RE: BREXIT: do we benefit from it?
I think you're making a good point regarding manipulation because Brexit referendum did happen at a time when refugee crisis as well as the problem of ISIS terrorism helped people like Trump to power. But that wasn't just one or two men manipulating masses; I think a lot of manipulation was also done for them by people from online places like 4chan, who just love to see the world burn. They may know they are peddling a toxic agenda, but do it for the fun of ridiculing "normies". And then there are those who'd operate on behalf of some state's intelligence agencies. But sooner or later that populism and manipulation has to show that it can deliver on promises, or go.
I forgot to mention some other aspect in my previous comment regarding Brexit, and which, I think, also appertains to that same topic of manipulation, and I'm talking about the results that only are supposed to show up in a long term. I think me and you know a lot more about things like that than people in Western democracies. This was something fascinating to observe, starting already from the UKIP surge in 2014 elections, and up to approximately the time when Covid was recognized as a pandemic. The lack of recognizing Animal Farm Boxer's characteristics by right wing supporters and activists in themselves while increasingly labeling the opposition "communists" was truly gripping and at times eye opening. This was especially true in case of online right-wing activists from mediocre democracies of Eastern European countries. The heritage of Soviet Union is still around in those people, but what is truly shocking is to see that so many people in Britain are ready to chase a dream which requires the same kind of belief and naivety that was there when proletariat was supposedly busy building communism in Soviet Union during the last century, and which, of course, was never built. This is like the toxic post communism from former Soviet republics and so called socialist states of Eastern Europe had managed to infect the voter of Britain. An unintended yet not entirely unforeseen side effect of EU expansion. We should all learn some valuable lessons from all that, imo, otherwise Brexit won't be the most regrettable thing that's happened in EU in this century.
It seems that nowadays it is the easiest time to manipulate people especially using all modern Media, including twitter, telegram and even Tik Tok that never used. Actually, I try to avoid all those things, they are like swamp can suck people in and people are like addicted can't leave their mobile so that they do not miss anything. Frustrating to see that our young generation is growing with it.
In general everything that is happening now in UK concerns me very much and who knows what will be happening, but as always we all hope for better. Thank you for your comments, it was a pleasure to know your thoughts. By the way, why you do not post in via our community page. On and off I can nominate you for Community support @booming Upvote and also you can be seen by other moderators too.
If you meant my Doctor Strange review when asking about posting in WOX - I found a community page with beautiful flowers and interesting plants, and decided to try and see if I can fish some upvotes there. That plan didn't really work out. :(
WOX and my reviews are a tricky combination because people are posting pics, photos, art in there, and unless my post deals with some Bergman, Hitchcock, Lynch et al work, or independent art house, it may not fit in (as Martin Scorsese once said about Marvel blockbusters, "they are not cinema"). So I'm kinda careful with what I'd post as art.
I can only agree with your view regarding manipulation and media nowadays. It all happens fast, but at the same time, it is a lot easier to fact check everything as compared to the age before google and social networks were a thing. I think if one develops a list of trusted sources, all is not that bad.
Addiction is addiction - if it wasn't social network, it would be binge watching tv series or eating or something else as the root of addiction is usually psychological and not exactly a happy one. Other than that it's something that unites generations, and is a often just modern means of communication. So many times Youtube or TikTok videos actually show people have learnt or honed some skills, which I don't think is a bad thing.