Aveek Bhattacharya
@aveek18.bsky.social
Strategy Fellow, Global Health & Wellbeing @open_phil. Views my own
Pinned
Why I'm starting a Substack
And why you might want to subscribe
open.substack.com
Right, something new for 2025: I'm starting a Substack. About four years behind the trend, as ever.
I want to use it to think through social and political issues, and hopefully help you make sense of what you think to.
Have a read, and consider subscribing
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
I want to use it to think through social and political issues, and hopefully help you make sense of what you think to.
Have a read, and consider subscribing
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
Guess which game I got in the ticket ballot....
Nope. United 3, Chelsea and Atalanta 2. Nobody else more than 1.
@andrewbeasleyfootball.com Palace have five wins at Anfield since 2015 - are any team close to that???
November 14, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Guess which game I got in the ticket ballot....
@otcpod.bsky.social Is Ivan Juric being sacked from three top level jobs in a year some sort of record?
November 10, 2025 at 11:34 PM
@otcpod.bsky.social Is Ivan Juric being sacked from three top level jobs in a year some sort of record?
Reasonable to say Slot approached this game too negatively. But reasonable also to say he was only a few bounces of the ball and marginal refereeing decisions away from the plan working.
folks are gonna make way way more of this game than was there
City finished their chances exceptionally well
City finished their chances exceptionally well
November 9, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Reasonable to say Slot approached this game too negatively. But reasonable also to say he was only a few bounces of the ball and marginal refereeing decisions away from the plan working.
"At the stroke of midnight, the Indian women's cricket team achieved its tryst with destiny" is an outstanding line, fair play
November 2, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"At the stroke of midnight, the Indian women's cricket team achieved its tryst with destiny" is an outstanding line, fair play
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
Nope. United 3, Chelsea and Atalanta 2. Nobody else more than 1.
@andrewbeasleyfootball.com Palace have five wins at Anfield since 2015 - are any team close to that???
October 29, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Nope. United 3, Chelsea and Atalanta 2. Nobody else more than 1.
@andrewbeasleyfootball.com Palace have five wins at Anfield since 2015 - are any team close to that???
October 29, 2025 at 10:33 PM
@andrewbeasleyfootball.com Palace have five wins at Anfield since 2015 - are any team close to that???
It seems a sub-optimal state of affairs that whether that's a penalty on Gakpo depends on how good he is at diving
October 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
It seems a sub-optimal state of affairs that whether that's a penalty on Gakpo depends on how good he is at diving
If there isn't an AI dating assistant called "Cyrano" by the end of the year these guys have no culture or imagination
October 18, 2025 at 10:16 AM
If there isn't an AI dating assistant called "Cyrano" by the end of the year these guys have no culture or imagination
The near absolute polarisation in views on my timeline as to whether that was a penalty between English and non-English people is quite funny
July 22, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The near absolute polarisation in views on my timeline as to whether that was a penalty between English and non-English people is quite funny
According to some guy called, uh, Michael Caley, this is the opposite of how Liverpool got good
(From @rwohan.bsky.social's book, which is great, you should buy it)
(From @rwohan.bsky.social's book, which is great, you should buy it)
May 27, 2025 at 8:11 PM
According to some guy called, uh, Michael Caley, this is the opposite of how Liverpool got good
(From @rwohan.bsky.social's book, which is great, you should buy it)
(From @rwohan.bsky.social's book, which is great, you should buy it)
Things that make me irrationally angry: that nobody in the Eurovision green room seems to have thought of keeping track of the remaining points. Like, how is it possible that I knew Austria had won before they did?
May 17, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Things that make me irrationally angry: that nobody in the Eurovision green room seems to have thought of keeping track of the remaining points. Like, how is it possible that I knew Austria had won before they did?
It's funny because it keeps happening
March 5, 2025 at 10:11 PM
It's funny because it keeps happening
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
A good question posed & answered here by @aveek18.bsky.social: aveekbhattacharya.substack.com/p/why-isnt-a...
Why isn't animal welfare a bigger issue in British politics?
A rundown of some theories
aveekbhattacharya.substack.com
March 3, 2025 at 12:59 PM
A good question posed & answered here by @aveek18.bsky.social: aveekbhattacharya.substack.com/p/why-isnt-a...
When I tell people I got married in a castle, but it's really not that big a deal - this is the context
I was wondering if I would be possible to see a castle while in Aberdeen.
Turns out yes, it’s VERY possible. In fact, it might be impossible to NOT see a castle while I’m here.
Turns out yes, it’s VERY possible. In fact, it might be impossible to NOT see a castle while I’m here.
February 28, 2025 at 10:27 AM
When I tell people I got married in a castle, but it's really not that big a deal - this is the context
Why isn't animal welfare a bigger issue in British politics?
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
Why isn't animal welfare a bigger issue in British politics?
A rundown of some theories
open.substack.com
February 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Why isn't animal welfare a bigger issue in British politics?
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
open.substack.com/pub/aveekbha...
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
why is the co-founder of aberdeenshire-based brewdog who wants to create a british version of "doge" called james watt and not
ellon musk
ellon musk
February 26, 2025 at 9:41 AM
why is the co-founder of aberdeenshire-based brewdog who wants to create a british version of "doge" called james watt and not
ellon musk
ellon musk
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
also that it is largely comprised of former friends of mine
February 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
also that it is largely comprised of former friends of mine
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
the most surprising and disappointing aspect of becoming a global health philanthropist is the existence of an opposition team
February 27, 2025 at 4:42 AM
the most surprising and disappointing aspect of becoming a global health philanthropist is the existence of an opposition team
Someone please do me a back of an envelope cost-benefit of dogs.
What do we think the optimal number per capita is?
What do we think the optimal number per capita is?
I'm probably being mean to dogs (despite being a fan of the species in general) but I feel like they're more like cars in this respect? Great to have one, but if everyone has one (or two) you get a public-realm tragedy of the commons, potholes, not great for the environment, etc
February 26, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Someone please do me a back of an envelope cost-benefit of dogs.
What do we think the optimal number per capita is?
What do we think the optimal number per capita is?
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
The 7th carbon budget is a MASTERCLASS in avoiding a climate culture war, despite having to talk about flying and farming. Kudos to the team!
February 26, 2025 at 8:58 AM
The 7th carbon budget is a MASTERCLASS in avoiding a climate culture war, despite having to talk about flying and farming. Kudos to the team!
I was trying to be careful not to load the dice in how I framed it, but can see how original post might have come across a bit too pro dog.
The growth in dogs is a fascinating phenomenon in its own right, especially how that interacts with the pandemic.
The growth in dogs is a fascinating phenomenon in its own right, especially how that interacts with the pandemic.
I don't agree it should be called a "culture war" when there are five million more dogs in the UK than 10 years ago (2014: 8.9m; 2024: 13.5m, Statista) and a third less public green space (NEF).
That does not sound like "safetyism" to me, it sounds like people want to take their kids to the park.
That does not sound like "safetyism" to me, it sounds like people want to take their kids to the park.
The brewing culture war over dogs is a fascinating confluence of so many social trends: social atomisation and unwillingness to let the messiness of other people's lives intrude, safetyism, the long behavioural shadow of the pandemic.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
February 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I was trying to be careful not to load the dice in how I framed it, but can see how original post might have come across a bit too pro dog.
The growth in dogs is a fascinating phenomenon in its own right, especially how that interacts with the pandemic.
The growth in dogs is a fascinating phenomenon in its own right, especially how that interacts with the pandemic.
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
CCC's 7th carbon budget advice on agriculture & land use:
- Overall, land use changes required over 19% of UK farmland (previously expressed as 'one-fifth' of ag land)
- Meeting 7CB means a 27% reduction in cattle
and sheep numbers between 2023 and 2040
1/
- www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
- Overall, land use changes required over 19% of UK farmland (previously expressed as 'one-fifth' of ag land)
- Meeting 7CB means a 27% reduction in cattle
and sheep numbers between 2023 and 2040
1/
- www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
www.theccc.org.uk
February 26, 2025 at 1:52 PM
CCC's 7th carbon budget advice on agriculture & land use:
- Overall, land use changes required over 19% of UK farmland (previously expressed as 'one-fifth' of ag land)
- Meeting 7CB means a 27% reduction in cattle
and sheep numbers between 2023 and 2040
1/
- www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
- Overall, land use changes required over 19% of UK farmland (previously expressed as 'one-fifth' of ag land)
- Meeting 7CB means a 27% reduction in cattle
and sheep numbers between 2023 and 2040
1/
- www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
The brewing culture war over dogs is a fascinating confluence of so many social trends: social atomisation and unwillingness to let the messiness of other people's lives intrude, safetyism, the long behavioural shadow of the pandemic.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
‘Poo and punishment’ – is there really a war on dogs in England and Wales?
From fines to outright bans, many councils are clamping down on canines and their owners. But not all the measures – especially the ones that prevent dogs exercising freely – are welcome
www.theguardian.com
February 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The brewing culture war over dogs is a fascinating confluence of so many social trends: social atomisation and unwillingness to let the messiness of other people's lives intrude, safetyism, the long behavioural shadow of the pandemic.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
The growing evidence of iatrogenesis (harm caused by "treating" people who don't need it with mental health interventions) is one of the most confounding research findings I've come across in recent years
Important new evidence published today: large-scale DofE trial (N=12,166) found that two universal MH awareness interventions, in secondary schools, led to an *increase* in emotional symptoms at long term (9-12 month) follow up
tinyurl.com/4ffday8y
Thread below
/1
tinyurl.com/4ffday8y
Thread below
/1
February 26, 2025 at 12:18 PM
The growing evidence of iatrogenesis (harm caused by "treating" people who don't need it with mental health interventions) is one of the most confounding research findings I've come across in recent years
Reposted by Aveek Bhattacharya
Cutting Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of GDP means that a massive fraction of our aid budget will be spent in the UK on accommodation for asylum seekers. I don't have an up to date estimate, but could easily be half. Leaves much, much less for "traditional" aid.
February 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Cutting Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of GDP means that a massive fraction of our aid budget will be spent in the UK on accommodation for asylum seekers. I don't have an up to date estimate, but could easily be half. Leaves much, much less for "traditional" aid.