11 comments

  • JumpCrisscross 33 minutes ago

    I’ve gone from pro-EU to Eurosceptic in seeing how toothless an entire continent has become to Russo-American corruption and aggression.

    If this is true, Musk is a national security risk to NATO and the EU. Consider the fury with which America (conventionally) or China or any regional power would react to a foreign person directly agitating against their own security interests like this while still seeking to profit off their market access.

      mytailorisrich 21 minutes ago

      The US have been controlling Europe since 1945, and NATO is one tool (when France left the integrated command and kicked out US troops in 1966 it was exactly for that reason).

      At the moment the US administration is maybe bluster than usual but I don't think there has been a fundamental change in the balance of power or who's really is in charge.

      I don't think Musk's behaviour with respect to Starlink is out of the ordinary, either for someone in hos position. It's just that somehow things tend to get more public, or more leaked, nowadays.

        JumpCrisscross 16 minutes ago

        > US have been controlling Europe since 1945

        This is hyperbole. Europe features full democracies. Its voters have consistently chosen quality of life and convenience over strategic autonomy.

        That was a reasonable trade-off then. It’s a bad trade now. Europe, however, seems incapable of institutionally adapting to that, instead continuing to hope the last ten years have been a blip.

        > don't think Musk's behaviour with respect to Starlink is out of the ordinary

        An American helping the Soviets against Europe during the Cold War would have been jailed or executed. This behavior is absolutely out of the ordinary.

          mytailorisrich 7 minutes ago

          Superficial democracy does not exclude control on key issues at a deeper level.

          I think Musk is helping his interests, which is what people in his position have always done and the US is not directly at war, either. In fact so far the US have benefited from the war in Ukraine, indeed at the expense of Europe... but the US look after their interests nothing new or strange.

            JumpCrisscross 4 minutes ago

            > Superficial democracy

            Europe features full democracies. Its electorates chose to outsource security. That doesn’t make their democracies superficial or irrevocable.

            > the US have benefited from the war in Ukraine, indeed at the expense of Europe

            American oil and gas producers have benefited. Americans have not—we’re paying more for everything because of these wars. In the long run, American power has been severely degraded.

  • novaRom 42 minutes ago
  • verdverm 36 minutes ago

    When will it be enough that we seriously consider a forced corporate breakup or divestment?

    We seem to be vying for history's best example of what happens when ultimate wealth and power concentrates in one person.

      toomuchtodo 23 minutes ago

      After midterms and potential Congressional regime change.

        verdverm 2 minutes ago

        doubtful if you ask me, most (from both sides) are in cahoots

        If you haven't seen my recommendation (since we cross paths here frequently and have general alignment), I think you would really like...

        What Happened to Liberal Democracy - Daron Acemoglu

        The Tyranny of Meritocracy - Michael Sandel

        I'm still working my way through them, but they both have amazing analyses of how we got to where we are, and ideas for how we get out of it

          JumpCrisscross a minute ago

          > most (from both sides) are in cahoots

          With Musk? He’s giving hundreds of millions to cost half of them their jobs.

          > ideas for how we get out of it

          What’s the best idea out of the lot?

  • toomuchtodo 44 minutes ago