RANDOM PERSON: Protect me from terrorists.
GUMMINT: We need a way to identify terrorists.
EMAIL PROVIDER: We use a ROBOT to search everyone’s emails so we can try to sell them things they don’t really need but MIGHT want.
RANDOM PERSON: That’s cool!
GUMMINT: Can you search for keywords that might identify threats too?
EMAIL PROVIDER: Sure!
RANDOM PERSON: Don’t do that! That is an invasion of my privacy. But that woman over there is a threat!
GUMMINT: What’s your proof?
RANDOM PERSON: I have none, but I bet if you read her emails you can find some.
MAN: I did THAT to random women.
A WHOLE SLEW OF RANDOM WOMEN: He did THAT to me.
MAN: They are ALL lying. I would never do THAT to a woman. But you know who did do THAT. HER husband. Which makes HER evil by proxy.
REASONABLE PEOPLE: What’s your proof?
MAN: A few random women said so.
MISOGYNISTS: How come you didn’t report it when it happened?
A WHOLE SLEW OF RANDOM WOMEN: I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I didn’t want to be shamed and have my character attacked.
MISOGYNISTS: You are ALL lying. You are nothing but a bunch of sluts and whores with an agenda.
HERO OF THE PEOPLE: The Gummint is spying on you and reading your emails.
RANDOM PERSON: That’s horrible! I knew the Gummint was evil!
GUMMINT: What’s your proof?
HERO OF THE PEOPLE: I spied on the Gummint and read their emails.
HERO OF THE PEOPLE: That woman is a threat because she used a private email server of questionable security, knowing that it was wrong and unsafe.
RANDOM PERSON: That’s horrible! I knew she was evil!
GUMMINT: What’s your proof?
HERO OF THE PEOPLE: I hacked a secure Gummint server and read her emails.
GOD: Isn’t this apple tempting?
MAN: I want to eat it.
GOD: No.
MAN: OK.
SNAKE: Isn’t that apple tempting? You should eat it.
WOMAN: OK.
The woman eats the apple.
GOD: How dare you give into temptation. I will punish you for ever. And snakes are now officially evil.
MAN: Isn’t that woman tempting. I want to have sex with her.
WOMAN; No.
MAN: I can’t resist.
The man rapes the woman.
GOD AND MAN: It’s your fault woman for being tempting. I will punish you forever. And snakes are still to blame.
CONSPIRACY THEORIST: The gummint is evil and out to get me.
REASONABLE PERSON: What’s your proof?
CONSPIRACY THEORIST: I saw a poorly made video, article, meme from another conspiracy theorist that says so.
REASONABLE PERSON: What about all the evidence that says the conspiracy theorist is wrong?
CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Anybody who says I am wrong is part of the conspiracy.
This is the world we live in folks. Ain’t it grand?
