I will hear a leftist say "if it had not been for tikTok ..." or "if it had not been for twitter ...
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I've been trying to establish a pollinator garden in my park. For months I've come to the park and picked up trash in this one little area, because that is what I could do.
One day I came and someone else was there picking up trash too. "I see you all the time! It makes our park nicer."
I could weep.
I have more than just two hands.
I thought "I can't clean this whole park, it's too big."
It turns out that might not be true. Maybe I can.
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There are problems with the idea of "the good leftist" and sometimes there are limitations on what people can do. I used amazon's "dot" when I couldn't walk. I hated using an amazon product, but it was already set up and I needed to turn the lights on and off and manage my crutches.
But I won't let the limitations of individual action paralyze me. I will do the things that I can and glory in the way my little actions are amplified when others join in.
Social media is part of that.
@futurebird I did order one item from Amazon after an exhaustive search for it everywhere. But compared to the thousands spent over the years, including Prime Video (which we got for half off), I'm off AMZ.
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I thought "I can't clean this whole park, it's too big."
It turns out that might not be true. Maybe I can.
@futurebird With enough time...
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That's part of it too.
@futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91 I've wrestled with this a lot, since a few years ago I was in a largish left group and was astonished how dependent it was on "free" commercial software, especially Google Docs. Most of the tech people in the group argued for using self-hosted FOSS software, but the majority pushed back hard against that idea.
I pointed out to an outspoken role-playing game designer, on her Discord channel, that there was a Fediverse instance focused on games that I knew several game designers were on, and others focused on issues she cared about, but she and others in the channel complained that anyone could set up a Fediverse instance.
A few weeks ago I was talking to an animal rights activist who was publishing updates on Instagram. I suggested he set up a Fedi account, and pointed out an instance for vegans that I thought would be a good place to start. He said he couldn't bear to deal with another social media outlet.
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I've been trying to establish a pollinator garden in my park. For months I've come to the park and picked up trash in this one little area, because that is what I could do.
One day I came and someone else was there picking up trash too. "I see you all the time! It makes our park nicer."
I could weep.
I have more than just two hands.
I do the same thing. So does my mom. I live across the street from a nature preserve and I clear common mullen, a weed brought to the US on slave ships in the 1700's. Clearing this weed, which has copious seeds and a large footprint, has subtly transformed the wildlife area. We get more flowers now. Also, it keeps me occupied on dog walks. Prior to this, in San Jose, I picked up trash. So much trash.... Now I pull weeds.
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I've been trying to establish a pollinator garden in my park. For months I've come to the park and picked up trash in this one little area, because that is what I could do.
One day I came and someone else was there picking up trash too. "I see you all the time! It makes our park nicer."
I could weep.
I have more than just two hands.
@futurebird @randulo we pick up trash as we walk. A little with each walk, every day, over years, and we are not alone. We have had people comment- some enthusiastic "thank you" comments, some rather less so.
We like how nice it looks without trash. It's that simple. Also it's great exercise.
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@futurebird I did order one item from Amazon after an exhaustive search for it everywhere. But compared to the thousands spent over the years, including Prime Video (which we got for half off), I'm off AMZ.
I still have my audiobooks but I've stopped buying more. I have my own copies of some of them... but it's like 200 books so getting my own copies is taking some time.
At least I don't have to pay them to keep the app and listen to what I already bought. I really liked using audible. Now I often buy the physical book and then "obtain" an audio copy in some way. Or I use the library. Which is fine.
Used to buy tons on amazon prime but I don't miss that as much as I thought I would.
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@futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91 I've wrestled with this a lot, since a few years ago I was in a largish left group and was astonished how dependent it was on "free" commercial software, especially Google Docs. Most of the tech people in the group argued for using self-hosted FOSS software, but the majority pushed back hard against that idea.
I pointed out to an outspoken role-playing game designer, on her Discord channel, that there was a Fediverse instance focused on games that I knew several game designers were on, and others focused on issues she cared about, but she and others in the channel complained that anyone could set up a Fediverse instance.
A few weeks ago I was talking to an animal rights activist who was publishing updates on Instagram. I suggested he set up a Fedi account, and pointed out an instance for vegans that I thought would be a good place to start. He said he couldn't bear to deal with another social media outlet.
@foolishowl I'm struggling to understand the problem the game designer had with Fediverse. It's...too accessible? That's not me trying to stan for the Fediverse, I just truly don't get it.
I do get the complaint about too many social media outlets. I'm here, a few servers on Discord (I can't wait for that to end), and Signal. And that's it. Any more and I would feel too scattered.
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@futurebird @randulo we pick up trash as we walk. A little with each walk, every day, over years, and we are not alone. We have had people comment- some enthusiastic "thank you" comments, some rather less so.
We like how nice it looks without trash. It's that simple. Also it's great exercise.
@futurebird @randulo I am never going to be perfect and I might never understand how I am imperfect. But damn I'm gonna try and do my bit.
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There are problems with the idea of "the good leftist" and sometimes there are limitations on what people can do. I used amazon's "dot" when I couldn't walk. I hated using an amazon product, but it was already set up and I needed to turn the lights on and off and manage my crutches.
But I won't let the limitations of individual action paralyze me. I will do the things that I can and glory in the way my little actions are amplified when others join in.
Social media is part of that.
@futurebird By the way, I have never had any desire to posess Alexa or any similar product and when I bought a Firestick (which never actually got used) I opened it up and disconnected the microphone wire. I'm sorry you needed the dot but glad it helped you.
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@futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91 I've wrestled with this a lot, since a few years ago I was in a largish left group and was astonished how dependent it was on "free" commercial software, especially Google Docs. Most of the tech people in the group argued for using self-hosted FOSS software, but the majority pushed back hard against that idea.
I pointed out to an outspoken role-playing game designer, on her Discord channel, that there was a Fediverse instance focused on games that I knew several game designers were on, and others focused on issues she cared about, but she and others in the channel complained that anyone could set up a Fediverse instance.
A few weeks ago I was talking to an animal rights activist who was publishing updates on Instagram. I suggested he set up a Fedi account, and pointed out an instance for vegans that I thought would be a good place to start. He said he couldn't bear to deal with another social media outlet.
@foolishowl @dnkboston @joepie91
The fediverse just isn't as easy to get into. And when people were leaving twitter there was a small but effective misinformation campaign to smear the fedi as "too much like 4chan" and "a place for the worst dude bro nerds" and "unmoderated" etc. and I think some of it came from bluesky filtered through prominent leftists who just don't think this is a big deal?
I think it's a big deal. We need to have our own damn servers. Not saying that is easy.
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@futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91 I've wrestled with this a lot, since a few years ago I was in a largish left group and was astonished how dependent it was on "free" commercial software, especially Google Docs. Most of the tech people in the group argued for using self-hosted FOSS software, but the majority pushed back hard against that idea.
I pointed out to an outspoken role-playing game designer, on her Discord channel, that there was a Fediverse instance focused on games that I knew several game designers were on, and others focused on issues she cared about, but she and others in the channel complained that anyone could set up a Fediverse instance.
A few weeks ago I was talking to an animal rights activist who was publishing updates on Instagram. I suggested he set up a Fedi account, and pointed out an instance for vegans that I thought would be a good place to start. He said he couldn't bear to deal with another social media outlet.
@foolishowl @joepie91 @futurebird @dnkboston
yeah, I know how they feel. I can't bear to use Instagram or Facebook or twitter or Substack. I completely get how folks are mistrustful and burned out by social media.
But this is a cut off nose to spite face situation because mastodon is the good place.
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@foolishowl @dnkboston @joepie91
The fediverse just isn't as easy to get into. And when people were leaving twitter there was a small but effective misinformation campaign to smear the fedi as "too much like 4chan" and "a place for the worst dude bro nerds" and "unmoderated" etc. and I think some of it came from bluesky filtered through prominent leftists who just don't think this is a big deal?
I think it's a big deal. We need to have our own damn servers. Not saying that is easy.
>>small but effective misinformation campaign to smear the fedi as "too much like 4chan" and "a place for the worst dude bro nerds" and "unmoderated" etc....
I was off Twitter by then. But damn. I heard it was more complicated, but that was also a lie.
>>We need to have our own damn servers.
Agreed. But we need a balance. I don't think *everyone* needs their own server. Because then we're raising the price of entry for participation/discourse.
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@futurebird not me. my work is for the select few able to dig it out from the obscure social media platforms i use, not for the unwashed masses. if i saw too many readers in one place i'd open fire
@esvrld @futurebird We're ARTISTS, not marketing hacks. If I'd wanted to be in marketing, I would have gone to art school.
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@foolishowl @joepie91 @futurebird @dnkboston
yeah, I know how they feel. I can't bear to use Instagram or Facebook or twitter or Substack. I completely get how folks are mistrustful and burned out by social media.
But this is a cut off nose to spite face situation because mastodon is the good place.
I am very sensitive to what other BIPOC users have reported about harassment. I haven't experienced it--I think I'm too old to be a fun target, and that's great--but we still need to do some work, both culturally and technically.
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I am very sensitive to what other BIPOC users have reported about harassment. I haven't experienced it--I think I'm too old to be a fun target, and that's great--but we still need to do some work, both culturally and technically.
@dnkboston @joepie91 @foolishowl @futurebird
I've seen harassment, I've been harassed. That's what the block button is for.
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@dnkboston @joepie91 @foolishowl @futurebird
I've seen harassment, I've been harassed. That's what the block button is for.
@FranceskaMann @dnkboston @foolishowl @futurebird Don't. Don't oversimplify this into "just block them".
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@futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91 I've wrestled with this a lot, since a few years ago I was in a largish left group and was astonished how dependent it was on "free" commercial software, especially Google Docs. Most of the tech people in the group argued for using self-hosted FOSS software, but the majority pushed back hard against that idea.
I pointed out to an outspoken role-playing game designer, on her Discord channel, that there was a Fediverse instance focused on games that I knew several game designers were on, and others focused on issues she cared about, but she and others in the channel complained that anyone could set up a Fediverse instance.
A few weeks ago I was talking to an animal rights activist who was publishing updates on Instagram. I suggested he set up a Fedi account, and pointed out an instance for vegans that I thought would be a good place to start. He said he couldn't bear to deal with another social media outlet.
@foolishowl @futurebird @dnkboston @joepie91
Going from mattermost to discord was a step backwards. I never understood why they did that. And my discord account is no longer accessible to me due to bad design of their 2 factor and no way to recover it.
Their use of zoom is also bad.
Foss using discord is just as bad. Likewise now github.
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@dnkboston @joepie91 @foolishowl @futurebird
I've seen harassment, I've been harassed. That's what the block button is for.
@FranceskaMann I have not been a victim of this, but I've heard multiple times that people either gang up on particular users and/or switch instances. OR follow someone who has switched instances to harass them there.
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When I say "we should control our own social media" people think I'm crazy. Like I'm saying "we should control and manage our own water utility" ... it seems prudent, yes, but how could we possibly have the power and wealth needed to make it happen?
But that's the thing about social media... it is possible. We could just run it ourselves. The money needed is large but not vast or insurmountable. (I won't pretend it's free) "content creators" should understand this.
@futurebird @joepie91 At a minimum, content creators - particularly monitized content creators, need to invest in a personal website and archive. Like sir/mam/weseriouslyneedanappropriategenderneutraltermforthissortofsliglycondesendingsecondpersonpronounusage this is your history. Your livelyhood. Your reputation. You need to invest in its protection. A crappy archive linked on your socual medias IS protecting that. It IS what lets you cross social medias freely, determine your main and your secondaries, and if opportunity or need strikes, what lets you and your followers decide "Fuck them" when your platform rots from under you.
You don't know what you're doing?! Fine! Go cheap! Get a templated web page and shove everything into a file system! Hell, just ask for help! But always, ALWAYS ensure you have a space where you are in charge as the first and final say.
