smol? otter
@acerbicotter.bsky.social
In the War on Empathy, I am choosing to fight on the side of empathy. Opinions are my own & definitely do not reflect those of my workplace.
Given the bad faith actors on here, unless I know you or we share a mutual, I will probably block you. Sorry.
Given the bad faith actors on here, unless I know you or we share a mutual, I will probably block you. Sorry.
Pinned
smol? otter
@acerbicotter.bsky.social
· Jan 1
Take a screenshot of this GIF, and whichever new word you land on is YOUR word for 2026.
Let's. Go.
Let's. Go.
I can’t get my phone to take a screenshot but I got “smol”
Folks, I have not been “smol” since I was 8.
Folks, I have not been “smol” since I was 8.
yeah probably the OETA movie tonight ("The Great Escape") is not a great choice given my mood but there are no cartoons on I like right now.
the world tonight is making me sad.
February 1, 2026 at 3:24 AM
yeah probably the OETA movie tonight ("The Great Escape") is not a great choice given my mood but there are no cartoons on I like right now.
I've done this the first of every month for a while. It doesn't work, at least for me.
The deep lore says that if your first words of a new month are "RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT," good luck will follow you all month long. Let's all do it, because we need all the luck we can get.
February 1, 2026 at 3:21 AM
I've done this the first of every month for a while. It doesn't work, at least for me.
the world tonight is making me sad.
February 1, 2026 at 3:17 AM
the world tonight is making me sad.
This could be the kids Epstein trafficked, it could be the people sent to "detention" by ICE. Evil on all fronts everywhere.
And from there it's just victim after victim after victim after victim. Astonishing number of victim interviews. Same MO every time.
The scale of the abuse-- I don't even know what words to use to describe it.
The scale of the abuse-- I don't even know what words to use to describe it.
February 1, 2026 at 3:06 AM
This could be the kids Epstein trafficked, it could be the people sent to "detention" by ICE. Evil on all fronts everywhere.
maybe we don't make it all the way to 250? I mean the giant "emoluments clause means I get to emolument money to my pock^H^H^H^H^H^ charities" thing seems pretty Republic-ending
February 1, 2026 at 3:03 AM
maybe we don't make it all the way to 250? I mean the giant "emoluments clause means I get to emolument money to my pock^H^H^H^H^H^ charities" thing seems pretty Republic-ending
MAY IT BE SO
We have a perfect Rectangular February coming up, first time we’ve had one since 2015
Maybe this is what finally closes the loop and fixes the world
Maybe this is what finally closes the loop and fixes the world
February 1, 2026 at 1:46 AM
MAY IT BE SO
Hopefully the fact that food tastes good again means I'm over the virus or food poisoning or whatever I had
(plain noodles, sweet potato puree, grapes - chosen to be mild and bland)
(plain noodles, sweet potato puree, grapes - chosen to be mild and bland)
February 1, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Hopefully the fact that food tastes good again means I'm over the virus or food poisoning or whatever I had
(plain noodles, sweet potato puree, grapes - chosen to be mild and bland)
(plain noodles, sweet potato puree, grapes - chosen to be mild and bland)
though now I think of it: perhaps many - maybe the majority - of cultures historically had a leadership that was either openly or secretly shockingly corrupt, & a base of individuals who were bound by laws and things like religious tenets and who on balance wound up being "better" than their rulers.
"Virtue is for the 'little people'"
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
As more comes out in the Epstein files, it’s again remarkable how many very rich and very powerful and very connected people place no stock in having a worthy character or cultivating anything like virtue, and instead wallow in moral wretchedness and seek to socialize with others who do the same.
January 31, 2026 at 10:09 PM
though now I think of it: perhaps many - maybe the majority - of cultures historically had a leadership that was either openly or secretly shockingly corrupt, & a base of individuals who were bound by laws and things like religious tenets and who on balance wound up being "better" than their rulers.
"Virtue is for the 'little people'"
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
As more comes out in the Epstein files, it’s again remarkable how many very rich and very powerful and very connected people place no stock in having a worthy character or cultivating anything like virtue, and instead wallow in moral wretchedness and seek to socialize with others who do the same.
January 31, 2026 at 9:49 PM
"Virtue is for the 'little people'"
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
I dunno how I'm going to make it through more and worse revelations, my opinion of humanity is lower than it's ever been already
January 31, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Between the ICE atrocities and the Epstein atrocities, I am coming to believe humanity is just rotten through
January 31, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Between the ICE atrocities and the Epstein atrocities, I am coming to believe humanity is just rotten through
No, I’m aware that a shocking number of people (most of them are men) who are child rapists; every week here there’s some news story about a coach or a youth minister or just some random sad sack trying to get with underage (mostly) girls
I think it is OUTRAGEOUS that people are LEAPING to the conclusion that some our post prominent Americans are child rapists when it is EQUALLY PLAUSIBLE that they are simply indifferent to whether other people are child rapists so long as those other people can offer them access to power.
January 31, 2026 at 3:42 PM
No, I’m aware that a shocking number of people (most of them are men) who are child rapists; every week here there’s some news story about a coach or a youth minister or just some random sad sack trying to get with underage (mostly) girls
I remember how freaked out some of the news reports were: “could this be a sign of a coming terrorist attack?”
And the abashed response when they found out it was a prank
And the abashed response when they found out it was a prank
January 31, 2026 at 3:28 PM
I remember how freaked out some of the news reports were: “could this be a sign of a coming terrorist attack?”
And the abashed response when they found out it was a prank
And the abashed response when they found out it was a prank
Reposted by smol? otter
Can’t believe they released the Epstein files to cover up for the Melania movie.
January 30, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Can’t believe they released the Epstein files to cover up for the Melania movie.
Reposted by smol? otter
zombie-coded post
The first rule of Bite Club is you don't talk about Bite Club.
January 31, 2026 at 12:44 PM
zombie-coded post
One of the lessons of all the Epstein files stuff is that our culture seems to believe young women are basically disposable.
January 31, 2026 at 12:39 PM
One of the lessons of all the Epstein files stuff is that our culture seems to believe young women are basically disposable.
"Up pick it, up pick it"
Rest in peace Yoda you would have loved ska music
January 31, 2026 at 4:03 AM
"Up pick it, up pick it"
Reposted by smol? otter
Old school #DataViz? In a way.
This WA Geological Survey plate map shows the time of first ashfall from Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980.
Isochron lines show the ash cloud’s eastward push across the Pacific Northwest, stretching into the morning hours of Monday, May 19.
This WA Geological Survey plate map shows the time of first ashfall from Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980.
Isochron lines show the ash cloud’s eastward push across the Pacific Northwest, stretching into the morning hours of Monday, May 19.
January 31, 2026 at 3:49 AM
Old school #DataViz? In a way.
This WA Geological Survey plate map shows the time of first ashfall from Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980.
Isochron lines show the ash cloud’s eastward push across the Pacific Northwest, stretching into the morning hours of Monday, May 19.
This WA Geological Survey plate map shows the time of first ashfall from Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980.
Isochron lines show the ash cloud’s eastward push across the Pacific Northwest, stretching into the morning hours of Monday, May 19.
Reposted by smol? otter
Is this a biblically accurate angel?
January 31, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Is this a biblically accurate angel?
Reposted by smol? otter
It always feels like all the wrong people die, but I think it’s because there are far more beloved people than there are bastards.
January 31, 2026 at 12:28 AM
It always feels like all the wrong people die, but I think it’s because there are far more beloved people than there are bastards.
Five college classes?
Great Books
Introduction to Linguistics
Genetics
Evolutionary Ecology
Woody Plants a/k/a Trees and Shrubs
Great Books
Introduction to Linguistics
Genetics
Evolutionary Ecology
Woody Plants a/k/a Trees and Shrubs
HON 400: Theater in LA
MATH 500: Algebraic Structures II
HON 350: Chicano Literature
HON 200: Psychology
MATH 250: Probability and Statistics
(I might have the numbers wrong)
MATH 500: Algebraic Structures II
HON 350: Chicano Literature
HON 200: Psychology
MATH 250: Probability and Statistics
(I might have the numbers wrong)
Nevermind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college
Social Cognition
Social Structure & Personality
Industrial Organization
Psychology and Law
Economics of the University
Introduced me to ideas that continue to guide how I think about people, institutions, and their interactions.
Social Cognition
Social Structure & Personality
Industrial Organization
Psychology and Law
Economics of the University
Introduced me to ideas that continue to guide how I think about people, institutions, and their interactions.
January 31, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Five college classes?
Great Books
Introduction to Linguistics
Genetics
Evolutionary Ecology
Woody Plants a/k/a Trees and Shrubs
Great Books
Introduction to Linguistics
Genetics
Evolutionary Ecology
Woody Plants a/k/a Trees and Shrubs
Every accusation an admission
Elon Musk publicly slandering that cave diver as a "pedo guy" after he begged Jeffrey Epstein for island party invites is just incredible
January 31, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Every accusation an admission
It’s good they have evidence from a study, but the “relying on AI prevents you from actually learning” is not a surprise to me
Astonishing
"using AI assistance led to a .. significant decrease in mastery. On a quiz [of] concepts used just a few minutes before, participants in the AI group scored 17% lower than those who coded by hand .. AI sped up the task slightly, but this didn’t reach .. statistical significance."
"using AI assistance led to a .. significant decrease in mastery. On a quiz [of] concepts used just a few minutes before, participants in the AI group scored 17% lower than those who coded by hand .. AI sped up the task slightly, but this didn’t reach .. statistical significance."
The latest from Anthropic: using Anthropic's products makes you worse at your job
January 31, 2026 at 12:30 AM
It’s good they have evidence from a study, but the “relying on AI prevents you from actually learning” is not a surprise to me
I'm thinking of the WWI poetry I read in high school, where most of it took the attitude of "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori."
But these guys aren't even dying for a high minded ideal!
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori."
But these guys aren't even dying for a high minded ideal!
this is a good and thoughtful piece, and read does a good job *explaining* a bunch of hopelessly nihilistic extremely-online behaviors without requiring that you dip your whole brain into online brain poison to understand it.
'Suicide rightism' and the penguin
Is it based or soy to kill yourself?
maxread.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 11:57 PM
I'm thinking of the WWI poetry I read in high school, where most of it took the attitude of "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori."
But these guys aren't even dying for a high minded ideal!
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori."
But these guys aren't even dying for a high minded ideal!