Why are US fascists fixated on Greenland? It's weirder than you think and only happening because a few nutjobs became billionaires (from April, but still relevant)

https://www.thenerdreich.com/tech-billionaires-want-to-build-a-network-state-in-greenland/

@alexwild Such ideologies were described as #TESCREAL by @timnitGebru and Émile P. Torres: https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/13636

And there's another guy coming from cosmetics who wants to exploit Greenland/Ukraine: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/15/ronald-lauder-billionaire-donor-donald-trump-ukraine-greenland

@alexwild because melting ice is opening it up as a trade route so they can Nike the Middle East

@ChuffMeister Yes. But also, no. Read the article. It's even weirder.

RE: https://mastodon.online/@alexwild/115900612237201487

It's worth noting the tech billionaires are not trying to expand the US empire. They have incubated inside it and are planning to discard the United States like a spent shell once their new network state emerges.

In theory, those hoping to protect Europe from this new threat could find common cause with a number of more traditional American oligarchs, though it might be distasteful, because their interests are also threatened.

@alexwild

I have more than average exposure to rich people, as one does in NYC. I don't think any are billionaires, but millionaires probably.

Anyway. These are the most helpless people on the planet. Really most people are much more helpless than they suspect, even the more rugged off the grid types. But, having a lot of money makes it too tempting to just let other people do things for you.

I think this is why they like the fantasy offered by AI and robots so much.

1/

@alexwild

It's also why you find so many rich people in places like NYC, Tokyo, London etc.

They want the good services! The best ones.

How is that going to work in a bunker? Are you going to have five chefs in there? What do you do when they decide to kill you and keep your bunker?

2/2

@futurebird @alexwild

Reminds me of an article I read ages ago (5-6 years maybe?). It was by some guy who did climate catastrophe-related stuff (I think).

They were given a generous amount of money to give some advice to a group of wealthy individuals.

They wrote that the questions started rather generic, but quickly boiled down to some rather disturbing details. Like "how can I ensure that my guards don't revolt". Or "is automating everything the better choice". Or "is something like a shock collar feasible".

@wakame @alexwild

Living with people with only shock collars keeping them from killing me is a hell only second to living with a shock collar myself and trying to figure out how to get it off and get rid of whoever put it on.

Why live in hell?

@futurebird @alexwild Or worse than kill you – what happens when they expect you to work?

@neia @alexwild

That's basically the same thing I think to some folks.

@futurebird @alexwild

Remote controlled service robots are awesome because you can simply turn them off when you want to be alone.
You can pretend that it is just a machine while there is a human intelligence on the other end.

Like slavery but a robot doesn't need food or a bed, just a charger.

And we are modern 21st century people, of course. We don't do slave-in-the-house slavery. That likely sits weird even with far-right people.

Only cheap clothes from poor countries slavery. Person brings me food to the door slavery. Maybe soon remote contolled sexbot slavery. Worst case: Human in a robot costume behaving like a robot and only getting paid if you don't notice.

@wakame @alexwild

What if you had a bunch of well paid staff who did a great job helping you because you were reasonable and treated them with basic respect?

@ChuffMeister @alexwild off topic but "Nike" is an amazing corn/unalive/etc. of "nuke"

@futurebird @alexwild it's why I laugh when people say these parasites will flee into Space, they would be useless in Space, even worse than passengers....like some belligerent livestock perhaps?

@Lazarou @futurebird @alexwild HAHAHAHAHAHA belligerent livestock. That really does describe a bunch of those folks.

@ai6yr @Lazarou @futurebird @alexwild Can we please send them into space nowwwww?!!! 🙏🏻

@ColesStreetPothole @ai6yr @Lazarou@mastodon.social @futurebird @alexwild
I was so sad when their idea of floating city states didn't pan out.

@cshlan @ColesStreetPothole @ai6yr @alexwild

There is a thing called a NORC "naturally occurring retirement community" where if a bunch of old people live in the same building it sort of turns into a nursing home.

I thought the libertarian floating cities would be NORTVS
"naturally occurring reality TV shows"

@cshlan @ColesStreetPothole @ai6yr @alexwild

Announcer VO: "For the fifth week the sewage system has remained broken. Some residents have set up a blockchain to monetize the repair process but no one wants to clean the pipes. Tensions are rising and some want to go home. Where will this adventure in freedom take them next? Find out in this weeks episode of "Libertarian Barge!"

Roll music and intro sequence.

@futurebird @wakame @alexwild the "second to" part is important

these people will tolerate eternal torture if they know they're being tortured less than the people beneath them

@apophis @ChuffMeister @alexwild the US made a missile called Nike-Hercules that carried a nuke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lWDbwmsz9E

@apophis @alexwild @futurebird @wakame

I think there's something to the idea that being as stupid and loathsome and empty as they are is an eternal torture (not enough), but I think the most accurate description is, they are eternal torture. Hell is wherever billionaires are.