4 ms·

I don't need to bother reading dystopian sci-fi anymore, it's all happening around me.

einpoklum 6y ago
One of the frightening things is when you notice that, as society becomes more dystopian (e.g. more totalitarian, more extremely unequal in the division of wealth etc.), there doesn't develop the strong awareness that it _is_ dystopian. It that the sense of what's normal and acceptable degrades. At best you get this weak sense of a general malaise.
- Kiro 6y ago
  So either people are clueless sheep that don't know better or they simply don't care. The first seems pretty patronizing to me and the latter means we are in minority with our definition of dystopia.
  - einpoklum 6y ago
    I think neither is true. It's just that people adjust and much of their - our - norms and expectations are socially constructed. And it's difficult to imagine a society conducting itself differently when you haven't lived in it.
  - jchook 6y ago
    Feeling powerless forces us to recalculate our tare weight.
  - 72deluxe 6y ago
    I think they just don't care. I had a look at Marx's ideas of people being in a certain class and engaging in a class struggle, rising up. But it didn't happen because people are mostly just selfish. They don't care if they're in a certain "class", they don't care if they're being sold to, they generally don't care if they're being tracked. They just care about being able to do what they want to do. As long as it doesn't interfere with their life too much (or even if it does, if there's no alternative), they don't do anything about it. And with the modern population, as long as it is extremely easy they will do it. I am not sure if this is good or bad, or just an inherent part of human nature.
    - GoodJokes 6y ago
      "it didn't happen," The russian revolution would like to have a word with you.
alexmingoia 6y ago
What’s dystopian about it, exactly? People buying and selling online seems pretty awesome and desirable to me. Small business owners able to sell and build brands without real estate overhead, and reach customers across the entire country/world without the expense of mass marketing is wonderful in my opinion.
- amelius 6y ago
  It sounds nice but it won't be long until FB starts charging these small businesses a large percentage per transaction.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - ryanwaggoner 6y ago
    But we already have a company gobbling up all the e-commerce demand out there and charging small businesses large fees: Amazon. Having more platforms where businesses can be found by customers is a good thing, and will provide downward pressure on fees.

One of the frightening things is when you notice that, as society becomes more dystopian (e.g. more totalitarian, more extremely unequal in the division of wealth etc.), there doesn't develop the strong awareness that it _is_ dystopian. It that the sense of what's normal and acceptable degrades. At best you get this weak sense of a general malaise.

Kiro 6y ago
So either people are clueless sheep that don't know better or they simply don't care. The first seems pretty patronizing to me and the latter means we are in minority with our definition of dystopia.
- einpoklum 6y ago
  I think neither is true. It's just that people adjust and much of their - our - norms and expectations are socially constructed. And it's difficult to imagine a society conducting itself differently when you haven't lived in it.
- jchook 6y ago
  Feeling powerless forces us to recalculate our tare weight.
- 72deluxe 6y ago
  I think they just don't care. I had a look at Marx's ideas of people being in a certain class and engaging in a class struggle, rising up. But it didn't happen because people are mostly just selfish. They don't care if they're in a certain "class", they don't care if they're being sold to, they generally don't care if they're being tracked. They just care about being able to do what they want to do. As long as it doesn't interfere with their life too much (or even if it does, if there's no alternative), they don't do anything about it. And with the modern population, as long as it is extremely easy they will do it. I am not sure if this is good or bad, or just an inherent part of human nature.
  - GoodJokes 6y ago
    "it didn't happen," The russian revolution would like to have a word with you.

alexmingoia 6y ago

What’s dystopian about it, exactly? People buying and selling online seems pretty awesome and desirable to me. Small business owners able to sell and build brands without real estate overhead, and reach customers across the entire country/world without the expense of mass marketing is wonderful in my opinion.

amelius 6y ago
It sounds nice but it won't be long until FB starts charging these small businesses a large percentage per transaction.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- ryanwaggoner 6y ago
  But we already have a company gobbling up all the e-commerce demand out there and charging small businesses large fees: Amazon. Having more platforms where businesses can be found by customers is a good thing, and will provide downward pressure on fees.