drunx

I used to pay for "all of them". Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Mubi, Prime Video and occasional rents on Youtube movies.

And I made myself believe that I'm doing it THE RIGHT WAY hence they will do good by me.

- price hikes - shows moved between services or different seasons available on different services - some movies are just NOWHERE - sometimes there was no English language (YouTube movies in the none English speaking region like Germany - happened a lot)

So many times we would end up on a treasure hunt through the services to watch what we wanted, only to then end up just watching some Netflix vanilla stuff as we just give up.

I am all for doing the right thing, but my god, my, customer needs, are not on any priority lists.

I talk about people, not government. Unfortunately it's two different things. And of course I don't mean 100% of people. But percentage wise - you wouldn't say that majority wanted to "get it back". And that's my point - leaders less and less represent the people.

As for the government - your are absolutely on point. And I don't disagree.

Pre 2014 no Russian person would directly wish/hope/wait for the annexation of Crimea. Surely some fanatics and crazies existed, but society at large didn't "need" it.

One person made a decision.

And that started a 11+ years of propaganda, political acrobatics, war, manipulation of the masses, etc etc etc. Lots of things that are good for that one person to be able to stay in power.

Back to Venezuela and Trump - it's possible that Trump is testing grounds for a similar play. If he finds an enemy he can keep fighting for a long time - he will stay president for all that time. Elections won't matter. People will vote for those who fight "the enemy". You just need to create an enemy.

I think the notion of the comment about westerners is to highlight that as a common person you can believe in rules based order, or you are made to believe in that and live your life by that, however the leaders don't really care about it all that much. They are happy the masses are "ruled" and controlled, but as for their decisions - rules don't always apply.

And in many cases western societies tend to express the idea that inn other, dictatorship countries, people sort of "let the dictators dictate", while "westerners" not.

But I think this current case (and Trump's presidency at large) is an example of how little we can decide or influence. Even in the supposed "democracy".

I wish to believe that voting matters, but Trump showed that you can make people vote for anything if you put massive upfront effort into managing information/missinformation and controlling the minds through populism, etc. Then voting becomes... Powerless. As it has no objective judgement.

And despite possible disagreements some might voice - revolutions don't happen anymore. People can't anymore fight the leaders as leaders hold a monopoly on violence through making sure the army is with them.

Well... We as people lost and losing the means to "control" our leaders. Westerners, easterners - doesn't matter.

I lived 15 years in The Netherlands and 3 years ago moved to Germany.

Back in NL I used to complain about trains being late...

Boy oh boy was I not ready for Germany and Deutsche Bahn. I heard stories, but it was so absurd at times that I treated them as comical acts.

Then I traveled long distance on DB...

- trains being late by 15-40 minutes is NORMAL. It's included. At this point I feel like it's even planned. - the "thrown out in the middle of nowhere" happens! Ruthlessly. Operationally. With zero empathy or guidance. One minute you traveled inside the train approaching your destination another minute you are on a station in some village, knowing nothing about "why?" And "what is next?"

I still take trains - but I do not plan any appointments on arrival. As arrival is theoretical and not guaranteed. I just take a gamble and sink hours into the journey. Read books. Watch movies.

P.s. I am surprised that DB is not held more accountable for the absolutely shit service they provide.

Stealing this recommendation.

I stared from Revelation Space - full series. Then did done other ones. Didn't get to the Century Rain.

Thank you!

Alastair is on my S tier for sci-fi. Read so much of him. But didn't read Eversion. Adding it!

In your reading journey, which other authors/books have similar grand space scale as how Alastair writes? I mean, there are a lot, I know, but some overdo it and others oversimplify it. I find Alastair striking perfect balance of being "hardcore" in a way, but still making sense:)

"Lonesome Dove"

And it's hard to convey how much I enjoyed it. I'm afraid to pick up any other novel of a similar kind as I'll be furiously comparing.

So after it I sterted reading hardcore Sci-fi: Vacuum Diagrams, to not let my mind draw any comparative thoughts:)