Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Tamas]

Why do you stay?

Probably has something to do with the fact that the governmental systems you hate so much actually create a pretty good quality of life.

You completely misunderstood. It is Eastern Europe that is the paperwork hellhole, and the UK is the haven without it. It's not perfect (ID cards would make life considerably easier) but infinitely better. I don't want that to change. Even if it means voting without ID and by using a pencil.

Sorry, you are correct.  I did misunderstand.

 

[Jacob]

Thankfully my algorithm doesn't show me any of that.

I was talking about out there in real life, away from social media

[crazy canuck]

Thankfully my algorithm doesn't show me any of that.

I was talking about out there in real life, away from social media

Thankfully my friend group is also not exposed to such things.

[Barrister]

You guys are in a different social media bubble.  I have never heard of this rant.

The Trumposphere have added 15 minute cities to the list of fearmongering projects in the same bucket as vaccines, mainstream media, gun control, trans people, pronouns, climate change, vehicles that don't use combustion engines, bicycles, education, etc.

It hasn't gotten as much traction as some of the other items, but once in a while you might see a sticker or a post ranting on the topic, so it's out there.

Thankfully my algorithm doesn't show me any of that.

So CC, I criticize you a lot (with good reason I think), but the following is not meant as criticism, but perhaps helpful advice.

The fact your social media algorithm doesn't show you crazy right (or left) wing conspiracy theories is comforting, but not actually a good thing.

I've noticed this with Twitter in particular - if you use the "For You" tab (instead of just people you follow), if you click on a few things you disagree with - just to see what they're saying - you start to get increasing amounts of craziness.  It's infuriating to see, but I think it's good to know what kind of BS is floating out there from both the left and the right.

So try clicking on a few more links of people you disagree with, and see what starts coming up.  To be forewarned is to be forearmed, after all.

[Gups]

You guys are in a different social media bubble.  I have never heard of this rant.

The Trumposphere have added 15 minute cities to the list of fearmongering projects in the same bucket as vaccines, mainstream media, gun control, trans people, pronouns, climate change, vehicles that don't use combustion engines, bicycles, education, etc.

It hasn't gotten as much traction as some of the other items, but once in a while you might see a sticker or a post ranting on the topic, so it's out there.

Thankfully my algorithm doesn't show me any of that.

So CC, I criticize you a lot (with good reason I think), but the following is not meant as criticism, but perhaps helpful advice.

The fact your social media algorithm doesn't show you crazy right (or left) wing conspiracy theories is comforting, but not actually a good thing.

I've noticed this with Twitter in particular - if you use the "For You" tab (instead of just people you follow), if you click on a few things you disagree with - just to see what they're saying - you start to get increasing amounts of craziness.  It's infuriating to see, but I think it's good to know what kind of BS is floating out there from both the left and the right.

So try clicking on a few more links of people you disagree with, and see what starts coming up.  To be forewarned is to be forearmed, after all.

Or just don't go on social media and read books instead. Forearmed or not, that's not much us ordinary Joe's can do about the nutters

[Josquius]

I get my nutter feed these days second hand through more sensible people reporting on what the crazies have to say.
Facebook is a cess pool.

[Barrister]

Or just don't go on social media and read books instead. Forearmed or not, that's not much us ordinary Joe's can do about the nutters

While I understand the sentiment, knowing/understanding social media is essential to understanding modern politics.

You might as well say "don't watch television and read books instead" 20 years ago.  TV is where the majority of voters get their information.

[Barrister]

I mean just as one example - if you didn't follow social media you wouldn't know how obsessed right-wing Trump-types are with the so-called "Epstein list" - which are names included in litigation involving Jeffrey Epstein.

Which might be confusing since Trump is linked to Epstein.

Except of course it tangentially ties into fears about pedophilia / QAnon / Pizzagate and the like.

[Jacob]

The question is to what degree someone needs to care about Trumpeteers are about the "Epstein List".

[Admiral Yi]

The question is to what degree someone needs to care about Trumpeteers are about the "Epstein List".

If by care you mean empathize, zero.

If by care you mean prepare for a world in which their irrationality leads to government action, as an American I care very much.

Take covid as an analogy.

[Barrister]

The question is to what degree someone needs to care about Trumpeteers are about the "Epstein List".

"some"

Another one I keep see popping up is that school kids in NYC are getting kicked out of school in order to make room for migrants.

I had to hunt around to find a more neutral news source:

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/asylum-seekers-relocated-from-shelter-at-floyd-bennett-field-to-james-madison-high-school-due-to-storm-prompting-remote-learning/

Now, when I see Elon himself posting about it they don't mention the part about the storm - but still, the optics of this are pretty bad, and the mainstream media does itself no favours by not covering the story at all (except for a local CBS affiliate).

[Jacob]

The question is to what degree someone needs to care about Trumpeteers are about the "Epstein List".

If by care you mean empathize, zero.

If by care you mean prepare for a world in which their irrationality leads to government action, as an American I care very much.

Take covid as an analogy.

For sure. Though I think that degree of understanding can be achieved without following their social media directly.

[Barrister]

The question is to what degree someone needs to care about Trumpeteers are about the "Epstein List".

If by care you mean empathize, zero.

If by care you mean prepare for a world in which their irrationality leads to government action, as an American I care very much.

Take covid as an analogy.

For sure. Though I think that degree of understanding can be achieved without following their social media directly.

You don't have to follow it directly (and I think I would probably recommend against it) - but if you click on certain links you get more of that content, even without following it.

But otherwise - no, I don't think you really get the understanding if you merely rely on other left-wing sources to intermediate for you want is happening online in right wing circles.

The same goes for radical left-wing sources as well.  Try checking out content from, say, Occupy Democrats.

[Admiral Yi]

For sure. Though I think that degree of understanding can be achieved without following their social media directly.

I don't feel compromised or adulterated if I watch a youtube clip about the ATF implanting mind control pedophile chips in our brains.  I feel informed.

[Jacob]

I don't feel compromised or adulterated if I watch a youtube clip about the ATF implanting mind control pedophile chips in our brains.  I feel informed.

Me neither. I just have other things I'd prefer spending my time on