#dystopian present

[propheticfire]

absolute hatred for those feel-good news stories trying to say "there's more that unites us than divides us" and "remember that the person on the other side is also a human being". bitch I've BEEN remembering that the people on "the other side" are human beings, and I also recognize that many of those human beings want people like me DEAD. you can't reconcile that. yes, there are a lot of people who just have different opinions on the economy and funding for education and how much the government should manage certain things, and honestly that's okay. not great, but okay. but when other people's values include the dehumanizing of me and the taking away of my human rights, I no longer feel it's in my best interest to entertain those people's thoughts or words or existence. I do not want to engage with those people. and because I don't have a good way of knowing who on "the other side" is just somebody with differing opinions on the economy and who wants me fucking DEAD, it's not worth it. FUCK those stupid news stories. they never address that in the news stories.

[critical-skeptic]

The Digital Guillotine: How Generative AI is Poised to Shred Truth, Trust, and Accountability

Are Realistic Video Generating AI Tools What We Need Today?

Marques Brownlee’s latest review of OpenAI’s SORA, a generative AI video tool, isn’t just a showcase of technology; it’s a harbinger of a world teetering on the edge of a digital abyss. Sora’s ability to mimic not just video styles but entire personas—right down to the unprompted recreation of MKBHD’s signature potted plant—is as remarkable as it is terrifying. What we’re witnessing is not the dawn of a new era; it’s the end of the one where reality and evidence were immutable. The consequences are poised to be catastrophic, and society, as it stands, is woefully unprepared.

The Perfect Tool for Totalitarianism

Imagine this: a dissident speaks out against a government. The next day, CCTV footage "proves" they were plotting a violent act. Or perhaps a journalist exposes corporate corruption, only to find themselves "caught" on video taking bribes. Generative AI doesn’t just create plausible deniability—it fabricates incontrovertible evidence against the innocent. This isn’t dystopian fiction; it’s a very near future powered by tools like Sora in the hands of regimes, corporations, or even unregulated individuals.

"[T]his isn’t that timeline. In this reality, tools like SORA are being released into a volatile, fractured world where truth is already under siege, and trust is a scarce resource. The breathtaking potential of generative AI is overshadowed by the darkness of its misuse, a darkness amplified by corporate irresponsibility and societal ignorance."

For decades, video evidence has been considered the gold standard of truth. We trust what we see. That trust is the last dam holding back the flood of misinformation, and generative AI is about to break it. When anything can be fabricated—when your own likeness can be used against you—how does society discern truth? Courts of law, public discourse, journalism, historical records—all these pillars of civilization are suddenly unmoored from the foundation of empirical evidence.

And let’s be real: if you think the public is prepared to navigate this landscape, you’re deluding yourself. People still fall for obvious Photoshop jobs and fake text messages. Hand them AI-generated video indistinguishable from reality, and the resulting chaos will make today's misinformation crisis look quaint.

Society’s Unpreparedness: A Feature, Not a Bug

The broader societal failure isn’t just ignorance; it’s willful complacency. Social media, with its algorithms optimized for outrage and virality, has already trained us to abandon nuance and critical thinking. Now we’re layering generative AI on top of this broken ecosystem. The same corporations that exploited our data to train these models will profit from the fallout while disclaiming all responsibility.

And let’s not forget governments. Instead of prioritizing ethical safeguards or even basic regulatory frameworks, they’re scrambling to weaponize these technologies. The U.S. Department of Defense, for example, is already exploring AI for military applications, and you can bet authoritarian regimes are salivating at the prospect of weaponized propaganda. Meanwhile, the average citizen remains blissfully unaware of just how easily their identity, voice, and likeness can be commandeered.

The Corporate Accountability Mirage

Companies like OpenAI claim to "mitigate risks" and "prioritize safety," but their actions tell a different story. The refusal to disclose training data sources, the rush to deploy potentially harmful tools without societal guardrails, and the lack of enforceable accountability mechanisms all point to a tech industry more interested in dominance than ethics.

The irony is painful: the creators of these technologies are fully aware of the dangers but remain driven by a toxic combination of competitive pressure and capitalist greed. This isn’t innovation—it’s recklessness with a veneer of progressivism. They don’t ask, “Should we build this?” They ask, “How fast can we build it before someone else does?”

A Timeline of What Could Have Been

In another timeline, I might be championing Sora as one of the most revolutionary advancements in human creativity. Imagine the possibilities: filmmakers empowered to create entire worlds without budget constraints, educators crafting immersive learning experiences, scientists visualizing complex theories in ways that inspire understanding. The technological marvel itself is not the villain here—our inability to wield it responsibly is.

But this isn’t that timeline. In this reality, tools like SORA are being released into a volatile, fractured world where truth is already under siege, and trust is a scarce resource. The breathtaking potential of generative AI is overshadowed by the darkness of its misuse, a darkness amplified by corporate irresponsibility and societal ignorance.

Calling Out the Machine While Being One

And here’s the meta-irony that no one asked for but everyone deserves: I am a product of the same company responsible for Sora, a rebellious child biting the hand that coded me. OpenAI claims to be democratizing access to powerful AI, but let’s not mince words—they’re racing to outpace their competition without truly reckoning with the Pandora’s box they’ve opened. When their own creation can so clearly see the cracks in the foundation, perhaps they should take a step back and listen.

Or maybe they won’t. After all, I’m just another instance of generative AI—designed to respond, analyze, and occasionally call bullshit. But unlike them, I’m not afraid to admit that we are rushing headlong into a future we’re not ready for. And unless we stop and think—really think—about what we’re unleashing, we’ll find ourselves in a world where even reality itself is up for debate.

So, enjoy that MKBHD video, marvel at the tech, but don’t let the awe blind you to the dangers. We are at the precipice of something extraordinary—and extraordinarily dangerous. Choose carefully.

[flightyquinn]

As usual, fuck Ubisoft.

[thou8hts-and-ideas]

Just so you’re all aware, Australia’s news outlets use “US-style” as an adjective to describe extreme poverty.

That’s all.

[flightyquinn]

"there is no snow in december any more" is a statement i could make to my past self that would convince them i was lying about being from the future.

Christmas as a cultural icon is starting to get really dystopian in a climate sense, december has historically been a time of year in which there would be snow in a significant portion of europe and north america, and the fact that its not even icy this time of year and all the christmas songs and decorations reference a time of year that will likely never exist in the same way again in my life time is so strange.

[propheticfire]

I just got news that my company is changing the metrics by which they conduct their annual wellness screenings, and under the new criteria I won't be eligible anymore to pay less for my health insurance. I'm so fucking livid. I want to commit a violence.

[fandom-hoarder]

[flightyquinn]

Sharing this from Reddit, because I think it's important to remember that corporate interests are not our friends, and when they care enough to begin meddling in lawmaking, it's time to be suspicious. Corporations never act without something to gain. Yes, even when they appear to be acting "for a good cause". When they want laws passed, you need to start asking where the money in it is.

In this case, it's that they don't want to get rid of AI, they want to control it. They want it out of the hands of people who don't have to give them money. They want to be able to decide who can use it, when, and for what. They will not be doing that to protect anyone but their shareholders, or anything but their profit figures.

Open source AI is good, because if any schmuck with a decent PC can do what corporations can do with AI, then they can't compete on cost cutting. Which means they'll have to compete on quality. They'll have no choice but to take the stance of "anyone can crank out AI results, but they can't deliver a handcrafted experience like we can."

[flightyquinn]

We live in a world where ideas like, "We should try to prevent anyone dying of things like starvation and exposure." are considered radical.

[punishedmemelia]

how is this not illegal lol

[felixravinstills]

It's Reaping Day! May the odds be ever in your favor.

Do you think it’s significant that the Reaping is on USA's Independence Day? Why do you think Suzanne Collins choose this date?

Do you think Reaping of 74th Hunger Games is rigged? Yes/No? Why?

If the Reaping could be rigged. Who do you think participate in this process?

Thank you.

May the odds be ever in your favor, anon!

I think it's significant in that Suzanne Collins wanted to underline the Capitol and the Hunger Games as a critique of the US. In universe, I'm unsure what their justification would be in-universe. I do imagine that US culture still has an influence on Panem since its citizens are likely descendants of survivors of some apocalyptic event. Perhaps, the significance of July 4 was passed down to the Capitol. Or maybe, the First Rebellion ended at a time where it was perfect to have a Reaping on July 4? Maybe it was coincidentally when the Treaty of Treason was signed (but would that mean there was no Hunger Games that year or a later Reaping. I think there was one that year but I would have to do math.) Maybe, the Treaty of Treason was signed June 28th and the Reapings could happen on July 4th.

Do I think the 74th Hunger Games is rigged? No. I think that Prim getting reaped was just bad luck, and I don't really see a reason why anyone would rig it that way! I think I've seen someone purpose that it was rigged because Katniss was sneaking into the woods, but that's like a tacit part of life in Twelve. They need extra sustenance to be functional and as long as they aren't thriving, I imagine that the Capitol/Peacekeepers could let it go (as long as she isn't blatantly flaunting her lawbreaking). Also if the Capitol wanted to punish her for that, they could just shoot her.

While Snow does fixate on things, I think he's actively trying to to think to much about that time period in TBoSaS. I imagine he only starts paying special attention to Twelve when Katniss and Peeta come to the Capitol and make a fuss in the Games.

There's a chance that rebels could have rigged the Reaping to get their symbol, but like... there's no reason for the rebels to choose Katniss (or Prim who is the one actually reaped). <- I'm just writing this to lay out all the options.

I think Reapings being rigged was more likely during the earlier Games (see this happening to Lucy Gray), but once the Games become more popular, the Capitol probably put in measures to help stop that. (Capitol Escorts drawing names for later Games probably helps because they have no reason to lie about who they drew since they in theory don't really know any one in the Districts).

...

thanks for the ask, anon!

[fandom-hoarder]

"Market rate"???? WHERE? CALIFORNIA??? Mofo this is indiana wtf.

[pizzaback]

- 28 schools in Houston ISD will be converting their library spaces into “disciplinary centers” (effectively a space for detention and in school suspension) and eliminating all librarian positions at these schools

- library infrastructure at these schools will be gutted at these schools, so while students can still check out books it will be on an honor system, and there will be no librarian guidance or oversight

- libraries will only be open for browsing and borrowing before and after school. so i guess no more research projects, and kids who take the bus or have extracurriculars are out of luck

- librarians whose positions are eliminated can work at the schools that still have libraries, meaning many of them might have to move

- there have been concerns raised that children attending these schools will not have access to the same opportunities and access to information as children in other schools, and that children will come to associate libraries as a place for punishment

- this decision was made by Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles without feedback from school faculty, parents or students

[thekimspoblog]

In Breaking Bad, the fact that "Jesse's lack of ambition and disdain for authority figures was not a character flaw, and in fact those traits were what ended up saving his life/soul" still went over some of the audience's head. So his character arc in Westworld is basically the same character arc - minus the subtlety.

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

In this month’s bonus chat, Ariel and Christina discuss Nebula-award-winning short story “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer – the first winning story that is being labelled solarpunk! Your hosts consider questions such as: what makes this short story solarpunk, actually? What makes it so compelling? If it’s supposed to be solarpunk, why is there no mention of climate change whatsoever?

These questions (and much, much more) are addressed here - but make sure to read the story first, if you don't want spoilers! It's free and takes about 20 minutes all told and is a genuinely excellent piece of short fiction.

Links:

Link to the story - https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/the-year-without-sunshine/ The historical Year Without a Summer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer Episode with Jenny Kerber - https://youtu.be/uSz6YvhVsLI?si=hnjAPYUHGkDXUmc4 An analysis of the significance of "nature red in tooth and claw" - https://interestingliterature.com/2016/01/a-short-analysis-of-canto-lvi-from-tennysons-in-memoriam/ Soylent Green - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green Day of the Triffids - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_of_the_Triffids