6 ms·

Here in Michigan there are large industrial facilities that most locals have no idea what is done inside. There's noise, electric usage, trucks coming in and ou

Here in Michigan there are large industrial facilities that most locals have no idea what is done inside. There's noise, electric usage, trucks coming in and out, but most people think it's ok. Data centers are seen differently.

logankeenan 1mo ago
It’s different because those places typically provide jobs for the people in the surrounding area. Data centers don’t employ enough people to provide an economic benefit for the people that live near them.
SirFatty 1mo ago
"but most people think it's ok." How would you know what "most people" think? Broad generalizations and opinion stated as fact.
- RajT88 1mo ago
  If you live in the area, it's easy to say that. There's no protests in the local parks. There's no shouting matches at city council meetings. I say this as a person living in a town where they are building a bunch of data centers, and nobody cares about the existing industrial areas which include factories and heavy industry. No protests, no shouting matches at city council meetings. None of that. Granted, those were built a long time ago.
  - SirFatty 1mo ago
    That's a few people, not most people.
    - RajT88 1mo ago
      Most people don't show up to the data center protests. Most people probably are probably not aware of planned industrial development in the rural north part of my town. Most people probably don't read enough local news to be aware. My general feeling. I haven't done a count, but gut feeling maybe 1% of homes and businesses in my town have "Say NO to Data Centers" signs.
RajT88 1mo ago
The tech industry has spent that last few decades fucking with people: addictive infinite scrolling sites, dark patterns, etc. Now the same assholes are saying their machines will eradicate the job market. And also will make their neighborhood noisy and their water and electric bills high. The industry has earned this pushback several times over. (I am generalizing but you get the idea from a layperson's perspective)

logankeenan 1mo ago

It’s different because those places typically provide jobs for the people in the surrounding area. Data centers don’t employ enough people to provide an economic benefit for the people that live near them.

SirFatty 1mo ago

"but most people think it's ok." How would you know what "most people" think? Broad generalizations and opinion stated as fact.

RajT88 1mo ago
If you live in the area, it's easy to say that. There's no protests in the local parks. There's no shouting matches at city council meetings. I say this as a person living in a town where they are building a bunch of data centers, and nobody cares about the existing industrial areas which include factories and heavy industry. No protests, no shouting matches at city council meetings. None of that. Granted, those were built a long time ago.
- SirFatty 1mo ago
  That's a few people, not most people.
  - RajT88 1mo ago
    Most people don't show up to the data center protests. Most people probably are probably not aware of planned industrial development in the rural north part of my town. Most people probably don't read enough local news to be aware. My general feeling. I haven't done a count, but gut feeling maybe 1% of homes and businesses in my town have "Say NO to Data Centers" signs.

RajT88 1mo ago

The tech industry has spent that last few decades fucking with people: addictive infinite scrolling sites, dark patterns, etc. Now the same assholes are saying their machines will eradicate the job market. And also will make their neighborhood noisy and their water and electric bills high. The industry has earned this pushback several times over. (I am generalizing but you get the idea from a layperson's perspective)