Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
Historian, writer, broadcaster. She/her. Latest book, FALLEN IDOLS, shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022. HISTORY’S SECRET HEROES and THE LUCAN OBSESSION on BBC Radio 4. One of the Silk Road Slippers https://www.silkroadslippers.com
Pinned
Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Fifty years ago, a possibly mistaken murder and the disappearance of a playboy aristocrat gripped the nation. My documentary The Lucan Obsession starts this lunchtime at 1.45pm on BBC Radio 4. Or you can binge all 10 eps (they’re only 15 mins each) on BBC Sounds now. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
a few months ago I said "having generative AI handle absolutely anything with regards to healthcare is a nightmare and should be banned" and a bunch of people made fun of me and called me stupid. anyways,
November 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
a few months ago I said "having generative AI handle absolutely anything with regards to healthcare is a nightmare and should be banned" and a bunch of people made fun of me and called me stupid. anyways,
Musk is a deeply fragile character who wants more than anything to be admired and respected, even loved. His tragedy is that he has literally no idea how to achieve that. His curse is that everything he says or does fuels precisely the opposite outcome.
I think this one has got to him because he's posted at least three separate responses to this over the last 10 hours:
November 10, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Musk is a deeply fragile character who wants more than anything to be admired and respected, even loved. His tragedy is that he has literally no idea how to achieve that. His curse is that everything he says or does fuels precisely the opposite outcome.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Joyce Carol Oates owned Elon so hard he's spent the last day posting about movies he hasn't seen in 15 years
November 10, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Joyce Carol Oates owned Elon so hard he's spent the last day posting about movies he hasn't seen in 15 years
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
DONALD TRUMP: [asleep, drooling on long red tie]
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
DONALD TRUMP: [asleep, drooling on long red tie]
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
It is, & it’s too moderate. For example: only 24 top Nazis were tried at Nuremberg. Everyone involved in horrendous abuses such as those reported in the thread below should be tried, down to the lowliest prison guard. The “Nuremberg defence” – “I was only obeying orders” – must be disallowed.
Nuremburg trials is the moderate position
He said that the agents would throw food at them to eat. The agents threatened to withhold food for a week and to beat him up if he didn't sign deportation papers. He said he saw others refuse and get beaten/receive no food. He signed because he was afraid.
November 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
It is, & it’s too moderate. For example: only 24 top Nazis were tried at Nuremberg. Everyone involved in horrendous abuses such as those reported in the thread below should be tried, down to the lowliest prison guard. The “Nuremberg defence” – “I was only obeying orders” – must be disallowed.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
lol she got his ass and he knows it
November 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
lol she got his ass and he knows it
I believe this is true, & may be traced to two events in 1989: Mick Fleetwood’s disastrous presenting gig for the Brit Awards alongside Samantha Fox, and the release of I’d Rather Jack by the Reynolds Girls, an insanely catchy pop hit slagging off Fleetwood Mac by name m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6VB...
November 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM
I believe this is true, & may be traced to two events in 1989: Mick Fleetwood’s disastrous presenting gig for the Brit Awards alongside Samantha Fox, and the release of I’d Rather Jack by the Reynolds Girls, an insanely catchy pop hit slagging off Fleetwood Mac by name m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6VB...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
November 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Surely there are some better arguments on the pro landlordism side of the debate than implying that if a landlord doesn't own the house, the house ceases to exist??
November 9, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Surely there are some better arguments on the pro landlordism side of the debate than implying that if a landlord doesn't own the house, the house ceases to exist??
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I do think we have to seriously start to wonder if DC in its current physical form will survive the 2nd DJT admin. The East Wing has already gone. He wants to build his Arc de Trump. He’s boasted about how he could knock down the Jefferson Memorial if he felt like it. Ghastly real estate is his MO.
November 9, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I do think we have to seriously start to wonder if DC in its current physical form will survive the 2nd DJT admin. The East Wing has already gone. He wants to build his Arc de Trump. He’s boasted about how he could knock down the Jefferson Memorial if he felt like it. Ghastly real estate is his MO.
In these dark times we must take joy wherever we find it, and I delight in every picture of how hideous Trump has made his White House look. No part of the decoration has been made to fit with any other. It’s a parody of elitism: witless, crude, clumsy, jarring, cheap, ugly, pathetic. It’s so him
November 9, 2025 at 1:31 PM
In these dark times we must take joy wherever we find it, and I delight in every picture of how hideous Trump has made his White House look. No part of the decoration has been made to fit with any other. It’s a parody of elitism: witless, crude, clumsy, jarring, cheap, ugly, pathetic. It’s so him
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I started a talk a few weeks ago by talking about how many of these otherwise healthy young men are ending up on my table with heart disease. The link is broadly anecdotal at the moment – no cardiovascular research exists with TRT in patients who DON’T have a pre existing proven deficiency
November 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM
I started a talk a few weeks ago by talking about how many of these otherwise healthy young men are ending up on my table with heart disease. The link is broadly anecdotal at the moment – no cardiovascular research exists with TRT in patients who DON’T have a pre existing proven deficiency
Watched Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein last night: a sumptuous, melodramatic, unflinching adaptation that captures the spirit of the book better than any other version I’ve seen, while also making the story contemporary. Still love Boris Karloff, but this is the one
November 9, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Watched Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein last night: a sumptuous, melodramatic, unflinching adaptation that captures the spirit of the book better than any other version I’ve seen, while also making the story contemporary. Still love Boris Karloff, but this is the one
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
"According to the publication, the communications could demonstrate willful infringement, potentially leading to enhanced damages of up to $150,000 per work, a massive increase from just $750."
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:02 AM
"According to the publication, the communications could demonstrate willful infringement, potentially leading to enhanced damages of up to $150,000 per work, a massive increase from just $750."
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
An excellent second mention, but also: if the tariffs take out Funko Pop that will at least be one positive benefit for humanity. God, how I hate those banal, witless, overpriced lumps of plastic junk, taking up space on your shelves until inevitably they must take up space in landfill, for eternity
November 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM
An excellent second mention, but also: if the tariffs take out Funko Pop that will at least be one positive benefit for humanity. God, how I hate those banal, witless, overpriced lumps of plastic junk, taking up space on your shelves until inevitably they must take up space in landfill, for eternity
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
For @teenvogue.com I wrote about the death of trans athlete Lia Smith and how trans youth kind themselves with central pillars of their lives being constantly ripped away from them because of politics. www.teenvogue.com/story/politi...
Politicizing Transgender Athletes Is Dangerous. Lia Smith Deserved Better.
"Let her passing be an inflection point for how you think about trans rights and trans people more generally."
www.teenvogue.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:23 AM
For @teenvogue.com I wrote about the death of trans athlete Lia Smith and how trans youth kind themselves with central pillars of their lives being constantly ripped away from them because of politics. www.teenvogue.com/story/politi...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I skipped this article for a while because I figured I'd read enough about the NYT's Mamdani coverage. I don't want to say the headline does the article a disservice - it is also very much about that - but goes well beyond as well
This is fucking brilliant, and you should read it: lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
It’s remarkable, the people you’ll hear from. Teach for even a little while at an expensive institution—the term they tend to prefer is “elite”—and odds are that eventually someone who was a studen…
lithub.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:13 AM
I skipped this article for a while because I figured I'd read enough about the NYT's Mamdani coverage. I don't want to say the headline does the article a disservice - it is also very much about that - but goes well beyond as well
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I do really think these folks are underestimating how bad the AI backlash can get if the industry needs a bailout
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
November 8, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I do really think these folks are underestimating how bad the AI backlash can get if the industry needs a bailout
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
*whispers* It is a faithful adaptation of an early 1800s novel by a woman about an arrogant self centered man
Why are people
Why are people
November 8, 2025 at 2:36 PM
*whispers* It is a faithful adaptation of an early 1800s novel by a woman about an arrogant self centered man
Why are people
Why are people
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I just ran into a new (and impossible) security verification which I guess is being used to train AI, but what the hell.
For the record, the panda in overalls was NOT the correct answer, and the sheep with dots was ALSO not the correct answer.
For the record, the panda in overalls was NOT the correct answer, and the sheep with dots was ALSO not the correct answer.
November 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
I just ran into a new (and impossible) security verification which I guess is being used to train AI, but what the hell.
For the record, the panda in overalls was NOT the correct answer, and the sheep with dots was ALSO not the correct answer.
For the record, the panda in overalls was NOT the correct answer, and the sheep with dots was ALSO not the correct answer.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
do you know how horrid and evil you have to be to be in this much pain in public and everyone still hates you
Elon Musk is over on Twitter posting his sad/pathetic Ai prompts.
November 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
do you know how horrid and evil you have to be to be in this much pain in public and everyone still hates you
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Or to put it another way, both Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski will have reasons to celebrate if Labour introduce an ultra-hardline asylum policy modelled on an unpopular Danish government which is allied with the centre-right. Polanski will get more Lab recruits, and that increases Farage's lead.
November 8, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Or to put it another way, both Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski will have reasons to celebrate if Labour introduce an ultra-hardline asylum policy modelled on an unpopular Danish government which is allied with the centre-right. Polanski will get more Lab recruits, and that increases Farage's lead.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Y’all seen Lee Pace?
Wearing That Shiiiiiiit
Wearing That Shiiiiiiit
November 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Y’all seen Lee Pace?
Wearing That Shiiiiiiit
Wearing That Shiiiiiiit