iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

The Europeans no longer trusts the US, not because Trump is an authoritarian, not even because a sizable part of Americans voted for an authoritarian, but BECAUSE the American constitution, laws, and political system apparently ALLOW an authoritarian not only to come to power, but to STAY in power.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

In the US, TikTok was forced to sell its US operations to a US owner, over concerns about its CCP ownership ties. In the same vein in the EU, X should be forced to sell its EU operations to an EU owner, over concerns about its ownership support of Putin.

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

EPP Group in the European Parliament @eppgroup.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Foreign powers and fake news try to influence our elections. It’s time to protect them with real strength and unity. Read more 👉 epp.group/53uwejmd #DemocracyShield #EUDS

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Lib Dem leader Edward Davey calls for a national investigation into Russian political interference in British politics: "Given Reform won't, he must. So will he know launch a national investigation into Russian infiltration into our politics?" Starmer: "Reform is riddled with pro-Putin propaganda"

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

Miami DSA @miamidsa.org · 26/11/2025

Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

Anna from Ukraine @annafromukraine.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

This so-called “U.S.–Russia peace framework” is total BS. 🚨 It’s just Putin’s trick to delay the new U.S. sanctions hitting #Lukoil and #Rosneft on Nov 21 sanctions that can wreck his economy. If talks were real, Ukraine & the EU would be at the table, not random #Kremlin proxies who decide nothing.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

After the US will have found its democratic bearings again, a united Congress will vote the TEGSARA (the Trump Era Grift Sanctioning And Recovery Act).

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

One of the more uplifting prospects of GAI (General Artificial Intelligence) is that it will pretty soon do away with $100 million CEOs. But then there will be a new multi-million battle, about which competitor gets to have the best GAI CEO.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

One of the last things GAI will be able to understand is why people want to be wealthy beyond a level that provides for a comfortable life without having to work.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

When judging the degree of development of a country, don't look at how its wealthy people live. Wealthy people live good in just about any country. No, look at how its poor people live.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

In general, Europeans associate being wealthy with being morally bad, until proven otherwise, whereas Americans associate being wealthy with being morally good, until proven otherwise. That's why in the US money can quite literally buy you an election to office. In Europe, not so much.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Does communism mean authoritarianism? Does capitalism mean democracy? Where do Europe or the US currently figure in this scheme? The theory of the "Political-Economic Wedge" may shed some light ...

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Populists don't use statistics to sway voters, they use cases. Because no matter how outrageous your statistical claim is, you will always find an actually true case to "prove" it.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Multi-culturalism is an excellent idea, provided it consists only of cultures that appreciate multi-culturism.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

"Terrorism" is - and only is - any planned act that aims to kill, maim, or otherwise physically injure random non-combatants that belong to a certain social group (nationality, ethnicity, religion, language, ...), or to destroy or damage their residential, communal, or utility infrastructure.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

A liberal democracy should be open to all tolerant ideologies. To intolerant ideologies, not so much. Actually, it should fight them with all means available. Note that some religions indisputably qualify as intolerant ideologies.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

The EU can only execute any coherent migration strategy if member states delegate the procedure for obtaining citizenship to the EU. That would also immediately end all golden passport schemes.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Christians and Muslims, they died together during October 1918 defending the sovereignty of a liberal democracy, France. Now forever, they rest together. Glory to the heroes.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Doesn't "The Land of the Free" mean that anyone who is on "The Land" (i.e. US territory) is free?

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

"We'll slap huge tariffs on you. If you don't retaliate, we'll reward you with lowering them a bit" is like saying "I'm taking your wallet. If you don't resist, you won't get hurt". That promise is NOT a favor, to be appreciated as a foundation for future amical encounters.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

It would seem that a necessary condition to the US ever again - even after Trump has gone - regaining the trust of its traditional allies is that it inscribes in its constitution the interdiction to annex territory.

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

DG MEME @ecmemes.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

The action figure Rambo was playing with as a child.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

You know your democracy is under attack when after an election suddenly certain prosecutions are being dropped, without any change in the law that could account for that.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

My graph on tariffs. Market starts at (P1, Q1). Trump slaps on tariff. Shifts the supply line of exporters up to the dash line. New equilibrium at a higher store price (P2). Also less goods consumed (Q2). Exporters also lose because their net price has dropped to P3, and they now sell only Q2.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

The US is no longer "the greatest democratic experiment in history". That honour is now bestowed on the EU.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

When Christian-nationalist Americans proudly claim their ancestors fled religious persecution in Europe, they really mean "religious persecution of Christian denominations akin to ours", implying they would likely have no qualms about any other religious persecution. On the contrary.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

A lie is when a speaker states something as true whereas he/she does not believe it is true. So, a stated untruth is not a lie if the speaker believes it to be true. Then he/she is merely ill-informed. Technically you can even lie by telling the truth, if you believe it to be untrue. Complicated.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

In the often disingenuous discussion about who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, who is the attacker and who is the defender, who is the invader and who is the invaded, there should really be only one question: whose civilians are dying?

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

In a liberal democracy, the only payments allowed to government are taxes (voted by the legislative), remuneration of formal public services or products, e.g. bus fares, museum entree fees, or post stamps (managed by the executive), and fines and indemnities (ordered by the judiciary). That's it.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

A "constitutional crisis" is when two governmental powers apply the US Constitution but arrive at conflicting outcomes. That's NOT what's happening now! The executive power is simply ignoring the Constitution, and even trying to substitute it. This is an insurrection, aiming for a dictatorship.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Capitalism is not a synonym for democracy. It's not even a guarantee for democracy. It's perfectly happy to live under an autocracy, provided there is protection of (its) property rights, little or no protection of employees, consumers, and the environment, and of course, little or no taxation.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Of people of colour or women who have reached positions of high public authority in life, it is UNCERTAIN whether they were assisted by DEI policies or not. But when they are dismissed because of this probability, it is CERTAIN they are dismissed because they are of colour or a woman.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

The level of development of any country can best be measured by the way it treats its waste.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

@eppgroup.bsky.social Perhaps time for the EU to ban foreign controlled social networks, and replace them with EU run equivalents, overseen by a body of independent sociologists, journalists, legals, and civil servants. Sounds like a Chinese Firewall, but I think a Karl Popper Exception applies 🇪🇺

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Too many Americans fail to understand it's no longer about left vs right, liberal vs conservative. It's now about constitutional vs unconstitutional, democratic vs authoritarian.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

With Jan6 - doubled down on with the ensuing pardons - MAGA and its political exponents have forever forfeited the right to condemn any political protests that result in damage of property or physical injury (even of law enforcement), much less undertake governmental legal action against them.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

These tariffs only seem to work somewhat for US consumers when Europe retaliates by increasing the tariff on bourbon, bourbon export demand drops, unexported bourbon goes to the US market, and US bourbon prices drop. But the one thing Trump publicly reviles against are ... retaliatory tariffs 😆

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

If in a republic with separation of powers the power under scrutiny (the executive power) appoints its own auditor (Musk), worse, makes him judge, jury, and executioner, and even worse, allows him to have a billion dollar conflict of interest as a contractor, then you are ... in a banana 🍌 republic.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

@jessicadenson07.bsky.social As a sidenote to the 14-3 argument, in most European democracies you are AUTOMATICALLY banned for a substantial period (like 5 to 10 years) from running for any public office upon being criminally convicted, REGARDLESS of having sworn a constitutional oath or not.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

If Nazi rocket scientists make for good government expenditure auditors, the US would have had one half a century earlier.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Peace agreements in border conflicts indeed mean peace. "Peace agreements" in invasions mean capitulation for the invaded.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

US politics don't have a left- and a right-wing. They have a left-wing, and then a "wing" of which the only "ideology" is to like what the left-wing detests, and to detest what the left-wing likes. That wing now has voted fascists into power, simply because ... the left-wing detests fascists.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

The massive weaponization of holocaust guilt remains to this day largely uncontested and even undetected, which maintains the enormous effectiveness of this weapon's armor-piercing ammunition, the ACCUSATION OF ANTISEMITISM, especially against liberal-democratic targets.

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Random EU TV channel just asked viewers if they would stop buying US products if Trump taxed EU products. 20,232 answered in 5 minutes ...

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Steven Sarens @stevensarens.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

The sociopolitical problem with privately owned social networks is that they maximise content - as this generates ad revenue - by offering earning models to content creators. If the latter are political, they - often unconsciously - turn into POPULISTS, focussing on clicks rather than ideology.

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Reposted by Steven Sarens

Nordique Bonqeur Fella 🇸🇪🇦🇽🇫🇮🇩🇰🇧🇻🇮🇸 @nordicfella.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

European federal constitution. European federal government. One border. One European defence. European war economy. European weapons from an independent European weapon industry. Hungary or Orban out. Ukraine in. @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @kajakallas.bsky.social @donald-tusk.bsky.social

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