5 ms·

People are full of shit. Talk a big game when they benefit from it socially but when it comes to actually making a change, taking a stand, voting with dollars,

by rblion 8y ago

People are full of shit. Talk a big game when they benefit from it socially but when it comes to actually making a change, taking a stand, voting with dollars, etc. They come up with 'But I'm busy' 'But I'm tired' 'But I'm lonely' 'But everyone else is doing it' and the catch-all 'I'm only human'. I'm guilty as charged too. I don't have a Facebook but I still eat fish, drive a car, etc, etc. This trait right here is why I am not optimistic about the future no matter how much technology progresses.

eevilspock 8y ago
Convictions aren't convictions if you don't live them. Principled developers quitting Microsoft GitHub? Apparently as rare as a black female employee at Google. @rblion email me if you want to help nudge the needle. https://github.com/upend/IF_MS_BUYS_GITHUB_IMMA_OUT https://github.com/upend/IF_MS_BUYS_GITHUB_IMMA_OUT
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
jdeca568 8y ago
Everybody is guilty in some way of not making a change, or not taking a stand, whatever the 'good' or 'bad' subject that is. Still, no single indvidual is to blame in most cases. The education and the media in practice are means to shape the values, believes and perception of people. At the mass scale, people flows into an unstoppable current, growing, fed by itself. Taking a stand against these currents from the outside would be suicide. (Fortunately there is not only one current to go into, yet). FB will likely reach a dead end someday, but that sort of current will continue to flow. IMHO, the best effort for an individual is trying to get other individuals realize and have some understanding in what kind of current they are flowing.
bad_user 8y ago
If you think people are full of shit, you've been listening to the wrong ones. Personally I never claimed that I will quit Facebook, because I know I ain't going to do it, as all my family is on it. That said, I only visit Facebook about once per week or even less, because frankly it's not that interesting. I was also checking out my ads profile. Turns out, I never clicked on any ads. And when posting content, I'm always careful to post for my friends only, which isn't a big list of people. Meaning that in the large scheme of things, Facebook isn't getting much from me. My social network of choice has been Twitter. I also own two cars. But I ride my bike to and from work every day, in all seasons but winter. I ate a lot of meat, but I'm trying to cut down on it due to health benefits. Considering that I gave up smoking, sodas and alcoholic beverages completely, it's a little hard for me to further restrict what I put in my mouth. And yes, I am only human. FYI the actions of any one particular individual to cut down on usage based on moral or social factors are zilch. If you want meaningful change, there are only 3 ways to do it: 1. invent technology that makes the status quo irrelevant, but this isn't actually something that most of us can do 2. keep the competition alive by voting with your wallet, because every dollar counts 3. get involved in politics, or at least talk more often with your representatives, go vote and convince the people around you to do the same Because cutting down on meat due to environmental reasons, quitting Facebook and so on, that's the bullshit we do to feel good, but doesn't actually matter.
- thunfischbrot 8y ago
  Reading your reply it seems as if you are the person OP was describing.
  - bad_user 8y ago
    "Full of shit" means "not telling the truth", a hypocrite, e.g. one that suffers from double standards. You can tell a lot by my reply, but not that. And I understand the author's frustration, because I've been there. We tend to live in filter bubbles, believing the stories of those around us, acquaintances that we picked according to our own ideals. Step outside that bubble and you'll notice people don't freaking care about most of your ideals. And I wouldn't say they are full of shit. If anything, it means that we aren't realistic, a problem of expectations management and a recipe for depression. Hence my comment — i.e. I'm one of those that won't quit Facebook due to outrage over the story of Cambridge Analytica, because I don't think that makes any difference. I'm also among those that have been happy with the introduction of GDPR, because companies are unreliable and have built business models that depend on the ignorance of Internet users. I also work in the online ads industry, while being anti-tracking, so compared to a lot of people in this community, I'm not guilty of double standards, at least in regards to tech.
- narag 8y ago
  Considering that I gave up smoking, sodas and alcoholic beverages completely... Smoking is orders of magnitude harder, at least it was for me. But it's doable indeed, millions have done it. Having a motive, not the same as "motivation", makes a difference indeed.
- rblion 8y ago
  Cutting down on meat is good for a lot more than just feelin good my friend. I’m typing this from my phone, so I will just say do some more research on the benefits. There is a lot of byproducts directly from animal agriculture that affect quality of life for the entire biosphere. Militant vegans do make it hard to listen at times but there are also other some other voices starting to speak up. Laboratory meats are probably going to be a monumental moment for the movement. Moderation is key to everything. Facebook and most social media is built on feedloops that, in my opinion, stifle human potential. It’ll will be looked back on one day like people view cigarettes today. I’ll bet money on that. I’ve gone through a crazy adventure through out my 20s to feel how I feel today. I feel healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc etc. I’m kinda out there now, renouncing all my possessions besides one backpack, working on Option 1 in your list. I’m 28, first generation American
narag 8y ago
A good part of contradiction is not people thinking something and doing otherwise, but people not saying what they really believe because of fear. That happens in authoritarian regimes where blasphemy against the official truth can mean jail or execution. But even in democratic, liberal societies going against the "right way of thinking" can get you in a lot of trouble. Edit (accidentally sent before finished): it's reasonable that hypocrisy increases when you share your opinions with the whole world (potentially) instead of a like-minded circle of close friends.
- rblion 8y ago
  Facebook feels like a hall of mirrors where people share their views and moments based on what others are sharing. What we have now is a culture of buzzfeed articles and witch hunt movements that make a lot of people afraid to be human. see a lot of one-upping, political rants, humble brags etc. I like HN and Reddit for the authenticity. Even instagram is breeding mental instability in millions of people around the world. It may not be you or me. It’s a real phenomenon.

by rblion 8y ago

eevilspock 8y ago

Convictions aren't convictions if you don't live them. Principled developers quitting Microsoft GitHub? Apparently as rare as a black female employee at Google. @rblion email me if you want to help nudge the needle. https://github.com/upend/IF_MS_BUYS_GITHUB_IMMA_OUT https://github.com/upend/IF_MS_BUYS_GITHUB_IMMA_OUT

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

jdeca568 8y ago

Everybody is guilty in some way of not making a change, or not taking a stand, whatever the 'good' or 'bad' subject that is. Still, no single indvidual is to blame in most cases. The education and the media in practice are means to shape the values, believes and perception of people. At the mass scale, people flows into an unstoppable current, growing, fed by itself. Taking a stand against these currents from the outside would be suicide. (Fortunately there is not only one current to go into, yet). FB will likely reach a dead end someday, but that sort of current will continue to flow. IMHO, the best effort for an individual is trying to get other individuals realize and have some understanding in what kind of current they are flowing.

bad_user 8y ago

If you think people are full of shit, you've been listening to the wrong ones. Personally I never claimed that I will quit Facebook, because I know I ain't going to do it, as all my family is on it. That said, I only visit Facebook about once per week or even less, because frankly it's not that interesting. I was also checking out my ads profile. Turns out, I never clicked on any ads. And when posting content, I'm always careful to post for my friends only, which isn't a big list of people. Meaning that in the large scheme of things, Facebook isn't getting much from me. My social network of choice has been Twitter. I also own two cars. But I ride my bike to and from work every day, in all seasons but winter. I ate a lot of meat, but I'm trying to cut down on it due to health benefits. Considering that I gave up smoking, sodas and alcoholic beverages completely, it's a little hard for me to further restrict what I put in my mouth. And yes, I am only human. FYI the actions of any one particular individual to cut down on usage based on moral or social factors are zilch. If you want meaningful change, there are only 3 ways to do it: 1. invent technology that makes the status quo irrelevant, but this isn't actually something that most of us can do 2. keep the competition alive by voting with your wallet, because every dollar counts 3. get involved in politics, or at least talk more often with your representatives, go vote and convince the people around you to do the same Because cutting down on meat due to environmental reasons, quitting Facebook and so on, that's the bullshit we do to feel good, but doesn't actually matter.

thunfischbrot 8y ago
Reading your reply it seems as if you are the person OP was describing.
- bad_user 8y ago
  "Full of shit" means "not telling the truth", a hypocrite, e.g. one that suffers from double standards. You can tell a lot by my reply, but not that. And I understand the author's frustration, because I've been there. We tend to live in filter bubbles, believing the stories of those around us, acquaintances that we picked according to our own ideals. Step outside that bubble and you'll notice people don't freaking care about most of your ideals. And I wouldn't say they are full of shit. If anything, it means that we aren't realistic, a problem of expectations management and a recipe for depression. Hence my comment — i.e. I'm one of those that won't quit Facebook due to outrage over the story of Cambridge Analytica, because I don't think that makes any difference. I'm also among those that have been happy with the introduction of GDPR, because companies are unreliable and have built business models that depend on the ignorance of Internet users. I also work in the online ads industry, while being anti-tracking, so compared to a lot of people in this community, I'm not guilty of double standards, at least in regards to tech.
narag 8y ago
Considering that I gave up smoking, sodas and alcoholic beverages completely... Smoking is orders of magnitude harder, at least it was for me. But it's doable indeed, millions have done it. Having a motive, not the same as "motivation", makes a difference indeed.
rblion 8y ago
Cutting down on meat is good for a lot more than just feelin good my friend. I’m typing this from my phone, so I will just say do some more research on the benefits. There is a lot of byproducts directly from animal agriculture that affect quality of life for the entire biosphere. Militant vegans do make it hard to listen at times but there are also other some other voices starting to speak up. Laboratory meats are probably going to be a monumental moment for the movement. Moderation is key to everything. Facebook and most social media is built on feedloops that, in my opinion, stifle human potential. It’ll will be looked back on one day like people view cigarettes today. I’ll bet money on that. I’ve gone through a crazy adventure through out my 20s to feel how I feel today. I feel healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc etc. I’m kinda out there now, renouncing all my possessions besides one backpack, working on Option 1 in your list. I’m 28, first generation American

narag 8y ago

A good part of contradiction is not people thinking something and doing otherwise, but people not saying what they really believe because of fear. That happens in authoritarian regimes where blasphemy against the official truth can mean jail or execution. But even in democratic, liberal societies going against the "right way of thinking" can get you in a lot of trouble. Edit (accidentally sent before finished): it's reasonable that hypocrisy increases when you share your opinions with the whole world (potentially) instead of a like-minded circle of close friends.

rblion 8y ago
Facebook feels like a hall of mirrors where people share their views and moments based on what others are sharing. What we have now is a culture of buzzfeed articles and witch hunt movements that make a lot of people afraid to be human. see a lot of one-upping, political rants, humble brags etc. I like HN and Reddit for the authenticity. Even instagram is breeding mental instability in millions of people around the world. It may not be you or me. It’s a real phenomenon.