We saw similar (albeit somehow tamer by contrast) things in South Africa during the excesses of the State Capture [0] years - people (mostly those complicit in trashing the country) started to do and say bonkers things. Jacob Zuma (like Trump) also acted as a lightning rod for these types of crazy characters. Genuinely sensible members of the public started to fabricate or grasp at wild explanations for what was going on. It took a major toll.
I find people are much less dismissive of this comparison now compared to his 1st term.
> Listen properly!
For those who don't get the reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqNa6992ih4. Always fun to have a reason to give it another watch :)
When there is too much abundance the only thrill left is dunking on people remotely from the safety of your own house and engaging in sociopathic behavior and getting away with it.
> “YET AGAIN to the people who feel the need to reflexively defend perpetrators of heinous crimes in our country I share with you this message: Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he said.
Of note:
- government fabricating (with "AI", read: generative image model) contemporaneous image of arrestee
- when questioned about fabrication, official response refers to deputy communications director's Twitter post
- said tweet ridicules defense of alleged perpetrator — that is, defending criminal defendant, and/or not merely presuming guilt of arrestee
- said tweet indicates that government's memes regarding accuseds (that is, people who have not been tried and convicted by a jury of their peers) will continue
- said tweet parrots Trump's own tweet style
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Watch this post get flagged and buried despite (1) being about tech (use of generative models in daily life, and by government no less); (2) being news; and (3) being evidence of government's disregard for truth, judicial determination of facts, and constitutional rights.
Also, note the blurring of the separation of church and state: arrest occurred at demonstration against ICE acting field director who also happens to be a church pastor.
Bonkers.
Between the use of AI to generate videos and photos and the way the administration refuses to engage the media or their constituents in good faith, it just shows that they are trying to create their a reality that simply doesn't exist. "The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command..."
Having said that, I otherwise agree with you, though I don't know about the flagging.
> - said tweet parrots Trump's own tweet style
Haven't you noticed that grownups in the presence of a baby will speak baby talk?
Correct and agreed. I can see how my phrasing made it seem like I was saying that the government and/or federal-agent-cum-cleric were doing something impermissible. My point is that, at the very least, it's an odd combo and it raised an eyebrow.
Now we come to graphic design. It used to be only smart people knew how to use photoshop to manipulate images, but now we have given any idiot the power to manipulate images with AI and this is where we are.
It has nothing to do with trying to convince people of anything
Its a straight up fabrication of real life its a lie lie lie. Propaganda lies but not this directly
This is an attack on free speech and everyone who has a say needs to have their heads examined if this is the new norm
Maybe not convincing of any hard facts, but it’s about portraying protestors as weak or even perhaps paid actors dramatically crying, or faking some extra cruelty to keep the supporters pumped up for ICE.