Ben Pettis
@bpettis.bsky.social
University of Richmond
PhD in media and cultural studies. I research platforms and internet culture
Fediverse/Mastodon: @bpettis@benpettis.ninja (https://mastodon.benpettis.ninja/@bpettis)
www.benpettis.com
PhD in media and cultural studies. I research platforms and internet culture
Fediverse/Mastodon: @bpettis@benpettis.ninja (https://mastodon.benpettis.ninja/@bpettis)
www.benpettis.com
In other news, my new goal is to find a way to work this screenshot into either my book or a future journal article, because I want to bring something unexpected into a copyeditor's day by making them conform this image to their publisher's standards
October 5, 2025 at 5:46 AM
In other news, my new goal is to find a way to work this screenshot into either my book or a future journal article, because I want to bring something unexpected into a copyeditor's day by making them conform this image to their publisher's standards
I'm writing an Ace Attorney bot over on Mastodon (mastodon.benpettis.ninja/@objectionodon)
Earlier, I needed to find a thread to test it out on - and I gotta say, I think I found a really fitting example of the Very Healthy Discourse that exists surrounding a person's chosen social media platforms
Earlier, I needed to find a thread to test it out on - and I gotta say, I think I found a really fitting example of the Very Healthy Discourse that exists surrounding a person's chosen social media platforms
October 5, 2025 at 5:44 AM
I'm writing an Ace Attorney bot over on Mastodon (mastodon.benpettis.ninja/@objectionodon)
Earlier, I needed to find a thread to test it out on - and I gotta say, I think I found a really fitting example of the Very Healthy Discourse that exists surrounding a person's chosen social media platforms
Earlier, I needed to find a thread to test it out on - and I gotta say, I think I found a really fitting example of the Very Healthy Discourse that exists surrounding a person's chosen social media platforms
I’m studying what communication and media scholars think about Twitter/X and its recent whirlwind of changes. If this sounds like you (and you've ever used twitter), please take this survey and share your thoughts.
sl.richmond.edu/Ee
And please share/circulate to help this reach the right people!
sl.richmond.edu/Ee
And please share/circulate to help this reach the right people!
September 26, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I’m studying what communication and media scholars think about Twitter/X and its recent whirlwind of changes. If this sounds like you (and you've ever used twitter), please take this survey and share your thoughts.
sl.richmond.edu/Ee
And please share/circulate to help this reach the right people!
sl.richmond.edu/Ee
And please share/circulate to help this reach the right people!
Truly magical stuff here
September 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Truly magical stuff here
Tylenol doesn't cause autism.
Vaccines don't cause autism.
Also, autism isn't something that needs to be "cured" or removed.
Fuck everyone who wants to divide and designate a group as "other"
Fuck bigots. Fuck Nazis.
Vaccines don't cause autism.
Also, autism isn't something that needs to be "cured" or removed.
Fuck everyone who wants to divide and designate a group as "other"
Fuck bigots. Fuck Nazis.
September 23, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Tylenol doesn't cause autism.
Vaccines don't cause autism.
Also, autism isn't something that needs to be "cured" or removed.
Fuck everyone who wants to divide and designate a group as "other"
Fuck bigots. Fuck Nazis.
Vaccines don't cause autism.
Also, autism isn't something that needs to be "cured" or removed.
Fuck everyone who wants to divide and designate a group as "other"
Fuck bigots. Fuck Nazis.
I wrote my undergrad thesis about Pepe the Frog and its use in the 2016 US presidential election, arguing that memes can transfer ideologies between groups.
It surprises me to still need to bang the "memes are more than just silly pictures" drum in 2025
scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/items/b3c212...
It surprises me to still need to bang the "memes are more than just silly pictures" drum in 2025
scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/items/b3c212...
September 12, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I wrote my undergrad thesis about Pepe the Frog and its use in the 2016 US presidential election, arguing that memes can transfer ideologies between groups.
It surprises me to still need to bang the "memes are more than just silly pictures" drum in 2025
scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/items/b3c212...
It surprises me to still need to bang the "memes are more than just silly pictures" drum in 2025
scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/items/b3c212...
Graphic design is the Department of Defense's passion
September 5, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Graphic design is the Department of Defense's passion
I think that if you're going to blow up a boat, it's illegal if you don't have the legal authority to blow up a boat
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...
September 4, 2025 at 3:51 AM
I think that if you're going to blow up a boat, it's illegal if you don't have the legal authority to blow up a boat
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/u...
Welcome to Costco. I love you.
August 4, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Welcome to Costco. I love you.
It seems that the injunctive relief only prevents the NEH from withdrawing or reallocating any of the funds in question, but doesn't actually permit any grant recipients to resume spending on their projects.
But hey,
But hey,
July 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
It seems that the injunctive relief only prevents the NEH from withdrawing or reallocating any of the funds in question, but doesn't actually permit any grant recipients to resume spending on their projects.
But hey,
But hey,
Seems like academia.edu has automatically opted me in to allow AI-generated content from my work. Had to recover my password to log in and disable this. But finally the motivation I greatly needed to finally figure out how to delete my account.
July 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Seems like academia.edu has automatically opted me in to allow AI-generated content from my work. Had to recover my password to log in and disable this. But finally the motivation I greatly needed to finally figure out how to delete my account.
Sorry, I lied, some more observations and thoughts:
4) the file they provide is called "batSignals" which is a fun callback to the 2010s era of the internet when we thought that social media would be a fun thing
5) From a quick glance, it's common for the same person to submit a lot of requests...
4) the file they provide is called "batSignals" which is a fun callback to the 2010s era of the internet when we thought that social media would be a fun thing
5) From a quick glance, it's common for the same person to submit a lot of requests...
May 23, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Sorry, I lied, some more observations and thoughts:
4) the file they provide is called "batSignals" which is a fun callback to the 2010s era of the internet when we thought that social media would be a fun thing
5) From a quick glance, it's common for the same person to submit a lot of requests...
4) the file they provide is called "batSignals" which is a fun callback to the 2010s era of the internet when we thought that social media would be a fun thing
5) From a quick glance, it's common for the same person to submit a lot of requests...
My copy of @loriemerson.net's Other Networks was delivered today. It's a beautiful volume, feels great to flip through, oh and is filled with amazing research and writing. I already know I'm going to sink hours into just paging through this thing, imagining what other types of connection could exist
May 22, 2025 at 7:24 PM
My copy of @loriemerson.net's Other Networks was delivered today. It's a beautiful volume, feels great to flip through, oh and is filled with amazing research and writing. I already know I'm going to sink hours into just paging through this thing, imagining what other types of connection could exist
“Maybe the children will have 2 dolls instead of 30.”
May 1, 2025 at 12:56 AM
“Maybe the children will have 2 dolls instead of 30.”
All sorts of life-changing work that is suddenly threatened by funding cuts....
April 16, 2025 at 12:29 AM
All sorts of life-changing work that is suddenly threatened by funding cuts....
Supporting research is important just on its face, because discovering new things about the world is just good.
But for people who need to see more "concrete" outputs, it's a net positive for the economy as well. Gutting the federal goverment's support for universities is stupid on so many levels.
But for people who need to see more "concrete" outputs, it's a net positive for the economy as well. Gutting the federal goverment's support for universities is stupid on so many levels.
April 16, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Supporting research is important just on its face, because discovering new things about the world is just good.
But for people who need to see more "concrete" outputs, it's a net positive for the economy as well. Gutting the federal goverment's support for universities is stupid on so many levels.
But for people who need to see more "concrete" outputs, it's a net positive for the economy as well. Gutting the federal goverment's support for universities is stupid on so many levels.
Technology is amazing!
April 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Technology is amazing!
I’m so glad that Ashton Leach has a chance to speak - she’s worked extensively with Wendy’s tapes and has been amazing at highlighting and elevating unique voices from within the collection. She is brilliant and has been absolutely great at “putting emotional savvy into the site”
#SCMS25
#SCMS25
April 4, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I’m so glad that Ashton Leach has a chance to speak - she’s worked extensively with Wendy’s tapes and has been amazing at highlighting and elevating unique voices from within the collection. She is brilliant and has been absolutely great at “putting emotional savvy into the site”
#SCMS25
#SCMS25
April 4, 2025 at 10:34 PM
April 4, 2025 at 10:32 PM
