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“And the only way to reboot history is to figure out new beings to be. Because that’s ultimately what beefing is about: a way to avoid being, without allowing time itself to end.” on forgetting the internet culture war by remembering purpose:
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I guess you’d feel those were bigger deals if you’re close to the people harmed. I know that stuff happens but I’m comparing to worse alternatives. What do you think of the theory that entertainment absorbs energy that might be otherwise used for war or civil unrest?
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That’s a first-order comparison. Football’s damage is kinda limited to say a few athlete brain injuries. CW damage is *designed* to find pathways to policy influence that ultimately lead to wars, police states, re-education camps etc, beyond basic PTSD of participation.
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The CW has *already* metastasized into all those things you seem to agree are bad. Around the world. It shares features with entertainment, but unlike video games or TV, both direct and metastasized damage NPV is not speculative.
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It’s the most visible but not the most impactful. The most significant pathway is veterans/graduates of CW actually landing positions of policy making influence as the next steps in their careers (in politicians’ staffs, media orgs, as advisors to moneyed interests etc).
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Well, I use that frame because I have to be a bit skeptical about how typical a person’s anecdotes are, esp. if they are private. I know that’s not something you can do anything about, it’s just an unfortunate side effect.