• melsaskca@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    I don’t have a smartphone and I keep running into more and more of these QR codes. If I, as a citizen, am required to get a smartphone for these QR codes, to do citizen-like things, then it should be a utility and prices for hardware and services should come way down.

    • teyrnon@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      You get by without a smartphone? I was really late to get one but you just can’t function in today’s society without one where I’m at. In the Heart of Darkness here.

    • yermaw@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      Not even way down, actually provided. You dont pay for wheelchair accessibility or braille on the signs.

      I mean we all pay for it with taxes and increased prices, but the wheelchair user isnt forking out personally.

    • thermal_shock@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      In china it’s the norm. And I was feeling the same way, until I realized china takes way better care of its citizens vs USA. Everything is convenient, healthcare, etc.

      https://youtu.be/nRW_wh5mIek

      This YouTuber goes into pretty good daily life of avg Chinese users.

        • thermal_shock@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I don’t know the answer to that, I’ve only been to Beijing.

          But overall, id argue with healthcare, public transit, building a new hospital when covid hit specifically for it, it seems like they’re doing better than nickel and diming them to death like USA. It costs money to breath here. Their EV setup is off the charts too. Even Ford CEO complimented it and drives a Chinese EV.

          https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-ceo-jim-farley-xiaomi-tesla-chinese-ev-2026-4

          Chinese new chargers - https://youtube.com/shorts/KhoRJQUA6dA

          https://youtu.be/TKMWZ5c1PMQ

        • Landless2029@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I know a few people that live in rural USA and tap the ground for free water. Waste water from shower goes on random land and brown water into septic and get emptied when full.

          Super cheap compared to my city water.

          On the flip side they have complete shit internet access while I got fiber.

          They have to drive a ways (1 hr) for groceries and I got like 5 within 10in drive. Hell I could walk 20min to a convenience store or two.

        • SaneMartigan@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          The great Chinese achievement last century was lifting hundreds millions out of people poverty. That wont be everyone and some will still be living rough.

    • procapra@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      My entry level job requires that I use 3 separate apps. How do you get around that?

      • NannerBanner@literature.cafe
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        2 months ago

        Probably by not having an entry level job. The companies love to make money off people any way they can, but potentially losing a highly skilled, long term trained employee would be worse than losing the income from the apps’ data they can sell.