9 months ago
I have been following and participating in discussions related to the ActivityPub / AT Protocol bridge (also known as the One-Sided Mastodon vs. Bluesky Grudge Match).
There are some interesting observations:
There are some interesting observations:
- Many people don't feel that their fediverse software has the tools they need to prevent harassment or spam.
- Many people feel they need to depend on moderators to protect them, and don't feel empowered or able to protect themselves.
- A lot of people didn't really understand what they signed up for, and become shocked and angry when they find out how federation and the fediverse-in-general actually works. Many people did not even realize that they are connected to other platforms and protocols already.
- Some people don't seem to understand what public means, and that if their post is public, anyone can see it, including people they don't want to see it. They don't seem to realize that privacy by obscurity is not true privacy.
- Some people are willing to stereotype millions of people as being bad just because they are on the wrong platform.
- Some people are willing to collectively punish (i.e. block) millions of people, because they don't like one person involved in the project.
- Some people are extremely hateful and will resort to insults and threats to try to get what they want.
- A large chunk of Mastodon (and other parts of the fediverse) will wall itself off from the rest of the fediverse, for a variety of reasons, some valid, some not-so-valid.
- Some people actually hope they wall themselves off, since there seems to be a lot of hostility towards "outsiders" coming from them.
- There is a huge demand for fediverse software that has better privacy, access control, and moderation tools.
- The existing fediverse software that has these advanced tools are not widely know.
- Bluesky users don't seem to care whether there is a bridge or not, and are amused at the reaction going on over on Mastodon.
@kritikaPensulo @scott
#FightTechnofeudalism by #BigTech
(5/5)
...the rising new Phoenix, #AMD*, to this list. Even though these last 3 are hardware and cannot really charge a rent, as the software companies can by their subscriptions, etc.
If you are asking yourself what you can do to avoid entreching yourself in #serfdom, this is a key part of it:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/110989338549425682
ETA #AMD:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111946174776816007
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111946084990349571
//
#FightTechnofeudalism by #BigTech
(5/5)
...the rising new Phoenix, #AMD*, to this list. Even though these last 3 are hardware and cannot really charge a rent, as the software companies can by their subscriptions, etc.
If you are asking yourself what you can do to avoid entreching yourself in #serfdom, this is a key part of it:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/110989338549425682
ETA #AMD:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111946174776816007
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111946084990349571
//
The problem we have today is centralization of power and money. In a capitalist society, they consolidate power by creating huge mega-corporations, and by designing their school system to teach everyone how to be employees of corporations. In a communist society, they consolidate power by seizing all of the property and giving control to government bureaucrats & party leaders, and by designing their schools system to teach everyone how to be employees of state-owned enterprises.
Notice that neither of them are teaching you how to empower yourself and become financially independent. Why? Because they either want you to work for the big corporations, or they want you to work for state-owned enterprises, both of which are controlled by the people at the top. They know that they can easily control and manipulate you if you don't have financial freedom.
So, we have to be careful of how we react to this situation. We don't want the situation described in the song Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who. As the lyrics say: "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."
So commercial enterprises aren't necessarily bad. I'd rather see a person start their own business or side gig or cooperative than have to work for a giant corporation.
For example, an artist should be able to sell the art they make. A web developer should be able to sell web design services directly to customers without having to work for someone else. A group of people should be able to create a team and start a company that has a positive impact on society. People should be able to create a cooperative or association that engages in commercial activities.
So we need to be supportive of small businesses, cooperatives, employee-owned companies, public benefit corporations, associations, not-for-profits, and other smaller operations, because that is what creates wealth and gives people independence, and makes them more resistant to control and manipulation that is coming from the top.
They want to keep you poor to control you. They want you to reject wealth. That way you are poor and powerless and they can easily step on you.
So, I understand not wanting to support the mega-corporations, especially those who track you and treat people poorly. But just because someone wants to be compensated for their work, that is not a bad thing. After all, even employees expect to get paid for their work. Not all commercial activities are bad.
CC: @HistoPol @kritikaPensulo
Notice that neither of them are teaching you how to empower yourself and become financially independent. Why? Because they either want you to work for the big corporations, or they want you to work for state-owned enterprises, both of which are controlled by the people at the top. They know that they can easily control and manipulate you if you don't have financial freedom.
So, we have to be careful of how we react to this situation. We don't want the situation described in the song Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who. As the lyrics say: "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."
So commercial enterprises aren't necessarily bad. I'd rather see a person start their own business or side gig or cooperative than have to work for a giant corporation.
For example, an artist should be able to sell the art they make. A web developer should be able to sell web design services directly to customers without having to work for someone else. A group of people should be able to create a team and start a company that has a positive impact on society. People should be able to create a cooperative or association that engages in commercial activities.
So we need to be supportive of small businesses, cooperatives, employee-owned companies, public benefit corporations, associations, not-for-profits, and other smaller operations, because that is what creates wealth and gives people independence, and makes them more resistant to control and manipulation that is coming from the top.
They want to keep you poor to control you. They want you to reject wealth. That way you are poor and powerless and they can easily step on you.
So, I understand not wanting to support the mega-corporations, especially those who track you and treat people poorly. But just because someone wants to be compensated for their work, that is not a bad thing. After all, even employees expect to get paid for their work. Not all commercial activities are bad.
CC: @HistoPol @kritikaPensulo
@scott
I can agree with all your points.
If you listen to leading #economists like #RobertReich, you will come to realize that the current economic system perpetuates wealth concentration among a financial elite (#oligarchs, #plutocrats.)
In order to achieve these goals, a lot of things need to change, policy-wise and legally:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111892121431913587
I can agree with all your points.
If you listen to leading #economists like #RobertReich, you will come to realize that the current economic system perpetuates wealth concentration among a financial elite (#oligarchs, #plutocrats.)
In order to achieve these goals, a lot of things need to change, policy-wise and legally:
https://mastodon.social/@HistoPol/111892121431913587