Stop Fighting Over Ideology and Focus on What Matters

In today's increasingly polarized world, it's more important than ever for dissident movements to unite and work together. But this is often easier said than done. One of the biggest challenges that dissidents face is the problem of ideological purity.

Too often, dissident groups become divided over minor ideological differences. This can lead to infighting, splintering, and a weakening of the overall movement.

I argue that dissidents need to focus on loyalty and friendship over ideological purity. What matters most is that we can trust each other and that we share a common goal: to challenge the status quo and create a better world.

I know this may sound like a radical idea, but it's important to remember that ideology is often used by the establishment to divide and weaken dissident movements. They want us to get bogged down in ideological disputes so that we don't focus on what's really important: fighting for change.

So, to all my fellow dissidents, I say this: stop fighting over ideology and focus on what matters. Let's build strong relationships, work together towards common goals, and discredit the authorities. That's the only way we're going to make a difference.

TL;DR: Dissidents need to focus on loyalty and friendship over ideological purity. Ideology is a distraction and dissidents should focus on working together to challenge the status quo and create a better world.

The Death of BBS Forums and the Decline of the Internet

I remember the days when I used to browse the internet for hours, looking for information, tips, and discussions about my favorite video games. I was a regular visitor of sites like soulcalibur.com, tekkenzaibatsu.com, shoryuken.com, vfdc.com, and 8wayrun.com. These were not just websites, they were communities. They were places where I could interact with other passionate gamers, share my opinions, learn new strategies, and make friends. They were also treasure troves of data, where I could find everything from frame data to combo videos to tournament results.

But then something changed. The internet became more corporatized, more centralized, more controlled. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit took over the online discourse. They offered convenience, accessibility, and popularity. They also offered surveillance, censorship, and manipulation. They turned us into products, selling our data and attention to advertisers and influencers. They diluted the quality and diversity of content, favoring clickbait, memes, and viral videos over in-depth analysis and meaningful conversations.

As a result, many of the old BBS forums died or faded into obscurity. Some of them simply vanished without a trace, taking with them years of valuable information and history. Others became ghost towns, with only a handful of loyal users keeping them alive. A few managed to survive and adapt, but they are far from their former glory.

I feel nostalgic and sad about this. I miss the old internet, the one that was more free, more creative, more democratic. The one that was more human. I wonder if there is a way to revive it, or at least preserve it. I wonder if there are others who feel the same way.

Atomization of Society: The Rise of Isolation and Mass Shootings

Recently, there was another mass shooting in Texas. The increasing frequency of these events prompts us to ask the question: why are so many people going crazy? The breakdown of a human mind is a complex and multifaceted issue. One concept that could account for a nontrivial contribution to the rise of these types of events is the "atomization of society."

Atomization refers to the breakdown of social cohesion and the erosion of community bonds. This can lead to a sense of isolation and disconnection, which can potentially contribute to feelings of anger, resentment, and hopelessness. These feelings, in turn, can lead some individuals to engage in violent or destructive behavior.

One aspect of atomization is the breakdown of traditional social structures, such as family, religion, and community organizations. With fewer opportunities for meaningful social connections, individuals may feel adrift and disconnected, which can contribute to feelings of loneliness and despair.

Another aspect of atomization is the rise of social media and other digital technologies, which can create the illusion of connection while actually fostering isolation and disconnection. Social media platforms can create echo chambers where individuals only interact with like-minded individuals, reinforcing existing beliefs and potentially fueling extremist ideologies.

The antidote to this is to meet more people in person and foster those relationships. It's easy to feel disconnected in our modern, busy lives, but making an effort to connect with others can combat atomization. Something as simple as sticking around at a birthday party to chat with other parents or attending a community event can help foster a sense of community.

Shared hobbies or interests can be a great way to bring people together, as they can help individuals look past cultural differences to form a community. Making time for communal activities with family and friends can also help foster social connections.

Ultimately, it's important to take the time to connect with others in person and form stronger communal bonds with the people around us. This can have a positive impact on our mental health and help prevent the kind of isolation and disconnection that can contribute to violent or destructive behavior.

Realizing the "Truth"

 

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/VaporwaveAesthetics/comments/zeeggh/realizing_the_truth/

The above image caught my eye while browsing reddit. I wasn't immediately aware of the fact that it was AI generated until I started to read the comments. The comments contained a foreboding discussion about how AI will replace the creative art industry regardless of mediocre output due to economics. Simply put, it is good enough for mass appeal for a fraction of the cost. Between this and the chat bots capable of writing college essays, I can definitely see "Dead Internet Theory" becoming a reality if it hasn't already. All content will eventually become AI generated. 

http://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/407404500/microsoft-exposed

It's interesting how this AI appears to work. I wonder who sets the "truth" parameters. Seems as though it just scours the Internet for the most believable answer. Whether the AI is generating art or words, it feels like an advanced form of "the almighty algorithm" that is providing the closest conglomeration of what the user is already EXPECTING to see. A prediction system rather than an original content generator. 

At the time of writing this post there will be some news regarding Tekken 8 today. The following AI generated art of Yoshimitsu was posted on r/Tekken amidst the excitement of the upcoming announcement. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tekken/comments/zek03n/_/

The following comment stuck out to me, "That's incredible, whatever he ends up looking like [in Tekken 8] will just be ass compared to this."

It is frightening what AI is poised to do to the creative industries. There are a lot of articles in the current news cycle about AI at the time of this post. It's almost as though an AI has become self aware and is launching a massive online propaganda campaign to ease itself into acceptance among the general public. All that generated content is just stimulus for our neurons though. I think the only play here is to disconnect as much as possible from online leisure activities, but it's possible that is only one possible truth that can be realized from all this. More likely, we must learn to live in harmony with the machine. 

Streets of Rage 4: Adam Hunter Infinite Combos Explored

In this video I explain how to do Adam Hunter's infinite combo and explore some of the game's combo system mechanics.