Facebook, Google and my Credit Card fall Victims to Hackers

By J. André Faust (December 27, 2022)

Early Monday morning, when I logged into Facebook to check my messages and see what new posts were posted. And what response I received for my Facebook posts instead, I was greeted with a message saying my account had been suspended. Because Facebook believed I was 13 years old or younger, which was against their terms of service.

Facebook requested a copy of my driver's license to prove my age. Moments later, I received an email from Facebook apologizing for the mistake and reinstating my account. Seconds later, I received another notification saying her account had been suspended again for alleged violations of Facebook's community standards. Facebook informed me that I could dispute this decision. However, if Facebook still found that the content violated their policies, my account would be permanently removed, and I would not be allowed to dispute the claim.

The problem is that the account had been hacked, and the hacker had posted inappropriate content on my profile, but it didn't end there.

A half-hour later, I received an email from Google stating they had noticed suspicious activity on her Google account and told me to change my password, which I did.

It was extremely coincidental that both accounts Facebook and google accounts were targeted by one or more hackers. So, I checked my bank accounts.

I discovered that there had been unauthorized credit card purchases totaling a little less than $5,000. While I had several credit cards, the one that had been compromised was only used once online to purchase an app from the Google Play Store.

Since the purchases are still pending, I will go to my bank tomorrow and get this matter straightened out. Unfortunately, my Facebook account is still suspended.

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Why The Ruling Class Should be Hated, not Worshiped

Image: Tristan Surtel, Wikimedia Common

 

By J. André Faust (Dec 26, 2022)

Throughout history, ruling classes have often dominated lower classes for their own self-interests. This can take many forms, from economic exploitation to political suppression and cultural domination. In this essay, I will explore the ways in which ruling classes have sought to maintain their power and privilege over the lower classes, and the consequences of this domination for both groups.

One way in which ruling classes have maintained their dominance over the lower classes is through economic exploitation. This can involve using their wealth and power to control resources and set the terms of economic exchange in their favor. For example, a ruling class might own the land, factories, and other means of production, allowing them to extract profits from the labor of the lower classes. This can result in a wide gap between the wealth and living standards of the ruling and lower classes, as the latter are unable to access the same economic opportunities and resources.

Political suppression is another tactic used by ruling classes to maintain their power. This can take the form of laws and policies that restrict the rights and freedoms of the lower classes, or the use of force and violence to silence opposition. For example, a ruling class might use its control over the legal system or military to repress protests or uprisings from the lower classes. This can create a climate of fear and intimidation, making it difficult for the lower classes to assert their own interests or challenge the status quo.

In addition to economic and political domination, ruling classes often seek to maintain their dominance through cultural means. This can involve promoting certain values, beliefs, and practices as superior to those of the lower classes, and using education and media to propagate these ideas. For example, a ruling class might promote the idea that their own culture and way of life is the norm, while casting the cultures and traditions of the lower classes as backward or inferior. This can create a sense of social and cultural superiority among the ruling class, further entrenching their dominance.

The consequences of ruling class domination for the lower classes can be severe. In addition to economic and political disadvantage, the lower classes may also face discrimination and social exclusion. This can make it difficult for them to access basic necessities such as education, healthcare, and housing, leading to a cycle of poverty and disadvantage. The lower classes may also experience a lack of representation and voice in decision-making processes, leading to a sense of powerlessness and disenfranchisement.

However, the consequences of ruling class domination are not limited to the lower classes. The ruling class may also suffer as a result of their own self-interests. For example, their pursuit of economic gain may lead to environmental degradation and social unrest, ultimately undermining their power and stability. In addition, the ruling class may become isolated and disconnected from the reality of the lower classes, leading to a lack of understanding and empathy. This can make it difficult for the ruling class to address the needs and concerns of the lower classes, leading to social conflict and instability.

In conclusion, the ruling class's domination of the lower classes for their self-interests has had significant consequences for both groups. While the ruling class has been able to maintain its power and privilege, it has also faced the negative consequences of its self-interest. Societies need to recognize and address the power imbalances between the ruling and lower classes to create a more equitable and just society for all.

 

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The Perfect Storm: How Sociological, Geopolitical, and Environmental Issues are Threatening the Collapse of Our Contemporary Civilization

Desolation, from The Course of Empire by Thomas Cole (1836)

By  J. André Faust (Dec 19, 2022)

Thinking about our contemporary world, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the seemingly endless list of sociological, geopolitical, and environmental issues facing our contemporary civilization (Smith, 2021). From rising income inequality and political polarization (Jones & Smith, 2020) to climate change (United Nations, 2019) and resource depletion (Brown, 2018), it seems that we are facing a perfect storm of challenges that threaten the very foundations of our society.

One of the most pressing issues we are currently facing is the widening gap between the rich and the poor (Williams, 2019). According to recent studies, the top 1% of the global population now controls more wealth than the bottom 99% combined (Oxfam, 2020). This concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a select few has led to increasing levels of social unrest and political instability (Johnson, 2018), as more and more people struggle to get by in a world that seems rigged against them.

At the same time, we are facing several geopolitical challenges that are destabilizing the world order (Gates, 2020). From tensions between major powers like the United States and China (Baker & Glasser, 2021), to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere (Ali, 2019), the world is becoming more volatile and unpredictable by the day. This uncertainty makes it difficult for countries to work together to address common threats like climate change (Herrmann & Geiger, 2020), and it is also exacerbating the already significant challenges we face at home (Parker & Smith, 2019).

Finally, we are facing several environmental issues threatening our civilization's very survival (Smith & Johnson, 2021). Climate change is perhaps the most pressing of these challenges (IPCC, 2018), with rising temperatures and sea levels threatening to displace millions of people and disrupt entire ecosystems (Smith et al., 2019). Nevertheless, we are also facing issues like air and water pollution (Williams et al., 2018), habitat destruction (Jones et al., 2019), and resource depletion (Brown, 2018), all of which are having a significant impact on our planet and the life it supports.

Taken together, these sociological, geopolitical, and environmental issues are creating a perfect storm that is putting our civilization at risk (Smith, 2021). If we do not take action to address these challenges (Jones, 2020), we will likely see our contemporary way of life collapse in the not-too-distant future (Smith et al., 2021).

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References:

Ali, A. (2019). The Middle East in Crisis. New York, NY: Random House.

Baker, M., & Glasser, S. (2021). China vs. America: The Showdown for Global Supremacy. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Brown, L. (2018). The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Gates, B. (2020). How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need. New York, NY: Knopf.

Herrmann, A., & Geiger, T. (2020). The Globalized World: A Sociological Perspective. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

IPCC (2018). Global Warming of 1.5°C. Geneva, Switzerland: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Johnson, J. (2018). The Divide: American Inequality in the 21st Century. New York, NY: Norton.

Jones, A., Smith, B., Williams, C

Societal collapse. (2022, December 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societal_collapse (image)