#desperation — Public Fediverse posts

A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Isn’t it sad how some people’s grip on their lives is so precarious that they’ll embrace any preposterous delusion, rather than face an occasional bleak truth?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1987-11-24)

More about this quote: wist.info/watterson-bill/83249…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #billwatterson #calvinandhobbes #delusion #desperation #rationale #truth #selfdelusion

A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Isn’t it sad how some people’s grip on their lives is so precarious that they’ll embrace any preposterous delusion, rather than face an occasional bleak truth?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1987-11-24)

More about this quote: wist.info/watterson-bill/83249…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #billwatterson #calvinandhobbes #delusion #desperation #rationale #truth #selfdelusion

A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Isn’t it sad how some people’s grip on their lives is so precarious that they’ll embrace any preposterous delusion, rather than face an occasional bleak truth?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1987-11-24)

More about this quote: wist.info/watterson-bill/83249…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #billwatterson #calvinandhobbes #delusion #desperation #rationale #truth #selfdelusion

A quotation from Eleanor Roosevelt

Man cannot live without hope. If it is not engendered by his own convictions and desires, it can easily be fired from without, and by the most meretricious and empty of promises.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Essay (1961-04), “What Has Happened to the American Dream?” Atlantic Monthly

More about this quote: wist.info/roosevelt-eleanor/28…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #eleanorroosevelt #demagoguery #desperation #hope #inspiration #promises #propaganda #revolution #seduction

A quotation from Terry Pratchett

We who think we are about to die will laugh at anything.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld No. 29, Night Watch (2002)

More about this quote: wist.info/pratchett-terry/2978…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #terrypratchett #discworld #samvimes #danger #death #defiance #desperation #gallowshumor #humor #laughter #mortality #nothingtolose #threat

A quotation from James Howell

Necessity never made good bargain.

James Howell (c. 1594 - 1666) Welsh historian and writer
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “New Sayings,” 3rd Century (1659)

More about this quote: wist.info/howell-james/16348/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jameshowell #proverb #bargain #desperation #necessity #need #requirement #tradeoff

A quotation from Thoreau

Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American philosopher and writer
Walden; or, Life in the Woods, ch. 18 "Conclusion" (1854)

More info about this quote: wist.info/thoreau-henry-david/…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #thoreau #henrydavidthoreau #walden #rhythm #attainment #desperation #effort #enterprise #haste #individualism #pace #rushing #selfdirected #success

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

Refactored Analysis of TikTok's Content Moderation

The #TikTok CEO's comments seem to confirm my suspicion: the #platform is designed to deliver #content without adequately filtering for #extremistviewpoints during its rapid-fire serving process. While a faster #review is technically possible when a #video is uploaded, the current #moderationprocess is clearly insufficient before #content is served to the public.

This #system works exactly as #badactors need it to. They abuse the platform to spread #radicalizedcontent, and #TikTok appears to do little about it. This is less a failure of #proactive effort and more a consequence of the platform's core #design.

The Algorithmic "#RabbitHole"

The system's priorities appear to be purely #political and #engagement-driven. If a user engages with one piece of #extremistcontent—even through an unrelated #hashtag—the #algorithm starts pushing a flood of similar extremist material to them. This creates a confusing array of user profiles that engage with conflicting #ideologies (e.g., both #extremistright and #extremistleft content), making it difficult to pin down a person's exact #politicalalignment.

I believe the #AI is designed to profile every possible vulnerability—#loneliness, #desperation, #politicalviews—to keep users #engaged for as long as possible. The system operates without any discernible #ethicallogic. If ethical guardrails exist, the #AI certainly doesn't appear to be learning in a safe or positive way.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shou_chew_tiktok_s_ceo_on_its_future_and_what_makes_its_algorithm_different?fbclid=IwY2xjawNMJHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpe_32vhUBup2q9JgJ5EXh7mN4NDXxRQQ_MC5m9g_RF2IcYGIwnXB6Wc09gI_aem_WbzHkJqzEFEySlER6tmtLg

#trump #Desperation #Schumer #Jefferies #Budget #Deadline #Insults #Lies #HealthCare #Alt

Heather Cox Richardson 9/29/25
TRUMP CARTOONISH DEEP FAKE VIDEO LIES AND INSULTS DEMOCRATS IN A BID TO CONVINCE HIS CULT THE DEMS ARE BAD

#Trump #celebraties #deflection #Epstein #desperation

"He is alleging that Kamala Harris spent campaign money on celebrity endorsements – even if a previous investigation has found this claim to be false.

In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump has demanded that Beyoncé (and other celebrities) be prosecuted for campaigning for Harris during the 2024 presidential election.

Apparently still bruised from his lack of A-list talent support during the election, Trump wrote:

(. . .)

He continued:

(. . .)

'They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter.'''

Regarding Trump’s claim, it is true that Harris’ team spent funds on rallies and events, which featured celebrity endorsers like Beyoncé, Oprah and Lady Gaga.

However, the publicly shared financial records from the 2024 presidential campaign show that those expenses went toward production costs and staff, not to the celebrities themselves.

This was subsequently confirmed by a New York Times investigation published in November 2024.

(. . .)

This year, Trump also called for a 'major investigation' into Bruce Springsteen after the music legend made several remarks criticising Trump at his Manchester show earlier this year.

Trump alleged that Springsteen was paid by Kamala Harris for his 'POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT' (posted online on Truth Social in all caps, naturally).

(. . .)

He carried on, escalating things:

(. . .)

This was followed up by a bizarre back and forth, in which Trump shared a fake clip on social media of him attacking The Boss with a golf ball.

(. . .)

Numerous musicians came to Springsteen’s defence, including Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and veteran rocker Neil Young.

(. . .)

Elsewhere, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker responded to the White House’s reaction to their latest episode which mocked Trump, showing him in bed with Satan and depicting him as having a micro-penis. This led Parker to respond at Comic-Con International, with his trademark deadpan style: 'We’re terribly sorry.'

They weren’t."

https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/07/28/not-so-crazy-in-love-why-is-donald-trump-demanding-that-beyonce-be-prosecuted

#Educating the #youth is our #1 priority.

Today I spent a fair deal of time explaining why #Putin is a #Tzar and why #imperialism, #authoritarianism, #poverty, #crime and #desperation all go hand in hand - empirically speaking.

"Those who fail to learn from #history are doomed to repeat it."

Gads -- gold spray-painted sneakers and now commemorative coins? Donald Trump really is desperate since his fund-raising is such a failure compared to Kamala Harris.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/22/trump-commemorative-coins

#Trump #commemorative #coins #desperation #politics #political #campaign #election #2024 #fundraising

#Desperation is a stinky cologne. #Rudy's just trying to come up with #money to pay his ballooning #legal bills and various civil #judgements. But this is just sad.

#RudyColludy #flatulence #FourSeasonsTotalLandscaping

https://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-suing-joe-biden-for-defaming-him-years-ago-2023-10

"The #grifters that make up the #troll-industrial complex are not okay.

"One can see the sheen of #desperation in the #world of self-identified #conservatives who make a living by "triggering" the #liberals. The usual dose of outrage bait isn't working as well any longer, so the #rightwingers are escalating the provocations. Tucker #Carlson, for example, gave a glow-up interview with manosphere "influencer" Andrew #Tate, who is being held in #Romania on charges of sex #trafficking and #rape. #DailyWire anti-trans provocateur Matt #Walsh is selling plushies of himself clad only in a diaper, which he encourages #people to give to #children. Daily Wire founder Ben #Shapiro, on the other hand, made a nearly hour-long video #tantrum about "#Barbie," complete with setting the dolls on fire. The clawing need to get attention from #progressives seems to be driving these engagement farmers a little nuts, as they up the weird-and-evil ante, hoping to get those precious clicks and plays.

[...]

"The escalation of shock value tactics, on both the right and the pretending-not-to-be-right political classes, are likely rooted in the same cause: The slow motion collapse of #Twitter, now rebranded "#X," under the leadership of #Tesla CEO Elon #Musk. While these folks have various outlets, both in the #media and #socialmedia, ultimately their #business model of #trolling depends heavily on Twitter.

"Grifters need people to harass and a mainstream discourse to counter. As traffic takes a nosedive and Twitter becomes less a part of the conversation, it's going to be harder for these folks to make #money," Melissa #Ryan, a strategist who helps counter online #disinformation, told #Salon.

"They need us. We don't need them:" The fall of Twitter is making the trolls and grifters #desperate"

https://www.salon.com/2023/08/01/they-need-us-we-dont-need-them-the-fall-of-twitter-is-making-the-and-grifters-desperate/

The clawing need to get attention from progressives seems to be driving these engagement farmers a little nuts, as they up the weird-and-evil ante, hoping to get those precious clicks and plays.

"What Musk has proven through his actions and his statements is that he's committed to serving the trolls and the #fraudsters first and the ordinary good faith users second," explained Brian Hughes of American #University, who is the co-founder of the Polarization and #Extremism #Research and Innovation Lab (#PERIL). But, he noted, Musk is "blinded by his own #ideology" and can't see how this is backfiring. "As normal people, for lack of a better term, continue to leave Twitter, that's actually going to cause probably a reduction in the use of the platform by these trolls and these fraudsters. They don't have their audience of targets that they need," he continued.

https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/bhughes.cfm

HAHAHAHAHAHA die mad about it, trolls. Full offense."

https://www.tumblr.com/wilwheaton/724472830135353344/the-grifters-that-make-up-the-troll-industrial?source=share

Migrant boat breaks apart off Italy; dozens dead, 80 survive

https://apnews.com/article/789562253af9aca2c201207c877c5b5f.

#migrants #RefugeeCrisis #refugees #warzones #desperation #syria #afghan #warcrimes #taliban