Lumpedin is truly a preview of some circle of hell. As a funny anecdote though, I'm looking for a new job and have had very little luck on LI. I did a run to a local junkyard recently however and enjoyed checking out the piles of stuff, got to talking the (based Gen Z) owner who immediately offered me a job and was super jovial – a sharp contrast from the cold-hearted careerists of LI, he was the warm-blooded working class salt of the earth! Not sure if I'm going to take the dump job, although I am very tempted (i.e. "dirty jobs" career overhaul). But it's good to know there are real people out there, and of course they are not flexing on LI. At the very least it's a reality-check reminder that social capital is accrued with face to face interactions, not the middling sycophantic groveling that is rife on corporate social media.
I fucking love junkyards and dumps. Once I resurrected a '90 camry out of a yard in Billerica. My weekend visits there were the best time I ever had. Met a lot of spirited and super resourceful people that live outside traditional jobs. The guys that do scrapping for a living are my favorites. If I ever get pushed out of polite society I'll certainly move into scrapping.
Using it now to find work. I fucking hate it. Should I dare to express how badly it sucks all of my work colleagues will know. So I have little choice but to do it here. Thanks for the pressure release Yuri.
Am going through it now looking for job postings. Most of the people are pretty normal I suppose. I have worked with all kinds. Don’t suspect any boss I had would be interested in the power user types unless they thought they could be exploited in some fashion lol.
FWIW it does serve well when it comes to sales. We use it to stock people lol. Try to find out what they are into before we meet or talk to the client. Try to find news about the company and such. It’s pretty useful for that.
I usually sell to the IT dept (technology services). I try and figure out ahead of time who the person(s) I will be talking with. LI can help you learn things a bit faster regarding the people I will be dealing with and the company itself. It’s everyone’s fav place to boast.
It’s also a good way to contact people via LI messenger or in conjunction with other data tools like Seamless AI or Zoominfo. Let me just tell you zoominfo is scary accurate. Expensive price for the licensed tho. Have heard $10k a year per rep 😳
All data mining and AI is invasive to me. Those who like to boast and expose themselves on any social media are fair game for sure.
I deleted my Facebook account a week or two after creating it, when I realized that exposing yourself there had way more cons than pros.
That was long before we found out how corrupt, invasive and manipulating it is. Just like all other social media sites too, which are really being used for data collection.
As the saying goes, if the site is free, then you and your data are the product!
I have a FB but it’s a decoy. I know a lot of people and it helps me look normal lol. I NEVER post anything on it aside from maybe some pics once a year. I will like silly jokes mostly apolitical. It helps disguise Me as an ordinary member of the flock. Same with LI for that matter. I like to fly under the radar.
PS I don’t know any even remotely close to a so called power user. Yuri’s column was first I heard of it. I do grow sick of the rah rah rah everything is awesome bullshit. Makes me want to vomit occasionally.
This was another great laugh. LinkedIn is cringe central. I don’t want politics, your feelings, your opinions about politics and feelings. Just business and help to run a business. I admit I was holding my breath hoping I wouldn’t see myself in this expose. My LinkedIn took off just over a month ago describing workplace fuckery, and the work starting coming to me (after I went to it looking for work). No brand building cringe for me. Your posts are a good reminder of what not to do here and there.
Damn. I spent my whole career as a hands on applied physics problem solver, but soon I will be doing product/marketing/sales for a new company (under the radar for the time being) I just founded. Reading this great piece by Yuri I see that I am going to have to be careful about how I engage on LinkedIn. In the past I typically have logged in to it about once every six months or so. I could use some advice from y'all. In addition to any serious advice sarcasm and satire is more than welcome!! (After all without comedy we got nothing) :) :) :)
Hmmm that Alison Taylor post is quite something, let me wrap my head around it:
"The paradox of tolerance is that in order to make it work, you have to be intolerant of intolerance. If you aren't, authoritarian forces will prevail."
It's not a paradox if you resign to intolerance. LOL! That's just intolerance. It's only a paradox if tolerance permits intolerance, which only a free society can and must. She's responding to Marco Rubio's level-headed criticism of overt tyranny in Germany – spying on the AfD party. Consistent with the upside-down world however, Alison Taylor is making a morally-relativistic apology for authoritarianism, as simple as that.
Why do libs always think the ring can go to Gondor? Even the archetypal flowy AWFL Galadriel knew that if she wielded such power (i.e. the federal government) that she would inevitably become a tyrant. The ring has to be cast into Mount Doom, it's the only way – no one can do good with it, especially not the expert class of which Alison Taylor exemplifies.
Again, Radagast the Brown err– I mean, Bret Weinstein slam dunked said "paradox" with his koan of a tweet: "If you think tolerance of intolerance is wild [that's MAGA], wait till you run up against intolerance of tolerance [that's woke]. It is going to blow your mind." I added those brackets for clarification.
AND the CCP United Front uses LinkedIn as an influence multiplier in the West. Here was my question on Grok: "ow does the CCP United Front use LinkedIn?" Below is the answer.
The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) United Front Work Department (UFWD) leverages LinkedIn as a tool for influence operations, intelligence gathering, and recruitment, primarily targeting individuals and organizations that align with or can advance CCP interests. Here's how the UFWD and its affiliates reportedly use LinkedIn, based on available information:
Recruitment and Talent Scouting: The UFWD and related entities use LinkedIn to identify and recruit individuals with access to sensitive information, expertise, or influence in key sectors like technology, academia, and government. For instance, LinkedIn's professional networking environment allows operatives to approach potential recruits under the guise of legitimate job opportunities or partnerships. A notable case involved recruitment ads for CCP youth branch secretaries at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore, which were posted on LinkedIn but removed after public scrutiny.
Influence and Networking: The UFWD uses LinkedIn to build connections with influential figures, such as business leaders, academics, and policymakers, to shape narratives favorable to the CCP. By engaging with professionals on the platform, operatives can cultivate relationships that promote CCP agendas, such as countering criticism of its policies or gaining access to elite networks. This aligns with the UFWD’s broader strategy of "elite capture," where it seeks to co-opt influential individuals to advance its goals.
Espionage and Information Gathering: LinkedIn is used to gather intelligence on individuals, organizations, and industries. UFWD-affiliated accounts may pose as recruiters, researchers, or professionals to collect data on foreign technologies, policies, or diaspora communities. This is part of the UFWD’s role in monitoring and influencing overseas Chinese communities and others who hold political, commercial, or academic influence. For example, operatives have been known to use fake profiles to target individuals with access to sensitive information, as seen in cases investigated by Western intelligence agencies.
Propaganda and Narrative Shaping: The UFWD leverages LinkedIn to disseminate narratives that align with CCP interests, such as promoting the "China Dream" or countering negative perceptions about issues like Taiwan, Xinjiang, or Hong Kong. By engaging with professionals and organizations, the UFWD can amplify its messaging subtly through seemingly legitimate interactions, such as posts about cultural exchanges or business opportunities.
Covert Operations with Plausible Deniability: The UFWD often operates through front organizations or individuals who do not overtly disclose their CCP affiliations, allowing for plausible deniability. LinkedIn’s open platform facilitates these covert activities, as operatives can create profiles that appear independent but are linked to UFWD-directed groups, such as cultural or business associations. This tactic was evident in cases like Christine Lee in the UK, where MI5 warned of her UFWD-coordinated political interference activities.
Challenges and Responses
Western governments and intelligence agencies, such as the FBI and MI5, have raised concerns about the UFWD’s use of LinkedIn for espionage and influence operations. For instance, in 2018, German and British intelligence agencies warned about Chinese operatives using LinkedIn to target thousands of users with fake profiles offering lucrative job opportunities. These efforts often aim to extract sensitive information or recruit insiders in critical industries.
Limitations in Evidence
While there are documented cases of LinkedIn being used for CCP-related activities, specific details about the UFWD’s operations on the platform are often opaque due to the covert nature of these activities. Much of the evidence comes from intelligence reports, media investigations, or isolated incidents like the Singapore recruitment ads. The UFWD’s operations are designed to blend into legitimate networking activities, making it challenging to attribute actions directly to the CCP without comprehensive investigations.
Conclusion
The UFWD uses LinkedIn as a versatile platform for recruitment, intelligence gathering, influence operations, and narrative shaping, exploiting its professional environment to advance CCP interests covertly. While specific instances, like the Singapore case, highlight its use, the full scope of UFWD activities on LinkedIn remains difficult to quantify due to the secretive nature of these operations. Western governments continue to monitor and counter these efforts, urging vigilance among users to scrutinize unsolicited outreach on the platform.
All true. This is a goldmine for intelligence agencies. LI exposes your interest and pronouns and the CCP and others will use this to gain access after they selected your technical field for exploitation.
This post could not have come at a better time. I am self employed and genuinely put effort into making LinkedIn posts and an occasional newsletter w/ helpful content. No weird stories. Like, actual tips, actionable advice. Real stories.
Dude. I have to use it from time to time for my Independent IT Consulting biz/career and I usually hate myself afterwards. God Help us worker bees/true professionals(software developer/engineer here-28 years-fml)that do actual work. The managerial class rule the day now in the crony corporate socialist world. Luckily, I have a side hustle as a restauranteur that allows me to have more discernment on my IT Consulting gigs that almost always are a mess when I come in to usually save the project at some level. But it’s Worse and worse as the years have passed by because top heavy managerial class corporate culture and structure. 😩💩🥴🤦🏼♂️
I basically just lo in to LinkedIn maybe a few times a week and log off after I've had enough time scoffing at posts. I'm on the same boat although without a consistently paying side hustle, but it does allow me sometimes to slow down on consulting when I'm getting weary.
7 or so years ago I tried to "use" LinkedIn in hopes of growing my business, even though I was skeptical. As usual, I couldn't fake bein phony, and being a LinkedIn troll (who can also be just as insincere, honestly) wasn't even helpful. Whenever someone on there says you just need to use it correctly, whatever that means, I just laugh as a click the "Log Out" button.
Comrade Yuri, you continue to 'validate' my complete deconstruction and deletion of my LinkedIn account a few years back. It was at some point where they went full woke, commie, jab pushing.
“Pronouns means he masked up and took 10 boosters.”
Yeah the pronouns are an entry badge for the parasite class of Commie Stooges and careers in activist larceny.
Lumpedin is truly a preview of some circle of hell. As a funny anecdote though, I'm looking for a new job and have had very little luck on LI. I did a run to a local junkyard recently however and enjoyed checking out the piles of stuff, got to talking the (based Gen Z) owner who immediately offered me a job and was super jovial – a sharp contrast from the cold-hearted careerists of LI, he was the warm-blooded working class salt of the earth! Not sure if I'm going to take the dump job, although I am very tempted (i.e. "dirty jobs" career overhaul). But it's good to know there are real people out there, and of course they are not flexing on LI. At the very least it's a reality-check reminder that social capital is accrued with face to face interactions, not the middling sycophantic groveling that is rife on corporate social media.
I fucking love junkyards and dumps. Once I resurrected a '90 camry out of a yard in Billerica. My weekend visits there were the best time I ever had. Met a lot of spirited and super resourceful people that live outside traditional jobs. The guys that do scrapping for a living are my favorites. If I ever get pushed out of polite society I'll certainly move into scrapping.
05/29/25: Take it and instantly reduce the number of multi-syllable words in your vocal vocabulary.
This LinkedIn series is one of the funniest I've read in some time. Not sure if I should be happy or tearful about that.
Using it now to find work. I fucking hate it. Should I dare to express how badly it sucks all of my work colleagues will know. So I have little choice but to do it here. Thanks for the pressure release Yuri.
PS….it really does suck
At least it has this one useful feature.
"Comrades: You should judge a professional by their LinkedIn profile so you can avoid hiring or working for sociopaths."
Am going through it now looking for job postings. Most of the people are pretty normal I suppose. I have worked with all kinds. Don’t suspect any boss I had would be interested in the power user types unless they thought they could be exploited in some fashion lol.
FWIW it does serve well when it comes to sales. We use it to stock people lol. Try to find out what they are into before we meet or talk to the client. Try to find news about the company and such. It’s pretty useful for that.
Yes, I can see where LI might be a great place to harvest sales leads.
Especially with their new AI algorithms to assist with that harvesting.
As a bonus, those power user types are probably great sales agent candidates?
I usually sell to the IT dept (technology services). I try and figure out ahead of time who the person(s) I will be talking with. LI can help you learn things a bit faster regarding the people I will be dealing with and the company itself. It’s everyone’s fav place to boast.
It’s also a good way to contact people via LI messenger or in conjunction with other data tools like Seamless AI or Zoominfo. Let me just tell you zoominfo is scary accurate. Expensive price for the licensed tho. Have heard $10k a year per rep 😳
All data mining and AI is invasive to me. Those who like to boast and expose themselves on any social media are fair game for sure.
I deleted my Facebook account a week or two after creating it, when I realized that exposing yourself there had way more cons than pros.
That was long before we found out how corrupt, invasive and manipulating it is. Just like all other social media sites too, which are really being used for data collection.
As the saying goes, if the site is free, then you and your data are the product!
I have a FB but it’s a decoy. I know a lot of people and it helps me look normal lol. I NEVER post anything on it aside from maybe some pics once a year. I will like silly jokes mostly apolitical. It helps disguise Me as an ordinary member of the flock. Same with LI for that matter. I like to fly under the radar.
PS I don’t know any even remotely close to a so called power user. Yuri’s column was first I heard of it. I do grow sick of the rah rah rah everything is awesome bullshit. Makes me want to vomit occasionally.
"I'm humbled and honored to be honored...."
"What getting a DUI and a divorce taught be about tech sales..."
"It was 4am and I'd only been up for an hour journaling and cold plunging. I was behind schedule...." **OPEN TO WORK***
LinkedIn is a cesspool.
THAT ☝🏼is LinkedIn Cesspool and circus
It is also worth noting that the CEO, Reid Hoffman, is a major funder of anti-Trump lawfare and assorted other leftist initiatives.
Yes, and Reid also plans to infiltrate AI into it, which will probably be some leftist version, which will make LI even worse than it already is.
AI might already be in it, which might explain the worst negative aspects of LI?
This was another great laugh. LinkedIn is cringe central. I don’t want politics, your feelings, your opinions about politics and feelings. Just business and help to run a business. I admit I was holding my breath hoping I wouldn’t see myself in this expose. My LinkedIn took off just over a month ago describing workplace fuckery, and the work starting coming to me (after I went to it looking for work). No brand building cringe for me. Your posts are a good reminder of what not to do here and there.
Damn. I spent my whole career as a hands on applied physics problem solver, but soon I will be doing product/marketing/sales for a new company (under the radar for the time being) I just founded. Reading this great piece by Yuri I see that I am going to have to be careful about how I engage on LinkedIn. In the past I typically have logged in to it about once every six months or so. I could use some advice from y'all. In addition to any serious advice sarcasm and satire is more than welcome!! (After all without comedy we got nothing) :) :) :)
Hmmm that Alison Taylor post is quite something, let me wrap my head around it:
"The paradox of tolerance is that in order to make it work, you have to be intolerant of intolerance. If you aren't, authoritarian forces will prevail."
It's not a paradox if you resign to intolerance. LOL! That's just intolerance. It's only a paradox if tolerance permits intolerance, which only a free society can and must. She's responding to Marco Rubio's level-headed criticism of overt tyranny in Germany – spying on the AfD party. Consistent with the upside-down world however, Alison Taylor is making a morally-relativistic apology for authoritarianism, as simple as that.
Why do libs always think the ring can go to Gondor? Even the archetypal flowy AWFL Galadriel knew that if she wielded such power (i.e. the federal government) that she would inevitably become a tyrant. The ring has to be cast into Mount Doom, it's the only way – no one can do good with it, especially not the expert class of which Alison Taylor exemplifies.
Again, Radagast the Brown err– I mean, Bret Weinstein slam dunked said "paradox" with his koan of a tweet: "If you think tolerance of intolerance is wild [that's MAGA], wait till you run up against intolerance of tolerance [that's woke]. It is going to blow your mind." I added those brackets for clarification.
𝕏: https://x.com/BretWeinstein/status/1865262898760814869
When I retire I want to be a LinkedIn troll, writing cynical comments and demotivational posts.
You are a better man than I am... when I retire, I will nuke my profile and erase it from my memory.
I did this, no regrets.
AND the CCP United Front uses LinkedIn as an influence multiplier in the West. Here was my question on Grok: "ow does the CCP United Front use LinkedIn?" Below is the answer.
The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) United Front Work Department (UFWD) leverages LinkedIn as a tool for influence operations, intelligence gathering, and recruitment, primarily targeting individuals and organizations that align with or can advance CCP interests. Here's how the UFWD and its affiliates reportedly use LinkedIn, based on available information:
Recruitment and Talent Scouting: The UFWD and related entities use LinkedIn to identify and recruit individuals with access to sensitive information, expertise, or influence in key sectors like technology, academia, and government. For instance, LinkedIn's professional networking environment allows operatives to approach potential recruits under the guise of legitimate job opportunities or partnerships. A notable case involved recruitment ads for CCP youth branch secretaries at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore, which were posted on LinkedIn but removed after public scrutiny.
Influence and Networking: The UFWD uses LinkedIn to build connections with influential figures, such as business leaders, academics, and policymakers, to shape narratives favorable to the CCP. By engaging with professionals on the platform, operatives can cultivate relationships that promote CCP agendas, such as countering criticism of its policies or gaining access to elite networks. This aligns with the UFWD’s broader strategy of "elite capture," where it seeks to co-opt influential individuals to advance its goals.
Espionage and Information Gathering: LinkedIn is used to gather intelligence on individuals, organizations, and industries. UFWD-affiliated accounts may pose as recruiters, researchers, or professionals to collect data on foreign technologies, policies, or diaspora communities. This is part of the UFWD’s role in monitoring and influencing overseas Chinese communities and others who hold political, commercial, or academic influence. For example, operatives have been known to use fake profiles to target individuals with access to sensitive information, as seen in cases investigated by Western intelligence agencies.
Propaganda and Narrative Shaping: The UFWD leverages LinkedIn to disseminate narratives that align with CCP interests, such as promoting the "China Dream" or countering negative perceptions about issues like Taiwan, Xinjiang, or Hong Kong. By engaging with professionals and organizations, the UFWD can amplify its messaging subtly through seemingly legitimate interactions, such as posts about cultural exchanges or business opportunities.
Covert Operations with Plausible Deniability: The UFWD often operates through front organizations or individuals who do not overtly disclose their CCP affiliations, allowing for plausible deniability. LinkedIn’s open platform facilitates these covert activities, as operatives can create profiles that appear independent but are linked to UFWD-directed groups, such as cultural or business associations. This tactic was evident in cases like Christine Lee in the UK, where MI5 warned of her UFWD-coordinated political interference activities.
Challenges and Responses
Western governments and intelligence agencies, such as the FBI and MI5, have raised concerns about the UFWD’s use of LinkedIn for espionage and influence operations. For instance, in 2018, German and British intelligence agencies warned about Chinese operatives using LinkedIn to target thousands of users with fake profiles offering lucrative job opportunities. These efforts often aim to extract sensitive information or recruit insiders in critical industries.
Limitations in Evidence
While there are documented cases of LinkedIn being used for CCP-related activities, specific details about the UFWD’s operations on the platform are often opaque due to the covert nature of these activities. Much of the evidence comes from intelligence reports, media investigations, or isolated incidents like the Singapore recruitment ads. The UFWD’s operations are designed to blend into legitimate networking activities, making it challenging to attribute actions directly to the CCP without comprehensive investigations.
Conclusion
The UFWD uses LinkedIn as a versatile platform for recruitment, intelligence gathering, influence operations, and narrative shaping, exploiting its professional environment to advance CCP interests covertly. While specific instances, like the Singapore case, highlight its use, the full scope of UFWD activities on LinkedIn remains difficult to quantify due to the secretive nature of these operations. Western governments continue to monitor and counter these efforts, urging vigilance among users to scrutinize unsolicited outreach on the platform.
All true. This is a goldmine for intelligence agencies. LI exposes your interest and pronouns and the CCP and others will use this to gain access after they selected your technical field for exploitation.
Wow, that was a very impressive and surprising answer, so Grok has my respect for that!
It might make me not so dismissive, suspicious and distrusting of AI after all.
This post could not have come at a better time. I am self employed and genuinely put effort into making LinkedIn posts and an occasional newsletter w/ helpful content. No weird stories. Like, actual tips, actionable advice. Real stories.
It falls flat.
I think this is a good sign?
Happy to see this. Thanks 👍
I love this linkedin series. Posts on the LinkedIn platform are indistinguishable from nonsense you'd find on reddit
Dude. I have to use it from time to time for my Independent IT Consulting biz/career and I usually hate myself afterwards. God Help us worker bees/true professionals(software developer/engineer here-28 years-fml)that do actual work. The managerial class rule the day now in the crony corporate socialist world. Luckily, I have a side hustle as a restauranteur that allows me to have more discernment on my IT Consulting gigs that almost always are a mess when I come in to usually save the project at some level. But it’s Worse and worse as the years have passed by because top heavy managerial class corporate culture and structure. 😩💩🥴🤦🏼♂️
I totally understand that too.
For real contract jobs and gigs, and no social media nonsense, Upwork is what I use.
It has been very good for me for getting short and long term contract jobs.
Reviews are the only real discussion allowed there.
Users can DM each other, but that is rarely done.
I’ll check it out! Thanks!
I basically just lo in to LinkedIn maybe a few times a week and log off after I've had enough time scoffing at posts. I'm on the same boat although without a consistently paying side hustle, but it does allow me sometimes to slow down on consulting when I'm getting weary.
7 or so years ago I tried to "use" LinkedIn in hopes of growing my business, even though I was skeptical. As usual, I couldn't fake bein phony, and being a LinkedIn troll (who can also be just as insincere, honestly) wasn't even helpful. Whenever someone on there says you just need to use it correctly, whatever that means, I just laugh as a click the "Log Out" button.
💯
Comrade Yuri, you continue to 'validate' my complete deconstruction and deletion of my LinkedIn account a few years back. It was at some point where they went full woke, commie, jab pushing.
Thank you for the series, Yuri!