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pluralistic, to random
@pluralistic@mamot.fr avatar

As a science fiction writer, I find it weird that some sf tropes - like space colonization - have become culture-war touchstones. You know, that whole "we were promised jetpacks" thing.

--

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/17/fake-it-until-you-dont-make-it/#twenty-one-seconds

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frustrated_phagocytosis,

@pluralistic Space colonies as fantasized only work with lots of lots of space slaves. Because the people who would be willing to do a the dirty work--poorly regulated construction, sanitation, upkeep--could never afford to fly to space commercially but could be conned into a cheap/free trip by moneyed sociopaths. Once they arrive, there's no way for them to afford a trip back if it turns out to be a libertarian hellhole colony, so no matter what compensation is given, they are trapped at the colony until they die, which is another whole issue given that most moneyed space colonists probably think dealing with dead bodies is icky and would almost certainly treat none with respect or proper burial. Plus, there's probably not much recourse for a sick or injured colony worker who no longer meets their expected work output, and they're just going to waste precious oxygen, so expect lots of euthanasia too. Then there's the ethics of raising children who would become multi-generational slaves, with no official state protection of their rights and no escape from drudgery. Expect lots of space rape too, but that's not necessarily any different from places on Earth.

textfiles, to random
@textfiles@mastodon.archive.org avatar

A pair of really sweet uploads in the last bit of time: Two Pacific Bell specialized home phone catalogs, encouraging you to break out of the standard telephones (that they offered) into a plastic insane world of pure 1980s kitsch.

https://archive.org/details/pnb-the-famous-phones-in-your-life
https://archive.org/details/pnb-famous-phones-for-pacific-northwest-interiors

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frustrated_phagocytosis,

@textfiles
Oh wow i bought one of the type on page 13 at a garage sale for $5 in 1997ish

GottaLaff, to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via -Harris HQ:

Partner of ’s Project 2025 calls for abolishing the 22nd Amendment, allowing Trump to be in office forever

The American Conservative headline: "Trump 2028" with the byline: "The Twenty-second Amendment is an arbitrary restraint on presidents who serve nonconsecutive terms-and on democracy itself."

frustrated_phagocytosis,

@Nona1 Yesss, I secretly wanted him to go on the Supreme Court and torture conservatives until he died but your idea is better

@GottaLaff

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