Would you accept a job offer from a stranger that reads your blog? A follower working in promotions asked me to come into his office. I refused several times before saying yes. His opportunity took a while to be shiny to me. I wasn’t interested in writing about someone else’s project or life.
He kept at me until one lucky day. A religious holiday cleared my day of piano students and friends called me to join them to do volunteer work in Santa Barbara. I opted to meet the persistent stranger at his Hollywood office fifteen minutes away.
His office ended up being in a fancy place that had a fancy studio with important and fancy people around. And he was president of his company. I got hired on for a project and on the terms that I asked. He requested that I bring on board a set of friends whose interests revolved around the subject of the project; horror film.
Hmmm. Ok. Everyone who knows me, knows I don’t like scary. My friends that I brought on board had to watch scary movies the only way I can handle scary movies; the sound is on low, the lights on and windows open, and I have the remote control.
Our mission was to promote a film and weaken critical reviews. I was hired because I frame things in a positive light and diffuse wars with pixie dust. My ragtag team consisted of friends from different countries able to deflect attacks upon the movie in English, German, Italian...
We created profiles on the many forums where the film was being discussed and diffused any critical words while amplifying any praise. We weren’t mean like modern day trolls you see online. Instead, we changed the subject and focused on a favorite scene or an actor. We wrote counter reviews and some of my friends even geeked out with their historical knowledge of the film genre. If we were at a loss of what to write, we went nuclear and non sequitur. We changed the subject.
But it came to a point where public criticism made an uptick and it was difficult to manage.
“The boards are bleeding!” Became the cry about the room. More people were hired on. They were a darker sort than my friends. I’m not sure what their style was in playing defense. I was moved to work on another part of the campaign.
All the while, I was enjoying teaching my piano students and attending dance rehearsals. I was offered a full-time position and salary but I shook hands and walked away before the project ended. I had performances coming up and didn’t have time to play Hollyweird. My friends continued without me.
“The boards are bleeding!”
That chapter of my life confirmed my belief to never believe or worship anything out of Hollywood. I learned that there are even more facades online than on set. It’s manipulation, make-believe and an image campaign. Mind game science.
I once had a roommate who worked on a popular reality show and her job was to sway the contestants to have any sort of breakdown or meltdown to make the show interesting. Her team would study and discuss the contestants. Find which buttons to push on people to make them their best edgy self. How very insightful....
Gah. People confess their sins to me.
“Am I an a$$%@?”
JNET: “Yes, you are.”
Hello 2020. Something looks familiar here.
Since following both presidential candidates on their Twitter, I’ve noticed the uptick of trolling, specifically on the sitting president’s account. I had been in the habit of blocking people who swear, have annoying grammar skills, or only use emojis to express theirselves. It hurts my brain. I don’t care which side of the political aisle anyone is. I’m looking for substance.
If my little group of friends were hired to defend a film, how easy is it to hire tens if not hundreds of people to assault the internet with mundanity and meanness?
Trying to read through President Trump’s Twitter is like trying to travel through a bog with heavy gear on your back with screaming banshees for company. There are people who love the president but you need to get past AT LEAST 50 trolls first. And the trolls say the same thing. Either they are using a script, are bored, or extremely lacking in creativity. On a given day, there’s a favorite meme or mean mantra.
Here’s an afternoon’s worth of troll stats. Every mark is a statement left for the president. I have screenshots of demon drawings that people thought would be nice for the world to see while death was openly wished on our nation’s leader after he tested positive for covid. The world must think we are nuts and absolutely lucky that we don’t have a government that disappears people for hating on their officials. This is just a sample of shaming anyone leaning the wrong way and encouraging people to vote their way.
The political correct way to be....
Superspreader/Murderer /Covidiots xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vote Biden/Vote blue/Dump Trump/Vote Him Out xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Small hands/Racist/White supremist xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I hate you/GFY/GTH/I just threw up in my mouth xxxxxxxxxx
I smell desperation/You are pathetic/You’re losing/Resign xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cultist/Sheep/Paid off xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Shut up, man/Liar/Projection xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Putin puppet/Traitor/Corrupt/Hitler xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Go to sleep/Put the phone down! xxxxxxxxx
Pack your bags xxxxxxx
A friend tried to encourage me to denounce my mother for being a Republican. Many of my leftie friends shared how liberating it feels to cut off conservatives even if they are family.
N: “The news sources I’m reading say the president is a pedo and rapist. Arrests for sex crimes are at an all time low because he’s in office.”
JNET: “The news sources I’m reading say the president is openly against human trafficking and is cracking down on crimes that victimize women and children. He’s drawn up more EOs than any other president to fight human trafficking. More arrests than ever are being made.”
N: “So who’s right?”
JNET: “I don’t know. I don’t like to bother with the big news outlets. I listen to independent journalists that give the news calmly. The mainstream media likes to rile up people. I ignore excited people trying to sell me emotions. I’m geeking out this week in watching at least one speech from each past president. I’d rather get a sense of a president over how they address the United Nations. I just came across Trump’s second address to the UN. At the beginning of his address, he is laughed at but Trump stuns everyone into silence as he speaks. He’s pretty fierce. I can see how he stepped on a lot of toes. Watch it for yourself.”
Do the comparisons yourself.
The boards are bleeding.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump
Maybe you can see patterns too.
I’m hoping the world will be much calmer after the election. I don’t want to believe that people will go out and start murdering their neighbors and anyone of differing opinions. The mainstream media and people in power may be dysfunctional but not normal people.
Be safe and VOTE....or not....it’s your life. Peace!
JNET