Ha. Hopefully. Worst case scenario is being eliminated entirely! But that's another debate...

Did you know? 98.0000001% of people are morons.

I do think social media has a lot to answer for. Its focus on maximising time spent onsite enabled much of this hysteria. The echo chamber mindsets; a symptom of the division based incentives used to maintain engagement. People aren't uncovering unbelievable truths, they've just took up home in a virtual cell with amplified versions of their own politics and prejudices for company. There's always been problems with society, but this nuts ramping up and balconisation is definitely in part an algorithmic consequence, which is strange to think about. Social networks could take many different approaches that focus on and reward common cause, rather than the opposite.

For websites, it's no doubt financially rewarding, but for users, it can do a number on them mentally. It's a conveyor belt of the most sensationalist aspects of mass media, removing any semblance of nuance, and dialling the emotional response to 100 to keep people angry and online. It's so behind the scenes that people don't see the strings being pulled, or the habit forming.

The Q contingent is an example of the more out there places it can take you, the 'off the reservation' types who have a bring it on attitude to events on the Captiol too, as are examples on the left such as the 'cancel culture' types or those who think you should be in Alcatraz if you get their pronouns wrong. People in broad political alignment don't even question these crazy views or behaviours though because of the ever exaggerated them vs us bubbles we've hopped into. That's where this has got us.

Parler gone.

Build your own platforms they said.

It's a free market they said.

These are private companies they said.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Yep, Gab and Bitchute.

Dark times ahead.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

I would certainly much rather platforms had been built around that principle, to encourage and reward positive engagement, rather than insensitive divisiveness. The algorithms and approaches currently used by social media to maintain engagement appeal to and exaggerate our worst characteristics. They eliminate nuance and set people against each other. Then they point the finger at their users when the temperature gets too hot as if they are not integral to this whole process.

Yes but also a sense of relief, at least for me. There is no more pretence anymore. Not even an attempt to pretend that notions of free-speech actually mean anything anymore and it is clear that there is a wide-scale attack on any and every Right Wing/Conservative presence. Events last week were a blatant stitch-up. Security that poor for that day makes zero sense unless you actually wanted mayhem to ensue. Democrats milking it for all it was worth with zero upside for the Republicans.

There is a clarity to matters. Always important. People will have to make choices.

Edited by Matov (11 Jan 2021 3.40pm)

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.