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I Installed Instagram on My Phone and Already Regret it


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I know, I know I said I was gonna not use Facebook (or their products) anymore. But I have an upcoming lecture on ecommerce and it would be incomplete if did not talk about tools like shoppable Instagram. 

 

In the past I spoke strickly about hosting one's own store but figured I'd mention alternatives, so I installed Instagram on my phone and logged in (I already had an AALBC account) and attempt to sell some books.

 

The image below was the very first thing I saw. Obviously it was designed to grab my attention -- it did. But I resisted swipping for more and I realized I can't sell books in the environment... I have no incentive or desire to compete with this on Instagram, but I'll go through the process and reap what value I can out of Instagram as a pedagolgical tool.

 

It is like trying to be a conscious female rapper in a world where Cardi B and Minaj rule. 

 

Screenshot_20190506-102034_Instagram.jpg

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@Mel Hopkins I'm real careful what is on my phone (though I downed this image so that I may share it here), because I'm always giving it to people to look at images on it and you know how nosy people can get.

 

Still I would not expect Instagram to send you an image like this.  But for a single, sexually active, man like myself -- Facebook/Instagram knows what will pique my interest :wub:  As you know you do not have to have accounts on these systems in order for them to monitor and manipulate you.

 

 

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19 minutes ago, Troy said:

As you know you do not have to have accounts on these systems in order for them to monitor and manipulate you.

 

@Troy That’s NOT how instagram works!

 

Maybe you didn’t realize you’re following that account.

 

Check your follows - the only time you’ll see accounts that you don’t follow - is sponsored feeds.  Like this one . AB85DCA2-C074-4CD9-9C0B-EF2780EF7771.thumb.png.47c46397e8809b4327252a090647242c.png

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Yes, You are following Kai Storm! I went to your page to see your follow list... it makes sense for her to post photos like that, though. She writes Erotica!  Now you can feature her in your talk so she can get some sales! Sure bash instagram but please only for the right reasons!!31BF7D88-D0FA-4BC3-B2C8-766120EA5423.thumb.jpeg.391b7197e205e205c90444d7e3e0e369.jpeg

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Actually that is how is how works Mel social media decides what appears in you feed (even it is just amongst your friends). 

 

According to your research I'm following 1,200 people and judging from that snapshot I actually know a small percentage of those people. Kia Storm is author, as you pointed out; that may explain why we are following each other.  Again I had no idea how many people was following or how many were following me until just now. I never set up the abilty to shop on my instagran feed (got side tracked).

 

At any rate, of the 1,200 people I'm following the Instagram algorithm determined which post was most likely to keep me engaged. Again, judging by the photo they put in my feed they did a damn good job -- I forgot all about selling books  😉

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Troy said:

Actually that is how is how works Mel social media decides what appears in you feed 

 

It appears you’ve decided what appears in your feed.  You’ve chosen to follow her.  Who we follow dictates what we’ll see .  Kai has 62 likes and she posted 1 day ago. If you logged in at 1020 PM then your timing put her right at the top of your feed. 

 

if you logged in this morning,  it is possible her photo was still the most popular so you’re going to see it. 

 

Aside: (NY TIMES is currently running a series “The Privacy Project” on privacy (or lack thereof)

 

The algorithm is based on our own behavior.  Intrusive?  Yes. but definitely it’s our world reflecting back at us.  

 

Instagram’s  business model is advertising - so was there an ad under that photo?   😄

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

The algorithm is based on our own behavior.  Intrusive?  Yes. but definitely it’s our world reflecting back at us.  

 

See, this is the problem. These social media companies tell us it their algorithms are based upon our behavior -- this is no different than the purveyors of smut, gangsta rap, drugs, celebrity gossip, oxycodone, social media, and anything that does not serve us.

 

The reality is the these businesses drive demand for this stuff and have slickly laid the blame of our addictions at our feet.

 

I believe the photo of the big booty girl is shown more frequently for the reasons I stated -- perhaps at the exclusion of content I might find more valuable.

 

@Delano I can't escape it if Instagram shows it to me each time someone I follow posts it.

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5 minutes ago, Troy said:

believe the photo of the big booty girl is shown more frequently for the reasons I stated -- perhaps at the exclusion of content I might find more valuable.

 

@Troy those algorithms are based on OUR input - There's no purpose to put a woman in your feed if the algorithm doesn't expect for you  to remain on the app.  You've taught the program  that you will be titillated by a scantily clad woman and thereby will remain on the app to see some ads.   

Algorithm - A step by step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end.  

Troy has show a proclivity for big booty women .  A photo of a big booty woman will hold Troy in rapt ... Troy will remain on the app to see more big booties but the program will throw in some ads about where Troy can spend money to get more big booty women. 

It's not rocket science.

Change your behavior; your Instagram feed will change too.

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19 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Troy has show a proclivity for big booty women .  A photo of a big booty woman will hold Troy in rapt ... Troy will remain on the app to see more big booties but the program will throw in some ads about where Troy can spend money to get more big booty women

 

That is a bold and unsubstantiated assumption Mel.  

 

What would be the inputs to Instagram's algorithm since I have used Instragram sparingly over the last decade, have shut down my facebook account, and don't consume internet porn? 

 

Again, this is the reasoning some crack dealers used to justify the pernicious behavior -- they wre only meeting a demand in the market.

 

Sure if you show me a big booty gal, I'm gonna look. But I did NOT install Instragram on my cell phone for this. Suppose I was giving a demonstration in class?

 

When I used to read Twitter. I would see hardcore porn occasionally. Stuff ckearly involation of the own standards... so much for algorithms.

 

32 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Change your behavior; your Instagram feed will change too.

 

That we can agree on. I'll be removing the app as soon as I demonstrate their shopping feature.

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14 minutes ago, Troy said:

That is a bold and unsubstantiated assumption Mel.   

 

@Troy You know I don't know you as well as the "internets" does.  It is an example I used  to illustrate  the definition of the algorithm. 
It wouldn't have been as effective if I used the name "tom" ... 😁

But you make me laugh.  You sound like my mother who believes if she doesn't do online banking or check her medical records - the information isn't available about her. 

So yes, delete the app, but that's like removing the mirrors from your home because you don't want anyone to see how you look.  

How you appear to the advertisers isn't going anywhere.

The only way you can get away from these privacy bandits is to go off the grid period.  Remove yourself from the system.  No credit cards, no television, no voting,  no banking, no cell phones, nothing electronic that is collecting data...And then only you'll know about how you feel about big booty women.

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26 minutes ago, Troy said:

When I used to read Twitter. I would see hardcore porn occasionally. Stuff ckearly involation of the own standards... so much for algorithms.


Again... porn has NEVER turned up in my feed on Twitter either... Wow @Delano ! I think you may be on to something 😮

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@Mel Hopkins your statement was:

 

1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Change your behavior; your Instagram feed will change too.

 

My deleting Instagram will certainly solve the problem of their attempting to influence my behavior.

 

41 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

The only way you can get away from these privacy bandits is to go off the grid period.  Remove yourself from the system.  No credit cards, no television, no voting,  no banking, no cell phones, nothing electronic that is collecting data...And then only you'll know about how you feel about big booty women.

 

Mel I'm a healthy, heterosexual Black man; it would not be too much of a leap to assume I might be titillated by that photo. I can tell you that is a hot photo.

 

Mel you keep comparing your feed to mine to justify differences in why I see big booty girls and you don't that is flawed reasoning.

 

27 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Wow @Delano ! I think you may be on to somethin

 

Now you and Del wanna joke around and make me out to be some big time consumer of porn. Have fun.

 

I don't have a problem with porn, but I don't want it pushed to me.  One of many reasons I don't use these social media properties. I want to exercise more control over what I consume online. 

 

Now you can try to justify the reasoning for what they put I'm our feeds, and why it works for you, but I have contempt for their business practices. Unfortunately I can't put my head in the sand and make believe they don't exist or have influence any more than i can ignore Amazon's.

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1 hour ago, Troy said:

My deleting Instagram will certainly solve the problem of their attempting to influence my behavior.

 

@Troy No software program; pimp; drug dealer or advertising can influence behavior that doesn't exist.

You seem to want to blame everything on outside factors.  

Before it was the billboards in the 'hood that influenced black folks to drink beer and smoke cigarettes ... Now you go on Instagram set up an account and it's their business practices that promoted a woman's big booty in your feed - a WOMAN that you decided to follow.   It's amazing how it's never your decisions that cause you to be at odds with something ... Instead it's the system. A system that only seems to affect you. But then you think the rest of us are clueless because we  recognize cause and effect LOL ...  

OH wait that's right! You don't believe in free will nor cause and effect either. MKay. 🙄

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1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

@Troy No software program; pimp; drug dealer or advertising can influence behavior that doesn't exist.

 

This is simply untrue.  Are you seriously trying to tell me the abusive pimps and sex traffickers are reacting to demand that was preexisting? Sure women sell sex, but the abusive pimp is pure exploitation.  @Delano took marketing in B-School I'll let him explain how demand is created.

 

Are you also saying that introducing crack into our communities was meeting a preexisting behavior; to get strung out, steal from you mamma, and give 50 cent blow jobs for your next fix? Come on now Mel? Stop defending the bad behavior of these companies.

 

3 hours ago, Delano said:

I had an Instagram account briefly and no porn. 

 

Also you probably didn't close the image right away. 

I had an Instagram account briefly and no porn. 

 

"I." I," "I." You two can't seem to reason beyond your own noses.  Again, keep using Instagram, but don't try to convince me (yourselves really) that your boy Zuck is providing a societal good. He is not.

 

Do you defend Wall Street, Big Pharma, and Big Tobacco with the same vigor?  There is no difference.

 

1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Before it was the billboards in the 'hood that influenced black folks to drink beer and smoke cigarettes

 

Are you really putting the impact of a billboard on par with that of social media?!  Social media is a billboard on steroids. Mel.  You know this...

 

Again Mel you have a habit of making this issues about us.  OK, so you and I were not influenced by billboards to smoke cigarette -- big deal.  You do know that cancer caused from cigarette smoking is one of the nations biggest killers right?  Just because you and I don't smoke does that mean that others, indeed many others, will be killed by the heavy influence from marketers to smoke.

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22 minutes ago, Troy said:

"I." I," "I." You two can't seem to reason beyond your own noses

 

Ok Pinocchio, clearly neither can you...so there's that.

23 minutes ago, Troy said:

This is simply untrue.

Maybe in the book of @Troy ..but also check in  a book on behavior... If there's no inclination there's no influencing.  You see big booty women because you are attracted to them.

 

24 minutes ago, Troy said:

Again Mel you have a habit of making this issues about us.


AND you have a habit of making it about "THE SYSTEM" ... However there is only US in a two person conversation - and there's only our experiences.  They indicate what is going on in YOUR world/ My World .  We can not prove what others experience because we are not living their lives.

 

Now bringing up anecdotal "evidence" to share YOUR worldview is a waste of everyone's time.   It doesn't change the fact that YOU are providing INPUT to get the OUTPUT.  No one else.  If you're going "teach" a lesson about Instagram - please at least say it's your experience.  

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5 hours ago, Troy said:

give 50 cent blow jobs for your next fix? Come on now Mel? Stop defending the bad behavior of these companies.

Dave Chappelle said they were  $5. Maybe the demand is lower DC. I would think the supply is higher. 

 

I don't think I will be schooling Mel or anyone else in this forum. That's someone else's role. 

5 hours ago, Troy said:

You two can't seem to reason beyond your own noses. 

And what are you doing ?

5 hours ago, Troy said:

  You do know that cancer caused from cigarette smoking is one of the nations biggest killers right? 

Yep and every so often I like a cigarette. 

I admire your enthusiasm though. That's a sincere statement. This system is functioning the way it's suppose. 

A few people do well most get by and some get crushed. That's life in the "civilised" world. 

Denmark Vesey was a free black his wife was a slave. I am not jaded I'm Aquamarine. 

Troy ya gotta come back strong. Mel is punching your tickets RTS. 

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7 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

However there is only US in a two person conversation - and there's only our experiences

 

No. If you only rely on our subjective and anecdotal experiences you will aways be misled. But Mel you don't normally do this why now?

 

7 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

please at least say it's your experience.  

 

How long have you been teaching Mel?  Why tell ne how to teach? Nevermind... I know the answer really does not matter to you.

 

2 hours ago, Delano said:

Troy ya gotta come back strong. Mel is punching your tickets RTS. 

 

Del grow up. This is not a battle. Mel's challenges to my position helps me think though my beliefs and exposes me to opposing points of views. Look, I have a lot more experience with the web than Mel and it is my livelihood, but that does not mean I know everything. She has strong opinions hopefully she us getting something from the exchange too. In fact, she would be engaging if she was not.

 

So @Delano based upon your response are you saying that marketers don't know how to create demand where none exusted before, or are you just gonna sit on the sidelines instigating?

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2 hours ago, Troy said:

you only rely on our subjective and anecdotal experiences you will aways be misled. 

 

Exactly!  So, stop doing it!  Making generalizations about something as personal as an algorithm that requires personal input is ridiculous.  

 

Like life, it is ALWAYS going to return different results for each person.  

2 hours ago, Troy said:

How long have you been teaching Mel?  Why tell ne how to teach? Nevermind... I know the answer really does not matter to you.

 

I’ve been teaching  since I was 15 3/4 when I got my first job as a camp counselor.

 

But I suspect that’s not what you were looking for...So stop...

 

If your lesson plan consists of downloading a social media app;  uploading a big booty woman -in one day then concluding that you can’t sell books on the app - it doesn’t matter if you’re a tenured professor.  

 

Your students are better off taking a class with Kylie Jenner.  At 21, she’s figured out how to become a billionaire selling make-up.

 

 Oh wait... the algorithm was set up so she could make money because of her famous sister with great assets.. is that correct? 🙄

 

2 hours ago, Troy said:

Look, I have a lot more experience with the web than Mel

 

I registered my first domain in 2001...

 

I’ve been online since 1997... When we still had to type in numbers to find certain web addresses.

 

 I want to say my first account was with netscape but I think that was actually my second one.. 

 

i’ve had more websites than I care to admit ... and I was a media marketing cofounder of a very popular tech startup (2006), that we grew our audience to 100,000+ We started on myspace took it to facebook then to a standalone lifestyle digital publishing platform.

 

We did this while hosting a weekly live 2 hour broadcast on blogtalkradio.com where we’d interview celebrities and business mover and shakers.  Our show remained in the top shows on blogtalkradio for nearly two years (2007 - 2009) 

 

In fact, you were probably in school when I started working in broadcast media.  I was uploading news packages and downloading feeds via satellite coordinates to and from CBS newspath and CNN Newsource — I was writing scripts, voicing and producing 30 minute newscasts -and short  documentaries  AND putting them online” in 1999... It was just a larger production back then...

 

So while I only know a little HTML (adv beginner) and may not know how to code;  I doubt if you know much more than I do when it comes to mass media, digital publishing, social media, the “internets” et al because this isn’t my first tech rodeo.  

 

OH WAIT! I’m a “certified” SeedTech Instructor!  For two years,  I taught basic computing and internet skills to adults in the USDOJ Weed & Seed target area in WV!  lol!  

 

Don’t test me... @Troy 😄😄😄

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59 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

 

I registered my first domain in 2001...

 

Thats all you got sis? Check the age of aalbc.com, a site I started after serveral years of building websites for other businesses. I've been online since 1981.

 

Do you really wanna go there? 

 

1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

it is ALWAYS going to return different results for each person.  

 

Again you won't look beyond the individual. You believe Facebook and Twitter provide a societal good, largely, I suspect because you and Kylie (whoever she is) personally derive some benefit from it.

 

1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Your students are better off taking a class with Kylie Jenner.  At 21, she’s figured out how to become a billionaire selling make-up.

 

That makes no sense. Does she know HTML and CSS?  Is money your only goal or measure of success? Maybe you'd be better off taking a class with Kylie if that is the case.

 

Time will tell whether the platform responsible for disseminating 45's lies and propaganda provides a benefit to society. Obviously I don't think it does, but you'll come around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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9 hours ago, Troy said:

I've been online since 1981.

@Troy  there were no social media networks in 1981... Maybe academic message boards but not even a blackplanet.com lol

This explains why you can't grasp the appeal of  social media networking.  You remind me of the technologist who created the search function but missed out on being GOOGLE because of his high ideals ...

 

9 hours ago, Troy said:

You believe Facebook and Twitter provide a societal good, largely,


Myopic folks tend to judge what's valuable or worthy.  I can't see that far into the future to know if facebook or twitter serves society... I haven't even decided if  AALBC serves society.  BUT If I'm participating then it's serving me.  I can't speak for others.  

 

9 hours ago, Troy said:

That makes no sense. Does she know HTML and CSS?  Is money your only goal or measure of success? Maybe you'd be better off taking a class with Kylie if that is the case.


Money is NOT a goal but it is one of the measurements of a successful business.  Successfully scaling a process to keep a cost low is another measure of success.  

I know you know this because you've worked on WALL STREET.    So please spare me your attempt of money-shaming.  :rolleyes:

The goal for any business is to provide something that people want. That's how you create wealth.   I don't know any business operation that doesn't have customers.  Without customers it's just an expensive hobby. 

So, of course I'd take Kylie's class over your class.   Knowing WHY something works provides far more wealth than HOW something works. This thread started about upcoming lecture on ecommerce - not HTML or CSS and after taking Kylie's class if she were to give one,  I'd be able to pay someone to code for me. 

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2 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

GOOGLE because of his high ideals

 

Google has done more to F'up the web than any single other entity and I have more respect for the Brother who created Archie than I do for the jokers running Google. Don't be so quick to dismiss high ideals. They culture can use more of this.

 

6 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

I can't see that far into the future to know if facebook or twitter serves society...

 

You don't need a crystal ball Mel. The answer is plain today.

 

9 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Money is NOT a goal but it is one of the measurements of a successful business.  Successfully scaling a process to keep a cost low is another measure of success.  

 

Money is just one measure of success of a business and it may not be the most important one.

 

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28 minutes ago, Troy said:

Don't be so quick to dismiss high ideals. They culture can use more of this.

 

Absolutely dismissing it and with quickness! We can’t afford any more those folks.   We need people of action . 

 

Had he not attempted to be  “altruistic”  and instead moved to patent his software, and monetize it  there would be NO GOOGLE ...

 

See how that works?

 

A few months ago - you wrote a post about no longer holding the top spot in the search for African American Literature -  You mentioned that GOOGLE buried you ...so, do tell how highmindedness  is working for you? 

 

28 minutes ago, Troy said:

You don't need a crystal ball Mel. The answer is plain today.

 

Twitter is valuable to me.  I don’t know about society as a whole.  I don’t claim to know.

 

 If I were omniscient, then I could judge the relevance of facebook and twitter.

 

But then this exchange wouldn’t be necessary because I wouldn’t need to discuss anything with anyone. 

 

 

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On 5/8/2019 at 4:52 AM, Delano said:

The last two posts sound like you are battling .


"I stand alone on a pedestal
and even betta still
my mic is hyper than hype
if you like I'll take you to a level of heights domain
where I dwell excel, drive you all insane

cause no man or band or clan can rock fans
or stand beside MCM  'cause I am
the incredible, unforgettable,  A capella dwella
like Spinderella, I''m not a fella
but Imma ass-kickin' hellafied microphone high
take it to heart when I start to perform, I
can knock a brother's rep down, make em wanna step down …
even a cutie is bootie cause he slept now" ~ I do Damage



@Delano you're right! Good Ear!!!. That was shaping up to be a rap battle!  This is a verse from my past.   Like you mentioned in the African American Culture thread "call and response" is our from our culture as Is "the dozens" much of which  dates back to GRIOTS from West Africa.

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On 5/8/2019 at 5:28 PM, Mel Hopkins said:

Absolutely dismissing it and with quickness! We can’t afford any more those folks.   We need people of action . 

 

That is too bad you feel that way. For we need people of high mindedness and action. Fortunately there are of emough of them to reign in the corruption we see from the likes of big tabacco, Facebook, Google, and 45.

 

On 5/8/2019 at 5:28 PM, Mel Hopkins said:

few months ago - you wrote a post about no longer holding the top spot in the search for African American Literature -  You mentioned that GOOGLE buried you ...so, do tell how highmindedness  is working for you? 

 

That was just one search term out of thousands of others I rank really well for. You missed to whole point. AALBC does not survive on a single low volume search term. You missed the whole point of the post...

 

On 5/8/2019 at 5:28 PM, Mel Hopkins said:

Twitter is valuable to me.  I don’t know about society as a whole.  I don’t claim to know.

 

Again, if you only view Twitter from just your perspective and how it "benefits" just you, you'll never understand what I've been trying to communicate. 

 

But i understand why you feel that way. it is the same reason indie authors give Amazon exclusivity, why grocers sell cigarettes, why people traffic children in the sex industry, why europeans enslaved Africans, and so on... 

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53 minutes ago, Troy said:

That was just one search term out of thousands of others I rank really well for. You missed to whole point. AALBC does not survive on a single low volume search term. You missed the whole point of the post...

 

@Troy

Never said it was about “survival” So,

you’ve clearly missed the point of what I’ve written so we’re even. 

 

1 hour ago, Troy said:

Again, if you only view Twitter from just your perspective and how it "benefits" just you, you'll never understand what I've been trying to communicate. 

 

Again, match...this is exactly how I felt when you didn’t condemn elijah muhammad for sleeping and impregnated young black girls in his charge.  

 

Your words “l never make any moral judgments” @Troy December 16, 2018

 

so, please spare me your “highminded-mess

 

 

 

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No @Mel Hopkins I apparently did not know what you were meant by, "...highmindedness  is working for you?"

 

3 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Your words “l never make any moral judgments @Troy December 16, 2018

 

so, please spare me your “highminded-mess

 

I wish you would have linked to the quote so that I can read it in context. Cherry picking a quote out of context to make an arguement is a Twitter move. All you are missing is the animated gif to go with it 😉

 

 

 

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Troy said:

I wish you would have linked to the quote so that I can read it in context. Cherry picking a quote out of context to make an arguement is a Twitter move.

 

Are you sure that's how you want to counter?  First Twitter doesn't allow you to cherry pick quotes because you literally have to post the old tweet...that's where the twitter phrase "that didn't age well" comes from.  You would know that if you actually engaged folks on twitter rather than blast them with website posts from an app.

Second, If that quote is only true when speaking on the behalf of men doing questionable things to girls and women then you get the :sideeye: 

Finally, I posted the date when you made the quote ..The date is taken from your post.  If you put together the fact that I mentioned Elijah Muhammad that would be what we call a"context clue".  Now since you usually send us to the search feature - it should be quite easy for you to find it.  

Unfortunately, I don't think the context there will matter.  

"NEVER" in ANY context means "Not now" or Not EVER, NOT at any time. 

So that makes your "moral" rants about social networks, big tobacco and any of soapbox material you've presented  invalid. 

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11 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

 

Again, match...this is exactly how I felt when you didn’t condemn elijah muhammad for sleeping and impregnated young black girls in his charge.  

 

 


He probably didn't condemn Elijah for the simple fact that he DIDN'T do it.
.....and there's no proof or credible evidence that he did.

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13 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

You would know that if you actually engaged folks on twitter rather than blast them with website posts from an app.

 

You do realize I used to activitively use Twitter, right? A reasonable person would also understand I was an advanced user of the site. I simply have chosen not to use it as much any longer any longer. Again Twitter is very easy to use. 

 

The very nature of a tweet itself requires stripping away context, nausance, and complexity. This is perhap why Twitter is 45's weapon of choice.

 

13 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

"NEVER" in ANY context means "Not now" or Not EVER, NOT at any time. 

So that makes your "moral" rants about social networks, big tobacco and any of soapbox material you've presented  invalid. 

 

Again, context matters. I know for a twitterphile, like yourself, that is an foriegn notion, so If you think big tabacco provides a societal good, that I would condone the molestation of children go ahead, but you'd be wrong.

 

@Pioneer1 thank you again context is everything. I was simply not willing to be judge, jury, and executioner for a situation I knew very little about - save Malcolm's 2nd hand information.

 

 

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@Troy Your “moral” judgement quote comes from AALBC.com.  

 

NEVER means NOT EVER in ANY context.

 

So, it’s  telling that you won’t impose your morality on a elijah muhammad impregnating youg girls in his charge. 

 

Impressionable young black girls don’t get your moral outrage. 

 

In their case you wrote you will NEVER make a moral judgement. 

 

 

NEVER means NOT EVER in ANY context.  

 

Except you reserve your feigned moral outrage against faceless institutions - and without proof. 

 

Yeah ok. :rolleyes:

 

Perspicere

 

 

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9 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

NEVER means NOT EVER in ANY context.  

 

No, it does not. 

 

I know what the word "never' means. Again, context is everything.  Sometimes I'm deliberately hyperbolic for effect, to emphasize a point, or to elicit a reaction.  I did not try to find the quote in context, because you would have provided, it in context, or at least a link to it if that is truly what you were interested in doing. 

 

Again you cherry pick a quote out, of context, to make a point and I called you on it.

 

8 hours ago, Delano said:

Yet you make many arguments with second hand information. 

 

Many?!  Really?  Show me one. 

 

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Ok allow me to clarify: If you said I read in the Final Call that the NOI and the Church of Scientology were merging and provided a link. I would consider that, for the sake of our conversations (or battles if you prefer that term), first hand information even though the information was related through you.

 

But when you make the statement (especially an absurd one) without citing a source that is no more than a rumor. I don't pass rumors certainly not without saying so unless it is otherwise obvious. 

 

It makes no sense it argue about unsubstantiated rumors. But I can see arguing about why one should believe one or not.

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On 5/8/2019 at 12:06 AM, Mel Hopkins said:

registered my first domain in 2001...

 

I’ve been online since 1997... When we still had to type in numbers to find certain web addresses.

 

 I want to say my first account was with netscape but I think that was actually my second one.. 

 

i’ve had more websites than I care to admit ... and I was a media marketing cofounder of a very popular tech startup (2006), that we grew our audience to 100,000+ We started on myspace took it to facebook then to a standalone lifestyle digital publishing platform.

 

We did this while hosting a weekly live 2 hour broadcast on blogtalkradio.com where we’d interview celebrities and business mover and shakers.  Our show remained in the top shows on blogtalkradio for nearly two years (2007 - 2009) 

 

In fact, you were probably in school when I started working in broadcast media.  I was uploading news packages and downloading feeds via satellite coordinates to and from CBS newspath and CNN Newsource — I was writing scripts, voicing and producing 30 minute newscasts -and short  documentaries  AND putting them online” in 1999... It was just a larger production back then...

 

So while I only know a little HTML (adv beginner) and may not know how to code;  I doubt if you know much more than I do when it comes to mass media, digital publishing, social media, the “internets” et al because this isn’t my first tech rodeo.  

 

OH WAIT! I’m a “certified” SeedTech Instructor!  For two years,  I taught basic computing and internet skills to adults in the USDOJ Weed & Seed target area in WV!  lol!  

 

Oh Man! I'm wiping sweat from my forehead just reading this! WHEW! @Mel Hopkins You go girl! I am impressed!

Even though, I don't really understand all what you have done, I am amazed. 

 

On 5/8/2019 at 1:32 AM, Troy said:

Check the age of aalbc.com, a site I started after serveral years of building websites for other businesses. I've been online since 1981.

 

Man! @Troy I am grateful to be a part of this community and if I am able to learn just a little of what you know, I will be grateful. 

Yins make me feel so frickin small!

 

This is one major reason why I refrain from being on sites like Twitter and Instagram and facebook and whatever else-- I am like what @Mel Hopkins described about the scenario about her mother thinking if she stays off one site, it will somehow shield her from being exposed completely, and etc. 

 

I know it is wishful thinking and a ridiculous endeavor because, these sites can somehow collect enough data to expose people, but still, I don't belong to just anything site.

I think it is pointless to think it would be good to 'GO OFF THE GRID' but, I bet there are some people who probably try.

 

Even if these sites collect data, I still think that some peoples' privacy rights are being comprimised nonetheless, but with technology today, what can be done about it?

 

On 5/11/2019 at 4:43 PM, Delano said:

I am enjoying the renewed vigir of this battle... The I mean discussion. 

 

@Delano ROFL

 

 

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10 hours ago, Troy said:

 

It makes no sense it argue about unsubstantiated rumors.

This is where we differ. Yet I have no need or desire to change anyone's mind about anything. I thought my position on this was clear. 

 

I have come to realise that we all live in different worlds. And

it is impossible ae

and fruitless to try and convey the contours of my internal world to people. However there are a few people who do I make the effort to do so

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