Jesse Spafford
@jessespafford.bsky.social
Philosophy lecturer at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Interested in rights, egalitarianism, and anarchism.
Pinned
My book has now officially been published! My hope is that it will be useful to anyone with an interest in anarchism, libertarianism, socialism, or classic questions in political philosophy more generally.
Here's my contribution to the "is continental philosophy meaningless" debate. I've tried to say something new here that might move the debate forward a bit: open.substack.com/pub/jessespa...
Continental Philosophy, Obscurity, and Thinking Like an LLM
If some philosophers aren't actually saying anything meaningful, then how are they still able to write coherently and engage with each other's work?
open.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Here's my contribution to the "is continental philosophy meaningless" debate. I've tried to say something new here that might move the debate forward a bit: open.substack.com/pub/jessespa...
My first substantive post on Substack is me raising some worries about Joseph Heath's theory of populism: substack.com/home/post/p-...
Some Worries about Joseph Heath's Theory of Populism
Heath thinks populism exploits our aversion to using analytical reason. But does the data really support his theory?
substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 AM
My first substantive post on Substack is me raising some worries about Joseph Heath's theory of populism: substack.com/home/post/p-...
I haven’t been posting here much, but I’m now posting longer-form ideas on Substack! Here’s my brief introductory post: jessespafford.substack.com/p/about-this...
About this Substack
A short disclaimer.
jessespafford.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I haven’t been posting here much, but I’m now posting longer-form ideas on Substack! Here’s my brief introductory post: jessespafford.substack.com/p/about-this...
Not sure what the best way to counter the far right is, but this thread on the rise of Sanseito in Japan suggests to me that the accommodationist approach—i.e., the approach endorsed in the thread—is a dead end.
July 15, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Not sure what the best way to counter the far right is, but this thread on the rise of Sanseito in Japan suggests to me that the accommodationist approach—i.e., the approach endorsed in the thread—is a dead end.
With all the details coming out on Cremieux/Jordan Lasker, I’m reminded of an email I wrote to a friend explaining why I’m not interested in the rationalist social movement (wherein Jordan has become an influential figure): x.com/rivertamydn/...
July 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
With all the details coming out on Cremieux/Jordan Lasker, I’m reminded of an email I wrote to a friend explaining why I’m not interested in the rationalist social movement (wherein Jordan has become an influential figure): x.com/rivertamydn/...
Nice piece discussing the merits, politics, and practical implementation of Zohran's policies: www.dissentmagazine.org/online_artic...
What Can Zohran Accomplish? - Dissent Magazine
What distinguishes Zohran Mamdani's socialism is not its aims. It’s his willingness to take seriously the problem of how to get there.
www.dissentmagazine.org
July 5, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Nice piece discussing the merits, politics, and practical implementation of Zohran's policies: www.dissentmagazine.org/online_artic...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
Abrego Garcia describes conditions at CECOT:
“He and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9pm to 6am with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, he was denied bathroom access and soiled himself.”
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“He and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9pm to 6am with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, he was denied bathroom access and soiled himself.”
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
July 3, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Abrego Garcia describes conditions at CECOT:
“He and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9pm to 6am with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, he was denied bathroom access and soiled himself.”
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“He and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9pm to 6am with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, he was denied bathroom access and soiled himself.”
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Ironically, this post is breaking my brain a little. bsky.app/profile/kend...
My brain is breaking a little. The Cato Institute us saying ICE is going too far
65 Percent of People Taken by ICE Had No Convictions, 93 Percent No Violent Convictions
ICE’s deportation agenda is not what is being advertised to the American public. ICE is not interested in prioritizing public safety, yet it constantly pretends that anyone who objects to its tactics ...
www.cato.org
June 21, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Ironically, this post is breaking my brain a little. bsky.app/profile/kend...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
Stancilism partly undefeated
yeah -- ground beef hit an all-time high last week, and nobody appears to be reporting on that www.bls.gov/charts/consu...
June 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Stancilism partly undefeated
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
These are the kind of arrests that you know are just driving while brown arrests.
A couple was detained for going 6 mph over the speed limit (61 in a 55) and are now facing deportation.
After driving 6 mph over speed limit on a rural U.P. road, couple faces deportation
More than 200 miles away from the Canadian border, in a remote corner of the Upper Peninsula, a couple was stopped by police and picked up by border agents.
www.mlive.com
June 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
These are the kind of arrests that you know are just driving while brown arrests.
Pretty grim the extent to which the UK is descending into fascism. The willingness to label non-violent protests “terrorism” is particularly troubling (though this is also just one of many troubling shifts in the country): www.bbc.com/news/article...
Palestine Action to be banned after RAF base break in
The home secretary will move to proscribe the Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, the BBC understands.
www.bbc.com
June 21, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Pretty grim the extent to which the UK is descending into fascism. The willingness to label non-violent protests “terrorism” is particularly troubling (though this is also just one of many troubling shifts in the country): www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
Noticed that ICE in Los Angeles has started carrying spare tires in the bed of their pickups
June 18, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Noticed that ICE in Los Angeles has started carrying spare tires in the bed of their pickups
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
From a dear comrade who was kind enough to let me share their video.
Veterans stage a sit-in on the US Capitol steps and say, “Military off our streets!” Hell yeah!
Veterans stage a sit-in on the US Capitol steps and say, “Military off our streets!” Hell yeah!
June 13, 2025 at 11:44 PM
From a dear comrade who was kind enough to let me share their video.
Veterans stage a sit-in on the US Capitol steps and say, “Military off our streets!” Hell yeah!
Veterans stage a sit-in on the US Capitol steps and say, “Military off our streets!” Hell yeah!
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
it’s cool how the whole trump coalition is a circular firing squad of grievances. this guy thought trump was homophobic/transphobic but mostly joking about the immigration stuff lol
June 14, 2025 at 3:00 AM
it’s cool how the whole trump coalition is a circular firing squad of grievances. this guy thought trump was homophobic/transphobic but mostly joking about the immigration stuff lol
This administration is marked by not just its cruelty but its complete inability to craft coherent policies or consider the obvious consequences of those policies. bsky.app/profile/phil...
BREAKING: The decision suggested that the scale of President Trump’s mass deportation campaign — an issue that is at the heart of his presidency — is hurting industries and constituencies that he does not want to lose.
June 14, 2025 at 4:39 AM
This administration is marked by not just its cruelty but its complete inability to craft coherent policies or consider the obvious consequences of those policies. bsky.app/profile/phil...
It seems like the only option left is to show that it implies something significant and surprising! www.cambridge.org/core/books/s... bsky.app/profile/last...
June 13, 2025 at 6:43 AM
It seems like the only option left is to show that it implies something significant and surprising! www.cambridge.org/core/books/s... bsky.app/profile/last...
Striking how so many of the pundits from this cohort have become simultaneously more conservative and less thoughtful: t.co/6vS6KhptpH
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/06/new-york-mayoral-race-cuomo-mamdani/683146/?gift=ft-5aF5Qrmu-IVk0QYsLuELOCJ5EXPE3dS3OBwbAcPE
t.co
June 12, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Striking how so many of the pundits from this cohort have become simultaneously more conservative and less thoughtful: t.co/6vS6KhptpH
It’s been almost eight years since Alex Pareene wrote this piece, and it looks like he was 100% correct: www.splinter.com/charlottesvi... bsky.app/profile/whst...
June 12, 2025 at 12:34 PM
It’s been almost eight years since Alex Pareene wrote this piece, and it looks like he was 100% correct: www.splinter.com/charlottesvi... bsky.app/profile/whst...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
It’s the biggest story in the country that the media is ignoring - how this explicitly white supremacist and antisemitic ideology has consumed the minds of virtually the entire organized right, from Elon Musk on down
This guy was at Charlottesville and nobody in the media will ask what this means.
June 12, 2025 at 11:29 AM
It’s the biggest story in the country that the media is ignoring - how this explicitly white supremacist and antisemitic ideology has consumed the minds of virtually the entire organized right, from Elon Musk on down
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
To give you a sense about the ideological drift being caused by Twitter, here's Noah Smith talking in 2021 about the account that would become "i/o" and "avidseries." And then here's a screenshot from today, where Noah Smith has constant friendly interactions with him.
June 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
To give you a sense about the ideological drift being caused by Twitter, here's Noah Smith talking in 2021 about the account that would become "i/o" and "avidseries." And then here's a screenshot from today, where Noah Smith has constant friendly interactions with him.
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
Every day the authoritarianism grows worse - Christopher Rufo calling for the Trump administration to "dispatch unmarked vans to follow key agitators and snatch them from the streets while the media are not looking" christopherrufo.com/p/trump-shou...
June 10, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Every day the authoritarianism grows worse - Christopher Rufo calling for the Trump administration to "dispatch unmarked vans to follow key agitators and snatch them from the streets while the media are not looking" christopherrufo.com/p/trump-shou...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
This is not a good sign.
June 10, 2025 at 2:59 AM
This is not a good sign.
Elected Dems need to start grappling with the fact that the official GOP position is that elections should be stolen when the opportunity presents itself: bsky.app/profile/eili...
Busy at the GOP convention in Georgia where they just passed a resolution banning Brad Raffensberger as a Republican because apparently he believes in country over party.
www.wabe.org/georgia-gop-...
www.wabe.org/georgia-gop-...
Georgia GOP convention delegates pass resolution to ban Raffensperger from qualifying as Republican
Delegates at the Georgia GOP convention in Dalton on Saturday passed a resolution that would not allow Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to qualify as a Republican for elected office, with one rea...
www.wabe.org
June 10, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Elected Dems need to start grappling with the fact that the official GOP position is that elections should be stolen when the opportunity presents itself: bsky.app/profile/eili...
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
My friend just got arrested blocking the highway in Joshua Tree to try and prevent the Marines from making it to LA
June 10, 2025 at 3:04 AM
My friend just got arrested blocking the highway in Joshua Tree to try and prevent the Marines from making it to LA
Reposted by Jesse Spafford
