Summary

In his farewell speech, President Joe Biden warned of a growing “oligarchy” in the U.S., where extreme wealth and power threaten democracy.

Comparing modern elites to 19th-century robber barons, he called for reforms to hold the wealthy accountable, as done in the past.

Biden also criticized a “tech-industrial complex” concentrating power and spreading disinformation, weakening democracy.

His remarks sparked a surge in Google searches for “oligarchy.”

The speech comes amid rising concerns about policies favoring billionaires, like Trump’s tax cuts and potential cuts to social safety programs.

  • solsangraal
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    12 hours ago

    it’s been made abundantly clear that a lot of americans have no fucking idea what anyone is talking about

    • hansolo@lemm.ee
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      12 hours ago

      I genuinely can’t believe that there is any overlap at all with the maybe 500 people who actually listened to his speech or even read an article summarizing it and those who don’t know what the meaning of “oligarchy” is.

      How does anyone get engaged enough in the political process to watch a speech from Biden and not recall Bernie Sanders saying this every day of his life for the last 30 years?

      • PSoul•Lemmy@lemmy.world
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        5 hours ago

        I often get confused between oligarchy, kleptocracy and plutocracy, that’s why I would look it up. I do understand how we can all be a little ignorant. We should do better.

        • hansolo@lemm.ee
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          3 hours ago

          Well, to be fair, a kleptocracy is a poverty mindset applied to wannabe plutarchs or oligarchs. Oligarchy is the DEI version of Plutocracy because it’s not just wealth based. Edit:/s

      • Carnelian@lemmy.world
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        11 hours ago

        I follow these things closely on my own time, as I assume is common for nearly everyone on lemmy.

        But I saw coverage of Biden’s farewell address randomly at the gym. And also at a local restaurant. The media now is putting that word “oligarchy” in front of people’s eyes, as a summary of his speech. I would guess most people googling it are checking if “the oligarchy” is a country in the middle east or something

        • hansolo@lemm.ee
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          11 hours ago

          Lol, that’s fair. Maybe I should really feel surprised that people paid attention enough to Google it.

      • NeatoBuilds@lemmy.today
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        9 hours ago

        Probably depends on your life style and what you do for work. I work in front of a computer so I browse on the side and see stuff, but take a teacher who is focused on kids all day doesn’t have much of a chance to get caught up on stuff

        • glimse@lemmy.world
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          9 hours ago

          My friend is an HVAC guy and spends a lot of his days in the basement of high rises with no service. He gets home and has 2 kids to take care of and by the time he’s done, physical labor has taken its toll and he’s too sleepy to do much besides watch a comedy special before bed.

          I have WFH computer job so I get to stay informed but it feels like the average American just doesn’t have time to keep up with the insanity of modern politics.

          • hansolo@lemm.ee
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            8 hours ago

            The best my brain ever felt was when I worked in a corner of a building that was a dead zone. No distractions unless I sought them out and physically went to them.

    • baltakatei@sopuli.xyz
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      9 hours ago

      Americans have been so fat and happy that they’re literally sick. They need a few more LA fires and pandemics to wake up from the intellectual coma they’re in.

    • rumba
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      7 hours ago

      Anyone who had any other understanding has failed to communicate with the American public.

      • solsangraal
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        6 hours ago

        communication requires participation by both the sender and the receiver in order to take place. are you saying that if everything you tell someone is dismissed as “fake news” and ignored, then it’s your fault that nothing was communicated?

        • rumba
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          6 hours ago

          participation by both the sender and the receiver in order to take place. are you saying that if everything you tell someone is dismissed as “fake news” and ignored, then it’s your fa

          How in the hell did you get that as a take away from what I said?

          • solsangraal
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            6 hours ago

            has failed to communicate with the American public.

            what did you mean by that, if not exactly what you said?

            • rumba
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              6 hours ago

              Blocking a troll. got one less problem without ya…

              • solsangraal
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                3 hours ago

                Blocking a troll. got one less problem without ya…

                lol if i was blocked i wouldn’t see that…

                but yea. bye.