SouthOfTheBorder

word

not political- more human I can’t do much for basic, sorry

I have no problem w anyone who says something like - I’m completely educated about it & I accept the corresponding collateral destruction and I’m using it anyway & indirectly supporting/endorsing their actions. Because that’s what it is Otherwise it’s just delusional bullshit

someone famously said - I wouldn’t want to be in any club that would have me as a member or thereabouts still rings true

I wouldn’t expect an essay like that to recommend a boycott - it was a broad warning about the destruction of democracy by social media platforms & meant for others to draw their own conclusions. Is it really that difficult to figure out the next step on a personal level ? It’s not of course, but Facebook has figured out the magic formula by appealing to the narcissists who think their “sharing” is essential and something they absolutely can’t live without. Thus, the inability to quit and the mental gymnastics/blinders required to continue using. And for many it’s an addiction - it was designed that way. Impossible to quit given all the stimuli required by the users. Interesting that among young people there is now a backlash of sorts against social media as Facebook is absolutely for the over 50 set that really doesn’t understand technology. Thus, Facebooks desperate search for new products to re-engage their dying user base. I’d suggest social media users are the people in the cave - a cave where you are captive & where your every move is recorded, analyzed & then sold to whomever thinks they can use that data to sell you something or influence you in some way that is completely beyond your conscious comprehension. Sounds like fun. Come for connecting w “friends”, then stay for the political violence, conspiracy theories & hate speech. But, hey it’s free and everyone wants to know what I had for breakfast.

False equivalency Last time I checked - the Atlantic isn’t destroying democracy, influencing election outcomes, empowering dictators or surveilling people. Btw - dozens of articles from various sources that all say the same thing about FB & similar. but hey - I get that you just want to post vacation pics ! It doesn’t matter what happens in those OTHER countries….it’s probably just a little torture anyway

there are dozens of articles about Facebook & social media destroying countries like the Philippines In the Philippines, Facebook is the internet - users must access FB as their internet gateway, thus FB has total control over the population - and however the regime chooses to weaponize that power against the people. The Atlantic November 2022 Fight Fascism Before It’s Too Late - The Atlantic WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM If you live in a country where democracy is still intact: Don’t wait.

Capitalism when it suits them. Dictators & other despots when that’s more convenient. Just read about Facebook in the Philippines (and many other countries) where it’s the de facto internet gateway, thus allowing the regime to monitor, silence, capture & torture political enemies. Not so much freedom of speech there. Not many ideas exchanged either. Facebook will do whatever they have to do in each country to keep operating. no thanks - I’ll pass when it gets to dictators and torture. Thus, exactly the problem with the lazy first world folks.

I’ve been working in media for 40 years and specialized in digital for 15 - i know exactly the data that can be collected, how it can be manipulated and used for whatever nefarious purpose anyone chooses to pay for. I sat in enough meetings to literally get sick knowing what was going on behind the scenes. if you think it’s just about someone’s own user experience, tolerance, intolerance - then you have no idea how it really works behind the curtain. most people don’t give it a second thought - thus, a naive & malleable user base ready for manipulation. the front facing encouraging of hate speech targeted towards minority groups, largely driven by algorithms designed to create outrage & more engagement (you spending more time on those networks) is just the tip of the very toxic iceberg. if you think the purpose of social media is about free speech or an exchange of ideas - you do not have a clue the number one reason for social media is to keep you engaged at all costs - vacuuming up all of your data and online habits, then selling that data en masse to whomever is willing to pay and for whatever reason. It’s not about free speech and it’s not an exchange of ideas. It’s to make as much money as possible while building a base of users that can be monetized for their profit.

the individual user experience is not the point for social media in general - participation supports those corrupt companies & people as an example: many people on the left can’t quit talking about how much they hate Trump - yet, they remain on Facebook, and in effect supporting Facebook - when it was Facebook that made Trump & his victory in 2016 possible. the bigger societal problem is nobody draws a line in the sand and says enough with these social media companies - the social media companies play the most significant role in the destruction of American society, civility, politics and almost everything else. And people just can’t quit using those platforms. I don’t get it - social media is not necessary for daily living and you’ll actually recapture hours for other things by getting rid of it. It’s one thing if your professional livelihood depends somehow on social media - but that’s just not the case for most people. I wouldn’t patronize a hotel, airline, restaurant or destination that was actively hostile & promoted hate speech against LGTBQI people - why is it somehow ok on social media ?

Don’t support a platform that encourages LGBTQI attacks ! if you’re a Twitter user, delete your account today GLAAD report says Twitter is the 'most dangerous' social media platform' for LGBTQ users WWW.USATODAY.COM Major social media platforms inadequately protect users from anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, GLAAD said Thursday...

Recently paid $400 in Miami for a very well reviewed provider - worth every penny & then some. +$150 tip because so exceptional I’d schedule with him again without hesitation

he may not be celebrating - but millions of others are doing exactly that. that’s the really baffling thing; a population so brain-washed and indoctrinated that they want their own cities to fail. Common sense has been discarded & replaced with ideology that only serves the politicians & media outlets for money. They monetize the manufactured outrage - that’s why everything is reported as a crisis along with desperate pleas for money and/or attention. Its capitalism run amok without any other political beliefs , consuming itself for the elites at the very top who have no loyalty to country, party, core values or anything else except self-interest. You don’t have to look much further than the recent defamation lawsuits to know the news people don’t believe their own reporting - just taking advantage of the rubes for money. then there’s the politicians that rail against the government, yet happily take the government paycheck, government perks/benefits, travel, staff & everything else. Not a mention about that. Because it’s ok for them, but not ok for you.

born & raised in middle America. I’ve lived all over the United States and know it extremely well. It’s a country going backwards by almost any measure. It’s not unusual in a historical context. All great empires crumble and it’s almost always the direct result of internal failures that cause the collapse vs external. The United States is in the process of slow collapse - San Francisco is just a leading indicator. Americans generally don’t understand history so they aren’t connecting the dots. I wish it was different.

You obviously haven’t been to Japan recently. There’s not much there for anyone to take issue with regardless of underlying American perceptions or media reports: the country is spotless, everything works, crime is so low that’s it’s not even an issue, the people are routinely polite & tolerant. They revere and protect nature. The economy has been relatively stagnant, yet from all outward appearances it’s a very prosperous & orderly country with an overall feeling of calm & well being. No raised voices on the Tokyo subway and no horns honking in Tokyo traffic. No visible homeless population, no visible drug addicts, no wandering people in mental health crisis. In short - it’s civilized where the US is anything but.

when stories like these don’t make sense - it’s wise to consider other possible scenarios such as, perhaps you are the intended target all roads lead to the deep pockets

I can tell you are well intended here. I think hiring providers is a slippery slope for many because they want to make it something other than what it is - meaning paying for sex. It’s a huge taboo in our culture and quite unexpectedly taboo among gay men. If I had a nickel for every time one of my friends said “I don’t need to pay for sex”. I’m not exactly sure what they even means other than a passive/aggressive judgement when I’m open about my hiring. It doesn’t bother me really - but just confirms that most people think it’s wrong, even relatively liberal minded gay men. I’m of the opposite mind - I have zero shame or stigma attached to hiring providers in any context. And I don’t care who knows it. With the providers, I’ll treat them as any invited guest in my home but with a clear understanding of the transaction and what is expected. To me it’s the same as other intimate service like massage. Just because it’s sex and I’m paying for it doesn’t mean I have to craft some narrative to mentally work around it and allow myself permission to go there. I’ve literally hired hundreds of guys over the years and had some long term “relationships” yet there was never any confusion that money is what held the connection together. Of course the money isn’t always discussed - it’s more like the oxygen in the room that allows the entire transaction to happen. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

yes - this is exactly what I meant. surprisingly - very few providers make this sort of offer

try calling a provider & not paying - then see what happens it’s always about money no matter how much folks may want to obscure it with all kinds of sideways happy talk sure - it can be lovely experience and it can seem romantic, natural & bfe. you can discretely pay in an envelope or Zelle if that makes you feel better, but you’re paying for a service any way you slice it there’s no shame around any part of this - I think it’s way healthier to normalize the provider/client financial transaction without any need to make it something else or obscure it. The need to justify it in some other way means there is shame or other stigma attached by one of the participants.

well Riobard - while the tale you relate is regrettable under any circumstances, it’s entirely preventable. All banks provide numerous ways to set alerts for transactions at spending levels determined by customer & the instant function to lock the card if stolen or unauthorized charges are happening. Of course, this is dependent on the phone not being stolen too. Not being ripped off these days requires a modicum of common sense & a few reasonable preventative measures

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I often hear Grindr, Scruff & other apps referred to as “free-sex” vs the paid providers reminder - nothing is free the typical “free” hookup takes hours to coordinate & you’ll be lucky if you don’t get robbed or an sti the apps are flooded w scam artists, thieves & drug addicts all playing on loneliness & vulnerability - especially with older men as targets crimes originating on the apps are vastly underreported because the victim is embarrassed

I will be very happy when the ban is lifted at “the other site” of course, I’m assuming it wasn’t permanent he must have really pissed off the minions

aside from kissing - assume that whatever your new sex partner is doing with you, they are doing the exact same with multiple others especially anyone from the apps. it's a well known Petri dish prep, condoms, peeing right after & a thorough shower will all mitigate. not romantic, but the reality

A fool & his money are soon parted Take your money & go to S America or Europe. Better men, better service, better everything