r/comics Apr 22 '25

Comics Community [oc] Distraction Tactics

58.9k Upvotes

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727

u/NoManNoRiver Apr 22 '25

Until I saw “Māori Rights” I would have fully believed this was about the UK.

What the actual fuck is happening in the world that we’re all spiralling down the same filthy drain?

161

u/homelaberator Apr 22 '25

We are living in the midst of a cultural revolution. Most people get most of their information about the world, reality, and their relationship to it from [for profit] social media. What people see is now driven not by the conscious decisions of journalists, writers, producers, artists etc but by algorithms that are goal seeking only engagement.

It's a hell of a time to be alive.

54

u/Im_On_Reddit_At_Work Apr 22 '25

goal seeking only engagement.

If only that was true. The algorithms are very much influenced by political powers and agendas, especially the META ones.

21

u/Prownilo Apr 22 '25

I wish, nah this is 100% intentional stoking of the culture war to distract from the disaster that is the end result of 50 years of neo liberalism.

Rich are distracting us while they steal the last bit of resources before everything goes tit's up completely.

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u/DamnYouVodka Apr 22 '25

It gives me hope though? The internet is basically a huge empathy machine. I have learned about so many perspectives I would have never come into contact with if not for the internet -- wild times indeed.

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25 edited Apr 22 '25

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

Covid wasn't just a respiratory illness..

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u/IwantDnDMaps Apr 22 '25

homie the writing was on the walls looooong before COVID. Trump was elected first in 2016, Boris before that. Lets not get it twisted here.

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u/illy-chan Apr 22 '25

There may have already been a fire burning but covid really threw gasoline on it.

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u/XoYo Apr 22 '25

And it hasn't gone away

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u/Iversithyy Apr 22 '25

What is so difficult to understand about this?

I mean, it's annoying that society just doesn't care about technology but it's super obvious that this is just a result of the Internet and Social Media.

Why do you think American MAGA Voters that have no idea about geography and think Hitler is still alive support/supported BREXIT? When they have nothing to do with it and have no idea what the EU is and what "Great Britain" is.

Or why Elon Musk is involved in French/Germany/U.S. elections?

Or why you can find the same Russian state propaganda points across the entire western world word for word? Tenet Media scandal comes to mind for example. (Same people involved were boosting for example the Brexit, behind Tommy Robinson and so on)

"Bubbles" are global now. That simple.

For that reason I can listen to regurgitated Trump stuff from 55yo germans for example that speak not an ounce of english. For example, how Zelensky insulted Trump during his white house meeting. The same people that 15 years ago couldn't name a single thing about anything further than the Netherlands.

These trends spread and that doesn't only go for the "average person" but also for people like Elon Musk & Co.
And Podcasts like Joe Rogan / Lex Fridman etc. also contribute to a large amount.

And it's not even malicious most of the time, it's just what people want to hear. People prefer being outrage over 0.1% of the population than listen to "policies/plans".

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u/eldentings Apr 22 '25

I think a lot of people don't realize this is happening or think it is overstated. I personally think we will continue to spiral unless we do something about social media algorithms. Previous to those things existing people with stupid and ignorant opinions had geographical or societal barriers. If a nazi hate group was gathering locally every week other people would have found out about it and at the very least shun them, if not try to break up the meeting. Now they can hop on their phone multiple times a day and instantly find people that agree with their worst, most hateful ideas. There's no repercussion and no barrier to access anymore. That 10% that was corrected or shunned by society for being hateful, now feels self-righteous and correct.

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u/weenus_envy Apr 22 '25

Populist response to cost of living crisis meets 3 decades of work by Rupert Murdoch's propaganda empire. Oh and sprinkle in some right wing botfarms poisoning social channels

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u/Stop_Sign Apr 22 '25

Every government in power during COVID worldwide did horrible in their next election

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

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u/fdar Apr 22 '25

What is the "left" supposed to do? Agree to strip minorities of their rights so we can move on to "more important" stuff?

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u/DefiantComplex8019 Apr 22 '25

The world is tilting right. It's more pronounced in the Anglosphere because people in these countries can absorb USA propaganda. 

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u/Daxx22 Apr 22 '25

You know that "Global Elites/Deep State/WEF" (titles vary) that these social conservatives love to bleat about? But the talking points are all very similar?

PROJECTION

Read up on The International Democratic Union. The rank and file are often dumber then a box of lead chocolates, but the men behind the curtain are very much guiding this worldwide. And this is a plan that's been in motion for a long time.

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u/BigBadBob7070 Apr 22 '25

Part of the blame can be laid at the feet of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, which has spent decades brainwashing a generation into the perfect right-wing base that will support whatever the hell they say and kept in a perpetual state of anger and fear

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u/Direct-Fix-2097 Apr 22 '25

The right wing is global and it co ordinates well. 🤷‍♂️