Josh Parsons
@walktothesun.bsky.social
walktothesun from Twitter | hachyderm.io/@walktothesun
Sr Software Eng II/Platform Engineer @ Honeycomb | Enabling and empowering engineering teams to do their best work | I do not succeed unless you succeed | Opinions are my own | he/him
Sr Software Eng II/Platform Engineer @ Honeycomb | Enabling and empowering engineering teams to do their best work | I do not succeed unless you succeed | Opinions are my own | he/him
Pinned
Josh Parsons
@walktothesun.bsky.social
· Jul 23
The roads of the second half of my career: A practice of community – Josh Parsons
jlpjoshparsons.com
This week, I've been spending time reflecting on the priorities I want to focus on in the second half of my career. Specifically, what it means for me to build things of enduring value, and the duty I feel to share my knowledge with those who will come after me. jlpjoshparsons.com/2025/07/22/t...
I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly why others' descriptions of moltbook felt both weird and also strangely familiar to me. And then it dawned on me, The Talos Principle: Road to Gehenna explored some of these same ideas.
![A screenshot from the first DLC of the game The Talos Principle called Road to Gehenna. In front of a wall of off-white stone with grey blotches is a black terminal screen with a grey and white keyboard below it. Two robotic hands are typing on the keyboard. The text on the terminal screen is in white. At the top of the terminal screen, the word GEHENNA is displayed, stylized with a combination of monochromatic box-shaped glyphs. The terminal is showing the home screen of a virtual forum community made by other androids in Gehenna. Below the word GEHENNA reads:
Displaying active threads filtered for user URIEL_COPY [6].
* Mod Discussion#329 Re: Solutions [8+]
* 454E[]44[][]
* A Message to the Future
* Mod Discussion#330 Re: War Room [8+]
* Ascension: An Objective Review
* The Outer World
* Mod Discussion#335 Re: The Asset [9+]
* Mod Discussion#327 Re: Urgent Topics [ATCH] [8+]
* Mod Discussion #316 Re: PD Findings [7+]
<a line of garbled text, composed of box-shaped glyphs>
Farewell Atlantis [ATCH]
Save Yourselves
Goodbye
A Short Bildungsroman by Uriel_Copy
Scared
Top 10 Things I Love About Gehenna
Jefferson Goldboom (Announcement).
Why do we deserve to be saved?
Straton Fragment #13
A Small Apology
An Historic Occasion [6+]
The word Exit is in the lower right of the screen.
Below the terminal screen and above the keyboard, the word IAN is imprinted on the frame of the terminal in off-white serif lettering](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qhy3y675cr4lwzktgje6whmd/bafkreib4brvum7vu6pvq755ekm4r7ej6h4l7xl7bpvopwbfzfdjs2oml2u@jpeg)
February 4, 2026 at 5:37 AM
I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly why others' descriptions of moltbook felt both weird and also strangely familiar to me. And then it dawned on me, The Talos Principle: Road to Gehenna explored some of these same ideas.
My company surprised me today in the most joyful and special way by letting me and other incident responders break a Kafka-themed bee-shaped piñata with a makeshift cardboard stick. The care and whimsy and thoughtfulness of my co-workers brings me so much joy and incredibly moving.
January 28, 2026 at 10:18 PM
My company surprised me today in the most joyful and special way by letting me and other incident responders break a Kafka-themed bee-shaped piñata with a makeshift cardboard stick. The care and whimsy and thoughtfulness of my co-workers brings me so much joy and incredibly moving.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
People already working hard to prove how perfect Alex Pretti was. To show he didn't "deserve" to be killed. But it's a trap folks. You're only feeding into a dynamic where people who are considered lesser get no protection. You don't have to be an Alex Pretti to deserve to live.
January 24, 2026 at 8:17 PM
People already working hard to prove how perfect Alex Pretti was. To show he didn't "deserve" to be killed. But it's a trap folks. You're only feeding into a dynamic where people who are considered lesser get no protection. You don't have to be an Alex Pretti to deserve to live.
The lyrics running through my head today:
Now you're punching and you're kicking and you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced, but I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel from your head to your fists
- Depeche Mode, People Are People
Now you're punching and you're kicking and you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced, but I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel from your head to your fists
- Depeche Mode, People Are People
January 24, 2026 at 5:59 PM
The lyrics running through my head today:
Now you're punching and you're kicking and you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced, but I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel from your head to your fists
- Depeche Mode, People Are People
Now you're punching and you're kicking and you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced, but I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel from your head to your fists
- Depeche Mode, People Are People
Reposted by Josh Parsons
With video of another street execution from ICE going around, a reminder that while video documentation of atrocities is important, you have no ethical obligation to watch videos of people dying. Traumatizing yourself isn’t advocacy. You do not have to watch the video to be outspoken against this
January 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM
With video of another street execution from ICE going around, a reminder that while video documentation of atrocities is important, you have no ethical obligation to watch videos of people dying. Traumatizing yourself isn’t advocacy. You do not have to watch the video to be outspoken against this
Reposted by Josh Parsons
New — I wrote about ChongLy Scott Thao, the elderly Hmong American wrongly arrested and forced out of his home by ICE in his underwear during the punishing Minnesota winter, what witnesses saw, and DHS's racist claim that he fit the description of another Asian man they were looking for.
My story:
My story:
Behind the disturbing image of ICE snatching a half-naked, elderly Hmong American from his home
DHS has claimed without evidence that they were looking for someone else when they took ChongLy Scott Thao.
www.thehandbasket.co
January 20, 2026 at 12:29 AM
New — I wrote about ChongLy Scott Thao, the elderly Hmong American wrongly arrested and forced out of his home by ICE in his underwear during the punishing Minnesota winter, what witnesses saw, and DHS's racist claim that he fit the description of another Asian man they were looking for.
My story:
My story:
The ideas in this thread are so well stated, especially this, and it just flipped a switch in me that I think is tangential to this thread, but hits at something that continues to be a crucial theme of mine: What does it mean for me in my career to meet people where they are? /1
“You just don’t understand the technical nuances and complexities of this” never ceases to be hilarious to me
Because 1: they never matter to the end user experience
2: I’ve yet to meet someone who’s said this to me and could get even close to matching *my* understanding of the technical nuances
Because 1: they never matter to the end user experience
2: I’ve yet to meet someone who’s said this to me and could get even close to matching *my* understanding of the technical nuances
January 18, 2026 at 5:36 PM
The ideas in this thread are so well stated, especially this, and it just flipped a switch in me that I think is tangential to this thread, but hits at something that continues to be a crucial theme of mine: What does it mean for me in my career to meet people where they are? /1
This is an example and the model for the kind of energy I'm going to be carrying with me.
no, absolutely not, you all should've been nicer to my trans homies
January 7, 2026 at 9:06 PM
This is an example and the model for the kind of energy I'm going to be carrying with me.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
When you’re doom posting about how everything is inevitable and no one can stop them, you’re doing their work for them. Stop that
January 3, 2026 at 7:52 PM
When you’re doom posting about how everything is inevitable and no one can stop them, you’re doing their work for them. Stop that
I really like how Emily has expressed this. I'm in strong agreement with her on this idea, and it brings to mind something I've been carrying with me a lot from one of my favorite parts of 17776 from Jon Bois.
January 1, 2026 at 7:02 AM
I really like how Emily has expressed this. I'm in strong agreement with her on this idea, and it brings to mind something I've been carrying with me a lot from one of my favorite parts of 17776 from Jon Bois.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
Software cultures are absolutely deprived of compassionate moments where we get to be human together and experience being on the same side together. I really believe that humanness changes people's lives and I'm not giving up on its power. I have seen it measurably work, again and again.
December 28, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Software cultures are absolutely deprived of compassionate moments where we get to be human together and experience being on the same side together. I really believe that humanness changes people's lives and I'm not giving up on its power. I have seen it measurably work, again and again.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
December 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
It's difficult to put into words exactly how much happiness these two have brought me over the years. It is an overwhelming amount of joy and happiness that is still going strong.
December 20, 2025 at 9:53 PM
It's difficult to put into words exactly how much happiness these two have brought me over the years. It is an overwhelming amount of joy and happiness that is still going strong.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
Every day, people tell me how essential this work is.
How much clarity it brings.
How much it challenges harmful narratives.
How much it helps us all break free from the supremacy myth.
How much it supports those harmed by it.
And yet, far too many remain spectators.
How much clarity it brings.
How much it challenges harmful narratives.
How much it helps us all break free from the supremacy myth.
How much it supports those harmed by it.
And yet, far too many remain spectators.
December 2, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Every day, people tell me how essential this work is.
How much clarity it brings.
How much it challenges harmful narratives.
How much it helps us all break free from the supremacy myth.
How much it supports those harmed by it.
And yet, far too many remain spectators.
How much clarity it brings.
How much it challenges harmful narratives.
How much it helps us all break free from the supremacy myth.
How much it supports those harmed by it.
And yet, far too many remain spectators.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
I'd like to share a bit about what it's like to go through guided reflection in this community with Kim's facilitation. At the heart of it are direct questions and prompts that ask us to engage by earnestly interrogating our experiences.
This community exists to help you unlearn the myths, reclaim your humanity, and develop the capacities that were never cultivated in you.
Here, you will not be asked to perform, defend, or prove.
You will be asked to learn, heal, and engage and to practice integrity, compassion, courage,
Here, you will not be asked to perform, defend, or prove.
You will be asked to learn, heal, and engage and to practice integrity, compassion, courage,
November 22, 2025 at 6:42 AM
I'd like to share a bit about what it's like to go through guided reflection in this community with Kim's facilitation. At the heart of it are direct questions and prompts that ask us to engage by earnestly interrogating our experiences.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
Alice Wong taught us that disabled people don’t just leave memories behind—they leave infrastructure. Lineages of care. Methods of collectivity, survival. She named the connective tissue that holds our communities together, even across death, even across the losses that come too fast and too often.
November 16, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Alice Wong taught us that disabled people don’t just leave memories behind—they leave infrastructure. Lineages of care. Methods of collectivity, survival. She named the connective tissue that holds our communities together, even across death, even across the losses that come too fast and too often.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
I recently came across the term “the politics of care” while watching the YouTube video From Prince to Commoner: What Andrew’s Downfall Tells Us About Power. The concept is explored beautifully in an academic article by Berenice Malka Fisher and Maurice Hamington, which asks:
November 3, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I recently came across the term “the politics of care” while watching the YouTube video From Prince to Commoner: What Andrew’s Downfall Tells Us About Power. The concept is explored beautifully in an academic article by Berenice Malka Fisher and Maurice Hamington, which asks:
Reposted by Josh Parsons
Since your government hates you and doesn’t care if you starve despite you paying taxes into a system that should help you like SNAP…
This is where you can get food if you need it.
This is where you can get food if you need it.
October 29, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Since your government hates you and doesn’t care if you starve despite you paying taxes into a system that should help you like SNAP…
This is where you can get food if you need it.
This is where you can get food if you need it.
A couple of months ago, I joined @kimcrayton1.bsky.social's Profit Without Oppression community and also started participating in a 14-week series of facilitated conversations with Kim, as I and a group of white men work through Ijeoma Oluo's book Mediocre.
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 AM
A couple of months ago, I joined @kimcrayton1.bsky.social's Profit Without Oppression community and also started participating in a 14-week series of facilitated conversations with Kim, as I and a group of white men work through Ijeoma Oluo's book Mediocre.
Reposted by Josh Parsons
I am grateful to the way that @anildash.com continually names and makes space for the existence of "the reasonable majority" in tech, and the ways this industry deals out chilling effects on those working toward shared social good (which spoiler alert also = real innovation!)
Okay, for the folks who asked: here's the majority AI view, writing up the reasonable, thoughtful view on AI that the vast majority of people in tech hold, that gets overshadowed by the bluster and hype of the tycoons trying to shill their nonsense. anildash.com/2025/10/17/t... Please share!
The Majority AI View - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
anildash.com
October 18, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I am grateful to the way that @anildash.com continually names and makes space for the existence of "the reasonable majority" in tech, and the ways this industry deals out chilling effects on those working toward shared social good (which spoiler alert also = real innovation!)
Reposted by Josh Parsons
People sit there and wonder why the shit I build works so well and how the fuck I did it for a fraction of the price that they thought possible. It’s not hard, honestly: design for the marginalized
The power law cuts both ways. Use it to your advantage!
The power law cuts both ways. Use it to your advantage!
October 15, 2025 at 11:23 AM
People sit there and wonder why the shit I build works so well and how the fuck I did it for a fraction of the price that they thought possible. It’s not hard, honestly: design for the marginalized
The power law cuts both ways. Use it to your advantage!
The power law cuts both ways. Use it to your advantage!
Reposted by Josh Parsons
Jordan Peterson and others like him push a narrative that white men must choose between meaning or happiness. That meaning is the higher pursuit, and happiness is shallow or weak. But let’s be clear:
October 3, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Jordan Peterson and others like him push a narrative that white men must choose between meaning or happiness. That meaning is the higher pursuit, and happiness is shallow or weak. But let’s be clear:
Reposted by Josh Parsons
I know some folx are surprised to see David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) publicly sharing statements that mirror the rhetoric of white nationalism. I am not. The writing has been on the wall for years.
October 2, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I know some folx are surprised to see David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) publicly sharing statements that mirror the rhetoric of white nationalism. I am not. The writing has been on the wall for years.