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Meta comment. The problem with these stories is that there's no follow-through. The generalization (the current top comment, by newbamboo) harms the narrative,
by javajosh 5y ago
Meta comment. The problem with these stories is that there's no follow-through. The generalization (the current top comment, by newbamboo) harms the narrative, because it gives the sense that everyone is doing it, there's nothing to be done, etc. This is wrong. Each wrong needs a persistent state machine to track the facts, who's responsible, what action can be taken, what action has been taken to rectify, until there is a conclusion, one way or another. This will often take the form of either a court case or a legislative process. Each of which can take years.
All of us are helpless in 99.9% of injustices done, because they happen in another place, or because we aren't involved in the affected systems. That fact does not mean that injustice cannot be rectified! It just means we need to encourage those in a position to make a positive change to do so. Don't fall into the trap of equating a global lack of efficacy with a lack of local efficacy.
What I'm trying to say is: don't get disheartened or depressed by the onslaught of injustice you read about all over the world. Take care of the things you can affect, and give moral support to the others doing the same in their region.
So, let's hear it from the Germans! Whatcha gonna do?
- daanlo 5y agoThe easiest thing you can do is write a letter to your local member of parliament.
- daanlo 5y agoQuick update: I just sent a short & friendly email to my local member of parliament asking him about his position on the matter. Took about 10 minutes.
- javajosh 5y agoKül. If you send me your email I'll paypal you $5 for your trouble. Seriously.
- zdragnar 5y agoAround these parts, that would turn gp from a concerned citizen into a lobbyist, with all the regulations and what not that entails. I dunno about where you're from, but the moral is be careful when publicly paying people to petition their government.
- javajosh 5y agoYou know what, you're right. Regardless of what the law says, my offer potentially reduces the act of civic participation to something to be paid for, rather than something that is an intrinsic good. A small evil that, at scale, becomes a great evil. So I say instead to the GP: cheers! I drink a toast to you and your efforts. May they be impactful!
- bobbytit 5y agoSend it to me and I will pray for your soul.
- gerthrowaway21 5y agoGerman here: Angela Merkel (our chancellor) didnt even seem to care that the NSA had tapped her phone (1). The newly released cybersecurity strategy wants to backdoor all encrypted services (2). Sure you can encourage your local politicians to do "something". You can "protest" and maybe the federal politicians will even "admire" your cause. But realistically, there's nothing to be done. (1): https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2019-02/abhoeraffaere-angela-merkel-nsa-us-geheimdienst?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2019-02/abhoeraffaer... (2): https://marketresearchtelecast.com/cyber-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bsecurity-strategy-federal-government-relies-on-hackbacks-and-exploits/150599/ https://marketresearchtelecast.com/cyber-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bs...
- javajosh 5y agoIf people think there's nothing to be done, then indeed, nothing will be done. Wenn ein Mann denkt, dass nichts getan werden kann, dann kann nichts getan werden.
- gerthrowaway21 5y agoWell if you think reality is a Hollywood rhetoric where if youre determined enough you can accomplish anything regardless of obstacles - good luck. Just gonna leave this list of events where the villains were brought to justice: https://github.com/dessalines/essays/blob/master/us_atrocities.md https://github.com/dessalines/essays/blob/master/us_atrociti...
- javajosh 5y agoNo right-minded person would claim that mere determination leads to success. You need a lot of other things, including knowledge, luck, and more. However, it is correct to assert the contra-positive: if you don't try, then you will fail 100% of the time. But, to empathize with you, I understand the concern. It is disheartening to think that your efforts may go to waste, and result in...nothing. Worse than nothing, because you've paid the opportunity cost of the attempt. This is real. The mitigation is to reduce your opportunity cost. Send a letter to your legislature, an email to a newspaper. Talk to your friends about the issue. The positive effect is that you're broadcasting a truth, and maybe someone will respond. (Also, chicks dig a guy who actually believes in shit.)
- matheusmoreira 5y ago> everyone is doing it, there's nothing to be done, etc. This is wrong. Well, what can be done about it? The US is not gonna stop spying just because they got denounced and certainly no country will declare war on them over it.
- adventured 5y agoThey all want to partake in the spying, that's the central issue for countries like Germany. It's the same across all of the 5|9|14 eyes groups of nations. They know exactly what the bargain is that they're accepting. They all know exactly what they're doing. No modern nation is so naive. Nobody else comes close to the global spying capabilities of the US, the other eyes nations all know that and they all want access to it. Germany has been knowingly helping to make the US global spying capabilities more potent for most of the post WW2 era. If you're Germany what you do is take whatever limited corrective counter measures that you can and attempt to improve the security of Merkel's communications, while seeking to maintain continued access to the US global spying machine.
- gscott 5y agoIf there is an orgy you don't call the police... you find out the address so you can attend as well.
- vinay427 5y agoWhat is the connection to the US here? This article and the GP primarily concern Germany, as far as I'm aware.
- woodpanel 5y ago> So, let's hear it from the Germans! Whatcha gonna do? Nothin' I tell ya, because Pegasus isn't going to be used against me, but against this anti-vaxx scum which is challenging the policies that I very much support. Seriously though, there are some prolific civil liberties lawyers that might start a legal case. Private citiziens surely won't becaue they'll either be labled a "Russian Disinformant" (if they have a Russian Passport) or a "Russian Disinformant-ed" (if their Vorratsdatenspeicherung has one "fringe" news outlet in it).