EVHasteMar 6

As age-verification bullshit becomes more common, I am determined to simply not participate in any service or video game that requires it. The day I see the prompt, is the day I leave.

Maybe the government’s hope is that I stop participating in society, but I assure you that I will not. I’ll find or build alternatives, and refuse to comply with bad law.

I hope you will, too.

And as a silver lining, maybe the weird internet we end up creating as a result will suck less than the current one.

Show threadEVHasteMar 6

It may be inadvisable to put this in writing, but I’m serious about this: if I am ever required to put up an age-gate, I intend to defy that law.

You’re going to have to break into my house and physically remove the server, when it comes down to it.

And it’s not that I doubt they can. I don’t have the same kind of resources that the state does. It’s more that I intend to make them do so publicly, in the sunlight.

I solemnly swear to be the biggest pain in the ass for fascists possible.

Show threadEVHasteMar 6

At this point, I believe there’s more value in being loud and public about resistance.

The legal system already does not function, specifically for me. I have no reason to believe that the Constitution will protect me, or that plausible deniability will keep me out of jail. At this point, if the fash wants to put me there, they will reverse engineer a reason to do so, or even do so illegally.

But if others see me making noise, they might decide to push back, too. Corporations certainly aren’t!

Show threadEVHasteMar 6

All I know is that the internet is absolutely the most important thing humanity has ever created, and is maybe the only tool that we have today which is capable of equalizing the insane wealth, information, and power inequalities in my country.

Our ability to communicate freely, to exchange ideas, and to organize terrifies all of the right people. Good. It should.

I will not participate in destroying my own home— and yes, I do consider the Internet my home. I’m corny like that.

Show threadCyMar 6
Admittedly the absolutely insane wealth, information and power inequalities in the world only skyrocketed once the Internet was created. But is it correlation, causation or coincidence? The Internet enabled Google, Amazon, Facebook, but really those guys were using the same techniques that worked to screw up brick and mortar business in the 1800's. We just had laws to prevent it, and for some reason people started lying that didn't apply when you couldn't walk into the store. And got away with it, every time. Plus wealth monstrosities created by SpaceX, and indeed "brick and mortar" superstores weren't aided by the Internet. And the vast majority of rich fucks these days come from two scams: rental properties (especially hotels) and private equity. Internet doesn't help either of those schemes.

(I'd add speculation to the schemes, but that money doesn't exist; people are just lying that it does.)

So I'd say the Internet is... probably... a good thing. But its timing is terrible, coinciding with the constant, total failure of anyone opposing rich fucks and the unstoppable enslavement of every man, woman and child while the planet burns. Sometimes I just wish I could talk to my neighbors, and do something to protect ourselves against this global wave of tyranny.
Show threadmike805Mar 6

@cy @Haste Expensive technologies benefit the rich.

A previous generation of rich people hated the crossbow because a man who could devote himself to training with it could kill an armored rich landowner.

The Samurai really didn't like muskets for the same reason. Now an uppity peasant hiding at a turn in the road could kill them.

All tech since the steam engine has empowered the rich. At least the Internet does occasionally threaten them. Encryption and copying capability, for example.

Show threadCyMar 6
Hardly any rich people operated a steam engine at all!

Just nitpicking, but technically the reason every technology since the steam engine has benefited only the rich is purely political. As in, it's legal for them to benefit, and not legal for anyone else. That's all that's causing it: people, police, laws. It's that way because people have decided to make and keep it that way.

CC: @[email protected]
Show threadmike805

@cy @Haste The rich people did finance the construction and improvement of the steam engine. As I recall, Newcomen accidentally discovered the condenser vacuum principle. His engine barely worked because his cylinder was crude. He partnered with a cannon maker to produce good cylinders and then the engine worked.

Watt couldn't get factory owners to buy his improved engine, so he built the first metered-usage licensing model! He did the upgrade for free and put a billing meter on the engine.

Mar 7 at 12:17amWeb