Notices by lieven (thisislieven@c.im)

@dalias Yes, I absolutely do trust him. I have extensive knowledge on this topic myself so I can fact check frequently. I know he's not particularly liked among the people he covers because he is so good at what he does while getting public support from other independent media folk and some former politicians for that exact same reason. I have his book as well which is incredibly well researched and has about 30 pages with verifiable footnotes.
He's also been at it for about 20 years.

There's nothing to question when it comes to his writing. More generally, I am really critical whose voices I'm willing to give my time and take seriously.

I just think he doesn't see the harm and considers it an acceptable way to also visually get the point across.

That makes it so difficult. He's not a nefarious actor even by a long shot.

@dalias There's an independent journalist who's doing really good work and I love reading it. He's one of the very few covering a particular topic so vehemently and without favour.

Since a while he's using AI images for almost everything he writes. It so diminishes the value of everything he does.

I honestly don't know what to do with it. It bothers me to no end but I also think he's doing genuinely good, important, writing.

@benroyce @skeletor It's really a fucked up variant of Dunning-Kruger

@benroyce @skeletor Lately my anger no longer goes towards the evil, fucked-up-in-denial, people. They will always exist but on their own they can do little harm.

My problem is with the enablers, politicians first and foremost. Though there's significant overlap between those groups.

I'd argue that's a far bigger cause of our suffering.

@benroyce @skeletor We're just too focused on all the bs of the moment and not the actual patterns - it's really quite infuriating.

Slowly people seem to wake up, there really is something happening across the world, but nowhere near the speed it needs to go and quite a few have the wrong solutions in mind.

@benroyce @skeletor My worry is that we have a bit of a deadline, more so than before.

And, in the meantime, there is so much unnecessary suffering which I just can't stand. Always the same groups are targeted, which makes the wait really, really tough. Especially as we're waiting for those who typically do not bear the brunt.

@benroyce @skeletor Literally took out the trash about an hour ago.

I am not a historian but the worker's movements of the 50s/60s in the west seem to have been a unique event that really changed things? Not sure there's a comparable movement before that.

Yet, that movement is struggling to come together this time.

Are you familiar with Lesbians and Gays support the Miners?

@benroyce @skeletor I am just really struggling with the past 25 years or so. Basically everything so far this century.

There was genuine progress on so many levels. Sure, there was a lot of bad happening too and the progress was primarily in what was 'the west' (outdated term by now). It was also a tortured form of progress as it was tied to capitalism which was never a good thing but in regards to human rights we genuinely moved forward. Attitudes still had to catch up in many places, but still.

But then, over the last decade, it all started to reverse again. I really did not see this coming, and as someone who belongs to multiple minorities it really really worries me.

I understand the sentiment behind it, and it has massive ties to capitalism and how that ruined everything, but there's a very big level of stupidity here as well. And it's getting worse.

@benroyce @skeletor No basement but if you can ignore the weird historic connotations I do have an attic?

@benroyce @skeletor And yes, something solid so this cycle ends would be nice.

On my end my hope is with the EU in this regard. The union is not doing too great at the moment but I think for Europe it's the best shot we have for solid protections across the continent.

As for the US...bit of a different story.

@benroyce @skeletor I've followed US politics closely since the Obama era (though taking a step back to preserve my sanity these days) and if I am being blatantly honest I just don't see it happening.

A lot of US Americans seem to think Trump is the aberration rather than a moment that has been building for decades. You don't have a functioning democracy, but that's also not a recent thing. The Democrats completely fail to meet the moment (other than the DSA aligned politicians, but establishment dems are working hard against them). I hear so many Americans still proclaiming they're the best country in the world even though you never was and certainly aren't now. You wrote navel-gazing a few comments back - it's a very big problem.

And another side of the problem is that much of the world fails to treat the US as it deserves to be treated currently.

I can go on and on.

I think the most realistic scenario is the fall of an empire but no idea what comes after that. The land mass is still there and so are the people.

My best plan is to help the US build the wall on the southern border and build one to the north as well. Not to keep people out but to keep people in. Then ship all the good people to Europe while we ship all our bad ones to the US.

@benroyce @skeletor I genuinely think the one way out right now is a general strike (not a lovely No Kings every few months on a Saturday).

There's no scandal that's bringing Trump down, but make all the rich dudes lose their money will be a different story.

I recognise there's a lot of risk involved, especially with poor labour rights and your health insurance tied to work and all that but action comes with risk.

Ask the Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Rights movement, the Suffragettes, etc.

You have to hit them where it hurts. Trump listens to people with money. You have to hurt them (not physically, obviously).

That said, the fact that there hasn't been a general strike already - given everything that has happened recently - makes me doubtful it ever will.

On the other hand, only one person has to start.

@benroyce @skeletor I mean, Taco Bell is kind of out of the picture at the moment, no? Perfect moment for a strike.

And I'm sorry but I don't think voting is the answer. You can get a few good people in if you're lucky but it's nowhere near enough to create actual change. The system is completely dysfunctional and there are two bad parties in charge working hard to keep it that way.
Voting alone won't change that.

@peachfront @benroyce @skeletor Here's the thing though: under the current system those family members are dying too. Possibly faster and in an even worse way.

That's what US Americans really have to understand. The situation is really, really bad right now.

No action means it will get far, far worse.

@benroyce @skeletor Of course, voting is important. There's a reason they're trying to exclude more and more people from voting (which - insanity).

The system needs to be undermined. I can't think of another effective way of doing that, beyond getting the right people into office, than a general strike. But I agree the US people don't seem to have it in them.

I don't know how to fix that.

@peachfront @benroyce @skeletor I've had to fight all my life. I lost my family, my home, landed in the foster care system, been homeless, and gone through hell and back way too many times.

I am not saying this lightly.

But no action means the situation gets worse. I also do respect and accept that for some people the situation is so difficult/complex/on the brink that it's impossible to participate. But that's not the majority of people. And, frankly, they can often still help in other ways - whether that's painting signs or taking care of the kids of people who are out there organising and fighting.

Doing nothing will make things worse. The past few decades have shown this.