Peter Hart-Brinson
@phb-123.bsky.social
Professor of Sociology and Communication-Journalism at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Author of The Gay Marriage Generation: How the LGBTQ Movement Transformed American Culture. My hierarchy of needs has a sub-layer of bicycles, books, and coffee.
This is awful. By contrast, here's Bush after 9/11: "America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens... Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need to be treated with respect."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
Texas Governor Declares Muslim Civil Rights Group a ‘Terrorist Organization’
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
This is awful. By contrast, here's Bush after 9/11: "America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens... Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need to be treated with respect."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
Totally accurate diagnosis. Bonus points for the implicit Hegelian/Marxian dialectic, but maybe I'm just projecting. #ClosetHistoricalMaterialist The sooner we accept this, the sooner we find a better way forward. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
Opinion | The Old Order Is Dead. Do Not Resuscitate.
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Totally accurate diagnosis. Bonus points for the implicit Hegelian/Marxian dialectic, but maybe I'm just projecting. #ClosetHistoricalMaterialist The sooner we accept this, the sooner we find a better way forward. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
Amazon announced plans to lay off 14,000 employees as it looks to invest more in AI.
Wall Street cheered the news, sending Amazon stock prices higher.
This will boost Amazon's CEO pay and bolster Jeff Bezos's net worth, which is now $250 billion.
The system is rigged.
Wall Street cheered the news, sending Amazon stock prices higher.
This will boost Amazon's CEO pay and bolster Jeff Bezos's net worth, which is now $250 billion.
The system is rigged.
October 28, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Amazon announced plans to lay off 14,000 employees as it looks to invest more in AI.
Wall Street cheered the news, sending Amazon stock prices higher.
This will boost Amazon's CEO pay and bolster Jeff Bezos's net worth, which is now $250 billion.
The system is rigged.
Wall Street cheered the news, sending Amazon stock prices higher.
This will boost Amazon's CEO pay and bolster Jeff Bezos's net worth, which is now $250 billion.
The system is rigged.
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
Empirics which support the argument of Shah and Bender -- dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml...
When people learn with ChatGPT instead of following their own searches, they end up knowing less, caring less, and producing worse advice, even when the facts are the same.
Friction is an essential ingredient for learning! Convenience makes us shallow.
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Friction is an essential ingredient for learning! Convenience makes us shallow.
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...
Experimental evidence of the effects of large language models versus web search on depth of learning
Abstract. The effects of using large language models (LLMs) versus traditional web search on depth of learning are explored. A theory is proposed that when
academic.oup.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Empirics which support the argument of Shah and Bender -- dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml...
I had to postpone an exam today because the AWS outage took down Canvas for my entire campus. My students thought it was great, obviously.
October 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I had to postpone an exam today because the AWS outage took down Canvas for my entire campus. My students thought it was great, obviously.
I guess I’m a little slow to pick this up, but there is no better symbol for how toxic Silicon Valley has become for humanity than “Open AI steals name of children’s educational library app in order to release copyright-violating deep-fake video generator” #Sora #OpenAI soraapp.com/welcome
Sora
Where students read. Sora, the reading app for students, by OverDrive.
soraapp.com
October 4, 2025 at 2:10 PM
I guess I’m a little slow to pick this up, but there is no better symbol for how toxic Silicon Valley has become for humanity than “Open AI steals name of children’s educational library app in order to release copyright-violating deep-fake video generator” #Sora #OpenAI soraapp.com/welcome
Great take from Clay Shirky on AI and higher ed. My favorite line: "Contrary to much popular opinion, college is not in the information transfer business; we are in the identity formation business." Gift article www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
Opinion | Students Hate Them. Universities Need Them. The Only Real Solution to the A.I. Cheating Crisis.
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Great take from Clay Shirky on AI and higher ed. My favorite line: "Contrary to much popular opinion, college is not in the information transfer business; we are in the identity formation business." Gift article www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe. Will we listen to his words today?
August 13, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe. Will we listen to his words today?
The talking points by Netanyahu and Trump are such eerie echoes of the run-up to 2003’s invasion of Iraq. Sad that we seem to have learned nothing, and surely more innocent civilians will pay with their lives
June 22, 2025 at 1:46 AM
The talking points by Netanyahu and Trump are such eerie echoes of the run-up to 2003’s invasion of Iraq. Sad that we seem to have learned nothing, and surely more innocent civilians will pay with their lives
When a person compares his own actions to The Office, you know things are bad. But did we expect anything less from DOGE? Veterans, thank you for your service! You deserve better than this
We obtained records showing how an ex-DOGE staffer with no medical experience used AI to identify which VA contracts to kill.
“I would never recommend someone run my code and do what it says,” he said.
Read more: propub.li/4emGV69
“I would never recommend someone run my code and do what it says,” he said.
Read more: propub.li/4emGV69
June 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM
When a person compares his own actions to The Office, you know things are bad. But did we expect anything less from DOGE? Veterans, thank you for your service! You deserve better than this
Greetings from No Kings Denver! I pledge allegiance to the flag and the Constitution. Therefore, I pledge to say no to would-be tyrants who trample both just to enrich themselves. Liberty and justice for all!
June 14, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Greetings from No Kings Denver! I pledge allegiance to the flag and the Constitution. Therefore, I pledge to say no to would-be tyrants who trample both just to enrich themselves. Liberty and justice for all!
Yes, this is wild. "Breaking news" journalism now includes personal fight between world's most powerful man and world's richest man. What a time to be alive!
Love to live in a time when our most august news organizations must run live blogs to keep us updated about two men posting about each other online
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...
Live Updates: Trump Threatens to Cut Elon Musk’s Government Contracts as Feud Escalates
www.nytimes.com
June 5, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Yes, this is wild. "Breaking news" journalism now includes personal fight between world's most powerful man and world's richest man. What a time to be alive!
So it's Trump vs Musk, is it also Truth Social vs X? I always expected the personal relationship to blow up at some point, but I never considered how their social networks with ego-centric algorithms would also get pulled in. I'll be eager to learn about the spill-over effects someday...
June 5, 2025 at 9:59 PM
So it's Trump vs Musk, is it also Truth Social vs X? I always expected the personal relationship to blow up at some point, but I never considered how their social networks with ego-centric algorithms would also get pulled in. I'll be eager to learn about the spill-over effects someday...
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
Remember: If unions didn’t matter, powerful corporations wouldn’t spend millions of dollars every year to stop workers from organizing. Keep up the fight.
June 5, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Remember: If unions didn’t matter, powerful corporations wouldn’t spend millions of dollars every year to stop workers from organizing. Keep up the fight.
I'm having more fun on social media today than I have had in a long time.
June 5, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I'm having more fun on social media today than I have had in a long time.
Just finished reading Solidarity, by @astra.bsky.social and @lhh.bsky.social It’s marvelous! Read this if you are looking for direction and inspiration in these dark times. I will be returning to it again and again… www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740355...
Solidarity by Leah Hunt-Hendrix, Astra Taylor: 9780593701249 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK • From renowned organizers and activists Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, comes the first in-depth examination of Solidarity—not just as a rallying cry, but as...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Just finished reading Solidarity, by @astra.bsky.social and @lhh.bsky.social It’s marvelous! Read this if you are looking for direction and inspiration in these dark times. I will be returning to it again and again… www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740355...
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
The unemployment rate for recent grads is worse now relative to the overall economy than any time on record. Three flavors of explanation:
Short-term: It's Trump.
Medium-term: It's the flagging college premium.
Long-term: Is Gen-AI substituting for new hires?
www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...
Short-term: It's Trump.
Medium-term: It's the flagging college premium.
Long-term: Is Gen-AI substituting for new hires?
www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...
April 30, 2025 at 5:08 PM
The unemployment rate for recent grads is worse now relative to the overall economy than any time on record. Three flavors of explanation:
Short-term: It's Trump.
Medium-term: It's the flagging college premium.
Long-term: Is Gen-AI substituting for new hires?
www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...
Short-term: It's Trump.
Medium-term: It's the flagging college premium.
Long-term: Is Gen-AI substituting for new hires?
www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...
This hits just a little too close to home, but yes, the Onion nails it.
Russell Brand Invited To Florida College To Teach Sexual Assault Workshop
Russell Brand Invited To Florida College To Teach Sexual Assault Workshop
SARASOTA, FL—As part of an effort to expose the student body to a variety of cultural perspectives, the New College of Florida announced Thursday that it had invited English comedian and podcaster Rus...
theonion.com
April 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM
This hits just a little too close to home, but yes, the Onion nails it.
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
New research shows that heavy chatbot usage is correlated with loneliness and reduced socialization. I talked to the researchers about whether AI companies will learn the lesson that social networks didn't: www.platformer.news/openai-chatg...
March 25, 2025 at 12:56 AM
New research shows that heavy chatbot usage is correlated with loneliness and reduced socialization. I talked to the researchers about whether AI companies will learn the lesson that social networks didn't: www.platformer.news/openai-chatg...
A student on my campus just shared this story: another heartbreaking example of how inhumane and cruel the United States has become. Students are afraid. We have to be better than this. www.jsonline.com/story/news/l...
Milwaukee-area woman deported to Laos though she's never been there, doesn't speak the language
As Donald Trump pushes the mass deportation of immigrants, Yang believes she is one of the first Hmong Americans to be deported to Laos recently.
www.jsonline.com
March 14, 2025 at 8:59 PM
A student on my campus just shared this story: another heartbreaking example of how inhumane and cruel the United States has become. Students are afraid. We have to be better than this. www.jsonline.com/story/news/l...
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
"It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focuses gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment. … Therefore, the award is terminated." #waronscience
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake
The order covers more than 40 awards to researchers around the country seeking to understand why vaccine acceptance has declined.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 10, 2025 at 11:03 PM
"It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focuses gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment. … Therefore, the award is terminated." #waronscience
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
Dear Mr. Bezos:
By insisting that the pieces that run on that page support “personal liberties” and “free markets,” you have inspired me to submit this piece for publication.
newrepublic.com/article/1920...
By insisting that the pieces that run on that page support “personal liberties” and “free markets,” you have inspired me to submit this piece for publication.
newrepublic.com/article/1920...
Dear Mr. Bezos: These Columns Are All About Liberties and Markets!
I have taken the liberty of crafting two pieces for the new Washington Post op-ed page that defend personal liberties and free markets. And here they are.
newrepublic.com
March 1, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Dear Mr. Bezos:
By insisting that the pieces that run on that page support “personal liberties” and “free markets,” you have inspired me to submit this piece for publication.
newrepublic.com/article/1920...
By insisting that the pieces that run on that page support “personal liberties” and “free markets,” you have inspired me to submit this piece for publication.
newrepublic.com/article/1920...
The blatant hypocrisy is breathtaking: I, Jeff Bezos, will refuse to print anything that isn't supportive of personal liberties or free markets, thereby undermining the personal liberties and the free marketplace of ideas that I am supposedly advocating www.theguardian.com/media/2025/f...
Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’
Opinion editor leaves as Amazon executive and newspaper owner says ‘viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others’
www.theguardian.com
February 26, 2025 at 11:05 PM
The blatant hypocrisy is breathtaking: I, Jeff Bezos, will refuse to print anything that isn't supportive of personal liberties or free markets, thereby undermining the personal liberties and the free marketplace of ideas that I am supposedly advocating www.theguardian.com/media/2025/f...
Today I’m a proud member of both @aftunion.bsky.social and @asanews.bsky.social
“This vague & clearly unconstitutional memo is a grave attack on students, our profession & knowledge itself. It would hamper efforts to extend access to education, & dash the promise of equal opportunity for all, a central tenant of the United States since its founding." @rweingarten.bsky.social
Educators Sue to Challenge Trump Administration's Efforts to Weaponize Civil Rights Laws, Attack Educational Programs and Student Opportunities
AFT, AFT-Maryland, American Sociological Association File to Challenge Administration's ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter in Defense of Students Nationwide
www.aft.org
February 26, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Today I’m a proud member of both @aftunion.bsky.social and @asanews.bsky.social
Reposted by Peter Hart-Brinson
1/7. Public discourse about racial equity has changed a lot over the years. At @commhsp.bsky.social we’ve been monitoring those changes and their consequences. In a new 538 article, @efranklinfowler.bsky.social and I share what we’ve been seeing and why it matters.
abcnews.go.com/538/national...
abcnews.go.com/538/national...
How the national conversation shifted from structural racism to DEI
How the conversation about DEI has evolved over time.
abcnews.go.com
February 24, 2025 at 7:31 PM
1/7. Public discourse about racial equity has changed a lot over the years. At @commhsp.bsky.social we’ve been monitoring those changes and their consequences. In a new 538 article, @efranklinfowler.bsky.social and I share what we’ve been seeing and why it matters.
abcnews.go.com/538/national...
abcnews.go.com/538/national...