magnetosphere

I got about a quarter way through the article before realizing that I don’t care in the slightest.

Sadly true

“Obviously, Grok does not spontaneously generate images, it does so only according to user requests,” Musk said.

“Guns don’t kill. People do.”

So… you were upset when I was quoting something that you didn’t think actually existed. Now you’re upset because I AM. I don’t think you understand what “debunked” means, either.

Go pester someone else.

Is there some kind of technical glitch? Are you not seeing the text under the pic? Anyway, here it is:

A lot of replies here (obviously from people not already aware of The Discourse on this point) were genuinely confused variants on “But why, they’re right, that’s a valid concern.” Let me leave a short thread for future readers explaining why that stuff is always unwelcome on here. (1/n) ‪

It’s totally understandable if you’re dooming about any facet of the American experiment right now. So your feelings are “valid” in the sense that they represent real anxiety, and I get that. But to vent that anxiety in other people’s spaces is wrong for three reasons.

First, it’s factually wrong. There will be elections in 2026 and 2028 under Trump, just like there were elections last year under Trump and during his first term. This despite one of the two major parties now harboring a lot of anti-democratic elements and ideas.

I’m not particularly interested in convincing anyone on this point and won’t try, the future is the future. But if the left side of the political spectrum is still the domain of scholarship and expertise, take note that you don’t find scholars and experts you worrying about canceled US elections.

Second, and probably most importantly, it’s tactically wrong. “No point discussing political opposition to fascism, there won’t be elections anyway” cedes victory to your enemies. It’s defeatism and nihilism.

Finally, it’s wrong AS A MATTER OF ETIQUETTE. Entering a total stranger’s discussion and leading with your private anxiety is as off-putting in social media replies as it would be in real life. If you wouldn’t interrupt a stranger at a party to announce that America is doomed, don’t do it here.

If you are anxious and sad about the state of the world, that’s fine, and there are plenty of strategies for dealing with that. But I think you already know that drive-by online dooming isn’t a strategy. It’s selfish and adolescent. It’s a contagion that only spreads the worst of you, not the best.

Take a second and think before posting the easy Eeyore reply. You might have something substantive to say instead. Or, even better, you can say nothing at all.

https://bsky.app/profile/kenjennings.bsky.social/post/3mbuedepurs2x

The post that OP is responding to says that exactly. Scroll up if you don’t believe me.

Oh, I see what you’re saying. It’s an important distinction, and I’m glad you brought it up.

Acknowledging a problem is sensible, and that’s not what I’m arguing against. I’m not telling people to bury their heads in the sand. I just don’t think that surrendering immediately is the answer.

I don’t think so. If someone has nothing more to add to a conversation than "No point discussing political opposition to fascism, there won’t be elections anyway”, it’s like ignoring climate change because “we’re already screwed and there’s no way to help ourselves.”

Denial and doomers never help. They just give people an excuse to be complacent with whatever we’re given, and disempower those who are trying to improve our situation. I refuse to let the fascists win by laying down and accepting them.

Do you need a back brace to stand up straight, buddy? Because at this point, I am certain you haven’t got a single vertebra.

Just want to make sure this line gets the attention it deserves.

It’s not the general public’s fault that AI was released before it was ready for prime time. It’s not like the word “slop” was picked out of a hat, either. AI earned the word with its laughably bad output.

I’ll make the CEO a deal, though. If AIs stop producing slop, I won’t call it slop anymore.

Microsoft Copilot is the tip of the spear for the firm, powered entirely by ChatGPT and Microsoft’s savvy early investments in OpenAI.

“Savvy”? Really? I think it’s years too early to make that assessment.

Indeed, in closing, Nadella seems to admit that AI doesn’t truly have “societal permission” right now, referencing widespread backlash and mockery that continues to dog the technology.

What kind of “permission” is he looking for? Permission to steal and ignore copyright? Permission to build untold numbers of data centers and do vast environmental damage? Permission to lie and sell a substandard product? He probably wants all three, and more.

The “doorman fallacy” is a major complaint I’ve had about past managers. I’d say things like “they let Excel manage the business. If there’s a cost without a painfully obvious benefit, it’ll be mindlessly cut. They put zero thought into intangible benefits. That’s why I’m always suspicious of new managers.”

I can’t pick the funniest aspect here, but the sleeveless shirt and jacket deserve a mention.

To me, actual real-world consequences matter more than my own poor wording.

If ICE is deporting migrant families with a valid visa, is the U.S. then “inflexible”?

Yes. If anything, “inflexible” is a charitable description. My government is breaking its own laws.

Is it then a migrant father’s ‘reckless choice’ to have entered the country with his children? (To be safe: The answer is, no, it is the U.S. state that is reckless.)

It’s possible for multiple parties to be wrong at the same time.

If the father entered the US before Trump’s presidency, then no, it wasn’t reckless at all. If the father entered the country after Trump became president, then yes, he was reckless. Trump’s loudly and frequently stated goal has been to reduce the number of immigrants in the US, and a responsible father would have been aware of that. Basic research on a country you’re moving your family to isn’t too much to ask.

That does not, in any way, shield the government from responsibility. They created this illegal, inhumane mess.

The most weird point with your comment is that you even offend the victim calling him a “dipshit” and a “zealot.”

He put ideology before the safety of his child. To me, that’s not something that can be overlooked. I stand by my words.

In this situation, there are multiple bad guys with complex motivations. The more accurately and harshly one describes the CCPs crimes against humanity, the less comprehensible and sympathetic the parents become.

When someone becomes a parent, their child is supposed to be their first priority. Instead, these parents chose to put their child in danger over nothing but a collection of legends. They did this for six years, despite knowing about the unjust, ruthless authoritarianism of the CCP. I’m not trying to downplay the cruelty of the CCP. I’m just angry, and mostly concerned with the child. Will this be on his record forever? Will he ever be allowed to live a normal life in China?

I’d feel worse if this was a native, “home grown” religion. Since Christianity in China was imported by Europeans, though, I feel like this is a foreseeable result of the husband’s irresponsible behavior. He should have grown up and put away his fantasies of an invisible sky wizard, especially when he became a father. YOUR CHILD COMES FIRST, DIPSHIT. How much of a zealot must this guy be?

Of course, the ultimate problem is the CCPs inflexibility. The kid had zero say in the situation, though, and it’s not like the CCP sprang into existence last week. His parents were supposed to look out for him, but consciously made an irrational, reckless choice instead.

This is arguably the best, brief Analysis of Bullshit that I’ve ever seen.

I’d laugh along with all of them

I saw one of these things (or something like it) on an episode of Parks and Recreation. I thought the props department had made it. I didn’t realize it actually existed!

CNN is an American news company. I assume they added “western Germany” because most Americans don’t know where Aachen is.