Dan Rosen
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danrosen.xyz
Dan Rosen
@danrosen.xyz
3.3K followers 3.3K following 600 posts
Scholar/researcher in digital media, STS, internet culture, and livestreaming. PhD in Cinema & Media Studies (he/him)

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danrosen.xyz
“Humans have many capacities. It's a doomed enterprise to prefigure socialism, but we can certainly feed the drives that, as far as we can imagine, we'd like to hope will cut with its grain.”
We can abjure the complicity demanded of us. Even as it snares us (as, creatures of it, it will), by speech act for a start. We aren't immune to Thanatos, but we can recognise it and see who is pressing it most effectively to their service. As creatures of it, we may likely hate ourselves, and the world, but that's not all we feel about us or it, and besides, we hate the sadisms of capitalism more, here, now, and we hate those who wreak them, without stint. Humans have many capacities. It's a doomed enterprise to prefigure socialism, but we can certainly feed the drives that, as far as we can imagine, we'd like to hope will cut with its grain.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
“That is what 'dog-whistle' politics is. The point of plausible deniability has never been believability.”
The 'civilising process' inheres not in any ending of these acts of sadism, but in a certain draping of a veil over the acts. But to perform their tasks they must be detectable. The act of veiling is visible, cognitive distortion, the creation of reality. So, like a children's puzzle in which you're asked to find images hiding in the lines of another picture, if this is a camouflage it is one that exists to be uncovered. That is what 'dog-whistle' politics is. The point of plausible deniability has never been believability. Now, in the sadism culture of neoliberalism, the necessity of even the barest due diligence, the performance of a scrap of such deniability diminishes. The threshold of repugnance recontracts.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
But white supremacy wants, unendingly, its mastery to be overt. To be rehabilitated under neoliberalism, racial sadisms have to be deployed with a kind of abusive suppleness. Subtler microaggressions are inadequate”
that Atwater explained replaced the racist slurs as mobilising calls is that 'blacks get hurt worse than whites'. But white supremacy wants, unendingly, its mastery to be overt. To be rehabilitated under neoliberalism, racial sadisms have to be deployed with a kind of abusive suppleness. Subtler microaggressions are inadequate, whatever the power structure they maintain: they must be obvious and swaggering, conspicuous consumption of the public and psychological wages of white spite; and they must also, just, be plausibly deniable as such, enough to redouble the cruelty with racial gaslighting, huffing that to read race into racist sadism is to play the legendary race card, to be obsessed with race.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
“In their eagerness to dampen down the empathy that might restrain it, aspirational capitalists attest to the tenacity of that capacity, too…’Mr Clinton', Kissinger once famously (and rather unfairly) muttered into a cocktail, 'does not have the strength of character to be a war criminal.’ “
Cruelty is common and tenacious. In their eagerness to dampen down the empathy that might restrain it, aspirational capitalists attest to the tenacity of that capacity, too. Not even professionals in pain are immune from guilt and its somatic effects. Of course whether innate or assiduously acquired, that profitable adaptation psychopathy, as indifference to, rather than investment in, others' pain, is not sadism. But sadism can be learned, once the initial visceral distress at inflicting pain subsides. Though, according to Roy F. Baumeister and W. Keith Campbell in their paper 'The Intrinsic Appeal of Evil: Sadism, Sensational Thrills, and Threatened Egotism', 'the majority of perpetrators do not seem to develop a sadistic pleasure', for others 'the pleasure in harming others ... seems to emerge gradually over time and is described by some as comparable to an addiction'. Sadism is not for everyone, not even for every neoliberal. Some just don't have what it takes. 'Mr Clinton', Kissinger once famously (and rather unfairly) muttered into a cocktail, 'does not have the strength of character to be a war criminal?
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
“what's on display is the opposite: not cavalier, but considered. She decried lack of compassion', but what's visible is a swaggering presence - of cruelty.”
In the photos, props embody favourite ideologemes of the rich: the booze, the misspelt signs denouncing the injustice. The homeless are drunkards; the homeless are stupid; the homeless take no responsibility. But these gestures are perfunctory; they make no attempt to convince. The anonymous former employee who leaked the images in 2011 did so aghast at what she called a 'cavalier attitude', but what's on display is the opposite: not cavalier, but considered. She decried lack of compassion', but what's visible is a swaggering presence - of cruelty. 'Will worke [sicl', one sign reads, 'for Food? The sign's the prop of a comedian waiting for the laugh. The homeless are starving. We made them homeless and now they're starving. Laugh laugh laugh laugh.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
A spinning headline reads Jewel Thief: A National Problem in a still from the movie Jewel Thief
October 28, 2025 at 7:19 PM
danrosen.xyz
My favorite jewel thief
Dev Anand looks confused standing next to a painting of Dev Anand in a still from the movie Jewel Thief Dev Anand tries to sell expensive jewelry to Tanuja, who tries on a necklace as she looks into a small mirror in a still from the movie Jewel Thief
October 28, 2025 at 7:12 PM
danrosen.xyz
Louvre thieves, escaping
Fantomas is held by 2 men on either side as they walk down a dirt path Fantomas is free as the men holdin him have fallen into the pit traps on the dirt path
October 28, 2025 at 7:07 PM
danrosen.xyz
Apparently made this in 2019
A 4 panel meme in web comic form. In Panel 1 a man in a blue shirt looks at Venus flytraps and says “why would a fly land on something like this.” In panel 2 the man looks at a mouse trap and says “rats should be ashamed for falling in this trap.” Panel 3 says Bears this is ridiculous! In front of a bear trap. The final panel is two people listening to music via earbuds with the caption recommendation algorithms
October 28, 2025 at 3:52 PM
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The problems in both the video games and fashion industry can all be traced to the same source
An old colored illustration of a Jacquard loom, with the name of the machine in German on the bottom. In the image, a man sits at a complicated weaving machine that rises above his head
October 23, 2025 at 8:27 PM
danrosen.xyz
I call this one the freedom table
Decorative objects on a glass table with a spiral step base. There is a Mary poppins figure, an American eagle and flag figure, and a 9/11 commemorative figure. In the background are even more tchotchkes
October 19, 2025 at 7:50 PM
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And I couldn't help but wonder, was I reviewer 2!?
A photo of Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City sitting typing at her laptop while sitting at a desk
October 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
danrosen.xyz
My grandma’s house is a Wes Anderson film set
A photo of a set of tall porcelain dolls on a shelf, each a different color and flower A credenza with tons of tchotchkes on it, figures from various movies like The Wizard of Oz A wall of framed photos organized in a grid
October 19, 2025 at 5:01 PM
danrosen.xyz
So many tchotchkes
A tall shelf full of white porcelain tchotchkes
October 19, 2025 at 4:06 PM
danrosen.xyz
I’m at my grandma’s house!
A photo of a guest bedroom with a couch and pillows over a mauve carpet. The wallpaper is pink and green stripes with border paper squares through the middle A photo of a bedroom with a makeup table and stool next to a TV set. On the makeup table are several tchotchkes A close up photo of a porcelain figure set of a Jewish family around a table. In front is a dog figurine A photo of a bedroom, with bed and ottoman and night table. The bedspread and pillows are orange florals
October 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
danrosen.xyz
Also rocking my @jfrejnyc.bsky.social JFREJ diasporist t-shirt
A photo of a t shirt under a denim jacket. The shirt says Diasporist with illustrations of a metro card, a pomegranate, a bird, a chamsa, and a snail all above the JFREJ Jews for Racial and Economic Justice logo
October 18, 2025 at 5:50 PM
danrosen.xyz
Scenes in the New Jersey suburbs
A woman holds a protest sign above her head in a crowd. The sign says not here not ever underwear a crossed-out crown A photo of a No Kings protest, with people holding signs facing a speaker who is out of frame A photo of two children playing with a person in a blow-up unicorn costume
October 18, 2025 at 5:41 PM
danrosen.xyz
Just thinking of this article I read about telephone operators in Germany, where if you felt like it, you could just give her an electric shock over the phone
rationalized spaces in which the rapid, precise motions of hundreds of operators had to be closely co-ordinated to minimize disruption or breakdown of service. Pressure to improve efficiency was so great that, between 1910 and 1921, the number of connections operators were expected to make increased from 150 to 500 per hour with little appreciable change in equipment. Working constantly at the limit of their capacities, operators were also kept under constant surveillance; their speed in answering calls was timed and monitored, as were their interactions with callers. Impatient callers (usually men) were equipped with buttons that, when pressed, sent a current through the line, drawing the operator’s attention with a sharp, unpleasant crackling noise or a slight shock. The following anecdote, which describes an incident that occurred in 1902 during the installation of a new switchboard at the Siemens company’s headquarters in Berlin, illustrates what might happen under such circumstances:
October 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
danrosen.xyz
These are at least the ostensibles ideas behind the trademark for gay I
A screenshot of the US trademark search database for GAI. The text reads: For: Downloadable computer software using artificial intelligence (Al) for capturing cultural context, analyzing behavior patterns, prioritizing communications, summarizing conversations, understanding community norms, and ensuring privacy in connection with dating, matchmaking, social networking, local community discovery, health and personal wellness, travel, and luxury experiences lasses): 009 - Primary Class U.S Class(es): 021, 023, 026, 036, 038 Status: ACTIVE For: Providing on-line non-downloadable software using artificial intelligence (Al) for capturing cultural context, analyzing behavior patterns, prioritizing communications, summarizing conversations, understanding community norms, and ensuring privacy in connection with dating, matchmaking, social networking, local community discovery, health and personal wellness, travel, and luxury experiences lass(es): 042 - Primary Class U.S Class(es): 100, 101 s Status: ACTIVE
September 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM
danrosen.xyz
You can opt out by tapping the privacy settings link and toggle the 3 options. I had to opt out of the general features 2x
A screenshot of Grindr’s privacy options with 3 toggles: AI TECHNOLOGY CONTROLS Limited Data for AI Technology Training Limited Data (e.g., age, taps, display name, profile photos) is used to develop AI Technology to improve the personalization of the Grindr experience including recommendations. Turning off this control will stop the use of this limited data for AI development. Special Category Data for AI Technology Training I permit the use of what privacy laws define as sensitive data (e.g., gender, position, chat content, precise location) to develop Al Technology to improve the personalization of the Grindr experience including recommendations. • Enable gAI™ Features When off, your personal information will not be used for AI powered features and those features will be disabled. Learn more
September 30, 2025 at 5:51 PM
danrosen.xyz
A web comic panel of a seal shouting GAAAAAAYYYY
September 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
danrosen.xyz
Gay I. Thanks, I hate it.
A screenshot of a terms of service: AI for Personalization & Connection Grindr may use your personal information for features powered by generative AI and machine learning (together, "AI") to help personalize the user experience and support more authentic, meaningful connections. These AI features are integrated across the Grindr platform to enhance the quality, timing, and relevance of your interactions. We may refer to our Al-powered features and our use of AI as "gAIT™» (pronounced "gay I"). You control whether your personal information is used to (1) develop and train Al technology or (2) power Al features in your Privacy Settings. Even if you opt out of training uses, your information
September 30, 2025 at 3:50 PM
danrosen.xyz
I'm just not sure there's a world in which a mass death event has no long term consequences. Beneficial social welfare programs were ended. There are still no general OSHA protections. This is what I wrote in my diss conclusion:
Screenshot of an essay excerpt: "In the United States, this commitment to work and labor discipline without robust social support has visible consequences in the present. A study in the British Journal of Medicine concluded "excess mortality has remained high in the Western World for three consecutive years (2020-2023), despite the implementation of COVID-19 containment measures and COVID-19 vaccines."405 In the United States in 2023, life expectancy increased for the first time in several years, a rate impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic but part of an overall decline which precedes it.406 Scientists in the American Journal of Epidemiology confirm “US declines in life expectancy in 2020 and 2021 were larger than those in peer countries and that racialized groups and younger US adults were disproportionately affected.”407 The public health consequences from these choices are only partially visible now, but they will also have long term consequences that are likely measured in decades." screenshot of an essay excerpt: "The World Health Organization (WHO) reports 7 million COVID deaths to date in the world, with 1.2 million of these deaths in the United States. This is an undercount.413 Research published in The Lancet estimates that there were 18 million people excess deaths worldwide between 2020-2022.414 There is no world in which a mass death event such as a pandemic has no long term consequences. Perhaps the most effective intervention in the United States, the development of vaccines through Operation Warp Speed, demonstrated how massive public spending can result in great results. The vaccine was developed rapidly with a huge infusion of public funds that private corporations now profit from and whose distribution has greatly diminished. Vaccines are no longer freely available. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Program has ended. 415 The pandemic-era social programs that lifted children out of poverty, increased access to telemedicine, and provided a new level of security for American citizens are gone. But to be clear, our imperfect, temporary remote work and virtual learning arrangements saved the lives of many people who would have otherwise contracted and spread COVID-19. The consequences of not pursuing even these limited, politicized, and short-lived interventions could only be measured in further lives lost."
September 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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Every single Isaac Chotiner interview
A still from the TV show Arrested Development, with Tobias Funke telling his wife Linsday "But it might work for us."
September 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
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My beautiful round boy
A photo of a braided, round cinnamon raisin challah loaf on a cutting board
September 21, 2025 at 6:30 PM