Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world • Hacker News Board

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#121

Post by sangnoir » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 3:23 AM UTC

TameAntelope wrote: post #6

How the hell do they run these operations or have this amount of gear safely in a favela? When I did a full-on tourist experience of Rio, the guides were adamant that we not even go near any favela, as we'd immediately be robbed or worse. My understanding was that the crime in those areas was so astronomically high that nothing even resembling IT infrastructure could exist, as it would immediately be confiscated by t…

> My understanding was that the crime in those areas was so astronomically high that nothing even resembling IT infrastructure could exist, as it would immediately be confiscated by the cartels operating there.

Your understanding appears to be empirically wrong. The thing about poverty is that you learn to depend on those around you, and gang membership aligns by neighborhood or even specific blocks.

Outsiders may be fair game, but locals have built relationships within the community over years. The armed gang member may feel some loyalty to the organization that let him play games when he was 10, and he has a cousin/friend on the eSports team. There are very few secrets in such close-knit communities you cannot secretly steal and fence the equipment without someone knowing - outsiders can't either because there is always someone keeping vigilance (hence the guns).

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#122

Post by anonporridge » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 3:26 AM UTC

JetAlone wrote: post #119

vanusa wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who pays the anthropologists? Yeah I guess they're all just paid shills, and have no idea of what they're talking about.

I think the poster above is suggesting something much more nuanced than that. I think they're trying to say that the anthropologists do know what they research, to the best of their abilities. However, I think they're suggesting that anthropology projects are less likely to get funding if the likely reported results would heavily suggest theories that are ultimately critical of whichever seated establishment funded t…

This is right.

Everyone is a slave to their incentives. You have to weed through multiple narratives of different perspectives if you want a chance of piecing together "the truth", whatever that actually means.

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#123

Post by verhaust » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 3:55 AM UTC

poisonarena wrote: post #117

TameAntelope wrote: post #6

How the hell do they run these operations or have this amount of gear safely in a favela? When I did a full-on tourist experience of Rio, the guides were adamant that we not even go near any favela, as we'd immediately be robbed or worse. My understanding was that the crime in those areas was so astronomically high that nothing even resembling IT infrastructure could exist, as it would immediately be confiscated by t…

I lived in a favela in Rio Comprido controlled by comando vermelho (tropa 17) all 2019/2020.. I used to visit my gf and her family, at first but then when the pandemic happened I rented the 'apartment' underneath their 'apartment'. Everyday I would walk past the the checkpoint with like a 15 year old guy with an extened clip glock behind a makeshift cement barrier. The internet situation was pretty weird, some teleco…

Thanks for the local insight. I found it very interesting. How did they handle the pandemic? Where did you end up moving to and what was the reason you decided to move?

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#124

Post by nwatson » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 3:58 AM UTC

poisonarena wrote: post #117

TameAntelope wrote: post #6

How the hell do they run these operations or have this amount of gear safely in a favela? When I did a full-on tourist experience of Rio, the guides were adamant that we not even go near any favela, as we'd immediately be robbed or worse. My understanding was that the crime in those areas was so astronomically high that nothing even resembling IT infrastructure could exist, as it would immediately be confiscated by t…

I lived in a favela in Rio Comprido controlled by comando vermelho (tropa 17) all 2019/2020.. I used to visit my gf and her family, at first but then when the pandemic happened I rented the 'apartment' underneath their 'apartment'. Everyday I would walk past the the checkpoint with like a 15 year old guy with an extened clip glock behind a makeshift cement barrier. The internet situation was pretty weird, some teleco…

I spent four years in Rio Comprido/Tijuca and left when I was six, Rua Conselheiro Barros near Rua do Bispo, not quite the favela there. I lived in various other places in Brazil too and got to visit and stay in many of "sketchy" places because of my parents' work.

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#125

Post by notreallyserio » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 4:05 AM UTC

vanusa wrote: post #120

JetAlone wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the poster above is suggesting something much more nuanced than that. I think they're trying to say that the anthropologists do know what they research, to the best of their abilities. However, I think they're suggesting that anthropology projects are less likely to get funding if the likely reported results would heavily suggest theories that are ultimately critical of whichever seated establishment funded t…

I don't think it was that nuanced, actually. Basically it came down to an attempt at FUD: "Everyone is biased, you can't really trust anyone, therefore I don't need to acknowledge of any of the substantive points you are making." Misdirection, in other words.

Agreed with one addendum, the missing phrase: "I am objectively right."

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#126

Post by nwatson » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 4:08 AM UTC

sudosysgen wrote: post #112

bigodbiel wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m pretty sure the liberal west would rather see Lula instead of Bolsonaro (who is Latin America’s Trump!). And besides it was not Bolsonaro who was behind the massive corruption scheme organized by the Workers Party (I mean either mensalao or have another sitting duck government, so it’s always lose-lose, but that’s beside the point). between Lula and Kirchner, I’d rather have YOLO Bukele!

What makes you think the West would have Lula over Bolsonaro? I come from a country ruled by a literal monarchy. That country is on very good terms with many western countries, such as the US. For the countries we aren't on good terms with, it's a question of geopolitics and trade. A few years back there was a wave of revolutions in the area, that were touted as liberal (a lot of them really weren't). Oddly enough, t…

The Economist (conservative British newspaper) was Lula's bitch while he was president, Lula was branded a leftist who brought capitalist prosperity, peace, and stability to Brazil. The Economist will forgive him his corruption in some Bagehot retrospective covering similar situations from the early 20th Century elsewhere and voilá, Lula will be anointed once more. He'll headline whatever is the new post-COVID BRIC.

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#127

Post by poisonarena » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 4:17 AM UTC

verhaust wrote: post #123

poisonarena wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived in a favela in Rio Comprido controlled by comando vermelho (tropa 17) all 2019/2020.. I used to visit my gf and her family, at first but then when the pandemic happened I rented the 'apartment' underneath their 'apartment'. Everyday I would walk past the the checkpoint with like a 15 year old guy with an extened clip glock behind a makeshift cement barrier. The internet situation was pretty weird, some teleco…

Thanks for the local insight. I found it very interesting. How did they handle the pandemic? Where did you end up moving to and what was the reason you decided to move?

Well.. when the pandemic first started people were more wild, we all had masks and hand gel everywhere before they started doing it even in USA. My gf's parents were evangelical christinans so they believed all sorts of wild stuff, and I just went with it. After a week or two the family got more lax because of birthdays and family events and it was pretty much unavoidable, we all got covid. I was coughing for a day, and my gf couldnt taste anything for a few days, the rest of the family was fine. maybe a month after that,everyone said fuck it and things went back to normal more or less. It was pretty funny seeing the Comando enforce mask wearing when the government didn't. I ended up not staying with my gf, COVID and cabin fever and living under her parents house really screwed up our relationship.

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#128

Post by poisonarena » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 4:20 AM UTC

nwatson wrote: post #124

poisonarena wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived in a favela in Rio Comprido controlled by comando vermelho (tropa 17) all 2019/2020.. I used to visit my gf and her family, at first but then when the pandemic happened I rented the 'apartment' underneath their 'apartment'. Everyday I would walk past the the checkpoint with like a 15 year old guy with an extened clip glock behind a makeshift cement barrier. The internet situation was pretty weird, some teleco…

I spent four years in Rio Comprido/Tijuca and left when I was six, Rua Conselheiro Barros near Rua do Bispo, not quite the favela there. I lived in various other places in Brazil too and got to visit and stay in many of "sketchy" places because of my parents' work.

we probably walked around the same areas of Rio Comprido, I used to take the bus down from Paula Ramos to go to the grocery store and ATM every week or take the bus to the lagoa for jogging. I think most of Rio Comprido is safe, there is bandits but they go to copa to rob people im sure

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#129

Post by legerdemain » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 5:24 AM UTC

phront wrote: post #86

anonporridge wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The interesting thing is that this is literally how all governments originally emerged. The strongest local gang establishes a monopoly on violence in their territory. They then extract tribute (taxes) from the local population in various ways. If they get too greedy and extract too much, then eventually the plebs have little enough to lose to break their established order and fight the establishment gang. The most c…

I read somewhere that governments rose from theater troupes

The current Ukrainian government arose from a bunch of clowns and jokers!

Re: Young people from Brazil's favelas set out to conquer digital world

#130

Post by thescriptkiddie » Thu, Jan 13, 2022, 5:39 AM UTC

nopenopenopeno wrote: post #90

thescriptkiddie wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> these gangs peace is more interesting and profitable than a lot of crime and chaos I think it is enlightening to look at these sort of situations through the lens of feudalism. Criminal gangs are not sociopathic comic book villains interested in violence for the fun of it, they are more like landlords, and are in it for money, security, and a sense of community. Medieval kings, the Italian/American/Japanese mafias,…

That is an insane perspective. The favelas are a site of extreme exploitation, no matter how you try to rationalize it. This article is obviously propaganda meant to counter the headlines about the Worker’s Party leading in the polls. The working people of Brazil have suffered tremendously under Bolsanaro’s neoliberal government and Lula (Worker’s Party candidate who Bolsanaro imprisoned for 2 years on bogus charges)…

I don't think I disagree with you at all. I do not mean to downplay the harm done by organized crime, just to view the motivations of criminals from a materialist perspective. We can only pray that the CIA doesn't do to Lula what they did to Allende.