Hemotep
Well-Known Member
If only that were true.
Political Discussion
- Thread starter David A.
- Start date
I didn't ask.
I removed the post after it got reported for bad taste.
Did I miss something. I was so focused on it being ai generated and containing like every major political figure wold wide. Just thought it was creepy and so stupid it was laughable.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
I was not who reported it btw, but the video did cast Putin and Trump as “rock stars” while Obama, Harris, and Biden were cast as Clowns/Jesters/Fools/Wimps. So outside of it being creepy and unsettling it was also overtly bias.
Return to office seems to be in full swing at many companies just like reigning in pay. I'm following a discussion on on another forum, and pretty much everyone in this discussion who has been mandated to return to office 3 days a week already have reported that effective January 1st, they are being told they need to be back in the office 5 days a week. All different companies across different states.
A lot of these companies are trying to spin it as "collaboration" is essential and works. And point to better numbers this past year now that people have been mandated back into the office 3 days a week. And that return to office 5 days a week is crucial for their company culture and striving to growth that would not be possible without in person collaboration.
However, every single person in this thread said there is no need for them to be in the office to do their job, there is no additional collaboration by coming into the office because everyone on their team are in different locations and now they are just in the office to be on Teams/Zoom calls. The office is a loud distracting environment and they feel like they get less work done because of that, not to mention, because they now have to commute they are also spending less hours per day working.
Another common theme is many of these companies are also requiring people back into the office where were originally hired as fully remote. Even people who were hired as fully remote and have been working fully remote for the past 25 years. My mothers company also did this. And one of my mothers co-workers was fired after not appearing in the office for 2 weeks after being mandated to return to the office. He did not live within commutable distance to the office and was hired as fully remote 3 years ago and was on of the most hard working talented members on the team.
It's complete BS that growth and profits were caused by return to office. More likely than not that can be attributed to inflation subsiding. Most of these people suspect it's all about control and the fact these companies are paying top dollar for office space that is not being used.
For those who's companies have not mandated return to office and still allow flexibility and hybrid status so far nothing is changing going in to the new year for these people.
A lot of these companies are trying to spin it as "collaboration" is essential and works. And point to better numbers this past year now that people have been mandated back into the office 3 days a week. And that return to office 5 days a week is crucial for their company culture and striving to growth that would not be possible without in person collaboration.
However, every single person in this thread said there is no need for them to be in the office to do their job, there is no additional collaboration by coming into the office because everyone on their team are in different locations and now they are just in the office to be on Teams/Zoom calls. The office is a loud distracting environment and they feel like they get less work done because of that, not to mention, because they now have to commute they are also spending less hours per day working.
Another common theme is many of these companies are also requiring people back into the office where were originally hired as fully remote. Even people who were hired as fully remote and have been working fully remote for the past 25 years. My mothers company also did this. And one of my mothers co-workers was fired after not appearing in the office for 2 weeks after being mandated to return to the office. He did not live within commutable distance to the office and was hired as fully remote 3 years ago and was on of the most hard working talented members on the team.
It's complete BS that growth and profits were caused by return to office. More likely than not that can be attributed to inflation subsiding. Most of these people suspect it's all about control and the fact these companies are paying top dollar for office space that is not being used.
For those who's companies have not mandated return to office and still allow flexibility and hybrid status so far nothing is changing going in to the new year for these people.
I never noticed that. I guess being into Generative AI and using it at work I was paying attention to how well each clip was made, and wondering about what platform / tools they used it verses the context of how each person was being depicted.
I have heard a lot of people theorize that corporations are using this tactic to get people to resign as well instead of layoffs. They can expect to lose a certain percentage of staff by committing to return to the office.
It also often leads to the loss of top talent. But talent doesn't appear to be what corporations want right now. Their priority is with leaner pay. Staffing firms have been told "no unicorns" when it comes to hiring. Corporations don't want to pay top dollar for good content, but rather get people that are still mentionable / trainable that they can pay a lot less.
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
I've had to sit in on so many seminars and workshops on generative AI this semester that I've been paying more attention to that lately too. It helps that none of the stuff I've seen in them has been election related. But they're getting better at not giving everyone random arms, legs, feet, and hands. In terms of it designing PowerPoints that are visually more impressive and don't take hours to make, it's getting really impressive.
The part of me that looks at the big picture and cares about preserving human creativity hates this all with a passion. The part of me that's forced to do creative work without the time or resources to do it justice is impressed with how quickly the tech is improving. But it's too hard to turn off the part of my brain who sees how in the current system this will be used to exploit us more, fuck with reality, suck more joy out of life, and give the powerful even more control over us. Resistance might be futile, but I sure wish there was a little more resistance.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
It really depends, my company has 4 main “work hubs” across the US but pre-pandemic they had sold off most of their properties (and then leased them back) to allow more flexibility for staffing needs. The pandemic pushed up some of their plans like closing all regional offices across the country (mine included) they went fully remote for a little over 2 years and then reclassified employees, either you were fully remote or hybrid (depending on how close you were to a hub). The hybrid associates are required to work 5 days a month in the office but that could be any iteration within the month. No one (outside the big wigs) have assigned cubicles or offices anymore and they have further reduced their real estate footprint as their leases have expired.
At this point they would have to acquire more office space if they decided to require everyone to come back into the office, they would also have to lay off or pay to relocate hundreds of remote employees and then rehire a whole bunch of new employees that live around the physical offices. Lastly, our leadership are not dickheads. The company’s performance/production on the whole is better now then when they required everyone in the office at all the time. Lastly, as more and more corporations move back to a fully “in office” environment, my company has wisely used the remote/hybrid environment as a competitive benefit to entice the best talent in the industry when hiring new employees.
It seems like across the board, companies are not paying to help employees relocate so they can come into the office. They are expected to do that on their own dime. It's a new reality we live in with cost cutting.
Speaking of cost cutting, many companies have eliminated or drastically downsized their annual holiday party and done away with things like employee appreciate days / summer parties due to cost cutting measures. Large monthly or quarterly meetings that are catered that were once used to get everyone back into the office together a few times a year have also been cut. All of these things I would say are part of office culture. Without them, you are just a working drone.
My company hasn't had a Holiday Party since 2019. They keep saying that they they listened to employees and that the cutting of the holiday party over additional layoffs was what everyone voted for. Sure, that is true for 2020. But we have not been asked since about this topic in any company survey. Yet they keep justifying not having a Holiday Party is because if they were to hold one, they would have to lay people off to afford it. How did they ever afford it before 2020. Sure with inflation things are more expensive, but not that much more expensive!
DownIsTheNewUp
Well-Known Member
So, I largely agree with you. Especially with a centrist like Biden (shifts with his party as opposed to remaining static ala Clinton or Manchin). Biden showed repeatedly during his presidency that he isn't static-- see Lina Khan, student loans and numerous other policy positions on which he governed to the left of his stances in the 90s.
That said, Israel is very clearly a topic on which his views have not shifted. The whole fucking problem is that he refused to acknowledge this is not the Israel of the 1990's even if he still believes firmly in their right to exist.
DownIsTheNewUp
Well-Known Member
I think it's easy for you to say this as a male who doesn't live in the US. A lot of us are the "enemy from within". A lot of of us are in student debt plans that will become anchors around our neck under Trump. A lot of us (not me) are women who will suddenly have to worry about their healthcare and ability to make decisions regarding have children. A lot of us watched Biden do things domestically that the left had been begging for-- for DECADES.
This is not as simple as the lesser of two evils even if I am skeptical of Kamala. One side is openly a fascist who will gut the federal government down to a bunch of yes men while putting billionaires into an even firmer position of power and will very likely make it impossible for Democrats to ever regain power. The other side did a LOT of good domestically-- bringing manufacturing back to the US, forgiving student loans, cracking down on monopolies, getting an infrastructure bill passed... AND won't rot the levels of democracy past of a point of return.
ayayrawn
Well-Known Member
You're both right. It's possible to want a Kamala win in the self-sustaining aspect while still acknowledging that the work goes beyond the presidency, and that, regardless of who wins, there are going to be people that suffer from our foreign policy.
These Are Americans' Biggest Fears in 2024, as the Country Is 'Becoming More Afraid' — Smithsonian Magazine
Government corruption, loved ones becoming ill or dying, cyberterrorism and nuclear weapons topped the list of Chapman University's annual survey
apple.news
Yet Trump is in a dead heat with harris...
Nee Lewman
बैस्टर्ड
Elon Musk said over the weekend that life will get harder for some Americans if Trump is elected. (I read some as most)
Some as those who are not oligarchs.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
3. Cyberterrorism!?
These Are Americans' Biggest Fears in 2024, as the Country Is 'Becoming More Afraid' — Smithsonian Magazine
Government corruption, loved ones becoming ill or dying, cyberterrorism and nuclear weapons topped the list of Chapman University's annual survey
View attachment 217128
Yet Trump is in a dead heat with harris...
9. Terrorist Attacks
N/A. gun violence
I find this list to be a bit off.
TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
but easier for others (namely him).
gaporter
Well-Known Member
I think, if Harris wins, then yes, by all means, we need to keep applying pressure nonstop to make a change and plead with her not to blindly support Israel like she has been, and if she refuses to do so, well, that's why we have elections every four years, right?
That said, Trump is a fucking Nazi, or at the very least, he doesn't have any reservations about associating with them. I think it's possible for someone to hold the belief that our continued role in contributing to widespread misery in foreign lands is absolutely shameful while simultaneously recognizing that putting Trump in power again is something that must be avoided at all costs. You can say I'm being myopic or that I have "Trump Derangement Syndrome" or whatever the fuck but this piece of shit is everything my history classes taught me to avoid. While I've always known as someone who lives in the South that racism & bigotry are indeed powerful motivators for certain people to go out to vote, I have to admit, it's somehow still shocking to see a presidential campaign so openly embrace the most hateful and ignorant people in the country. I don't particularly like Harris, or any politician for that matter, but I hate nazis, so the choice here is pretty easy for me.
That said, Trump is a fucking Nazi, or at the very least, he doesn't have any reservations about associating with them. I think it's possible for someone to hold the belief that our continued role in contributing to widespread misery in foreign lands is absolutely shameful while simultaneously recognizing that putting Trump in power again is something that must be avoided at all costs. You can say I'm being myopic or that I have "Trump Derangement Syndrome" or whatever the fuck but this piece of shit is everything my history classes taught me to avoid. While I've always known as someone who lives in the South that racism & bigotry are indeed powerful motivators for certain people to go out to vote, I have to admit, it's somehow still shocking to see a presidential campaign so openly embrace the most hateful and ignorant people in the country. I don't particularly like Harris, or any politician for that matter, but I hate nazis, so the choice here is pretty easy for me.
I Went Through All Trump’s Political Pardons. There’s One Person Above All Who Benefited. — Slate
Trump's disgraced political operatives have been busy.
apple.news
Trump only pardon 237 people. Far fewer than the 1,927 Obama did. But there was a big difference in who Trump pardoned.
Everyone Trump pardon was a trump supporter, and they were all convicted of political corruption, war crimes and brutality. Where as those that Obama pardoned were non violent drug offenders jailed 20 years to live for possession. Trump did no such pardons.