Daniel Elstein
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danielelstein.bsky.social
Daniel Elstein
@danielelstein.bsky.social
480 followers 1.2K following 350 posts
Philosopher at the University of Leeds, centrist dad. Research: meta-ethics, normative ethics, political philosophy.
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danielelstein.bsky.social
Galaxy Brain meme: Panel 1: These cases show the need for reforms to the ECHR Panel 2: But the bad people pushing this narrative want us to leave the ECHR not to reform it Panel 3: So we should resist any reforms so as not to go along with the bad people, even though that actually helps them
June 17, 2025 at 3:43 PM
danielelstein.bsky.social
There's an interesting passage going around from this essay by Paul Graham where he compares "wokeness" to Christianity. www.paulgraham.com/woke.html
One response will be obvious to political philosophers: the liberal impulse to be neutral between different value systems has some limits. 1/
"If we're not sure what to do about any particular manifestation of wokeness, imagine we were dealing with some other religion, like Christianity. Should we have people within organizations whose jobs are to enforce woke orthodoxy? No, because we wouldn't have people whose jobs were to enforce Christian orthodoxy. Should we censor writers or scientists whose work contradicts woke doctrines? No, because we wouldn't do this to people whose work contradicted Christian teachings. Should job candidates be required to write DEI statements? Of course not; imagine an employer requiring proof of one's religious beliefs. Should students and employees have to participate in woke indoctrination sessions in which they're required to answer questions about their beliefs to ensure compliance? No, because we wouldn't dream of catechizing people in this way about their religion."
January 24, 2025 at 11:50 AM
danielelstein.bsky.social
This is my favourite example:
Image of text: "When Samuel Smith has restored properties, it has done so with great care. In 1995, it restored the 13th-century Old Vicarage in Tadcaster, a Grade II*-listed building, making it habitable once again. The renovation was done “to a very high standard”, says Peter Johnston, a former contractor who worked on the job. When the restoration was complete, the vicar of the local church was told that her new home was ready for her, according to a report in the Times. Having not previously been informed that the restoration was for her benefit, she declined to move. The vicarage was locked up and has been uninhabited for the past 29 years."
December 19, 2024 at 1:57 PM
danielelstein.bsky.social
Apparently every time there is a murder now, either the victim or the murderer is a working-class hero, and we just have to decide which is which.
Screenshot of the headline of an opinion column by Bret Stephens: "Brian Thompson, Not Luigi Mangione, Is the Real Working-Class Hero"
December 13, 2024 at 2:14 PM
danielelstein.bsky.social
The tankies and Nazi-sympathisers have come over from X now. In case anyone is tempted to agree with this nonsense, just recall that Jewish people are more likely to be victims of racist attacks than any other ethnic minority, so either racism isn't a threat or antisemitism is. Block and report.
Screenshot of a post by Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz.bsky.social). The post reads: "Antisemitism is not a significant threat in our society. It used to be, but isn't anymore, because our society has changed. There was a time fairly recently when I would've been discriminated against for being divorced from the father of my children. This never happens to me,"
December 4, 2024 at 1:08 PM