Surprise, everything is a bank now.

Radicalized (2019)
Radicalized is a collection of novellas written by Canadian-British-American author Cory Doctorow. Radicalized explores such issues as digital rights management, police brutality, radicalization in internet communities, and doomsday preppers.
This was a great collection of stories, all of them really interesting to read through. I especially loved "Unauthorized Bread" which accurately depicts the control corporations aim to push on us, control that is willingly given away by our profit hungry capitalist governments.
"Model Minority" is an ugly story of justice and policy brutality. Not even from the future. Except for the flying super hero guy.
"Radicalized" deals with the possibilities for radicalization in the dark web for those who get denied justice in our corporate driven society.
"Masque of the Red Death" is the weird one in the bunch. Maybe harder to identify with as the whole concept of "doomsday preppers" is such an American concept. Though, looking at the world developing, maybe we should start some of that in Europe too.
Oh, and Cory is the first author whose book I post about that I know is on the Fediverse! Follow recommendation to @pluralistic@mamot.fr
Radicalized (2019)
Radicalized is a collection of novellas written by Canadian-British-American author Cory Doctorow. Radicalized explores such issues as digital rights management, police brutality, radicalization in internet communities, and doomsday preppers.
This was a great collection of stories, all of them really interesting to read through. I especially loved "Unauthorized Bread" which accurately depicts the control corporations aim to push on us, control that is willingly given away by our profit hungry capitalist governments.
"Model Minority" is an ugly story of justice and policy brutality. Not even from the future. Except for the flying super hero guy.
"Radicalized" deals with the possibilities for radicalization in the dark web for those who get denied justice in our corporate driven society.
"Masque of the Red Death" is the weird one in the bunch. Maybe harder to identify with as the whole concept of "doomsday preppers" is such an American concept. Though, looking at the world developing, maybe we should start some of that in Europe too.
Oh, and Cory is the first author whose book I post about that I know is on the Fediverse! Follow recommendation to @pluralistic@mamot.fr

I have never written a novelette before, let alone a story told entirely in notes and lists. Let's see how this turns out!
https://chavanniclass.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/inktober-day-1-mustache/
#writing #inktober #Inktober2025 #india #SFF #dystopia #apocalypse #journal
I have never written a novelette before, let alone a story told entirely in notes and lists. Let's see how this turns out!
https://chavanniclass.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/inktober-day-1-mustache/
#writing #inktober #Inktober2025 #india #SFF #dystopia #apocalypse #journal

Are there any dystopian scifi stories where the rich elites are manipulating the worlds governments and people by developing a helpful digital assistant that helps them make decisions, do "research",summarize too long texts, write their own texts, etc? Maybe by being so kind as to give this amazing tool out for free?
Seems like a pretty obvious plot point, but I can't remember reading or watching something like that. Just thought of it, for no specific reason.
Are there any dystopian scifi stories where the rich elites are manipulating the worlds governments and people by developing a helpful digital assistant that helps them make decisions, do "research",summarize too long texts, write their own texts, etc? Maybe by being so kind as to give this amazing tool out for free?
Seems like a pretty obvious plot point, but I can't remember reading or watching something like that. Just thought of it, for no specific reason.

Google Secretly Handed ICE Data About Pro-Palestine Student Activist
Google handed over Gmail account information to ICE before notifying the student or giving him an opportunity to challenge the subpoena.
https://theintercept.com/2025/09/16/google-facebook-subpoena-ice-students-gaza/
#google #gmail #meta #ice #privacy #surveillance #enshittification #dystopia #technology
Google Secretly Handed ICE Data About Pro-Palestine Student Activist
Google handed over Gmail account information to ICE before notifying the student or giving him an opportunity to challenge the subpoena.
https://theintercept.com/2025/09/16/google-facebook-subpoena-ice-students-gaza/
#google #gmail #meta #ice #privacy #surveillance #enshittification #dystopia #technology

Why does every algorithmic media feed seem like garbage? Because it IS garbage. It's not tailored to your preferences as the owners claim. It's tailored to theirs. Namely, profit and what leads to profit, keeping you addicted with outrage and the occasional dopamine hit. #SurveillanceCapitalism#Advertising#Tech#Dystopia
Why does every algorithmic media feed seem like garbage? Because it IS garbage. It's not tailored to your preferences as the owners claim. It's tailored to theirs. Namely, profit and what leads to profit, keeping you addicted with outrage and the occasional dopamine hit. #SurveillanceCapitalism#Advertising#Tech#Dystopia
Is one big flaw in how we generally think about #SocialWeb and #Fediverse development in how we embrace this vibrant feeling and energy that existed at the time the early web was emerging? At that time time the expectation was that the #Web would liberate us.
A decade later we have #BigTech, the Corporate Web and #SurveillanceCapitalism, while #Technofeudalism and #Dystopia are knocking on the door.
Nowadays when we excitedly publish our innovations as we did then, is that still responsible?


Book Promotion: Since the tragedy of 1994, Agency Division have weilded their authority over matters arcane with relative impunity. Enforcers like Vidcund Därk, collectively known as the Men in Black, serve a single purpose - the absolute eradicaton of magic and those who would use it. This is not an uncommon goal - a group of rogue arcanists known as the Grey Angels have much the same outcome in mind. When a respected mathematics professor obtains a translated copy of the Pnakotic Manuscripts, the hunt is on to determine how he got hold of it. But soon, a bigger crisis unfolds - one that Agency Division can’t keep under wraps.
#readers #bookstodon #fedibookfair #dystopia #urbanfantasy #adventure #action #thriller #series #books #reading
(And, if you go with the kobo store links, now available as a DRM-free e-book)
Book Promotion: Since the tragedy of 1994, Agency Division have weilded their authority over matters arcane with relative impunity. Enforcers like Vidcund Därk, collectively known as the Men in Black, serve a single purpose - the absolute eradicaton of magic and those who would use it. This is not an uncommon goal - a group of rogue arcanists known as the Grey Angels have much the same outcome in mind. When a respected mathematics professor obtains a translated copy of the Pnakotic Manuscripts, the hunt is on to determine how he got hold of it. But soon, a bigger crisis unfolds - one that Agency Division can’t keep under wraps.
#readers #bookstodon #fedibookfair #dystopia #urbanfantasy #adventure #action #thriller #series #books #reading
(And, if you go with the kobo store links, now available as a DRM-free e-book)

At this point I just hope some greyhat hacker comes into possession of a day-zero Linux kernel RCE exploit and nukes all #Palantir servers and anything Palantir itself communicates with (even if that is stuff like AWS). Anything that works with Palantir is tainted and has to be taken out.
Then perhaps take out as many data brokers as possible. One can only dream… 😶🌫️
#Surveillance#SurveillanceCapitalism#Dystopia
At this point I just hope some greyhat hacker comes into possession of a day-zero Linux kernel RCE exploit and nukes all #Palantir servers and anything Palantir itself communicates with (even if that is stuff like AWS). Anything that works with Palantir is tainted and has to be taken out.
Then perhaps take out as many data brokers as possible. One can only dream… 😶🌫️
#Surveillance#SurveillanceCapitalism#Dystopia
8 Things to Know About New Research on Earth’s Rapid Drying and the Loss of Its Groundwater
—
Decades of NASA satellite data reveal how quickly the planet’s underground stores of fresh water have been depleted and how their use is contributing to rising sea levels. Here are the key takeaways.
https://www.propublica.org/article/groundwater-fresh-water-depletion-research-science-advances-takeaways?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
#News #Science#Climate#Environment#ClimateChange#Water#NASA#Data
With our cleverness we've taken pure groundwater out, where it can't be replaced in many centuries, polluted it in every way, sent it downriver & back into the water cycle, possibly even got the planet off-balance.
When farmers hear the water table's dropping, they pump faster to get it before the other guy.
We sell land /water rights for other countries to grow .. their cattlefeed !
[Saudi, UAE]
Truly, madly, deeply priceless !