this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2025
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

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We are just finding out about a child sex trafficking ring involving politicians and billionaires, the world’s richest man does a Nazi salute at a political rally, and the President being an adjudicated sex criminal is probably not the worst thing he has done…

Meanwhile I’m standing here in the checkout line feeling guilty about whether or not I should tip a barista

Something is wrong with our collective notion of morality, and my individual understanding (Oh well, here we are)

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[–] etherphon@lemmy.world 239 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And make sure to turn off all the lights and appliances you're not using to save power for the AI. This future is trash.

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And reduce your water usage because it's a drought. While we grow water heavy crops like almonds in those drought stricken regions and foreign investors from arid countries grow water heavy crops like alfalfa solely for export back home.

[–] freeman@feddit.org 6 points 1 day ago

Or specifically bred/GMOd soy and corn which gets used for animal food instead of soy and corn humans could eat.

(Nothing against GMO, but against our high animal produce consumption)

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 125 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Just finding out? Haha, no, we've known about this ring for the better part of a decade now. The wealthy and powerful probably a lot longer than that.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 64 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Even the next part:

world’s richest man does a Nazi salute at a political rally,

Don't get me wrong, horrible and completely unacceptable.

But sure as shit is nowhere near the line of what's happened with the last 100 years:

The Business Plot, also called the Wall Street Putsch[1] and the White House Putsch, was a political conspiracy in 1933 in the United States to overthrow the government of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and install Smedley Butler as dictator.[2][3] Butler, a retired Marine Corps major general, testified under oath that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization with him as its leader and use it in a coup d'état to overthrow Roosevelt. In 1934, Butler testified under oath before the United States House of Representatives Special Committee on Un-American Activities (the "McCormack–Dickstein Committee") on these revelations.[4] Although no one was prosecuted, the congressional committee final report said, "there is no question that these attempts were discussed, were planned, and might have been placed in execution when and if the financial backers deemed it expedient."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot

In case anyone's eyes glazed over instead of reading, two key points:

wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization with him as its leader and use it in a coup d'état to overthrow Roosevelt.

And even more importantly:

Although no one was prosecuted, the congressional committee final report said, "there is no question that these attempts were discussed, were planned, and might have been placed in execution when and if the financial backers deemed it expedient."

Shit didn't just get bad, it's been bad.

And the way to fight it is an opposition party like FDR.

[–] skisnow@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 days ago

A fairly wide range of problems in modern society can be traced to the judiciary's reluctance to both prosecute and sentence the rich with the same rigor they apply to the poor.

Oh yeah Musks grandparents were part of that

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Everyone acting like these are the worst times ever, makes me wonder about their history education. Yeah, America's taken a steep dive this century. Yeah, that's normal for empires to fall. Usually to greed.

I'm hoping we crash hard, Great Depression hard. That clusterfuck ushered in liberal politics dominating until the 90s. We had conservatives, Reagan comes to mind, but they didn't have unchecked power like today.

Only exception I got is global warming. We've never played this particular game before.

[–] postcapitalism@lemmy.today 14 points 2 days ago

False premise. I never said it was the worst time ever, or even that I was surprised.

This is just about the relativity of my morality and what society is willing to tolerate

(this to the above two smart comments as well - although I don’t fundamentally disagree)

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[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Actually over 2 decades, now. Epstein's plea deal was in 2008 under Bush.

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Given this past decade, I'd say I we've known about it for the worst part of the decade.

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[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 55 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

On a related note, the latest Trump administration cabinent picks and antics unironically cured my impostor syndrome.

If these gaggle of fucking demented backstabbing morons are good enough to run this country...

And they can show that about half the country is actually so stupid and or intentionally blind and or evil to somehow not realize their cult leader just obviously is a huge rapist and pedoohile...

Then I am better than this country.

Better qualified, more empathetic, more competent.

Turns out it was just angry clowns gaslighting us the whole time.

Well uh fuck em, this is all so stupid that I now actually have the correct amount of self-confidence and self-respect, it is indeed this entire society that is a joke, not that I am somehow fundamentally inadequate.

[–] stelelor@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 day ago

"Only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it." Plato knew what was up.

[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

it's easier to get ahead with a weaker skillset if you're ok with fucking over someone else to get there.

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[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 55 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Capitalism rewards the most heartless greedy pieces of shit. Simple as. It is, in fact, not the best type of economy for any kind of moral society.

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[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 48 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No, your notion of morality is accurate, there's no reason to race to the bottom because someone else sucks more.

[–] arin@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No one suggested that we need to do worse than the billionaires.

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[–] benni@lemmy.world 31 points 2 days ago (8 children)

Are you really feeling guilty about not tipping because of the moral implications, or do you just feel socially shamed? Important distinction.

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Considering the idea of shame is society's way to enforce it's version of morality, I would argue no it is not a distinction.

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[–] Asswardbackaddict@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (8 children)

Maxwell's father worked for various intelligence agencies. This appears to be a blackmail operation by the Mossad and/or the CIA. The former Israeli Prime Minister visited Epstein's home several times.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The uncle of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi had extensive business dealings with Epstein and Israel and the current Saudi ruler MBS was a "friend" of Epstein according to Epstein. Kashoggi was murdered about 10 month prior to Epstein being murderes.

A lot of the evil of the world right now has been involved with Epstein in one way or another.

[–] Asswardbackaddict@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I think we have three major bad acts at play going on in the US, that I've been able to link to specific actors, at least. We have FBI and intelligence confirmed Russian misinformation campaigns exploiting our right to free speech. We have Chinese narcotic warfare (see Opium war), as posited by the DEA - fentanyl precursors are mostly Chinese. And we have the Epstein honeypot operation conducted by CIA/Mossad/Organized crime influencing policy for decades. See these two volumes.

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[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

You know I didn't really think about that.

I know of the connection between Maxwell and Mossad.

Obviously Mossad needs a way to influence billionaires more than just money. The AIPAC (or whatever) has no real ability to sway them.

The sudden acceptance by western countries acknowledging Gaza a state? Could be that Mossad and AIPAC lost their influence.

The billionaires want Maxwell free because she gets them things they cant normally buy, plus other kickbacks from Israel I presume.

I don't think it's blackmailing the billionaires, it's just out right not giving them what they want.

Yet another reason to not have billionaires.

Because we needed more of thosem

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[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

we known it since 2019, when he epsteined himself. and it went back decades, the MSM did thier best to not report it for the last 4 years. because too many politicians, both US and the world leaders, plus many donors. just like with the panama papers.

[–] outhouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The thing is:

The little things do matter. They shape who you are. They shape the lives of the people around you. They're important.

But this is like a death-penalty-on-the-table-murder-trial being interrupted by a nuclear bomb. And that shit always happens.

Yes this other shit happens more, yes it's a priority, and yes none of your everyday decency will influence it in the slightest, but it still matters.

You just also have to fix that other shit.

It's not'nothing matters' its 'fuck, more work'.

[–] Pika@rekabu.ru 16 points 1 day ago

While people in power are absolute evil most of the time, this is not an excuse to change your own morals for the worse.

Small acts of kindness, when taken in decent quantity, change the world no less than massive fraud and sex trafficking.

That said, one of the most moral things to do is to be on the lookout for powerful people doing nasty things and do everything in your capacity to prevent or at least retaliate. This makes abuse less common, and goes a long way to restore democracy and responsibility for everyone.

[–] lerba@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 day ago

Don't expect the world to reward your good behavior. You will find your own internal motivation, or maybe not. But judging others never ends well. Just focus on your own actions. Nobody says being a good human being is easy...

[–] Greyghoster@aussie.zone 14 points 2 days ago

It’s like that with most big ticket items, we run about worrying about recycling while the big polluters continue as usual. Not to say we shouldn’t recycle or not take action if we can but finding ways to make the billionaires pull their heads in would be better.

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Just finding out? Hasn't all of this been known for almost a decade now?

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[–] JokeDeity@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago

You're just finding out maybe.

[–] Hikermick@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Don't forget, while the Qanon BS is flourishing, a former Speaker of the House (3rd in line to the presidecy) gets imprisoned for molesting at least four teenage boys.

[–] TootSweet@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (4 children)

I mean, you should tip the barista, though.

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 24 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (41 children)

But who are you tipping, really.

In the US, there is such thing as "tipped minimum wage". So, federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour, but the employer may pay as little as $2.13/hour themselves if the worker makes up the rest with tips.

Most extreme in Delaware. Minimum wage is $15/hour, but minimum tipped wage is just $2.23, so up to $12.77/hour in tips can just be a discount to the employer.
Why do you think tips are being pushed so much in the US? Chart per jurisdiction: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

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[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

I mean, that depends. How much love did she put in the coffee?

[–] Outwit1294@lemmy.today 8 points 2 days ago

No, it is not our job to pay their salaries

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

We need to advocate for better pay, and stop taking tipped jobs.

[–] TootSweet@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

We need to advocate for better pay

Yes.

and stop taking tipped jobs.

If people could just "stop taking tipped jobs" you really think they wouldn't have been doing that already?

Your post kinda has "have you tried just not being depressed?" energy.

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[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 days ago

You may be noticing now. But people have been doing terrible things without consequences forever.

[–] RealFknNito@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's a tough go for the people who believe in pacifism or nonviolent change.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Dual Power means you can have a pacifist stance and still support the radicals in your lane.

Not everyone needs to be a gunslinger for a resistance to succeed. Just do what you can when you have the chance.

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[–] Tedesche@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Morality and laws are for the plebs. If you’re rich or powerful enough, you get to do whatever you want, so long as you don’t harm another rich or powerful person.

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[–] BurgerBaron@piefed.social 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've learned paedophiles seem to be naturally skilled with grabbing power throughout history and the present is no differnt. I'm more aware of that fact now.

I've also learmed a large percentage of humans actually are fine with their leaders raping children. One might think they're fine with it in general.

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[–] WiseScorpio@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Chatting with a buddy of mine this morning. He is looking at stuff he did in his life. He went to see the play, Annie, when he was a kid.

"They wouldn't do Annie today, it's too woke" I said. Then, it dawned on me. "I'm wrong. Annie would be totally fine.

Short review: 'An orphaned girl is bought by a billionaire real estate magnate and groomed at a luxury resort," would fit right in with the morals of a political party

[–] Teppichbrand@feddit.org 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Keep being a decent human bean still is the way to go, though. Otherwise it's a race to the bottom, Marquis de Sade-style. Fuck these psychopaths, you're better than them!

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[–] MangioneDontMiss@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Don't worry, as the economy becomes more stressed and people become more desperate, morality will fly out the window and become completely secondary to survival. Even those who succumb to that desperation will be ahead of the game on the morality spectrum though. There is a huge difference between stealing to feed your family and steeling purely out of greed.

Also, tipping culture is a cancer that needs to die. So don't feel guilty about not tipping.

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