Stefan Stern
@stefanstern.bsky.social
Journalist and author. Writes for FT, Guardian, Prospect and The Conversation. New book: Fair or Foul - the Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition, out now. Visiting Prof at Bayes Business School
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Stefan Stern
@stefanstern.bsky.social
· Jul 12
Almost a year since this happened. Book still available in the usual places. Audio version coming this autumn!
"Fair or Foul - the Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition"
"Fair or Foul - the Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition"
Hi @brianstelter.bsky.social I wrote this about overwhelm last year. (Frankly not feeling quite so upbeat today..!)
The age of overwhelm share.google/RlD36NZxhzvA...
The age of overwhelm share.google/RlD36NZxhzvA...
The age of overwhelm
Facing up to an endless stream of awful news can be anxiety-inducing. Here’s what we can do
share.google
January 9, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Hi @brianstelter.bsky.social I wrote this about overwhelm last year. (Frankly not feeling quite so upbeat today..!)
The age of overwhelm share.google/RlD36NZxhzvA...
The age of overwhelm share.google/RlD36NZxhzvA...
A headline to sum up our times:
January 9, 2026 at 11:09 AM
A headline to sum up our times:
Reposted by Stefan Stern
BREAKING: The Hennepin County District Attorney's office says they have jurisdiction to charge the ICE agent involved in the fatal Minneapolis shooting.
January 8, 2026 at 8:58 PM
BREAKING: The Hennepin County District Attorney's office says they have jurisdiction to charge the ICE agent involved in the fatal Minneapolis shooting.
Very well said.
Today once again proved that everyday citizens protesting their government are braver than the titans who own the largest media corporations, run the biggest law firms and lead the most powerful technology companies.
January 8, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Very well said.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
Today once again proved that everyday citizens protesting their government are braver than the titans who own the largest media corporations, run the biggest law firms and lead the most powerful technology companies.
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Today once again proved that everyday citizens protesting their government are braver than the titans who own the largest media corporations, run the biggest law firms and lead the most powerful technology companies.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
This is interesting because when I went for my first Covid vaccination, Farage arrived and pushed straight to the front of the queue.
Farage: "I believe in vaccinations when they're vaccinations. I don't think what happened with Covid were vaccinations. You have to keep having them every 6 months."
Conspiratorial nonsense.
Some vaccinations like Covid shots require multiple/seasonal doses because immunity fades & viruses change.
Conspiratorial nonsense.
Some vaccinations like Covid shots require multiple/seasonal doses because immunity fades & viruses change.
January 7, 2026 at 8:52 PM
This is interesting because when I went for my first Covid vaccination, Farage arrived and pushed straight to the front of the queue.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
Reposted by Stefan Stern
“Geopolitical sugar rush” is a phrase for the ages
Trump has had "a massive geopolitical sugar rush", says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen. "What we are seeing is imperialism...if you can have an American empire you can probably have a Chinese empire, you can have a Russian empire." Bad news for smaller countries on their borders, he adds.
January 7, 2026 at 6:18 PM
“Geopolitical sugar rush” is a phrase for the ages
Trump has had "a massive geopolitical sugar rush", says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen. "What we are seeing is imperialism...if you can have an American empire you can probably have a Chinese empire, you can have a Russian empire." Bad news for smaller countries on their borders, he adds.
January 7, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Trump has had "a massive geopolitical sugar rush", says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen. "What we are seeing is imperialism...if you can have an American empire you can probably have a Chinese empire, you can have a Russian empire." Bad news for smaller countries on their borders, he adds.
This is a lucid and brilliantly argued piece.
On the case for Starmer’s refusal to criticise Trump and the strategic paralysis it conceals. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Is Starmer’s reluctance to criticise Trump smart tactics – or the sign of a man without a plan? | Rafael Behr
The PM won’t call out Trump over Venezuela, and won’t commit to Europe. His refusal to choose leaves vital choices for Britain to be made by others, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 1:01 PM
This is a lucid and brilliantly argued piece.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
Farage says Sadiq Khan is "deluded" to think London is the greatest city in the world.
Not sure that's the best way to appeal to Londoners at a press conference designed to appeal to Londoners.
Not sure that's the best way to appeal to Londoners at a press conference designed to appeal to Londoners.
January 7, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Farage says Sadiq Khan is "deluded" to think London is the greatest city in the world.
Not sure that's the best way to appeal to Londoners at a press conference designed to appeal to Londoners.
Not sure that's the best way to appeal to Londoners at a press conference designed to appeal to Londoners.
Thinking about Napoleon's line about the impact of world events on 20 year olds, and then thinking about that current cohort of young people and what they make of today's world. And worrying.
January 7, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Thinking about Napoleon's line about the impact of world events on 20 year olds, and then thinking about that current cohort of young people and what they make of today's world. And worrying.
I like cheese.
This place needs some Innocuous Discourse pronto. Quote this with a take that’s not political or aggressive
January 6, 2026 at 5:13 PM
I like cheese.
Absolutely right by @sarahoconnorft.ft.com - it's just a category error to believe that a LLM is displaying human empathy. It displays synthetic empathy.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
The problem with AI and ‘empathy’
If technology redefines what our language means it could also change our perceptions of ourselves
giftarticle.ft.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Absolutely right by @sarahoconnorft.ft.com - it's just a category error to believe that a LLM is displaying human empathy. It displays synthetic empathy.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
It was a pleasure talking to Rachel Bridge for her fun/useful new website Pocket Inspiration:
pocketinspiration.com/people/f/the...
pocketinspiration.com/people/f/the...
Q&A with Stefan Stern, writer and author
Stefan Stern is a freelance writer for several publications including the Financial Times and Prospect magazine. He is the author of three books including Fair or Foul: the Lady MacBeth Guide to Ambit...
pocketinspiration.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:06 PM
It was a pleasure talking to Rachel Bridge for her fun/useful new website Pocket Inspiration:
pocketinspiration.com/people/f/the...
pocketinspiration.com/people/f/the...
Essential reading
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
The Real Donroe Doctrine
Seeking cash and an ego boost, not regime change
open.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Essential reading
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
O fado!
Ruben Amorim sacked LIVE - latest news as Manchester United make managerial change - BBC Sport share.google/rft3LjW9JleI...
Ruben Amorim sacked LIVE - latest news as Manchester United make managerial change - BBC Sport share.google/rft3LjW9JleI...
Ruben Amorim sacked LIVE - latest news as Manchester United make managerial change
Ruben Amorim sacked as Manchester United manager - follow live updates to this breaking news story.
share.google
January 5, 2026 at 11:01 AM
O fado!
Ruben Amorim sacked LIVE - latest news as Manchester United make managerial change - BBC Sport share.google/rft3LjW9JleI...
Ruben Amorim sacked LIVE - latest news as Manchester United make managerial change - BBC Sport share.google/rft3LjW9JleI...
It's a good day for fans of Churchill's phrase about "the confirmed unteachability of mankind".
January 5, 2026 at 8:39 AM
It's a good day for fans of Churchill's phrase about "the confirmed unteachability of mankind".
The new pandemic: Global Trump Derangement Syndrome.
January 4, 2026 at 10:26 AM
The new pandemic: Global Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
It feels like we're living through a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, it's just that we're still some way from the (violent?) ending. #Trump
January 3, 2026 at 8:39 PM
It feels like we're living through a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, it's just that we're still some way from the (violent?) ending. #Trump
It feels like we're living through a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, it's just that we're still some way from the (violent?) ending. #Trump
January 3, 2026 at 8:39 PM
It feels like we're living through a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, it's just that we're still some way from the (violent?) ending. #Trump
I don't get the feeling that Trump is a Faithful.
January 3, 2026 at 6:58 PM
I don't get the feeling that Trump is a Faithful.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
Stop asking DJT questions. He has no idea what’s going on.
January 3, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Stop asking DJT questions. He has no idea what’s going on.
Reposted by Stefan Stern
We Don’t Always Know How It Ends share.google/WWeOoiPuJqE7...
We Don’t Always Know How It Ends We Don’t Know GIF – We don’t always know how it ends We don’t always know We don’t know – discover and share GIFs
Click to view the GIF
share.google
January 3, 2026 at 10:56 AM
We Don’t Always Know How It Ends share.google/WWeOoiPuJqE7...
Reposted by Stefan Stern
Make a sick, angry, frightened 12 year old boy Commander in Chief and see what happens.
January 3, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Make a sick, angry, frightened 12 year old boy Commander in Chief and see what happens.