• SOB_Van_Owen@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    It’s shocking to see the assault on libraries across Appalachia. Sad to see it’s a broader problem. For as little finding as they require they provide critical services. So many nasty politicos trying to win some points with the lowest common denominators of humanity must see them as an easy target.

    • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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      4 months ago

      Yeah, across the whole country even, I think people have been discouraged from reading in general. (Heck, it’s hard to feel like you have time to just sit and read a book…Audiobooks FTW…)

      But I’m convinced this recent anti-library culture-war push is absolutely just a big PsyOp by private and public owner-class types.

      Making it about drag queens and racy books on the surface is an easy way to rile up the uneducated, to remove public free access to information without commercial motive.

      Further discouraging education by cutting off access to cultural and community events, outreach, and collections is a great way to isolate people back down to consumer-individuals and grow the hate-base.

      Libraries are absolutely under attack for being easy targets too, you’re right. And often from the inside! Our local library district has an immensely corrupt board and executive staff. It’s likely seen as an easy stepping stone to pad a resume for big CEO jobs or public office. They can get away with a lot without many people really looking too hard…

      • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        is absolutely just a big PsyOp by private and public owner-class types.

        Bro, I think people just don’t ready physical books anymore lol

        • cheesepotatoes@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Libraries offer far more than just books. They often double as community centers and offer lots of free services that could really help lower income demographics. They actually also offer audiobooks a lot of the time.

          Besides all that, of all government services that are available, they’re cheap as fuck to operate comparatively speaking. The only reason to target libraries is because it gets the mouth breathers thumping. Nobody burning books (metaphorically and literally) has ever been on the right side of history.

        • Gigasser@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Nah they definitely still do. But reading stuff takes time, and many people in the US just don’t have that time to dedicate. So many people have to work long ass hours, and then they come back home and do you think they want to read? If they have a family or have a significant other, I think it far more likely that they would think it’s the best usage of their time to spend time with them, and in alot of ways it is. Lack of leisure time is the problem.

        • Glytch@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          That’s why a lot of libraries let you check out ebooks and audiobooks through apps.

          Properly funded libraries keep up with technology to better serve the community.

        • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Do you think that company owners want to pay more or less for employees?

          Do you think you would pay more or less for an employee that doesn’t have any other good options for a job?

          What is the best way to expand your job options?

          Companies and politicians are absolutely incentivized to keep a good portion of the populace stupid. Critical thinking and education are detrimental to both, except where you provide some service that requires it.