Peter Ryley
@peterryley.bsky.social
Published writer on anarchism. Unpublished writer of other stuff. London born, lived longer in the north. Hence supporting Crystal Palace Football Club and Swinton Lions Rugby League. Now based in Greece. Hate Brexit with a passion.
I have just received this email from Academia.edu.
Our AI turned your paper "From Extra-Mural to Lifelong Learning" into a shareable comic.
Why?
Our AI turned your paper "From Extra-Mural to Lifelong Learning" into a shareable comic.
Why?
Academia.edu - Find Research Papers, Topics, Researchers
Academia.edu is the platform to share, find, and explore 50 Million research papers. Join us to accelerate your research needs & academic interests.
Academia.edu
November 7, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I have just received this email from Academia.edu.
Our AI turned your paper "From Extra-Mural to Lifelong Learning" into a shareable comic.
Why?
Our AI turned your paper "From Extra-Mural to Lifelong Learning" into a shareable comic.
Why?
Reposted by Peter Ryley
WASPs
TIL that the aggro af wasps you see in late summer are worker wasps who have finished their nest tasks and are all out seeking sweet stuff and raising hell for the locals with the last days of their lives while waiting to die, wasps are basically just the insect version of retired Brits in Spain
October 14, 2025 at 4:57 PM
WASPs
I remember an overseas student being suspected of plagiarism because his English was too good. He wasn’t, it was just the comparison with the English of home students that was the problem.
October 14, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I remember an overseas student being suspected of plagiarism because his English was too good. He wasn’t, it was just the comparison with the English of home students that was the problem.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
Offered without comment
October 13, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Offered without comment
So true ...
Constant, morale-sapping, self-doubting rejection throughout their careers is one thing that all but the luckiest/most talented academics, no matter how supposedly senior they are, share with each other! I rather liked this advice about staying positive regardless - I just wish I could follow it!
‘Stay true to yourself – and fly closer to the sun’: what I’ve learned from 50 years of rejection
As a writer, I have been rejected thousands of times, and it initially led to shock, denial and anger. Then I accepted it. Here’s what you can gain from doing so too
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:50 AM
So true ...
A lovely story and a fitting tribute
One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."
October 2, 2025 at 7:23 AM
A lovely story and a fitting tribute
This comment about Labour’s nostalgia could be about any of the politics that tries to recreate a fictitious past as a model for the future. Whereas history is always illuminating, nostalgia tells lies.
And having a past is good! But a self-parodic imagining of it is bad. Take the narratives of the past and fit them to the future
September 30, 2025 at 11:12 AM
This comment about Labour’s nostalgia could be about any of the politics that tries to recreate a fictitious past as a model for the future. Whereas history is always illuminating, nostalgia tells lies.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n
British Politics' Midlife Crisis
Why British Parties Can't Make Peace with Their Actual Voters
benansell.substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:40 AM
On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n
Reposted by Peter Ryley
Was discussing the Odyssey with my 14-year-old daughter, who commented that men will start the Trojan War instead of going to therapy.
September 22, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Was discussing the Odyssey with my 14-year-old daughter, who commented that men will start the Trojan War instead of going to therapy.
This goes back to a previous post about how to distinguish between belief and grift. I'm never sure about it. The one thing that is clear is that political performance is profitable and feeds off outrage. It should never be mistaken for serious commentary. But very serious people also benefit.
This is hopefully the last time I do anything in relation to Kirk but it’s very interesting! Essentially, Kirk died for his schtick. www.instagram.com/reel/DOlCJ1V...
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.
www.instagram.com
September 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
This goes back to a previous post about how to distinguish between belief and grift. I'm never sure about it. The one thing that is clear is that political performance is profitable and feeds off outrage. It should never be mistaken for serious commentary. But very serious people also benefit.
This thread needs to be read and widely shared. Especially important are the points that aren't often made about the role of fear and dark money.
The size of the UTK rally and Reform’s rise in the polls aren’t isolated events. They’re signs of a strategy that’s working. 🧵
September 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM
This thread needs to be read and widely shared. Especially important are the points that aren't often made about the role of fear and dark money.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
I need you to understand what this country feels like right now for those of us who look different. I'm sitting here, trying to plan for Saturday, make sure I don't even need to go to the corner shop for milk, like it's Christmas Day or lockdown. Why? Because I live near where Yaxley-Lennon will 1/
September 11, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I need you to understand what this country feels like right now for those of us who look different. I'm sitting here, trying to plan for Saturday, make sure I don't even need to go to the corner shop for milk, like it's Christmas Day or lockdown. Why? Because I live near where Yaxley-Lennon will 1/
Reposted by Peter Ryley
The finest visual demonstration of Brexit that you will ever see.
September 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM
The finest visual demonstration of Brexit that you will ever see.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
Can we stop this?
Reform has 4 seats. Four. Them gaining power would require a swing in voting patterns unprecedented anywhere, ever
Saying it might get clicks, but it also normalises the Far Right. Anyone who knows history should know better.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reform has 4 seats. Four. Them gaining power would require a swing in voting patterns unprecedented anywhere, ever
Saying it might get clicks, but it also normalises the Far Right. Anyone who knows history should know better.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Angela Rayner’s exit proves it. Unless Starmer is able to meet this moment, Reform is on the path to power | John Harris
The prime minister increasingly looks like a man next to a burning house, offering to buy a new bookcase and rug, says Guardian columnist John Harris
www.theguardian.com
September 8, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Can we stop this?
Reform has 4 seats. Four. Them gaining power would require a swing in voting patterns unprecedented anywhere, ever
Saying it might get clicks, but it also normalises the Far Right. Anyone who knows history should know better.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reform has 4 seats. Four. Them gaining power would require a swing in voting patterns unprecedented anywhere, ever
Saying it might get clicks, but it also normalises the Far Right. Anyone who knows history should know better.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Sometimes it's hard to know whether it's the crank or the grifter speaking. There's money in snake oil.
This is exactly the kind of despicable scaremongering that Aseem Malhotra has made his modus operandi. Insinuations, hearsay, anti-vaxx, non-evidence-based, lurid, self-enriching, anti-scientific claptrap. Of course Reform UK lapped it up. 1/4
September 7, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Sometimes it's hard to know whether it's the crank or the grifter speaking. There's money in snake oil.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
What makes this even more frustrating is the Tories did exactly the same thing, and it was one of things that destroyed them at the expense of Reform. The mechanism is so obvious.
Really interesting that support for *all* left-of-centre parties dropped as salience of immigration rose after "island of strangers" speech - our exclusive:
It’s official – Keir Starmer’s “island of strangers” speech has backfired
Exclusive: the first survey before and after the immigration speech reveals a drop in Labour support.
www.newstatesman.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:30 AM
What makes this even more frustrating is the Tories did exactly the same thing, and it was one of things that destroyed them at the expense of Reform. The mechanism is so obvious.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
It appears that none of the political communication geniuses across the western world have found a way to level with the public about the world we have, which might also give some pause for thought except experience is these folk don't usually ponder their own shortcomings
September 5, 2025 at 6:50 AM
It appears that none of the political communication geniuses across the western world have found a way to level with the public about the world we have, which might also give some pause for thought except experience is these folk don't usually ponder their own shortcomings
This. Failure breeds radicalisation rather than reflection.
UK politics, rather like a bad marriage, is caught in a mistake and feels it has to make it work. It won’t. And so the collective nervous breakdown continues.
UK politics, rather like a bad marriage, is caught in a mistake and feels it has to make it work. It won’t. And so the collective nervous breakdown continues.
I think this is basically true and it is why all the excuses boil down to "we didn't do what we wanted to do hard enough" and don't even consider stuff like public services.
At times I do wonder if the radicalisation on the UK right is less social media, more "we can't accept we failed and that we did so in such a way as to maybe needing us to rethink our underlying assumptions". The ur-example being Liz Truss.
September 4, 2025 at 9:29 PM
This. Failure breeds radicalisation rather than reflection.
UK politics, rather like a bad marriage, is caught in a mistake and feels it has to make it work. It won’t. And so the collective nervous breakdown continues.
UK politics, rather like a bad marriage, is caught in a mistake and feels it has to make it work. It won’t. And so the collective nervous breakdown continues.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
Labour's strategy since the election seems designed to appeal to right-conservative voters.
This strategy hasn't worked on its own terms because they have lost the (very few) right-wing voters that they had, while also losing (much) larger numbers of left-wing voters.
This strategy hasn't worked on its own terms because they have lost the (very few) right-wing voters that they had, while also losing (much) larger numbers of left-wing voters.
September 3, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Labour's strategy since the election seems designed to appeal to right-conservative voters.
This strategy hasn't worked on its own terms because they have lost the (very few) right-wing voters that they had, while also losing (much) larger numbers of left-wing voters.
This strategy hasn't worked on its own terms because they have lost the (very few) right-wing voters that they had, while also losing (much) larger numbers of left-wing voters.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
If anyone is in any doubt that the current 'civil war' narrative is a Public Sphere problem - one that is confected rather than a reflection of the public independently rationalising their surroundings, this thread from The Bad Place a few years ago is worth revisiting.
x.com/jburnmurdoch...
x.com/jburnmurdoch...
September 3, 2025 at 10:41 AM
If anyone is in any doubt that the current 'civil war' narrative is a Public Sphere problem - one that is confected rather than a reflection of the public independently rationalising their surroundings, this thread from The Bad Place a few years ago is worth revisiting.
x.com/jburnmurdoch...
x.com/jburnmurdoch...
Reposted by Peter Ryley
I think this is it. Despair is easy and you get to feel wise, and it doesn't really place any obligations on you or force you to speak out or do anything, really.
I do sometimes wonder if there is a certain kind of person that takes refuge in despair because it absolves them from having to do anything.
No, you do in fact have to help maintain the social norm against racism in the UK! That is your moral duty as a British citizen! Giving up on that is immoral!
No, you do in fact have to help maintain the social norm against racism in the UK! That is your moral duty as a British citizen! Giving up on that is immoral!
September 2, 2025 at 12:37 AM
I think this is it. Despair is easy and you get to feel wise, and it doesn't really place any obligations on you or force you to speak out or do anything, really.
Reposted by Peter Ryley
Cracking piece.
This bit nailed it.
This bit nailed it.
August 31, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Cracking piece.
This bit nailed it.
This bit nailed it.
Politics is not always the same thing as democracy - eh @pauliewaulie.bsky.social
It’s the way we choose them. They’re politicians rather than representatives. What we have doesn’t serve us well and it’s an inadequate replication of democracy.
August 30, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Politics is not always the same thing as democracy - eh @pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Reposted by Peter Ryley
The infantilism of UK politics has been off the scale since 2016 and the current government has largely carried on from its predecessors on that
August 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
The infantilism of UK politics has been off the scale since 2016 and the current government has largely carried on from its predecessors on that
An excellent piece, highlighting the profitability charlatanism and the failure of responsibility of the people who promote it.
I keep getting asked for my salty thoughts about the Salt Path as my position on nature cure narratives is v clear! A mere fraction of those thoughts published here @literaryhub.bsky.social, with thanks to @bookwormvaught.bsky.social and @nicwilson.bsky.social for their earlier pieces linked below.
Nature is Not Going to Cure You: On Raynor Winn’s Fabricated Memoir
Like many writers, I have been following the unfolding revelations about Raynor Winn and The Salt Path with great interest, and a degree of self-interest. I am a memoirist and nature writer, and I …
lithub.com
August 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
An excellent piece, highlighting the profitability charlatanism and the failure of responsibility of the people who promote it.