iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Replies

By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 09/03/2026

Even if rich people were no more prone to believe stupid shit than you or me, it would still be a problem. After all, I believe in my share of stupid shit (and if you think none of the shit you believe in is stupid, I'm afraid we've just identified at least one kind of stupid shit you believe). 1/

A king on a sumptuous, much elaborated throne; in one hand he holds a sceptre of office, in the other, the leashes for two fierce stone dogs that guard the throne. The king's head has been replaced with a character who was used as the basis for MAD Magazine's Alfred E Neumann. The new head sports a conical dunce cap. Behind the king is a large group of 1960s business men, seated and standing, in conservative suits. The background is the view from the 80th floor of World Trade Center 3. The floor has been carpeted in sumptuous tabriz from the Ottoman court.

Image:
Aude (modified)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:80th_floor_of_3_World_Trade_Center_-_OHNY.jpg

CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en

212536

By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 09/03/2026

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog: pluralistic.net/2026/03/09/a... 2/

pluralistic.net

Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow – No trackers, no ads. Black type, white background. Privacy policy: we don't collect or retain any data at all ever period.

1172

fred-decker.bsky.social @fred-decker.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Not gonna lie, I can see "morbidly wealthy" being a phrase I use a lot.

2435