© Reuters / Shannon VanRaes
Trudeau is facing explosive allegations that he pressured Canada's ex-attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to drop a bribery probe into Quebec-based firm SNC Lavalin (details here). Wilson-Raybould testified that officials, including Trudeau himself, "barraged" her with demands and "veiled threats" to drop criminal charges and said she believes her refusal to comply explains her abrupt demotion. If the allegations are true, this is bare-faced corruption. But Canada's swoon-worthy (apparently) prime minister is dismissing calls for his resignation.
Trudeau's refusal to back down reminds me of someone. Oh, who could it be? Ah yes, that other faux-progressive who is likewise accustomed to getting a free pass from the media because he makes all the right sounds with his mouth: It's France's Emmanuel Macron, of course. Macron's approval rating dipped to a mortifying low of 18 percent last year, but he is somehow still around to tell the tale - even after four months of non-stop street protests against his failing neoliberal government.
Comment: There's obviously a lot going on with this story. Facebooks content moderators are exposed to the worlds' dregs of society on a consistent basis. That's going to be traumatizing in one way or another for most people.
It's true that suffering can also be a mechanism for growth. This is part of what SOTT was designed for. We look at the worst of the worst every day. However, we do for the most part stay away from graphic photos, videos, etc. It's not wise to stare into that abyss. But there can value in processing what is happening throughout the world and working to understand the very many influences at play. We also work to understand the flaws in our thinking, mechanisms of healing, and how our connection with others is essential for getting through this mess. This is very different from 'content moderation' where there is just exposure and arbitrary rules to dance around. And it is all being done in strict isolation.
These people are having their psyche repeatedly wounded with explicit imagery, and then they are being tasked with ruling on what thoughts and information are permissible. This is a horrible combination! Most people don't have the interest to understand ourselves or the world. It's unlikely the executives at Facebook have such a drive; same goes for the average content moderator. And yet, they are at the forefront of regulating information for the users of their technology.