This question is not restricted to online communities like lemmy, the scope also encompasses communities like small villages, interest groups (i.e. for hobbies) and political parties.
It’s a constant fight. I grew up in a village. In the 1980s the neighboring city wanted to annex it. The villagers fought against it for about 25 years. Eventually the neighboring city had a vote. All the citizens of that city were able to vote on whether to annex the village. The city ran a campaign saying how good it would be for the people in the village. Obviously the annexing happened because the villagers couldn’t fight it.
That’s just one example, but it applies to every small, non centralized entity. If a government or a large corporation wants to take it over, it can and will. The one thing digital entities have over other things is space. If someone does take over Lemmy, for example, then the people of Lemmy have the ability to move somewhere else in digital space, unlike the villagers who didn’t all possess the ability to leave their land.
This doesn’t answer your question, but I will take this time to rant about Jackson Hewitt. I’ve never used them, but I had an 18 year old employee making a little over minimum wage that used them about 20 years ago. His taxes were simple and just, at the time, a 1040EZ. It’s a simple one page document that takes about 1 minute to fill out. He didn’t owe any federal tax, so he should have received back all that he had paid in that year. Jackson Hewitt took all of his refund plus about $200. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the places you listed are just as scummy.
I’ve always done my own taxes except when I had to withdraw from my 401k for a large hospital bill. I went to a local independent tax preparer that charged me $100, but she had a special code that saved me several thousands of dollars in taxes and penalties for early withdrawal from 401k. There was no way that I could have done that on my own. The IRS gives accountants special “powers” that make them necessary. The fact that an entire industry is built around just figuring out how much taxes you owe is a travesty.
I was having a conversation with my friend about this. We were discussing AI and she believes AI will destroy all of humanity just like so many others. I personally don’t believe that. I’m aware of all the theories and the multitude of ways that it could happen and I understand that with AI, in theory we wouldn’t...
Since every individual carries out any job to earn money, he practices prostitution to all intents and purposes. Selling your sex organ is no different than selling any other part of your body, like your voice, brain, muscles, and more, just to get money.
Any organism that you can think of, microscopic or macroscopic, and yes including those somewhere in-between that we’re not sure how to classify as alive or not (i.e. viruses)....
All the McD*nalds in my area have been upgraded with order kiosks. Regardless of all the controversy around self-checkout, and minimum wage, and automation taking our jobs, I personally love them. I can take my sweet time composing my order, I can see the full selection (such as it is), I can see pictures and prices clearly...
We had a storm recently that caused power and Internet outages across our city for about a week. Many businesses opened up with no power and just accepted cash while writing down sales with a pen and paper. If you didn’t have cash on you, you were screwed. None of the ATMs worked. Nobody’s credit card machines worked. The banks didn’t have power, so they were closed. Going cashless leaves you in a heap of trouble in an emergency.
What do you call this place? (lemmy.world)
Electric Valley? Wire Canyon? Zap Way?
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Can anyone else see this post?
infosec.pub/post/5039488
What aspects are important for non-centralized communities?
This question is not restricted to online communities like lemmy, the scope also encompasses communities like small villages, interest groups (i.e. for hobbies) and political parties.
What tax prep companies do you know that are non-scummy (don't lobby against the IRS making tax returns easier and/or free)?
Intuit (Turbo Tax) and H&R Block are the main lobby against easy tax prep (spent millions per year), then the other 12 members of the ACTR are:...
Someone picks up a guitar at a party, what song would be hype if they played?
There is always the joke that people only play 1 of 3 songs on a guitar, but is there a song that would make you super happy to hear someone play?
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What are some companies that deserve to be boycotted to death?
So far my list includes Comcast, EA, and Nestle. Tell me yours, and I’ll help out.
Why are we as humans obsessed with mass-extinction of our species?
I was having a conversation with my friend about this. We were discussing AI and she believes AI will destroy all of humanity just like so many others. I personally don’t believe that. I’m aware of all the theories and the multitude of ways that it could happen and I understand that with AI, in theory we wouldn’t...
18+ Isn't all work a form of prostitution?
Since every individual carries out any job to earn money, he practices prostitution to all intents and purposes. Selling your sex organ is no different than selling any other part of your body, like your voice, brain, muscles, and more, just to get money.
Which organism would you most like to be able to conduct an extended translated interview with?
Any organism that you can think of, microscopic or macroscopic, and yes including those somewhere in-between that we’re not sure how to classify as alive or not (i.e. viruses)....
This fast food order kiosk accepts cash (mander.xyz)
All the McD*nalds in my area have been upgraded with order kiosks. Regardless of all the controversy around self-checkout, and minimum wage, and automation taking our jobs, I personally love them. I can take my sweet time composing my order, I can see the full selection (such as it is), I can see pictures and prices clearly...
Found holding open a classic car hood at a car show (lemmy.zip)
What's the worst company ever. Period.
Nestle? Spectrum? Some random company nobody knows about?
what band/song are you kinda ashamed you listening to as a kid?
Youtube suddenly recommended me some music I listen to some 14 years ago. Unlocked some memories that didn’t need unlocking
ActivityPub (www.w3.org)
w3c spec
What's your opinion on all the Reddit alternatives?
Like a lot of others, I’ve been looking at Reddit alternatives recently which is what landed me here at Lemmy....