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Culture War Roundup for the week of June 29, 2026

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Why would you think it's satire? My point seems substantial enough. Phones are a blank slate and humans are the ones that provide the substance. If you don't like what most phones do, you don't like most people. The phones are not agents.

Why would you think it's satire?

Presumably because it's coming from the same person who just posted this

The phones are not agents.

No, but the people who write the code that runs on the phones are.

Tinder is designed to do specific things. Those things appear to be antisocial.

The medium is the message bro. Our material environment fundamentally changes how we interact with each other. Yes humans are agents that can make decisions, but those decisions are heavily influenced by our environment. No technology is a blank slate, but conditions us for certain behaviors via its design. The smartphone has been engineer very deliberately to alter your behavior. Don't believe me, just ask Tristan Harris. Your logic doesn't follow.

The medium is the message bro. Our material environment fundamentally changes how we interact with each other

Postmodern marxist pablum.

Yes humans are agents that can make decisions, but those decisions are heavily influenced by our environment.

How does the phone provide influence? Fundamentally, it is a calculator and a radio. Humans freely chose what to compute and transmit on it. You don't like that they chose narcissism and vanity. And you're not willing to accept that the reason is that they are narcissistic and vain.

The smartphone has been engineer very deliberately to alter your behavior.

No, voluntarily downloaded software has been engineered to give consumers what they want. Huge difference.

You sound like my boomer dad. Just resist all social engineering and social pressure and muscle through. What bullshit.

Are you 17? I was into Lacan and « semiotics » at that age, as well as complaining about old Pops. When you get older, you'll realize everything is heritable, just like your dad is trying to tell you through his wisdom.

Lol I am 28, but I did have this argument a lot with my dad when I was 17 in the context of the purchase of a lockbox. I just ignore him now because he's clearly way more addicted to his phone than me.