Product & Startup Builder

”It Wasn’t The Russians”

Added on by Chris Saad.

So tired of people in general, but tech journalists specifically (because they should know better), blindly blaming Facebook and social media for Trump.

Social media is the problem the same way that frosting on a cake is the delicious part. There are 7 layers of shit underneath.

The culture is broken, social media is just highlighting it for you.

How about the American people focus on the core issues like money in politics, gerrymandering, failed education and healthcare systems, massive and growing economic disparity, tabloid journalism, glorification of celebrity, spineless leaders, voter ID laws, mass incarceration, an inactive liberal voter base that’s more interested in fighting amongst themselves - on and on. These are the things that drive people to vote for a psychopath - not some Facebook posts.

Also, saying "Mark Zuckerberg should have known better" is the perfect "man in the arena" fallacy. Hindsight is 20/20.

A few other points...

1. Russia didn't HACK Facebook. They used FB to stoke the existing fault lines in American culture.

2. Facebook DOESN'T SELL YOUR DATA OR PRIVACY

Related: Making fun of people's EQ and personality (or worse: their looks) is the lowest form of critique.

// Inspired by Kara Swisher's appearance on Realtime With Bill Maher

Some related posts:

1. It wasn't the Russians: https://medium.com/@chri…/it-wasnt-the-russians-2af554abd658

2. Don't #DeleteFacebook because of Cambridge Analytica https://medium.com/…/do-not-deletefacebook-because-of-cambr…

3. The top 10 questions to ask ourselves before getting outraged by the news https://medium.com/…/the-top-10-questions-to-ask-ourselves-…

Health Risks

Added on by Chris Saad.

Just saw a post that any amount of alcohol is unsafe and that fluoride (in our water supply) is toxic. Add to that the known health risks of sugary drinks and the pollution left by using water bottles and we're left with nothing to drink

I’m gonna open my mouth and try to catch some rain water. Except that probably has acid in or something.

Originally posted on Facebook

Denial Of Reality

Added on by Chris Saad.

Denial of reality is one of the most self-destructive behaviors a person or people can engage in.

The only way to most effectively navigate the world, and affect change in it, is to confront external and internal truths in as sober and objective a way as possible.

Without this, you're fighting straw-men, dogma, fantasy and figments of your imagination. You're creating inherent tensions for no other reason than your own willful ignorance and stubbornness.

This leads to unhappy relationships, broken families, failed states, civil wars and world wars.

Originally posted on Facebook

Secret Recordings: Trump Saying N-word?

Added on by Chris Saad.

These tapes are interesting and newsworthy of course, but they only re-confirm what's been confirmed countless times before - to no effect. Trump is disgusting on every level.

But watch how, In the first few minutes of this interview, she changes her story twice.

First her line is that it’s dangerous that the president doesn’t know what’s going on, then she admits that he probably lied to her and directed Kelly to fire her, and then she switched back to the more sensational headline that the president is a puppet.

Throughout the interview she's acting like a child in high-school and a patronizing jerk to the interviewer.

Trump had to try really hard to find this many people that are this disgusting and put them in positions of power around him.

Personal Feedback Results - 2018

Added on by Chris Saad.

A week ago I asked my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn networks to give me feedback by filling out a survey. I also said I might share the results. Here they are...

3 Words That Describe Me

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3 Best Features

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3 Worst Features

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The Ekka is Coming Up

Added on by Chris Saad.

The Ekka is coming up. For those that didn't grow up in Brisbane, it's this weird multi-day event for kids where there's rides, food, and showbags. Showbags are (were?) these plastic bags from various brands/themes packed with crap kids love: candy, cheap toys etc (at least that's how it was when I was a kid - has it changed?)

I remember one year when I was quite young I desperately wanted to go so bad, but I couldn't for some reason (I can't remember what it was).

So somehow my mum got me like 10-15 of the best showbags and piled them into my room overnight. I woke up with them all there. It was like Christmas morning.

She is so awesome

Thanks to Mark for reminding me of this memory and Maggie for giving it to me.

Originally posted on Facebook