UKMT April 2020 - The Betacoronavirus and the Virgin Atlantic

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT April 2020 - The Betacoronavirus and the Virgin Atlantic

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Coohoolin: Aug 5, 2012; Oor Coohoolie.

Comrade Fakename posted:

Well, first, lol that you’re actually a full member of the SNP, that’s just embarrassing. But it’s not like we’re doing background checks on slack members. As I said, you don’t have to be a member of Momentum or Labour. And nationality doesn’t matter. Though I would definitely keep your questionable voting choices to yourself.

https://volunteer.peoplesmomentum.com/

I can't vote (hence the nationality issue), and I can't really help campaign in my Tory/SNP marginal without being a member, so.

And tbh just lol at anyone with a labour membership having a go at someone being in the SNP. At least my membership dues are being used to actually win seats from the Tories.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:03

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# ? May 25, 2024 20:21

AceClown: Sep 11, 2005

baka kaba posted:

but also boo who called it that

it's a female orange tip

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:05

Jaeluni Asjil: Apr 18, 2018; Sorry I thought you were a landlord when I gave you your old avatar!

Private Speech posted:

Bit late but:

sidenote: FT is being extra cunty about copying even short segments of their articles, which I thought was perfectly legal as long as it's quoted?

It's been in their terms and conditions for ages now - at least a couple of years.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:05

Private Speech: Mar 30, 2011; I HAVE EVEN MORE WORTHLESS BEANIE BABIES IN MY COLLECTION THAN I HAVE WORTHLESS POSTS IN THE BEANIE BABY THREAD YET I STILL HAVE THE TEMERITY TO CRITICIZE OTHERS' COLLECTIONS

IF YOU SEE ME TALKING ABOUT BEANIE BABIES, PLEASE TELL ME TO

EAT. SHIT.

Jaeluni Asjil posted:

It's been in their terms and conditions for ages now - at least a couple of years.

That might be the case, but is it actually enforceable? I honestly have no idea.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:10

Nonsense: Jan 26, 2007

Private Speech posted:

Bit late but:

US oil price below zero for first time in history

Now's a good time to buy oil.

sidenote: FT is being extra cunty about copying even short segments of their articles, which I thought was perfectly legal as long as it's quoted?

Do whatever you want on the internet. It�s the internet.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:12

Helith: Nov 5, 2009; Basket of Adorables

Firos posted:

Virgin has gone into voluntary administration. gently caress Branson. Hopefully all the workers get decent severance packages out of all of this.

Here's an article from the ABC about Virgin Australia if anyone is interested

ABC News posted:

Virgin Australia has entered voluntary administration, leaving the jobs of at least 15,000 airline workers and connected supply chain workers under a cloud.

Key points:
Virgin Australia is now being run by Deloitte administrators, who will work with the company on paying off its debts
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson has vowed that the airline will be "back up and running" soon
Airline industry experts say the administrators will now have to make tough decisions, including reducing airplanes and staff
In a statement to the ASX, the airline said the move would help "recapitalise the business" and ensure it emerged "in a stronger financial position on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis".

The board of directors has appointed Deloitte's Vaughan Strawbridge, John Greig, Sal Algeri and Richard Hughes as voluntary administrators of the company and a number of its subsidiaries.

Velocity Frequent Flyer, while owned by the Group, is a separate company and is not in administration.

The airline will continue to operate its scheduled international and domestic flights.

Australia's troubled second airline, which saw its cash flow collapse because of tough coronavirus travel restrictions, is saddled with around $5 billion debt.

It has already stood down 80 per cent of its direct workforce and announced 1,000 redundancies in the past few weeks.

The airline called in the administrators after the Federal Government refused to step in with a $1.4 billion loan, despite repeated pleas from company management.

Virgin has also been in talks with the New South Wales and Queensland state governments, but is yet to secure support.

'Australia needs a second airline'
Administrator Vaughan Strawbridge said several parties had expressed interest in the business and they were "progressing well on some immediate steps".

"Our intention is to undertake a process to restructure and refinance the business and bring it out of administration as soon as possible," he said.

"We have commenced a process of seeking interest from parties for participation in the recapitalisation of the business and its future, and there have been several expressions of interest so far."

"In 20 years, the Virgin Australia Group has earned its place as part of the fabric of Australia's tourism industry," Virgin chief executive Paul Scurrah said.

"We employ more than 10,000 people and a further 6,000 indirectly, fly to 41 destinations including major cities and regional communities, have more than 10 million members of our Velocity loyalty program, and contribute around $11 billion to the Australian economy every year.

"Australia needs a second airline and we are determined to keep flying.

"Virgin Australia will play a vital role in getting the Australian economy back on its feet after the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring the country has access to competitive and high-quality air travel."

Virgin's board said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit as the Group was progressing on a "significant transformation program".

This would have reset its cost base by "consolidating its workforce, simplifying the fleet, withdrawing from unprofitable routes and reviewing and renegotiating supplier agreements".

Richard Branson vows to 'never give up', have airline 'back up and running'
In a statement to staff, Virgin Group boss Richard Branson said the airline had brought competition and lower airfares to Australia's skies.

Virgin Group is a 10 per cent shareholder in Virgin Australia.

"I know how devastating the news today will be to you all," Mr Branson said.

"In most countries federal governments have stepped in, in this unprecedented crisis for aviation, to help their airlines. Sadly that has not happened in Australia."

But he said he was "never one to give up" and that the Group was "determined to see Virgin Australia back up and running soon".

"This is not the end for Virgin Australia, but I believe a new beginning."

Virgin Group CEO Josh Bayliss said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had been catastrophic.

"In addition to the human suffering and loss, it has caused extreme business and financial disruption," he said.

"It's unlike anything the airline industry has ever seen before. Virgin Australia has been hit by a crisis completely outside of its control."

He said the Group remained in constant dialogue with Virgin Australia, "focusing on playing our part in the rescue of the airline".

"We are determined to find a way through this situation to keep the airline going," he said.

"We want to see a continuation of the unique culture and spirit which has brought much-needed competition to Australia's aviation market, providing vital connectivity for the country."

He said a Qantas monopoly in the Australian domestic market would have "serious adverse consequences" for customers and the industry.

"Our intention is to work with administrators and the management team, along with investors and government, to ensure that Australia maintains two airlines," he said.

"Australia remains a key market for the Virgin brand and we wish to support Virgin Australia to become more resilient and stronger than before.

"We are determined to see Virgin Australia planes, and their wonderful teams, flying again soon."

Calls to preserve jobs, workers' entitlements
Transport Workers' Union national secretary Michael Kaine said the Federal Government should approach administrators with a plan to ensure the preservation of workers' entitlements.

"We urge the Federal Government to sit down with the trade unions representing the 16,000 Virgin workers to work out a plan to go before administrators," he said.

Narrow Road Capital funds manager Jonathan Rochford said the blame for Virgin's problems ultimately lay with its management and board, who failed to act during a decade when the airline did not make a decent profit.

He said the administrators would now move quickly to cut costs and preserve cash, while maintaining as many jobs as they could.

"Expect some rapid-fire decisions on reducing airplanes and staff," Mr Rochford said.

Current CEO Paul Scurrah would be the first call for any potential buyer, he predicted.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's running the business again in the not too distant future."

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, who has repeatedly urged the Government to step in with a $1.4 billion loan, said Qantas would now be left with a monopoly, which would have "very significant" consequences for consumers.

Higher airfares may be on the cards
IBISWorld senior industry analyst Tom Youl said the airline itself may emerge from bankruptcy proceedings under new ownership, and in a better position.

But in the meantime, he said there was no third airline waiting in the wings to fill capacity gaps, which may be bad for consumers.

The Sydney-Melbourne route ranks second for aircraft movements and third for passenger volumes among all global flight paths.

"The most likely outcome of a Qantas monopoly is higher airfares, unless the flag carrier undertakes a strategy to buy the goodwill of the Australian public by keeping airfares stable, knowing that a second airline will eventually enter the market," Mr Youl said.

StrategicAero Research chief analyst Saj Ahmad said Virgin Australia "never really seemed to monetise its market share in its cut-throat competition with Qantas", and because of COVID-19, its foreign shareholders were never going to step in.

Virgin Australia is majority foreign-owned by Etihad Airways (20.94 per cent stake), Singapore Airlines (20.09 per cent), Nanshan Group (19.98 per cent), HNA Group (19.82 per cent) and Richard Branson's Virgin Group (10.42 per cent).

"Etihad's own losses over the last few years, alongside its own poor investment choices in the now-grounded Jet Airways and essentially bankrupt Alitalia and deceased Air Berlin, meant that Virgin Australia was never really going to receive any more cash out of Abu Dhabi ever again," he said.

And with Singapore Airlines vying to bolster its own position in Australia, he said Virgin Australia was at the periphery of that airline's investment focus.

"It's a bitter pill for investors, but the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is absolutely right not to bail out any one specific company amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," Mr Ahmad said.

"If we start going down that route, who decides which company is viable or not, and which will provide better returns on investment? Critically, would Qantas qualify for a similar financial injection too? Where do you draw the line?"

Helith fucked around with this message at 02:05 on Apr 21, 2020

# ? Apr 21, 2020 01:57

Jaeluni Asjil: Apr 18, 2018; Sorry I thought you were a landlord when I gave you your old avatar!

Private Speech posted:

That might be the case, but is it actually enforceable? I honestly have no idea.

I suppose technically they could go after you for breach of copyright though I don't know how litigious they are. There are 'fair use' clauses so I guess it would depend how much of it you quote. I'm not an expert.
Same if you find an image on google and paste it into your blog. Even if you include a reference, if you don't have permission, the owner can come after you and at the very least insist you include a reference, perhaps insist you remove it, or go after you for copyright breach.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 02:21

Juche Couture: Feb 3, 2007

All this cooking chat is making me very sad that I still cannot smell anything post-Covid and can�t tell what anything tastes of beyond sweet/sour/salty/bitter/umami. I have lost loads of weight, because I can�t be bothered to cook anything.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 02:23

Disgusting Coward: Feb 17, 2014

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/apr/20/just-not-true-were-too-lazy-for-farm-work-say-frustrated-uk-applicants

lol ofc

quote:

British applicants for jobs harvesting crops have said farmers have made it virtually impossible for them to secure the work despite a national appeal for a �land army� to save the UK�s fruit and vegetables.

Dozens of workers have expressed anger at claims they are too lazy or picky to take the jobs, alleging that farmers are favouring cheap migrant labour.

Offers of on-site accommodation in which three or four workers share a caravan were among the most frequent complaints on social media and in emails to the Guardian, after reports that thousands of British workers had turned down jobs and Romanians were being flown in to pick salad.

Chay Honey, in Bristol, whose work on festivals has disappeared, said the pay and conditions of the farm work were difficult to justify. �I live with my fiance and to live on site would mean I would only have one day a week for friends and family. They also said you can�t use your own vehicle, which makes getting out to the shops difficult. Very quickly the romance of going to work for a farm to help provide food for the nation has become very unattractive,� he said.
Sign up for Word of Mouth: the best of Guardian Food every week
Read more

�It seems it is very much geared up for migrant labour. We are not looking for special treatment, but the whole system needs to have some flexibility and not just have this blanket approach.�

# ? Apr 21, 2020 02:27

WhatEvil: Jun 6, 2004; Can't get no luck.

baka kaba posted:

^^^

Oh yeah I made that not long ago after seeing Andy make it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaf0QUqbFAQ

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/print/recipes/7491-cauliflower-soup

Oh yeah haha, so I discovered that recipe and then like a week later Andy made it on BA (which I watch religiously). As you say his version is more like a pasta soup and it's also slightly fussier/more expensive with a tin of tomatoes. It comes out great using just tomato paste.

Will def check out that cauli soup, I'm a big fan of cauliflower and just bought a stick blender recently.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 03:12

Pistol_Pete: Sep 15, 2007; Oven Wrangler

For people asking for simple recipies to follow under lockdown, the Guardian is here to help! They've provided a list of 'easy' Asian food that you can cook from "pantry staples".

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/21/isol-asian-cooking-pantry-staple-chinese-recipes-from-an-unemployed-chef

Here goes!

Simple prawn toast:

For the prawn paste
120g raw prawns, shelled and deveined
40g minced pork
5g ginger, grated
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp fish sauce
� tsp white pepper
� tsp salt
20g guanciale or fatty pancetta, very finely diced
20g dill, finely chopped
� lemon zest

For the confit garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

To serve
4 slices white bread
2 cups vegetable oil
lemon cheeks

:rolleyes:

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:10

Jippa: Feb 13, 2009

https://twitter.com/rebeccaballhaus/status/1252357380743901185

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:13

Prism Mirror Lens: Oct 9, 2012; ~*"The most intelligent and meaning-rich film he could think of was Shaun of the Dead, I don't think either brain is going to absorb anything you post."*~

I clicked on that recipe just to find out what lemon cheeks are but they don�t even explain it

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:16

justcola: May 22, 2004; La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo

I love cooking, especially with some music on and maybe someone to talk to. I think once you've learned how long it takes to cook ingredients and what flavours go with what you can just make it up as you go along. Sometimes its not great, but learning from mistakes is a more memorable lesson than reading second-hand info on 'OOO DON'T DO THAT'

I used to hate cooking on benefits as every recipe was like 'leave this for 45 minutes to reduce' and I wouldn't have enough energy on the gas metre for such fanciness. I think just learning how to make a decent tomato sauce is valuable as you can make chili, bolognaise, curry, whatever with it.

I don't like fussy cooks who start prepping a meal and finding out they don't have some ingredient and get into a tiz, the pretentious cook. I think these spoil cooking for others as they have a lot of gadgets and go out of their way to source things like organic smoked garlic or have 4 different kinds of salt, which is fine, but when they're cooking they seem to get very highly strung. Cooking should be fun.

quote:

IN SEASON NOW

asparagus, broccoli, jersey royal new potatoes, lettuce & salad leaves, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, rocket, samphire, spinach, spring onions, watercress, wild nettles

bananas (Windward), kiwi fruit, rhubarb

basil, chives, dill, sorrel

lamb, wood pigeon

cockles, crab, langoustine, lobster, plaice, prawns, salmon, sea trout, shrimp, whitebait

Pick 3 things and just heat it up together with some salt, pepper and lemon juice, maybe it'll be alright.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:21

endlessmonotony: Nov 4, 2009; by Fritz the Horse

I've been playing Deus Ex all day.

The loving cartoon villainy by the UK government is startling even when I've just been playing a game about the more evil double Illuminati using 6G and nanomachines to create an artificial plague to establish the New World Order! At least they have goals they can't accomplish without their stupid schemes and actual sensible motivations!

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:26

Ms Adequate: Oct 30, 2011; Baby even when I'm dead and gone
You will always be my only one, my only one
When the night is calling
No matter who I become
You will always be my only one, my only one, my only one
When the night is calling

Maybe it's just because once you hit a trillion dollars you finally stop chasing the high score, but: Say what you will about Bob Page, at least he has an objective beyond number go up

# ? Apr 21, 2020 07:40

HolHorsejob: Mar 14, 2020; Portrait of Cheems II of Spain by Jabona Neftman, olo pint on fird

endlessmonotony posted:

I've been playing Deus Ex all day.

The loving cartoon villainy by the UK government is startling even when I've just been playing a game about the more evil double Illuminati using 6G and nanomachines to create an artificial plague to establish the New World Order! At least they have goals they can't accomplish without their stupid schemes and actual sensible motivations!

I bought the pack recently. Did a run through the original, human revolution, and just finished mankind divided. Debating a run of invisible war. Hardly the worst way to pass a quarantine

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:04

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

I liked invisible war, it's a lot more like the original than the newer ones are.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:08

Failed Imagineer: Sep 22, 2018

Jippa posted:

https://twitter.com/rebeccaballhaus/status/1252357380743901185

Gianni, you're doing a heckuva job

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:20

Junior G-man: Sep 15, 2004; Wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

Invisible War was a huge letdown because it followed up one of the best games of all time, but - even though it's pretty clunky - it's definitely not a bad game per se.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:25

Bobstar: Feb 8, 2006; KartooshFace, you are not responding efficiently!

big scary monsters posted:

Is that Luxembourgish? I don't think I've heard it before but it looks and sounds exactly like French, German and Dutch had a really messy, drunken night together and this was the result.

Yep, the PM's text, and the blue jumper lady's speaking is Luxembourgish, my awesome and totally useless second language. Your description is pretty much bang on.

Maugrim posted:

E: you will notice the sink overflow has been blocked with sealant. We did this ourselves a few years ago, after discovering that it was not overflowing to anywhere; the water was pouring straight into the cupboard under the sink. This has been a typical experience in our house

That sounds like the doom house I lived in while a student in London. The first time it rained heavily, water cascaded down the inside walls of the 3-level house, pouring out of the light switches on the ground floor. We assumed this was what caused the wooden floor to buckle and warp, but nope, that was the wash basin in the downstairs toilet, whose actual plughole (and overflow I guess) simply wasn't connected to anything. It just flowed out unnoticed behind the fitted cabinets and under the floorboards :catstare:

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:26

Guavanaut: Nov 27, 2009; Looking At Them Tittys
1969 - 1998; Toilet Rascal

That's not uncommon in parts of rural Southern Africa, where a trench is dug in the earth that the building rests on, and filled with pea gravel or marble sized stones, and then the basin empties into that. Like a soakaway but with no or very basic pipework. It's crude, but it works (until it rains a lot).

London, as the capital of property innovation, has managed something far worse.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:36

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Are you sure that was a house and not an umbrella corp bioweapons lab trying to create a deadly fungus?

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:40

Aphex-: Jan 29, 2006; Dinosaur Gum

Anyone who hates spending too much time cooking should really invest in a slow cooker. They're cheap (i got mine for like �25) and you just chuck in all the ingredients in it in the morning and it's done by dinner time. Sometimes you should brown the meat before putting it in but apart from that, that's all there is to it. I've made some really tasty curries, goulash, pulled pork and loads more in it.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:44

Guavanaut: Nov 27, 2009; Looking At Them Tittys
1969 - 1998; Toilet Rascal

Aphex- posted:

Anyone who hates spending too much time cooking should really invest in a slow cooker.

I get what you're saying, but the wording here tickled me.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:45

Pistol_Pete: Sep 15, 2007; Oven Wrangler

Bobstar posted:

Yep, the PM's text, and the blue jumper lady's speaking is Luxembourgish, my awesome and totally useless second language. Your description is pretty much bang on.

Til that Luxembourg has it's own language. I'd always assumed they just spoke German or Flemish or whatever.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:52

Kegluneq: Feb 18, 2011; Mr President, the physical reality of Prime Minister Corbyn is beyond your range of apprehension. If you'll just put on these PINKOVISION glasses...

Where the absolute gently caress are you bread bakers getting your flour from?!

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:54

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

Kegluneq posted:

Where the absolute gently caress are you bread bakers getting your flour from?!

At least two of my local shops have it but are keeping it behind the counter to restrict the amount people buy, which adds an extra frisson to shopping.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:56

minema: May 31, 2011

Kegluneq posted:

Where the absolute gently caress are you bread bakers getting your flour from?!

My online Tesco order at the start of March replaced the 1kg bags of bread flour I ordered with 2kg bags instead so I'm still getting through that.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:56

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

The majority of the european continent speaks some mutant variant of italian or german or both. Except for a few places and people that have their own entirely different language group. But it's mostly either german noises and/or roman noises with a silly accent. English more silly than most.

Oh and slavic languages depending on where you stop colouring it in as europe and start colouring it in as asia.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 08:59

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

If this crisis has taught me anything it's both how utterly disorganised I am - I got an Asda click-and-collect slot a week out and realised I had absolutely no loving clue what to order, having long lapsed into a "pick up whatever thing I ran out of the day before on the way home from work" shopping cycle - and also how ready I am for the grimdark future because I already have a mental map of all of the local shops and who's likely to have what in stock at any given time, so I look like a magician by always being able to lay my hands on hard-to-get luxuries like, erm, flour and bog roll.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:00

Qwertycoatl: Dec 31, 2008

Just make sure you buy your flour from a reputable dealer who won't cut it with cocaine

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:01

StarkingBarfish: Jun 25, 2006; Novus Ordo Seclorum

ASDA had plenty in stock last week

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:01

Aphex-: Jan 29, 2006; Dinosaur Gum

Guavanaut posted:

I get what you're saying, but the wording here tickled me.

Ha! Yeah luckily you're not the one cooking so you can forget about it until you get the wonderful smell of your future dinner filling the house. I'd never had goulash before owning a slow cooker and it owns. Like someone said earlier, smoked paprika rules.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:03

endlessmonotony: Nov 4, 2009; by Fritz the Horse

(First of all, I know that 6G in the game refers to a security clearance and the 6G networks are merely their version of an intranet running over the communications infrastructure.)

Bill Gates (except not) has an evil plan involving 6G and nanomachines and having the vaccine for a pandemic be means of total control over the population and the only ones fighting for the common people are secessionists who fetishize Texas and the 2nd amendment. Meanwhile, the last voice for truth on the internet is known only by his pseudonym and by his revelations on the true nature of the plots within plots in the world governments, especially UN, and within the US, FEMA.

Are global politics right now just bad Deus Ex cosplay? Did we jump at the first chance we got to live in a dystopian future?

Where are all the cool cyborgs? I mean, other than me, I guess.

I'm only one because it was the only way to treat my illness, though. I'd have been totally fine if life didn't devolve into a nightmare. I never asked for this.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:06

Jippa: Feb 13, 2009

Flour is the only thing I notice my supermarket has completely run out of. The entire shelf section is completely empty apart from all the white flour. I never use it personally but it really sticks out seeing bare shelves every week.

Do you think it's the only thing that has actually massively increased in demand because everyone is obsessed with that bake off show?

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:06

DesperateDan: Dec 10, 2005; Where's my cow?

Is that my cow?

No it isn't, but it still tramples my bloody lavender.

I have enough flour for a dozen good loaves but only about 3 packs of easy yeast left, haven't seen any in months and I'm not about to go pissing about with making raisin yeast juice yet

Oh it looks like someone got stabbed or assaulted up the road at last night's totally socially distant house/street/alley party. If/When the bored detective turns up later I wonder if they will have any ppe?

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:10

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Deus ex is a conspiracy theory gumbo and it works because conspiracy theories are, in a way, grounded in reality. They're a response to people realising there's something wrong with the world but not having the right framework to process it through, so they throw in stuff they're more familiar with like biblical good/evil dichotomies and comically evil baddies from mass media.

They're broadly right about the themes of power, control, hostility to human welfare and life, things just getting worse, but they're wrong on the specifics of why it's happening and how (and who's doing it, to the extent it's at all directed by conscious human action)

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:13

endlessmonotony: Nov 4, 2009; by Fritz the Horse

OwlFancier posted:

Deus ex is a conspiracy theory gumbo and it works because conspiracy theories are, in a way, grounded in reality. They're a response to people realising there's something wrong with the world but not having the right framework to process it through, so they throw in stuff they're more familiar with like biblical good/evil dichotomies and comically evil baddies from mass media.

They're broadly right about the themes of power, control, hostility to human welfare and life, things just getting worse, but they're wrong on the specifics of why it's happening and how (and who's doing it, to the extent it's at all directed by conscious human action)

I've seen it put as "conspiracy theories are understanding the world sucks but being unable to accept people being as petty and stupid as they are".

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:15

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# ? May 25, 2024 20:21

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Maybe, though I'd also say a key element is that they almost always hinge on there being a plan, it might be an evil plan, but it's all planned out, someone's in control, someone's in a big evil office somewhere pulling all the levers to make the bad things happen, rather than them being emergent behaviour from a bunch of other stuff.

It's generally a very person driven understanding of the world rather than a systems driven one.

# ? Apr 21, 2020 09:18

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT April 2020 - The Betacoronavirus and the Virgin Atlantic

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