So 1 country down, 193 to go? Threatening the entire world with a financial meltdown is not a bluff, or in any way a reasonable thing to do. It's tantamount to a declaration of war, and we'd get what we deserve if the rest of the world treated it that way.
Either way, the stature and role of the US internationally has been forever altered, and not positively.
I think the point about most people not choosing anonymity at all is a bit misleading. It assumes that these people are making a reason, informed choice, and going ahead and living the way they do. I don't think that's the case.
Most "normal" people, and even many tech people, don't know what companies like Google and Facebook are capable of. If you showed someone exactly what information of theirs was collected, for how long, the predictions they could make with it,and god knows what else is being done with it, I think many people would change their behavior. But they don't know, and this is not an accident.
Most people do not even know what the business model of Facebook and Google are. If you ask, they'd probably say something like "oh they're an email company" or "they help me share photos of my grand kids" or god-forbid, they're "helping connect people connect". Both are surveillance-based, personal information-driven ad companies. That's it. No amount of Google X or Android or Gmail or Libra or FB Live or any other program will change what their business is. And they will never, ever admit to this.
Very very well said. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops. Along with a line from a reply below: 'There’s no “labour” shortage. There’s a “wage” shortage.'
Either way, the stature and role of the US internationally has been forever altered, and not positively.