Pinned
Casaubon
@zas.bsky.social
· 17d
it is now more important than ever to become an enormous snob
quoting to pin
I have no answers but the fundamental problem is the belief that there is some Great Mystery that effortlessly links everything together - so a belief in that kind of ultimate secret and connections without cost are what need to be dissuaded
So what's our plan for how we stop everyone from becoming a conspiracy theorist? Because it seems like these days a good 60% of the population believes conspiracy theories
December 26, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I have no answers but the fundamental problem is the belief that there is some Great Mystery that effortlessly links everything together - so a belief in that kind of ultimate secret and connections without cost are what need to be dissuaded
Reposted by Casaubon
Catching back up on my Gilbert & Sullivan
December 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Catching back up on my Gilbert & Sullivan
Dwelling on the path to technofascism and I feel like there’re 3 trends none of which *consciously* brought about the other but r still causally linked:
1) inherent right lean of CA tech as described as far back as crying lot 49
2) revolt of the bosses v metoo
3) social media makes the masses evil
1) inherent right lean of CA tech as described as far back as crying lot 49
2) revolt of the bosses v metoo
3) social media makes the masses evil
I have been working on ML-related things for over two decades now, I'm old enough to remember this: www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/t...
How a Pentagon Contract Became an Identity Crisis for Google (Published 2018)
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Dwelling on the path to technofascism and I feel like there’re 3 trends none of which *consciously* brought about the other but r still causally linked:
1) inherent right lean of CA tech as described as far back as crying lot 49
2) revolt of the bosses v metoo
3) social media makes the masses evil
1) inherent right lean of CA tech as described as far back as crying lot 49
2) revolt of the bosses v metoo
3) social media makes the masses evil
Huh. Valve aside, video games are just straight up better now than they used to be.
...aaaand we're back! It's the Big One
Quote this with your favourite game NOW that was released in 2007, and what your favourite was THEN (if you had one)
Localisations/early access count, remasters/ports don't. Remakes depend.
Two-way ties count.
Refresher list: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
Quote this with your favourite game NOW that was released in 2007, and what your favourite was THEN (if you had one)
Localisations/early access count, remasters/ports don't. Remakes depend.
Two-way ties count.
Refresher list: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
December 26, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Huh. Valve aside, video games are just straight up better now than they used to be.
Reposted by Casaubon
Lou Reed on Frank Zappa, "I think he doesn't like himself very much, and I think he's right."
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Lou Reed on Frank Zappa, "I think he doesn't like himself very much, and I think he's right."
Wrt original critique, yes, the ending is totally unearned. But also the point, before that botched ending at least, is that this is a charismatic evil freak and you’re along for the ride
it’s funny that the two people I’ve seen try to make this point (“historical antisemitism in the US is overstated because Judah P. Benjamin was an important Confederate”) are Steve Sailer and jazz musician Nicholas Payton
December 26, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Wrt original critique, yes, the ending is totally unearned. But also the point, before that botched ending at least, is that this is a charismatic evil freak and you’re along for the ride
I think Dylan’s voice is at its best in Blonde on Blonde
December 26, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I think Dylan’s voice is at its best in Blonde on Blonde
I will go out and work out at 9:00am in the morning when it’s 22 degrees I will do it I will do it
December 26, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I will go out and work out at 9:00am in the morning when it’s 22 degrees I will do it I will do it
Guys currently there is nobody in the office working today between me and the head of the department
December 26, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Guys currently there is nobody in the office working today between me and the head of the department
I know it's basically YA level seriousness but yeah I really love Fiona and Cake S2. Some truly cool abstract bits and well written.
December 26, 2025 at 4:43 AM
I know it's basically YA level seriousness but yeah I really love Fiona and Cake S2. Some truly cool abstract bits and well written.
Reposted by Casaubon
Reposted by Casaubon
Saw an awesome take that the Iliad was doing a “look how awful and brutal the Bronze Age was” type epic the same way we do with medieval epics and sooooo much fell into place!
December 25, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Saw an awesome take that the Iliad was doing a “look how awful and brutal the Bronze Age was” type epic the same way we do with medieval epics and sooooo much fell into place!
Hooooly shit Marty Supreme
December 25, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Hooooly shit Marty Supreme
Reposted by Casaubon
Dating discourse on here reads to me as mostly made of people self reinforcing their own depression and it’s weird that people who are married participate by thanking the universe that they’re not dating online.
December 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Dating discourse on here reads to me as mostly made of people self reinforcing their own depression and it’s weird that people who are married participate by thanking the universe that they’re not dating online.
I unironically love that The Bulwark has a culture/review section
December 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I unironically love that The Bulwark has a culture/review section
Marty Supreme here I come
December 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Marty Supreme here I come
Reposted by Casaubon
As always worth reading John Handley's report on what US consumers get for being a 1/3rd richer than the UK consumer: big house, big car, a huge amount of extra nebulous spending on healthcare, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff.
www.smf.co.uk/publications...
www.smf.co.uk/publications...
December 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
As always worth reading John Handley's report on what US consumers get for being a 1/3rd richer than the UK consumer: big house, big car, a huge amount of extra nebulous spending on healthcare, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff.
www.smf.co.uk/publications...
www.smf.co.uk/publications...
Reposted by Casaubon
Really appreciate how MagSafe is absolutely crucial to the Pluribus finale
December 24, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Really appreciate how MagSafe is absolutely crucial to the Pluribus finale
wowwwwwwww that was so good
Pluribus is so good
December 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
wowwwwwwww that was so good
Carol is no better than Diabaté
December 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Carol is no better than Diabaté
The hivemind really is like a virus. Does everything in its power to spread both from person to person and planet to planet without caring about long term sustainability(the food thing)
December 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The hivemind really is like a virus. Does everything in its power to spread both from person to person and planet to planet without caring about long term sustainability(the food thing)