The History Master
@myhistorymaster.bsky.social
Just a historian & political analyst for East Asia with a pretentious social media handle. "Interesting times" are overrated.
Pinned
Since all the "old regulars" are doing it for newbies: Hello everyone, it's me, THM, the guy with the pretentious social media handle! I'm a historian of Western ties with East Asia currently moonlighting as a political analyst. Thanks to certain events *cough* my job is now more interesting!
Reposted by The History Master
Fun fact: Gordon Lightfoot wrote the song first, and then sank the Edmund Fitzgerald himself in what has come to be recognized as one of the first viral marketing stunts
November 11, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Fun fact: Gordon Lightfoot wrote the song first, and then sank the Edmund Fitzgerald himself in what has come to be recognized as one of the first viral marketing stunts
Reposted by The History Master
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by The History Master
The widening use of exit bans marks a decisive shift in China’s governance model under Xi Jinping.
China’s Exit Bans Are Breaking a Decades-Long Social Contract
The widening use of exit bans marks a decisive shift in China’s governance model under Xi Jinping.
buff.ly
November 6, 2025 at 10:39 PM
The widening use of exit bans marks a decisive shift in China’s governance model under Xi Jinping.
Reposted by The History Master
A 34-year-old as a politician: My god he's like a baby. It's like they just elected an infant to be their mayor.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
November 5, 2025 at 5:45 AM
A 34-year-old as a politician: My god he's like a baby. It's like they just elected an infant to be their mayor.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
Reposted by The History Master
Also, they just love it when you bring up the subject of kamikaze pilots a propos of nothing in Japan
When he says the country, he most often just means himself
Trump on Democrats: "I think they're kamikaze pilots. I just got back from Japan, I talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikaze. They'll take down the country if they have to."
November 5, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Also, they just love it when you bring up the subject of kamikaze pilots a propos of nothing in Japan
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Abiding Influence by Giuseppe Paparella shows how presidents' nationalist beliefs can influence distinct foreign policy attitudes that have underpinned important US foreign policy decisions and turning points in the Asia Pacific
https://ow.ly/OiQU50XmeR1
https://ow.ly/OiQU50XmeR1
November 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Abiding Influence by Giuseppe Paparella shows how presidents' nationalist beliefs can influence distinct foreign policy attitudes that have underpinned important US foreign policy decisions and turning points in the Asia Pacific
https://ow.ly/OiQU50XmeR1
https://ow.ly/OiQU50XmeR1
Reposted by The History Master
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
November 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Share an awesome 70s movie!
The Sting (1973)
The Sting (1973)
November 3, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Share an awesome 70s movie!
The Sting (1973)
The Sting (1973)
Reposted by The History Master
These five remarkable centenarians credit their longevity to eating well, Japan’s affordable health care, exercise and family support, and something else: their work. “If I die here, in my workshop, I will be happy,” said 103-year-old Seiichi Ishii. nyti.ms/4nv7Tvf
November 1, 2025 at 9:04 PM
These five remarkable centenarians credit their longevity to eating well, Japan’s affordable health care, exercise and family support, and something else: their work. “If I die here, in my workshop, I will be happy,” said 103-year-old Seiichi Ishii. nyti.ms/4nv7Tvf
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There’s a sort of Dunning-Kruger effect happening where people who read widely, consider various perspectives, and put in effort to understand views they disagree with worry that they don’t do that enough, while people who don’t do any of that accuse others of being in a bubble and call it a day.
November 1, 2025 at 4:29 PM
There’s a sort of Dunning-Kruger effect happening where people who read widely, consider various perspectives, and put in effort to understand views they disagree with worry that they don’t do that enough, while people who don’t do any of that accuse others of being in a bubble and call it a day.
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New York knows how to do Halloween!
November 1, 2025 at 7:50 AM
New York knows how to do Halloween!
Reposted by The History Master
Wtf is this abomination. In the top left Windows provides a blurb identifying this as Kiyomizudera but it appears to be an AI mashup of an iconic shot of Kiyomizudera overlooking Kyoto with an iconic shot of the Chureito Pagoda overlooking Mt Fuji
November 1, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Wtf is this abomination. In the top left Windows provides a blurb identifying this as Kiyomizudera but it appears to be an AI mashup of an iconic shot of Kiyomizudera overlooking Kyoto with an iconic shot of the Chureito Pagoda overlooking Mt Fuji
Reposted by The History Master
China is now requiring social media influencers discussing professional topics to prove they have a degree or certification in that subject area
www.netinfluencer.com/china-now-re...
www.netinfluencer.com/china-now-re...
China Now Requires Degrees For Influencers Discussing Professional Topics
Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) started implementing new regulations on October 25, requiring influencers discussing professional topics to hold formal qualifications in those fields. The law...
www.netinfluencer.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:20 PM
China is now requiring social media influencers discussing professional topics to prove they have a degree or certification in that subject area
www.netinfluencer.com/china-now-re...
www.netinfluencer.com/china-now-re...
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i've had this thought, because I personally have found zero meaningful use for LLMs for my own research and writing processes - it is simply the case that I am in fact *quite satisfied* with the speed and accuracy of my own, organic research and writing abilities.
I’ve played with LLMs a fair amount and noticed something that these studies that show using LLMs degrading intellectual performance may not be picking up: What if having pretty good critical thinking skills makes LLMs less appealing/satisfying to use in the first place?
October 28, 2025 at 3:04 PM
i've had this thought, because I personally have found zero meaningful use for LLMs for my own research and writing processes - it is simply the case that I am in fact *quite satisfied* with the speed and accuracy of my own, organic research and writing abilities.
Reposted by The History Master
Very sad news about the loss of historian Tim Cook, who died far too young. His impact on our understanding of Canadian military history was just massive. An outstanding historian. He will be missed.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Tim Cook, chief historian at Canadian War Museum, dies | CBC News
Tim Cook, the chief historian at the Canadian War Museum and the country’s “pre-eminent military historian,” has died, the museum announced Sunday.
www.cbc.ca
October 26, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Very sad news about the loss of historian Tim Cook, who died far too young. His impact on our understanding of Canadian military history was just massive. An outstanding historian. He will be missed.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by The History Master
Merci ben to @myhlee.bsky.social for including some reflections on how Trump's thinking on Japan remains locked in the 1980s:
How Trump’s perception of Japan collides with today’s economic reality
Japan was the genesis of President Donald Trump’s tariff-led approach to reshaping the global economy. When he lands in Tokyo, trade will again be on his agenda.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 26, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Merci ben to @myhlee.bsky.social for including some reflections on how Trump's thinking on Japan remains locked in the 1980s:
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Tessa Morris-Suzuki has posted this essay from 2021 on SSRN. The preface, which is about why it was originally written and why it is being posted four years later, is also interesting.
Koreans in Japan and Ethics in Scholarly Publishing: A Response to Professor J. Mark Ramseyer
Over the past five years, Harvard Professor J. Mark Ramseyer has published a series of articles focussing on controversial issues in Japanese society and histor
papers.ssrn.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Tessa Morris-Suzuki has posted this essay from 2021 on SSRN. The preface, which is about why it was originally written and why it is being posted four years later, is also interesting.
Reposted by The History Master
I know I'm like a day late to this but the thing about Reagan and tariffs is that there were lots of people mad at Reagan for not imposing tariffs on Japan and Germany and this included important elements of labor and a whole wing of the Democratic Party
October 26, 2025 at 12:31 AM
I know I'm like a day late to this but the thing about Reagan and tariffs is that there were lots of people mad at Reagan for not imposing tariffs on Japan and Germany and this included important elements of labor and a whole wing of the Democratic Party
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Cnut. He's forgotten about Cnut, who went on pilgrimage to Rome in 1027. Oh, and Edward I, who spent 2 months at the court of Gregory X in 1273. Otherwise, all over the detail, as per.
October 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Cnut. He's forgotten about Cnut, who went on pilgrimage to Rome in 1027. Oh, and Edward I, who spent 2 months at the court of Gregory X in 1273. Otherwise, all over the detail, as per.
Reposted by The History Master
It has long been my contention that a ton of young white boys who watched the endless barrage of Nazis in Tanks & Airplanes "documentaries" on The History Channel back in the day took away a far messier lesson than many of us assumed. It was like "Nazis bad, but also, I dunno, kinda badass?"
October 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM
It has long been my contention that a ton of young white boys who watched the endless barrage of Nazis in Tanks & Airplanes "documentaries" on The History Channel back in the day took away a far messier lesson than many of us assumed. It was like "Nazis bad, but also, I dunno, kinda badass?"
Reposted by The History Master
I cannot recommend you enough to install the Wikipedia app on your devices and use it like you would any search engine. Nowadays they even have tabs so you can open many articles at once.
And, if you can, please donate to the foundation. It has survived the internet enshittification that way.
And, if you can, please donate to the foundation. It has survived the internet enshittification that way.
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM
I cannot recommend you enough to install the Wikipedia app on your devices and use it like you would any search engine. Nowadays they even have tabs so you can open many articles at once.
And, if you can, please donate to the foundation. It has survived the internet enshittification that way.
And, if you can, please donate to the foundation. It has survived the internet enshittification that way.
Reposted by The History Master
Thrilled to announce the publication of my article "The Invention of the Kamikaze: Dissent and Resistance in the Japanese Military" in the October issue of the Journal of Military History!
October 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Thrilled to announce the publication of my article "The Invention of the Kamikaze: Dissent and Resistance in the Japanese Military" in the October issue of the Journal of Military History!
"To my dear Prince Alexis... I did not "usurp" the crown. I found it, in the gutter, and I, I picked it up with my sword, and it was the people, Alexis, the people who put it on my head..."
October 19, 2025 at 6:17 PM
"To my dear Prince Alexis... I did not "usurp" the crown. I found it, in the gutter, and I, I picked it up with my sword, and it was the people, Alexis, the people who put it on my head..."
Reposted by The History Master
RIP the legendary Drew Struzan (1947-2025) 😩
Even though we were expecting the news any day now, it makes me very sad. What an artist.
Even though we were expecting the news any day now, it makes me very sad. What an artist.
October 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
RIP the legendary Drew Struzan (1947-2025) 😩
Even though we were expecting the news any day now, it makes me very sad. What an artist.
Even though we were expecting the news any day now, it makes me very sad. What an artist.