You have used the safe word correctly. Now please identify all the squares with traffic lights in them so we can email you a six digit code in order to proceed

But do you need extra dressing when the whole kitchen staff have already hocked up their chunkiest loogies to hold up their end of the cultural exchange?

OK but hear me out here, I think I have the beginnings of a business plan:

1. Create the Torment Nexus

2. ?

3. Profit

Some components of the plan are still under development, but let’s not lose momentum. We can advance with the initial phase while brainstorming to refine the plan in real time as we progress. It’s an exciting opportunity and we mustn’t forfeit our first-to-market advantage.

Error severity depends on whether you’ve mounted the bus. You wouldn’t want to go to Jupiter by accident

I expect the causality goes both ways, for example maybe you wouldn’t consider having a dog because your stressful job takes up too much of your time, or you don’t have the money to pay for dog food and vet bills, or you live in a tiny apartment in the city and it would be cruel to keep a dog there, or you don’t have the time or energy to take a dog on walks, or you just don’t like going on walks or you’re afraid to go outside, or you can’t cope with raising a dog because of some health issue, or you have terminal cancer. In which case it’s the dog-incompatible situation that’s the issue rather than lack of dog.

Sure thing bro. No war in Ba Sing Se

Not sure what you meant by “occupied entirely” but a society ruled by the worst, and committed to bringing out the worst in its populace is what I’d call a failed experiment.

I don’t think it’s as simple as people being like us or not. I’d say most people put their interests and the interests of their families first, most people have trouble thinking for themselves and tend to identify with whatever ideologies they are most exposed to, and most people want to make the world a better place.

So

1. yes we are being isolated, divided, set against each other. Communication networks are being extensively manipulated, and potential dissent can be suppressed quite subtly like that.

2. I draw no distinction between “folk like us” and people who conform and imitate. I’m not an exception, though I do at least try to be aware of it. Formation of a large scale movement will make all the difference. Of course the billionaire class will fight tooth and nail to prevent this from ever happening.

3. Again, no distinction. I’m selfish and I benefit from economic inequality. But I can see that the system is working toward disaster. And I think most people see that to some degree. I don’t think it is the best we can do as a species. The problem is that the world’s most powerful people are mostly trying to stop us from making it better.

I don’t know what the answer is but I think raising awareness matters. Perversely I think that some good may come out of the Trump administration, because it serves as a model of the abuse of power, and it really ought to help people see who the real enemy is. Maybe we knew all along, but it was more comfortable to live with it. Maybe we’re at a point where we can’t live with it any more.

Time to reset the experiment with different parameters

As a species, we need to find a way to manage power, so that it isn’t handed to the greediest, most dishonest, most evil and irresponsible people. If we are to survive as a species, we have to do better. It’s not that we’re fundamentally incapable of solving the problem. But the people currently in power will fight tooth and nail against any attempt to find or implement such a solution, since that will mean the loss of the power and privilege that they value above all else. The point of the fantasy scenario described is that without the ultra rich running interference, we’d have a better chance to improve the world. It’s still a tough problem and requires large scale societal change such that business as usual doesn’t continue as you described. Better education to make the public more aware, coupled with a few key changes to how governments work could give us a fighting chance though.

It really is amazing, all the insights, the discoveries, the knowledge, the artistry, the technology that the human race has acquired. Historically, every time we thought we knew the limits of our potential, we have gone far beyond those limits. Except that we still haven’t figured out how not to hand over control of everything to the absolute worst of us. Like literally put our most deluded narcissistic psychopathic pedophiles in charge of the entire fucking world.

Hold the door!

There’s no contradiction here. The US military exists to preserve and extend capitalism. Taking care of veterans would be socialist. Being abandoned by the state, as soon as you no longer serve a purpose for generating profit, is the best way to say thank you. It shows that everything you fought for is successful and working better than ever!

Past self: “oh look an old person having a stroke”

“So you see, anyway you look at it, my plan is doomed to fail.”

“…unless…” swipes giant map off table to make room for an even bigger map

I’m calling bullshit. Why would anyone sell that? It’s like selling a piece of your soul

The flailing around and constant changing of plans is probably just theater. Whatever else happens, they will always flood the zone with shit. Whatever the plan is, the news is only a vague indicator of it.

The Gargamel Research Institute

It’s just a weapon. It can be used by anybody, against anybody, for any reason. Being willing to use a weapon against other people doesn’t mean you are justified in doing so. This particular weapon is probably most useful for disfiguring people. There’s a fair chance that some over-entitled ex-boyfriends and stalkers might find a use for it.

Give it a couple of months. They’ll be dunking on AOC for not being a pedophile next. How can you be qualified for public office if you never went to the island? To a fascist, anything which denotes “them” is an acceptable insult.