Open Thread - Thurs 26 Mar 2026 - Leave It To Norway!
Leave It To Norway!
I happened across this video the other day. It rocked! The Norwegian Consumer Consul made a video about the enshittification of everything in life by a (fictional for now, of course) professional enshitticator. I had to laugh, shake my head ruefully, wonder where we are headed, laugh some more... I’m in total awe that a Norwegian, independent, governmentally funded organization put this together. Norway! (6th happiest country in the world and the USA is umm, 23rd or something, gah)
Enjoy the video!
As I get time, I’ll be reading the full report the organization put together. It’s available, in English, here - Breaking Free: Pathways to a Fair Technological Future (it’s a pdf) . Their website has an English version, Breaking Free, since I bet most of us, myself included, don’t speak Norwegian. I should, I’ve got Norwegian ancestry, but, nope - it’s too many generations back!
Ohh, and in case you missed Cory Doctorow’s book in which he coined the phrase enshittification and discusses it in depth, here’s a link: Enshittification - Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.
Here's the open thread - in English! What's up, whatcha doing? Reading? Thinking? Listening to? Remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Hello!
Have a great Thursday, everyone! I'm having a family meeting today. Ohh boy! And then, fun outside in the garden, if it's not raining. Woot!
Let us know what's up with you! And have a great upcoming weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
A fun video
.
Happened to watch it the other day. Got a chuckle.
It is a good parody of our times.
Good luck with the fam business.
Zionism is a social disease
Yep, good video
Family business was 'ok' I guess. Heh. That's all I could hope for. Hope you've had some good stuff going on! Thanks for stopping by.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Watched the video
Depressing, as it seems to be the business model for so many companies. The only way to change it seems to be stop buying their shit, because it all turns to shit. I remember part of the novel "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" focused on what constitutes quality. That in comparing a dozen similar things a few will stand out as being better, even if they function the same. I don't think that's a thing much anymore. I could be wrong, but they don't even sell cars by pointing out the unique and better features their product have. Just how loud music, gizmos and zooming around featuring cool situations make their car better.
I think it is the business model
which is in control right now. It is depressing. Wish I knew how to help change it. Buy nothing, I guess.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Speaking of screwing things up
.
'EPA approves sale of a higher ethanol fuel (E-15).'
Supposedly to "lower prices" although mixing additives
raises the cost to produce. Since this is a caustic compound,
it will wreak havoc on engines and fuel systems. Another
short sighted political move for economic reasons. But the
corn growing syndicates are happy.
Thanks for the OT!
Zionism is a social disease
More on enshittification
https://open.substack.com/pub/corbettreport/p/top-10-tips-for-de-enshitt...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good video!
Thank you!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Army raises enlistment age to 42
Krystal goes expletive deleted on this story. Is a draft on the horizon?
Thanks for the OT Sima! I heard Corbett on this topic some time ago. I agree with his perspective, but think utility curves show that the more burdensome a particular activity is, the less time people will spend on it.
I've been listening to a lot of RE people bs about that market on the youtubes. I think the analog might be that the older one is, the less likely they are to move their permanent residence. The assumption usually is, that this is strictly a cost/utility curve.
I think enshitify plays a role, because one discovers that the new matrix of the new community makes a great effort to force you into digital hell. Get the app, do it online blah, blah, blah. As you do so, services gets worse, costs still increase, your time is absorbed by doing their administrative work, and communications with utilities, health care, banking and other businesses become more difficult, and devolve into various snafus and totally unnecessary misunderstandings. The digital AI matrix, doesn't follow what the employees did. The employees don't know how their own software works, etc., etc. It's a nightmare. The quality of life goes to hell in a handbasket.
己所不欲，勿施于人。
Your assessment about the...
new matrix in the new community, if one moves, is spot on. And the new way everything 'works' or doesn't. Everything wants me to use an app and I won't. I just won't. It sure limits things now, like calling in when the power is out, or whatever. The irony, to me, of using my cell phone to find out what has happened to my land phone line... Sheez.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Oh Wow! Your time will be well spent by watching this short
4 minute interview video with Professor Marandi as he takes no prisoners.
Oh, SNAP!
Mirandi dressed that propagandist down!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
WOW. Marandi is even more clear-headed than I thought.
He is very powerful, in that regard.
There are many things that can be learned from this exchange.
Generally, In diplomacy, many arrangements were made privately. And then the reps would come out and explain what they had accomplished in their private talks. But this privacy weakens the protection of these agreements for the generations that inherit the agreement. So, for example, when the dishonorable and corrupted Western nations (Europe and the US) expand their military threat right up to Russia's actual border — which violates the intention of the agreement — the agreement turns to vapor. Thus, a new generation is subjected to death and destruction — based on psychotic hearsay of elders ruined by greed. Countries like the US — which has no history that a sane person could possibly be proud of — will readily violate the agreements and the promises made by their past leaders. The US is a country without honor. The violent greed of the US has turned the nation into a predator — feeding on the lives of foreigners and their own countries and possessions.
This situation will not stop any time soon. But it will eventually run down, and it may destroy the planet.
The failure of homo Sapiens to develop a collective consciousness (due to the degrading worship of man-made religions that turn morals to conditional mush) — indicate that our species is not a cosmically sentient species. We are simply dangerous animals with too much power and not enough wisdom. Fighting wars — which is a measurement of collective stupidity and planet destroying instincts — tells us that no matter how much we love and how much we want to survive, we are an evolutionary failure. Our existence might serve as a warning to other evolving species in the universe. We did not evolve into what we need to be at this critical point in time.
I do believe that this planet hosts civilizations that can evolve beyond this dead end. But I have no confidence that they will survive the dark evil that now seems to surround this planet.
@humphrey I hope Prof. Marandi is
I hope Prof. Marandi is able to continue speaking courageously after Crowdfunding put a $1 million bounty on his capture. https://open.substack.com/pub/ggtvstreams/p/bounty-on-iranian-professor-...
The complaint about dealing with digital interfaces resonates. A few months ago I leased an apt. from a place that uses Bilt, which someone on this site complained about a few weeks ago. I also dislike their system for reasons stated above. When their employee told me I could go home and do something on my computer, I said I don’t have one. He looked at me like I was crazy. I should catch up w/the times I suppose. I personally did my bit to sabotage Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts. He got the U.S. Office of Personnel Mgt.’s Retirement system to mandate everything happen online. So this year they did not mail 1099R’s; we were to go online to access them. I was having no success with this for some reason (incompatible with my phone?). So in January I called OPM to request they mail it. I got up at 5:00am to call the East Coast, was on hold for an hour. She said I’d get it within 2 or 3 weeks. Five weeks went by, nothing in sight. I got up early again, this time a recording saying they were too busy to answer my call; didn’t even suggest trying later. I contacted my Congressperson’s office. They told me to go online and fill out a form. When I didn’t hear from them in time promised, called again. She said my case would be referred to a handler. I waited long past the time the handler was to contact me. Got up early again to call OPM and got same message that they were too busy etc. So I hung up and called again, about a dozen times. Finally got a recording saying I’d be waiting more than 10 minutes. An hour on hold, a lady promised I’d get my 1099R in 5 to 10 business days. Sure enough, I did. Then a few days later got another copy. A week or two later a letter from Congressperson saying I’d be getting my 1099R shortly and indeed I did. Then, for good measure, a fourth copy arrived after that. I began to wonder if I should call and ask them to stop sending copies. If there were many more like me, Musk’s idea did not save the government’s mailing costs.
Anya
Your story about the 1099r
sounds familiar to a few things that have happened to me. I will use the computer, but my Mom won't and so I have to do all this stuff for her. I don't mind, but it's really, really annoying to have to work out how to pay for my Dad's hospice care (as he was dying with dementia) when my Mother can't do so by computer. I did it, she paid me back but sheez... they should just send a damn bill in the mail! But nope, that's too old fashioned!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Dang!
That was GOOD. Thank you, thank you!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Posting without comment. LOL
Also too
The rest of the tweet:
That image!
I think I threw up a bit... gads! But the image is true!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so