In the realm of digital technology, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a surge in the use of propaganda in public health campaigns. However, these campaigns are reportedly having unintended negative effects. The digital world, with its social media platforms and digital technologies, is said to incentivize polarization and profit from culture wars. The current information ecosystem, optimized for advertising, is escalating these wars and leading to the dysregulation of emotional response and cognitive ability. The emergence of digital technologies has reportedly undermined the effectiveness and legitimacy of traditional propaganda approaches, leading to a loss of legitimate authority and a rise in citizen cynicism and distrust.
In a related vein, the influence of Silicon Valley in politics and media, along with the ethical concerns about AI, have been highlighted. The collapse of FTX and scrutiny of Farmington Bank, along with the criminalization of Bitcoin mixers, have raised questions about the connections between US and Chinese elites. The importance of individual action for a better world has been underscored, even as Bitcoin evangelism and its potential co-optation are being discussed.
In the world of journalism, the New York Times has come under fire for promoting claims of mass rape by militants during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Critics argue that the newspaper relied on unreliable sources and promoted false narratives to support Israel’s actions in Gaza. The need to question and challenge such narratives, even if they are sensitive, has been emphasized in order to expose the truth and prevent further atrocities.
Meanwhile, the concept of “transhumanism” and the “internet of bodies” has been addressed. Critics argue that the idea of injectable nanobots connecting the body to the internet is based on technological miracles and has not been achieved. They also refute the idea that nanomaterials like graphene can control the body, warning against scaremongering and the narratives of transhumanism, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology.
In the legal sphere, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear three cases that could significantly impact the federal administrative state. These cases involve the Securities Exchange Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the validity of the Chevron doctrine, which requires courts to defer to federal agencies’ reasonable interpretations of unclear statutes.
In the realm of international relations, Scottish historian and Hoover Institution Fellow, Niall Ferguson, has published a column mourning the death of the imperial project. He criticizes Americans for insisting on domestic investment when they should be supporting freedom and democracy around the world.
Finally, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a rule that would allow the sale of federal lands, water, and air to “Natural Asset Companies” (NACs) under certain conditions. Critics argue that this scheme could give control of land to corporations, potentially including foreign investors like China and Russia, and prevent productive use of the land. The SEC’s proposal has raised alarm among those who fear a loss of property rights and personal freedoms.
Sources
SEC Proposes Rule Allowing Sale of Federal Lands and Resources to Chinese Communist Party and Other Investors
These NACs would quantify and monetize these natural outputs (such as air or water). The best comparison would be using the air we breathe as a cryptocurrency of sorts. And, these natural assets that collectively belong to all of us would now belong to corporations run by what many would call environmental special interests.
Source | Submitted by tmklg
COVID-19 Pandemic: Bilderberg Group, Vaccines, Economic Impact, and Global Cooperation Explored
https://www.2ndsmartestguyintheworld.com/p/the-names-and-faces-of-the-150-bilderbergers
Source | Submitted by kenwdelong
Supreme Court Cases Could Reshape Federal Administrative State
Multiple cases on the docket could permanently change the federal administrative state.
Source | Submitted by boomer41
Niall Ferguson Laments American Selfishness in Foreign Affairs
Most Americans have no great enthusiasm for spending large parts of their lives in far-flung hot, poor and dangerous countries… Today, fully 57% of Republican voters, and 51% of Independents, say that “US interests are better served by using our resources to improve life for ordinary Americans at home.” Just a third agree that “US interests are best served by supporting freedom and democracy around the world when they are under threat.” I am with the minority on this question…
Source | Submitted by newsbuoy
The Failure of Propaganda in the Digital Age: Unintended Consequences and Polarization
The COVID-19 pandemic created conditions that have been frequently compared to wartime. With wars come propaganda, and for good reason. When it comes to national security, modern governments have long-standing practices for complex information campaigns that integrate academia, media, and government agencies. When widespread acceptance of certain ideas literally means the difference between life and death, it is hard to argue against the use of propaganda. But public health campaigns in the U.S. and elsewhere are creating unintended negative side effects. In the U.S., polarization and national disunity have increased, even when facing a common ‘enemy.’
Source | Submitted by nils-grimley
Debunking the Myth of the "Internet of Bodies" and Transhumanism
If you want a 1-sentence summary of this article – it is impossible to integrate (in survival- and reproduction-competitive way) a living organism and a man made object/technology.
Source | Submitted by nils-grimley
New York Times Publishes Controversial Article on Alleged Mass Rape by Militants in Gaza
But as you said, Aaron, the article by Jeffrey Gettleman, who is just like notorious for these kinds of pieces about Africa and other places, it blames the lack of forensic evidence, the complete absence of any forensic evidence, on Jewish burial rituals. Basically, the Jews bury their dead too quickly in 24 hours, so we just couldn’t get at any of these bodies, so we’re just going to go off of all these weird testimonies from dubious individuals who were supplied to Jeffrey Gettleman and Anat Schwarz and Adam Cah by the Israeli government.
Source | Submitted by nils-grimley
"Exploring Public Perception Manipulation, AI Dangers, and the Battle for Financial Freedom"
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
