$0. I would not have any it if I didn’t pirate it. I was never going to spend any money.

Here here

Good praxis. Everybody should do a little more of this kind of thing at work

More than one state can commit a genocide at the same time and they don’t even have to be friends. Ignoring human rights violations because you overcorrected when you found out America was bad is a shitty position, and I advise that you reevaluate your values

Don’t try to make this about ethical consumption. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Most Americans don’t even KNOW about the Uyghurs in China. Literally any exposure this horrible situation is doing something.

I think I’ve just come to the conclusion that there is no way you’re going to concede the point that the Chinese are committing atrocious human rights violations, are you?

What? Not buying Chinese products is somehow evil? I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. Regardless of what the article is advocating for, it’s making a really crucial point about Uyghur slavery, which is fucking evil, and you’re choosing to ignore it

It what ways? By literally opposing both the U.S. AND China and recognize both of their complicity in massive human rights violations? Why are you trying to whataboutism this?

You’d be surprised at how close to true that is. I do use cash for just about everything possible, if by “fake identity” you mean not having a public facing social media account with my real name on it, then yeah I do that too, I don’t know what you mean by business memberships for discounts, so I probably don’t do that either (if this is referring to getting a membership at a grocery store or something, then I just use the local area code plus Jenny’s number- 867-5309), and my phone and computers are encrypted. That’s not a controversial or out there set of stipulations for somebody using a federated social media service.

So yeah, pretty much. Or at least whenever physically possible. If I’m not putting an effort into protecting myself, then what am I even doing?

You don’t have to support any evil. You can choose to not support any of them. Why is it a dichotomy to you?

I don’t care what you like, you’re a stranger on the internet. How casual you are about the trade offs you made genuinely horrifies me, and it’s just another piece of evidence to add to the pile for why our civilization is so fucked.

You know it’s possible for multiple evils to exist, right? And sometimes they are also adversaries. Yes, the U.S. is evil. Yes, China is evil. Yes, Russia is evil. So in and so forth.

If you like paying to be a product, then that’s on you. What a good little consumer you are. I think it’s kind of weird how much you’re defending this

If you can afford a new car, then you can afford an old car. There are plenty of old cars out there with lots of bells and whistles. Some of them even PERFORM better than newer cars. You want that fancy infotainment system and remote start that new cars come standard with? That’ll only cost you about 200 bucks at Best buy.

If you are buying a new vehicle, knowing all of the issues inherent, then you are just trying to look good to your peers (ie keeping up with the Joneses). It’s just too bad the Joneses are uninformed.

Look, if you’re comfortable with paying thousands and thousands of dollars for the privilege of being spied in, then that’s on you.

Your snark is unnecessary. You CAN take measures to protect yourself and your loved ones from bad actors, and most of the solutions are free and open and dead simple.

As for not buying anything made after 2010? It’s actually really easy. All you have to do is be poor. I’ve never bought a new car and I don’t know anybody who has, and their lives are not any worse for it.

Maybe you have a “keeping up with the Jones” problem?

Which is an INSANE amount of data to collect from you for the thing that you supposedly own. You shouldn’t be so flippant about corporations using and selling your data and treating you like a commodity.

But those Hondas are still probably 4g capable, right? Because, at that point, it doesn’t matter if you turn the annoying stuff “off”. Honda is still spying on you, tracking you, and compiling a mountain of data based on your driving habits.

I can’t imagine owning a car newer than like 2012. It must be a nightmare

The mnemonics, you say?

Don’t forget Charon!