Facebook Gulag, Day 3. Book Bomb Tomorrow. MeWe is Nicer Than Expected. And Krasnovian Freedom Forever!

Brief update time. Most importantly there is a Book Bomb tomorrow, which means I’ll stick the blog post up tonight. I’m doing this for Jim and Peter, two awesome guys who are great writers who I think deserve the publicity and sales boost.

Plus one of them is a noble Krasnovian, and the other is a Pinelander. So this is a chance for us to reach across the aisle, set aside our quarrels (even though we all know waffles are superior to pancakes in every way) and purchase books together in the spirit of brotherhood.  Everyone likes awesome books, and reading these books is the first step on our road of peace.

If Arafat can win for “not murdering anyone lately”, Al Gore can win for “hey I think the weather changes”, and Barack Obama can win for “present”  I’d better win the Nobel Peace Prize for this one.

However, I usually use Facebook as the primary driver of getting the word out about my Book Bombs, and since Facebook is a garbage website run by garbage people, and the perpetually butt hurt have learned how to weaponize Facebook’s dumb reporting feature to silence anyone who has ever hurt their feelings I don’t know if I’ll be back on there to push it. So I’m counting on you guys to signal boost tomorrow.

This is Pinelandian style “sandwich” is all they feed you in Facebook Gulag. THIS IS WAR CRIME!

I was banned from Facebook all weekend for thought crime (see the last post).  Since a bunch of the people on my fan page had set up a backup page over on MeWe as an emergency fallback bunker there already, I set up an account and went over to check it out.

It’s different, but actually a lot nicer than I expected. The main negative is that it’s a lot smaller, so it’s quieter.  The positives are quite literally everything else.  Since me making one post about going there got 500 people to set up new accounts with me, it was actually fairly talkative for me.

Well, except rando social justice weenies don’t show up to screech at everything I post, so that’s nice.  I was actually a little taken aback by this. Normally anything I post has some random asshole I’ve never heard of before show up to chide me for wrongthink, so I’ve gotten used to that.

Like, hey guys, here’s a pic of my new gun, and I always get REEEEEE EVIL ASSAULT WEAPON REEEEE! And I’m like, who the fuck are you?  But don’t worry, Facebook has now created a wonderful feature that allows that random stranger to report you for hate speech.

The posts show up in order that people posted them. It’s not Facebook showing you what they want to show you. I’ve got the max 5k friends, only my Facebook feed only ever showed me the same 8 or 10 posts, most of which were Occupy Democrats memes or CNN articles posted by people who weren’t my friends.

Oh, and the Babylon Bee, followed immediately by a Mandatory Fact Check warning aimed at the stupidest humans who’ve ever lived.

And as far as I can tell, MeWe’s primary mission isn’t to reelect democrats. Which is nice.  You can say whatever dumb thing you want, and that’s just between you and whoever wants to read your stuff.

Facebook also throttles posts, we learned, where they hide your links from people who want to follow you because they’re trying to keep everyone trapped there. That’s why you’ve been seeing all the posts from people saying “link in the first comment”.

Also, there’s no targeted ads where another evil mega corporation used your cell phone to bug your private conversations (which is creepy as hell) and they’re not selling your data to who knows who for who knows what.

Yes, there are a lot more people there, but many of those people are annoying idiots.  So meh.

People like to talk about how divided our country is today. Naw. We’ve always been divided. It’s just more bitter and angry now because social media has made it so that the division never ever stops. It used to be that you could like people in real life no matter how stupid their opinions were, because they weren’t constantly shoving their stupid opinion in your face twenty-four seven.

Basically, fuck Facebook. I’ve only lasted there as long as I have because the parasite has formed a symbiotic relationship that allows me to talk to fans to sell more books.  I think I’m going to use my blog more to post info, and just put the links on FB because of the traffic numbers, and use MeWe to talk to people I actually want to talk to… And let’s be honest, probably occasionally pick a fight with a moron. Because morons are the one resource Facebook has in abundance.

If you’ve got a private group on Facebook you probably want to look into setting up an emergency fallback group on another page. (that’s how my people wound up on MeWe) If your group is just made up of specific people anyway, you don’t need the worldwide traffic.  And Facebook has been getting stupider and more aggressive about sending warnings to my mods about content (usually nonsensical) and threatening to punish groups entirely for bullshit they have no control over based up WHAT KIND OF REACTION EMOJIS PEOPLE PICK.  I shit you not.

If back in the day George Orwell had written about Facebook people would’ve thought it was too far fetched.  It’s time to explore your other options. Facebook probably isn’t going to get better. It’s going to get worse. They’re harder on libertarians than they are on ISIS.

But people stick around because of inertia. Facebook is like the abusive spouse of the internet. Sure, he mines your data, controls who you can talk to, tells you how to think, and randomly beats you once in a while, but you can’t leave because you remember the good old days, and sometimes he’s still nice.

Nope. It’s time for you to quit being a trailer park wife.

Double Barrel Book Bomb, Escalation by Peter Nealen and Militia Up by J.L. Curtis
Banned Again. Facebook Gets Even Dumber, Part III: The Saga Continues

41 thoughts on “Facebook Gulag, Day 3. Book Bomb Tomorrow. MeWe is Nicer Than Expected. And Krasnovian Freedom Forever!”

  1. Professionally, I have to use it. Personally – all family chat is done on Signal, never on FB or other social media

  2. And apparently the Feds are in bed with Facebook because my government computer won’t let me access the link above, but, will let me on FB.

  3. MeWe got a bit livelier. You drag a pretty big trail, Larry. I’ve been over there for some time since I deleted my Farcebook page. Mostly to correspond with other CLFA members.

  4. I’m no doubt annoying people with this particular constant beg but…

    When we’re all making new MeWe accounts and building brand new contact lists by adding everyone under the sun (which may be rude later, but on ramp up, maybe not so much)…

    Please make at least one post on your new account that identifies you somehow, your fandom or whatever, so that everyone knows if they add you as a contact that they’re not going to get home-spun porn of ugly middle aged people in their feed. (Or that they *will* if that’s your thing.)

    Thanks. 😉

  5. Glad to hear you’re going to blog post more. I know it doesn’t get the exposure of f&$%book, but I think the long form stuff you do here is more interesting. More platforms in case one gets borked (deliberately or not) is always a good thing. As for MeWe might join, might not. But it’s good to hear you’re enjoying it.

  6. I can’t quit FB yet. Too many family members and such. In the meantime I will be logging off the platform when I don’t need to see it. Probably better that way.

    1. Yeah. Main reason I’m on FB is because family & friends who I otherwise can never see or catch on the phone post there. Still, once I get a better computer (my current one stinks) will definitely be looking into MeWe.

  7. There has been a tiny bit of speculation on MeWe MHI chat that MeWee seems to be a bit slower (for some… ox already slow…) and how much is MHI load? Has MeWe been “Monstered”? “Waffled”? Some other term, assuming the idea is at all correct?

  8. Maybe make the FB automatics flip out a bit should be on everyone’s agenda.
    Make a Group “At least we’re not ISIS!” and see how FB tries to classify them. Use Lib talking points and examples, but no names. Watch it get classified as a hate group. Then reveal sources… compare to actual live groups that use same lines and Don’t break FB rules according to them.
    That or just point 4chan at them and sit back and “kek”

  9. Been over there since it started, as emergency backup – and now I’m getting a lot of friends requests as folks come over. Welcome on in!

  10. “If back in the day George Orwell had written about Facebook people would’ve thought it was too far fetched. It’s time to explore your other options. Facebook probably isn’t going to get better. It’s going to get worse. They’re harder on libertarians than they are on ISIS.”

    Asimov’s Caves of Steel had China’s social credit score and nobody even noticed it.

  11. As someone who has never been on YouTwitFace social media, I’m very happy to hear that you will be blogging more.

    Now, if you can only start publishing six or seven books every year… 🙂

  12. I made my profile. I’m going to start a group, as well. It’s a backup for now… but you never know.

  13. > Even though we all know waffles are superior to pancakes
    > in every way

    *Almost* every way.

    Waffles don’t fold/roll around a pork sausage nearly as well as pancakes do, so it’s harder to get that awesome mix of dough, butter, maple syrup and pork all in one bite.

  14. Larry, try to persuade some writer friends like Butcher to make the move. MeWe is actually coming alive at this point!

  15. So when was the last time you saw someone make a smiley face waffle? The pancake is the true form of breakfast artistry!

  16. I don’t do facebook. I don’t do twatter or instagram or any other social media. I made the decision because I didn’t trust them with my privacy long ago, I now know I made the right decision. I just mostly post rando comments on websites I like.

    How about getting everyone in Krasnovia, Pineland, and Jesusland to publicize a campaign to leave Facebook? We know they are willing to push a candidate on their users. Last time it was Hillary, supposedly with 2 million to 16 million extra votes? Who will Mark Zuckerberg try to foist on us this time?

    Is it time to start a campaign to leave facebook?
    A Facebook Unbomb?
    Maybe on Patriots Day? Wednesday September 11, 2019.

  17. Don’t forget, the group chat feature is a LOT like IRC.

    Miss how fun mIRC used to be? That’s mewe group chat with MHN, just without bots, ops, distros, and fansubbed anime.

  18. Signal is great. My family has all moved over to a private MeWe group.
    Just sent Larry a MeWe contact request to get in on the love!

  19. People tell me all the time they have to stay on Facebook. I won’t judge them for that choice. But when someone shrugs off the chains and moves off of FB it really warms my cold, black heart.

    I signed up for MeWe and joined the group. It’s nice that they say up front they won’t do all the creepy shenanigans that FB would.

  20. I must admit to having divided loyalties in the Krasnovia-Pineland conflict.

    30 years ago, I spent time as a member of the Pineland Liberation Front. Meanwhile, I currently (periodically) serve with the Donovian Army (a thinly-veiled reference to glorious Krasnovian armed forces).

    What to do, whom to support…

  21. I now have an image of Mark Zuckerberg wearing a stained wifebeater, smoking Marlboro Reds and, if not always holding a beer, is always within arm’s reach of one.

    I blame you.

    😀

  22. “People like to talk about how divided our country is today. Naw. We’ve always been divided. It’s just more bitter and angry now because social media has made it so that the division never ever stops. It used to be that you could like people in real life no matter how stupid their opinions were, because they weren’t constantly shoving their stupid opinion in your face twenty-four seven.”

    I agree with this part.

    1. Ditto. Another factor is that social media can create a mask, separating one’s opinions from their overall qualities as a person, and thus skewing their validity. When you see someone online complaining about being oppressed and discriminated against, it’s rather eye-opening to meet them in real life and realize how obnoxious and pathetic they really are, and that everyone else is right to avoid them.

      And vice-versa, someone who sounds harsh and callous in social media – especially in the sense of being tired of everyone else’s crap – might not only be much nicer in person, but also far more aware of what they’re talking about.

      In short, social media has not so much allowed stupid opinions to propagate, but has made it easy to hide the fact they’re usually held by overall stupid people, treating them as equally valid to all others. Or rather, measuring validity not by actual competence and factual credibility, but by loudness and emotional outrage. Ultimately, though, it’s quite telling that this status quo can only exist in monopolies with perpetual administrative strong-arming, and falls apart when alternatives appear.

    1. I don’t chat. It’s just too chaotic for me because I’m never online for that long at a time. Lots of people seem to love it though.

  23. ““People like to talk about how divided our country is today. Naw. We’ve always been divided. It’s just more bitter and angry now because….”

    Because the elites in the media, in politics, in entertainment, in academia, have decided that America is racist, the God is dead, and that socialism is Utopia.

    For this reason, the elites have dedcided to devote all their time and effort to see to the “fundamental transformation” of America, and, indeed of all Western civilization.

    Because this devotion, by its nature, darkens the intellect and rejects reality, it renders the devout incapable of performing any other duty.

    Hence, the media can no longer report the news; politicians can no longer maintain peace and the public order; entertainers can no longer entertain; academics no longer educate the young.

    Instead the news, the theater, and the schools are filled with nothing but leftwing agitprop ceaselessly, leftwing politicians are traitors.

    1. I just re-read Animal Farm. Those supporters of communism/socialism either:

      1. Have not read Animal Farm
      2. Did not understand Animal Farm
      3. See themselves as the Pigs

      Not going to re-read Nineteen Eighty-Four; that was soul-crushing enough the first time.

      Everybody should read those two books at least once. Then they might have a clue.

  24. Proudly hating Facebook since (… checks files …) 2008.

    Have to be on it for work, but since management requires a model for use that unequivocally violates Facebook’s Terms of Use, I look forward to the day that all our accounts get summarily taken down.

  25. Larry Niven in his early short SF stories about crime in a culture with teleportation made some cogent observations about what happens to people who are unable to escape social enemies, creditors, ex-wives, etc.

    The Alibi Machine
    A Kind of Murder

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