"Life, don't talk to me about life."

[Hotrodder]

I accept all the above comments easily. What I don't get is why people generally either don't see what is going on or just don't care. Or in spite of knowledge and technological innovation is our civilisation simply going the same way all previous civilisations have done since the beginning of time. Boom and bust, boom and bust. And every one of them operated very well for a few rich elite and a battle of survival for everyone else.

[Pathca]

You have a certain perception. Not everyone will share that perception or they will respond to it in a different way that doesn’t make them wrong,it doesn’t make you wrong everyone is different

[Wilbro]

In many ways, but certainly not all, life was better half a century ago. The problem today is the ridiculous and unwarranted wealth built up by a very small proportion of the human race and as a result their ability to control governments and business in general. Votes are the only option we have to try and effect change unless we resort to revolution.
It's hard, the US has made a massive error with Trump and the UK is in danger of following in the same footsteps with Farage who is being funded by rich people with only self interest driving them.
Aux Armes?

[RobertArthur]

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, I was cautiously optimistic for a number of years: no more checkpoints, a somewhat warmer welcome in what had once been hostile foreign lands, the Berlin Wall stripped of its grim character, a place for cheerful art. These days, however, I find myself thinking now and then of the historian Toynbee, whose works, it seems, have gradually all been moved to the old archives over the past few decades. And when I was walking around here as a tourist, it all looked so relaxed and peaceful, I didn’t quite feel at ease, surrounded by so much history and hoping that humanity had learnt from it.

[Sparkle]

I agree but I live for the day - tomorrow we die. One thing that vexed me last week is our new online Marie/Hotel de Ville website for all the coming up activities which is especially useful for road works around us and the diversions etc. The new website from last week is now on facebook and you have sign in - can't do as I don't have a facebook account and I don't want one. So I've now got to remember when going shopping to stop off and read the electronic board outside the HDV !

[Polarengineer]

I’m with you sparkle, I once had a facebook account and found it so full of AI generated crap and nonsense that I got out. I consider that NO European government site should ever be on an american software program. There are plenty of European media sites not subject to US rules of access.
See how tech companies have become international https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... e-services.
The european political party “Volt” is already working on transitioning from US tech as can be read from this extract of a recent newsletter posting
Quote
The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, intended to address these concerns, rests on an Executive Order and can be revoked by any sitting US president without congressional approval.

For a value-driven political organisation like Volt, this level of legal uncertainty is not acceptable. We take your data protection seriously.

While still at the beginning of what will be a long walk, we have already achieved a lot. Haiilo, our community platform, is German-built. Our CiviCRM is European-hosted. All our websites use Statamic Laravel, our European partner, where videos are embedded via Mave, a European alternative to YouTube, and analytics are handled via Plausible, anonymously and cookie-free.
endquote.
Unfortunately the newsletter ended with a whole list of media sites to which they associate.
instagram
facebook
bsky
linkedin
tik-tok
discord
youtube
mastodon mstdn.social
threads
substack
X
and Reddit
Sort of shooting oneself in the foot.

[Blaze]

According to the kids we work with, FB is for old farts ! But they seem to be glued to videos/reels on Tiktok or wherever (I'm not interested). I opened a FB account when I was taking photos at a local equestrian centre - they did high level Concours Complet and that way I could post my photos and the competitors could see them. A couple of pro photographers weren't too happy but I wasn't breaking any laws/rules.
I find FB very useful for keeping in touch with what goes on locally. As for getting AI generated crap, I don't have the slightest problem ignoring anything that doesn't interest me and all my "friends" are people I know.
I don't use any other social media - or other expat forums for that matter.
It really doesn't matter what's out there it's just a question of being selective.

[curtis]

Very well expressed. It's annoying but easily ignored. I have recently come on to FB as certain things are only available through it. And local news is good although some stupid posts. Again just ignore them and take what you want.
However, there have been a number of smart ladies who have read my profile and would like to contact me. Interesting as there are virtually no details to be seen; so far, I have resisted .