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In perhaps the most intrusive move of social media platforms' efforts signal as much virtue as possible and appease their potentially-regulating government overlords, Twitter has announced that it is cracking down on what it defines at hate-speech and not just by looking at its own site.
Who was right, Orwell or Huxley? Neither would see things the other’s way but they were actually both correct.
Orwell saw the future from a perspective describing a collective but sequestered sort of fundamentalism or hierarchy and mentality you would find in a military, along the lines of his experience embedded in a colonial authority, or a conservative church.
Huxley saw things more along the lines of the ‘it’s all about me’ MTV generation somehow subjected to mass manipulation and control. Social media, particularly Twitter, is in the Huxley mold.
One being right did not make the other wrong. Sane people are caught/trapped somewhere on the periphery of either or both.
The very nature/extremism of both social phenomena participants precludes nearly altogether anything much in the way of sincere dialogue on a way forward out of the mess, and that leaves everyone screwed because it is how the 1% keep their reign of military industrial insanity moving forward.
Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns a huge chunk of twitter, lyft, Apple, and a bunch of other shit has been on house arrest for awhile now. Richest dude in the Middle East. I'm more worried about a war between the Saudis and Iran, than anything. Our politicians have their noses so far up Saudi Arabia's ass, America will be the one sending soldiers over there to fight. All the pro-Israel, anti-Iran sentiment among the right wing frightens me much more than someone getting banned from twitter. Who the hell uses twitter?
Once upon a time in the west we had underground papers, magazines, radio, music, and a huge underground populace. We had organizers and organizations. The old manual ways of connecting have been co-opted and there are very few who know how to organize any group for any kind of resistance. Social media seemed to take this on for a bit. Now that the old ways have fallen by the wayside, people that don't want to take this from social media and opt out, fall into a void of helpless regarding social action or responsibility. We all lose our voice. I am more concerned than most I know regarding KSA and MBS, even while I see through the BS. I see that KSA is allowing the boneheads formerly known as Prince to buy their way out of captivity for 80 percent of their wealth. Presumably, Hariri and wife will be allowed to move to Paris while the rest of the family are guests of the kingdom. Knowing anything about Miguel Cervantes should prompt one's memory of the medieval practice of ransoming individuals. The war Tony seems to be interested in between KSA, their IsrŠ°eli owners, and the cro-mags in Washington against Iran is quite alarming but being beyond the age of the draft I am personally not too worried. I find it interesting that the jihadis have succeeded in luring the US into every trap they have set for them.....Iraq, Syria etc.......Iran. If one reads anything of the intent of Bin Laden or al Zarqawi, it was always their desire to bog us down in these countries. Perhaps their notion of bankrupting us through over reach will pay off. And, Mr. West, spot on. Tony, you should check out Moon of Alabama blog. I think you'd be in your depth. A lot of analysis and intelligent banter on topics such as the one you bring up. Hope to see you there.
I'm not sure how Twitter expects to keep customers when it treats them this way. No one wants a creepy platform. It's already bad enough that you can get fired for tweeting the wrong thing. Will Twitter be preventing their users from starting flash mobs as well?
Dollars to doughnuts they will, PR!