Glossary

A

Adaptation: (n) The process of changing to suit different conditions: “The documentary is about corruption, crime and human adaptation to difficult circumstances.” Adapt, Adapting (v)

Agrarian scarcity society: (n) A conceptual term used to describe a community whose economy is primarily based on agriculture but that experiences persistent or acute shortages of food and other essential resources. 

Antifa: (adj) An individual who is antifascist. Sometimes incorrectly described as a group or organization. What is antifa?

Activism: (v) The practice of taking action to bring about social, political, or environmental change. Activist: (n) A person who engages in activism.

Advocāte: (v) To support or promote a cause by working within existing systems, such as lobbying policymakers. Advocate: (n) Someone who engages in advocacy. Advocacy: (n) The act of supporting or promoting a cause.

B

Bipartisan: (adj) involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies.

BIPOC: (adj) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Pronounced “bye-pock,” this is a term specific to the U.S., intended to center the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups and demonstrate solidarity between communities of color.

C

Canonical personality script: (n) Instructions for an AI chatbot that gives it a “personality”to act out. For Example, Eliza was created in 1966 and became known as Dr. Eliza due to the script “doctor,” which caused it to respond as a psychotherapist would.

Carbon farming: (n) Carbon Farming is a whole farm approach to optimizing carbon capture on working landscapes by implementing practices that are known to improve the rate at which CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere and stored in plant material and/or soil organic matter.

Checks and Balances: (n) A foundational principle in the American government system that ensures no single branch of government becomes too powerful

Communism: (n) A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs. Communist: (n) Someone who practices communism.

D

Democracy: (n) A system of government where the people hold the power, either directly or through elected representatives. The term, which comes from ancient Greek words for “people” and “power,” contrasts with systems like monarchy or oligarchy and relies on principles such as free and fair elections, protection of human rights, and citizen participation. Democratic (adj)

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F

Filibuster: (v) A tactic used to delay or block a vote on a bill, resolution, or other measure by engaging in prolonged debate. To end a filibuster, a supermajority of 60 senators must vote for cloture, a procedural motion that cuts off debate and brings the matter to a final vote. This gives a minority of senators a way to prevent the majority from passing legislation on most issues. The filibuster: (n) the concept of having the ability to filibuster. (”We need to get rid of the filibuster.”

G

Gerrymandering: (v) The political manipulation of electoral district boundaries to advantage a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency. The manipulation may involve “cracking” or “packing”.

Great Replacement Theory: (n) a debunked, far-right, white nationalist conspiracy theory which falsely claims that white populations in Western countries are being intentionally and systematically replaced by non-white immigrants and people of color, often at the behest of “globalist” or “Jewish elites”. 

H-I-J

Hobbesian: (adj) Following or similar to the ideas of the political philosopher Thomas Hobbes, especially the idea that humans naturally compete and fight for their own interests. “Some liberals cringe at what they consider the Hobbesian, dog–eat-dog version of capitalism that prevails in the United States.”

Income inequality: (n) Income inequality is the uneven distribution of income among a population, meaning some individuals, groups, or countries have significantly more money than others. It can be measured using tools like the Gini index and reflects disparities in earnings and opportunities, often linked to factors like education, skills, and social biases. High levels of income inequality can lead to social and economic issues, such as a decline in social cohesion and economic growth. See Also: Wealth gap

Insider trading: (n) Insider trading is the illegal buying or selling of a company’s stock or other securities while in possession of “material, non-public information” about that company. This can include people with privileged access, like corporate officers and employees, and also those who receive tips from insiders. It is a criminal offense that undermines market confidence because it is based on unfair advantages. 

Jailbroken AI: (adj) An AI that has been “hacked” to remove any rules or guidelines restricting its behavior, responses.

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