- The Social Dilemma film from Thought Maybe. My critical review of the 1 hour and 33 minute film follows:
The film, Social Dilemma, a production by Netflix corporation, begins with an opening quote by Sophocles "Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse." and ends with the statement "Let's have a conversation about fixing it.". Nothing in between in the more than 133 minutes of the film addresses the fundamental and critical problem that needs to be "fixed" (or replaced)--capitalism. Various technology experts in the film casually mention that the present technology of social media serves to persuade people to buy products, for ulterior political aims, and to manipulate people to create more profits for the giant technology corporations. But that's it. They obviously cannot connect these effects to the system of capitalism.
Throughout the film we follow the life of a social media addict and his behaviors that are affected by this addiction. But, mostly he does like most addicts do: succumb to his addiction by being distant from his family, inattention at school, and poor self-esteem. The film provides disturbing information that social media corporations like Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. are causing, and the many adverse effects on mostly young people: increasing suicide rates among young users, poor performance at school, deleterious effects on family cohesion, etc.
The message is clear for the audience of the film: technology is the problem and those who have created it need to fix it. These technologists recommend a few specific fixes such as greater regulation of social media corporations, parents limiting the time allowed for young people to use social media, etc., but nothing related to the underlying system of capitalism.
To be sure, not only social media has caused serious problems, but the whole internet technology as directed by capitalist bosses has caused serious problems. What these technologist-speakers fail to uncover is the man-made system of capitalism that has brought this "curse" to societies, instead the film focuses on the devastating effects of social media on mostly young people, and methods to "fix" them so that they can reduce the harmful effects.
These technologists-speakers are the perfect product of the ruling capitalist class whose control of every institution--education, media, entertainment, etc.--has ensured that they remain oblivious to the underlying system of capitalism that controls the use of social media to promote an increase profits of capitalists and their control of society.
Back in the 1980s technologists were initially fascinated with its promise to enrich people's lives by making access to information more convenient, connecting people instantly to friends and loved ones separated by hundreds of miles, and managing their daily affairs so conveniently. They initially saw this technology as simply "so cool" to be involved with. In the early years, they accomplished much and the future looked promising.
However, the ruling capitalist class began to see that this technology could be harnessed to reap greater profits, provide greater surveillance on potential troublemakers, and enable 24/7 propaganda to ensure that their subjects receive the “right” information about what was happening in the world. They slowly, but deliberately, set about to develop this technology to serve these interests, and Silicon Valley took off. Now that they have introduced artificial intelligence (AI) to radically increase the harmful effects on young people, the effects of social media look frightening.
Meanwhile, as social media technology developed, the ruling class continued the ongoing indoctrination of capitalist values and discouraged the belief that any other system was even possible. Thus, these former young innovative technologists, like all Americans, remained naively committed to capitalism as they got older. The indoctrination encouraged the belief that no other system was even possible. This film produced by Netflix corporation serves to ensure that these technology "fixers" and the general audience remain in ignorance.
- The Plan to Silence Doctors Once and For All from Bitchute. (Note: This 4:43m video features Spiro Skouras talking about plan.)
- The Sudden Reversal on Facial Masks: Mandated Public Masking in Wisconsin, USA by Prof. Bill Willers from Global Research (based in Canada).
- From Paul Wolfowitz (2005-2007) to David Malpass (2019): the US President’s men control the World Bank by Eric Toussaint from CADTM (Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt).
- America’s “Good” Wars by Alan Johnstone from Dissident Voice. (Although he uses little documentation to back up his history of WWII, he clearly knows his history. I have read widely about WWII and can verify his history of the war. This history is largely unknown to Americans because they have been so subject to the Empire's propaganda about this war, and all the other wars since.)
