Amanda Mull
@amandamull.bsky.social
Senior reporter and Buying Power columnist at Bloomberg Businessweek, covering consumer culture. Georgia native, Georgia Bulldog. Opinions mine.
Todd come back to Athens you’d be greeted as a liberator
A key pressure point in the John Harbaugh dismissal, according to those familiar with today’s discussions, was his refusal to entertain any conversations about potentially moving on from offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
January 6, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Todd come back to Athens you’d be greeted as a liberator
Reposted by Amanda Mull
isaac chotiner could never
January 6, 2026 at 9:37 PM
isaac chotiner could never
Reposted by Amanda Mull
This thread applies to far more than just gaming. If you have a public-facing facility and aren't asking people who display antisocial behaviors to leave, pretty soon all you are going to have are the antisocial customers.
I spent an excessive number of years moderating a gaming forum and I learned a great deal about community spaces and cultivation, whether I wanted to or not. I have critical advice for anyone who runs a game store or gaming convention. Please share this thread with people who run those things.
January 6, 2026 at 9:01 PM
This thread applies to far more than just gaming. If you have a public-facing facility and aren't asking people who display antisocial behaviors to leave, pretty soon all you are going to have are the antisocial customers.
Reposted by Amanda Mull
Please share - @pewresearch.org wants to hire a data archivist who will be an advocate for data users, helping to ensure that our datasets are easy to discover and reuse by researchers, journalists, and the public.
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
January 6, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Please share - @pewresearch.org wants to hire a data archivist who will be an advocate for data users, helping to ensure that our datasets are easy to discover and reuse by researchers, journalists, and the public.
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
Reposted by Amanda Mull
Just reposted the rest of the thread about Eutaw into the timeline, because I said what I wanted to say then and only wanted to add what I left out.
1) A gift link to the full story. History is long and that attempted coup led to just under a century of pain. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
1) A gift link to the full story. History is long and that attempted coup led to just under a century of pain. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
America’s Political Roots Are in Eutaw, Alabama
When I think about the 1870 riot, I remember how the country rejected the opportunity it had.
www.theatlantic.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Just reposted the rest of the thread about Eutaw into the timeline, because I said what I wanted to say then and only wanted to add what I left out.
1) A gift link to the full story. History is long and that attempted coup led to just under a century of pain. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
1) A gift link to the full story. History is long and that attempted coup led to just under a century of pain. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Psychological and experiential friction is such an interesting topic and I can’t wait to read Damon’s book on it
Sharing some exciting personal news: I’m writing a book! About digital technology and the human mind. I’m excited to tell a story that anchors the reader in reality, when so much feels slippery and weird (and overwhelming and scary and oh jeez people are doing WHAT with Grok now??)—wish me luck! ✍️
January 6, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Psychological and experiential friction is such an interesting topic and I can’t wait to read Damon’s book on it
Can attest that Bloomberg is a good place to work with solid pay and benefits, nice coworkers (me, others) and an enormous variety of snacks on offer
This could be a dream job for one of you. bloomberg.avature.net/careers/JobD...
January 6, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Can attest that Bloomberg is a good place to work with solid pay and benefits, nice coworkers (me, others) and an enormous variety of snacks on offer
Reposted by Amanda Mull
your mileage may vary but my experience on here improved pretty noticeably when I stopped offering explanations to people whose questions sought conflict rather than answers
January 6, 2026 at 12:55 PM
your mileage may vary but my experience on here improved pretty noticeably when I stopped offering explanations to people whose questions sought conflict rather than answers
Reposted by Amanda Mull
This kinda imperial hubris is just fascinating. It's obvs not true (the Taliban are back in power, the communists still run Vietnam, etc) but more than that I find it baffling to want it to be true. The status "citizen of a country that does war crimes with impunity" is imo a bizarre thing to crave.
January 6, 2026 at 7:48 AM
This kinda imperial hubris is just fascinating. It's obvs not true (the Taliban are back in power, the communists still run Vietnam, etc) but more than that I find it baffling to want it to be true. The status "citizen of a country that does war crimes with impunity" is imo a bizarre thing to crave.
Reposted by Amanda Mull
If I could rip the defensive talking mechanism out of the brains of every writer I have ever worked with I would, and install this operating chip instead ⬇️⬇️⬇️
There's an old tweet of yours that I used to revisit often - about how platforms like Twitter train us to try to build perfect fortresses of statements that preemptively address any interpretation, but that inevitably fails, so why not just say what you mean to people who want to understand
January 6, 2026 at 2:10 PM
If I could rip the defensive talking mechanism out of the brains of every writer I have ever worked with I would, and install this operating chip instead ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Reposted by Amanda Mull
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
January 6, 2026 at 2:00 AM
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
Reposted by Amanda Mull
NEW: Child welfare systems vary widely in what they count as a positive drug test.
One state’s level is so low that Air Force pilots can fly with up to 400 times more opiates in their system.
One state’s level is so low that Air Force pilots can fly with up to 400 times more opiates in their system.
Her Parenting Time Was Restricted After a Positive Drug Test. By Federal Standards, It Would've Been Negative.
In the child welfare system, the threshold at which a drug test is considered positive varies widely from one jurisdiction to the next. There’s no industry consensus on what, or if anything, should be done about the differing standards.
www.propublica.org
January 6, 2026 at 1:00 PM
NEW: Child welfare systems vary widely in what they count as a positive drug test.
One state’s level is so low that Air Force pilots can fly with up to 400 times more opiates in their system.
One state’s level is so low that Air Force pilots can fly with up to 400 times more opiates in their system.
The cow I follow on Instagram (Big Rita) had her baby. Huge for me tbh
January 6, 2026 at 1:45 AM
The cow I follow on Instagram (Big Rita) had her baby. Huge for me tbh
Reposted by Amanda Mull
neither pro-Stancil nor anti-Stancil, but a secret pro-third thing (going outside)
January 5, 2026 at 8:33 PM
neither pro-Stancil nor anti-Stancil, but a secret pro-third thing (going outside)
Did you know you can sprain your ankle in your sleep
What's the most ridiculous way you ever hurt yourself? I got out of the tub, skidded in water and tripped over the toilet. Ankle sprain.
😅
😅
January 6, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Did you know you can sprain your ankle in your sleep
Reposted by Amanda Mull
three bylines, six months late, almost zero new information we hadn't reported months ago. lowercased our name and mentioned deep in the story. no link to us. said they couldnt find the govt privacy document (we did). good job wall street journal
One of the WSJ's A1 stories today was reported *6 months ago* by @404media.co, a team of just four journalists.
January 5, 2026 at 10:10 PM
three bylines, six months late, almost zero new information we hadn't reported months ago. lowercased our name and mentioned deep in the story. no link to us. said they couldnt find the govt privacy document (we did). good job wall street journal
Reposted by Amanda Mull
Ending a bad year on a good note: @atavist.com is excited to introduce Revived, a project breathing new life into old stories. We're releasing previously published features otherwise lost to dead outlets and dead links. First up, from @alexmarvar.bsky.social.
magazine.atavist.com/2025/lummie-...
magazine.atavist.com/2025/lummie-...
The Two Faces of Lummie Jenkins
The people of Wilcox County, Alabama, remember the longtime sheriff as a god or a monster—it just depends on who you ask.
magazine.atavist.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Ending a bad year on a good note: @atavist.com is excited to introduce Revived, a project breathing new life into old stories. We're releasing previously published features otherwise lost to dead outlets and dead links. First up, from @alexmarvar.bsky.social.
magazine.atavist.com/2025/lummie-...
magazine.atavist.com/2025/lummie-...
Reposted by Amanda Mull
So Hilton owns a few flagship hotels. The rest are independent franchisees of which Hilton has little control over.
Every major hotel chain, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham have little to no property and direct management, Wyndham is a 100% 0 ownership chain, franchisees only.
Every major hotel chain, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham have little to no property and direct management, Wyndham is a 100% 0 ownership chain, franchisees only.
January 5, 2026 at 9:00 PM
So Hilton owns a few flagship hotels. The rest are independent franchisees of which Hilton has little control over.
Every major hotel chain, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham have little to no property and direct management, Wyndham is a 100% 0 ownership chain, franchisees only.
Every major hotel chain, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham have little to no property and direct management, Wyndham is a 100% 0 ownership chain, franchisees only.
Reposted by Amanda Mull
Anyway, here’s a fun thought: things 09A show that “communities” based around pure nihilism can form online, this combined with LLMs and chatbot psychosis, mean you could create scalable turnkey antisocial behavior inculcators as a service. I’m certain nation-states are already thinking about this.
I think the mechanism is pretty clear imo: it's trained to be agreeable, and so when someone with mental illness starts inputting their delusions it defaults to affirmation. what's more interesting is why this isn't happening with the other chatbots. just not as much market penetration?
January 5, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Anyway, here’s a fun thought: things 09A show that “communities” based around pure nihilism can form online, this combined with LLMs and chatbot psychosis, mean you could create scalable turnkey antisocial behavior inculcators as a service. I’m certain nation-states are already thinking about this.
Reposted by Amanda Mull
This, to me, is Blueskyism
September 6, 2025 at 6:12 AM
This, to me, is Blueskyism
Reposted by Amanda Mull
this store is 18+ and they’re strict as hell about it. none of this has ever been about “protecting children,” it’s about trying to force trans people to disappear
After a boutique on South Street received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for selling breast binders for gender-affirming care, the region’s transgender community worries about the potential wider impacts.
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
January 5, 2026 at 5:17 PM
this store is 18+ and they’re strict as hell about it. none of this has ever been about “protecting children,” it’s about trying to force trans people to disappear
Reposted by Amanda Mull
It’s hard out there for everyone
January 5, 2026 at 2:45 PM
It’s hard out there for everyone
Reposted by Amanda Mull
January 5, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Amanda Mull
When I see a team sending in a defensive player on offense for some convoluted gimmick goal line play
January 5, 2026 at 3:19 AM
When I see a team sending in a defensive player on offense for some convoluted gimmick goal line play
Reposted by Amanda Mull
All this "means testing" and "rooting out fraud" is just thinly veiled cover for finding increasingly absurd ways to deny people aid. Surveillance systems suck up money and resources that *should* go to recipients. We're led to believe poor people lose their privacy rights and liberty to save a buck
No. No. No.
Punitive processes make narrowly targeted programs *less* efficient and *more* costly. Because more scrutiny requires more bureaucracy.
Punitive processes also make it *less* likely that people will get aid for which they qualify. Because of the roadblocks and stigma scrutiny creates.
Punitive processes make narrowly targeted programs *less* efficient and *more* costly. Because more scrutiny requires more bureaucracy.
Punitive processes also make it *less* likely that people will get aid for which they qualify. Because of the roadblocks and stigma scrutiny creates.
January 5, 2026 at 12:15 AM
All this "means testing" and "rooting out fraud" is just thinly veiled cover for finding increasingly absurd ways to deny people aid. Surveillance systems suck up money and resources that *should* go to recipients. We're led to believe poor people lose their privacy rights and liberty to save a buck