#socioeconomic displacement

[opencommunion]

"Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah activity in the locations it bombs, without providing evidence, while conducting an indiscriminate bombing campaign that has seen a large number of civilians lose their homes, livelihoods and entire neighbourhoods.

Lebanese urban researchers labelled Israel’s actions as urbicide, or the deliberate wrecking or killing of a city.

'The extent of the damage is large and spread in ways that also destroy the socioeconomic life, the social infrastructure, the economic infrastructure, civilian facilities, markets, gardens, parks, whatever makes up the fabric of that city,' [Mona] Harb said."

[sundusbhattiportfolio]

Urban Renewal vs. Public Housing: Lessons from Baltimore and Pruitt-Igoe

Urban renewal and public housing have played a central role in shaping American cities, often with conflicting results. While urban renewal aims to modernize and revitalize decaying cityscapes, it frequently displaces long-standing communities, exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities. Conversely, public housing has been used to provide affordable homes for low-income populations, yet poor planning and neglect have led to segregation, poverty concentration, and failure.

This article explores these urban planning challenges through two significant case studies: Baltimore’s Inner Harbor renewal project and the Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex in St. Louis. These examples reveal the successes and failures of 20th-century urban planning, offering critical lessons for the future of equitable city development.

The Case for Urban Renewal: Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

In the mid-to-late 20th century, Baltimore launched one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects in the U.S., aimed at revitalizing its deteriorating downtown and waterfront areas. The redevelopment of Charles Center and the Inner Harbor sought to attract businesses, tourists, and high-income residents back into the urban core.

✅ Economic Growth & Tourism Boost:

The Inner Harbor was transformed into a vibrant commercial and cultural hub, with attractions like the National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center.

New retail, office spaces, and residential developments increased property values and business investments.

✅ Mixed-Use Development & Walkability:

The project embraced modern urban design principles, making the Inner Harbor a 24-hour activity zone instead of a purely business district.

The redevelopment created public spaces, waterfront promenades, and green areas, making the area more livable and attractive.

However, despite these successes, Baltimore’s renewal came with a price—one paid disproportionately by lower-income residents.

📉 Displacement & Gentrification:

The rising cost of living forced many working-class and minority residents out of the area.

Long-standing communities were pushed to the city's margins, leading to increased inequality and social tensions.

📉 Who Really Benefited?

Many of the jobs created by urban renewal did not go to local residents but rather to suburban commuters and outside investors.

The benefits were concentrated in wealthier, predominantly White areas, deepening racial and economic disparities.

Lesson: Urban renewal can drive economic growth, but without equitable policies, it risks displacing the very communities it aims to uplift. Sustainable urban planning should incorporate affordable housing, job creation, and community input to ensure benefits reach all residents.

The Failure of Public Housing: St. Louis’ Pruitt-Igoe Disaster

While Baltimore’s renewal focused on economic revitalization, St. Louis’ Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex is a cautionary tale of poorly executed housing policies. Built in the 1950s, Pruitt-Igoe was meant to be a modern, affordable housing solution for low-income residents. However, within two decades, it became one of the most infamous failures of public housing in America.

📉 Economic & Social Isolation:

As St. Louis lost manufacturing jobs and white flight accelerated suburbanization, Pruitt-Igoe’s predominantly Black residents faced growing unemployment and poverty.

Many residents struggled to afford rent, leading to funding shortages for maintenance and services.

📉 Poor Urban Design & Maintenance Neglect:

The "towers in the park" design created isolated, unsafe spaces that became hotspots for crime.

Elevator breakdowns, vandalism, and lack of maintenance made the complex nearly uninhabitable.

📉 Demolition: The End of an Era

By the late 1960s, Pruitt-Igoe had become a symbol of public housing failure.

In 1972, just two decades after its construction, the federal government demolished the entire complex—a moment often regarded as the death of high-rise public housing projects in the U.S.

Lesson: Public housing cannot succeed without long-term economic investment, proper maintenance, and integration into the broader urban fabric. Instead of isolating low-income populations in concentrated developments, policies should prioritize mixed-income housing, economic support, and community services.

Urban Planning Lessons for the Future

The contrasting stories of Baltimore and Pruitt-Igoe illustrate the complex challenges of urban development. Both cases emphasize the need for urban planning approaches that balance economic development with social equity.

✅ Urban Renewal Should Include Community-Driven Growth

Economic development should not come at the cost of displacing vulnerable communities.

Cities must include affordable housing policies, local hiring initiatives, and resident engagement in renewal projects.

✅ Public Housing Must Be Integrated, Not Isolated

Instead of large, isolated housing blocks, urban planners should invest in mixed-income, mixed-use developments that connect residents to jobs and services.

Public housing policies should prioritize maintenance and long-term sustainability rather than quick-fix solutions.

✅ Equitable Urban Planning Requires Thoughtful Policy

Planners and policymakers must address historical inequities in housing and economic access.

Transit, education, and workforce development programs should accompany any large-scale urban redevelopment effort.

Conclusion: Rethinking Urban Development for the 21st Century

Urban renewal and public housing remain central to urban development debates today. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor shows the power of economic revitalization—but also its risks of gentrification and exclusion. Pruitt-Igoe, on the other hand, serves as a lesson in the failure of isolated, underfunded public housing projects.

For cities to create sustainable, inclusive growth, planners must move beyond outdated models and embrace community-centered, equitable policies that ensure all residents benefit from urban progress.

[sdenvs3000w25]

Unit 3 Blog- What role does "privilege" play in nature interpretation?

Privilege Definition

Privilege refers to benefits that people enjoy because of their identity or social standing. Those who enjoy these benefits frequently fail to recognize them, yet they lead to notable inequalities in opportunity. Peggy McIntosh expands on our knowledge of privilege with the idea of the "invisible knapsack," which she characterizes as a set of undeserved advantages frequently taken for granted, including access to opportunity, freedom from discrimination, and social acceptance (Gallavan, 2005). These privileges are deeply rooted in societal systems, including nature interpretation, which can affect whose opinions are valued in many contexts.

What Role Does Privilege Play in Nature Interpretation?

Privilege is significant in determining access to the use of natural areas. For example, access to national parks and outdoor recreation is often tied to time, money, and cultural familiarity, disproportionately favoring dominant socioeconomic groups. This dynamic limits the visibility and participation of marginalized communities in natural heritage contexts.

At its core, privilege in nature boils down to access. Families in middle-class or affluent areas often grow up near parks, spend summers camping, or afford entrance fees to national reserves without difficulty. This proximity and financial stability can make access to nature seem natural and universal. However, for many, nature is far less accessible. Barriers such as cost, transportation, and physical accessibility disproportionately affect lower-income families. These barriers create a cycle where only the privileged few experience nature’s benefits, leaving others excluded.

Privilege determines who feels welcome and benefits from these experiences. As Interpreters, we must actively listen to the voices of those who feel excluded, ensuring that nature becomes a more inclusive space.

As discussed in this week’s lecture, perceptions of risk in outdoor activities connect with privilege. Risk-taking is often romanticized by dominant groups as a way to connect with nature, while ignoring the unique dangers marginalized individuals may face, such as institutional racism or cultural barriers. For example, the ability to speak English or move freely in outdoor spaces without fear of prejudice highlights privileges that are often invisible to those who hold them.

Indigenous communities are deeply affected by privilege in nature interpretation, particularly in Canada, where Western-centric narratives dominate. Land is central to Indigenous cultures, often seen as a living entity that must be respected and stewarded. However, structural privilege rooted in colonial power dynamics has led to the widespread displacement of Indigenous peoples and the marginalization of their knowledge and practices. Power and privilege intersect here, with dominant groups controlling both narratives and land access. This exclusion minimizes the contributions of Indigenous communities and perpetuates systemic injustices, while also overlooking the holistic and sustainable environmental practices rooted in Indigenous traditions.

What Can We Do?

Recognizing and addressing the privilege underlying current institutions is essential for developing a more equitable framework for nature interpretation. This involves challenging dominant narratives that have traditionally excluded underrepresented groups. Effective interpretation should incorporate multicultural education principles, which emphasize multiple perspectives and authentic representation (Gallavan, 2005). For instance, Indigenous land rights should be central to interpretive practices, not treated as secondary considerations.              

Building inclusive narratives is crucial for connecting with diverse audiences. According to the textbook, interpreters should actively seek feedback from underrepresented communities to ensure their voices and knowledge are represented (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, interpreters can foster deeper understandings of nature that serve all audiences. Through these efforts, nature interpretation can evolve into a tool for social justice, fostering greater understanding and stronger connections among all audiences. By addressing privilege and creating inclusive narratives, interpreters can ensure that diverse perspectives and traditions are celebrated and preserved.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore Publishing.

[humanrightsupdates]

(Nairobi) – Kenyan authorities have not responded adequately to flash floods resulting from heavy rains, Human Rights Watch said today. The floods have left at least 170 people dead; displaced more than 200,000; destroyed property, infrastructure, and livelihoods across the country; and exacerbated socioeconomic vulnerabilities.

Kenya’s government has a human rights obligation to prevent foreseeable harm from climate change and extreme weather events and to protect people when a disaster strikes. Extreme weather events such as flooding are particularly threatening for marginalized and at-risk populations, including older people, people with disabilities, people in poverty, and rural populations.

“The unfolding devastation highlights the government’s obligation to prepare for and promptly respond to the foreseeable impacts of climate change and natural disasters,” said Nyagoah Tut Pur, Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Kenyan authorities should urgently ensure support to affected communities and protect populations facing high risk.”

Kenya and most of the East Africa region has been lashed by relentless and devastating downpours in recent weeks, as an El Niño weather pattern exacerbates the seasonal rainfall. Recent studies suggest that climate change could be a contributing factor. The government has acknowledged that the extreme weather events were predictable.

Over the last few days, social media videos and mainstream media reports indicate that the affected people were receiving little to no support from the government to reach safety and to access essential services such as shelter, health care, and food assistance. Media reported that police and rescue teams’ help lines were unresponsive in some locations. (Human Rights Watch )

[liminalweirdo]

#1 – Denial – Pretending a problem does not exist to provide artificial relief from anxiety. Examples:

“During COVID” or “During the pandemic” (past tense)

“The pandemic is over”

“Covid is mild”

“It’s gotten milder”

“Covid is now like a cold or the flu”

“Masks don’t work anyway”

“Covid is NOT airborne”

“Pandemic of the unvaccinated”

“Schools are safe”

“Children don’t transmit COVID”

“Covid is mild in young people”

“Summer flu”

“I’m sick but it’s not Covid”

Taking a rapid test only once

Using self-reported case estimates (25x underestimate) rather than wastewater-derived case estimation

Using hospitalization capacity estimates to enact public health precautions (lagging indicator)

Citing mortality estimates rather than excess mortality estimates. Citing excess mortality without adjusting for survivorship bias.

#2 – Projection – When someone takes what they are feeling and attempts to put it on someone else to artificially reduce their own anxiety. Examples:

“Stop living in fear.” (the attacker is living in fear)

“You can take your mask off.” (they are insecure about being unmasked themselves)

“When are you going to stop masking?”

“You can’t live in fear forever.”

#3 – Displacement – When someone takes their pandemic anxiety and redirects their discomfort toward someone or something else. Examples:

Angry, seemingly inexplicable outbursts by co-workers, strangers, or family

White affluent people caring less about the pandemic after learning that it disproportionately affects lower-socioeconomic status people of color

Scapegoating based on vaccination status, masking behavior, etc.

“Pandemic of the unvaccinated”

Vax and relax

“How many of them were vaccinated?” (troll comment on Covid deaths or long Covid)

Redirecting anxiety about mitigating a highly-contagious airborne virus by encouraging people to do simple ineffective mitigation like handwashing

“You do you” (complainers are the problem, not Covid)

Telling people to get vaccinated or take other precautions against the flu or RSV but not mentioning Covid

Parents artificially reducing their own anxiety by placing children in poorly mitigated environments

Clinicians artificially reducing their own anxiety by placing patients in poorly mitigated environments

Housework to distract from stress

Peer pressure not to mask

#4 – Compartmentalization – Holding two conflicting ideas or behaviors, such as caution and incaution, rather than dealing with the anxiety evoked by considering the incautious behaviors more deeply (hypocrisy)

Examples:

Hospitals and clinicians claim to value health/safety but then don’t require universal precautions

Public health officials claim to value evidence but then give non-evidence based advice (handwashing over masking), obscure or use low-value data over high-quality data (self-reported case counts over wastewater), etc.

Getting a flu vaccine but not a Covid vaccine

Interviewing long Covid experts who recommend masking in indoor public spaces but then going to Applebee’s

Masking in one potentially risky setting (grocery store) but not masking in another similar or more-risky setting (classroom)

Infectious disease conference where people are unmasked

Long Covid and other patient-advocacy meetings where only half the people mask

In-person only EDI events

Not testing because it’s just family

Mask breaks

#5 – Reaction formation – expressing artificial positive feelings when actually experiencing anxiety

Examples:

“It’s good I got my infection out of the way before the holidays”

“I had Covid but it was mild”

Anything quoted in Dr. Jonathan Howard’s book, “We Want Them Infected: How the Failed Quest for Herd Immunity Led Doctors to Embrace Anti-Vaccine Movement”

Herd immunity (infections help)

Hybrid immunity (infections help)

“It’s okay because I was recently vaccinated”

“Omicron is milder”

“Textbook virus”

“Building immunity”

#6 – Rationalization – Artificially reducing Covid anxiety through a weak justification. Examples:

“I didn’t mask but I used nasal spray”

“I don’t need to mask because I was recently vaccinated”

“It finally got me.”

“You’re going to get Covid again and again and again over your life.”

“It’s not Covid because I don’t have a sore throat.”

“It’s not Covid because I took a rapid test 3 days ago.”

“It’s not Covid because I’m vaccinated.”

“Airplanes have excellent ventilation.”

“I’ve had Covid three times. It’s mild.”

“Verily was cheaper.”

“Nobody else is masking.”

“Nobody else is testing.”

“My roommates don’t take any precautions, so there’s no point in me either.”

“I have a large family, so there’s no point in taking precautions.”

Surgical masks (they are actual “procedure masks,” by the way)

Various pseudo-scientific treatments used by the left and right

Handwashing as the primary Covid public health recommendation

Droplet transmission as a thing

Public health guidance that begins with “data shows” (sic)

Risk maps that never turn deep red

5 expired rapid tests

“Masks recommended” instead of universal precautions

“Seasonal”

#7 – Intellectualization – using extensive cognitive arguments to artificially circumvent Covid anxiety Examples:

Unending threads to justify indoor dining

Data-rich public health dashboards that use low-quality metrics and/or don’t change public health recommendations as risk increases

The entire justification for “off-ramps”

Oster, Wen, Prasad

Schools denying air cleaners because it “could make children anxious”

Schools not rapid testing this surge because it “could make children anxious”

The mental gymnastics underlying the rationales for who can get vaccinated, how frequently, or with what brand

Service workers told not to mask because it could make clients uncomfortable

“What comorbidities did they have?”

“The vulnerable will fall by the wayside”

Musicians and others holding large indoor events

5-day isolation periods

Here's a link to the full book, a newer edition than what I own. The information on defense mechanisms begins on textbook page 100. Please let me know if there's a more accessible alt-text solution that you would prefer so I can do better next time."

- Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR M

source

If you actually got to the end of this and don't remember what you're reading because the cognitive dissonance surrounding covid being "over" is so extreme, it's a list of the ways people downplay covid without any science-backed evidence. How many things on this list do you say, do, or believe?

[scribblestatic]

Inko and Izuku actually get paychecks from different scientists for allowing them to study him. They never go to Dr. Tsubasa though he insists on studying Izuku, but there was always something about him that made Izuku's feathers puff up defensively.

Though, he heard a comment from a doctor once that has stuck with him for a long time.

"His body and quirk are so displaced from humanity, at this point, it's a wonder if he's even human at all."

It didn't help that some kids would bully him and say he should be in the cage with the pet chickens.

He worries about his humanity big-time.

He avoids getting on public transport because of that, because people would always have their phones out and record him.

There was actually a case he was involved in where a lawyer tried to argue that Izuku should be able to fly from place to place because his quirk has so changed his body, most common human technology isn't actually built for him.

Unfortunately, the case lost and he was basically ruled into having to adjust to normal human life. Though, after several years and new evidence (like the handwashing problem, the trouble using basic amenities, etc.) the case was reopened instead as a disability case rather than a quirk case.

He cries when he wins the case. Just him nuzzling his head into his mom's stomach like he did as a lil baby, crying and fluffing his feathers out.

Schools had been discriminating against him for basic stuff, but since his quirk is now counted as a disability, they cannot do so without breaking both quirk and disability assistance laws. His case opened up a lot of funding for the Quirk Homomorphic Accessibility Organization in Japan. He basically became its poster child.

QHAO (pronounced as "kwao" in English) started initially in South Africa and spread in popularity among other countries. Japan and the US didn't really pick it up, but Japan started to after Izuku's case became a foundation for their spread in Japan. It's already started to lower crime rates because QHAO focuses on the accommodation of people with body morph quirks for socioeconomic, medical, and judicial equity.

("Kwao" means "to them" in Swahili, a South African language, so ye, I like how that just kinda fell into place there.)

(QHAO's motto: Kwao huenda haki. Kwao huenda amani. Sisi ni QHAO.)

("To them goes justice. To them goes peace. We are QHAO.")

But yeah, poster child. Izuku gets money to be on TV for the Japanese chapter of QHAO and to go to interviews.

Since his court case opened up a lot of good opportunities for the organization to help others, QHAO wants to promote more preventative measures to help lessen the poverty and discrimination that people with body morphs like his experience. Though honestly, Izuku's body morph is one of the most outlandish because his body only barely resembles a human one.

Even so, the QHAO executives and lawyers didn't even bat an eye at his appearance.

Izuku becomes very well-spoken because of his time being studied and his experiences with QHAO though. He does still mumble, but he doesn't stutter even when faced with antagonistic people.

[mercurialbadger]

When we are talking about charity, there must exist a level of certain precaution to not let your emotional turmoil result in subpar actions. If empathy is a natural response to seeing people in pain, then it makes sense to liken it to a kneejerk response, much different from a graceful strike of a soccer player.

Very often, personal face-to-face ingroup charity is used to displace the actual efforts at improving people's conditions, and if your organization lacks political oversight or a certain analytical capacity, you might have serving the community replaced with individual help which eventually accumulates every bias and/or ends up being co-opted by some cult.

I am seeing especially egregorious horrific examples of that on Twitter right now, so I will use them to illistrate a point that is otherwise too global and deep-rooted.

In order to understand how this approach does its harm, you need to understand cause and effect, past and future.

THE CAUSE

We are talking about a clique that talks about investing in trans community by helping homeless and/or unemployed trans women by "paying their bills" for some months before they "get up on their own legs". Thankfully, it's a US based clique, so a lot of sociological studies exist to demonstrate the current situation with trans rights.

Let's investigate the causes of queer people being unemployed and/or homeless. The obvious systemic cause is trans-/homophobia, which results in people losing their capabilities immediately after leaving their parents/coming out to them (see e.g. https://doi.org/gq37kh), or otherwise follows the patterns of stigmatization, exclusion and victimization. If we address more widespread political economy of this vulnerability in the USA, topics of mental health, such as PTSD burnout, substance abuse and sexual abuse - including significantly from within queer community - emerge as vulnerability categories (https://doi.org/ggsjt6). As for how inventive abuse from within "community" is, one might refer themselves to the concepts of "hot allostatic load" and "identity abuse" (https://doi.org/ggmdcd).

Failures of t4t ethos and "community short-circuit" also have been described as sources of chronic homelessness among queer youth (https://doi.org/mpx8).

One must be especially mindful of the fact that level of education is an important - if not the most important - predictive factor of queer homelessness, effects were described in depth by Rachel M. Schmitz in the dissertation work "ON THE STREET AND ON CAMPUS".

While the effects identified the author ascribes to better socioeconomical standing of college students majorly, author both identified " experiences of homelessness" as "uniting people through a shared sense of struggle and conflict", and notably gives credit to educational endeavor of academia as vastly superior to "street experience", and studies in countries with accessible education still identify low education level with risks of anxiety and depression. (https://doi.org/mpx3) (https://doi.org/mpx4)

As Negura notes, "Ultimately, the three concepts—‘social support’, ‘social capital’ and ‘social bonds’ — are complementary. These terms are used here to understand the same reality of mutual help amongst people, from different social perspectives."

CONSEQUENCES

The most recognized effect of homelessness is anxiety and depression. Recent works identify that both of these health effects are significantly resolved through providing housing, however meta-analysis of the works being done is very complicated by poor methodology of studies: short follow-up, making it impossible to judge the homelessness outcomes, and high group heterogeneity. (https://doi.org/mpxx)

Among the outcomes of homelessness specifically in queer people, "utopian thinking" is seen, in accordance with England, 2022, "an inevitable part of community responses: to improve the present it, it is necessary to look beyond the present and to an alternative in which queerness does not only survive, but is valued, celebrated and encouraged".

To a materialist that would mean death of the community as a utopianism-free endeavor, but it is not, however, it should be noted that imperfect solutions to the crisis provide fertile soil to these cognitive failures.

Actual observations of the long-lasting effects of experienced homelessness are, indeed, lacking, but so far there's no data that homelessness and unemployment actually have significant lasting damage in the queer population, nonetheless remaining the risk factor in their duration.

One, however, important effect of escaping and avoiding homelessness is resiliency. As Cronley, 2017 notes, "Rather than understanding how youth are surviving in extremely adverse environments, research applies socially normative models of behavior to their actions such that conclusions of deviancy and marginalization are inevitable" and "youth rely on informal social networks to survive on the street and that spirituality, mental health, and creativity are associated with improved coping". Once again we are drawn to connections to education systems within this approach.

And therefore we must remember establishment of education systems during historical cases.

PAST

Expansion of educational processes has long been demonstrated to be a driver of establishing new or maintaining old hegemony.

One might remember Huguenots, who existed both in France and in Netherlands. Often, for example in Van der Lem's "Eighty Years War", Erasmus of Rotherdam is remembered to be as a reason for catholics' loss in the region - humanism, moderateness and church reforms were indeed the ideas of his. It's not easy for me to believe, considering how Netherlands were absolute leaders in amount of exterminated heretics during the 1520-1540, therefore you cannot imagine the humanism and spirit of mercantile freedom helping very much.

But comparing the historical evidence between French Huguenot fighting and Netherlands' Huguenot fighting, one stark difference is seen immediately without even examining the evidence - it's the material amount of Evidence piled up.

Netherlands of XVI century was ultimately a literature-centric country: rational argument, presented with necessary charisma and efficiency, put into the easy epistolary style allowing for open discussion - all that erased the differences between catholics and protestants.

And using this positional leveling, protestants spent 10-20 years before, well, protesting with continuous work of printing press, while catholics of Netherlands continued, thinking themselves safe, sat complacent, only satisfying the demands of the already intellectual public.

Indeed, you can not let a worldly peasant work with biology, err, theology, lest they will be mistaken and fall into the tenets of sin themselves. A good example of this "Don't give the North Korean kids iGEM distribution" was dutch translation of La Bouclier de la Foy by Nicole Grenier, which the translator prefaced with an easy explanation that you should never actually argue with heretics, the priestly class knows best.

In France, enjoying the closeness of Rome, literacy was synonymous with military industry, err, Raytheon, wait, wrong, Catholic Church.

Of course it was literacy ultimately sympathetic to the plight of the layman, and easily putting itself into their shoes - «Les disputes de Guillot le porcher et de la Bergère de S. Denis en France contre Jehan Calvin prédicant de Genesve» is exactly about the lower classes destroying Kalvin himself with facts and logic.

And, like this, simply by virtue of being able to work with higher reasoning in lower genres, you can win the Hegemony.

The ultimate victory of feminism in 1917 also answers a lot about where did soviet feminists come from - from the intermediate spaces where people of higher class can interact as equals with people of lower class, without financial or institutional power relationship between them. An example is, of course Pavlov teaching women's courses and creating a whole host of women physiologists, actual hymnasia and schools, such as in Sonya Yanovskaya case.

Masonic secret societies, where jews could freely talk to christians and nobles mingles with commoner bourgeois were this driver in bourgeois revolutions, universities drove February and October revolution, and even in the USA the connectedness to high-socioeconomic status, what is called "bridging social capital" remains a primary predictor of success of people from oppressed groups. (https://doi.org/gqmpxx)

FUTURE

As such, I cannot see a way for personal charity - bonding social capital, excising queer people from support networks and from solidarity with marginalized, destructive to both people outside of it and to attempts to build a queer community — to be excused in modern conditions.

Build new platforms to, instead of elevating select voices, sing together.

[theygotlost]

the. watch. episode. four.

the watch are ambushed by goblins in drag, aka "drag goblins", which are apparently "the worst kind".

jocasta wiggs, the female assassin from the opening scene of night watch, is a pertinent character and a cunty old woman. theyre literally just scavenging the discworld series for names to use for their original characters. she was in love with some woman named perpetua. in their youth jocasta and perpetua had a mystical talking sword called gawain, or wayne for short (voiced by matt berry from wwdits) whose voice you can only hear if you are "a lover". their lesbian love was so strong than all the other characters can hear wayne's voice by proxy.

vimes explains his boots theory of socioeconomic unfairness to sybil and she callously mocks him for it. later she chugs an entire bottle of bearhuggers in front of him to.... idk emasculate him or something

buggy swires (the gnome) is a tall elderly human man in a nursing home.

death asks carrot to go out for a drink with him and then gets shy.

a fight in the nursing home causes a "displacement spell" to activate, lowering a disco ball from the ceiling and forcing vimes and carcer, as well as sybil and girlboss wonse, to engage in an involuntary homoerotic ballroom dance to "wake me up before you go-go". this was so genuinely so bad that it was good. im kind of obsessed.

[familyabolisher]

we went to a gallery today which pays a significant amount of lipservice to the socioeconomic legacy of colonialism/dispossession/displacement in the UK and was exhibiting (among others) a palestinian artist's work then like five minutes later i found a different exhibit which was sourced from yad vashem and i Screamed

[words-after-midnight]

[FRANKENSTEIN x BREAKING BAD]

SUPERNOVA

What if you held the key to the Earth's salvation... and its potential destruction?

An eccentric Montreal chemistry professor is rumored to have isolated a dangerous theoretical compound with powerful implications for the energy sector. Despite her many warnings, her new PhD students, seeing strong potential for a solution to the advanced climate crisis threatening life on Earth within a few decades at most, decide to investigate the claims. By doing so, they ignite the spark to an unstoppable chain reaction of passion and pride, power and corruption, and unintended consequences they never could have anticipated.

Themes:

Climate crisis

Governance and corruption

Ethical dilemma

Scientific responsibility

Socioeconomic inequalities

Obsession

Power

Current stage in production: Outlining/zero-drafting

WIP links:

Supernova tag

Inspiration/reblogs

Inspo playlist

Content warnings: I do not have a full list of CWs yet because the story is not drafted, but depictions of various effects of the climate crisis (eg. natural disasters, exacerbated inequalities, displacement) are included, death/grief are addressed at points, and there's some violence, including institutional violence.

[66664]

Title: The Essentiality of Environmental Rights: Safeguarding Our Planet and Our Future In the light of rising ecological calamities and the unavoidable depletion of our planet's resources, the call for environmental rights has never been more urgent. Environmental rights cover the essential privileges and obligations that maintain the integrity of our natural world, ensuring its preservation for present and future generations. In this blog, we'll look at the functions, benefits, and serious implications of ignoring environmental rights. Functions of Environmental Rights:

Legal Protection: Environmental rights establish a legal framework for protecting ecosystems, wildlife, and natural resources. They empower individuals and communities to hold governments and companies accountable for environmental damage.

Public Participation: These rights allow residents to engage in environmental decision-making processes, ensuring that their voices are heard on issues that directly affect their communities. This participation encourages transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.

Access to Information: Environmental rights provide access to information on environmental policy, initiatives, and potential hazards. This transparency encourages educated decision-making and gives communities the ability to advocate for environmentally sustainable practices.

Environmental justice seeks to overcome differences in environmental protection and pollutant exposure. They want to make sure that everyone, regardless of color, ethnicity, or socioeconomic level, has equal access to a clean, healthy environment. Benefits of Environmental Rights for People: 1. Environmental rights protect human health by limiting exposure to pollutants and toxins. Clean air, water, and soil promote physical and mental well-being by reducing the number of respiratory diseases, waterborne illnesses, and other health risks. 2. Economic Prosperity: Long-term economic growth requires a healthy environment. Environmental rights encourage the conservation of natural resources, the preservation of biodiversity, and the development of eco-friendly companies that generate jobs and support economic growth. 3. Cultural Preservation: Indigenous and underprivileged populations frequently have strong cultural ties to their land and environment. Environmental rights contribute to the preservation of traditional knowledge, cultural legacy, and sacred sites, hence promoting diversity and resilience. 4. Climate resistance: Environmental rights play an important role in reducing climate change and raising awareness of its effects. These rights help to create a more resilient and sustainable future for everyone by encouraging clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation strategies. Damage Caused by Neglecting Environmental Rights: 1. Ecological Degradation: Failure to protect environmental rights causes widespread ecological degradation, such as deforestation, habitat loss, species extinction, and ecosystem collapse. This degradation disturbs nature's delicate balance, harming biodiversity and risking the planet's ability to support life. 2. Public Health Concerns: Environmental neglect causes air and water pollution, chemical contamination, and the spread of infectious diseases. These environmental health concerns disproportionately affect those with limited resources, compounding health inequities and endangering human welfare. 3. Resource Scarcity: Ignoring environmental rights depletes scarce resources like clean water, agricultural land, and fossil fuels, resulting in scarcity, competitiveness, and conflict. Resource depletion worsens poverty, food shortages, and social unrest, endangering global peace and security. 4. Climate Catastrophes: Disregard for environmental rights promotes climate change, resulting in harsh weather, rising sea levels, and ecological disruptions. These climatic calamities have a severe impact on vulnerable areas, displacing people, worsening poverty, and increasing humanitarian crises. At last, environmental rights are essential for safeguarding the health, well-being, and prosperity of current and future generations. By defending these rights, we can conserve our planet's ecosystems, promote social fairness, and lessen the terrible effects of environmental destruction. For the benefit of our world and all its inhabitants, governments, corporations, and individuals must continue to honor their duties to respect, defend, and fulfill environmental rights.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil at a Crossroads: The Environment or Oil and Gas

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration brought high hopes of reversing devastating environmental destruction. Will a new fossil fuel boom undermine promises for change?

With record-setting fires in the Amazon dominating headlines in recent years, the global environmental imaginary of Brazil often brings up scenes of deforestation, threats of tremendous biodiversity loss, and violent displacement driven by the cattle, forestry, and agribusiness industries. Now, on the heels of a wave of oil industry privatizations, pressure has mounted around the question of oil extraction in the Amazon. While deforestation often tops the national and international agenda, less present is the question of air pollution from the country’s oil, gas, and coal industries.

Care for the environment, however, seems to be part of Brazil’s social fabric, or what brings a lot of people together. In January 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva returned to power on a platform of socioeconomic change and environmental protection. His appointments of Marina Silva to head the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Sônia Guajajara to lead the new Ministry of Indigenous Peoples were especially promising.

But a strong governmental commitment to environmental issues has been lacking. Lula has faced strong criticism for his lack of firm opposition to congressional moves that diluted the powers of both ministries, stripping them of tools to protect water resources, prevent land grabbing, and slow deforestation.

Brazil’s oil production increased in 2022 to 3 million barrels per day, mostly from its deep-water offshore pre-salt oil fields. The energy minister recently announced a projected goal of producing 5.4 million barrels per day by 2029, which would elevate Brazil to being the fourth largest oil producer in the world and lock the country into a carbon-intensive energy model. Giant corporations like Total, Equinor, and Petronas are already reaping the profits. On December 13, the day after the COP28 climate summit ended, the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP) auctioned drilling rights to 602 exploration areas, several in buffer zones of protected areas in the Amazon that would impact Indigenous and quilombola territories. The state oil company Petrobras—despite being discredited in a sweeping corruption scandal that played out between about 2014 and 2018—is now suddenly positioned to become a major corporate player regionally and globally.

Environmental protection often takes a back seat to the alleged economic benefits of extracting oil, gas, and coal, and national and international news reports rarely mention pressing environmental issues tied to these resources’ climate-heating and public health impacts. As Brazil’s fossil fuel industry eyes expansion, closer scrutiny of the consequences of air pollution from oil, gas, and coal, especially on communities living near oil and gas facilities, is urgently needed.

Continue reading.

[stevensaus]

Whether AI Can Write A Story Is The Wrong Question.

There is a qualitative difference in the output between a writer who knows story structure and a writer who understands how story structure works. I am certain that current AI technology can do the former. I am very skeptical of the latter. But that really isn't the right question -- or questions -- to ask. The first relevant question is: "Will people pay more for the difference?" The second relevant question is: "Who will profit?" The first question is one we've faced before. This is the same question that we've wrestled with the displacement of craftsmanship by mechanization, industrialization, and mass production. Compare a chest of drawers that is made from actual wood with one which was made from particleboard. The first has hand-wrought dovetailed joins where they are simply staple-gunned in the latter. The first has been hand-polished, the second is essentially covered in varnished contact paper with a wood grain print. And the first is horrendously expensive and difficult to come by, compared to the second. I know the "The Sam Vimes "Boots" theory of socioeconomic unfairness;" wait for it. Mechanization and automation are great at repetitive tasks. There's no arguing that, say, modern farming methods (for all of its flaws, which are many) dramatically reduced worldwide famine rates after the transformation of agriculture in the 1960's. But there, too, there is a qualitative difference. "Not dying of famine" is hugely different from "well-nourished," or "sustainably nourished," or "healthily nourished," or any of a host of other criteria. There is a market for hand-made things (and hand-grown or hand-prepared food), because of the qualitative difference I mentioned before... although it is a pricey one. Theoretically, this would be taken care of by the free market, right? People won't choose lower-quality goods (or entertainment) if there is a better alternative. There is, after all, a reason why "dollar store" is used as a pejorative adjective. That brings us to the second question. All this automation -- including computers and software -- represents an increase in productivity. So why are we still working as hard -- or as much -- as people ten, twenty, forty, sixty and more years ago? The answer is pretty simple. The benefits of productivity increases were not -- and are not -- accessible to the population at large. Those benefits have been hoarded by executives and shareholders. For example, how a certain box store has reduced its workforce expenses by nearly eliminating everything except for self-checkout lanes and utilizing brutal employee sick policies. While customers are complaining. Perhaps you'd think that greater efficiency and lower costs would allow the company to lower its prices. Except that box store is also beating quarterly expectations for revenue and earnings, despite current inflation and lower sales. It's not just that box store, though. According to the Economic Policy Institute, workers haven't gained anything from the growth in productivity pretty much for my entire lifetime. That's the disconnect. In a functional free-market society, this would all balance out, at least in theory. {1} The benefits of that increased productivity would be passed on to the rest of society in one way or another. Instead, those benefits are being hoarded by an investor class {2}, which means that the hand-made goods -- the quality goods -- are even further out of reach for everyone else. And now we are seeing it be applied to story and art as well. Like it or not, art and entertainment cost. They cost money, which a lot of us are feeling pretty tightly right now (while the aforementioned investor class is doing just fine). But there's a second cost: The cost in free time. Currently just one streaming service would have to run constantly for four years to view it all. Oh, yes, a huge chunk of it -- and many other streaming services -- consist of formulaic and poor-quality offerings. {3} This applies to other forms of entertainment as well, where available quantity is the primary selling point (eBooks, audiobooks, artwork, you name it). But if that's what you are able to afford financially, and you're strapped for time because despite all this technological improvement you're still working forty hours a week plus commuting time, well, you get what you can. This is what happened with the last writer's strike and the rise of reality television. Reality television was (and is) comparatively inexpensive to make, and, because of how distribution of media works, brought in equivalent ratings -- and therefore, equivalent advertising dollars. Now, reality TV has become as much of a staple as the self-checkout station... and in the same way, only the investor class is better off for it. For corporations and investors, it is -- practically by definition -- only the profit margin that matters. The particulars about what is created and how literally Do Not Matter. {4} Given all this, it is no accident that the current writer's strike is deeply concerned about AI. It isn't difficult to imagine these same investors -- the ones who control enough resources to get books in bookstores, to get films distributed to theaters and to major streaming services, to get a series greenlit -- will be far more interested in turning out formulaic hack plots. You can already see a similar effect in brick-and-mortar chain bookstores, particularly in the sci-fi and fantasy sections, where it's become increasingly difficult to find anything but the "safest" titles, usually with "now a major motion picture" or "now a streaming series" splashed across the cover. There is a simple answer to these issues: to distribute the benefits of our society's increased productivity through mechanization, automation, algorithms, machine learning, and AI to society at large both in terms of financial and time resources. Where our tools augment our abilities individually and as a species, for the betterment of both the individual and society at large. Instead, we have a society where it is not enough to make a profit -- you must maximize that profit. Instead, we have a world where half of the wealth is held by 1.1% of the population, and 55% of all humans hold only 1.3% of global wealth. Regardless of the outcome of the writer's strike, or outrage over publishers using AI art for book covers, the voracious drive of the investor class to increase profits will almost certainly lead to a race to the bottom that favors the "cheapest" methods to create art and music and publishing and media as our ability -- both financially and in terms of time -- is squeezed tighter and tighter. At least, that's how I'm afraid it will go as long as all the rest of us are bullied into submission. Good luck. {1} A free-market society also allows for the free movement of labor, which... well, look at the discussion we're having about the US-Mexico border, and you can see that is not what's happening there. {2} Yes, I know. At least I'm not calling them the "bourgeoisie," although that's mostly because I need spellcheck to get that word right. {3} Look, I'm not knocking your taste here. I've enjoyed some reality television and other forms of "light entertainment" -- like Taskmaster and Dimension 20 -- myself. At the same time, that isn't all I want to have available. {4} Fun related fact: Subway, the largest fast-food chain in the US, was founded by a physicist who had never seen a "sub" sandwich and a family friend. Check out The Food That Built America episode! Featured Image by 0fjd125gk87 from Pixabay Read the full article

[luxuriant-starlight]

It boggles my fucking mind when people insinuate that slavery was ever not a choice or that slavery was something that wasn’t controversial prior to the Civil War. The controversy over slavery was so extreme at the time of the founding fathers that this country almost came to not exist at all because of conflicts regarding how it ought to have been handled in the Constitution and whether it should���ve been mentioned in the declaration (which is part of why it’s life, liberty, and “the pursuit of happiness” instead of life, liberty, and “property” like what John Locke had originally said). 

The reason for the great compromise, for the 3/5ths compromise, for a lot of the tensions that resulted in the creation of the first party system all had to do with slavery. Abolitionists and abolitionist groups have existed in this country for centuries- and since long before even the Revolution. All slavery was was a way to expand colonization and get out of paying people even the lowest and most minimum of minimum wages, and it came with the added bonus of brutality, a race-based socioeconomic caste system, the involuntary displacement of millions of people from their homes,  and societal ramifications that we are still dealing with. It was always a choice, and always a very deliberate one. 

The failure of so many people to get that right is the reason why I go out of my way to ensure that all of my history students understand that that is the truth- even though the government of my state of Florida ardently opposes me for that.

[digitalbibleapptablet]

The Future of AI: Transforming the World and Jobs

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping industries, economies, and the nature of work itself. While AI brings remarkable opportunities, it also raises questions about its impact on employment, workforce dynamics, and how societies will adapt. In this article, we explore the future of AI in the world and its influence on jobs.

AI’s Expanding Role in Society

AI is already revolutionizing fields such as healthcare, finance, education, manufacturing, and customer service. From automating routine tasks to enhancing decision-making with data-driven insights, AI is becoming an integral part of our daily lives. Smart assistants, self-driving vehicles, AI-powered diagnostics, and automated financial advisors are just a few examples of how AI is changing the way we live and work.

Job Creation vs. Job Displacement

One of the biggest concerns about AI is its impact on employment. Automation and AI-driven processes may replace repetitive, manual, and predictable jobs, particularly in industries like manufacturing, logistics, and customer support. However, AI also has the potential to create new job opportunities in areas such as AI development, data science, robotics, cybersecurity, and AI ethics.

According to research, AI will likely reshape rather than eliminate jobs. Many roles will evolve, requiring workers to adapt to new technologies. For example, rather than replacing doctors, AI assists them in diagnosing diseases more accurately. Similarly, in the finance sector, AI enhances risk analysis and fraud detection rather than eliminating financial analysts.

The Shift in Workforce Skills

As AI continues to advance, the demand for certain skills will increase. Technical skills such as programming, machine learning, and data analysis will be highly sought after. However, human-centric skills, including creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and problem-solving, will remain valuable and irreplaceable by machines.

Lifelong learning and upskilling will become essential for workers to remain competitive in an AI-driven economy. Governments, businesses, and educational institutions will need to invest in reskilling programs to ensure a smooth transition into this new era of work.

The Ethical and Social Challenges of AI

AI's rapid integration into the workforce also raises ethical and social concerns. Bias in AI algorithms, privacy issues, job security, and economic inequality are challenges that need to be addressed. It is crucial to establish ethical guidelines and policies that ensure AI benefits all of society rather than widening gaps between different socioeconomic groups.

The Future: Collaboration Between Humans and AI

Rather than replacing human labor entirely, the future of AI will likely involve increased collaboration between humans and machines. AI will handle repetitive and data-intensive tasks, allowing humans to focus on creativity, innovation, and complex decision-making.

Industries must prepare for a hybrid workforce where AI tools enhance productivity rather than render workers obsolete. Policymakers must also work to create regulations that protect workers and ensure AI’s benefits are distributed fairly.

Conclusion

AI is undoubtedly shaping the future of work and society. While it presents challenges such as job displacement and ethical concerns, it also offers numerous opportunities for growth, innovation, and job creation. By adapting to these changes, embracing lifelong learning, and implementing ethical AI practices, we can create a future where AI enhances human potential rather than replacing it.

[mdenvs3000w25]

Unit 03: Risk vs. Reward in Interpretation

Hey everyone 😊,

Excited to get into this week’s content! It can definitely be a sensitive topic, but with this week’s ideas, I was eager to immerse myself in the course work and discover how I can better myself. Privilege can be complicated since it is deeply tied to how we interpret and engage with the world—including how we connect with nature 🌲.  For me, privilege is best defined as the lack of awareness of the advantages we are given, which can, in turn, lead to the oppression of others. It’s not just about what we have but about how those “invisible backpacks” of unearned benefits shape our perspectives, opportunities, and responsibilities. As a woman, an athlete, and the daughter of an immigrant, my experiences and identities have shaped how I view privilege in nature interpretation 🌍.

I grew up as a Romanian-English-French trilingual woman, balancing two cultures in a predominantly English-speaking world. While my mother emigrated in her twenties to give her family a better life, I was born into opportunities she could never have dreamed of. My ability to speak fluent English and navigate Canadian systems with ease is, in itself, a form of privilege. This privilege gives me access to education, sport, and experiences in nature—spaces where others, particularly those in marginalized communities, often feel excluded.

Playing women’s volleyball 🏐 adds another layer. On one hand, I’ve benefited from systems that support women in sport, which weren’t available to previous generations. But on the other hand, women’s sports often receive less funding, attention, and respect compared to men’s, reminding me of the persistent inequalities that still exist. This awareness connects back to nature interpretation: privilege is not just about having access to spaces but also about recognizing the barriers others face when trying to access those same spaces.

When it comes to nature, I experience the world through the lens of a white, English-speaking woman. This perspective informs how I interpret and value my surroundings, but it’s not universal. Indigenous communities, for example, often view nature as a living entity—something deeply sacred and interconnected with their traditions, histories, and identities. This contrasts sharply with the more transactional relationship with nature that often dominates Western thinking. As a privileged interpreter, it’s my responsibility to recognize that my lens is shaped by my upbringing and cultural context. Intersectionality can also play a huge role here! The idea that identities like race, gender, and socioeconomic status intersect to create unique experiences must be highlighted, since each person interprets nature through their own blend of identities.

The concept of the “invisible backpack” helps me reflect on the unearned advantages I carry. For example, growing up in Canada gave me access to so many beautiful outdoor areas, with little thought to the risks or challenges. For Indigenous communities, however, these lands often hold traumatic histories of displacement and colonization. Privilege means having the choice to engage with nature recreationally while others are forced to fight for their land and cultural connection to it. Recognizing this dynamic is critical when interpreting nature for diverse audiences.

As a Canadian 🇨🇦, I feel it is very important to honour & highlight Indigenous communities and culture on a blog post like this one. Understanding Indigenous perspectives is vital to addressing privilege in nature interpretation. Indigenous communities don’t just “visit” nature; they are deeply connected to it. Their interpretations are rooted in reciprocity, balance, and respect for all living things. Acknowledging these perspectives challenges us to move beyond privilege-driven interpretations of nature as a resource and instead embrace the diversity of ways people connect with the environment.

Privilege is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to be a burden. Instead, it’s an opportunity to recognize, reflect, and take action. By identifying my own invisible backpack, acknowledging the barriers others face, and embracing diverse perspectives, I can use my privilege to create more inclusive and meaningful nature interpretations. This week’s blog question reminded me that privilege isn’t just about what we have—it’s about what we do with it. I am deeply grateful to even be here with you all, writing this post on nature interpretation, and leave you all with a question to help reflect on your privilege; How can we use our privileges to make nature interpretation more inclusive for everyone?

Super excited to read what everyone has to say this week, I know that I learned a lot and am a better person for it. 

Maia