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> "destroying our democracy and societies" Imagine how you have to talk to a doomsayer like that knowing no matter what you say, there will be no chance to get

> "destroying our democracy and societies" Imagine how you have to talk to a doomsayer like that knowing no matter what you say, there will be no chance to get through to him.

NicoJuicy 8y ago
Depends, he's not wrong if facebook is used as a propaganda device
- kodablah 8y ago
  Disagree. FB will not be our destruction. This kind of hyperbole (and getting others to believe it) harms the type of rational discourse they claim they wanted. I disagree with the evasiveness of course, but this is grandstanding and witch-hunting. With those types of statements, how could one expect a productive inquiry? (hint: one couldn't...it was pandering/posturing and it accomplished that goal)
  - bartread 8y ago
    Inclined to agree. In $job_i_had we dealt with a partner who would routinely ratchet the rhetoric up to the max in this way and all it did was foster bad feeling, damage morale and productivity, as well as block any further useful discourse on whatever topic was under discussion. Not only was it extremely frustrating to deal with, but it didn't achieve anything. It certainly didn't get them what they (thought they) wanted any quicker - quite the opposite in some cases. All this to show off in front of colleagues/superiors/underlings, or to give the impression of doing something or being actively involved in the process whilst actively causing harm and wasting other peoples' time. I was occasionally heard to mutter that they could scarcely have done more to sabotage the project if they were actively trying to, which I don't believe they were. (Btw, I'm not defending facebook: just saying that if you're really making honest enquiries or trying to have a productive discussion, this is not the way to go about it.)
- catach 8y ago
  At some point that seems to blur into blaming the printing press for propaganda posters.
  - chupasaurus 8y ago
    That's the actual (but not an official one, just everyone knows what response to expect from the law enforcement services) case in Russia.
  - infosample 8y ago
    If the printing press decided what gets printed in what order and who sees it.
- jochung 8y ago
  Facebook was used as a political propaganda device years before this kerfuffle, with FB's approval, but they and the press didn't mind until it had an outcome they didn't like. Really, there is a supreme irony in whipping the upper echelons into a frenzy about a propaganda crisis itself manufactured into social consensus.
forgottenpass 8y ago
There's a good chance you could get though to him just fine. It takes two to tango in an arms race between platitudes and hysterics.

> "destroying our democracy and societies" Imagine how you have to talk to a doomsayer like that knowing no matter what you say, there will be no chance to get through to him.

NicoJuicy 8y ago

Depends, he's not wrong if facebook is used as a propaganda device

kodablah 8y ago
Disagree. FB will not be our destruction. This kind of hyperbole (and getting others to believe it) harms the type of rational discourse they claim they wanted. I disagree with the evasiveness of course, but this is grandstanding and witch-hunting. With those types of statements, how could one expect a productive inquiry? (hint: one couldn't...it was pandering/posturing and it accomplished that goal)
- bartread 8y ago
  Inclined to agree. In $job_i_had we dealt with a partner who would routinely ratchet the rhetoric up to the max in this way and all it did was foster bad feeling, damage morale and productivity, as well as block any further useful discourse on whatever topic was under discussion. Not only was it extremely frustrating to deal with, but it didn't achieve anything. It certainly didn't get them what they (thought they) wanted any quicker - quite the opposite in some cases. All this to show off in front of colleagues/superiors/underlings, or to give the impression of doing something or being actively involved in the process whilst actively causing harm and wasting other peoples' time. I was occasionally heard to mutter that they could scarcely have done more to sabotage the project if they were actively trying to, which I don't believe they were. (Btw, I'm not defending facebook: just saying that if you're really making honest enquiries or trying to have a productive discussion, this is not the way to go about it.)
catach 8y ago
At some point that seems to blur into blaming the printing press for propaganda posters.
- chupasaurus 8y ago
  That's the actual (but not an official one, just everyone knows what response to expect from the law enforcement services) case in Russia.
- infosample 8y ago
  If the printing press decided what gets printed in what order and who sees it.
jochung 8y ago
Facebook was used as a political propaganda device years before this kerfuffle, with FB's approval, but they and the press didn't mind until it had an outcome they didn't like. Really, there is a supreme irony in whipping the upper echelons into a frenzy about a propaganda crisis itself manufactured into social consensus.

forgottenpass 8y ago

There's a good chance you could get though to him just fine. It takes two to tango in an arms race between platitudes and hysterics.