Charles Mathewes
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ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes
@ctmathewes.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.3K following 1.4K posts

I teach religion & ethics @ UVa
I'm mostly here to find books & articles I don't yet know about
Sometimes also interested in opinions, but not as often as many of you seem to believe

Videos
Philosophy 35%
Political science 31%
Posts Replies Media Videos

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 10h
I think I got that in a T-shirt once

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 10h
Let’s circle back on this in the New Year

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 1d
JFC I mean it’s like he thinks he’s God’s vicar on earth or something

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 1d
@stephenmacedo.bsky.social would you reply to this? seems a fair concern

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 1d
Rule the (sound)waves, waive the rules
branchspell.bsky.social d. salas @branchspell.bsky.social · 1d
Mid century jazz soothes my nerves bc it reminds me of the rules based international order

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

branchspell.bsky.social
d. salas @branchspell.bsky.social · 1d
Mid century jazz soothes my nerves bc it reminds me of the rules based international order

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 2d
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVJz...
Darth Vader Yule Log Five Hours
YouTube video by BenjaminApple
www.youtube.com

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 2d
This person is obviously wrong, it is impossible to top the Darth Vader funeral pyre Yule Log video

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

lisaweidenfeld.bsky.social
Lisa Weidenfeld @lisaweidenfeld.bsky.social · 2d
I watched a bunch of Yule log videos and I'm here to tell you L.L. Bean made the best one www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/23/a...
Streaming Yule log videos, reviewed - The Boston Globe
Dogs? Squirrels? These videos have something for everyone.
www.bostonglobe.com

Reposted by Axel Bruns, Benjamin Mason Meier, Eric Goldman , and 10 more

upshot.nytimes.com
The Upshot @upshot.nytimes.com · 2d
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little?
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

acyn.bsky.social
Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 3d
Mockler: Do you know who Paul Ingrassia is?

Jennings: Yeah

Mockler: Do you know what he has said?

Jennings: Yeah

Mockler: Has Trump fired him or is he still a part of the administration?

Jennings: I don’t know

Mockler: He's a part of the administration. And you know that—you're lying right now

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 3d
The way this administration has made so many people step out and dramatically befoul themselves in this way is something to behold

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
You know the Wahoo is supposed to be a fish that can drink half its weight a day, so maybe there's a special Wahoo that drank all the oil for the lamps and that's the real miracle of Hanukkah, thanks TJ

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
Asking someone if they're pro-Nazi is apparently a "purity test" acc to the VP
thebulwark.com The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 4d
JD Vance: "When I say that I'm going to fight alongside of you, I mean all of you — each and every one. President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests."

Reposted by David R. Miller, Tom Griffin, Charles T. Mathewes , and 1 more

thebulwark.com
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 4d
JD Vance: "When I say that I'm going to fight alongside of you, I mean all of you — each and every one. President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests."

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
yep, it takes a long time for grad students to realize that humanities academia is not all champagne, Learjets, and fast cars. We gotta do better at disillusioning them of that more quickly.

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
Very interesting. I feel like Lionel Trilling, especially in “the liberal imagination”, would have a lot to say about this moment.

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

ebharrington.bsky.social
Brooke Harrington @ebharrington.bsky.social · 4d
Sociology established 50+yrs ago that generalists outperform specialists in fast-changing economies. That goes for ppl as well as firms.

Rapid change means you have no way to know which skills will be most useful a few years hence: best to acquire a generalist skillset, as the liberal arts offers.
alerigolon.bsky.social Alessandro Rigolon @alerigolon.bsky.social · 5d
Really interesting research showing that while ultra-specialization in a single discipline might lead to better results early in one’s career, multi-discipline training and practice pays off big time in the long run. This applies to a range of professions from scientists to athletes and more
Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance
Scientists have long debated the origins of exceptional human achievements. This literature review summarizes recent evidence from multiple domains on the acquisition of world-class performance. We re...
www.science.org

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes, David Darmofal

billkristolbulwark.bsky.social
Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 4d
A very fine piece by Jon Rauch.

open.substack.com/pub/theunpop...
Let’s Not Grant the Postliberal Critique of Market Liberalism
Discontents with liberal modernity are perennial and a spiritual awakening won't cure them
open.substack.com

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
This is The Way
angrykem.bsky.social Kari Maaren @angrykem.bsky.social · 5d
The whole point of being an academic is that you need to be willing to spend three days creating a 700-word footnote that you will later delete. And you need to LIKE IT.

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 4d
I’m not in the AHA, so I can’t really tell. But I hope the AHA doesn’t tear itself apart over this in January.

Reposted by Jonathan H. Adler, Daniel W. Drezner, Aaron Sojourner , and 1 more

mattyglesias.bsky.social
Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 5d
Love the kinder, gentler social media site

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

capitalweather.bsky.social
Capital Weather Gang @capitalweather.bsky.social · 5d
9 Hours. 26 minutes. 18 seconds.

That's how much daylight we have in DC on this shortest day of the year. Happy Winter Solstice at 10:03 AM!

Seasonable w/ some sun, breezy, and highs mid-40s to near 50. Colder Mon, then warmer Tue thru Christmas Day, when a shower is possible.

More at cwg.live

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 5d
This is a helpful list from the United Campus Workers of Virginia: ucwva.org/who-we-are/u...
Issue Archive: Attack on the University of Virginia – UCWVA
ucwva.org

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 5d
Faculty Senate: www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
Faculty Senate passes resolution calling for presidential search finalists to ask for pause
Two additional discussions focused on the extension of the Representation and Governance committee — a temporary committee established in Spring 2025 — and a new course materials platform the Universi...
www.cavalierdaily.com

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 5d
www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
A statement from 181 concerned faculty on the Faculty Senate’s Nov. 14 resolution
Continuing the search now would be all the proof needed to conclude that the Board and Mahoney are acting not in the University’s best interests but pursuant to some other agenda, if further proof wer...
www.cavalierdaily.com

ctmathewes.bsky.social
Charles Mathewes @ctmathewes.bsky.social · 5d
Wahoos4UVA, the Fac Senate, an informal group called "Concerned Faculty for UVA" has produced several letters (latest one below), the AAUP UVA chap, United Campus Workers of VA, the emeriti faculty, UVa's StudCouncil, others. Some links below, & the UCW link has a ton of links from the summer.

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

dem8z.bsky.social
Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 5d
Increased faculty
diversity as measured by
gender, race, ethnicity and citizenship to historic highs.”

I suspect I’m not alone in wanting to know where Beardsley stands on these initiatives in light of the mandated dissolution of DEI at UVA, and their supposed role in Ryan’s forced resignation. 2/

Reposted by Fabián Muniesa, Rebecca Tushnet, Katrina Navickas , and 2 more

angrykem.bsky.social
Kari Maaren @angrykem.bsky.social · 5d
The whole point of being an academic is that you need to be willing to spend three days creating a 700-word footnote that you will later delete. And you need to LIKE IT.

Reposted by Charles T. Mathewes

bluevirginia.bsky.social
Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · 6d
Interesting: Conservative (Manhattan Institute) argues that "Youngkin and this Board failed Virginia on this one," citing Scott Beardsley having "built out DEI infrastructure," having "created a senior diversity leadership role," etc. bluevirginia.us/2025/12/uvas...
Stu Smith: " BREAKING: UVA just named Scott Beardsley as its next president, effective Jan 1, after a unanimous Board of Visitors vote. Beardsley built out DEI infrastructure at UVA’s business school, created a senior diversity leadership role, launched “racial equity and inclusion” working groups, and has said he even teaches a class on diversity and stakeholder style business ethics. And this was the pick from a Board stacked with @GlennYoungkin appointees? The University of Virginia could have been a beacon of political neutrality and academic freedom for generations with a genuinely moderate president and provost. Instead it looks like the same old Ryan regime with a new face. Youngkin and this Board failed Virginia on this one."