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| Pic courtesy Parkeschampionpost |
I have recently reactivated my long dormant Twitter account - purely out of boredom.
I set it up originally as an opportunity to lurk, but have begun posting again. I must be bored...
Twitter is, after all, a sewer, but can occasionally be useful to capture breaking news.
Being the contrarian that I am, I follow people whom on the whole disagree with most of my opinions, which is apparently unusual, given the suggestions Twitter frequently makes about whom I should follow.
One reason for this is the possibility I might learn something. There is also the thrill of the chase in investigating and analysing the level and degree of disinformation that corrupts a great of public discourse. And occasionally you are exposed, via the platform, to clever and ascerbic verbal gems.
There aren't, incidentally, many of these.
It also exposes also me to the whole gamut of conspiracy theorists, peddlers of hate, and what my father used to call "mug lairs".
If we follow only those we agree with, the whole thing becomes a vast echo chamber. This, of course, is irrelevant as far as the platform is concerned, but it has far reaching implications for the shaping of public opinion.
Twitter also favours Right-leaning opinion, which helps to explain why Trump used it so effectively, and the wailing and gnashing of teeth that we saw from that cohort when he was deplatformed.
Occasionally I get blocked, which is usually a sign that the blocker is feeling the heat.
The behaviour of the algorithms that shape the platform also shapes information sharing and opinion. Twitter operates like a very efficient Kelpie, rounding people up on the basis of their biases and herding them together.
This has the unfortunate effect of confirming and solidifying those biases. That phenomenon is in no small way a contributing element to the current toxic divisive state of American politics.
And, make no mistake, we are heading in exactly the same direction in this country.
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18 comments:
Yes, Bob, twatter made them do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV4wm2bV05o
All of them.
The right on twatter https://twitter.com/RitaPanahi/status/1330984077193711617
and
even righter https://twitter.com/lporiginalg/status/1491803834309484552?
Righter still https://twitter.com/lporiginalg/status/1490364433322758144
The company you keep on twatter
I’ve been on Twitter for years but mostly inactive since I retired. While I was working I followed people who worked in related fields and often picked up useful material that way. There were occasional stimulating interchanges and I recall being patched in via Twitter with a couple of other remote contributors to a conference session. Live tweeting of conference sessions could be a useful way of taking notes and sharing with others. I also had some useful lists including one for Queensland emergency services that was useful for warnings about traffic and other issues.
Twitter made them do it.
Shakespeare nailed it when he wrote - A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. (Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, lines 16–27)
In this case - "idiots" (plural).
What do you think about the latest spying revelations in the US, Bob? Looks like a lot of criminality from your side. You say you're bored. Lots of documents to read in that little lot.
First up, the CIA has been doing this for at least 50 years, under a range of administrations. It actually has nothing to do with US party politics. After all, an agency which deliberately seeks to destabilise foreign regimes (think Iran & Syria in 1953, Indonesia in 1957, Dominican Republic in 1960, Cuba - Bay of Pigs in 1961, Vietnam in 1963, Chile in 1973, Lebanon in 1983, Nicaragua in the nineties and so on) could hardly be expected to keep its nose out of domestic US affairs. Secondly, you're sounding remarkably like the CCP with references to "sides". As a student of history and a seeker of the truth, I don't have a "side".
Did someone mention CIA or was that your attempt at deflection?
https://www.newswars.com/trump-responds-to-bombshell-clinton-spying-revelations-punishable-by-death/
Newswars?
It's owned by Alex Jones - the "person" who was found liable for the Sandy Hook ‘hoax’ conspiracy theory.
From Media Bias fact Check - Founded in 2017, NewsWars is a news and opinion website by Infowars publisher and far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, where he claims to be bringing “truth back to the media.” He’s infamously made false claims concerning the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, and federal investigators said he inspired a gunman to open fire inside a Washington, D.C., pizzeria by touting unfounded allegations on his shows and websites about its supposed ties to former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and human trafficking. This is a conspiracy website.
Better look for a news source, not a propaganda outfit, if you're going to comment without looking stupid.
Perhaps you should check to see who was actually doing the spying for Clinton and associates.
When you have, please indicate the CIA connection to justify your deflection.
Perhaps you should check who faked the moon landings. It's about as credible.
So, you obviously didn't like the result of your search and are unable to find a CIA connection that links your deflecting comparison... as usual, when looking foolish, deflect or deny even more.
These allegations are false. I don't need to "deflect" anything -https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/feb/17/jesse-watters/jesse-watters-spins-facts-beyond-recognition-claim/#sources
On the other hand, the CIA has been destabilising regimes of all kinds for decades.
All the situations I have listed above are historical fact.
You don't understand the difference between fact and fiction, so these's really no point in discussing anything with you.
Go and read some more Alex Jones - you know the bloke who claimed Sandy Hook was a conspiracy.
That's about your level....
You still have not investigated the matter, or checked to find a connection between the CIA and the spying on TRUMP. I expect nothing more from you Robert.
Until you can indicate the connection with the CIA your introduction of past historical events attributed to the CIA is irrelevant. Perhaps you should read someone other than Jones before you give matters your usual head shake with your eyes raised declaring "no others but 1735099 will be believed".
You have been well and truly rounded up by the Kelpie masquerading as the US Right wing blogosphere. And by the way, the past is always relevant. It's called "experience".
The past may well be relevant, but only as a reference and learning point. You however draw information from the past that is not relevant to the subject at hand in an effort to deflect from the discomfort of being embarrassed when incorrect, or unable to propose an intelligent answer to a question or an idea that is in conflict with your leftist view of life, ex-headmaster.
You however draw information from the past that is not relevant to the subject at hand
There are a number of relevant issues. Both the CIA and the FBI are US Federal agencies. The CIA has a well documented history of corrupt interference in the governments of other countries with US administration covert support. The FBI does not - read the history - https://www.fbi.gov/history/brief-history
It was created (originally as the Bureau of Investigation - BOI) on July 26, 1908, and has operated independently of the political colour of the administration since then. Its independence has always been a feature of the organisation, to the point where Presidents who behaved corruptly (like Nixon, and now Trump) have been brought undone by the agency.
It is not alleged that the CIA or the FBI carried out the spying on Trump, in the recent claims. Allegedly it was contracted out to "private" business by the Demonrats Killary and Obumma. Reports were then prepared and submitted to the relevant departments.
Demonrats Killary and Obumma.
Childish....
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