@betterbemeta.bsky.social
media, fandom, analysis, horses, inclusive feminism, dinosaurs
Tim is right that a functional federal govt. exists to work for the states (which are formed by people) -- it has no purpose otherwise. But we may want to be more explicit that the current federal govt. is exploiting the normal relationship, shipping in stormtroopers to punish specific subjects.
December 2, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Tim is right that a functional federal govt. exists to work for the states (which are formed by people) -- it has no purpose otherwise. But we may want to be more explicit that the current federal govt. is exploiting the normal relationship, shipping in stormtroopers to punish specific subjects.
oh my god that's meee!! I even cut the comment down shorter for youtube. Demonizing empathy frames 'kind acts' to be about 'appeasing your superiors', leaving everyone else behind. Kindness becomes a performance, not a benign intention. Vulcans aren't the 'Put Them In Their Place' culture! its ew
August 28, 2025 at 9:13 PM
oh my god that's meee!! I even cut the comment down shorter for youtube. Demonizing empathy frames 'kind acts' to be about 'appeasing your superiors', leaving everyone else behind. Kindness becomes a performance, not a benign intention. Vulcans aren't the 'Put Them In Their Place' culture! its ew
I don't know if we'll face that in my lifetime. But our new kleptocrats all model sellout mentality, when their fabulous wealth 'should' make them secure. And many of their followers relate strongly to doomsday mythology. Reactionaries believe it. They're fueled by fear as well as greed. /🧵
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I don't know if we'll face that in my lifetime. But our new kleptocrats all model sellout mentality, when their fabulous wealth 'should' make them secure. And many of their followers relate strongly to doomsday mythology. Reactionaries believe it. They're fueled by fear as well as greed. /🧵
The con has gone on too long. The wealthiest are richer than any other point in history and economies depend on their promises. They do NOT want to face the music. Usually, we think of industry bubbles bursting. But what about, "the material value of the promise wealth represents?" Are we ready?
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The con has gone on too long. The wealthiest are richer than any other point in history and economies depend on their promises. They do NOT want to face the music. Usually, we think of industry bubbles bursting. But what about, "the material value of the promise wealth represents?" Are we ready?
Yes, it's probably avarice fueling the kleptocracy ravaging the US Federal Govt'. But also, that effort is focused on dismantling everything that COULD compel the super-wealthy to turn out their pockets. Those doing this idealize the private sector where investments are traded like baseball cards.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Yes, it's probably avarice fueling the kleptocracy ravaging the US Federal Govt'. But also, that effort is focused on dismantling everything that COULD compel the super-wealthy to turn out their pockets. Those doing this idealize the private sector where investments are traded like baseball cards.
And if you delete 91% of stands behind those promises, uh oh! Example: we just SAW billions evaporate when DeepSeek was released. But those weren't 'real' dollars. Those were 'the promise AI investment will return many future dollars.' Which an open-source competitor could negate.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
And if you delete 91% of stands behind those promises, uh oh! Example: we just SAW billions evaporate when DeepSeek was released. But those weren't 'real' dollars. Those were 'the promise AI investment will return many future dollars.' Which an open-source competitor could negate.
As soon as that money escapes containment, most of it poofs out of existence because the sum only had value as credit: different from what property actually COULD be appraised. Example: Tesla cars suck, Starlink sucks, Twitter sucks. But EM's wealth is based on... the promise he can keep promises.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
As soon as that money escapes containment, most of it poofs out of existence because the sum only had value as credit: different from what property actually COULD be appraised. Example: Tesla cars suck, Starlink sucks, Twitter sucks. But EM's wealth is based on... the promise he can keep promises.
The billionaire was never going to spend it. They buy stuff/employ people with only a tiny fraction of what it generates. It wasn't going to end world hunger, and in fact it can't by design. It CAN'T be spent. Its ONLY purpose is to back the promise of its own value for others to invest in.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The billionaire was never going to spend it. They buy stuff/employ people with only a tiny fraction of what it generates. It wasn't going to end world hunger, and in fact it can't by design. It CAN'T be spent. Its ONLY purpose is to back the promise of its own value for others to invest in.
So, say we somehow implement a 91% tax on the USA's wealthiest bracket like it's the 1950s. Billions leave the "trust me bro" zone and enter the pockets of real people, as real dollars, invested in real things like education, infrastructure. Yay!
But that money was never supposed to be spent.
But that money was never supposed to be spent.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
So, say we somehow implement a 91% tax on the USA's wealthiest bracket like it's the 1950s. Billions leave the "trust me bro" zone and enter the pockets of real people, as real dollars, invested in real things like education, infrastructure. Yay!
But that money was never supposed to be spent.
But that money was never supposed to be spent.
But just like you can qualify for a loan based on a promise and then use that loaned money to qualify for more loans... yeah, you know! Just, a ponzi scheme unravels because a loan has a contract with objective value & terms to be enforced. "Does everyone know harry potter's name?" is loosey goosey.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
But just like you can qualify for a loan based on a promise and then use that loaned money to qualify for more loans... yeah, you know! Just, a ponzi scheme unravels because a loan has a contract with objective value & terms to be enforced. "Does everyone know harry potter's name?" is loosey goosey.
Example: JKR didn't make her fortune in book sales. It's valued partially based on, "if a studio bought her permission to reboot Harry Potter's movie franchise, it's a promise that investment COULD make immense profit." Others pay HER for permission to reinforce her future promises, make her richer.
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Example: JKR didn't make her fortune in book sales. It's valued partially based on, "if a studio bought her permission to reboot Harry Potter's movie franchise, it's a promise that investment COULD make immense profit." Others pay HER for permission to reinforce her future promises, make her richer.
The labor is real. What that labor produces is real. But let's be honest, nobody worked to generate ALL of the trillions locked up in wealthy accounts. The value of what actually is in those accounts is not based on the 'real' finite value of surplus labor, but "a promise." Like credit!
March 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The labor is real. What that labor produces is real. But let's be honest, nobody worked to generate ALL of the trillions locked up in wealthy accounts. The value of what actually is in those accounts is not based on the 'real' finite value of surplus labor, but "a promise." Like credit!
I have no idea if that will actually happen. But given how strongly apocalypse myths resonate with the kleptocracy's followers? How these figures who now have immense power and should now feel 'secure' all display sellout mentality? Reactionaries believe. Fear motivates them as much as greed does./🧵
March 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I have no idea if that will actually happen. But given how strongly apocalypse myths resonate with the kleptocracy's followers? How these figures who now have immense power and should now feel 'secure' all display sellout mentality? Reactionaries believe. Fear motivates them as much as greed does./🧵
Their scam has gotten too big and immense economies now depend on them NEVER facing the music. We think about bubbles bursting in individual industries. But what about, "the ability to gauge the value of ANY industry or net worth, calculate taxes," bursting? Are we prepared for that?
March 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Their scam has gotten too big and immense economies now depend on them NEVER facing the music. We think about bubbles bursting in individual industries. But what about, "the ability to gauge the value of ANY industry or net worth, calculate taxes," bursting? Are we prepared for that?
And they have already made a LOT of promises on their ability to keep OTHER promises. You see where I am going? I think we're seeing kleptocracy and austerity not just because of ghoulish avarice, but because these entities HAVE TO DISMANTLE ANY ENTITY that could turn out their pockets.
March 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
And they have already made a LOT of promises on their ability to keep OTHER promises. You see where I am going? I think we're seeing kleptocracy and austerity not just because of ghoulish avarice, but because these entities HAVE TO DISMANTLE ANY ENTITY that could turn out their pockets.
Example that makes sense to me: we just SAW millions poof out of existence because DeepSeek was released. Those weren't real dollars, they were "the promise that this technology will make Dollars over time," and open-source competition tanks Microsoft's, Amazon's ability to keep that promise.
March 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Example that makes sense to me: we just SAW millions poof out of existence because DeepSeek was released. Those weren't real dollars, they were "the promise that this technology will make Dollars over time," and open-source competition tanks Microsoft's, Amazon's ability to keep that promise.
By giving the funny munny to the government, millions would immediately poof out of existence because it was only ever "the value of a promise" and with 91% of their wealth chopped off, that promise is backed by 91% less. And most of that money only existed because the promise could be "that big."
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
By giving the funny munny to the government, millions would immediately poof out of existence because it was only ever "the value of a promise" and with 91% of their wealth chopped off, that promise is backed by 91% less. And most of that money only existed because the promise could be "that big."
The billionaires were never going to use it, all of it. It would be even impossible to spend all that without a huge army of people (like a government) distributing it through giant systems (like a government). It's not intended to be used. It's intended to back, "a promise one COULD pay the bills."
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The billionaires were never going to use it, all of it. It would be even impossible to spend all that without a huge army of people (like a government) distributing it through giant systems (like a government). It's not intended to be used. It's intended to back, "a promise one COULD pay the bills."
All that money they'd pay in taxes is then spent towards 'real' things. It can pay for someone's health care, for labor and materials for infrastructure, housing development, energy programs. That's great!
But the money was never 'supposed' to be real. It ONLY ever existed as a form of credit.
But the money was never 'supposed' to be real. It ONLY ever existed as a form of credit.
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
All that money they'd pay in taxes is then spent towards 'real' things. It can pay for someone's health care, for labor and materials for infrastructure, housing development, energy programs. That's great!
But the money was never 'supposed' to be real. It ONLY ever existed as a form of credit.
But the money was never 'supposed' to be real. It ONLY ever existed as a form of credit.
So let's say the USA miraculously passes a 91% tax on the top income bracket, the wealthiest people. And let's fantasize they couldn't dodge it by transmuting their wealth into a form the government can't access. "If you bet you can pay any price, we'll take you up on that bet, billionaires!"
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
So let's say the USA miraculously passes a 91% tax on the top income bracket, the wealthiest people. And let's fantasize they couldn't dodge it by transmuting their wealth into a form the government can't access. "If you bet you can pay any price, we'll take you up on that bet, billionaires!"
Example that makes sense to me: JKR's wealth is not all from Book Sales. it is based on something as flimsy as 'if she gives someone permission to make harry potter reboot movies, they COULD earn millions of dollars.' (Which is why her cultural moment is dragging on forever despite EVERY REASON.)
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Example that makes sense to me: JKR's wealth is not all from Book Sales. it is based on something as flimsy as 'if she gives someone permission to make harry potter reboot movies, they COULD earn millions of dollars.' (Which is why her cultural moment is dragging on forever despite EVERY REASON.)
Like there is absolutely no way that actually people working very hard generated all those trillions of dollars in some kind of objective way. The wealth is valued based on a bet that the owned 'stuff' will remain important or grow in importance.
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Like there is absolutely no way that actually people working very hard generated all those trillions of dollars in some kind of objective way. The wealth is valued based on a bet that the owned 'stuff' will remain important or grow in importance.