I’ve heard it’s from LOTR but I’m not very into that but want to understand what that foreshadows for this dystopian data grabbing nightmare company

  • neidu3@sh.itjust.worksMEnglish
    44·
    2 days ago

    Simplified: It’s a crystal ball that allows you to see through space. However, the target can also see you.

    Think of it like one of those crying scrying (ducking autocorrect) balls from the Disney movies. Or a two-way-camera setup.

    Can’t wait for some terminally online dork with a python script to figure out that the god password for Palantir is “StudMuffin1234” and dump everything online, thus making the two-way aspect a reality…

    EDIT: Just for the record, it’s been over 30 years since I read the books. I may remember it incorrectly.

    • mrmacduggan@lemmy.mlEnglish
      36·
      2 days ago

      The concept is used by Palantir the corporation to refer to the fact that they are placing the world under malevolent surveillance. And they’re clearly proud of that malevolence. Yucky.

    • Diplomjodler@lemmy.world
      25·
      2 days ago

      The palantirs were mainly used by the evil side during the time the books are set in. Specifically, Sauron (main bad guy) uses it to draw Saruman (former good guy turned bad) to his side.

    • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
      13·
      2 days ago

      Only thing missing is the two way allows for the corrupting and controlling influence. Sauruman basically became the way he did by using them to much and he is from a class of beings that are about as resistant to the effects as can be.

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        9·
        2 days ago

        Hah! Terry Pratchett could have run with that.

        Granny Weatherwax: “What’s wrong with your ball thingie? Looks leaky.”

        Magrat: “Oh! I got it from Boffo Novelty and Joke Shop (No. 4, Tenth Egg Street, Ankh-Morpork). It’s supposed to be a top-of-the-line scrying ball!”

        Weatherwax: “You got swindled you wet hen. That’s a crying ball if I ever sees one.”

        Nanny Oog: “Now Granny, give young Magrat a break. Here honey, have a shot of this. Always puts me right on top of the world! And sometimes on the bottom, which is just as well.”

        Weatherwax: “I can’t be havin’ with you two. Goats need fed.” (jump starts her crappy broom)

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      71·
      2 days ago

      However, the target can also see you.

      Not really…

      If you knew what you were doing you could look anywhere

      If you were a fool of a Took you just turned on a giant beacon that everyone who knew what they were doing and had their own immediately looked at.

      Think of it like how some people “look for aliens” by beaming out a giant “hey, look at me! I don’t know what I’m doing!” Signal to anyone who can hear.

      That’s what happened in LOTR. Then others used their own crystal balls to look at where the signal was and saw Pippen.