How unscrupulous criminals were able to attain high government offices, even though it was perfectly obvious that there could hardly have been more unsuitable candidates.

And in a similar vein: how so many people in today's democracies can be so ideologically blinded that they vote against their own interests – even though the internet makes it very easy to obtain basic information so that you don't fall for obvious lies.

I think with the passage of time, this will seem so absurd that people will wonder how we could have been so incredibly stupid.

I am curious to see what historians will call this period. Perhaps anti-Enlightenment or the age of misinformation. However, this is of course conditional on us not overdoing it in the coming years to such an extent that the future resembles Idiocracy. That is also a possibility that is not entirely unlikely...

4w ago

What fictional character do you wish was real?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 4w ago

Robin Hood, but modernized as a 21st-century hacker type so that he can cope in today's world. But I'd still like him to look like he belongs in an edgy 90s movie, complete with green tights, for authenticity's sake.

1mo ago

What's your favorite conspiracy theory?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 1mo ago

Ah, thank you! I don't know anything about wrestling - only that the US Secretary of Education, Lisa McMahon, is the wife of wwe wrestling promoter Vince McMahon, who has been tried several times for rape and sex trafficking (and is, of course, a good friend of the orange rapist). I thought that was what this comment referred to.

1mo ago

What's your favorite conspiracy theory?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 1mo ago

Yes, that's why all of this provides such good material for conspiracy theories: the dull-witted MAGA workforce certainly didn't come up with this themselves, but most likely rather their financial backers behind the scenes. The people in the administration are also benefiting, of course, but I think most of them are more like the front for smarter people who prefer not to appear in public office - people like Thiel and the like.

As I said, this is all conspiracy theory because it cannot be proven beyond doubt, but it is remarkable how well particularly unscrupulous fascists are working together worldwide these days, how visible they are in both traditional and social media, and how respectable their standing is in the business world despite their blatant Nazi rhetoric.

When you consider that it is not a conspiracy theory but reality that the power to bring this about actually lies in the hands of a few billionaires, you have to at least be suspicious.

But yes, all these strange developments could easily turn you into a conspiracy theorist yourself - and probably in a way that is at least some what plausible, despite the lack of evidence. At least it seems to me that there is significantly more circumstantial evidence here than for all the ridiculous fantasy stories that the fascists continue to spread.

1mo ago

What's your favorite conspiracy theory?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 1mo ago

Pretty much everything "New World Order": One of the oldest and most common labels for conspiracy theories that claim a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world under a totalitarian one-world government.

Edit: Although there are certainly some signs of such conspiracies today, the absurd thing about many of these theories is that they are often used by right-wing extremists to gain support for ideas that are very close to the goals of the conspirators described in such theories.

The best example is probably MAGA with its "cabal" of child molesters. Now that their leader is president, it is telling that MAGA has gone quiet on this conspiracy theory - and no one there is talking anymore about the fact that influential billionaires are becoming richer and more influential under the MAGA regime.

I have always found such things interesting, as they themselves give rise to conspiracy theories.

1mo ago

Europe's plan to ditch US tech giants is built on open source - and it's gaining steam

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 1mo ago

A quick reminder in this context: The German government wants to introduce Palantir nationwide, even though this violates applicable law - both at the European and national levels. Contracts have even already been signed in some federal states.

Here is a link to a Campact petition calling on the SPD to block the CDU/CSU's plans.

And here is a petition addressed directly to the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg, demanding that the contract already signed with Palantir be disclosed and revoked.

In my opinion, everyone living in Germany should sign both petitions - it is scandalous that this is even necessary, but unfortunately, conservative german politicians in particular continue to pursue their shady dealings.

2mo ago

Not even once

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 2mo ago

No more Mr. Nice Guy No more Mr. Clean

2mo ago

Update on my Home-Lab now featuring a fully custom built 10" Aluminumm rack

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 2mo ago

3mo ago

What is the scariest shit you can think of?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 3mo ago

Yes, that's true, of course, and it's the reason why no clear patterns can be found here. However, as is often the case with conspiracy theories, this could also be dismissed as a distraction from the conspiracy.

But you are absolutely right: we should stick to the facts—this idea is just a nightmare scenario for me because even in democratic systems it would make freedom, self-determination, and above all the hope for better times almost completely impossible.

3mo ago

What is the scariest shit you can think of?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 3mo ago

That we may be living in a world where the super-rich and powerful from all countries have conspired to establish a kind of global absolutist monarchy of the utterly unscrupulous, in which fabricated conflicts between countries serve mostly to distract from the fact that those pulling the strings behind the scenes have already undermined every political system and are simply pitting people against each other in order to secure even more power for themselves through war, mass surveillance, propaganda, the rationing of essential goods, and blatant destruction.

Please note: This is a conspiracy theory with no solid evidence, not a fact, but a dystopia that unfortunately seems increasingly realistic these days.

4mo ago

What is your absolute favourite track from a video game?

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 4mo ago

Sonic 3: Ice Cap Zone Act 1

4mo ago

Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge after 15 years: Only 9 of the 256 billionaires actually followed through on giving away half their wealth

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 4mo ago

You said that philanthropy is not misused to avoid taxes—that is definitely wrong, but if you want to believe it, please do.

4mo ago

Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge after 15 years: Only 9 of the 256 billionaires actually followed through on giving away half their wealth

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 4mo ago

You need to be more specific. I'm not going to waste my time refuting your statement because I can't even begin to imagine how you came up with that.

4mo ago

The triumph of AI marks the end of the information age.

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DandomRude @lemmy.world 4mo ago

But (classic) Google provides links that can be traced. LLMs do not do this consistently - and they are frequently hallucinating. Don't you want to contribute anything to my core statement?