Post AZtFdhcGhsrJZXgUKG by chris@s.the-brannons.com
(DIR) More posts by chris@s.the-brannons.com
(DIR) Post #AZtBAwwAGWCEsI1aZU by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T10:40:30Z
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If you want to understand what's going on in the world, read Orwell. The telescreens and ubiquitous closed circuit cameras are only the obvious dystopian realisations of 1984.NewSpeak? All around us (eg "Brexit", "PREFU"). State censorship enforced by corporate media owners has made each DataFarm platform into its own Minitrue, even web search has its own memory hole. Ideas declared thoughtcrime. Examples of Two Minutes Hate abound; Corbyn, Stallman, Greenwald, David Roviks, Michel Bauwens...
(DIR) Post #AZtBVgDHdiPl5Uuu9o by Salty@mastodon.nz
2023-09-18T10:44:17Z
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@strypey Orwell *and* Huxley. They were both right, and both wrong. We have telescreens and Big Brother, but we also have soma.
(DIR) Post #AZtFRxNCIUEqxz2AlM by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T11:28:29Z
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@Salty> Orwell and HuxleyThey were describing the same society at different stages of development. The technology in the society of Brave New World is obviously a few decades ahead of that of INGSOC. Orwell's critique was about where we *are*, whereas Huxley was concerned with where we might be going, but for the grace...
(DIR) Post #AZtFdhcGhsrJZXgUKG by chris@s.the-brannons.com
2023-09-18T11:18:11.921664Z
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@strypey Also, perpetual war.Then there was the time the US government tried to do a Babylon 5 styleNight Watch, with the TIPS program.
(DIR) Post #AZtFdixZi9Upjuf1Au by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T11:30:36Z
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@chris> Then there was the time the US government tried to do a Babylon 5 style Night WatchMental note, watch the rest of B5.
(DIR) Post #AZtJBnrgHTOyezqTtA by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
2023-09-18T12:10:23.075622Z
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@strypey Maybe, but that didn't stop the proprietary master at taking their favorite parts from each book and implementing them.
(DIR) Post #AZtZ95E4sGV6u32vjM by gabriele@mastodon.lucci.xyz
2023-09-18T15:09:06Z
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@strypey You hardly need Orwell to understand what's going on. He was a rapist, a plagiarist, a snitch, a racist, and, on top of that, a mediocre novelist too. One so bland and superficial to be equally quoted by both right wing and left wing fringes.
(DIR) Post #AZu2J72dsO1W6Hpe0e by Jgmeadows@mstdn.ca
2023-09-18T20:35:47Z
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@strypey The novel writing machines briefly mentioned in 1984 remind me of the AI situation we have today.
(DIR) Post #AZu8WGinnTEPc0CzSa by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T21:45:29Z
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@Suiseiseki> that didn't stop the proprietary master at taking their favorite parts from each book and implementing themI'm not convinced of this. As I say, I Orwell's was commenting on the politics of his own time. What were sci fi elements then (eg telescreens), were then just poetic exaggerations of existing power relations.One thing Orwell got wrong is that INGSOC and telescreens would have to be forced on us. Huxley correctly predicted we'd willingly trade our freedom for convenience.
(DIR) Post #AZuHaQdxkSzt880Grg by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T23:27:07Z
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Just to illustrate my point beautifully, here's a Two Minutes Hate aimed at Orwell himself.
(DIR) Post #AZuJL2qCAE0Us7W7qS by strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2023-09-18T23:46:45Z
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@Jgmeadows> The novel writing machines briefly mentioned in 1984 remind me of the AI situation we have todayGood point! Hadn't considered that. About time I reread it.