke the Roaring 20s, but just more cbaotic and socially conscious.

    All I’m trying to do is just find myself and enjoy life, and I’m a little anxious to see where we end up. Hopefully it’s somewhere where we come out better as a society.

  • Captain_Pieces@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    Like there’s an impending economic shift coming due and the powers that be are doing everything they can to try and prevent it. Unfortunately for them this is inevitable.

  • TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    Notice how 90% of that are rich people causing or amplifying those situations to happen?

    COVID - Trump sabotage any effort made to prevent the spread and we lost 1 million people due to that.

    Climate Crisis - Oil Giants/Automobile industry sabotage the public transportation which would have a long term ramification to reduce oil consumption overall.

    Nazis/Fascism - Rich People fund/outright purchase mass media to create chaos in public perspectives and polarize the political parties. Koch Brothers are funding far right politic and pushing hard for nazism. And of course, don’t forget about Sinclair broadcast.

    Ukraine - Putin and the Oligarch

    I could go on. Almost all of the problems begin and end with the rich people. #EatTheRich

    • circuitfarmerEnglish
      2·
      3 years ago

      I have been trying to mention this trend to people as much as possible when they bring up issue X. A divided populace is easier to control, and here we are with various “culture war” topics constantly on the news, more and more fear mongering etc etc. But for every divisive cultural issue, there’s a group of rich people who stand to gain, in one way or another, from the division itself and the fact that it keeps us (the poor-er majority) from solving real problems.

      The fact is, if we fix the wealth inequality problem we fix a lot of others, and we would also be able to focus our collective energy appropriately at the others which may not naturally fall away.

      That’s not to say we shouldn’t focus on everything – but our best bet for a livable future is to start eating the rich now.

      Edit: a word

  • marin♡ @beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    It’s scary how greed has made the world so hostile. It’s hard to stay ignorant about these issues because it’s just one search away on a phone. Yet, people still choose ignorance. I feel a little lost and hopeless sometimes even though I try to do my part. Finding a safe space online seems crucial for my mental wellbeing. Glad I can be here

    edit: grammar

    • Stoicporcupine@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      Hello friend, I also struggle with feeling alone in a vastness of apathy and sometimes hostility. I’m glad we are here together to shine our candles in the dark - when everything else seems hopeless, one thing we always have within is our ability to choose our mindset and reactions. Sometimes it can help to focus on the things we can change in the here and now, rather than those we have no influence over. The difficulty lies in telling which is which. It is okay to be tired! But I hope you can find the strength to march on - together we can make the world a friendlier, kinder and better place :)

    • bored_pistachio@kbin.social
      0·
      3 years ago

      Don’t blame people for choosing to be ignorat. Empathy fatigue does not make you a bad person. We didn’t envolve to process so much shit.
      I try to focus on my local irl more. There I have some influence.

  • shortwavesurfer@monero.townEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    Jesus will soon return and take his chosen. I personally doubt that list will include me because while i think “god” may exist i dont think he pays attention to or really cares about us. He is just playing World of Tanksor something

    • spacemanspiff@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      I prefer this quote because, IMHO, a god does not exist…

      “Is god willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him god?”

      -Epicurus

      • charliespider@kbin.social
        0·
        3 years ago

        I’m a hard core atheist but those kinds of sayings always bug me as just being semantic word play. They essentially equate a higher being’s power with the ability to do something that is impossible simply based on the definitions of the words themselves.

        Can god create a square that’s a circle?
        No?
        Must not be a god then!

        Just silly. There’s endless valid arguments against the existence of gods without having to resort to linguistic trickery.

      • Staark@kbin.social
        0·
        3 years ago

        Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?

        This part is quite scary when you think about it. If he did exist, and was able and willing to help, but he didn’t consider anything the world was doing as even a blip on his radar, what horrors are yet to come?

  • Whooping_Seal@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    From what I heard, the netflix password sharing change ended up being a net-increase in subscribers even accounting for the exodus caused by it.

    So while they were going downhill for a while I think their password sharing crackdown surprisingly benefited them.

    • bear_delune@beehaw.orgOPEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      I think that’s a tricky one; I technically still have an active account despite canceling. I feel like the fall-off will happen on people’s next billing cycles

      • metaStatic@kbin.social
        0·
        3 years ago

        oh absolutely. how many people got blindsided by the crackdown and setup their free trial to binge the last of their shows fully planing to cancel before they get billed? They count as new subs.

        I’m honestly finally looking at getting a NAS and going back to physical media the high seas

    • JeSuisUnHombre@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      This, more than anything. But I do try to fight that because I know that’s apart of the strategy to keep people docile. (In a non conspiracy theory way?)

  • Wahots@pawb.socialEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    History oft repeats itself. By reading a lot about the past, I feel more relaxed about the future.

    A book I read recently was a history about a moral panic starting, how people became marginalized, how there were times of extreme terror, how a social movement started, and eventually entered the mainstream. Laws were reversed, the group of people became normal, and became part of greater society.

    The goverment had gone from decade+ of progressivism with a opposition party in decline, to the accidental discovery of a powerful social tool to tap into the hate built into humans. They leveraged that tool to bring their party back to relevance in the face of declining power.

    It’s victories were temporary though, and their very tapping into that hate was what undermined them. The boy that cried wolf couldn’t keep crying about it when people realized it was just a ruse.

    Almost the exact same things are happening today. A similar moral panic kicked off. Someone is crying wolf and is trying to be the constant victim. Most people will be exposed to the alleged “wolf” (who turns out to be floofy and nice!) And America calms down again for another 20-40 years.

    • Canidea@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      Thank you for this - these days it’s really hard for me not to be pessimistic about the future, and this reminder helps put me at ease. Nonetheless, things are absolutely scary right now - does that book go into detail about the damage done during said moral panic? Also, what book was it?

      • Wahots@pawb.socialEnglish
        1·
        3 years ago

        Yeah, it does go into the damage done. But it also sets up well for Stonewall and how everything was on the road to change. It’s the Lavender scare by David K Johnson! More about it in the comment above. :) https://www.amazon.com/Lavender-Scare-Persecution-Lesbians-Government/dp/0226401901

        I believe trans rights are currently in 1954 ish. But unlike 1954, it’s much, mucher harder to fully slam the door on this one because being queer has been normal for so long, hateful people have a much more difficult time siloing people this go around. And this time, people aren’t ashamed, they’re fiercely protesting this, which is a healthy sign that we aren’t as authoritarian as places that have recently fallen, like Hong Kong.

    • NekoRogue@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      That sounds really hopeful. Where and when did the events covered in the book take place? Also, what was the name of the book?

    • ArcticCircleSystem@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      The idea that it’s likely to repeat again even if it dies down is terrifying, I don’t get how people are finding that to be hopeful. Am I missing something here? ~Cherri

  • Sploosh the Water@vlemmy.netEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    Not feeling optimistic, but trying to stay positive and do good in the world regardless.

    Remember to use these hard times to focus on the things that really matter. Enjoy nature, have empathy for others, be kind and supportive, stand up for what’s right.

    We’ll all endure, some how some way. Peace and love to y’all.

    • StupidDunmer@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      This is true. If our days are really numbered, why spend them indoors doomscrolling and musing over what-could-be scenarios when we could just be living our lives the best we can while we have the chance?