Of course, no one should be normalizing authoritarian styles of leadership. But that perspective is a relative luxury only afforded to privileged people not living in that situation already.
Have you considered the possibility that whatever the source is of these weakly censored images is intended to demonstrate the ease with which anyone can circumvent repressive blocks? To mock them? That whoever’s account this is spends the time to minimally censor for the bots to ensure that, more importantly, the message gets out regardless of the rules? That posts like this demonstrate the futility and arrogance of the limp-dicked censorship, mocking its effects and demonstrating the paper tiger for what it is?
That this post about whales having an argument demonstrates that censorship is flawed and brittle and fucking stupid. That anyone can get around it when it’s important to do so. That authoritarians, be they Zuckerburg or Putin, are foolish in their hubris.
Or do you only see this for what it is?
Speculater@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I understand your underlying point and I can appreciate the mocking component, but I think these are done to optimize engagement for monetary reasons but that current of revenue is heavily tainted with something worse. I’m all for passive resistance though as we step into enforced regulation of speech.
GreenShimada@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Fair points.
My underlying point might be that whatever site it is that the screencaps come from is silly bullshit. But the more important point is that when you let it stress you out, the censors are winning. They’re using fear to manipulate you off your baseline. And you’re not even a desired subject of their censorship! You are putting yourself under control by reacting with fear.
Flashers do what they do to elicit a reaction of fear and horror. The reaction they don’t want, more than anything, is laughter. To have the insecurity that drives them called out.
In this case, I’m asking you to think rationally about this and see it as an indicator or what you’ve correctly noted. But also laugh at it and understand that if you don’t let it force a reaction in you, that you can react to it when and how is bet for the goals you have. Then you are in control.
Speculater@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
Well said and thanks for your thoughtful follow-ups and taking time out of your day to lower the temperature in our general discourse. I’ll make an effort to laugh instead of yell at these. I appreciate what you’re doing out here.
GreenShimada@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Thanks, and thanks for being willing to discuss this. I guess, for today, dead internet theory is confirmed not true!