Oddbean new post about login | logout @98042630 Pretty sure Musk did not disable Starlink satellites; he instead did not activate Starlink satellites that were inactive. Yes, not helping Ukraine by activating satellites exacted a huge toll on human life. So, has Ukraine stopped using Starlink services? After all, Musk has shown himself to be unreliable and more concerned about Russia.
@6b43cb18 @98042630 There isn't an alternative to using Starlink. Starlink is first of it's kind and consumes nearly the entire low-earth orbit. It's not a matter of making a capitalist switch from one company to another, it's a utility that when deactivated, an alternative may not be readily available. Being told that you have access to a service, and then losing that access without notice, is a complicated situation, regardless of the application.
@4ecaa948 @98042630 "Being told that you have access to a service, and then losing that access without notice" Except, this was a case of never having access to the service in the region because the satellites were not active. And were not turned on upon request. Starlink had been clear that it would provide internet for civilian purposes only. The requested service would have been to aid drone strikes.
@6b43cb18 @98042630 what you’re suggesting runs counter to the book being quoted. Do you have a source that suggests he didn’t activate the service rather than ordering it shut off? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/07/elon-musk-ordered-starlink-turned-off-ukraine-offensive-biography
@1d4f250e @98042630 It does run counter to the book, and it may well be wrong. But I doubt it from the reports. Note that Ukraine itself is not claiming what the book claims. It is pissed at "not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military..." https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/politics/elon-musk-biography-walter-isaacson-ukraine-starlink/index.html Something Musk claims as well. Now, there are ample reasons to hate and distrust Musk, but this would be an easy one to debunk. (Whether satellites were active and then turned off in time)
@6b43cb18 @98042630 personally, I would need corroboration from someone other than Musk. He’s too willing to amplify Russian propaganda. Without that, I’ll stay in the “nationalize starlink” camp
@1d4f250e @98042630 "Nationalize Starlink" is not in conflict with "Musk did not activate the satellites" OR "Musk turned off the satellites." Neither action nor inaction from Muck necessarily leads to "Nationalize Starlink." If Ukraine/US tomorrow confirms that the satellites were not turned on, what, the "Nationalize Starlink" camp falls apart?
@6b43cb18 @98042630 no, the “prosecute for war crimes” part falls apart then, but I have so little hope that our country will ever actually punish crimes done by billionaires that I don’t think there’s anything there to fall apart
@1d4f250e @98042630 You cannot punish what you allow, and what the country chooses to allow. We, as a nation, are center-right. What we see happening is an expected consequence of our choices. Right from the start, when, a bunch of rich, white, male slave-bangers decided to boot the monarchy and replace it with a constitutional aristocracy. We say "NEVER AGAIN," and then watch as it happens AGAIN and AGAIN. We are one Republican President away from a descent into fascism.