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Comment by amelius | Hacker News Reader

As long as the public has access to cheap entertainment like Netflix and social media, there will be no war. Panem et circenses.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses

António de Oliveira Salazar, the dictator of Portugal had a similar take on it. The triple Fs of Fado (music), Futbol (sports) and Fiesta (entertainment:

Três F

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C3%AAs_F

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_de_Oliveira_Salaz...

The third F is for "Fátima" (Our Lady of Fátima). And besides the Football, it has nothing to do with Bread and Circus, as every people should cling to their Faith and customs.

Edit: This is present in your own links you didn't bother reading, and you'd see those "Three Fs" wasn't any Regime motto, but post 25 April propaganda, the official one was "Deus, Pátria e Família" (God, Fatherland, Family).

Netflix does not pay rents, food, gas, healthcare and the rest. Entertainment only distracts you from minor inconveniences.

Some people are content on SNAP, Medicaid, public housing, etc.

And in most states, all 3 of those programs require they have some form of work, except those on disability.

I don't think that's completely true. Generally, housing and SNAP have work requirements for most people. Medicaid generally does not. There's a recent waiver process that allows states to implement a work requirement, but most states have not taken advantage of that.

I have a relative that lived in free public housing, recieved SNAP, and is on Medicaid. I know they still get food from the food bank, but I'm not sure if they still get SNAP. They moved out of the free housing into an apartment (inheritance). They refuse to get a job.

Food banks aren't means tested. I've seen plenty of BMWs pull up to one during the pandemic.

Medicaid is extremely means tested. You can't own assets >$3000. Chances are your relative that inherited an apartment is no longer receiving Medicaid.

And SNAP not only has a work requirement but there is retraining requirement as well. So somehow your relative managed to not get caught by 3 different gov't agencies?

I believe it was transferred in an indirect way, maybe a trust.

Haw haw. Try and get on public housing in the US, I dare you.

We helped a relative get in. So yeah, I know a bit about it.

Social media takes care of any insurgency - just deplatform anyone who seems to be getting too rowdy and organised.

...but its them immigrants stealing our jobs,and illuminati criminal cabal that keeps us honest working people from having normal lives.

This would be funny if I didn't actual hear those statements at family gatherings. and worse facebook spammers are teaching people how to dismiss intellectual discourse with statements like 'I am not saying i believe it, i am just asking', 'I dont know how it works but I heard it somewhere', 'i have my sources and you have yours, how can i tell who is telling the truth'.

Its terrifying what will happen in the future as social media is the the greatest populous pacifier ever invented

Bread and circuses only protect against attack from within.

Export it then.

"My people are now buying your blue jeans and listening to your pop music"

Culture victory imminent!

The USA is, metaphorically, a powerful exporter of both.

You are missing the bread part, as housing, education and healthcare become unaffordable

Yeah, but it looks like we will be out of "bread" soon (or "bread" too expensive to buy, which is the same). Netflix won't be enough without access to food.

People don't only need Netflix and Facebook - they also need homes, medical care, and enough free time to make use of Netflix and Facebook.

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