Webdeveloper from Germany, nerd, gamer, atheist, interested in nerd-culture, biology of everything creepy, evolution, history, physics, politics and space.

Progressive. Ally. SocDem. Euro-Federalist.

Political Compass: -7.0, -6.62

  • 13 Posts
  • 743 Comments
Joined 2 年前
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Cake day: 2024年6月24日

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  • Surveillance systems are able to differentiate between identical twins. Even if they look the same and have the same genetic code.

    Good surveillance software can recognize you by the folds in your jeans and wear patterns on other clothes. It’s not a good forensic method, but it’s just one of many data-points for a stochastic analysis. And if you try to wear anti-surveillance-fashion (it’s a thing) this is just another data-point on your profile. Anti-surveillance fashion honestly makes you more recognizable to the system, because you are “more different” from other people.

    Disappearing would also mean that you never carry any identifiable electronics, (like a cellphone, not even a google phone or a smartphone, ANY cellphone).

    Also the LACK of identifiable electronics would in and of itself be a VERY identifiable data point. Or, if you gattaca that too, the person you would try to impersonate would have to stop using their devices while you use them.

    Lastly the surveillance system doesn’t even need to connect your profile to your or any real ID, the profile it builds will be build on the things you do, wear, say and how you act. It can be connected to your ID post-factum.

    Gattaca relies heavily on a lack of technology that we do have today and the in-story over-reliance on genetics (for example there are no security cameras in that NASA-building, because they rely completely on genetic identification for everything security related).

    Unsurprisingly, a movie set in a fictional world is not a good guide to today’s very real privacy concerns.



  • I think the biggest difference is that many european states have parliamentary democracies vs. the US’ presidential democracy.

    This, combined with proportional representation voting systems, that more accurately represent the will of the populace in parliament, leads to a need for governmental coalition building, necessitating a more concilliatory and a little more non-partisan politics. While usually allowing for a more effective government, since the head of government represents a legislative majority.

    It does have its own challenges and is far from perfect, but I think the current US government is a fitting contrast of a minority elected, non-concilliatory, highly partisan government that might become completely and utterly unable to do any governing by the midterms.

    The US is also a good example that the age of a democratic system doesn’t mean it’s a good system. In fact I far prefer the very young post-WW2 german system to the very old american or british systems, though it could stand to learn some from the nordics, especially Finlands open list voting system.



  • Currently rereading the “Children of Time”-Series by Adrian Tchaikovsky because the fourth book was just released and I really like to experience the first three again.

    I’m a sucker for good Sciency Science Fiction and this series ticks practically all boxes of my special interests.

    Also listening to the Warhammer 40k Series “Ciaphas Cain” by Sandy Mitchell, because it’s funny and relaxing.

    Also listening to “Sourcery” by Terry Pratchett on my way through the Discworld Series (again)