John Attridge
@johnattridge.bsky.social
Associate Professor of English at UNSW | Modernism, novels, specialisation, media, bildungsroman &c | Chair Australasian Modernist Studies Network
"I identify with the main character" no. Characters are a fantasy propagated by big realism to distract you from the novel's form. Wake up
January 29, 2026 at 12:29 AM
"I identify with the main character" no. Characters are a fantasy propagated by big realism to distract you from the novel's form. Wake up
(relatable lecturer voice) and in this scene it is simply not clocking to the wedding guest that the ancient mariner is standing on business
January 28, 2026 at 4:47 AM
(relatable lecturer voice) and in this scene it is simply not clocking to the wedding guest that the ancient mariner is standing on business
I have a very particular set of skills *close reads ransom note*
January 27, 2026 at 8:28 AM
I have a very particular set of skills *close reads ransom note*
I reviewed Kristin Grogan's brilliant new book _Stitch, Unstitch: Modernist Poetry and the World of Work_ for The Space Between
scalar.usc.edu/works/the-sp...
scalar.usc.edu/works/the-sp...
January 27, 2026 at 2:46 AM
I reviewed Kristin Grogan's brilliant new book _Stitch, Unstitch: Modernist Poetry and the World of Work_ for The Space Between
scalar.usc.edu/works/the-sp...
scalar.usc.edu/works/the-sp...
Ever since I started writing this application, I have been passionate about the prospect of being awarded a fellowship
January 24, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Ever since I started writing this application, I have been passionate about the prospect of being awarded a fellowship
"In this essay I will"
- spoilers
- over-confident
- rigid, boring
"In this essay I *might*"
- creates suspense
- nonchalant
- adventurous, fun
- spoilers
- over-confident
- rigid, boring
"In this essay I *might*"
- creates suspense
- nonchalant
- adventurous, fun
January 21, 2026 at 11:18 PM
"In this essay I will"
- spoilers
- over-confident
- rigid, boring
"In this essay I *might*"
- creates suspense
- nonchalant
- adventurous, fun
- spoilers
- over-confident
- rigid, boring
"In this essay I *might*"
- creates suspense
- nonchalant
- adventurous, fun
You are probably hearing a lot about vibe coding? *class nods* Well T.S. Eliot's concept of the "objective correlative" might be described as a technique for coding vibes *class chuckles, write in their notebooks*
January 21, 2026 at 7:50 PM
You are probably hearing a lot about vibe coding? *class nods* Well T.S. Eliot's concept of the "objective correlative" might be described as a technique for coding vibes *class chuckles, write in their notebooks*
Writing instructor: write what you know *sees me writing this in my notebook* no not you. You should probably write genre fiction
January 17, 2026 at 4:36 AM
Writing instructor: write what you know *sees me writing this in my notebook* no not you. You should probably write genre fiction
Sean Penn is a well-known liberal yet in OBAA he plays a reactionary. Seems a little dishonest
January 16, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Sean Penn is a well-known liberal yet in OBAA he plays a reactionary. Seems a little dishonest
That's just tasteslop. You only find it beautiful because it enables the free play of the imagination and the understanding
January 15, 2026 at 3:24 AM
That's just tasteslop. You only find it beautiful because it enables the free play of the imagination and the understanding
You're right to be concerned. Yes, from what you've told me, your employer's wife likely *is* imprisoned in the attic. Here are some practical steps you can take now:
- flee
- await telepathic message
- return *only* if the house is incinerated, leaving your employer crippled
- flee
- await telepathic message
- return *only* if the house is incinerated, leaving your employer crippled
January 15, 2026 at 12:12 AM
You're right to be concerned. Yes, from what you've told me, your employer's wife likely *is* imprisoned in the attic. Here are some practical steps you can take now:
- flee
- await telepathic message
- return *only* if the house is incinerated, leaving your employer crippled
- flee
- await telepathic message
- return *only* if the house is incinerated, leaving your employer crippled
When to stop saying happy new year gap relationship
January 14, 2026 at 1:58 AM
When to stop saying happy new year gap relationship
I don't ask for much but if members of the ensemble could discreetly hand me the costume items I need before dancing away that would be nice
January 14, 2026 at 12:20 AM
I don't ask for much but if members of the ensemble could discreetly hand me the costume items I need before dancing away that would be nice
"Cite your sources" Sorry but my sources are on deep background. Citing them would be a huge breach of academic ethics
January 12, 2026 at 9:26 PM
"Cite your sources" Sorry but my sources are on deep background. Citing them would be a huge breach of academic ethics
Citation count is not the only measure of impact for academic publications. Rolled eyes, snorts of derision and involuntary wincing are also valid metrics
January 11, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Citation count is not the only measure of impact for academic publications. Rolled eyes, snorts of derision and involuntary wincing are also valid metrics
Three wise men. Three very high IQ individuals. And they bring amazing gifts. Gold, myrrh, you name it. Very smart, very successful guys. We could do with more guys like that today, let me tell you
December 26, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Three wise men. Three very high IQ individuals. And they bring amazing gifts. Gold, myrrh, you name it. Very smart, very successful guys. We could do with more guys like that today, let me tell you
A university is so much more than its bricks and mortar facilities. It is also an eduroam network with intermittent access
December 15, 2025 at 11:04 PM
A university is so much more than its bricks and mortar facilities. It is also an eduroam network with intermittent access
"Die Hard is a Christmas movie" Die Hard is a nostalgic allegory in which the mythical values of the American frontier triumph over technofuturist global capitalism. Grow up
December 12, 2025 at 1:20 AM
"Die Hard is a Christmas movie" Die Hard is a nostalgic allegory in which the mythical values of the American frontier triumph over technofuturist global capitalism. Grow up
Some of you are too immersed in parochial disciplinary concerns. Others of you are too oblivious to debates in your field. Only I know the correct balance between scholarly rigour and universal human relevance
December 9, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Some of you are too immersed in parochial disciplinary concerns. Others of you are too oblivious to debates in your field. Only I know the correct balance between scholarly rigour and universal human relevance
Strong men create good times. Good times create decadent art. Decadent art makes strong men uncomfortable because it does not satisfy their naive expectations regarding melody, plot and figurative mimesis
December 5, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Strong men create good times. Good times create decadent art. Decadent art makes strong men uncomfortable because it does not satisfy their naive expectations regarding melody, plot and figurative mimesis
MFAs are a scam. The only writers I trust are autodidacts who worked in a boot-blacking factory because their fathers were sent to debtors' prison
November 30, 2025 at 7:23 AM
MFAs are a scam. The only writers I trust are autodidacts who worked in a boot-blacking factory because their fathers were sent to debtors' prison
"Verify your identity" ok???? This is actually very problematic to say to a bundle of impressions whose existence as a unified self is ontologically uncertain
November 28, 2025 at 3:43 AM
"Verify your identity" ok???? This is actually very problematic to say to a bundle of impressions whose existence as a unified self is ontologically uncertain
In academic writing it is vitally important to know when you have said enough to prove your argument. It is at this point that you must add every single other piece of evidence you have come across
November 26, 2025 at 8:30 PM
In academic writing it is vitally important to know when you have said enough to prove your argument. It is at this point that you must add every single other piece of evidence you have come across
Numbers can also be spelled using letters, suggesting that STEM fields are in fact ultimately humanities fields
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Numbers can also be spelled using letters, suggesting that STEM fields are in fact ultimately humanities fields
RIP Walt Whitman you would have loved a scandal involving sexually explicit poetry and a grass metaphor
November 23, 2025 at 6:13 AM
RIP Walt Whitman you would have loved a scandal involving sexually explicit poetry and a grass metaphor