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ForumsDiscussion Forum → Inauguration Day, Inauguration Hooooooraaay!
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Inauguration Day, Inauguration Hooooooraaay!
2018-06-27, 8:07 AM #9681
Basically the racist, anti-immigration, anti-offshoring, anti-import stuff that Trump's gotten up to, is a vote for the government becoming a labor union.... without understanding that their agenda is the substantive part of what a union does.

Originally posted by Reid:
Also, if you follow the_donald, I know it's hard because.. ew.., but you should if you want to know how Trumpists think. They have a "Violent Left" tag, which exists to help assist in conjuring up the myth that there's a preponderance of violence coming from the left.

I searched "bank" to see what their takes would be on various banking issues, and I'm coming up empty on anything of substance.. I don't think the typical Trump supporter follows such things.


r/the_donald is mostly Russians and other foreign well-wishers, so I personally wouldn't put much stock in what's posted there representing the views of Americans who voted for Trump.
2018-06-27, 8:09 AM #9682
Oh, here we go, Equifax breach, guess who the_donald blames:

https://old.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/708utz/they_never_learn_turns_out_the_143_million/

This is pretty much typical. Instead of being like, "hmm, maybe America's obsession with collecting data, and using computer systems, and with the bottom line stripping any decent IT, whole entities like Equifax are a problem, oh, and America's SS situation is dumb" they go "lol what do you expect when you put women in power".

This is literally everything you need to know about Trumpism. This is its defining feature.
2018-06-27, 8:12 AM #9683
Originally posted by Jon`C:
Basically the racist, anti-immigration, anti-offshoring, anti-import stuff that Trump's gotten up to, is a vote for the government becoming a labor union.... without understanding that their agenda is the substantive part of what a union does.


Huh, people who have been propagandized to think unions are bad pressuring the system in way that a union would have been able to help with. Makes sense, kind of.

Originally posted by Jon`C:
r/the_donald is mostly Russians and other foreign well-wishers, so I personally wouldn't put much stock in what's posted there representing the views of Americans who voted for Trump.


IDK, I know there's a large presence there but, do we really think Americans are not still a majority of users there?
2018-06-27, 8:15 AM #9684
https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/To-Protect-Workers-World-Bank-Calls-for-Eliminating-Minimum-Wage-Giving-Employers-More-Power-20180422-0017.html

When I search /r/socialism for bank, the first thing is a kind of outrage at the world bank suggesting eliminating minimum wage is going to be better for workers. Maybe not the most bulletproof analysis, but.. at least it's analysis.
2018-06-27, 8:21 AM #9685


This person, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was an organizer for the Sanders campaign, just unseated high ranking Democrat Joe Crowley, by, you know, promoting policy that's actually popular.
2018-06-27, 8:31 AM #9686
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1011795883925663744

Meanwhile, I'm genuinely ****ing laughing at our president. Dumb as a rock.
2018-06-27, 9:23 AM #9687
Deep pocketed establishment Democrat primaried by a DSA endorsed candidate definitely isn’t a backlash against Trumpist national looting, no sir-ee.
2018-06-27, 11:20 AM #9688
Originally posted by Jon`C:
Deep pocketed establishment Democrat primaried by a DSA endorsed candidate definitely isn’t a backlash against Trumpist national looting, no sir-ee.


I don't doubt that's part of it. I think another part of it is that Trump and Sanders also inspired people to run as anti-establishment candidates.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 11:38 AM #9689
Originally posted by Jon`C:
That's how the economic problems of the in-group petite bourgeoisie transform into rants about non-issues like demographic change, violent crime on a downtrend, and big government that somehow keeps getting bigger every time you vote against it.


I do think some people do actually care about some of these national issues. Things like: demographic change, the potential displacement of English as the only official language of the country, a sense of diminishing national identity. I think these things are dislocating on their own. I'm sure the perception of the United States' national decline also frames a lot of the economic degradation that people see with their own eyes. Patriotism can be an elevating factor for people: Americans have had a lot to be proud of in recent decades, and national identities allow people to be elevated by and take pride in achievements that aren't their own personally, but are part of their national community. I'm sure the undeniable fact of the diminishment of American prestige is difficult for some to square with their pride. I suppose I've thought for a while Make America Great Again, as a slogan, doesn't only have a racialized meaning. I think there's a more charitable way of understanding it.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 11:48 AM #9690
Originally posted by Reid:
]Recently I started rewatching Breaking Bad. It's an interesting show to watch post Trump. The main subtext of the show is: a disenfranchised white man, angry that he failed in American business culture, decides to use his vastly superior manufacturing skills to systemically dominate Mexican production in a region of the United States. Now I don't think the show is particularly pro-Trump in it's views, but the zeitgeist captured there foretells the Trump phenomenon in a way.


I want to go back to that show. I'm sure part of it is that the show was made in the wake of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. I think that's how the show intends to frame Walter White's story, and present it as one instance of a broader, shared American experience. We're still living with that.

There are also the character. The show's about an emasculated man driven by grievance, an inferiority complex, a sense that he hadn't gotten what he deserved, a sense that his professional life didn't turn out as it should have, that his lived situation doesn't match his self-image; he hates himself for it, and he learns to direct his self-hatred outwardly against others, and becomes ruthless, and he keeps pushing for more, without any scruples and no matter who he hurts or whose life he destroys, and it's never, ever enough... seems pretty Trumpy. But another way to think of it is that it is the promise of the American dream, frustrated by a ****ty economy and bad luck.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 12:02 PM #9691
I always thought that it was culturally libertarian. Right? The show does, unfortunately, kind of glamorize meth. I think it celebrates the freedom of individuals to ruin their own lives.

I'm curious how that show holds up.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 12:45 PM #9692
I haven't seen the show, but what does being white have to do with having vastly superior manufacturing skills, except insofar as class and race seem correlate in America today? From what Eversor wrote, it doesn't sound white supremacist / pro-Trump at all.
2018-06-27, 2:07 PM #9693
Originally posted by Reverend Jones:
it doesn't sound white supremacist / pro-Trump at all.


I said quite the opposite of that.
2018-06-27, 2:12 PM #9694
But you still think that Trump support is a reaction to the conditions created in the recession.

Incidentally, where in history have I heard that before??
2018-06-27, 2:27 PM #9695
Oh wow, Justice Kennedy is retiring. wtf this is terrible
2018-06-27, 2:35 PM #9696
Originally posted by Eversor:
There are also the character. The show's about an emasculated man driven by grievance, an inferiority complex, a sense that he hadn't gotten what he deserved, a sense that his professional life didn't turn out as it should have, that his lived situation doesn't match his self-image; he hates himself for it, and he learns to direct his self-hatred outwardly against others, and becomes ruthless, and he keeps pushing for more, without any scruples and no matter who he hurts or whose life he destroys, and it's never, ever enough... seems pretty Trumpy. But another way to think of it is that it is the promise of the American dream, frustrated by a ****ty economy and bad luck.

Yeah, it starts out as basically a revenge fantasy. Later on it becomes "power corrupts" typical anti-hero stuff. I wouldn't say the primary plot is Trumpy, just the subtext of the plot can be read that way.

Originally posted by Reverend Jones:
But you still think that Trump support is a reaction to the conditions created in the recession.

Incidentally, where in history have I heard that before??


In part, yeah. Some of the stuff has been brewing for longer but the recession is a catalyst.

Originally posted by Reverend Jones:
Oh wow, Justice Kennedy is retiring. wtf this is terrible


Ah, the Koch brothers' wet dream. This presidential cycle is like a perfect storm of events to destroy America's world standing.
2018-06-27, 2:46 PM #9697
Originally posted by Reverend Jones:
I haven't seen the show, but what does being white have to do with having vastly superior manufacturing skills, except insofar as class and race seem correlate in America today? From what Eversor wrote, it doesn't sound white supremacist / pro-Trump at all.


Although there are some literal white supremacists, so look forward to that.

It's a classic show. Totally worth watching.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 2:50 PM #9698
Joe Arpaio will make a great Supreme Court Justice.
2018-06-27, 2:51 PM #9699
Originally posted by Reid:
Yeah, it starts out as basically a revenge fantasy. Later on it becomes "power corrupts" typical anti-hero stuff. I wouldn't say the primary plot is Trumpy, just the subtext of the plot can be read that way.


Yeah, I think Walter White's story is supposed to depict a shared American experience of dashed hopes and unrealized dreams. It also has that whole libertarian, self-made man, heroic individual, mastery over his own life, fantasy thing going on.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 2:55 PM #9700
Originally posted by Eversor:
Yeah, I think Walter White's story is supposed to depict a shared American experience of dashed hopes and unrealized dreams. It also has that whole libertarian, self-made man, heroic individual, mastery over his own life, fantasy thing going on.


Yeah, it definitely does have that libertarian wet dream behind it. Barf.
2018-06-27, 2:57 PM #9701
https://www.dailyprogress.com/racialstrife/unite_the_right/fields-facing-federal-charges-in-death-of-heather-heyer/article_66d993a0-7a27-11e8-bc35-d3ef980792b8.html

"But he just panicked!" - every stupid-ass Republican I knew. Everyone at the time on the floor believed it was murder, yet the internet told us we were wrong. And yet, they're throwing the book at him. Hm.
2018-06-27, 2:58 PM #9702
Originally posted by Eversor:
Although there are some literal white supremacists, so look forward to that.

It's a classic show. Totally worth watching.


Proof libertarians would prefer working with Nazis over the left.

JK, but only sort of.
2018-06-27, 3:00 PM #9703
I love the smell of barf and wet dreams in the morning.
2018-06-27, 3:01 PM #9704
also cat piss
2018-06-27, 3:02 PM #9705
when Steve Bannon's ex tried to sell her Florida house, she was forced to cook meth in order to cover up the smell of cat piss
2018-06-27, 3:03 PM #9706
Originally posted by Reid:
Proof libertarians would prefer working with Nazis over the left.

JK, but only sort of.


maybe there are some members of the Weather Underground Walter White could've called on to help him in that prison
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 3:06 PM #9707
Man some of these reactions on Twitter about justice Kennedy retiring are so juvenile.

Why is our side so bad at letting ourselves be owned. Like, why go on Twitter and cry about this and complain about Republican hypocrisy, when that's literally what conservatives are most excited about?
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 3:07 PM #9708
libtards are cucks. of course we want to be owned.
2018-06-27, 3:09 PM #9709
we're owned :(
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 3:24 PM #9710
Originally posted by Eversor:
Man some of these reactions on Twitter about justice Kennedy retiring are so juvenile.

Why is our side so bad at letting ourselves be owned. Like, why go on Twitter and cry about this and complain about Republican hypocrisy, when that's literally what conservatives are most excited about?


Because you aren’t ruthless.
2018-06-27, 3:27 PM #9711
Originally posted by Jon`C:
Because you aren’t ruthless.


That's the side effect of having morals :/
2018-06-27, 3:31 PM #9712
Originally posted by Reid:
Joe Arpaio will make a great Supreme Court Justice.


Specifics aside, a Supreme Court that rules capriciously and inconsistently with case law in order to advance the narrow interests of a hereditary elite is nearly (edit: ?) the worst thing that can possibly happen under the American political system. The US Supreme Court can nullify or reinterpret laws in a fairly spectacular manner, and if they aren’t even above maintaining consistency with prior decisions (as even the current Supreme Court has shown) then all bets are off.

What’s the path forward here? Civil war? It’s not like you can vote your way out of the problem, the Supreme Court just made voter disenfranchisement legal too.
2018-06-27, 3:35 PM #9713
Originally posted by Eversor:
we're owned :(


this is a Star Wars website, get your cliches in order!

[http://i.imgur.com/VVtcDm5.jpg]
2018-06-27, 3:39 PM #9714
Originally posted by Jon`C:
Specifics aside, a Supreme Court that rules capriciously and inconsistently with case law in order to advance the narrow interests of a hereditary elite is nearly (edit: ?) the worst thing that can possibly happen under the American political system. The US Supreme Court can nullify or reinterpret laws in a fairly spectacular manner, and if they aren’t even above maintaining consistency with prior decisions (as even the current Supreme Court has shown) then all bets are off.

What’s the path forward here? Civil war? It’s not like you can vote your way out of the problem, the Supreme Court just made voter disenfranchisement legal too.


I don't think anything revolutionary is going to happen so long as technology continues to provide the populace with such an abundance of essential needs (and entertainment, to boot).

Maybe the tipping point at which inequality really does outpace advances in production to the point of precipitating a social crisis will come as the result of climate change, rather than capitalism (directly).
2018-06-27, 3:41 PM #9715
Although things could escalate for other reasons, like if a country singer assassinates Obama and black people retaliate by systematically killing cops, and then Trump declares martial law.
2018-06-27, 3:50 PM #9716
Originally posted by Eversor:
Although there are some literal white supremacists, so look forward to that.

It's a classic show. Totally worth watching.


Also, yeah, it's a pretty good show, interesting to see what held up. Walter's relationship to Skylar held up. In fact, most of the relationships do. Much of the action felt super corny to me second time. There's also a scene where Walt and Walt Jr. rev their cars while dubstep plays, and it's bar none of the cringiests thing I've seen in television:



It's viscerally hard for me to watch that ****, lol. Many of scenes which are shot in an "oooh snap!" sort of way fall flat too.

Frankly, the best parts of the show are where they ripped of The Sopranos and The Wire don't @ me.

Originally posted by Jon`C:
Specifics aside, a Supreme Court that rules capriciously and inconsistently with case law in order to advance the narrow interests of a hereditary elite is nearly (edit: ?) the worst thing that can possibly happen under the American political system. The US Supreme Court can nullify or reinterpret laws in a fairly spectacular manner, and if they aren’t even above maintaining consistency with prior decisions (as even the current Supreme Court has shown) then all bets are off.

What’s the path forward here? Civil war? It’s not like you can vote your way out of the problem, the Supreme Court just made voter disenfranchisement legal too.


Basically, yeah. We're hitting a critical mass of events, and, I expect things to get way ****tier for poor people really quickly here in the next 10-20 years. Corporations are going to feel much more emboldened to step up their anti-labor activities and will likely face 0 consequences, and, well, yeah, Republicans are going to try and suppress voters in new and inventive ways. We're basically done as far as civil politics are concerned long term. I doubt we'll ever have as amazing a political movement as the 1930's again.
2018-06-27, 3:54 PM #9717
I haven't seen the Wire yet because I know that I can only eat manna from heaven from the first time once and I want it to be perfect when I do.
former entrepreneur
2018-06-27, 3:57 PM #9718
On the other hand, you may actually be in heaven by the time you see it if you wait too long.
2018-06-27, 3:58 PM #9719
...and I hate to break it to you, but that might not happen either, because heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
2018-06-27, 4:01 PM #9720
That scene with the cars was corny the first time I saw it too.

I'm surprised the Skyler relationship holds up. I remember her being a two-dimensional naggy wife.
former entrepreneur
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