What we’re about
This is a group for those in the Sacramento area who like to discuss politics and philosophy. We have all had different experiences in life, but we always find that political issues are very relevant to our lives and we want to discuss these issues with others. These days, political discussions are sometimes constructive, but unfortunately they often become hostile when people with differing views are in the same room. It is important for us all to hear views other than our own from time to time, and there has to be a way to have honest, thoughtful discussions on issues important to our lives while keeping the discussion calm and polite. In this discussion group, we try to avoid being overly biased when presenting opinions and we will also work to avoid use of fallacies in making points. We expect that there will be differences of opinion, but as long as we keep a philosophical mindset these discussions should not descend into hostility. Many of us also like to discuss philosophical topics and we will have time for this as well and we will probably find that most philosophical concepts have real-world applications, including political. So this discussion group will hover between these two subjects, and we might even at times focus on other subjects as well.
Upcoming events
37
Trivia for a Great Cause: Toys for Tots
Empress Tavern, 1013 k street, sacramento, CA, USPlease do not RSVP here. Use this link to sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trivia-for-a-great-cause-toys-for-tots-tickets-1975253956757
Answer holiday-related trivia, bring a toy, and help the Marine Corps ensure that every child in need gets a Christmas gift this year.
Welcome to the ENLIGHTENMENT Trivia Night, in which you play a thematic game each time, and also play for a great cause.
For December, the trivia theme is “Happy Holidays.” Answer questions about the December holidays we celebrate, and the answers could be everything from “egg nog” and “Elf” to “dreidl” and “Die Hard.”
The charitable cause you’ll be supporting is the Sacramento chapter of Toys for Tots — help the Marine Corps Reserve gather enough donations so they can ensure that every child in need gets a gift for Christmas
Your admission ticket to play: Bring a new, unwrapped toy in the $10 range for someone 16 years old and younger. (Note: Toys for Tots generally has the greatest need for toys in the 10-16 age range, so good gifts for that group could be sports equipment, art supplies, books, headphones and gift cards.) Check out the Toys for Tots website for gift how-tos and to donate directly.
Great prizes go to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.
Teams of up to 6 people. And don’t worry about coming solo — we’ll pair you with other people to make up a great team.
This Trivia Night will be held at Empress Tavern, the very cool basement restaurant attached to the Crest Theater on K Street. They’ll be serving food and drinks, so bring an appetite along with your gift donation.
For more information about ENLIGHTENMENT and about California Groundbreakers, go to californiagroundbreakers.org1 attendee
The "Enshitification" of the Internet and Social Media
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, 2820 R Street, Sacramento, CA, US"Enshittification", a term coined by author Cory Doctorow, describes the systematic decline in quality of online platforms as they evolve from benefiting users to exploiting them for profit, moving through stages: first good for users, then for business customers, and finally extracting maximum value from both, leading to worse experiences (like more ads, subscriptions, and data extraction) and less genuine utility, seen in services from social media to streaming to search engines.
Examples
- Social Media: Once community-focused, now driven by engagement algorithms and monetization.
- Search Engines (Google): Once simple, now filled with ads and sponsored content, pushing down organic results.
- Streaming Services (Netflix): Added ads, password-sharing crackdowns, and higher prices after gaining subscribers.
- Rideshare/Delivery (Uber, Airbnb): Undercut competition, then raised prices/fees for drivers and riders.
Why it Happens
- Capitalism & Monopolies: The drive for shareholder profit and monopolistic control pushes companies to exploit their dominant positions.
- Lack of Regulation: Insufficient oversight allows these exploitative practices to flourish.
- Network Effects: Users get locked in, making it hard to leave even as quality declines.
So what can we possibly do about this? Doctorow offers more prosocial design principles for newer apps and internet infrastructure and also provides recommendations for governmental oversight and regulation of the tech industry. How do you think we should deal with this and develop a better internet that improves people's lives and leads to happier and healthier outcomes?
Cory Doctorow talks about the concept on this podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1EKQidRooc&t=6330s&pp=ygUPZW5zaGl0aWZpY2F0aW9u
The Enshitification book is available here https://www.abebooks.com/Enshittification-Doctorow-Cory-Verso-Books/32336172908/bd
The audiobook is available here https://audiobookstore.com/audiobooks/enshittification5 attendees
Past events
946
