• @njm1314
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    310 months ago

    And how do they have that power? Where does it come from?

    • Flying Squid
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      410 months ago

      By holding the purse strings (the economy will have collapsed) and by making the laws (which won’t exist anymore).

      Also, I think you underestimate the loyalty of a paid security staff when they stop getting paid.

      • @njm1314
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        110 months ago

        What makes you think they’re not being paid anymore? Of course they are. Just the coinage that’s changed really.

          • @njm1314
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            210 months ago

            Food, shelter, creature comfort, the last little bit of a civilization that exists, Etc…

            Historically speaking that’s been enough for a lot of people. A lot of those authoritarian dictators throughout history stayed on a long time. Sure they could have been killed, but that inertia takes over.

            • Flying Squid
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              210 months ago

              So… all the things they can still have except without Elon ordering them around if they just shoot him?

              • @njm1314
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                210 months ago

                Maybe, maybe not. Which has been my point the whole time you’ll notice. The inertia. People of historically put up with the crazy ass dictator the whole time. Why? Same reason we I’ll put up with nonsense in our daily lives, it’s easier. People like stability. Your scenario is just one possibility, but it’s by no means a guaranteed possibility.

                • @andxz
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                  110 months ago

                  You’re not wrong, necessarily, but I do believe a lot of people would get really violent really fast if some asshole billionaire showed up with threats and a shock collar. Especially if they are armed and trained.

                  I’d rather take my chances living rough, tbh. I feel like that’d be more stable than living under some nutcase with a button to press.

                • @[email protected]
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                  fedilink
                  010 months ago

                  Most authoritarian regimes generate revenue that can be distributed among the people who keep the regime going. If you kill the dictator, you would have to take over the operations to keep the money flowing. However, if there’s a total breakdown of society, then the dictator has a big treasury, but no income. So the guards have a choice between either getting a small cut of the treasury each month, or killing the dictator/billionaire, and taking all of the treasury for themselves.

                • Flying Squid
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                  010 months ago

                  I really don’t think very many, if any, people Elon would pay for post-apocalyptic bunker security would be sycophants. Paid security usually isn’t. And the type of people who love Elon would not make for good security.