Zach Vander Veen
@edlighten.net
Husband, adoptive father, entrepreneur, and educator. Cofounder of the Abre Platform. Really into aphorisms.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
The new system is defined by information abundance and attention scarcity. It is fast, peer-to-peer, and real time. This shift is structural, not political. The public are not just recipients of information, but creators and distributors, competing for attention in the same spaces as institutions.
January 23, 2026 at 9:21 AM
The new system is defined by information abundance and attention scarcity. It is fast, peer-to-peer, and real time. This shift is structural, not political. The public are not just recipients of information, but creators and distributors, competing for attention in the same spaces as institutions.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
Jack Smith: "My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in our country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted. The rule of law is not self-executing. It depends on our collective commitment to apply it."
January 22, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Jack Smith: "My fear is that we have seen the rule of law function in our country for so long that many of us have come to take it for granted. The rule of law is not self-executing. It depends on our collective commitment to apply it."
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
Fight and help win a world war.
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
January 18, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Fight and help win a world war.
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
“Sometimes public service requires standing firm in the face of threats, which is what this unambiguously is”
How did the banker dude get here before the leaders of every self-mythologizing media organization or even Congress
How did the banker dude get here before the leaders of every self-mythologizing media organization or even Congress
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:06 AM
“Sometimes public service requires standing firm in the face of threats, which is what this unambiguously is”
How did the banker dude get here before the leaders of every self-mythologizing media organization or even Congress
How did the banker dude get here before the leaders of every self-mythologizing media organization or even Congress
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
Also: "This year, 422 newly opened stores joined the American Booksellers Association — nearly a hundred more than joined last year. Barnes & Noble added 55 stores around the country and Books-A-Million added 18. By comparison, Books-A-Million opened seven new stores in 2024."
December 31, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Also: "This year, 422 newly opened stores joined the American Booksellers Association — nearly a hundred more than joined last year. Barnes & Noble added 55 stores around the country and Books-A-Million added 18. By comparison, Books-A-Million opened seven new stores in 2024."
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
The final Calvin and Hobbes, which appeared in papers 30 years ago today.
December 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The final Calvin and Hobbes, which appeared in papers 30 years ago today.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
10/10 would recommend
December 31, 2025 at 1:08 PM
10/10 would recommend
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
How many terrible policies and social ills can be attributed to the pervasive idea that “At any moment I could suddenly become rich!”
December 29, 2025 at 1:28 PM
How many terrible policies and social ills can be attributed to the pervasive idea that “At any moment I could suddenly become rich!”
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
love that software developers are advertising AI functionality in every single app now and it's up to you to try to figure out if they mean "this has spellcheck" or "everything you create in this app will sync in real-time to sam altman's personal laptop" or something in between
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
love that software developers are advertising AI functionality in every single app now and it's up to you to try to figure out if they mean "this has spellcheck" or "everything you create in this app will sync in real-time to sam altman's personal laptop" or something in between
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
It is so essential for People In Charge to remember that, when it really comes down to brass tacks, they actually don’t have a CMS login
December 23, 2025 at 1:40 AM
It is so essential for People In Charge to remember that, when it really comes down to brass tacks, they actually don’t have a CMS login
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
This is true. And honestly, in 2026, the best reasons to play around with AI will be:
1. To figure out if you can use it to do less of the most tedious and toilsome work
2. To know its limitations so you can push back when someone says you "have" to use it
1. To figure out if you can use it to do less of the most tedious and toilsome work
2. To know its limitations so you can push back when someone says you "have" to use it
So the “figure out how to use it lest you be left behind” replies about ‘AI’ that have been popping up here strike me as inauthentic but also kind of funny because they grant the point that rather than an automation panacea these technologies are quite difficult to figure out how to use effectively
December 21, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This is true. And honestly, in 2026, the best reasons to play around with AI will be:
1. To figure out if you can use it to do less of the most tedious and toilsome work
2. To know its limitations so you can push back when someone says you "have" to use it
1. To figure out if you can use it to do less of the most tedious and toilsome work
2. To know its limitations so you can push back when someone says you "have" to use it
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
tech bro: i have made Artificial General Intelligence
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
November 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
tech bro: i have made Artificial General Intelligence
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
Every technology problem is three social problems in a trench coat
ok one last post -- oldheads are always going to "why is the web dying.... how can we get the kids invested in the free and open web"
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
November 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Every technology problem is three social problems in a trench coat
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
a tyrant is ignoring the constitution, firing live artillery at americans, invading our cities, and tearing down the white house to build himself a palace
our institutions won't react because they're lost in a digital dreamstate, unable to decide what is true because of social media poisoning
our institutions won't react because they're lost in a digital dreamstate, unable to decide what is true because of social media poisoning
October 20, 2025 at 9:41 PM
a tyrant is ignoring the constitution, firing live artillery at americans, invading our cities, and tearing down the white house to build himself a palace
our institutions won't react because they're lost in a digital dreamstate, unable to decide what is true because of social media poisoning
our institutions won't react because they're lost in a digital dreamstate, unable to decide what is true because of social media poisoning
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
My friend Matt Inman made a great comic about AI…
A cartoonist's review of AI art - The Oatmeal
This is a comic about AI art.
theoatmeal.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:47 AM
My friend Matt Inman made a great comic about AI…
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections
October 7, 2025 at 12:25 AM
I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
A new report from Bright Line Watch finds experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy. The rating is dragged down by Trump's attacks on institutions, a weak legislature, political violence, and partisan gerrymandering www.gelliottmorris.com/p/experts-no...
Experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy
Experts say political violence, Trump's attacks against non-partisan agencies and institutions, and partisan gerrymandering are their top concerns
www.gelliottmorris.com
October 1, 2025 at 11:45 AM
A new report from Bright Line Watch finds experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy. The rating is dragged down by Trump's attacks on institutions, a weak legislature, political violence, and partisan gerrymandering www.gelliottmorris.com/p/experts-no...
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
If someone from another country explained that their president could violate their constitution's plain text but that it was completely legitimate because lifetime judges who belong to political parties said he could on the "shadow docket," you would laugh at them because their country is primitive.
BREAKING: Supreme Court lets Trump unilaterally freeze billions in congressionally appropriated foreign aid money
apparent 6-3 vote with liberals in dissent @courthousenews.bsky.social
apparent 6-3 vote with liberals in dissent @courthousenews.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 9:40 PM
If someone from another country explained that their president could violate their constitution's plain text but that it was completely legitimate because lifetime judges who belong to political parties said he could on the "shadow docket," you would laugh at them because their country is primitive.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
🧵 Who's the most informed about American politics? Very lefty seculars.
My new FREE study @sfjournal.bsky.social finds atheists/agnostics, especially if they are politically sorted, score higher on knowledge of basic civics & current politics than other groups. 1/ academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...
My new FREE study @sfjournal.bsky.social finds atheists/agnostics, especially if they are politically sorted, score higher on knowledge of basic civics & current politics than other groups. 1/ academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...
September 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
🧵 Who's the most informed about American politics? Very lefty seculars.
My new FREE study @sfjournal.bsky.social finds atheists/agnostics, especially if they are politically sorted, score higher on knowledge of basic civics & current politics than other groups. 1/ academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...
My new FREE study @sfjournal.bsky.social finds atheists/agnostics, especially if they are politically sorted, score higher on knowledge of basic civics & current politics than other groups. 1/ academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
1. Bluesky doesn’t downrank links
2. You can choose your own algorithm from among thousands
3. The whole app is open source
This keeps it a free and open platform by design, leading to better click-throughs and traffic to your site.
We 💙 the open web.
2. You can choose your own algorithm from among thousands
3. The whole app is open source
This keeps it a free and open platform by design, leading to better click-throughs and traffic to your site.
We 💙 the open web.
September 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
1. Bluesky doesn’t downrank links
2. You can choose your own algorithm from among thousands
3. The whole app is open source
This keeps it a free and open platform by design, leading to better click-throughs and traffic to your site.
We 💙 the open web.
2. You can choose your own algorithm from among thousands
3. The whole app is open source
This keeps it a free and open platform by design, leading to better click-throughs and traffic to your site.
We 💙 the open web.
Reposted by Zach Vander Veen
It is impossible to overstate the centrality of social media to our political collapse. Policy is being set in order to provide content for the MAGA social media hordes, who then spiral into greater radicalism, which then results in more extreme policy. Complete disregard for any other goal.
In a suit filed earlier today by three fired FBI officials, Patel and Bongino are portrayed as being so obsessed with social media that it could “risk outweighing more deliberate analyses of investigations."
September 11, 2025 at 1:59 AM
It is impossible to overstate the centrality of social media to our political collapse. Policy is being set in order to provide content for the MAGA social media hordes, who then spiral into greater radicalism, which then results in more extreme policy. Complete disregard for any other goal.