I think the ruling class "controls/exploits some things" and they are "in control" is the difference? Like yes they have bled us dry with their grip but as WikiLeaks, Epstein, Panama papers etc suggests, they weren't really "in control". Right now, there's a decent chance that Pakistan falls to the Taliban and their nukes will be in their hands - is actually anyone "in control" of this situation?

[–] darthelmet@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Did anything meaningful come from those leaks? People can try to do stuff to powerful people to reveal their misdeeds, but they've written the laws and are barely bound by the reach of nations in the first place. Few receive consequences for their crimes.

As for existential threats like nuclear weapons, that's it's own can of worms. So yeah, I guess in that respect they're not really in control. But short of nuclear annihilation or the eventual collapse of the human-suitable environment, they seem pretty untouchable.

EDIT: Actually, we even have a great example of the ways they can fly above some world spamming catastrophes: COVID 19 happened. Many died, many more lost their livelihoods, homes, etc. Meanwhile many of the rich got to take private transportation to private places so they could wait out the pandemic in safety while their companies' profits increased and they used that increased wealth to buy up even more capital.

I'd seriously doubt any claims that there's some cabal that deliberately caused it, but they sure do have the means to escape the worst of disasters and even exploit them for profit.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Capitalists still have microplastics in their body and die of Covid. An individual can make up for bad luck by using capital as a buffer. However, capital can be lost directly or devalued all together.

[–] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Right now, there's a decent chance that Pakistan falls to the Taliban and their nukes will be in their hands …

Source? The Pakistani military had enough control over the country to replace the former PM with the current guy. Now I'm not saying this is a good thing, but I don't see the Taliban beating them in an open fight.

[–] lledrtx@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'll admit I saw it on Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@philipdefranco/video/7322234507183164718

But I searched and found articles for example - https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-seeks-us-help-against-pakistani-taliban-in-afghanistan/7397076.html they talk about the attacks on the military.

The military could control the country but the Taliban can resort to much dirtier tactics than a proper military. So I think there's some decent chance.

[–] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago

That's the TTP, a small fundamentalist group in Pakistan. They do occassional terrorist attacks in rural northwest Pakistan, and those are of course horrible to those affected, but they aren't challenging the power of the state. They're also unrelated to the Afghan Taliban, with whom the Pakistan military has a neutral to good relationship.