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Cake day: July 4th, 2023

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  • The US killed Iran’s leadership and strengthened their resolve. Now a bunch of younger, more creative, and more passionate people have taken leadership positions. Iranian propaganda has proven more effective and internet savvy, and their military decision-making has likely improved due to destagnation. Trump literally threatening to wipe the entire civilization off the face of the earth likely pushes Iranians who are against the regime to reconsider (even if only temporarily while they deal with the bigger threat), and I couldn’t say I wouldn’t make the same judgment if I were in their position. What a colossal failure, but hey, at least the defense contractors are making money, right? I can’t wait for the blowback from this to inspire the next round of interventions, if we’re even still around by then.



  • Iran is right not to recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli state, because it was recently created via a violent settler-colonial occupation culminating in a genocide. It’s not black and white, but it isn’t completely fucking gray either, and there are some parts of this that are black and white.

    From the American Declaration of Independence:

    We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

    Israel de facto governs the Palestinian people without their consent, depriving them of all rights and treating them as disposable. In this case where Israel has refused all attempts of the Palestinians to alter this arrangement the only path that remains to them is to abolish the Israeli state, as is their right. Israel does not have a right to exist and no other state does either. The existence of any state is a privilege derived from the consent of the governed.




  • Currently in flux, but it has been neoliberalism. Trump’s second term has been shifting the orthodoxy towards neoconservative fascism. When I say that someone is non-ideological what I mean is that they do not have a personal commitment to any particular ideology, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an alignment. People who don’t have ideological commitments often align with the state and have a loosely connected set of orthodox views, and if they don’t then they instead have a loosely connected set of heterodox views.




  • I used to think this way when I was miserable and disillusioned with society in general. When you approach life with the assumption that people are evil by default you tend to only notice things which affirm that belief. I’ve since made a lot of changes in my life and gained a new perspective, and I’ve found that I more frequently notice people doing small acts of kindness when they think no one’s looking. Most people want to do good, it’s just that they don’t often succeed.




  • The Cuba flotilla was organized by an international coalition of individuals and organizations who made an open call for more organizations to join the effort, and many did; 650 delegates from 33 countries and 120 organizations. Hasan Piker was part of a delegation of journalists and influencers there to document and raise awareness of the blockade. Together the volunteers delivered 20 tons of food, medicine, and solar panels, which is nothing to scoff at. Also, Hasan is working on a documentary that he made from interviewing people in Cuba, and didn’t actually do much vlogging because of the blackout. I don’t think he has said if he contributed any personal funds to the effort but he isn’t the type to publicize that.