Bailey Poletti
@baileypoletti.bsky.social
PhD in medieval apocalyptic history, esp. 900-1100, but I try to read broadly. Trying my hand at fiction. All prophecies my own (and most likely wrong). He/him.
Pinned
Bailey Poletti
@baileypoletti.bsky.social
· Sep 29
Medieval Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Roman Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Greek Authors (including Homer): "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Americans: "Look at me: I'm sacking Troy!"
Roman Authors: "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Greek Authors (including Homer): "Do you think the Greeks might have been the baddies?"
Americans: "Look at me: I'm sacking Troy!"
American Nationalists hate all countries, even Americans, who aren't American Nationalists.
Christian Nationalists hate all faiths, even Christians, who aren't Christian Nationalists.
White Nationalists hate all ethnicities, even white people, who aren't White Nationalists.
Fascists hate.
Christian Nationalists hate all faiths, even Christians, who aren't Christian Nationalists.
White Nationalists hate all ethnicities, even white people, who aren't White Nationalists.
Fascists hate.
January 4, 2026 at 12:22 AM
American Nationalists hate all countries, even Americans, who aren't American Nationalists.
Christian Nationalists hate all faiths, even Christians, who aren't Christian Nationalists.
White Nationalists hate all ethnicities, even white people, who aren't White Nationalists.
Fascists hate.
Christian Nationalists hate all faiths, even Christians, who aren't Christian Nationalists.
White Nationalists hate all ethnicities, even white people, who aren't White Nationalists.
Fascists hate.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
The Wheel of Fortune turns for every leader sooner or later
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 066; p.66
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 066; p.66
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social
January 3, 2026 at 9:16 PM
The Wheel of Fortune turns for every leader sooner or later
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 066; p.66
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 066; p.66
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social
"Your character, whose backstory includes 2 impeachments (once for insurrection), in his *2nd term* unilaterally abducts a South American president and then the same day admits on camera that he wants the country's oil?"
"Yes, Mr. Editor."
"Get out."
"Yes, Mr. Editor."
"Get out."
January 3, 2026 at 9:30 PM
"Your character, whose backstory includes 2 impeachments (once for insurrection), in his *2nd term* unilaterally abducts a South American president and then the same day admits on camera that he wants the country's oil?"
"Yes, Mr. Editor."
"Get out."
"Yes, Mr. Editor."
"Get out."
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Candid answer - as someone who handled constituent affairs calls for years - while they’re not checking the phone right now, the urgency of the moment is important.
Show them you care enough to make the weekend call, and be counted that way. Staffers will clock and report this upstream.
Show them you care enough to make the weekend call, and be counted that way. Staffers will clock and report this upstream.
Is there actually a benefit to leaving a VM now vs getting a staffer on Monday? Can do both but just curious
January 3, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Candid answer - as someone who handled constituent affairs calls for years - while they’re not checking the phone right now, the urgency of the moment is important.
Show them you care enough to make the weekend call, and be counted that way. Staffers will clock and report this upstream.
Show them you care enough to make the weekend call, and be counted that way. Staffers will clock and report this upstream.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Every reaction from any Democrat that stops short of impeachment is utterly disqualifying.
January 3, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Every reaction from any Democrat that stops short of impeachment is utterly disqualifying.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
they have literally never gotten over the Obama situation room photo for the bin Laden raid
the photographer was definitely like, "ok everybody, look tough!" but we know they're all just reading tweets with their arms crossed in a country club dining room divided up by bedsheets tacked to the beams
January 3, 2026 at 8:27 PM
they have literally never gotten over the Obama situation room photo for the bin Laden raid
I'm going to self-care by petting a sleeping dog. Try to find the equivalent for yourself.
January 3, 2026 at 6:40 PM
I'm going to self-care by petting a sleeping dog. Try to find the equivalent for yourself.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
*taps sign*
Music and politics expert here. There is no music that is free from politics, because music is a human construct and whether or not we like to admit it, humans are all affected intimately by politics. Even music without words can express political ideas. You’re just noticing it for the first time.
January 3, 2026 at 6:17 PM
*taps sign*
I drafted a 100,000-word novel about an immortality-obsessed tyrant who has an emotional crisis before turning less shitty.
Can reality stop making that sound implausible?
Can reality stop making that sound implausible?
January 3, 2026 at 6:10 PM
I drafted a 100,000-word novel about an immortality-obsessed tyrant who has an emotional crisis before turning less shitty.
Can reality stop making that sound implausible?
Can reality stop making that sound implausible?
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
Thank you AOC. Drugs have always been a boogeyman used to justify imperial intervention and resource extraction in Latin America.
I'm an anthropologist with a PhD in this subject, I made a video this morning to explain the context:
I'm an anthropologist with a PhD in this subject, I made a video this morning to explain the context:
January 3, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Thank you AOC. Drugs have always been a boogeyman used to justify imperial intervention and resource extraction in Latin America.
I'm an anthropologist with a PhD in this subject, I made a video this morning to explain the context:
I'm an anthropologist with a PhD in this subject, I made a video this morning to explain the context:
"Give thy kings law -- leave not uncurbed the great;
So with the horrors past thou'lt win thy happier fate!"
-John Keats
So with the horrors past thou'lt win thy happier fate!"
-John Keats
January 3, 2026 at 4:22 PM
"Give thy kings law -- leave not uncurbed the great;
So with the horrors past thou'lt win thy happier fate!"
-John Keats
So with the horrors past thou'lt win thy happier fate!"
-John Keats
He means it!
IF THIS IS THE FIRST POST YOU SEE TODAY LOG OFF AND GO BACK TO BED
Next 3 hours or so are going to contain a lot of this as folks wake up across the US
January 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM
He means it!
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
IF THIS IS THE FIRST POST YOU SEE TODAY LOG OFF AND GO BACK TO BED
Next 3 hours or so are going to contain a lot of this as folks wake up across the US
What the fuck
January 3, 2026 at 3:56 PM
IF THIS IS THE FIRST POST YOU SEE TODAY LOG OFF AND GO BACK TO BED
I put the library book down before the holidays and have been busy since, but I think it's time I continued reading French Revolution historiography.
Not the most relevant topic today, sure, but it's also not irrelevant either.
Not the most relevant topic today, sure, but it's also not irrelevant either.
January 3, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I put the library book down before the holidays and have been busy since, but I think it's time I continued reading French Revolution historiography.
Not the most relevant topic today, sure, but it's also not irrelevant either.
Not the most relevant topic today, sure, but it's also not irrelevant either.
A kid watching the end of Return of the Jedi: "Even Coruscant is celebrating Palpatine's death? Heck yeah! They hated him too!"
A jaded adult, ditto: "That's unrealistic. He would have had plenty of supporters."
An adult who has lived through the last 10 years: "You know, it could happen today..."
A jaded adult, ditto: "That's unrealistic. He would have had plenty of supporters."
An adult who has lived through the last 10 years: "You know, it could happen today..."
January 3, 2026 at 3:47 PM
A kid watching the end of Return of the Jedi: "Even Coruscant is celebrating Palpatine's death? Heck yeah! They hated him too!"
A jaded adult, ditto: "That's unrealistic. He would have had plenty of supporters."
An adult who has lived through the last 10 years: "You know, it could happen today..."
A jaded adult, ditto: "That's unrealistic. He would have had plenty of supporters."
An adult who has lived through the last 10 years: "You know, it could happen today..."
Their official defense is "two for flinching"?
I need a drink.
I need a drink.
How does launching air strikes and a commando raid fall under the remit of self defense for an arrest operation
January 3, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Their official defense is "two for flinching"?
I need a drink.
I need a drink.
I'd like to remind everyone that Machiavelli said a republic is run well and protected from tyranny when its public officials are prosecuted early and often.
This Tuesday will mark 5 years since the J6 attempted insurrection, and the leader of it is still in the WH.
This Tuesday will mark 5 years since the J6 attempted insurrection, and the leader of it is still in the WH.
January 3, 2026 at 2:53 PM
I'd like to remind everyone that Machiavelli said a republic is run well and protected from tyranny when its public officials are prosecuted early and often.
This Tuesday will mark 5 years since the J6 attempted insurrection, and the leader of it is still in the WH.
This Tuesday will mark 5 years since the J6 attempted insurrection, and the leader of it is still in the WH.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
People are going to try and lure you into debates about whether Maduro was a good guy or not and the thing is, it doesn’t matter for the purposes of discussing whether violent kidnappings and extrajudicial murders by the US government are ok. No, they aren’t! End of convo.
January 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM
People are going to try and lure you into debates about whether Maduro was a good guy or not and the thing is, it doesn’t matter for the purposes of discussing whether violent kidnappings and extrajudicial murders by the US government are ok. No, they aren’t! End of convo.
Doesn't this boast make those ship-murders even more illegal if the US claims it can charge, arrest, and prosecute people wholely outside our national jurisdiction?
The US Attorney General confirms Maduro is being charged with "conspiracy to possess machine guns" - something Republicans usually call a constitutional right.
January 3, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Doesn't this boast make those ship-murders even more illegal if the US claims it can charge, arrest, and prosecute people wholely outside our national jurisdiction?
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
We have to impeach him.
January 3, 2026 at 7:25 AM
We have to impeach him.
Thematically appropriate Magic: the Gathering cards.
what does everyone use for bookmarks now that train tickets are mostly digital?
January 3, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Thematically appropriate Magic: the Gathering cards.
The Reformation was less successful than Martin Luther expected because everyone kept asking, "What do those 95 squiggles mean?" and all he could do was shrug.
No one could read before Gutenberg. Except five priests and the pope. The alphabet was a secret.
January 2, 2026 at 3:20 AM
The Reformation was less successful than Martin Luther expected because everyone kept asking, "What do those 95 squiggles mean?" and all he could do was shrug.
Pitch:
The Four Horsemen, but they are a 80s/90s kids cartoon hero team led by Michael and tasked with finding, capturing, and returning apocalyptic beasts that have escaped containment in the abyss before they cause panic and devastation among the humans.
Call it: "Apocalypse Unsealed"
The Four Horsemen, but they are a 80s/90s kids cartoon hero team led by Michael and tasked with finding, capturing, and returning apocalyptic beasts that have escaped containment in the abyss before they cause panic and devastation among the humans.
Call it: "Apocalypse Unsealed"
January 1, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Pitch:
The Four Horsemen, but they are a 80s/90s kids cartoon hero team led by Michael and tasked with finding, capturing, and returning apocalyptic beasts that have escaped containment in the abyss before they cause panic and devastation among the humans.
Call it: "Apocalypse Unsealed"
The Four Horsemen, but they are a 80s/90s kids cartoon hero team led by Michael and tasked with finding, capturing, and returning apocalyptic beasts that have escaped containment in the abyss before they cause panic and devastation among the humans.
Call it: "Apocalypse Unsealed"
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
I agree, with the added context that Hitler was an extremely talented liar.
He was able to talk to people in private and convince them that he was lying to *others* but being totally honest with *them.*
His lying was so constant it’s a known problem biographers and historians need to contend with.
He was able to talk to people in private and convince them that he was lying to *others* but being totally honest with *them.*
His lying was so constant it’s a known problem biographers and historians need to contend with.
Hitler is generally considered by most historians that I know anyway as a charismatic public speaker who knew how to fan bogus fear into popular support. And he was good at utilizing new media (radio). Not much else really.
"All serious historians agree."
January 1, 2026 at 9:07 PM
I agree, with the added context that Hitler was an extremely talented liar.
He was able to talk to people in private and convince them that he was lying to *others* but being totally honest with *them.*
His lying was so constant it’s a known problem biographers and historians need to contend with.
He was able to talk to people in private and convince them that he was lying to *others* but being totally honest with *them.*
His lying was so constant it’s a known problem biographers and historians need to contend with.
Reposted by Bailey Poletti
We don’t need “good immigrants “ etc stories
We need a place where people get to be people and we don’t become cops and regulators monitoring everybody’s everything for signs or authenticity
We need a place where people get to be people and we don’t become cops and regulators monitoring everybody’s everything for signs or authenticity
January 1, 2026 at 6:06 PM
We don’t need “good immigrants “ etc stories
We need a place where people get to be people and we don’t become cops and regulators monitoring everybody’s everything for signs or authenticity
We need a place where people get to be people and we don’t become cops and regulators monitoring everybody’s everything for signs or authenticity