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0 pointsyesenadam4y ago0 comments

I can't see "totalitarian" used on that page. I'm confused what your point is. The story is about 3 people escaping from "one of Australia's main quarantine facilities for people returning to the country" and being arrested when they were caught. That sounds like very unremarkable news to this Australian, but it seems that to some people it sounds like totally unacceptable totalitarianism, no idea why. Not the first time I've seen people post similar unremarkable "news" items on HN accompanied by extravagant claims that Australia is suddenly like the USSR or something.

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zmgsabst4y ago· 2 in thread

> Officials did not state whether the escapees were returning travellers or locals in quarantine.

> In recent days, the centre has also housed people infected from a Covid outbreak in Katherine, a town 300km (185 miles) away.

> Police had set up checkpoints around the compound on Wednesday and inspected cars moving through the area.

yesenadamOP4y ago

I feel like the key to you seeing great significance in these reports are your unspoken premises, the beliefs you have, how you are framing this, which you will have to say out loud for me to know why you're posting this stuff.

zmgsabst4y ago

I feel like you’re intentionally avoiding the point by saying things like “I don’t see the word totalitarian” and then ignoring the obvious implication that the article describes camps which are forcibly quarantining people who never traveled, including taking measures like searching unrelated cars who happen to be nearby.

I think you’re responding in bad faith because it would challenge your view of yourself and your nation to admit that forcible imprisonment in camps for quarantine is what people mean when they say “totalitarian”.

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