"Und wenn du lange in Systemd blickst, blickt Systemd auch in dich hinein."

TIL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTuber

Where are the pyramids?

I don't think I understand this. What does "Press Button & Turn" mean?

The point is that after you've travelled yourself, you will no longer believe anyone who tries to tell you that people on the other side of the border are evil flesh eaters.

Maybe you wouldn't have believed this before either, in which case travelling wasn't as transformative for you as it has been for others, but that's the primary reason.

(primaries at that time being run by a narrow group of party insiders without any obligation to outside voices like 'the public')

The way this is worded seems very odd to me — is it really different today?

It was very sweet.