Notices by ferret (ferret@fedi.workersofthe.world)

When recommending pieces of media to me, you really gotta understand one thing:

I'm a furry.

For people who don't understand dogwhistles, or need a good way to explain to someone what a dogwhistle is, use inside jokes as an example:

"I have a cat who, whenever I open up the door, he makes an absolute dash for it. I call him Leeroy Jenkins."

Now, most people's responses to the above might be, "Well, that's a weird name for a cat but alright." But people who are in the know, who get internet culture from a decade ago, will snort, because that one apparently entirely innocuous statement says these things:

1. I am a netizen.
2. I'm an early adopter. (old.)
3. I likely played or at least am familiar with World of Warcraft.

And this means they can talk to me about other things. They know that if they say, "Leather belt!" I'll likely find it funny. And, crucially, my being in the community will make the community substantially more accessible to other old internet dorks who like classic MMORPGs. And you will never know, because shit like "Leeroy Jenkins" and "leather belt" and other inside jokes are innocuous at best, or, most likely, you probably don't even realize they're jokes. The only time you would is if someone points it out to you and explains it.

And this is where dogwhistles and inside jokes differ: People will explain inside jokes, but the whole point of a dogwhistle is that it doesn't get explained, and just remains under the radar. So you have people saying things in your community that you will never know are attracting a certain group of people — until someone tells you that's what's going on.

I'm certain you've seen how quickly little trends can take over a community: If I swooped in and became a very active member and started making World of Warcraft jokes, it would absolutely bring out other World of Warcraft fans — ones already in your server that you weren't aware of, as well as even some other new folks from outside — and before you know it (if you ever even do!), your community has become kind of a World of Warcraft community.

Imagine, now, instead of with World of Warcraft, this happens with fascism.

So generally, if someone tells you something is a dogwhistle, it's best to err on the side of caution to believe them. Ask them to explain it, but don't discount it; act on it.

*(also I never actually liked World of Warcraft)

With the Empire cutting out funding for Alzheimer's research, I had to look and see what Cuba has done with it, and, lo and behold: peoplesdispatch.org/2022/08/16…

Reminder that the United States Empire is not the world. There is hope in socialist countries and the marginalized sections of the globe even today. Let's burn these States to the ground and finally let the world thrive.

Quick public announcement: I am, and always have been, about left unity in the west. We are nowhere close to the point in revolution in which factionalism makes a lick of difference. The only problem you and I are going to have is if you have a problem with me. Like, imagine thinking that less than 1% of the population is some sort of threat that you'll talk about in the same breath as ongoing fascism — whose right hand is all you're being right now. Congrats on running offence for the enemy.

So if you're going to be jerking off on your timeline about how evil "tankies" are with your dipshitted libertarian friends who've likewise never opened a book in their entire lives, I'm just going to unfollow you.

Not to be alarmist...well, maybe, but a #famine will be incoming for the United States. Famines under capitalism tend to take the form of "there's food, we promise, it just happens to be too expensive for you to afford", so...you've technically been under famine conditions for a little while, but it's about to get a whole lot worse. Your latest administration has completely slashed agricultural subsidies, drained a reservoir in California, and levied tariffs on the three countries it imports the most food from. This is a good time to remember that many revolutions are preceded by famines, and it's time for you to start preparing and start organizing with anyone you can, before you're starving — which, again, I'm sorry to say, it's going to happen.

Talk openly about it; this is the time you can do it safely, and that window is going to be short. Find anyone, literally anyone, who is willing to talk back about the possibility of organizing together. It can be as simple as a mutual aid group, to try to afford bulk food more cheaply together when this happens, but we here, the people of the imperialized world, your fellow workers, are hoping that you will do more, and fight to end both famine and fascism in your country once and for all, no matter what it takes.