Bit of tangent, but IRC the thing with depictions of Jesus, is that the bible doesn't really describe what he looks like. In early Christianity, depicting Jesus was still considered idolatry. When depictions do become more common, they're often not meant to be an accurate representation of what he looked like.

So when they did started depicting him, they were likely inspired by Greek/Roman gods like Orpheus, Hermes and Apollo. Often with a Zeus beard tacked on and wearing the robes of a Roman emperor.

I'm Dutch. The article mentions this, but I think it's important to reiterate that the idea the Netherlands is especially progressive has always been a bit of a myth. It arose partly because people mistake tolerance for acceptance. The Netherlands has long been a tolerant country. That doesn't necessarily mean it's an accepting country.

For example, the Nazis were able to murder 75% of the Dutch-Jewish population in the Holocaust. Statistically, you were arguably safer being a Jew in Nazi Germany. My countrymen tolerated their Jewish neighbours. But they didn't care enough about them, to not look the other way or prioritize their career when the Nazis came along. The Dutch are often in denial about this, a bit like how the country still hasn't fully come to terms with its colonial past.

Anyway, it's not a huge surprise that right wing populists and Russia have had such success in the Netherlands. They're exploiting a nasty seam that has always been there.

Alternative if you want to be hardcore: air gap the system you run questionable software on.

If you're bored, you can even try to infect it with as much shit as possible.

Doesn't work as a test system though. Stuff lies dormant waiting for network access.

I think another potential use, is targeting and manipulating vulnerable people for political reasons.

Perhaps convince them to stay at home on election day. Perhaps convince members of undesirable demographics to disproportionately kill themselves. Perhaps make vulnerable people so paranoid or scared that they end up killing people you want to get rid of. Perhaps convince someone vulnerable to commit politically convenient violence, which can be used as a false flag or to rally support.

Why leave that kind of thing to chance, when you can use AI to tip the scales in your favour?

A lot of it is the language barrier. Your idiots speak English. Ours often don't or not well enough for you to understand their stupid comments. The idea that everyone in Europe speaks good english is a myth. Our idiots can often barely speak one language let alone two.

However, racism and bigotry in Europe is often different to US racism, so you can end up looking like a fool if you wade in to the discussion without knowing the details. There's no point arguing with pigeons anyway, you may win the argument, but you'll still end up with shit in your hair.

Also: even if you did have a phD in European bigotry, as an American you're not going to win hearts and minds lecturing non-Americans on racism, democracy or free speech. Especially now when the boil of American predjudice has been popped and poured into a seat behind the Resolute desk.

A problem with those discussions is a lack of nuance and knowledge.

You'll get Americans, who'd hear some western Europeans complain about 'gypsies', assume they're racist against the Roma, not realising they're often talking about Irish travellers who aren't Roma at all. Not sure if the latter is racism, in the strictest sense. Invariably still bigotry though.

You'll get Eastern Europeans complaining about Roma like they're all the criminals, who are entirely oblivious to the fact that they themselves interact with Roma on regular basis without any issue. If you spend a bit of time in Eastern Europe, you'll soon realise that a lot of Roma pass as non-Roma. They often aren't considered Roma or don't openly call themselves Roma, so much so that some will even vote for a virulent racist like Orban.

Then there's the Western Europeans, who may have had bad experiences with a Roma gang (which unfortunately is a thing), who become incredibly defensive when you point out they shouldn't stereotype all Roma and end up pretending anti-Romani racism isn't a huge problem. Anti-Romani racism like when a member of Orban's Fidesz party comes out with statements calling Roma animals and describing them as a problem that needs to be solved by any means (I'm quoting almost literally).

In my experience, European racism and bigotry really is far more complex, due to the lack of a melting pot, especially outside larger cities. Far more intersectionality and added classism, nationalism, regionalism, etc. Sometimes people will hate you if you're from the wrong side of the river, and I'm only half joking.

I'm so tired of it, that once my parents die, I'll be moving to a large cosmopolitan city. Things are better there. Suppose that's not so different in the US.

Sorry for the long comment.