4 ms·

These articles don't address the critical aspect of WHY. Why are these conspiracy theories about 5G being spread? If the why involves geopolitics and economic

These articles don't address the critical aspect of WHY. Why are these conspiracy theories about 5G being spread? If the why involves geopolitics and economics, you just have to look at who has the most to lose from this, factoring in that China is now the cheapest option for this tech(not sure if they are the leaders, but certainly will be the cheapest with a state-funded subsidy). HN being a critical thinking community, it is fair to postulate theories from an economic perspective. I don't think anybody will try to sell "long-life milk powder" during such discourse.

nutjob2 6y ago
It's likely an opportunistic effort to spread chaos. Parties like Russia and China find propaganda value in pointing to disorder in the West, justifying their authoritarian or totalitarian rule. Russia at least has form in trying to pour fuel on existing controversies or divisions in Western societies.
- jacquesm 6y ago
  Sad to see this downvoted, that's exactly what it is.
A4ET8a8uTh0 6y ago
I hate to say it, but we have entered a time where information has been not only successfully weaponized, but can also be easily spread throughout the entire population with stunning penetration results. Quick example, I have recently found out about Yulin celebrations. I have zero to no doubt that it happens to be a part of anti-Chinese propaganda ( what are the odds of guy like me finding out about a local custom in a Chinese province organically ), but I simply cannot help reacting emotionally to its content. I am sure 5G is spreading like wildfire for similar reasons ( though admittedly, this one is kinda silly, when there are actual things to worry about ... like say Mnuchin suddenly being able to disburse billions of dollars with a friendly IG, but I digress ).
- knzhou 6y ago
  Indeed, the machine works so well that, as a US citizen, I have little confidence in being able to stay in this country in the long term. Doesn't matter if I speak out, nothing will stop it. It is amusing that the typical "skeptics" and "critical thinkers" online never notice. Their skepticism consists of swallowing the narrative whole, then insisting that the conspiracy is real but twice as evil as reported.
  - twomoretime 6y ago
    >as a US citizen, I have little confidence in being able to stay in this country in the long term You're likely in for a rude awakening if you expatriate. Things aren't perfect in the US but for someone in the middle class on a dev salary it's naive to think there are many places where you'd be substantially better off.
    - knzhou 6y ago
      I didn't say I would be better off elsewhere, I said I wouldn't have a choice. And I don't make even 20% of a standard dev salary.
      - rbanffy 6y ago
        Pretty much everywhere else in the developed world you'll have a decent compensation and free universal healthcare. Depending on where you land, your kids will have free college tuition and you'll be able to retire without fear of some clever banker will destroy your pension fund.
        knzhou 6y ago
        > in the developed world So what? No matter where I go, I'm still going to be ethnically Chinese. If the US expels people like me, I assume Europe, etc. will follow suit.
        6y ago
eli 6y ago
Russia has a long history of spreading fake health news in the West. The Soviets spread fake stories about the origin of the AIDS epidemic during the cold war.
- rbanffy 6y ago
  I'd like not to be able to say it, but the US is not innocent in that preactice - this is why South America has so many dictatorships in the 20th century.
throwaway5752 6y ago
They are being amplified by adversaries of a state where the rumors are targeted to divide and weaken that state. You actually have examples where people were indicted https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/ https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/
frogpelt 6y ago
When it comes to bots (especially of the Russian variety), there is evidence that there may not be a compelling motive other than to create divisive conversations.
- rbanffy 6y ago
  Exactly. Weakening the opposition by confusing them. In the US, with Trump, and in the UK, with Brexit, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They had also a lot of smaller victories in Eastern Europe.
zorp52 6y ago
WW3 is basically just going to be convincing idiots to burn their own national infrastructure.
hansjorg 6y ago
The mainstream conspiracy theory seems to be "Because Russia wants to slow down the roll out to be able to 'catch up'". Your version makes slightly more sense at least.

nutjob2 6y ago

It's likely an opportunistic effort to spread chaos. Parties like Russia and China find propaganda value in pointing to disorder in the West, justifying their authoritarian or totalitarian rule. Russia at least has form in trying to pour fuel on existing controversies or divisions in Western societies.

jacquesm 6y ago
Sad to see this downvoted, that's exactly what it is.

A4ET8a8uTh0 6y ago

I hate to say it, but we have entered a time where information has been not only successfully weaponized, but can also be easily spread throughout the entire population with stunning penetration results. Quick example, I have recently found out about Yulin celebrations. I have zero to no doubt that it happens to be a part of anti-Chinese propaganda ( what are the odds of guy like me finding out about a local custom in a Chinese province organically ), but I simply cannot help reacting emotionally to its content. I am sure 5G is spreading like wildfire for similar reasons ( though admittedly, this one is kinda silly, when there are actual things to worry about ... like say Mnuchin suddenly being able to disburse billions of dollars with a friendly IG, but I digress ).

knzhou 6y ago
Indeed, the machine works so well that, as a US citizen, I have little confidence in being able to stay in this country in the long term. Doesn't matter if I speak out, nothing will stop it. It is amusing that the typical "skeptics" and "critical thinkers" online never notice. Their skepticism consists of swallowing the narrative whole, then insisting that the conspiracy is real but twice as evil as reported.
- twomoretime 6y ago
  >as a US citizen, I have little confidence in being able to stay in this country in the long term You're likely in for a rude awakening if you expatriate. Things aren't perfect in the US but for someone in the middle class on a dev salary it's naive to think there are many places where you'd be substantially better off.
  - knzhou 6y ago
    I didn't say I would be better off elsewhere, I said I wouldn't have a choice. And I don't make even 20% of a standard dev salary.
    - rbanffy 6y ago
      Pretty much everywhere else in the developed world you'll have a decent compensation and free universal healthcare. Depending on where you land, your kids will have free college tuition and you'll be able to retire without fear of some clever banker will destroy your pension fund.
      - knzhou 6y ago
        > in the developed world So what? No matter where I go, I'm still going to be ethnically Chinese. If the US expels people like me, I assume Europe, etc. will follow suit.
        6y ago

eli 6y ago

Russia has a long history of spreading fake health news in the West. The Soviets spread fake stories about the origin of the AIDS epidemic during the cold war.

rbanffy 6y ago
I'd like not to be able to say it, but the US is not innocent in that preactice - this is why South America has so many dictatorships in the 20th century.

throwaway5752 6y ago

They are being amplified by adversaries of a state where the rumors are targeted to divide and weaken that state. You actually have examples where people were indicted https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/ https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/

frogpelt 6y ago

When it comes to bots (especially of the Russian variety), there is evidence that there may not be a compelling motive other than to create divisive conversations.

rbanffy 6y ago
Exactly. Weakening the opposition by confusing them. In the US, with Trump, and in the UK, with Brexit, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They had also a lot of smaller victories in Eastern Europe.

zorp52 6y ago

WW3 is basically just going to be convincing idiots to burn their own national infrastructure.

hansjorg 6y ago

The mainstream conspiracy theory seems to be "Because Russia wants to slow down the roll out to be able to 'catch up'". Your version makes slightly more sense at least.