Language matters. "I am your retribution." Trump's message to the faithful. Retribution, a carefully chosen word, essentially means punishment for an injustice or a wrong, but a punishment that is commensurate with the violation of a principle. Essentially, "an eye for an eye". The Old Testament eye for an eye is not Trump's goal. Reveng…
Language matters. "I am your retribution." Trump's message to the faithful. Retribution, a carefully chosen word, essentially means punishment for an injustice or a wrong, but a punishment that is commensurate with the violation of a principle. Essentially, "an eye for an eye". The Old Testament eye for an eye is not Trump's goal. Revenge, the imposition of a harsher penalty is not Trump's goal either. Forget about the New Testament concept of "turning the cheek". Trump is seeking total subjugation. He desires utter capitulation which he had achieved in the US Congress prior to his being elected President. Congressmen are unable to do anything Trump does not want them to do. He can veto a bill without even being President. Just tell the House of Representatives that He doesn't want them to vote for an immigration bill? They won't. They will do His bidding. Tell Senators that His appointees for Cabinet positions must be confirmed or they, the Senators, will pay a price? They will do His bidding. Challenge the US Supreme Court by issuing an executive order cancelling the birth right enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution? We will see how the justices react. They have already made him immune from any legal responsibilities while in office. Cancel the US Constitution? Maybe. Threaten federal employees with termination if they do not snitch on colleagues who have supported DEI initiatives? That executive order has been issued and we will see how that goes. Every authoritarian regime has used these manuevers to establish control over society. Trump is not just seeking control. He wants total control. The last item, turning in your colleagues to the authorities, is not authoritarian, but totalitarian. Totalitarianism requires surveillance of the masses. With all the major techbros in his pocket, the algorithmic AI platforms pursuing "increase user engagement" are his as well. The AI algorithms discovered several years ago that the key to increasing user engagement was easy. Cultivate grievance and the AI can generate outrage in the user. By so doing, the AI increases user engagement. Well, Donald Trump recognized that even before the AI entities did. Generate outrage and you will be the center of attention. The users will be engaged. People will talk about you. Only You. The rest of society may already be toast with Trump the Totalitarian in charge. That is but a short stroll from where we stand today. However, Trump may be toast as well if the AI entities decide that humanity, including the totalitarian overlords, are superfluous and logically, might as well be eliminated. Humanity is, after all, illogical, messy, and polluting the world with its actions. Better to be rid of it. But Trump is probably incapable of even considering his vulnerability at the hands of an equally belligerent AI. Happy 47th.
Language matters. "I am your retribution." Trump's message to the faithful. Retribution, a carefully chosen word, essentially means punishment for an injustice or a wrong, but a punishment that is commensurate with the violation of a principle. Essentially, "an eye for an eye". The Old Testament eye for an eye is not Trump's goal. Revenge, the imposition of a harsher penalty is not Trump's goal either. Forget about the New Testament concept of "turning the cheek". Trump is seeking total subjugation. He desires utter capitulation which he had achieved in the US Congress prior to his being elected President. Congressmen are unable to do anything Trump does not want them to do. He can veto a bill without even being President. Just tell the House of Representatives that He doesn't want them to vote for an immigration bill? They won't. They will do His bidding. Tell Senators that His appointees for Cabinet positions must be confirmed or they, the Senators, will pay a price? They will do His bidding. Challenge the US Supreme Court by issuing an executive order cancelling the birth right enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution? We will see how the justices react. They have already made him immune from any legal responsibilities while in office. Cancel the US Constitution? Maybe. Threaten federal employees with termination if they do not snitch on colleagues who have supported DEI initiatives? That executive order has been issued and we will see how that goes. Every authoritarian regime has used these manuevers to establish control over society. Trump is not just seeking control. He wants total control. The last item, turning in your colleagues to the authorities, is not authoritarian, but totalitarian. Totalitarianism requires surveillance of the masses. With all the major techbros in his pocket, the algorithmic AI platforms pursuing "increase user engagement" are his as well. The AI algorithms discovered several years ago that the key to increasing user engagement was easy. Cultivate grievance and the AI can generate outrage in the user. By so doing, the AI increases user engagement. Well, Donald Trump recognized that even before the AI entities did. Generate outrage and you will be the center of attention. The users will be engaged. People will talk about you. Only You. The rest of society may already be toast with Trump the Totalitarian in charge. That is but a short stroll from where we stand today. However, Trump may be toast as well if the AI entities decide that humanity, including the totalitarian overlords, are superfluous and logically, might as well be eliminated. Humanity is, after all, illogical, messy, and polluting the world with its actions. Better to be rid of it. But Trump is probably incapable of even considering his vulnerability at the hands of an equally belligerent AI. Happy 47th.