*sign* It was never a direct democracy. That is but one sort of democracy.

Much like there is “water”, which as a pure chemical is H2O - but most of the water we encounter isn’t actually pure water.

That sentiment reminds me of this:

Found the Richard Dawkins :P

I’d say, they censor the smallest part you can, with the intent of leaving the meaning more or less intact while minimizing the offense that might be caused. “God ***" doesn’t really mean anything, but " damnit” does.

Money

Wait, fuck. Um…

Money

Nah, instead of 20oz it’ll be 33.8oz.

V, is that you?

Photon < Quantum < RECTUM TORPEDOS (or rectal, if you prefer)

I choose to read this as if you meant “only 10% sex” - because it amuses me, not because I think 10% is insufficient.

Same way you find favorite foods: give it a try.

Picture’s worth a thousand expletives.

I agree with the core of your point. I’d like to assert, though, that all people exert some level of self-censorship in public on the basis of the opinions of their neighbors and peers. Having to worry about powerful organizations like governments and megacorps also always being there (instead of just sometimes, or usually) adds a new degree of reason to self-censor, for sure.

I don’t want to have to keep up with the current styles of SmartGlasses from however many makers of these things there are at any given time. I am happy to outsource this awareness to someone I can find good reason to trust to provide me the info I need. Just like I don’t make my own vaccines, because I have no idea how to get the 5G that small.

Warning: there is probably a bunch of phones near you right now.

I’m with you. Made a comment recently, here or elsewhere, that a huge thing to happen with social spaces over time is that trustworthy sources of information have a chance to really prove themselves as such. So when you rip apart one platform and scatter its users, you destroy that earned credibility and leave a lot of people without at least some of their reliable news sources. That’s most harmful to people looking for actual truth, since people willing to swallow comfortable lies don’t really need the providers of information to be vetted.

The conclusion to all this is that keeping social platforms from building large, long-term communities is a very effective way to keep people who seek truth from finding it.

I imagine you’re focused on for-profit companies

The social contract of tolerance doesn’t extend to those who are intolerant. They are outside the protection of Tolerant Society’s protection, and the Tolerant are free (and, in fact, strongly encouraged) not to tolerate them, because they aren’t covered.

Modem starts dialing up. Everything is going fine, attempting 28.8k negotiation… failed. Okay, now I’m listening to 19.2k negotiation… failed again? Ugh, ok, 14.4k… no? Jesus fuck. Please let me at least have 9600…

Edit: typoes