Elliot Friedman
efried.bsky.social
Elliot Friedman
@efried.bsky.social

Professor of Human Development and Family Science; psychological well-being, health, biological function and aging; tenor; father of twins and wrangler of Siberian Huskies; music and theater lover.

Psychology 47%
Neuroscience 19%

Reposted by John Mullahy

Some light in the darkness (seen outside my window)... A trio of grounds crew workers who had been clearing snow and putting down sand on walkways just simultaneously flopped down in the snow and made snow angels.

Black Mirror “USS Callister”
What these people are doing to the power of calling out real antisemitism, in an incredibly dangerous time of surging global antisemitism….man, it is just so worrisome

Make a Bond movie academic:

Never Say Never Again: A holiday message from the Provost

Make a Bond movie academic:

You Only Live Twice: The importance of replication in scientific research

This is amazing!
Great culture can save lives. Literally.

Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard
Great culture can save lives. Literally.

Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard

Reposted by Elliot Friedman

This is a good essay. It takes everyone in good faith and its conclusions feel right to me.

I especially like the reminder that we are not pundits and seeing ourselves as people with grand answers is not necessarily, and not necessarily even helpful, in guiding us toward helpful resistance.
You don't have to swallow frogs
Klein and Coates show that if you don't know what your core beliefs are, you're going to get played.
degenerateart.beehiiv.com

Reposted by Elliot Friedman

We all deserve better than RFK Jr.

Great piece from @gregggonsalves.bsky.social

www.thenation.com/article/soci...
RFK Jr., American Psycho
He needs to go. Now.
www.thenation.com

Chilling example of the abuse of government power

A MAGA Warrior Is Rifling Through Your Mortgage Paperwork talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/a-mag...
A MAGA Warrior Is Rifling Through Your Mortgage Paperwork
I’m by no means the first one to note this. But it’s...
talkingpointsmemo.com

Deeply concerning

It's hard to overstate how bad this is for the entire US scientific enterprise. Replacing expertise with ideology.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Trump order gives political appointees vast powers over research grants
Researchers are alarmed that the move might upend a long-standing tradition of peer-review for grants.
www.nature.com
The White House is taking new steps to undermine every international student at our universities.

It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.

Likely to enter force within days.

Hard to imagine why anyone will serve on study section if program has been completely politicized.

Reposted by Elliot Friedman

Editorial: Indiana University, Ball State and Purdue are gutted without logic or thought

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/07/e...
Editorial: Indiana University, Ball State and Purdue are gutted without logic or thought
Taking an axe to degree programs at Indiana University makes no sense.
www.chicagotribune.com

Agreed - I see/feel something new in it every time.

This was also the poem I chose to read at my dad's memorial. He knew Seamus Heaney and loved his poetry.

I assign this to my class when we're discussing identity

Reposted by Peter Fallesen

Essential reading for anyone who cares about higher education and the media’s role in its dismantling.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The mainstream media has enabled Trump’s war on universities | Jason Stanley
For the past decade, the US press has fueled a moral panic over leftists on campus while failing to report on the right’s assault
www.theguardian.com

Paraphrase of my favorite exchanges:

Hanks: "Aren't you worried?"

Rylance: "Would it help?"

Awful decision. I liked the way the team played under Ange, and the abysmal league record this season was completely down to the injuries and lack of depth on the bench. I honestly don't understand ownership thinking on this.

COYS!!

Reposted by Elliot Friedman

Tar Wars

I can usually see at least a tenuous connection to what I actually do, but this journal solicitation has me genuinely stumped.

“Air, Soil and Water Research is interested in your work”

Musk as the frumious bandersnatch, I presume.

The replica you gave me sits on my desk, and I look at it every day.
🚨I converted the list of terminated #NIH grants (as of 3/22) into a google sheet. I added activity codes and award jurisdictions (see tabs for grant count and $ by each). Note this HHS list likely does not include all planned/completed terminations as of this date.🚨 Please use, share and distribute!

I’m honored

Sorry, Bart. This is so bad.

It’s always about his brittle ego