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[Starver]

Perfect place for an Embark, in short. 

Strike the regolith!

(Wouldn't be surprised if The Boring Company is part of his Grand Plan™ in that direction, too...)

But this aint the Space Thread. Nearly posted there that they've germinated seeds in lunar samples. Without the help of Matt Damon...

[MaxTheFox]

Colonizing Mars is viable, but not really with current tech. And I'd really prefer if it was done by the state rather than megacorps.

[Starver]

Colonizing Mars is viable, but not really with current tech. And I'd really prefer if it was done by the state rather than megacorps.

Which state?

(Or states...  Reminds me of the US/Russian competition. - A modern classic, IMO, except that it's arguably not modern any more, given it probably came out before many of those reading this were born, never mind the original arcade version that I remember being in a biker café that I used to go to on occasion, between the pinballs. I feel old.)

I share your reluctance about megacorps, but something in me would prefer some (currently indefinable) third-way. Knowing also that I'd probably have a problem with any third-wat that actually evolved the ability to become a colonising power in its own right. Let's hope we just pick the least worst option...

[Quarque]

But this aint the Space Thread.

Yeah, I went off-track. Just astonishing how he fell from "philantrope using his wealth to help humanity reach the final frontier" to "billionaire using his wealth in a failed attempt to dictate moderator policy on twitter."

What even to call this? Pathetic? I'm at a loss for words.

[Starver]

Oh, I'm not one for staying on-topic (as subsequent continuations in this out-of-subject discussion shows).

Regarding Twitter and moving away from it, I'll jump us sort of back on track by saying that I've had this idea for something of my own design of social-media platform with (my idea of!) the best communication ideas from Usenet onwards, that I've experienced.

One of the features is a form of dynamic 'threading' that could do away with usual problems of topic-derailing without requiring strict moderation or otherwise preventing natural movement from idea to idea. My pet name for it is "Drift"[1], with the obvious corporate slogan being "You Get My Drift?" (and some four-note jingle, no doubt, if I can find a combination that isn't ripping off Intel/whoever).


You saw it here first! And, probably, for the only ever time.

[Frumple]

Yeah, I went off-track. Just astonishing how he fell from "philantrope using his wealth to help humanity reach the final frontier" to "billionaire using his wealth in a failed attempt to dictate moderator policy on twitter."

What even to call this? Pathetic? I'm at a loss for words.

Eh... from what I understand of musk that never really was his starting point. Guy's been something of an egotistical grifter from at least the point he had money of note, and it only really got worse as he had more resources to leverage. The philanthropy stuff is basically just PR, to the extent it substantively exists to begin with. From that angle this whole twitter thing is largely just more of the same.

[anewaname]

For what it does, Twitter is a decent platform.

Are you worried about hate speech on Twitter? You should worry more about hate speech behind closed doors.

Free speech? What is it really, beyond the right to speak and be heard without having physical force used against you?

You do not have any rights to force others to agree with you.

[Starver]

And, of course, that also leads to: https://xkcd.com/1357/

[EuchreJack]

You know, there is an argument that once an online platform starts regulating the ideas on their platform, they become responsible for the ideas promulgated on their platform, and waive their immunity.

[anewaname]

If you look at the increase in political representation that Twitter has allowed; overall that political representation has benefited the under-represented and hindered the over-represented.

This happened before certain tweeters with large followings were banned.

Twitter was a cheap place to develop political representation and bring in political support from other political groups, and it often did it in a timely manner.

I look at Twitter's bot-control as being more important than permanently banning tweeters. A controversy about a particular tweet stream brings that tweet stream into the public view and if there is enough support from other political groups, action is taken against the controversial tweet stream by those other political groups.

[EuchreJack]

I would actually have to look at Twitter to respond in any way, so no thanks.
I would be interested in actual statistics and reports, rather than vague assumptions. If you have some, that would be cool.

[Cathar]

Franckly that free speech discussion is also borderline off-topic, because it was a PR red hearing from the get-go. Sure, Musk is a "free speech absolutist" when it comes to racist propaganda. But he also will fire people rather than let his workers unionise.

Mileage may vary on the amount of regulation necessary for political discussion, but Musk is not a sincere actor on that discussion anyway.

[EuchreJack]

...I was more debating that Twitter without Musk limits speech. And I think several others have speculated that Musk would also limit free speech.
But yeah, I'm all for letting this dumpster fire of a PR stunt die.

[MaxTheFox]

Colonizing Mars is viable, but not really with current tech. And I'd really prefer if it was done by the state rather than megacorps.

Which state?

(Or states...  Reminds me of the US/Russian competition. - A modern classic, IMO, except that it's arguably not modern any more, given it probably came out before many of those reading this were born, never mind the original arcade version that I remember being in a biker café that I used to go to on occasion, between the pinballs. I feel old.)

I share your reluctance about megacorps, but something in me would prefer some (currently indefinable) third-way. Knowing also that I'd probably have a problem with any third-wat that actually evolved the ability to become a colonising power in its own right. Let's hope we just pick the least worst option...

I'd prefer if NASA was better funded (thus, space exploration by the American state), for example.

For what it does, Twitter is a decent platform.

Are you worried about hate speech on Twitter? You should worry more about hate speech behind closed doors.

Free speech? What is it really, beyond the right to speak and be heard without having physical force used against you?

You do not have any rights to force others to agree with you.

It is impossible to prevent hate speech behind closed doors. I just hate Nazis and want them to not be able to express themselves online, as a fuck you.

[Egan_BW]

It is impossible to prevent hate speech behind closed doors.

Not with that attitude.

This post suits Sundowner pretty well.