How to know what is real

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We didn't get secret societies or private clubs. We did get anti-Nazi, but, until recently, most Americans wouldn't have been able to describe "fascism."

The Aussie education curriculum was very closely based on the UK system and I was born just 20 years after the war ended, so all these topics were still very much in the living memory of our teachers.

They were quite certain that if they educated children well enough that this sort of thing could never happen again.

 

[Judge]

They're still around. There was enough outcry they were sold instead and are still putting out good content.

I do miss the Phil Askey days, though. Also Michael Reichmann from Luminous Landscape.

Thanks...when I heard it was shutting down I never looked back!

Looks like the same URL still in play....though I never had the yen to buy so many accessories as I did when I was into film cameras. Still it's nice to see they are still around.

 

[velociraptor]

though I never had the yen to buy so many accessories as I did when I was into film cameras

I no longer buy new. Having lots of fun with used cameras purchased for pennies on the dollar via estate sales on eBay.

 

[Outdated]

I no longer buy new. Having lots of fun with used cameras purchased for pennies on the dollar via estate sales on eBay.

I bought the last of the Canon EOS Rebel series when the new mirrorless cameras came out so I'm pretty happy with the deal I got. Twin lens kit, 18-55mm and 75-300mm. Au$760 3 years ago.

 

[Outdated]

Back to the original topic:

In our modern era of AI a picture like this one automatically looks suspicious, but in this case it's real:

'Majestic' cattle too large for some butchers to process, farmer says

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Back to the original topic:

In our modern era of AI a picture like this one automatically looks suspicious, but in this case it's real:

'Majestic' cattle too large for some butchers to process, farmer says

I used to have fun on Pinterest because it would give me lots of gorgeous shots of canoes in beautiful places. Then I went to Switzerland and was sent beautiful places of Switzerland. And flowers. I love flowers.

But recently I've noticed many of these beautiful shots are AI. Some are easy to tell and others I'm not sure, but will skip on them. A real crime is someone is making AI photos of, for example, a mother hummingbird sheltering her babies inside a bloom while it is raining.

 

[RemyZee]

For us this happened in grades 6 and 7, along with teaching us about private clubs, secret societies and fascism.

...and about Church.

 

[Outdated]

But recently I've noticed many of these beautiful shots are AI. Some are easy to tell and others I'm not sure, but will skip on them. A real crime is someone is making AI photos of, for example, a mother hummingbird sheltering her babies inside a bloom while it is raining.

I never liked over edited photos, to me the beauty of them is that they capture what is. I'm fine with smaller enhancements such as noise reduction and slight colour adjustments but when people start editing what's in the real picture then to me it's no longer a photograph, it's a graphic artwork.

My father once asked me how I made the shine and reflection in a bird's eye look so natural, he was shocked when I told him I don't do that sort of thing, it looked natural because it was natural.

I'm not terribly impressed with AI artworks, impressed with the technology but not with the results.

 

[Jumpinbare]

We didn't get secret societies or private clubs. We did get anti-Nazi, but, until recently, most Americans wouldn't have been able to describe "fascism."

Most Americans still can't accurately describe fascism. It's mostly used as a buzz word without understanding what it actually means.

 

[TBRS1]

Most Americans still can't accurately describe fascism. It's mostly used as a buzz word without understanding what it actually means.

True fact - I once read a book about fascism.

Even people who study fascism have trouble defining it because it is more like a miasma than a solid thing.

 

[Outdated]

True fact - I once read a book about fascism.

George Orwell's Animal Farm was a compulsory part of the school curriculum when I was a kid, we watched the animated movie in primary school and in highschool there were several lessons where we had to analise different segments of the book.

It was purported to be about the rise of Russian fascism but bears strong resemblance to every other instance throughout history as well, especially when it comes to the changing of laws in ways that the general public don't really understand and the taking control of public education so that younger generations only learn what it is that you want them to believe.

 

[Judge]

Most Americans still can't accurately describe fascism. It's mostly used as a buzz word without understanding what it actually means.

You have to consider how our particular new world political landscape has chosen so often to co-opt political terms long ago established in the old world.

For me it's simple to define the most definitive tenets and objectives of fascism:

"All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state."​

- Benito Mussolini.

Those who would actively and incrementally pursue such an objective within a democracy, yet all the while in denial of such intent or goal. To use democracy to eventually seize power on a level not contemplated through legal, constitutional or democratic means.

In our political system, such terms may be not only misapplied, but are weaponized almost exclusively as political epithets. Not to define one, but simply to disparage them. A practice IMO that seems to apply to virtually all participants.

 

[Judge]

It was purported to be about the rise of Russian fascism

Not Russian "fascism", but outright Leninism which applied an elitist model by a single leader that Marx never contemplated beyond a dictatorship of the proletariat. Not a party apparatus and bureaucracy with a single leader at the top.

Worse still later a single leader (Stalin) who would purge his own party of anyone who opposed him on virtually any issue. Particularly Leon Trotsky who steadfastly remained a proponent of global socialist revolution that Stalin wanted no part of.

Totalitarianism isn't confined to fascism. It can fundamentally exist on either poles of the political spectrum. As for authoritarianism, that can potentially happen along all points of the political spectrum. Particularly where corruption plays a major role in a society no matter what ideology may or may not be predominant.

An important aspect of the extreme right is their hallmark signature of using a democracy as a catalyst to gradually seize power, as opposed to the extreme left inciting a violent revolution with a favorable outcome.

Yet in American political culture they use terms like "radical" this or that, not to truly define opponents, but only to disparage them. When the common denominator of real extremism often comes down to whether they condone "a means justifying an end". Those very few who may be willing to operate outside the law and/or an existing constitution.

 

[TBRS1]

You have to consider how our particular new world political landscape has chosen so often to co-opt political terms long ago established in the old world.

For me it's simple to define the most definitive tenets and objectives of fascism:

"All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state."​

- Benito Mussolini.

Those who would actively and incrementally pursue such an objective within a democracy, yet all the while in denial of such intent or goal. To use democracy to eventually seize power on a level not contemplated through legal, constitutional or democratic means.

In our political system, such terms may be not only misapplied, but are weaponized almost exclusively as political epithets. Not to define one, but simply to disparage them. A practice IMO that seems to apply to virtually all participants.

What Mussolini forgot to add is "...and I am the state."

 

[TBRS1]

George Orwell's Animal Farm was a compulsory part of the school curriculum when I was a kid, we watched the animated movie in primary school and in highschool there were several lessons where we had to analise different segments of the book.

It was purported to be about the rise of Russian fascism but bears strong resemblance to every other instance throughout history as well, especially when it comes to the changing of laws in ways that the general public don't really understand and the taking control of public education so that younger generations only learn what it is that you want them to believe.

I bet I've read 1984 at least twenty times.

A standard fascist technique is to take control of the media, education, the arts, and use those to "revise" history in order to glorify the state. 1984 is all over that.

 

[Judge]

What Mussolini forgot to add is "...and I am the state."

I don't think he felt he needed to. Much as did Lenin as well.

Though Hitler had no issues with such a proclamation. Particularly when his deputy Rudolf Hess would often repeat, Germany is Hitler, but Hitler is also Germany". Or when the NSDAP created the slogan, "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer". Almost as if they wanted the public to think of it as the official "Holy Trinity".

 

[Judge]

I bet I've read 1984 at least twenty times.

A standard fascist technique is to take control of the media, education, the arts, and use those to "revise" history in order to glorify the state. 1984 is all over that.

More a standard technique indicative of a totalitarian society, or authoritarian society evolving towards totalitarianism. Mussolini and his fascists didn't really need to revise history, but rather revive it. To imply a revival of the Roman Empire....and act accordingly. Which didn't work out so well in attempts to be a dominant imperialist power in the 20th century. When little Greece was defeating mighty Mussolini...lol.

As for Hitler, his Nazi party made the most of "Kultur" essentially freelancing art as the party sees it. Often incorporating racial ideals into standards of beauty along the lines of ancient Greece and Rome.

As for the Empire of Japan, they have always clung very tightly to their ancient culture and codes such as Bushido. Which made for an effective catalyst to keep the people in line, and especially to remain loyal to their emperor. They didn't need a political movement to be a monolithic people. They were- and remain a monolithic society more or less to this day.

And Communist Russia has their own sense of "socialist realism" that not only permeated the understanding of art, but essentially replaced all other major forms of art that were considered bourgeois in terms of the cult of the individual or had religious ramifications. Along with tightly controlled state media outlets and the Komsomol, which was essentially a communist equivalent of the Hitler Youth. Where children were strictly indoctrinated into the dogma and loyalty to the state and party.

Whether on the extreme left or right, particularly as a totalitarian regime they maintained strict control of media, education, art and history. An existence without choices, other than that the party allows.

 

[Judge]

Even people who study fascism have trouble defining it because it is more like a miasma than a solid thing.

Good point. But then much of it involves what amounts to "smoke and mirrors". Particularly when you see how they artificially create an enemy only as a catalyst to unite the masses. Where you aren't supposed to question its logic, but rather accept it because the party tells you to.

The more the BS, the easier it is to keep the masses confused, but obedient. In a system where it doesn't pay to think to hard about anything. To simply do as you're told.

Some cultures and nationalities relate to such things more than others. To respect- and obey authority unconditionally. Others...lol not so much.

At least in a relatively free society one has the possibility of determining truth from falsehoods, but even the private sector seems bent on reducing such ability so they can "ply their wares". With big business using high technology to increase the pace.