Once I had the (naïvely late in life) realization that there are actually people who will routinely, consciously, and aggressively employ weaponized ignorance, my view of the world evolved significantly, and of course not in entirely positive ways.
You know it's getting bad when an administration full of unqualified opportunistic grifters can't find any additional unqualified opportunistic grifters willing to stick their neck out for an otherwise potentially very lucrative grift.
There are tools specifically for monitoring a company's presence on the internet. Media mentions are one of the key things those tools are designed to look for and alert on.
While only supported by broad anecdotal observations, I'd argue that there seems like a notable correlation between how children are viewed in relation to parents and society with the rates of childhood vaccinations, and even things like public health systems. In other words, I think there's a type of spectrum where one side might be described as the view that children are inherent members of society while the parents are considered loving stewards, in contrast on the other end of that spectrum is the view that children are some form of "property"/extension of the parents and that parental autonomy shall not be impinged upon. Which is why, for example, in the United States children are basically SOL for the most part depending on where they end up being cared for and if their caretakers are poor or ignorant, well, tough luck kid. It's deeply unsettling and not even logically consistent from a sociological perspective, but that's never stopped the U.S. from sacrificing kids to avoid a relatively small but vocal and, unfortunately, powerful contingent from insisting children's lives are worth sacrificing to maintain some mythical idea of "freedom".
The duplicity isn't a surprise. It's Standard Operating Procedure. Gleeful application is a prerequisite for a job in this administration. as evidenced daily.
This, sadly, is exactly where my head went and why I came to comment: Nestle is just the right kind of twisted organization to willingly and brazenly payoff a governmental entity to their benefit, and we have exactly the twisted federal administration that would gleefully accept and brag about it.
If recent history has taught us anything, it is that this event will ultimately result in absolutely no net changes. Certainly not improvements. America has proven that we are willing to sacrifice children lives to maintain the illusion of "freedom", lest we dare suggest additional legislation is the answer or, even worse, that the most darkest of evils be conjured: TAXES!
Besides, it's Texas. Basically just a massive sociopolitical experiment in FAFO...
If nothing else, the silver lining here is that these rich buffoons are highly useful for demonstrating of what "more dollars than sense" looks like and proving just how much (literally?) dumb luck can be a factor in financial success.
The most important thing to remember about Donald Trump is that he has only two motivations: boosting his ego and enriching his wallet. Everything else—EVERYTHING—is secondary. Usually a very distant second.
So, the only reason to attribute this lawsuit to "chilling journalistic speech" is if it is in service to those two motivations. Trump could not care less about journalistic speech one way or the other.
His multitudinous lawsuits are about feeding his narcissism and the potential for a payday.
What? Isn't that exactly the justification for municipalities to collect taxes though: because their residents are purchasing goods or services from a business?
I'm not arguing for or against it, and exploiting tax exceptions and loopholes may be seen as big brain tactics, but I can't blame a 23,000 person suburb for wanting a cut of the billions of dollars that companies are siphoning out of local economies.
The level of noncommittal doublespeak on the issues of internet access (equity, arbitrarily subpar speeds, lack of true competition, etc.) is maddening, and seeing actual steps forward being quashed in a heartbeat with no explanation even more so.
But are we really gonna acted shocked this happened in the same country where children are repeatedly slaughtered or entire cities are slowly poisoned yet effectively no meaningful actions are taken??
Comcast last quater net: >US$3.5 BILLION
Comcast CEO total compensation 2021: ~US$34 million
Comcast customer service rep annual income: ~US$30,000-35,000
Comcast US government lobbying:
- spends roughly $15 million annually
- engages over a 100 lobbyists
It's not unprecedented, internationally-speaking: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/finland-home-of-the-103000-speeding-ticket/387484/
(Of course there's plenty of examples of good governing ideas with years of proven effectiveness that will never see the light of day in the US, but jus' sayin'...)
Once I had the (naïvely late in life) realization that there are actually people who will routinely, consciously, and aggressively employ weaponized ignorance, my view of the world evolved significantly, and of course not in entirely positive ways.
You know it's getting bad when an administration full of unqualified opportunistic grifters can't find any additional unqualified opportunistic grifters willing to stick their neck out for an otherwise potentially very lucrative grift.
There are tools specifically for monitoring a company's presence on the internet. Media mentions are one of the key things those tools are designed to look for and alert on.
While only supported by broad anecdotal observations, I'd argue that there seems like a notable correlation between how children are viewed in relation to parents and society with the rates of childhood vaccinations, and even things like public health systems. In other words, I think there's a type of spectrum where one side might be described as the view that children are inherent members of society while the parents are considered loving stewards, in contrast on the other end of that spectrum is the view that children are some form of "property"/extension of the parents and that parental autonomy shall not be impinged upon. Which is why, for example, in the United States children are basically SOL for the most part depending on where they end up being cared for and if their caretakers are poor or ignorant, well, tough luck kid. It's deeply unsettling and not even logically consistent from a sociological perspective, but that's never stopped the U.S. from sacrificing kids to avoid a relatively small but vocal and, unfortunately, powerful contingent from insisting children's lives are worth sacrificing to maintain some mythical idea of "freedom".
The duplicity isn't a surprise. It's Standard Operating Procedure. Gleeful application is a prerequisite for a job in this administration. as evidenced daily.
Not that it's necessary, but it's convenient when the oligarchs and corporations remind the proletariat who they are and what we mean to them. Thanks!
This, sadly, is exactly where my head went and why I came to comment: Nestle is just the right kind of twisted organization to willingly and brazenly payoff a governmental entity to their benefit, and we have exactly the twisted federal administration that would gleefully accept and brag about it.
Nothing will change
If recent history has taught us anything, it is that this event will ultimately result in absolutely no net changes. Certainly not improvements. America has proven that we are willing to sacrifice children lives to maintain the illusion of "freedom", lest we dare suggest additional legislation is the answer or, even worse, that the most darkest of evils be conjured: TAXES! Besides, it's Texas. Basically just a massive sociopolitical experiment in FAFO...
People are still shocked at corporations doing corporate shit? shrug
The root cause.
I think we can agree this all started when it was decided that it was totally fine that "literally" could mean "figuratively".
If nothing else, the silver lining here is that these rich buffoons are highly useful for demonstrating of what "more dollars than sense" looks like and proving just how much (literally?) dumb luck can be a factor in financial success.
The most important thing to remember about Donald Trump is that he has only two motivations: boosting his ego and enriching his wallet. Everything else—EVERYTHING—is secondary. Usually a very distant second. So, the only reason to attribute this lawsuit to "chilling journalistic speech" is if it is in service to those two motivations. Trump could not care less about journalistic speech one way or the other. His multitudinous lawsuits are about feeding his narcissism and the potential for a payday.
But corporations are people! Thus need representation! And the only means of attaining said representation is money! Right?? /s
Waffle House of Cards
The level of noncommittal doublespeak on the issues of internet access (equity, arbitrarily subpar speeds, lack of true competition, etc.) is maddening, and seeing actual steps forward being quashed in a heartbeat with no explanation even more so. But are we really gonna acted shocked this happened in the same country where children are repeatedly slaughtered or entire cities are slowly poisoned yet effectively no meaningful actions are taken??
Comcast last quater net: >US$3.5 BILLION Comcast CEO total compensation 2021: ~US$34 million Comcast customer service rep annual income: ~US$30,000-35,000 Comcast US government lobbying: - spends roughly $15 million annually - engages over a 100 lobbyists
Not sure if this was meant in jest, but...
It's not unprecedented, internationally-speaking: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/finland-home-of-the-103000-speeding-ticket/387484/ (Of course there's plenty of examples of good governing ideas with years of proven effectiveness that will never see the light of day in the US, but jus' sayin'...)