Dystopia Now, Socialism Soon? The Future that no one asked for
https://prospect.org/environment/2024-08-09-dystopia-now-socialism-soon/
FRANCESCA FIORENTINI:
There couldn’t be a more perfect example of how much The Future sucks than the Tesla Cybertruck, which is as hideous as it is dysfunctional. The Cybertruck has the vibe of an apocalypse getaway car that says to the world, “I don’t need to move a sofa or do manual labor, I need to poke my way through the poors when the masses eventually rise up.” Only Tesla’s rush job has meant it keeps getting recalled for a stuck accelerator pedal, defective windshield wipers, and exterior trim that can fly off into traffic. And in a way too on-the-nose flaw, the Cybertruck’s front trunk, with its sharp adjoining body panels and no obstruction detection, is being called a “finger guillotine,” which will soon become a useful feature when that uprising of displaced workers pops off.
https://prospect.org/environment/2024-08-09-dystopia-now-socialism-soon/
FRANCESCA FIORENTINI:
There couldn’t be a more perfect example of how much The Future sucks than the Tesla Cybertruck, which is as hideous as it is dysfunctional. The Cybertruck has the vibe of an apocalypse getaway car that says to the world, “I don’t need to move a sofa or do manual labor, I need to poke my way through the poors when the masses eventually rise up.” Only Tesla’s rush job has meant it keeps getting recalled for a stuck accelerator pedal, defective windshield wipers, and exterior trim that can fly off into traffic. And in a way too on-the-nose flaw, the Cybertruck’s front trunk, with its sharp adjoining body panels and no obstruction detection, is being called a “finger guillotine,” which will soon become a useful feature when that uprising of displaced workers pops off.
The Junkification of American Life
David Brooks:
Big companies don’t care. They have become sensational at arousing and manipulating our cravings. Their goal is to keep us consuming. By offering constant temptation, they appeal straight to our dopamine circuits and threaten to circumvent our capacity for self-control. In their book “The Molecule of More,” Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long write, “The sensation of wanting is not a choice you make. It is a reaction to the things you encounter.” The cookie, cat video or margarita is right there in front of you, whispering, “Consume me!” You can’t resist.
Modern life makes us vulnerable to these seducers. People live overwhelmed lives, exhausted, anxious. Willpower is drained. Big Gulps and trashy TV at least provide a break. But afterward, there come the recriminations: Why did I do that? So millions turn to therapists, dietitians, trainers, 12-step programs, lifestyle experts and authors of books on habit formation in order to regain control over their desires.