this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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News

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Summary

In his farewell speech, President Joe Biden warned of a growing "oligarchy" in the U.S., where extreme wealth and power threaten democracy.

Comparing modern elites to 19th-century robber barons, he called for reforms to hold the wealthy accountable, as done in the past.

Biden also criticized a "tech-industrial complex" concentrating power and spreading disinformation, weakening democracy.

His remarks sparked a surge in Google searches for "oligarchy."

The speech comes amid rising concerns about policies favoring billionaires, like Trump’s tax cuts and potential cuts to social safety programs.

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[–] [email protected] 363 points 3 days ago (6 children)

it's been made abundantly clear that a lot of americans have no fucking idea what anyone is talking about

[–] [email protected] 164 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I genuinely can't believe that there is any overlap at all with the maybe 500 people who actually listened to his speech or even read an article summarizing it and those who don't know what the meaning of "oligarchy" is.

How does anyone get engaged enough in the political process to watch a speech from Biden and not recall Bernie Sanders saying this every day of his life for the last 30 years?

[–] [email protected] 84 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I follow these things closely on my own time, as I assume is common for nearly everyone on lemmy.

But I saw coverage of Biden’s farewell address randomly at the gym. And also at a local restaurant. The media now is putting that word “oligarchy” in front of people's eyes, as a summary of his speech. I would guess most people googling it are checking if “the oligarchy” is a country in the middle east or something

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 days ago

Lol, that's fair. Maybe I should really feel surprised that people paid attention enough to Google it.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

"Who the fuck is Ollie Garky?"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

"Klepto crazy? Never heard of the guy, must be Greek or something"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

It's scary how much old tv media sways public conversation...and how incompetent they are

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I often get confused between oligarchy, kleptocracy and plutocracy, that’s why I would look it up. I do understand how we can all be a little ignorant. We should do better.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Well, to be fair, a kleptocracy is a poverty mindset applied to wannabe plutarchs or oligarchs. Oligarchy is the DEI version of Plutocracy because it's not just wealth based. Edit:/s

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

There is nothing diverse, equitable or inclusive about oligarchs, quite the opposite, but I see your point.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Sarcasm tag added

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Probably depends on your life style and what you do for work. I work in front of a computer so I browse on the side and see stuff, but take a teacher who is focused on kids all day doesn't have much of a chance to get caught up on stuff

[–] [email protected] 24 points 3 days ago (1 children)

My friend is an HVAC guy and spends a lot of his days in the basement of high rises with no service. He gets home and has 2 kids to take care of and by the time he's done, physical labor has taken its toll and he's too sleepy to do much besides watch a comedy special before bed.

I have WFH computer job so I get to stay informed but it feels like the average American just doesn't have time to keep up with the insanity of modern politics.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

The best my brain ever felt was when I worked in a corner of a building that was a dead zone. No distractions unless I sought them out and physically went to them.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago

Defunding schools doing it's job

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Americans have been so fat and happy that they're literally sick. They need a few more LA fires and pandemics to wake up from the intellectual coma they're in.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Sadly, they bought all the lies about Covid and now believe they are safe from it and that it magically disappeared. They believe the CDC's "comprehensive guidelines" are enough to keep us all "safe", when the actual guidelines are just base ideas, not anything of real value. They actually recommend people sneeze and cough into their elbows as if that's going to stop an airborne virus. Yet they believe it all.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Anyone who had any other understanding has failed to communicate with the American public.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

communication requires participation by both the sender and the receiver in order to take place. are you saying that if everything you tell someone is dismissed as "fake news" and ignored, then it's your fault that nothing was communicated?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

participation by both the sender and the receiver in order to take place. are you saying that if everything you tell someone is dismissed as “fake news” and ignored, then it’s your fa

How in the hell did you get that as a take away from what I said?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

has failed to communicate with the American public.

what did you mean by that, if not exactly what you said?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Blocking a troll. got one less problem without ya...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Blocking a troll. got one less problem without ya…

lol if i was blocked i wouldn't see that...

but yea. bye.

[–] boomzilla -1 points 3 days ago

I think user rumba meant in regards to the OP post...

"it's been made abundantly clear that a lot of americans have no fucking idea what anyone is talking about"

...that anybody who thought otherwise about the american public has never really talked to its representants.

Whereas I think you understood rumbas' comment as like he wrote about the people who knew better about the threat of the coming administration failed to communicate it to the average ignorant us citizen. With you replying that those trying to enlighten didn't have a chance to succeed with that anyway.

Now shake hands and unblock. You're on the same side.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

What else is new?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 days ago

Not the brightest bunch