Word of the Day – Enshittification

Word of the Day… not actually daily, but whenever I encounter one I think worth sharing and there are not too many on my landing page.  Words have always fascinated me, and I am a fan of all types of word play, especially puns.  I have a hard time not looking up a word that I am unfamiliar with or not sure of the definition. I like those authors that stretch me by throwing in unexpected terms.   

  • Noun: Enshittification
    1. an informal word used to criticize the degradation in the quality and experience of online platforms over time, due to an increase in advertisements, costs, or features. It can also refer more generally to any state of deterioration, especially in politics or society.
    2. For an expanded dive into this word follow this link to Wikipedia:  Enshittification
  • Synonyms:
    1. encrappification
    2. platform decay
  • Encountered: While reading an article on Paul Krugman’s blog: Why Does Everyone Hate AI?
  • Usage: “Why have Americans turned on tech companies? While it surely reflects growing awareness of the psychological and societal harm done by social media, much of it also reflects the enshittification of tech products.”

Unfortunately, the process of enshittification applies to much more than online platforms.  Politics are deeply into this process, and it strikes me that our culture is also.

I will have to admit I am not a fan of AI for any number of reasons, but mainly because the way it is blurring the line between reality/truth and computer generated versions that frequently have little to do with either reality or truth.

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Quote of the Day —George Orwell

Quote of the Day… not actually daily, but whenever I encounter one I think worth sharing and there are not too many in sequence.  I like quotes as they frequently distill a piece of wisdom into a brief passage, or make other points very succinctly – such as the witticisms of Oscar Wilde.

The point is that we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield.” ~~ George Orwell, from his essay In Front of Your Nose

I gleaned this quote from a short video put out by Paul Krugman: In Front of Trump’s Nose

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Trump’s Letter to Prime Minister of Norway

Here is the letter that Trump wrote to the Prime Minister of Norway.  It has been verified by several sources including Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre:

“Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT

I don’t care what universe you reside in or what your political leanings are, that is bat shit crazy to the nth degree.

There must not be too many poker players in the Continue reading “Trump’s Letter to Prime Minister of Norway”

Word of the Day – Fugacious

  • Adjective: Fugacious
    1. lasting a short time
  • Synonyms:
    1.  brief
    2. ephemeral
    3. evanescent
    4. fleeting
    5. impermanent
    6. momentary
    7. passing
    8. short-lived
    9. temporary
    10. transient
  • Usage:
    1. The Fed is still of the view that a lot of recent inflation is tr-tr-transit- … OK, we can’t use the T-word anymore, so maybe say that it’s fugacious?”
  • Encountered:
    1. While reading Krugman’s newsletter in the NYTimes: Wonking Out: What Would a Hard Landing Look Like?

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