Christopher Yates
@yates.bsky.social
corrupt Renaissance courtier and lecturer at Brown University; molochofficial on some other unnameable site
just horrible, so soon after the Brown shooting
UPDATE: At least 5 people shot at ice skating rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. - Univision
February 16, 2026 at 10:02 PM
just horrible, so soon after the Brown shooting
I have no problem with the anachronisms in Wuthering Heights because any adaptation is going to reflect its own historical moment and the novel's been adapted so many times that it's become a historical Rorschach test anyway -- Fennell knows this is the "2026 Wuthering Heights"
February 16, 2026 at 7:51 PM
I have no problem with the anachronisms in Wuthering Heights because any adaptation is going to reflect its own historical moment and the novel's been adapted so many times that it's become a historical Rorschach test anyway -- Fennell knows this is the "2026 Wuthering Heights"
I have been experiencing an absurd 24-hour long parasocial meltdown on behalf of Ilia Malinin
February 15, 2026 at 9:14 PM
I have been experiencing an absurd 24-hour long parasocial meltdown on behalf of Ilia Malinin
I completely understand the Soviets because if i were running the country I would also dedicate 45% of the national budget to figure skating
February 14, 2026 at 8:23 PM
I completely understand the Soviets because if i were running the country I would also dedicate 45% of the national budget to figure skating
If you’re thinking of a fun, romantic film for Valentine’s Day, consider Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
February 14, 2026 at 8:06 PM
If you’re thinking of a fun, romantic film for Valentine’s Day, consider Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
I am having an emotional reaction to men's figure skating at the olympics that is bordering on maternal
February 13, 2026 at 11:16 PM
I am having an emotional reaction to men's figure skating at the olympics that is bordering on maternal
I think we've let "Virginia is for Lovers" slide for too long. Nobody believes that. I have never had a reason to associate Virginia with love.
February 13, 2026 at 7:55 PM
I think we've let "Virginia is for Lovers" slide for too long. Nobody believes that. I have never had a reason to associate Virginia with love.
Seeing a lot of comparisons of our general situation to Omelas and, first of all, we do not have it nearly as good as those people in Omelas
February 13, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Seeing a lot of comparisons of our general situation to Omelas and, first of all, we do not have it nearly as good as those people in Omelas
The thing about TAH is that his endless critique of 2020-style “woke” politics is itself stuck in 2020.
The Atlantic is Atlanticking extremely hard this morning
February 12, 2026 at 9:25 PM
The thing about TAH is that his endless critique of 2020-style “woke” politics is itself stuck in 2020.
one of my favorite fake little rituals is to look around my classroom and pretend to do a headcount before starting
February 12, 2026 at 8:16 PM
one of my favorite fake little rituals is to look around my classroom and pretend to do a headcount before starting
The Mellon Foundation funded my incredibly dry and historicist dissertation workshop group on the Baroque, where we read such woke writers as Leibniz
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has become the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research, Tyler Austin Harper writes. Is it saving American arts and letters—or killing them?
What Is the Mellon Foundation Doing to Higher Education?
Its role as the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research has granted the foundation—and its president—enormous influence over American arts and letters.
bit.ly
February 12, 2026 at 8:16 PM
The Mellon Foundation funded my incredibly dry and historicist dissertation workshop group on the Baroque, where we read such woke writers as Leibniz
I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the early 80's new wave music scene because the average band seems to have consisted of 4 cross-dressing regional art school students named for a lost 20's expressionist film with one universally recognized and timeless pop radio smash hit
February 9, 2026 at 8:19 PM
I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the early 80's new wave music scene because the average band seems to have consisted of 4 cross-dressing regional art school students named for a lost 20's expressionist film with one universally recognized and timeless pop radio smash hit
advertisers of yesteryear were able to pull off the incredible feat of getting Americans to sit down and watch literal ads together as a sort of beloved tradition and now they can't even keep it going with well-worn habit and ritual in their favor (see also: Black Friday)
February 9, 2026 at 7:11 PM
advertisers of yesteryear were able to pull off the incredible feat of getting Americans to sit down and watch literal ads together as a sort of beloved tradition and now they can't even keep it going with well-worn habit and ritual in their favor (see also: Black Friday)
I remember years ago hearing a joke that "every Winter sport is some form of sliding" which is funny just because it's true by definition
February 8, 2026 at 10:40 PM
I remember years ago hearing a joke that "every Winter sport is some form of sliding" which is funny just because it's true by definition
only just realized the Taschen sale has been happening for a few days but now you know too
February 7, 2026 at 3:07 PM
only just realized the Taschen sale has been happening for a few days but now you know too
Reposted by Christopher Yates
i hate twt but as someone whos seen way too many ppl on bsky acting morally superior to twt users this was kinda wild to learn
February 6, 2026 at 8:14 AM
i hate twt but as someone whos seen way too many ppl on bsky acting morally superior to twt users this was kinda wild to learn
it was "everyone jumps poor Christopher Marlowe for trying to catch a vibe" day in class
February 4, 2026 at 9:48 PM
it was "everyone jumps poor Christopher Marlowe for trying to catch a vibe" day in class
an interesting cliche that you find in the blurbs of 50% of contemporary romance novels is “she’s the only one who can challenge him.”
February 3, 2026 at 12:54 AM
an interesting cliche that you find in the blurbs of 50% of contemporary romance novels is “she’s the only one who can challenge him.”
the really funny way that Assassins Creed: Valhalla resolves the question of diversity in a game set in 9th century England is to introduce exactly one (1) Chinese character who explains that she was a merchant traveling the Silk Road and kind of just kept going
January 31, 2026 at 10:23 PM
the really funny way that Assassins Creed: Valhalla resolves the question of diversity in a game set in 9th century England is to introduce exactly one (1) Chinese character who explains that she was a merchant traveling the Silk Road and kind of just kept going
okay so Aphex Twin. Very cool music! Are you supposed to like, listen to it or something else.
January 29, 2026 at 10:02 PM
okay so Aphex Twin. Very cool music! Are you supposed to like, listen to it or something else.
fear-mongering about "15-minute cities" is yet another sign of the complete Americanization of UK politics. Four fifths of the British population already lives one!!
January 29, 2026 at 7:21 PM
fear-mongering about "15-minute cities" is yet another sign of the complete Americanization of UK politics. Four fifths of the British population already lives one!!
“a new book claims that Shakespeare was a Black Jewish woman” I’m sorry but you can’t bait me into getting mad about this. Going a little bit insane about Shakespeare and publishing a book about it is a storied, centuries old tradition and arguably foundational to lit crit as a whole.
January 29, 2026 at 7:18 PM
“a new book claims that Shakespeare was a Black Jewish woman” I’m sorry but you can’t bait me into getting mad about this. Going a little bit insane about Shakespeare and publishing a book about it is a storied, centuries old tradition and arguably foundational to lit crit as a whole.
Reposted by Christopher Yates
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
January 23, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
I put on a big long scarf and immediately become a different person. I’m walking around campus with the demure but tragic stateliness of princess Diana right now.
January 23, 2026 at 6:36 PM
I put on a big long scarf and immediately become a different person. I’m walking around campus with the demure but tragic stateliness of princess Diana right now.
Back on my old tricks (getting students to like metaphysical poetry by first showing them how much Dryden and Johnson hated it)
January 23, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Back on my old tricks (getting students to like metaphysical poetry by first showing them how much Dryden and Johnson hated it)