No. But we do believe that if the only movies available to watch were those from Bollywood or the European film industry (sic) the global suicide rate would rise exponentially.

>>amirite

>>eejuts

...English...?

Right. Because how American companies, American content creators and American software developers interact with and upon the internet will have no effect on the internet for the rest of the world at all.

You are correct, but it is not for any lack of trying. That whole big "Sad Puppies" brouhaha that kicks up every year around the Hugo Awards is exactly about the attempt to turn science fiction into "message fiction" by refusing recognition to non-SJW writing in the genre. That said, it's nothing new. Marion Zimmer Bradley pioneered the field back in the 20th century with her "Oppressed Lesbian Telepaths of Darkover" books. But unlike her counterparts today, she was happy to coexist with others of a different world view.

He is from Brooklyn. How would he fit that tinfoil hat over his man-bun?

The story does not read as the headline indicates.

Or so we have been told.

Y'know, I mock the Randians as much as the next free-thinker, but dammit if some of her screeds aren't proving a bit prescient.

Sometimes it starts with an orbital laser cannon achieving self-awareness, other times with snooty CAPTCHAs. But make no mistake, our moment is officially past...

...has officially devolved into self-parody. I suppose it was inevitable.

You sound like someone who has never, and will never, create anything worthwhile in your life.

I know all about VidAngels (the company referenced in your link). What's this got to do with Walmart? Again, Walmart doesn't censor. It's so big, it doesn't have to. It tells the artist "We won't sell your stuff unless you provide us with a (clearly marked) clean version," and 9 times out of 10 the artists capitulate because: Money.

>>Without your knowledge or explicit consent.

You are wrong again, Oh Anonymous FUD Purveyor. Whereas it is true that Walmart was instrumental in getting media distributors to produce (*and clearly label as such*) "clean" versions of CDs/DVDs/Downloads/Whatever Else, absolutely no label or studio or artist is going to let them or anyone else pass off an edited/cleaned up edition as anything but that. Some artists refuse to produce "clean" versions of their work, and they're not sold through Walmart.

We may theoretically be a democracy, but we are in fact a representative republic. We elect people we believe will vote the way we would vote on any given issue, in order that every single little matter doesn't require every citizen to go to the ballot box. We base our opinion, in part, upon the politician's character as evinced by his public voting record and statements.

We endure him in New York, bust just barely. It does not matter if there can be no legal teeth to his pronouncements, everything he does is about relaying a carefully focus-grouped sound bite or photo op. His stances on various issues have routinely "evolved" as the political winds have shifted during his career. He is the poster child for everything that is wrong with American politics: descended from political royalty, with the commensurate sense of entitlement, absolutely no moral compass or POV on anything that has not been vetted by pollsters, and a clear and unabashed tie-in to the media.

It only encourages them.

YouTube is making a bet on certain types of music and bands, which is their prerogative as distributors. It's a business practice and relationship as old as the music industry. Meanwhile, you were gifted with a free audition, your work on display and distributed to millions of (potential) fans, and you failed. Carefully study what YouTube's winners have done and try to imitate them and profit, or bravely stay true to your oddball muse and create your art. Recognize that you are still ahead of the game compared to previous generations of starving artists who had no distribution whatsoever.