Sesame Credit

[Seattleite]

lHcTKWiZ8sI

 

FUCK.

[Jeb_CC]

Sounds kinda scary... China's always doing something weird though. XD I mean come on, their whole country is just one big time zone!

But I don't understand why it's called 'Sesame Credit'. I'm just thinking of sesame seeds, probably cause I'm hungry. I'm too hungry to comprehend it properly. XP

No idea what can be done about it either. It's China. China listens to nobody. ...actually, yeah, you try convincing ANY country that their well--thought out mandatory plan idea needs to be abolished, they won't listen. XD

[Blightmare]

This terrifies me. Like legitimately terrifies me. Usually when something comes up that gives too much unnecessary power to a government, there's a lot of resistance from a population but the fact that they're embracing this with open arms makes it so much worse.

 

I guess the best we can hope for outside of it not happening at all is that it stays in china and no other countries try that. Fuck indeed...

[Seattleite]

But I don't understand why it's called 'Sesame Credit'. I'm just thinking of sesame seeds, probably cause I'm hungry.

 

Because the company making it is called Ali Baba.

 

This terrifies me. Like legitimately terrifies me. Usually when something comes up that gives too much unnecessary power to a government, there's a lot of resistance from a population but the fact that they're embracing this with open arms makes it so much worse.

 

I guess the best we can hope for outside of it not happening at all is that it stays in china and no other countries try that. Fuck indeed...

 

See, all of this is right on the money, but here's what makes me especially worried:

If this works in China, it'll be everywhere FAST. Every political body in the world has reason to do something like this, and none are principled enough to turn down this kind of power. How long do you give it before it reaches each of our home nations? Before our own governments begin making their own version of Sesame Credit? China rolls out its version in full in 2020. I'm betting two years for development to start on an American equivalent and five years before it's released.

[Binky The Rabbit]

Holy shit, they're actually doing it. SMBC predicted it *perfectly*

 

 

 

 

I want to praise its genius, but at the same time, Fuck that shit all the way into a black hole, and then some. That is totalitarian dystopia at its finest. If the chinese government get their people hooked on chasing numbers for social acceptance and status, they've won. They hold all the cards, and people will be too busy trying to get high scores to question them.

 

It all sounds ludicrous and almost unlikely, but at the same time I don't think we should for one second dismiss it. Positive Reinforcement (something good as a reward) is very powerful, much more so than Positive Punishment (something bad as a reward). This is psychological conditioning, and if it isn't stopped, the government can bend its citizens to its will with next to no protest.

 

And how popular is competitive gaming in the Far East?

And how popular is it in the Western World?

[Reverend_UshankaCat_]

I don't think that this is something that could work in the western world, since it is obviously violating basic human rights and even the biggest idiot can see that it hurts the belief that everyone is treated equally regardless of their political views.

It does make China extremely strong though. They are making sure that nobody dares to question the government anymore, but everyone already knows how much of an Orwellian nightmare China is already.

In the western world what we have to worry about is things similar to this. Doing the exact same thing would be way too obvious, but I'm sure our gouvernments can find more subtle ways to implement something like Sesame Credit. Maybe in the future liking posts about your president's great decision to get involved in a war on Facebook means that you will automatically get 5 likes on each of your own posts! The problem is that people love social media and being competetive, so even without giving privileges this can become a problem.

 

I doubt it will be very successful if it does happen. But if I'm wrong, then I will have absolutely no problem with becoming a teroorist anymore. I'd rather have arnachy than no free will at all.

[Seattleite]

I don't think that this is something that could work in the western world, since it is obviously violating basic human rights and even the biggest idiot can see that it hurts the belief that everyone is treated equally regardless of their political views.

 

Nonsense, for two reasons.

 

1. Americans only support the freedom when people aren't doing anything they don't like. The amount of time it takes Americans to go from "we support freedom of speech" to "everyone who disagrees with me should go to jail" is measured in Plank Time. Sure, they're all for allowing people to speak their minds, then somebody speaks against gun control and then it's all "THOSE CHILDREN ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU" and "YOU SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR EVEN SAYING THAT". Freedom of religion is super important, then there's a terrorist attack and people are screaming "kill all Muslims". Freedom of assembly is in the constitution, and then teachers take to the streets about their squalid work environment and we declare everywhere a no protest zone.

 

2. Obvious violations of basic human rights are a-ok with the american public, generally only seeing backlash from a small percentage of the population for a short period of time. I submit as evidence the NSA spy program, COINTELPRO, NAFTA, the TPP, MKULTRA, the CCA and general privatization of prisons, the drug war, the drone program, the military-industrial complex in general and every war we've fought as a result of their influence for the last forty years.

 

There only needs to be a few slight tweaks to make this work in the US, and once it's done it'll work better for our government's purposes than theirs. All they need to do is make a version for each party, and get corporations to sign on to give discounts for aligning strongly with the party line, which is easy because it's also free marketing.

 

Want a discount on Microsoft games? Play up the hysteria on gun ownership.

Want 20% off at Home Depot? Scream and rant and rave about prayer in schools.

Want half off on a new Ford truck? Better not be friends with any democrats.

Free Chic-Fil-A for the biggest homophobe!

A free frappucino for everyone who calls the proposed ban on free speech a ban on hate speech!

Support putting ground troops in Syria, get $20 of gas for free!

Support the Comcast-TWC merger, and get free broadband for one month!

 

This will destroy us.

[Zaraki]

Jesus.Fucking.H.Christ.

This is actually happening.

China.PLEASE.DON'T.YOU.DARE.

[BTGBullseye]

I've been looking into this for some time now... Been awhile since I last checked on it though. It's good that people (even if it is a remarkably low number of them) are finding out about it, then we have people who can recognize it when it eventually gets here, and stop it from taking hold. (hopefully)

[Jeb_CC]

Want a discount on Microsoft games? Play up the hysteria on gun ownership.

Want 20% off at Home Depot? Scream and rant and rave about prayer in schools.

Want half off on a new Ford truck? Better not be friends with any democrats.

Free Chic-Fil-A for the biggest homophobe!

A free frappucino for everyone who calls the proposed ban on free speech a ban on hate speech!

Support putting ground troops in Syria, get $20 of gas for free!

Support the Comcast-TWC merger, and get free broadband for one month!

 

Awww... but... I want a frappucino... and I want free broadband...

That would suck. That would just REALLY SUCK. You'd look at your neighbours with all this cool shit and stuff, a Ferrari and a pool, not really deserving of any of it, all they did was just follow a few simple commands from the government. Psscht.

And on another note: If you managed to make up that whole list by yourself, +100 points to you for creativity.

Also... isn't this just all massive bribery?

[Seattleite]

Awww... but... I want a frappucino... and I want free broadband...

 

And therein lies the problem.

 

That would suck. That would just REALLY SUCK. You'd look at your neighbours with all this cool shit and stuff, a Ferrari and a pool, not really deserving of any of it, all they did was just follow a few simple commands from the government. Psscht.

 

Well, from the corporations in question, which would be using it to further things that benefit them or their owners' ideals. Hence one example being getting free broadband for supporting the Comcast-TWC merger (which already went and failed, but they could do it again), presumably only if you're a customer of Comcast or TWC. I can see them giving up on a month's worth of profit to force a deal through like that, can't you?

 

And on another note: If you managed to make up that whole list by yourself, +100 points to you for creativity.

 

I accept Visa, American Express and Mastercard. Also Paypal, US dollars and Bitcoins only.

 

Also... isn't this just all massive bribery?

 

Yes. Yes it is.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Guest (see edit history)

[Binky The Rabbit]

Join the campaign to allow fracking in your local area and enjoy 2 years without energy bills!

 

Vote against gay marriage and the Church will pay for your own wedding!

 

Report a suspected communist in your street and pay no taxes this quarter!

 

Earn 10000 Patriot Points and have dinner with your favourite celebrity!

[Seattleite]

Join the campaign to allow fracking in your local area and enjoy 2 years without energy bills!

 

Vote against gay marriage and the Church will pay for your own wedding!

 

Report a suspected communist in your street and pay no taxes this quarter!

 

Earn 10000 Patriot Points and have dinner with your favourite celebrity!

 

I suspect the rewards would be rather a lot... Smaller than that.

[BTGBullseye]

Kill-a-commie! Achievement - Gain 5000 points from promoting anti-[insert current favorite group the government hates here] ideals. (+1000 points)

America for Americans! Achievement - Gain 10000 points from voicing anti-immigration ideals for [insert government hated immigrant group here]. (+1500 points)

Spanish Inquisition! Achievement - Aid in the expulsion of any undesirable religion from US borders. (+500 points)

DRMified! Achievement - Buy only games with internet-connected DRM. (+4500 points)

Defender of the Seas! Achievement - Report at least 10 digital pirates to the authorities, and aid in their convictions. (+5000 points)

Torrenter. Achievement - Torrent anything. (-10000 points)

Pirate. Achievement - Torrent any copyrighted material. (-50000 points)

Jailbird. Achievement - Go to jail for any reason. (lose all points, cannot gain points for 6 months after release)

 

5000 point milestone - 5% discount on all goods made in the USA.

10000 point milestone - 20% discount on all sales tax.

25000 point milestone - 10% discount on gasoline prices.

50000 point milestone - 10% reduction on federal income taxes.

 

1000000 point milestone - No income taxes, no sales taxes, 20% gasoline discount, 20% discount on all goods made in USA.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Guest (see edit history)

[Seattleite]

I also do not believe they could make it quite so... Unified.

[BTGBullseye]

Unified? What do you mean by that?

[Jeb_CC]

Join the campaign to allow fracking in your local area and enjoy 2 years without energy bills!

 

Vote against gay marriage and the Church will pay for your own wedding!

 

Report a suspected communist in your street and pay no taxes this quarter!

 

Earn 10000 Patriot Points and have dinner with your favourite celebrity!

 

I suspect the rewards would be rather a lot... Smaller than that.

Terrorize that communist for years and years on the other side of the street and enjoy 2 years without energy bills!

Murder your gay neighbours and the Church will pay for your own wedding!

Burn down that rebelling town nearby and pay no taxes this quarter!

Enslave the country under the government's will-bending-power and be protected by the army until death.

 

How about that?

 

@BTG: Oh my gosh. It's horrible!! o.O If the US implement something like the China are going to do, I'm offering free-accommodation in Australia. XD Come to Australia! We have beer.

[Seattleite]

Unified? What do you mean by that?

 

I mean that the US is a corporatocracy, and I'm pretty sure each company or group of companies would run their own version of this, rather than there being a single official government one. At most, the republican and democratic parties might have their own.

[BTGBullseye]

The Republicans and Democrats are the same people now... I thought you knew that? It is merely the illusion of a two party system here, all candidates end up doing essentially the same thing once in office.

[Seattleite]

The Republicans and Democrats are the same people now... I thought you knew that? It is merely the illusion of a two party system here, all candidates end up doing essentially the same thing once in office.

 

Yes, on the important issues they are identical and rhetoric aside most perform more or less the same once in office. But that doesn't change their public image still being a deeply partisan two-party body. They can maintain this illusion while further focusing people away from the issues they want out of the public mind, using this system to reward people for taking the side their party had assigned to it on the topics they have specifically selected.