this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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Big brain tech dude got yet another clueless take over at HackerNews etc? Here's the place to vent. Orange site, VC foolishness, all welcome.

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Want to wade into the snowy surf of the abyss? Have a sneer percolating in your system but not enough time/energy to make a whole post about it? Go forth and be mid.

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If your sneer seems higher quality than you thought, feel free to cut’n’paste it into its own post — there’s no quota for posting and the bar really isn’t that high.

The post Xitter web has spawned so many “esoteric” right wing freaks, but there’s no appropriate sneer-space for them. I’m talking redscare-ish, reality challenged “culture critics” who write about everything but understand nothing. I’m talking about reply-guys who make the same 6 tweets about the same 3 subjects. They’re inescapable at this point, yet I don’t see them mocked (as much as they should be)

Like, there was one dude a while back who insisted that women couldn’t be surgeons because they didn’t believe in the moon or in stars? I think each and every one of these guys is uniquely fucked up and if I can’t escape them, I would love to sneer at them.

(Credit and/or blame to David Gerard for starting this.)

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[–] mirrorwitch@awful.systems 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

in the past 24 hours I was fooled by 3 pieces of fake news in a row:

  • that Kurds from Iraq were crossing the border to fight in Iran
  • that Windows 12 would be AI-centred or require an AI chip to work (I helped spread this)
  • that Spain has capitulated and let the US use its ports for war (erroneously claimed by a WH official).

I know that fake news can be made organically and have been since forever and I'm doing selection bias here but I can't help but picture the misinformation engines firehosing bullshit constantly until some of it catches and spreads.

[–] JFranek@awful.systems 5 points 2 days ago

If you have to swim in raw sewage, you shouldn't blame yourself when some poop gets in your mouth.

[–] gerikson@awful.systems 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

yeah it's bad

otoh awareness I think is spreading

swedish public broadcasting has regular "spot the fake" pieces on their website

I think giving a sensationalist bit of news 6 hours to "mature" is a good idea before amplifying.

[–] o7___o7@awful.systems 9 points 2 days ago

I like this. News is a frittata, it needs time to set before consuming.