Janet D. Stemwedel
@docfreeride.bsky.social
Academic philosopher, lapsed chemist, occasional science writer, perpetual ethics booster. All views my own. (she/her)
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
The care is just so evident
December 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
The care is just so evident
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
The question people ask me most in my current position is about AI. People passionately opposed to AI, people who believe it is the answer to all our problems, people who wonder what it will mean for the humanities. However most people change the subject when I mention the people bearing AI's costs.
December 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
The question people ask me most in my current position is about AI. People passionately opposed to AI, people who believe it is the answer to all our problems, people who wonder what it will mean for the humanities. However most people change the subject when I mention the people bearing AI's costs.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
This doesn't end until there are real, physical, consequences. For every link on this chain. That's the only, ONLY, way it stops.
December 26, 2025 at 7:16 AM
This doesn't end until there are real, physical, consequences. For every link on this chain. That's the only, ONLY, way it stops.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
I remember the phrase "they can't be allowed to melt back into society" re: the de-Baathification of Iraq after the war there. Like everything about that experience, the attempt was cynical, stupid, and botched. But there really should be a plan about what we do with guys like these in the future.
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
December 26, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I remember the phrase "they can't be allowed to melt back into society" re: the de-Baathification of Iraq after the war there. Like everything about that experience, the attempt was cynical, stupid, and botched. But there really should be a plan about what we do with guys like these in the future.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Facebook literally made a chatbot months ago that sexted with children while pretending to be John Cena, and *then* made a chatbot with actually-written out specific policies on how to sext with children.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
August 15, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Facebook literally made a chatbot months ago that sexted with children while pretending to be John Cena, and *then* made a chatbot with actually-written out specific policies on how to sext with children.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
bsky.app/profile/pook...
An internet where a child can't throw a rock without hitting a chatbot, where *all the content* is slop.
Where it's made purposely impossible to talk to other humans, and consume media made by other humans.
An internet where a child can't throw a rock without hitting a chatbot, where *all the content* is slop.
Where it's made purposely impossible to talk to other humans, and consume media made by other humans.
Facebook literally made a chatbot months ago that sexted with children while pretending to be John Cena, and *then* made a chatbot with actually-written out specific policies on how to sext with children.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are going wild destroying the internet in terror of trans people.
December 26, 2025 at 1:31 PM
bsky.app/profile/pook...
An internet where a child can't throw a rock without hitting a chatbot, where *all the content* is slop.
Where it's made purposely impossible to talk to other humans, and consume media made by other humans.
An internet where a child can't throw a rock without hitting a chatbot, where *all the content* is slop.
Where it's made purposely impossible to talk to other humans, and consume media made by other humans.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
The explicit goal of the people happily setting fire to the internet in order to burn trans people, is that the only internet a child gets to experience is one specifically shaped by the whims of a billionaire freak.
December 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The explicit goal of the people happily setting fire to the internet in order to burn trans people, is that the only internet a child gets to experience is one specifically shaped by the whims of a billionaire freak.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
As the anglosphere gleefully sets fire to the internet out of virulent transphobia, one of its main tools is age verification: dividing the internet into one for adults, and one for kids.
And, the *exact same people* are desperately trying to cram genAI into the kids' internet.
And, the *exact same people* are desperately trying to cram genAI into the kids' internet.
December 26, 2025 at 1:25 PM
As the anglosphere gleefully sets fire to the internet out of virulent transphobia, one of its main tools is age verification: dividing the internet into one for adults, and one for kids.
And, the *exact same people* are desperately trying to cram genAI into the kids' internet.
And, the *exact same people* are desperately trying to cram genAI into the kids' internet.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Did someone say 'boxing'?
'The Boxer' (1933) by Russian artist Konstantin Somov. 🥊🌈🎨
Happy Boxing Day!
#BoxingDay #Christmas #queer #lgbtq #art #arthistory #1930s 🗃️
'The Boxer' (1933) by Russian artist Konstantin Somov. 🥊🌈🎨
Happy Boxing Day!
#BoxingDay #Christmas #queer #lgbtq #art #arthistory #1930s 🗃️
December 26, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Did someone say 'boxing'?
'The Boxer' (1933) by Russian artist Konstantin Somov. 🥊🌈🎨
Happy Boxing Day!
#BoxingDay #Christmas #queer #lgbtq #art #arthistory #1930s 🗃️
'The Boxer' (1933) by Russian artist Konstantin Somov. 🥊🌈🎨
Happy Boxing Day!
#BoxingDay #Christmas #queer #lgbtq #art #arthistory #1930s 🗃️
The power for power’s sake crowd is a problem.
December 26, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The power for power’s sake crowd is a problem.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
To clarify, we are both children’s literature scholars. Our subfield is tiny, so we keep up with each others’ work. I wanted to speak out when it first happened, but mentors and friends suggested that I might make the situation worse.
We live in such awful times.
We live in such awful times.
December 26, 2025 at 4:33 PM
To clarify, we are both children’s literature scholars. Our subfield is tiny, so we keep up with each others’ work. I wanted to speak out when it first happened, but mentors and friends suggested that I might make the situation worse.
We live in such awful times.
We live in such awful times.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
The lecturer in question is our colleague in children’s literature studies. She is a brilliant scholar and from all accounts a gifted teacher.
This ruling is infuriating… at the end of the day, it is our students’ education that will suffer.
This ruling is infuriating… at the end of the day, it is our students’ education that will suffer.
Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer who was fired after a video of her teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature class went viral, despite a faculty appeals panel unanimously concluding that her dismissal was not justified.
Texas A&M won’t reinstate fired lecturer despite findings
A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
www.texastribune.org
December 26, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The lecturer in question is our colleague in children’s literature studies. She is a brilliant scholar and from all accounts a gifted teacher.
This ruling is infuriating… at the end of the day, it is our students’ education that will suffer.
This ruling is infuriating… at the end of the day, it is our students’ education that will suffer.
If management doesn’t feel itself bound to policy, collective bargaining agreements (where available), or law in the same way faculty are bound by them, this is the kind of thing that will happen.
Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer who was fired after a video of her teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature class went viral, despite a faculty appeals panel unanimously concluding that her dismissal was not justified.
Texas A&M won’t reinstate fired lecturer despite findings
A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
www.texastribune.org
December 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
If management doesn’t feel itself bound to policy, collective bargaining agreements (where available), or law in the same way faculty are bound by them, this is the kind of thing that will happen.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Yes! One more time for the people in the back! THIS WAS NOT ORGANIC, IT WAS AN ATTACK FROM START TO FINISH
December 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Yes! One more time for the people in the back! THIS WAS NOT ORGANIC, IT WAS AN ATTACK FROM START TO FINISH
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
It did not "go viral". It was intentionally filmed and disseminated using a network of coordinated bots, amplified by an algorithm designed to spread this kind of content quickly. This was a harassment campaign, intended to silence everyone. Call it what it is.
December 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM
It did not "go viral". It was intentionally filmed and disseminated using a network of coordinated bots, amplified by an algorithm designed to spread this kind of content quickly. This was a harassment campaign, intended to silence everyone. Call it what it is.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer who was fired after a video of her teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature class went viral, despite a faculty appeals panel unanimously concluding that her dismissal was not justified.
Texas A&M won’t reinstate fired lecturer despite findings
A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
www.texastribune.org
December 24, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer who was fired after a video of her teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature class went viral, despite a faculty appeals panel unanimously concluding that her dismissal was not justified.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
means testing is expensive, invites fraud and undermines political support for public services
We need to be working to get everyone invested in society
We need to be working to get everyone invested in society
It's really bad politics, and no way to run a society, to tell people over a certain income line that they pay too much in taxes to get any benefit from the government. This is one of the reasons universal basic income and healthcare are both so important and why they must be universal.
December 26, 2025 at 4:39 PM
means testing is expensive, invites fraud and undermines political support for public services
We need to be working to get everyone invested in society
We need to be working to get everyone invested in society
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
‘Diamonds Are Forever’: Object Fetishism As Entropy Resistance
make a Bond movie academic
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
Make a Bond movie academic
Tomorrow Never Dies: Post-Modern Media and Neoliberal Futures in Late 20th Century Southeast Asia
Tomorrow Never Dies: Post-Modern Media and Neoliberal Futures in Late 20th Century Southeast Asia
December 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
‘Diamonds Are Forever’: Object Fetishism As Entropy Resistance
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
make a Bond movie academic
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
Make a Bond movie academic
Tomorrow Never Dies: Post-Modern Media and Neoliberal Futures in Late 20th Century Southeast Asia
Tomorrow Never Dies: Post-Modern Media and Neoliberal Futures in Late 20th Century Southeast Asia
Make a Bond movie academic
Skyfall: Country Houses, Imperial Memory, and the Performance of National Decline
Skyfall: Country Houses, Imperial Memory, and the Performance of National Decline
December 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
make a Bond movie academic
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
No Time to Die: Techno-Fascism and Its Imaginaries of Immortality
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Honored to blurb @restingdinoface.bsky.social's upcoming new book 'Tyrant Lizard Queen,' & even more honored to co-blurb it with @annaleen.bsky.social & @stevebrusatte.bsky.social! Not out until October 27, 2026, but preorders are very important for a book's (& its author's) success. 🧪🦖📚
December 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Honored to blurb @restingdinoface.bsky.social's upcoming new book 'Tyrant Lizard Queen,' & even more honored to co-blurb it with @annaleen.bsky.social & @stevebrusatte.bsky.social! Not out until October 27, 2026, but preorders are very important for a book's (& its author's) success. 🧪🦖📚
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
this is really reckless, unethical, and irresponsible behavior, especially as we approach the peak of flu season. it’s also not the first time he’s done this — he’s fully aware what he’s doing is not okay because we have already explained that to him. this guy shouldn’t be repping public health
If there is a tamiflu shortage this year I blame twitter's #1 catastrophist EFD for advising people to stockpile prescription antivirals.
December 26, 2025 at 2:13 PM
this is really reckless, unethical, and irresponsible behavior, especially as we approach the peak of flu season. it’s also not the first time he’s done this — he’s fully aware what he’s doing is not okay because we have already explained that to him. this guy shouldn’t be repping public health
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
I’ve seen white folks get more activated about defending AI than democracy itself.
December 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I’ve seen white folks get more activated about defending AI than democracy itself.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
The alt text is the christmas present you didn't know you wanted.
December 26, 2025 at 12:52 AM
The alt text is the christmas present you didn't know you wanted.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
Here’s something so blatantly obvious that it seems stupid to even have to say it out loud.
And yet apparently it’s necessary to say in Trump’s USA.
Filming a legal arrest, let alone the many illegal and anonymous arrests performed by ICE, is NOT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
Claiming it is, is fascist.
And yet apparently it’s necessary to say in Trump’s USA.
Filming a legal arrest, let alone the many illegal and anonymous arrests performed by ICE, is NOT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
Claiming it is, is fascist.
If ICE can threaten arrest for filming, then journalists, watchdogs, and protesters can all be silenced the same way. You don’t have freedom of the press if recording police is treated as terrorism. #holdfast
www.cato.org/blog/dhs-pol...
www.cato.org/blog/dhs-pol...
The Government Unconstitutionally Labels ICE Observers as Domestic Terrorists
A free country must have an absolute wall of protection for those who record government actions.
www.cato.org
December 25, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Here’s something so blatantly obvious that it seems stupid to even have to say it out loud.
And yet apparently it’s necessary to say in Trump’s USA.
Filming a legal arrest, let alone the many illegal and anonymous arrests performed by ICE, is NOT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
Claiming it is, is fascist.
And yet apparently it’s necessary to say in Trump’s USA.
Filming a legal arrest, let alone the many illegal and anonymous arrests performed by ICE, is NOT DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
Claiming it is, is fascist.
Reposted by Janet D. Stemwedel
“It is more obvious how to get out of a trunk than it is the back seat of a Tesla after a crash.” www.washingtonpost.com/technology/i...
How the Cybertruck's design may have trapped crash survivors in flames - Washington Post
In at least a dozen cases since 2019, people have struggled to access or exit Teslas during life-threatening emergencies, fueling lawsuits alleging the company’s futuristic features have caused injuries and deaths.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
“It is more obvious how to get out of a trunk than it is the back seat of a Tesla after a crash.” www.washingtonpost.com/technology/i...