[October 28, 1970] Pop Goes the Science Fiction: The Futuristic British Sound
Oct. 28th, 2025 04:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
galacticjourney_feedBy Mx Kris Vyas-Myall As regular readers of my pieces know, I have bemoaned somewhat the nostalgic country and folk stylings, where it can feel like everyone wishes they were living centuries ago. As much as I enjoy the countryside, I also don’t want to be cutting crops with hand tools all day, only to … Continue reading [October 28, 1970] Pop Goes the Science Fiction: The Futuristic British Sound
The post [October 28, 1970] Pop Goes the Science Fiction: The Futuristic British Sound appeared first on Galactic Journey.
Your moment of climate grief
Oct. 28th, 2025 07:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabotabby Barely making headlines yesterday was the announcement that governments have failed once again to meet climate targets. As Hurricane Melissa barrels towards Jamaica, threatening to do catastrophic damage, it's important to remember that these governments had a choice, that we as so-called Western civilization had a choice, and we chose wrong every single time.
The thing you may not have heard of at all was the announcement yesterday of the extinction of the Christmas Island shrew. This little animal was a victim of an even older human-caused catastrophe, the colonization of Australia and its surrounding islands by first Britain, then Japan. The invasion of Europeans introduced black rats to the island, which in turn introduced a parasite that wiped out most of the population.
With so many other horrors, including the continuing horrors perpetrated by colonialism, take a moment to grieve for this tiny, innocent creature, which was a unique being that in our carelessness and cruelty, we destroyed. Just another beautiful life lost to the gaping maw of capitalism. The people in charge think that they can cheat death by colonizing Mars or uploading their brains into a god-machine but there won't be any little shrews there, and also their fantasies are impossible. There is only this world and we're shitting it up like we have a spare one stashed somewhere.
The thing you may not have heard of at all was the announcement yesterday of the extinction of the Christmas Island shrew. This little animal was a victim of an even older human-caused catastrophe, the colonization of Australia and its surrounding islands by first Britain, then Japan. The invasion of Europeans introduced black rats to the island, which in turn introduced a parasite that wiped out most of the population.
With so many other horrors, including the continuing horrors perpetrated by colonialism, take a moment to grieve for this tiny, innocent creature, which was a unique being that in our carelessness and cruelty, we destroyed. Just another beautiful life lost to the gaping maw of capitalism. The people in charge think that they can cheat death by colonizing Mars or uploading their brains into a god-machine but there won't be any little shrews there, and also their fantasies are impossible. There is only this world and we're shitting it up like we have a spare one stashed somewhere.
That A-Z Meme
Oct. 27th, 2025 06:56 pmpurplecatGoodness it is ages since I did a meme and, I suspect, even longer since I actually managed to write any fanfic, however the A-Z meme got me curious so without more ado.
- After the Apocalypse (Becker, Lester, Primeval Zombie AU, Teen, 1076 words)
- Baba Yaga between the Worlds (Natasha, Clint, MCU, ALl Ages, 888 words)
- Challenges and Discoveries (Evan, Howard, Primeval:New World, All Ages, 3898 words)
- Dinner at the Eagle and Child (Liz, Silver, Doctor Who/Sapphire and Steel crossover, All Ages, 1490 words)
- Elle n'a pas Peur des Fantomes (Adele, Agathe, Frankenstein's Creature, Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adele Blanc-Sec/Frankenstein crossover, 6174 words)
- Foiling the Irulon Invasion (Donna, Eleven, Doctor Who, All Ages, 745 words)
- Guardians of the Anomalies (Cutter, Stephen/Ryan, Groot, Rocket, Primeval/MCU AU Crossover, All Ages, 1093 words)
- Harriet Vane's Medieval Mysteries (Eowyn/Faramir, Tolkien/Primeval crossover, All Ages, 2011 words)
- In which Zoe Washburne meets Esmerelda Weatherwax (Zoe Washburne, Esmerelda Weatherwax, Firefly/Discworld crossover, All Ages, 3015 words)
- Just the Fear and the Hatred (Robin of Sherwood, All Ages, 3093 words)
- Kidnapped! (Stephen/Ryan, Clint Coulson, Primeval/Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D crossover, Teen, 2530 words)
- Livermorium (Clara, Silver, Doctor Who/Sapphire and Steel crossover, 853 words)
- Martha and Yaz Adventure in Time and Space (Martha, Yaz, Doctor Who, All Ages, 3890 words)
- Not a Creature was Stirring, not even a Mouse (Claudia/Ryan, Primeval, All Ages, 4413 words)
- Operation Golden Age (Reprise) (Claudia, Ryan, Primeval/Doctor Who crossover, All Ages, 5510 words)
- Playing at Fighting Monsters (Ryan, Sapphire, Steel, Primeval/Sapphire and Steel crossover, All Ages, 1215 words)
- Query. Fact. Supposition. Suggestion. Agreement (BB-8, Rey, Star Wars, All Ages, 413 words)
- Rain and Blessing (Connor/Becker, Connor/Ryan, Primeval, All Ages, 593 words)
- Side Quest (Harry, Sarah, Four, Doctor Who, All Ages, 6388 words)
- Twelve and a half Times Silver didn't meet the Doctor and One and a half Times he did (Silver, Doctor Who/Sapphire and Steel Crossover, All Ages, 2253 words)
- U
- V
- Waes Hael (Stephen/Ryan, Primeval, All Ages, 4511 words)
- X
- Yangchuanosaurus in the Undergrowth (Stephen/Ryan, Primeval, Teen, 1483 words)
- Z
the dots
Oct. 27th, 2025 06:35 amfrandroidThe Legendary Pink Dots were a 3-piece band tonight. Once you removed Ka-Spel, the remaining two musicians formed "Orbital Service", which turns out played better LPD-style material than when Ka-Spel sang with them. LPD were also good, but nowhere as good as on some of their albums.
Showing how far down they've come, they were playing at the Dance Cave rather than Lee's.
Showing how far down they've come, they were playing at the Dance Cave rather than Lee's.
Wow! That's a lot of words!
Oct. 26th, 2025 10:04 pmbrithistorianI stumbled on a list of word counts of famous novels and discovered that my longest piece of fanfic is approximately 16,000 words longer than Moby Dick!
[October 26, 1970] Ringworld…and beyond (October Galactoscope #2)
Oct. 26th, 2025 04:00 pmgalacticjourney_feedFor our second Galactoscope of the month, we've got a much-awaited book from Larry Niven, and a lesser jewel from Damien Broderick. Let's take a gander, shall we? by Winona Menezes Ringworld, by Larry Niven Niven's latest novel is a real doozy. Set in the same universe as Beowulf Schaeffer and (presumably) Lucas Garner, it … Continue reading [October 26, 1970] Ringworld…and beyond (October Galactoscope #2)
The post [October 26, 1970] Ringworld…and beyond (October Galactoscope #2) appeared first on Galactic Journey.
Night of Dread
Oct. 26th, 2025 08:19 amsabotabbyI faithfully go to the Kensington Festival of Lights every year, but I haven't been to its darker, spookier, sister festival, the Night of Dread, in forever. It's run by Clay and Paper out of Dufferin Grove Park (for non-Torontonians, this is one of the best parks in the city, though in recent years it has fallen victim to violent encampment sweeps over the protests of nearly everyone who uses it).
( what lies within? )
( what lies within? )
Database maintenance
Oct. 25th, 2025 08:42 am![[staff profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user_staff.png){kind=small}
mark posting in ![[site community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/comm_staff.png){kind=small}
dw_maintenanceGood morning, afternoon, and evening!
We're doing some database and other light server maintenance this weekend (upgrading the version of MySQL we use in particular, but also probably doing some CDN work.)
I expect all of this to be pretty invisible except for some small "couple of minute" blips as we switch between machines, but there's a chance you will notice something untoward. I'll keep an eye on comments as per usual.
Ta for now!
Looking for creative writing partners that I hope to inspire in return. <3
Oct. 25th, 2025 07:31 amno_apologies posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
add_a_writerName: Marianne (I also don't mind being referred to as Kitty, short for one of my main online aliases, Ancapikitty.)
Age: 41
Location: Northeast coast of the U.S.
About Me: Well, there's a LOT I could say about myself, but I'll just briefly describe my current life as is! I have been going through a lot over the past two years. I have been going through some really trying times. I have my own complex and personal spiritual connection with God but I am not heavily religious. He knows that I haven't been entirely happy in life lately, and I sometimes still have my moments in which I feel heartache and frustration over uncertainties, and doing all I can to steer clear from despairing... Thankfully, I have this really creative side to myself that gives me escape whenever reality feels too painful and unforgiving. Whenever I need to vent or express my inner emotional storms, or thoughts that just won't go away entirely.
Music and creativity is a healing and coping tool for my very sensitive heart and soul.
About My Journal: Lately I've been using this blog of mine over Google Docs to write out music style prompts and song lyrics, without having to worry about taking up too much space for my Google Drive. I keep a bunch of my songs stored on it, and I often listen to them from my phone. I share my songs with friends that way. And I often share them with my friends online as well.
What I Write: Sometimes I vent when I need to about whatever it is in my life that weighs me down or stresses me too much. Other times I write out songs that either help spread awareness to others about real-world issues that should be addressed, or just me expressing my thoughts about things I strongly think are so crazy-backwards and self-destructive things. (AKA, Liberty-Minded Tunes. I haven't been writing anything new in that area, but I have been remastering some of my favorites at times. My latest remaster is of and old song, a satirical as well as a critical stab at a very collectivist, socialist and communistic organization. It's a lengthy commercial jingle of a song. UNESCO rhymes with the old snack company, Nabisco. That's why the song is styled like that, lol)
I also have been writing a lot of songs centered around fictional characters. I recently used my Suno persona of this eldritch goddess of insanity, Xel'lotath, to make a new song that would be very in-character to her very, very awful and horrifying schemes. (This old and revived/renewed muse is the one who ENABLED me to get into the Suno personas.) Have a listen! Suno did a great job in making sure that her secondary, more chilling whispery voice is included. Xelly here is the one in charge of a 4-member Cosmic Horror/Psychological Horror music group that I decided to call "Team Insanity". I have a playlist that is meant to be ongoing for them. I already finished my epic and awesome Xel'lotath Album. (I'm a diehard fan of this old 2000's video game known as Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. That album is my own custom soundtrack of Xelly, her creatures, her emissary, and other game lore. Even a funny song about the 4th wall breaks that occur, whenever a playable protagonist's sanity meter is very low.)
I have others, two others that are apart from Team Insanity; a Kirby and an really gentle and enigmatic ancient spirit of an original character, named Necrosan. I'll get back to them when I feel very inspired to. My own interpretation of that cute pink Nintendo character is a very cutesy and silly friend who is looking forward to his own "music career". The Necrosan songs are like chapters in a story about him, from his own narrative. Very interesting!
What I Don't Write: Pointless drivel, or content that lacks substance or doesn't carry any meaning for me. And, sexually explicit stuff is also not an interest of mine.
What I Have Been Reading: Most currently, I have been reading this manga series known as The Promised Neverland! It's a mix of cute and fantasy thriller/suspense. These kids have escaped from a place that appeared to be an orphanage on the surface level when in truth, they discovered the horrible secret that Grace Field House has been a place to raise and nurture children to be shipped off as food for demons. The oldest among them are really smart.
I have felt most drawn to the character Norman. He's a bit like me; being a sharp, smart strategist and very caring soul. But I'm not very good at math the way he is though, lol. (I might have a Norman Suno persona in the near future! Oh gosh that would be so cool.)
I would love to connect with kindred spirits! I yearn to write creatively with others, with these characters of mine. (Story writing or RP writing, or just coming up with song lyrics together--that'd be fun.) I have been riding on this creative momentum that's been uplifting and exciting for me. Let's have a grand time. Let's brainstorm! Let's experiment! My own ideas tend to be very big and crazy at times.
Age: 41
Location: Northeast coast of the U.S.
About Me: Well, there's a LOT I could say about myself, but I'll just briefly describe my current life as is! I have been going through a lot over the past two years. I have been going through some really trying times. I have my own complex and personal spiritual connection with God but I am not heavily religious. He knows that I haven't been entirely happy in life lately, and I sometimes still have my moments in which I feel heartache and frustration over uncertainties, and doing all I can to steer clear from despairing... Thankfully, I have this really creative side to myself that gives me escape whenever reality feels too painful and unforgiving. Whenever I need to vent or express my inner emotional storms, or thoughts that just won't go away entirely.
Music and creativity is a healing and coping tool for my very sensitive heart and soul.
About My Journal: Lately I've been using this blog of mine over Google Docs to write out music style prompts and song lyrics, without having to worry about taking up too much space for my Google Drive. I keep a bunch of my songs stored on it, and I often listen to them from my phone. I share my songs with friends that way. And I often share them with my friends online as well.
What I Write: Sometimes I vent when I need to about whatever it is in my life that weighs me down or stresses me too much. Other times I write out songs that either help spread awareness to others about real-world issues that should be addressed, or just me expressing my thoughts about things I strongly think are so crazy-backwards and self-destructive things. (AKA, Liberty-Minded Tunes. I haven't been writing anything new in that area, but I have been remastering some of my favorites at times. My latest remaster is of and old song, a satirical as well as a critical stab at a very collectivist, socialist and communistic organization. It's a lengthy commercial jingle of a song. UNESCO rhymes with the old snack company, Nabisco. That's why the song is styled like that, lol)
I also have been writing a lot of songs centered around fictional characters. I recently used my Suno persona of this eldritch goddess of insanity, Xel'lotath, to make a new song that would be very in-character to her very, very awful and horrifying schemes. (This old and revived/renewed muse is the one who ENABLED me to get into the Suno personas.) Have a listen! Suno did a great job in making sure that her secondary, more chilling whispery voice is included. Xelly here is the one in charge of a 4-member Cosmic Horror/Psychological Horror music group that I decided to call "Team Insanity". I have a playlist that is meant to be ongoing for them. I already finished my epic and awesome Xel'lotath Album. (I'm a diehard fan of this old 2000's video game known as Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. That album is my own custom soundtrack of Xelly, her creatures, her emissary, and other game lore. Even a funny song about the 4th wall breaks that occur, whenever a playable protagonist's sanity meter is very low.)
I have others, two others that are apart from Team Insanity; a Kirby and an really gentle and enigmatic ancient spirit of an original character, named Necrosan. I'll get back to them when I feel very inspired to. My own interpretation of that cute pink Nintendo character is a very cutesy and silly friend who is looking forward to his own "music career". The Necrosan songs are like chapters in a story about him, from his own narrative. Very interesting!
What I Don't Write: Pointless drivel, or content that lacks substance or doesn't carry any meaning for me. And, sexually explicit stuff is also not an interest of mine.
What I Have Been Reading: Most currently, I have been reading this manga series known as The Promised Neverland! It's a mix of cute and fantasy thriller/suspense. These kids have escaped from a place that appeared to be an orphanage on the surface level when in truth, they discovered the horrible secret that Grace Field House has been a place to raise and nurture children to be shipped off as food for demons. The oldest among them are really smart.
I have felt most drawn to the character Norman. He's a bit like me; being a sharp, smart strategist and very caring soul. But I'm not very good at math the way he is though, lol. (I might have a Norman Suno persona in the near future! Oh gosh that would be so cool.)
I would love to connect with kindred spirits! I yearn to write creatively with others, with these characters of mine. (Story writing or RP writing, or just coming up with song lyrics together--that'd be fun.) I have been riding on this creative momentum that's been uplifting and exciting for me. Let's have a grand time. Let's brainstorm! Let's experiment! My own ideas tend to be very big and crazy at times.
UK people: Scrap The Bathroom Ban
Oct. 25th, 2025 11:33 amrydra_wonghttps://actionnetwork.org/letters/scrap-the-bathroom-ban
From TransActual and Trans+ Solidarity Alliance. Produces a template letter to your MP which you can customize as much as you can or want to.
Article by Jane Fae of TransActual (who have been absolutely kicking ass):
https://www.scenemag.co.uk/jane-fae-a-director-of-transactual-writes-on-the-eve-of-launching-a-new-campaign-to-get-mps-to-reject-the-ehrcs-bathroom-ban/
There are now a bunch of Labour MPs who are worried and making noises at the government, even if it's only about the impact on businesses of rules which are possibly illegal and impossible to follow without getting sued:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/oct/23/dozens-of-labour-mps-warn-of-chaos-for-firms-over-gender-recognition-advice
It's alleged that Bridget Phillipson was sitting on the guidance because she was worried it'd scupper her bid for the deputy leadership, whereas Powell is actively trans-friendly and has called for MPs to have a chance to debate and vote on the guidance.
The below may be an overly optimistic view but it seems clear there's tension and conflict between the EHRC and government:
https://iandunt.substack.com/p/frightened-and-desperate-ehrc-anti (warning for Substack, in case you are boycotting it)
So this is a moment when leverage is possible, and letters to your MP may actually do something.
From TransActual and Trans+ Solidarity Alliance. Produces a template letter to your MP which you can customize as much as you can or want to.
Article by Jane Fae of TransActual (who have been absolutely kicking ass):
https://www.scenemag.co.uk/jane-fae-a-director-of-transactual-writes-on-the-eve-of-launching-a-new-campaign-to-get-mps-to-reject-the-ehrcs-bathroom-ban/
There are now a bunch of Labour MPs who are worried and making noises at the government, even if it's only about the impact on businesses of rules which are possibly illegal and impossible to follow without getting sued:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/oct/23/dozens-of-labour-mps-warn-of-chaos-for-firms-over-gender-recognition-advice
It's alleged that Bridget Phillipson was sitting on the guidance because she was worried it'd scupper her bid for the deputy leadership, whereas Powell is actively trans-friendly and has called for MPs to have a chance to debate and vote on the guidance.
The below may be an overly optimistic view but it seems clear there's tension and conflict between the EHRC and government:
https://iandunt.substack.com/p/frightened-and-desperate-ehrc-anti (warning for Substack, in case you are boycotting it)
So this is a moment when leverage is possible, and letters to your MP may actually do something.
Chess (Imperial Theater, New York City, 9/17/25)
Oct. 23rd, 2025 01:37 pmcoffeeandinkChess is a show I know entirely through the cast recordings; if I recall correctly, it was such a thoroughly Cold War project that the liner notes referred to the two chess players as only "the American" and "the Russian". The new book by Danny Strong turns it into a (even more) melodramatic period piece, with the chess matches not simply a allegory for political tensions or a way of obtaining minor diplomatic concessions but tools for averting World War III. The Arbiter is dragooned as a narrator, who exposits both the global situation and the personal interactions with the characters, partly through a series of very bad and very obvious jokes.
Freddie Trumper, American grandmaster and obnoxious wunderkind, is challenged by Anatoly Sergievesky, mordant, depressed, and engaged in a clandestine flirtation with Freddie's chess second and lover, Florence Vassy. Freddie is notoriously a weak point in the original book, so prone to anti-Communist slurs, misogyny, and temper tantrums it is impossible to extend him much sympathy. The new version mitigates this by giving him bipolar disorder and medical noncompliance, and also by casting Aaron Tveit. Tveit is indeed so good and so charismatic that I was on Freddie's side way more than I expected, although not enough to take self-pity anthem "Pity the Child" seriously. (The rest of the audience seemed less skeptical.) Lea Michele as Florence is just as strong vocally, and almost as strong in terms of acting, though unfortunately without much romantic chemistry with either partner. (The closest any scene comes to a sexual charge is Freddie's sleazy half-assed attempt at persuading Anatoly to throw the game in Act II.) Nicholas Christopher as Anatoly is the weak point in Act I, where I had the same opinion as I had of his Sweeney Todd: he's got the potential to be great, but he isn't quite there yet. He really needs to work on his emoting, which is too flat even for the murderous Sweeney or the dour Anatoly. He is greatly handicapped in Chess by having to affect a Russian accent, which I really hope the production drops. But! He pulled out all stops in Act II, both for the songs and the acting, and won me over with his intensity and vocal power.
So basically: the book is still flawed and they need to cut the runtime, particularly in Act I. This was the second night of previews, so there's still time for changes before the show technically "opens". If we're lucky, they'll start by cutting the topical jokes.
But the point of Chess has never been the book; it is the score full of bangers and power ballads. The music is by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and the lyrics by Ulvaeus and Tim Rice. And the musical performances are GREAT. I am still guiltily fond of the kinda-no-really-very-racist "One Night in Bangkok" (which can plausibly be explained as Freddie's typical white guy take on the city) and which in this production is a camp masterpiece. I am seriously tempted to see the show again just for that.
[October 24, 1970] Hey, Pollution is Bad (No Blade of Grass)
Oct. 24th, 2025 02:00 pmgalacticjourney_feedby Jason Sacks Hey, did you know that pollution is, you know, bad? Did you know we’re destroying our rivers with waste and making many species badly endangered? Did you realize the famines in Africa and Asia are terrible? Oh, and did you realize the deep existential threats that rogue biker gangs provide to British … Continue reading [October 24, 1970] Hey, Pollution is Bad (No Blade of Grass)
The post [October 24, 1970] Hey, Pollution is Bad (No Blade of Grass) appeared first on Galactic Journey.
podcast friday
Oct. 24th, 2025 07:36 amsabotabbyToday's featured episode is "Smart Glasses Are Ushering In an Anti-Social World ft. Chris Gilliard" from Tech Won't Save Us.
This is a good episode for a number of reasons. First of all, it reminds us that just because tech companies want a thing, and invest a lot of money to convince you that this thing is the inevitable progression of humanity, you can as an individual reject that thing and convince others to do so too. Google Glasses are a great example of a thing that was heavily pushed but no one other than glassholes wanted it, and so people were shamed, mocked, and bullied out of public spaces for wearing them. This is a good use of shame, bullying, and mockery. (Note: Chris points out that the latest attempt at making glasses that control you happen is a bit different, as it's being aimed at controlling workers rather than as a status symbol for the rich. Obviously, do not bully an Amazon delivery guy for being forced to wear them.) Another great comparison is the Metaverse—Zuck spent a fortune on his fantasy of not having a body that sweats too much, and no one bought it. No one asked for LLMs and you—yes you, one person who thinks you're too insignificant to do anything—can stop them from being forced on you. We finally get to use our mean girl powers for good, and I have a mean streak a mile wide.
Another thing that kind of blew my mind is the way Chris talks about the phases of Big Tech-driven media—first it was used to connect you to your friends (and make you dependent), then it was about a trade where the companies gave you connection and visibility in exchange for privacy, and now the deal has shifted. You are expected to be controlled by the technology. You are now being programmed and instructed. Chris notes that some people very much desire this as it reduces decision fatigue. Of course this dovetails nicely with the broader move towards fascism in former Western democracies.
Finally, there is some good talk about affordances. An affordance is basically what the environment or technology allows you to do. A button allows you to press it. A car not only allows you to go faster than you could otherwise, but it creates physical and geographic isolation, the development of suburban spaces around roads rather than common areas, and reactionary politics caused by mistrusting your neighbour and especially Those People In Cities. The replacement of Dreamwidth-style fixed-page scrolling on most social media sites by endless scrolling is what enables social media dependency and doomscrolling. Etc. Chris talks about what, specifically, LLMs are designed to do as their ideal use-case, which is forcing your worldview on someone else. They are primarily for deepfakes, stalking, propaganda, and CSAM. That you can do other things with them is a side-effect. I think this is a very strong argument and not one I'd really thought about. The characterization of LLMs as an inherently antisocial technology is not one I'd thought much about either.
Never forget that our billionaire enemies are forcing LLMs into everything because they want girlfriends without having to talk to women, they want slaves without having to see a Black person, and they have a fantasy of immorality via being uploaded into Machine Heaven. This is fundamentally silly and risible and actually batshit insane, and you are smarter and more reality-based than they are.
This is a good episode for a number of reasons. First of all, it reminds us that just because tech companies want a thing, and invest a lot of money to convince you that this thing is the inevitable progression of humanity, you can as an individual reject that thing and convince others to do so too. Google Glasses are a great example of a thing that was heavily pushed but no one other than glassholes wanted it, and so people were shamed, mocked, and bullied out of public spaces for wearing them. This is a good use of shame, bullying, and mockery. (Note: Chris points out that the latest attempt at making glasses that control you happen is a bit different, as it's being aimed at controlling workers rather than as a status symbol for the rich. Obviously, do not bully an Amazon delivery guy for being forced to wear them.) Another great comparison is the Metaverse—Zuck spent a fortune on his fantasy of not having a body that sweats too much, and no one bought it. No one asked for LLMs and you—yes you, one person who thinks you're too insignificant to do anything—can stop them from being forced on you. We finally get to use our mean girl powers for good, and I have a mean streak a mile wide.
Another thing that kind of blew my mind is the way Chris talks about the phases of Big Tech-driven media—first it was used to connect you to your friends (and make you dependent), then it was about a trade where the companies gave you connection and visibility in exchange for privacy, and now the deal has shifted. You are expected to be controlled by the technology. You are now being programmed and instructed. Chris notes that some people very much desire this as it reduces decision fatigue. Of course this dovetails nicely with the broader move towards fascism in former Western democracies.
Finally, there is some good talk about affordances. An affordance is basically what the environment or technology allows you to do. A button allows you to press it. A car not only allows you to go faster than you could otherwise, but it creates physical and geographic isolation, the development of suburban spaces around roads rather than common areas, and reactionary politics caused by mistrusting your neighbour and especially Those People In Cities. The replacement of Dreamwidth-style fixed-page scrolling on most social media sites by endless scrolling is what enables social media dependency and doomscrolling. Etc. Chris talks about what, specifically, LLMs are designed to do as their ideal use-case, which is forcing your worldview on someone else. They are primarily for deepfakes, stalking, propaganda, and CSAM. That you can do other things with them is a side-effect. I think this is a very strong argument and not one I'd really thought about. The characterization of LLMs as an inherently antisocial technology is not one I'd thought much about either.
Never forget that our billionaire enemies are forcing LLMs into everything because they want girlfriends without having to talk to women, they want slaves without having to see a Black person, and they have a fantasy of immorality via being uploaded into Machine Heaven. This is fundamentally silly and risible and actually batshit insane, and you are smarter and more reality-based than they are.
The Friday Five which is really just an excuse for a cat photo
Oct. 24th, 2025 09:28 amnanila- What do you see when you are looking out of the window closest to you?
The canal lock. No boats coming through, though, it’s quiet season now. - Who was the last person coming into your room?
Astro. He is now lounging on the day bed, as is his wont (example below).
- What is the most predominant colour around you?
A gentle pastel green. It is very soothing. - What is right behind you?
A box containing a bunch of stuff that I need to take to work. Thanks for the reminder, meme. :/ - What is on today's calendar sheet?
More than I could possibly accomplish in one day, and several meetings of different types.
dumpster divin'
Oct. 23rd, 2025 04:52 amfrandroidSome of my local ant!fa friends help with a soup kitchen run out of the local Anglican church run by the most anarchist pastor you'll ever meet. Since I'm not working, I offered to help with their late night dumpster diving raids. We got in a car, drove to the northern suburbs, checked out the bins for 5 different supermarkets, and ended up with SO MANY CROISSANTS (not nice ones, but industrial crap), tons of lettuce, 20 huge pineapples (!!!). Not a balanced selection but they'll be buying other ingredients as well. This is a good way to stay out of trouble.