I remember when I could post to the firefly sub and banter with the same 20 or so people every week, then one day something hit the front page and a flood of people came in.
Everything turned from thought provoking discussions about what little lore we did have and overanalysing every episode, to "this is what the actors do now" and "here's an image with a quote from the show" maybe an art post of original content here and there.
14 and change, it definitely had multiple, noticeable shifts.
And if you didn't notice, you probably only stuck to a handful of communities, because they changed how the front page works several times, and what communities are default. All of those changed the feel by a lot.
Each change may not have affected each sub equally hard, default subs turned to shit, subs that got turned off of default finally got the reality check they needed, and when they started banning entire subs, there were noticeably less shitty people from time to time as they pruned.
Again, if you stuck to smaller subs, or even mid sized ones but didn't interact a ton, or just didn't log on every day, I could see how you may not have noticed.
They definitely ramped up moderation, and the administration got a lot more heavy-handed over the last few years, clearly (in hindsight) in preparation for the big change last year.
I mean, I would love for all that money to go to things that help people directly, instead of "big scary stick to keep other people from maybe hitting us with their sticks at some theoretical point in the future"
Buuuuut honestly when it comes to it's nuclear arsenal, I just assume all government contracts will eventually be 150%-200% over budget, with at least 3 committees assembled to investigate the expense.
I've been getting little bubbles for store/restaurant logos popping up on the map for about a month as I drive, and I assumed that's what it was. So every time I see one, I make a point to not eat/go there for awhile just out of spite.
There is a red-tailed hawk that roams around my area, and every time we hear it, my wife rolls her eyes and goes "I KNOW it's not an eagle" because of how many times I would mention it whenever the screech would play on TV or movies.
I have a friend who works for a local, but widespread bank, and got to head up their digital security and IT stuff. Not sure what all it encompasses, but he quickly found out that it was a lot, and the previous guy quit because he had had enough bullshit.
Long story shorter, after a particularly bad week, he decided to just.... Stop doing his job.
Kept all their legal stuff and sensitive info under lock and key, but the smaller stuff, he just let it go. Went on vacation, turned everything off, didn't do everything for a temporary replacement (which isn't even his job, it's hr's) and spent a week playing video games and spending time with his wife and baby.
Several employees just in his building basically ended up doing nothing by the end of the first day because they had locked themselves out of the system.
By day 3 there were several lines that couldn't be used by the tellers in every branch, older employees were bricking their systems so fast, construction workers started taking notes.
By the end of the week they had people showing up at his door to try and contact him since nobody could get ahold of him. Some legit thought he was dead.
His first words when he got into the office on Monday, we're "THAT is why you pay me."
And after that, he was given 3 people to help out (he had been asking for 4) and they had a company come in and redo a lot of the computer systems that year.
Still works for the bank, still has a team although I think they're bigger now since they've opened a few more branches, and still tells that story at every gathering after his one single beer gets him tipsy.
Is it just me, or do programmers only come in "lightweight" and "Rivals Þor in trying to drink the oceans dry" varieties?
Honestly, this right here is the main reason I don't believe any real-world bending would end any way other than Earth Kingdom dominance. Peaceful dominance, hopefully.
You can't wipe out their infrastructure as long as someone is alive who knows how it's done.
Oh, fire nation bulldozed your house because they felt like it? Well boom. Stomp stomp punch. New identical house made of stone.
Bridge collapsed to cause chaos? Stomp stomp punch, it's back.
Don't feel safe living out in the open where fire nation scouts could murderhobo you harder than my last D&D group? Stomp stomp punch, now you have a vast mansion underground in which you can simply.... Not go above ground until you need to.
Of course, underground living isn't simple as "hole in ground, hide all day" but still... There is 0 reason the EK shouldn't go full Vietnam War tactics.
I remember when I could post to the firefly sub and banter with the same 20 or so people every week, then one day something hit the front page and a flood of people came in.
Everything turned from thought provoking discussions about what little lore we did have and overanalysing every episode, to "this is what the actors do now" and "here's an image with a quote from the show" maybe an art post of original content here and there.