Sarah Barrett
@documentalope.bsky.social
Director, Special Projects for the State of Eternity.
IA, Systems thinking, product management
She/her
sarahrbarrett.com
IA, Systems thinking, product management
She/her
sarahrbarrett.com
Nobody asked, but what with everything, I am going to share my favorite Thanksgiving recipes, in case you want to try something new. I have cooked Thanksgiving for 10+ most of years for the last decade, and they are all bangers.
November 10, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Nobody asked, but what with everything, I am going to share my favorite Thanksgiving recipes, in case you want to try something new. I have cooked Thanksgiving for 10+ most of years for the last decade, and they are all bangers.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
The whole piece is excellent but these paragraphs here are absolute bangers. And boy but it’s refreshing to see the New Yorker critique centrist views (here’s the archived version if you haven’t got a subscription: archive.ph/UNdFj).
November 10, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The whole piece is excellent but these paragraphs here are absolute bangers. And boy but it’s refreshing to see the New Yorker critique centrist views (here’s the archived version if you haven’t got a subscription: archive.ph/UNdFj).
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
a parade of sickos preternaturally perhaps inevitably interested in whatever it is I'm sellin
The thing is, people would create and use personas without any research at all.
November 9, 2025 at 8:21 AM
a parade of sickos preternaturally perhaps inevitably interested in whatever it is I'm sellin
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
and if you *are* a ghoul, faking decency is the price of admission into polite society. seethe about it on your own time
November 7, 2025 at 7:46 PM
and if you *are* a ghoul, faking decency is the price of admission into polite society. seethe about it on your own time
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
I could write an entire essay about who gets to expect feelings of safety all the time and who doesn’t (and whose concerns are ignored in the name of “safety”).
One thing the NYC mayoral race underscored for me is how easily the phrase "I don't feel safe" can be weaponized. It's an argument I would hesitate ever to use again, even for a good cause. I hope we can all agree that we have the right to BE safe. Maybe we should leave it at that.
November 7, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I could write an entire essay about who gets to expect feelings of safety all the time and who doesn’t (and whose concerns are ignored in the name of “safety”).
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
Visited a recreation of Cybersyn — the Chilean socialist internet that predates the web. It had programs to communicate with a decentralized network of telex machines at factories (Cybernet), economic simulators (CHECO & Cyberstride), and this control room
Goal was to control the economy with clicks
Goal was to control the economy with clicks
November 6, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Visited a recreation of Cybersyn — the Chilean socialist internet that predates the web. It had programs to communicate with a decentralized network of telex machines at factories (Cybernet), economic simulators (CHECO & Cyberstride), and this control room
Goal was to control the economy with clicks
Goal was to control the economy with clicks
This is really interesting to me, because this is how I approach working groups (as opposed to endless nebulous v teams.) All of this is enabled by explicit but disposable structure.
“Anarchy doesn’t mean you can’t organise, but it should be done voluntary, functional, temporal and small”
November 6, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This is really interesting to me, because this is how I approach working groups (as opposed to endless nebulous v teams.) All of this is enabled by explicit but disposable structure.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
📣 This race isn't over folks! 📣
Make sure your vote counts! Tap the link below to check on your ballot.
☑️🗳️: info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
Make sure your vote counts! Tap the link below to check on your ballot.
☑️🗳️: info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
November 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM
📣 This race isn't over folks! 📣
Make sure your vote counts! Tap the link below to check on your ballot.
☑️🗳️: info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
Make sure your vote counts! Tap the link below to check on your ballot.
☑️🗳️: info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
I have the same attitude about it as I have about CS: GROW UP. Not teaching people isn't rigor. If you achieved status in either of those fields stop swanning around on the altar of how easy it is when everyone has a genius stereotype about your field. Those achievement gaps are *your* problem.
November 4, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I have the same attitude about it as I have about CS: GROW UP. Not teaching people isn't rigor. If you achieved status in either of those fields stop swanning around on the altar of how easy it is when everyone has a genius stereotype about your field. Those achievement gaps are *your* problem.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
YEEEEESSSSSS FUCK YES!
November 3, 2025 at 6:37 PM
YEEEEESSSSSS FUCK YES!
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
I’m just, you know, a philosopher, but it seems obvious that intelligence is social and relational and the AI bros are deeply invested in it being private property that can be owned, so they will always always miss the mark.
November 3, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I’m just, you know, a philosopher, but it seems obvious that intelligence is social and relational and the AI bros are deeply invested in it being private property that can be owned, so they will always always miss the mark.
Honestly obsessed
November 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Honestly obsessed
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
watching someone experienced work is a very underrated way to level up. "tacit knowledge transfer" is how we learn all the little tips and techniques and shortcuts that make experts so dang fast and effective, and it's really, really hard to learn that stuff in other ways
One of the first things I do with new junior engineers is pair with them to show them how I would track down a bug they're working on.
Learning how to problem solve in the codebase is more important than being able to churn out LoC.
Learning how to problem solve in the codebase is more important than being able to churn out LoC.
Like the difference between an entry-level engineer and a senior one might be language fluency, but the difference between a senior one and a distinguished one is the distinguished one knows how to turn 100x 100 hour debugging problems into 4x 30 minute ones
November 3, 2025 at 1:10 AM
watching someone experienced work is a very underrated way to level up. "tacit knowledge transfer" is how we learn all the little tips and techniques and shortcuts that make experts so dang fast and effective, and it's really, really hard to learn that stuff in other ways
This is most of the basis of my entire career, for what it’s worth.
Doing this will put you ahead in so many rooms if you need a selfish reason. Can't tell you how many rooms with leadership from multiple orgs I've been in where I'm the only person who read the original source of the data. Unstoppable edge to be a little bit diligent in a world where people aren't.
November 2, 2025 at 4:25 PM
This is most of the basis of my entire career, for what it’s worth.
Through a series of miscommunications, I ended up taking the child to a 7:30 pm oper(ett)a tonight. He loved it and is now standing in front of the opera house waiting for a cab at 10:30 pm like a true city child.
November 2, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Through a series of miscommunications, I ended up taking the child to a 7:30 pm oper(ett)a tonight. He loved it and is now standing in front of the opera house waiting for a cab at 10:30 pm like a true city child.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
Bruce Harrell's parks district renewal funds one hundred (100) tree plantings per year.
“Since [Paris Mayor @annehidalgo.bsky.social took] office, Paris has planted over 200K trees with a pledge to add 170K more by 2026. Urban forests are being created near landmarks like the Hôtel de Ville, Gare de Lyon, & Opéra Garnier, with plans to cover 50% of the city with planted areas by 2030.“
Anne Hidalgo: Transforming Paris into a Green Metropolis for a Sustainable Future
Pic: Ms Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris (Source: ChatGPT)
medium.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Bruce Harrell's parks district renewal funds one hundred (100) tree plantings per year.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
i think if you ride public transit enough you learn that most weird behavior is not dangerous, and conversely i think driving a car teaches you that everyone is trying to kill you at all times
October 29, 2025 at 4:49 PM
i think if you ride public transit enough you learn that most weird behavior is not dangerous, and conversely i think driving a car teaches you that everyone is trying to kill you at all times
Only a few minutes into this and it’s already so good.
really interesting reading list wrapped in a video essay about how to train new software developers about a humanist perspective to software
also, 10/10 title
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f86K...
also, 10/10 title
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f86K...
Cocaine and Conway's Law
YouTube video by Greg Wilson
www.youtube.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Only a few minutes into this and it’s already so good.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
“we underestimated the power of existing user habits”
Tells you everything you need to know about modern tech company product development.
I would bet the execs & PMs had experienced HCD people telling them what they were up against, but just weren’t listened to.
Tells you everything you need to know about modern tech company product development.
I would bet the execs & PMs had experienced HCD people telling them what they were up against, but just weren’t listened to.
I legitimately didn't know they were competing with Steam and it's crazy to me that they burnt so much money on what sounds like something with very little (or wildly misguided) market research.
October 29, 2025 at 1:14 PM
“we underestimated the power of existing user habits”
Tells you everything you need to know about modern tech company product development.
I would bet the execs & PMs had experienced HCD people telling them what they were up against, but just weren’t listened to.
Tells you everything you need to know about modern tech company product development.
I would bet the execs & PMs had experienced HCD people telling them what they were up against, but just weren’t listened to.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
Hi! Since others are talking about my book, thought I'd share a little about it. The book is a love letter to women everywhere wondering why their time just isn't adding up. It turns out, it's not you! We are getting massively squeezed by structural changes! 🧵
www.amazon.com/Having-All-T...
www.amazon.com/Having-All-T...
October 27, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Hi! Since others are talking about my book, thought I'd share a little about it. The book is a love letter to women everywhere wondering why their time just isn't adding up. It turns out, it's not you! We are getting massively squeezed by structural changes! 🧵
www.amazon.com/Having-All-T...
www.amazon.com/Having-All-T...
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
so lower the fuckin' barriers to access, Rob.
this city is almost fuckin' *uniquely* hostile to street food in a way that impoverishes our culture and destroys possibilities, Rob.
this city seethingly hates visible culture on a policy level, maybe you could aim to fuckin' fix that, Rob.
this city is almost fuckin' *uniquely* hostile to street food in a way that impoverishes our culture and destroys possibilities, Rob.
this city seethingly hates visible culture on a policy level, maybe you could aim to fuckin' fix that, Rob.
Unpermitted street vending "afflicts many areas of the city," Rob Saka said in a meeting just now.
Is this "issue" something FOX news is pushing or something? Has all the hallmarks of a moral panic.
Is this "issue" something FOX news is pushing or something? Has all the hallmarks of a moral panic.
October 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM
so lower the fuckin' barriers to access, Rob.
this city is almost fuckin' *uniquely* hostile to street food in a way that impoverishes our culture and destroys possibilities, Rob.
this city seethingly hates visible culture on a policy level, maybe you could aim to fuckin' fix that, Rob.
this city is almost fuckin' *uniquely* hostile to street food in a way that impoverishes our culture and destroys possibilities, Rob.
this city seethingly hates visible culture on a policy level, maybe you could aim to fuckin' fix that, Rob.
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
One of the best lines from the @arnoldventures.bsky.social Housing Master Class: “If you don’t want housing in your backyard, be prepared to see it on your front lawn.”
Tent cities and visible homelessness are directly connected to the housing shortages in our communities. #waleg #Seattle
Tent cities and visible homelessness are directly connected to the housing shortages in our communities. #waleg #Seattle
October 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
One of the best lines from the @arnoldventures.bsky.social Housing Master Class: “If you don’t want housing in your backyard, be prepared to see it on your front lawn.”
Tent cities and visible homelessness are directly connected to the housing shortages in our communities. #waleg #Seattle
Tent cities and visible homelessness are directly connected to the housing shortages in our communities. #waleg #Seattle
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
I think about this LeGuin essay a lot. (link in next post; you should read it too.)
October 27, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I think about this LeGuin essay a lot. (link in next post; you should read it too.)
Reposted by Sarah Barrett
After a few days with time spent in a car (unusual for me!), I’m noticing how being in a car makes the rest of the world seem insubstantial, lacking solidity. Everything moves out of the way for you. Nothing is reliably there except you and your companions.
October 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
After a few days with time spent in a car (unusual for me!), I’m noticing how being in a car makes the rest of the world seem insubstantial, lacking solidity. Everything moves out of the way for you. Nothing is reliably there except you and your companions.
I am reminded of the absolutely savage line from 1959, “Gypsy Rose Lee, who speaks lousy French and reads book reviews like they was books.”
Yep, I am generally extremely frustrated by this modern internet phenomenon where people will read a journalist's short summary of a book, find that the *summary* does not mention an important concept, and then accuse the *book's author* of not knowing about the concept
Before castigating a book for not using a term, you should check to see if the book uses a term.
October 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
I am reminded of the absolutely savage line from 1959, “Gypsy Rose Lee, who speaks lousy French and reads book reviews like they was books.”