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It’s a blue checkmark bot.
EDIT (because I couldn’t help myself):
I’m so tired boss. I hate how fake and artificial the world has become…
Then perhaps we should, you know, consider sources?
I’m sorry, this is not personal, but Lemmy/Piefed complains about slop constantly. It’s why we’re here!
Yet they proceed to upvote it onto the front page, every day. Nothing happens when I point it out. Mods don’t do anything, the same posters and communities just keep doing it.
Its frustrating because I love the idea of Lemmy/Piefed, but this is poison for the same reason its poison on Twitter.
I believe this is an internet in general problem. It’s being filled up with too much shit.
Because the message isn’t offensive, and people (probably) didn’t know it was bot content because they aren’t in the habit of checking the background of posts.
Rhetorical questions only really work when, in reconsidering the question, the absurdity or indefensibility of the situation being questioned comes to light.
Just because it’s a bot doesn’t make the validity of the message any less. It just means OP should clip out the account’s name.
Just because it’s a bot doesn’t make the validity of the message any less. It just means OP should clip out the account’s name.
But it’s fake.
It’s a story, fabricated soley to farm retweets. It is fiction.
If you label it as “made up story?” Sure. That’s fine. It’s the truth. But then its not getting to the front page because it doesn’t have the appearance of authenticity.
A parable is fake too. The point here isn’t commiserating with a real person’s real financial problem. It resonates with the truth of financial strain people feel in their own lives.
Do you think there isn’t a person alive somewhere in the US that has been priced out of their apartment? Do you think the fees (not the amount it costs) tacked on to applying for a new rental apartment are fake?
As someone who was priced out of regular rentals: I can assure you, they are not.
Edit: and I’m not claiming we should all just repost bot farm content. I’m saying it’s not surprising a populist message echoing people’s struggles is being upvoted. And acting incredulous about that fact doesn’t change anything.
You’re dodging the issue I have. I’m not arguing with the “resonation of truth.” No one here is arguing with the message.
It’s presented as real.
That’s the problem. This is upvoted for its apparent authenticity, and it. Is. Not. Real. It’s a story.
…Look, tell me this. Lets say you’re OP. You found this post yourself, you posted it, but later you found out it’s a content farm account. Which would you do:
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A: Edit it. Label it as such in the title.
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B: Keep it as is.
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C: Something else. Delete it?
And yes, you could post a comment, but the vast majority of viewers wouldn’t see that. You could crop out the poster, but that’s giving no indication the post isn’t authentic.
I’m not dodging the issue. You even copied a quote of me facing the “issue.”
Just because it’s a bot doesn’t make the validity of the message any less. It just means OP should clip out the account’s name.[emphasis added onto original text]
It’s presented as a tweet. Whether or not you trust any tweet is a personal decision. You yourself, unless you have a habit of checking the background of every tweet picture posted, decided not to trust this one.
You keep saying it’s upvoted for its authenticity and I keep saying that’s not the case. If this was framed as a hypothetical, it would get much the same reception because they aren’t saying "wow, it’s sad this destitute man is having trouble renting a new home. We should make things better for real people like Jeremy. "
They’re probably thinking, “fuck yeah, I feel that. Shit’s expensive out here for everybody.”
You keep saying it’s upvoted for its authenticity and I keep saying that’s not the case. If this was framed as a hypothetical, it would get much the same reception because they aren’t saying "wow, it’s sad this destitute man is having trouble renting a new home. We should make things better for real people like Jeremy. "
I dispute this.
Post a similar Tweet, like this, but label it as “hypothetical” right in the title. Not as a comment or mention, but smack where people see it before they read the Tweet.
It might get some upvotes, but I’m positive it wouldn’t make it to #1 on the front page.
It’s presented as a tweet. Whether or not you trust any tweet is a personal decision.
I think this is disingenuous too.
…Do you really think, when most people are reading this post, their initial thought is. “Huh, a tweet. I dunno if this Jeremy guy is real, let me consider that… Eh, I like the sentiment anyway. Upvote.”
That’s nonsense.
No one even checked and posted about it until now, apparently.
It’s not a choice. Most never knew to choose! The Tweet is worded as if a real person describing their situation, so that’s what the initial assumption will be.
Just because it’s a bot doesn’t make the validity of the message any less. It just means OP should clip out the account’s name.[emphasis added onto original text]
And this does nothing.
It removes attribution. But it does nothing to suggest the Tweet isn’t authentic.
…And you didn’t answer my question, I don’t think.
To be clear, if you were OP of this post, what would you do now? Just remove the author, that’s it?
…Do you really think, when most people are reading this post, their initial thought is. “Huh, a tweet. I dunno if this Jeremy guy is real, let me consider that… Eh, I like the sentiment anyway. Upvote.”
I didn’t even read the account’s name until your comment (I also didn’t upvote because I don’t upvote a post unless it’s small and/or I really like it).
I try to not extend my experience as “normative” to other people but I don’t believe people are giving names much credence unless they’re famous.
To be clear, if you were OP of this post, what would you do now? Just remove the author, that’s it?
Idk if you can hotswap the content of a post. If I learned after posting, I’d probably just delete the post because I don’t feel strongly enough to put the work into editing and reposting. I wouldn’t have even posted this in the first place because I don’t think this is novel enough to be posting. That’s almost besides the pount but you asked for personal opinions.
If I knew beforehand (and was possessed of a desire to share this), yeah, I’d just cut out the account name.
I agree the tweet form factor drives engagement for some reason, but if the username were “fake-anti-capitalist-tweets” with a blue thumbs up icon, I’m certain it would have moved in much the same ways.
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You won’t believe this but literally every parable and nearly every single thing written in history is made up. There was no Sodom and Gomorrah, there was no Ark, there was no giant horse to invade Troy, Cleopatra wasn’t hot, Alexander wasn’t that Great, Paul probably didn’t exist, etc.
But the reason humans tell stories is to illustrate something. This may have been a bot just reposting sentiment, but it still got that sentiment from somewhere. In fact this “story” as you call it has been going around the internet longer than you’ve been alive based on your comments in this thread. It’s a common problem. And one ignored by pretty much everyone in power and their fans.
That’s the most defeatist argument I’ve heard. “The stories of history are fake, most of the internet is fake, so we’re justified in presenting a made-up story as real, like we’ve been doing all along.”
I’m sorry. I’m not supporting an obvious engagement farm just because it “illustrates something” worthwhile. That’s the fundamental reason why the internet is in such a horrendous state right.
To be clear, I have no problem with stories, or even “embellished history,” if they’re labeled as such. I mean, I know history is a interpreted construct with embellishment, that was middle school history class.
But this is presented as an example of a real human being’s experience. It’s why people are upvoting it.
And that’s a straight-up lie.
No, people are upvoting it because they can relate with it, and it is factual, regardless of it if happened to a real human.
There’s a word for made up stories misleadingly presented as an authentic human account, and its not “factual.”
I’m not saying it hasn’t happened to a real human either. I agree with the seniment of the story.
The ‘sentiment,’ aka the circumstances being lamented, are 100% factual.
The story might not be.
If I write about how I tried and failed to move faster than the speed of light by lighting my farts on fire, the story is fake, but it’s factual. I would not ever be able to move faster than the speed of light by lighting my farts on fire. Everyone can understand that, as long as they have a reference of the amount of energy generated by flaming farts and a reference for what the speed of light is and the amount of energy that it requires to get there.
Renting in the united states requires at minimum 3x the monthly rent to be paid upfront, usually 4x the monthly rent, along with a non-refundable application fee which often is just lost and denied. If I write a story about how a anthropomorphic bunny is having a hard time renting due to not being able to raise enough money on only fans to handle these ridiculous requirements, the story is still factual and makes a point about the real circumstances in this world regardless of the fact anthropomorphic bunnies have not been proven to exist yet.
So yes, it would get upvoted despite taking liberties with the exact details and thus being a fictionalized version of reality that uses facts from reality to make a point.
I suppose the real problem I have with your critique is that it’s pointless to attack an AI version of a meme because of the content of the meme which has been reposted in a million ways by humans before you found your way onto the internet, instead of attacking the fact it’s just an AI powered repost of a true meme.
Does the source impact the message? This is the reality of a large part of the working class, so regardless where it comes from the truth is still the same
Then label it so. Indicate its a made-up source, as a tag in the title.
I have no problem with a message. But do you really think people would upvote this if they knew it was a “message” from ChatGPT or something, just to make this account a buck? Isn’t that a bit ironic, in this community?
You think screen shots make money?
Then there’s the Application Fee Scam. They charge you a non-refundable $50 per person, sometimes more, just to apply. In my case, that’s $150, which goes to the Property Manager. So the property manager is motivated to take as many applications, and turn them down, as possible. They can easily make far more in application fees than whatever fee they collect from actually renting out the place.
After spending hundreds, only to get turned down within minutes ("Here’s $150…oh, it’s a No?), I learned to only deal with the person who OWNS the property, no property managers, real estate companies, etc.
Reasons for being turned down? Usually none given. Once it was because of my “criminal record” - a speeding ticket two years before. Goodbye $150.
You might drive the apartment too fast
“Sir, do you have any idea how fast this 1bed/1bath was going? 800 mph. Step out of the apartment for me, sir.”
I got 99 problems and this is the worst one
Christ, I remember when they were just happy if you gave them money. Now hearing about the song and dance you have to go to to just be considered…
Then you get approved, to pay 50% of your income to live in a place that wouldn’t pass any kind of inspection, so the ceiling leaks and ruins most of your possessions, this happened in 2 different locations.
This is all to real.
I paid over 4,000 on my last move. It was brutal.
Add “can’t afford to move? Pay more rent”
In Spain you get a paid vacation day for moving. You just show your lease contract and you get the first day of the lease off.
But you usually have to pay first month up front and put in a security deposit. It used to also be that you had to pay a fee to the agency. The law now says that the landlord pays that fee but sometimes they will still say it o you. You can either pay or keep looking.
So worst case you need 3x the rent to move. Best case you just put in the security deposit which you get back at the end of the contract.
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You just need residency. Which basically means you just need a job. But keep in mind that the right is on the rise here, like everywhere else, so most likely in a couple of years a lot of progress made here will also be rolled back. I think EU is still great place to be long term, just don’t focus on current situation too much when choosing where to go. Things will change.
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Great news for 0.6% of the world’s population!
Sidebar, I’m a big fan of a minimal life aka having as little stuff as possible. My truck can hold all my stuff for a one trip move. If I didn’t have that then there’s the $20 daily van rentals which are honestly going to be like $60 all said and done. If I couldn’t afford a deposit and first months rent on an apartment then I could rent a room. I’ve also been tempted to get a cheap trailer for an RV park. Finally there’s the option of taking on a roommate. In college we had two people to each room and a guy with a makeshift wall renting the living room. Is it glamorous? Hell no. Could things be better? Hell yeah. Is it better than living out of my truck or on the street? Most definitely.
Good news, you’re legally allowed to keep all the copper in the walls as a leaving present.
Don’t forget the AC unit has a lot of copper in it too.
This account is 100% rage bait. Look up the account. It’s all posts like this, same formatting, tone, similar themes.
It’s all bullshit, he contradicts himself constantly.
There’s also a community note that the account is based in Africa.
Edit to address replies:
First of all, first months rent and security deposit shouldn’t factor in. You get your security deposit back from your current place if you haven’t trashed it, and you’re already paying rent, so the new apartments rent isn’t an additional cost. In fact, if you’re moving somewhere cheaper, you’ll save money that first month.
Yes, you might have to pay those way before you move in, and there might be a delay getting the old deposit back, so you need more money up front to cover it. But if you don’t have two months’ rent in savings, credit, investments, etc? You are absolutely living beyond your means. I know I’ll get shit on for this, but that’s really not a lot to save.
Application fees include credit checks everywhere I’ve ever lived. Here they are capped at like $25 I think? It sucks but it’s not the end of the world. Never had to pay a deposit on utilities and my credit is shit.
It doesn’t mean that the scenario he described isn’t authentic. I’ve experienced it myself several times in my life.
He may have framed his story as an actual thing that happened to him, but that isn’t important. What’s important is that he laid out the parameters for a discussion on the problems with switching rental properties, and a substantive discussion followed. The discussion is the point, not how the premise was presented.
There are lots of awful things that happen in America. Bringing them up for discussion is not automatically rage bait just because it makes you angry. Rage Bait is when you give it a misleading, anger-inducing headline, just to get someone to click on it, and then see advertising. That’s Rage BAIT. What is this BAITING us into? A discussion about the economics of moving?
Yeah, it’s bullshit. A real American would have said “First month’s rent. Last month’s rent. Security deposit.”
Everywhere I’ve lived, “last months rent” = security deposit. Never heard of anyone paying both.
If that’s true, though, it still just means you don’t have to save extra for a new lease if the last month at your old place is already paid for.
Doesn’t change the fact that this is how it is.
Okay, you’re right, but also they aren’t wrong (in this case).
I had a neighbor in my old apartment complex who was looking to buy a house the same time I was. I was lucky enough to get approved for a mortgage at a good rate for a good amount, where as he was not approved for a loan which would have cost him $900 a month in loan payments. He didn’t have a choice and continued to rent at $1300 a month. Just in case you didn’t catch that, he pays $1300 a month in rent, but the bank wouldn’t approve him for a loan for $900/month. How is that fair in any way?
That monster, we can’t just let him post content and get away with it.
So you’re saying people in Africa have a better idea of how fucked Americans are, more so than Americans do? I mean, that honestly checks out.
and that key?
That key is money. So most people will never have the key to escape, but they’ll never stop getting charged to look for it.
Easy. Just buy a house cash and never pay rent or make mortgage payments. Simple.
Doesn’t your family trust employ people that just take care of that for you?
Only until I accidentally give them a sock.
I did exactly this. I only had to save up for … 35 years.
Got my own place at 35 as well. My parents bought their first place in central London (although admittedly it was a dump by all accounts) at 19.
Lol I meant 35 years … starting at age 21.
This is legitimately advice my aunt told me. I must have looked at her like she had 3 heads.
It’s honestly great advice…if you happen to have ~$500k laying around.
Landlords don’t want you to know this one simple trick.
Mind if I crash on your couch for a few decades while I get the cash together?
But pay property taxes (and sometimes HOA fees) forever
Eh, I bought a $142K house and my property taxes plus homeowner’s insurance come to $4800 a year, which is $400 a month. What’s insane is the condominiums in my district – over $200K for a 2BR 1BA and you pay the larger property taxes and insurance and you pay condo fees of $800 to $900 a month, and cross your fingers that you don’t get hit with any special assessments. You’re basically paying $1600 a month to rent your own home.
And be responsible for fixing & replacing appliances, AC, heating, pipes, electrical, etc
Which is factored into the cost of rent, along with repair costs and more.
AI
AI slop post
I’ve never heard of “utility deposits” in my life…
Some utilities charge a deposit, I’ve only ever had it once myself, and it was a city owned utility that eventually sold out to the corpo scum
If your credit score is dogshit sometimes you get stuck with them.
For good reason.
Whoa, did you have an Internet connectivity issue and try to resubmit 4x? They all went through…
For good reason.
For good reason.
For good reason.
For good reason.
They’re real.
Paid to the utility company itself to get services turned on for the first time in your name (and typically not paid again when you move, as long as you transfer your service to the new address), its usually returned to you via a credit to your bill after 3-12 months of service depending on the utility company.
Wow, well, I can tell you I’ve never heard of this as a US native who has lived across multiple states, at least. I thought it should say “security deposit.”
Wanna give that post a second go so we can figure out what you’re on about.
Security and Utility deposits are both a thing in America.
Yeah, I missed sec. dep. the first time. I still have never heard of utility deposits, though it also seems according to someone else here that they’re only for people with bad credit, so I guess that’s why.
Not always. Some just due it as a matter of course on the opening of a fresh new account.
Yup. It’s funny how they all seem to converge on the mannerisms of LinkedIn garbage.
Moving has always been a huge financial set back for me. It’s why some degree of rent control is important as renters are in many ways trapped. It’s also super depressing to move to lower rent housing. As you age there’s a societal and self imposed expectation of financial progress, paying a bunch to move to lower rent housing is a double tap.
That lower rent housing could still feel like financial progress. If it meets your needs still, you now have more money to spend on things that aren’t housing. I’ve seen some older couples sell their larger homes and move into small apartments or houses. It cuts back on their costs, maintainance demands, and frees up money for other things like better wine, gifts for the kids, or vacations.
I think they meant they are spending the same rent but getting a lower quality place, in multiple ways. So there isn’t more money, just a distinct lower quality of life at the same money.
“Paying a bunch to move to lower rent housing” implies the rent is lower, if its about quality they would have specified paying the same rent to get a worse place.
If they are moving because their current rent went up, and they are moving into a place with the same as their old rent, then they are still moving into a lower rent place.
It’s important to stay on good terms with friends and family so they will help you when shit like this arises. So you can move back in with mom and dad, or couch surf for a while.
Sadly, for too many people, there is no help, and they end up homeless.
nothing against you, but coming from a shit background this read to me as, “pretend to like people you actually dont so you can use them in the future”. aye… yeah, ive been homless :/
So many people are on the edge themselves, and taking on one more mouth to feed, use water and electricity, less privacy, less convenience, etc. might push them over the edge, too.
Times are tough out here.
This post heavily inflates the numbers to maximize the drama.
First month’s rent: That’s not an added moving expense. You pay rent every month regardless of where you live.
Moving truck: If money is tight, you rent a cheap van and move yourself with friends like everyone else.
Yes, having the cash upfront for a new deposit while waiting for the old one to return is a real liquidity trap. But framing $4,000 as the absolute baseline to escape a rent increase is pure ragebait. It makes the poster sound like someone who has never actually had to do a budget, DIY move.
