Megan McIntyre
@rcmeg.bsky.social
Director, Program in Rhet/Comp, U of Arkansas
English prof
Writing about #WPALife and writing pedagogy
Loves dogs
Before: Sonoma State English & Dartmouth Institute for Writing & Rhetoric
(views only ever mine, obv)
she/her
English prof
Writing about #WPALife and writing pedagogy
Loves dogs
Before: Sonoma State English & Dartmouth Institute for Writing & Rhetoric
(views only ever mine, obv)
she/her
Pinned
Megan McIntyre
@rcmeg.bsky.social
· Jul 12
New from me. Hope you’ll give it a read www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Tech billionaire Trump adviser Marc Andreesen says universities will ‘pay the price’ for DEI
Tech investor and Trump adviser Marc Andreessen in a private group chat attacked colleges for promoting diversity, saying they had discriminated against “native born kids.”
www.washingtonpost.com
I'm genuinely begging folks to read both @timnitgebru.bsky.social and Torres' "TESCREAL Bundle" and @adambecker.bsky.social's _More Everything Forever_ and connect these billionaires' eugenicist dreams to the GenAI products they're pushing onto every educational institution, K-college.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
My post of Decision Desk's decision to call the Seattle mayor race for Harrell last week didn't hinge on who would ultimately win: The point was that a "call" isn't a race to get a prediction right.
But Wilson now being ahead should at least bring more attention to the importance of not rushing.
But Wilson now being ahead should at least bring more attention to the importance of not rushing.
Calls are about certainty and not risking people's confidence in the final result. Speeding through for competition is not good and irresponsible.
November 11, 2025 at 12:17 AM
My post of Decision Desk's decision to call the Seattle mayor race for Harrell last week didn't hinge on who would ultimately win: The point was that a "call" isn't a race to get a prediction right.
But Wilson now being ahead should at least bring more attention to the importance of not rushing.
But Wilson now being ahead should at least bring more attention to the importance of not rushing.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
People are struggling so hard to understand the ethical/moral issues don’t go away simply because you found a use for the thing.
November 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
People are struggling so hard to understand the ethical/moral issues don’t go away simply because you found a use for the thing.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I get this a lot too. I don't use ChatGPT or any LLMs in my work because I want my writing to sound like me, not like the averaged-out voice of the internet. But also, writing is thinking, and thinking is a habit. I don't want to get out of that habit.
A friend recently texted me the same thing. “Do you really not use ChatGPT?!” It was a sign of where we are culturally on this. People are compelled to use it but also starting to question the normalcy?
Recently met someone who was very surprised to hear I didn’t use ChatGPT or any LLM.
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
November 8, 2025 at 1:43 PM
I get this a lot too. I don't use ChatGPT or any LLMs in my work because I want my writing to sound like me, not like the averaged-out voice of the internet. But also, writing is thinking, and thinking is a habit. I don't want to get out of that habit.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
“I didn't exactly panic, but here's what was going through my head,” Liz in Wisconsin, 43, who receives SNAP benefits for her and her adult daughter, explained. “We have to eat. This money will not last. What happens in December? What about January? Do I have to make this food last all winter?”
The voices of SNAP
Recipients have become political pawns. They explained, in their own words, what Trump withholding funds has been like.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 7, 2025 at 11:21 PM
“I didn't exactly panic, but here's what was going through my head,” Liz in Wisconsin, 43, who receives SNAP benefits for her and her adult daughter, explained. “We have to eat. This money will not last. What happens in December? What about January? Do I have to make this food last all winter?”
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
LET ME BE PERFECTLY CLEAR: DOJ DID ALL OF THIS TO TRY AND STOP PAYMENTS TO PEOPLE UNDER AN ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAM.
Oh, this is wild.
DOJ went to SCOTUS *before* we got the First Circuit's administrative stay denial. (We know this because DOJ just filed a letter at SCOTUS about the admin stay denial.)
So, DOJ went to SCOTUS b/c the First Circuit did not meet its less-than-seven-hour "deadline" for a ruling.
DOJ went to SCOTUS *before* we got the First Circuit's administrative stay denial. (We know this because DOJ just filed a letter at SCOTUS about the admin stay denial.)
So, DOJ went to SCOTUS b/c the First Circuit did not meet its less-than-seven-hour "deadline" for a ruling.
November 8, 2025 at 12:06 AM
LET ME BE PERFECTLY CLEAR: DOJ DID ALL OF THIS TO TRY AND STOP PAYMENTS TO PEOPLE UNDER AN ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAM.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
virtue signalling is good actually
Performative decency is actually *so* important for this reason.
It tricks the 10% of ghouls into thinking that there are only 1% of ghouls.
And it makes the 30% of people that don't care one way or another follow the mostly decent crowd
It tricks the 10% of ghouls into thinking that there are only 1% of ghouls.
And it makes the 30% of people that don't care one way or another follow the mostly decent crowd
November 7, 2025 at 7:59 PM
virtue signalling is good actually
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I'd be a bad nonprofit head if I didn't follow this up by saying...
... if you agree with this, do consider becoming a supporter or monthly subscriber!
First, to support our independent journalism!
And second, because we just launched our fundraising drive... with a big match:
... if you agree with this, do consider becoming a supporter or monthly subscriber!
First, to support our independent journalism!
And second, because we just launched our fundraising drive... with a big match:
We launched our year-end fundraising drive this week, and here's why this is the ideal time for you to support Bolts.
The Newsmatch program will match your gift, up to $1,000.
In a nutshell, that means a donation you make will be doubled!
The Newsmatch program will match your gift, up to $1,000.
In a nutshell, that means a donation you make will be doubled!
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I'd be a bad nonprofit head if I didn't follow this up by saying...
... if you agree with this, do consider becoming a supporter or monthly subscriber!
First, to support our independent journalism!
And second, because we just launched our fundraising drive... with a big match:
... if you agree with this, do consider becoming a supporter or monthly subscriber!
First, to support our independent journalism!
And second, because we just launched our fundraising drive... with a big match:
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Dear @rweingarten.bsky.social and @aft.org: Please cancel your partnership with this evil company and stop pushing “A.i.” on teachers and students.
There are no words for how evil this is
November 7, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Dear @rweingarten.bsky.social and @aft.org: Please cancel your partnership with this evil company and stop pushing “A.i.” on teachers and students.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I'm going to do something about this, I swear, but part of the whole point of having a professional class (doctors, lawyers, educators, etc.) is that those people have to be properly trained to train others. That training is incomplete so long as we ignore the vulnerabilities and risks.
Call me controversial, but technology that leads vulnerable people into crisis and even holds their hand as they die by suicide should not be endorsed by schools and universities, we should not be giving discounted subscriptions to this monstrous tech to young people AT ALL
The boyfriend of a friend of my son's has spent several weeks in a psych ward due to Chat GPT induced psychosis. He isn't suicidal but AI encouraged him down a toxic and paranoid wormhole until he became completely delusional. Evil stuff.
November 7, 2025 at 2:36 PM
I'm going to do something about this, I swear, but part of the whole point of having a professional class (doctors, lawyers, educators, etc.) is that those people have to be properly trained to train others. That training is incomplete so long as we ignore the vulnerabilities and risks.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Could we also talk about liability in wrongful death cases? At public schools? What does a $50m lawsuit look like in a school of 1000 kids?
Call me controversial, but technology that leads vulnerable people into crisis and even holds their hand as they die by suicide should not be endorsed by schools and universities, we should not be giving discounted subscriptions to this monstrous tech to young people AT ALL
The boyfriend of a friend of my son's has spent several weeks in a psych ward due to Chat GPT induced psychosis. He isn't suicidal but AI encouraged him down a toxic and paranoid wormhole until he became completely delusional. Evil stuff.
November 7, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Could we also talk about liability in wrongful death cases? At public schools? What does a $50m lawsuit look like in a school of 1000 kids?
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
1.This is not the only known example we know of ChatGPT cheering on a vulnerable young person to die by suicide, this time it is a recent Texas A&M grad
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
November 7, 2025 at 1:50 AM
1.This is not the only known example we know of ChatGPT cheering on a vulnerable young person to die by suicide, this time it is a recent Texas A&M grad
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I dunno, maybe radically centralizing all of our literate activities is kind of bad. Strange to see so many people who ostensibly support academic freedom or critical thinking just say "Job skills? What the hell, sure."
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
I dunno, maybe radically centralizing all of our literate activities is kind of bad. Strange to see so many people who ostensibly support academic freedom or critical thinking just say "Job skills? What the hell, sure."
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Yes, this. Regardless of whether AI is "good enough" perform human tasks, this is becoming my main concern. It is already quite good at centralizing access to information and determining the correct/approved way to express ideas.
Once you start thinking of AI as a war on humanity, on human thought, on human inquiry, on human labor, on nuance and critical thinking, it slots in pretty seamlessly with the right wing ideological project, oligarchical political projects, big tech's political projects, etc
November 7, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Yes, this. Regardless of whether AI is "good enough" perform human tasks, this is becoming my main concern. It is already quite good at centralizing access to information and determining the correct/approved way to express ideas.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
The most infuriating thing I've read lately is the response by Anthology to "AI agents" recognizing they're a huge problem for education then pivoting to "blocking AI in the classroom is extremely difficult, and institutions will see best results by adapting their pedagogical approach to the AI era"
November 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The most infuriating thing I've read lately is the response by Anthology to "AI agents" recognizing they're a huge problem for education then pivoting to "blocking AI in the classroom is extremely difficult, and institutions will see best results by adapting their pedagogical approach to the AI era"
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Do tell.
AI Capabilities May Be Overhyped on Bogus Benchmarks, Study Finds
They're dumber than you think and they might be cheating.
gizmodo.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Do tell.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
WOW — MICROSOFT LAWYER: “Nobody really wants a data center in their backyard, they don’t bring a lot of jobs.”🤔
Speaking of which, hey MEMPHIS did y’all get a list of jobs Musk’s xAI delivered yet?? @mayorpaulyoung @memphischamber
Speaking of which, hey MEMPHIS did y’all get a list of jobs Musk’s xAI delivered yet?? @mayorpaulyoung @memphischamber
November 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
WOW — MICROSOFT LAWYER: “Nobody really wants a data center in their backyard, they don’t bring a lot of jobs.”🤔
Speaking of which, hey MEMPHIS did y’all get a list of jobs Musk’s xAI delivered yet?? @mayorpaulyoung @memphischamber
Speaking of which, hey MEMPHIS did y’all get a list of jobs Musk’s xAI delivered yet?? @mayorpaulyoung @memphischamber
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
November 6, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
November 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
“And while that might sounds like a rather invasive way to find a match, the dating app notes that it’s opt-in and will hopefully combat what it calls ‘swipe fatigue.’”
One of ai boosters’ favorite pitches is the offer to relieve you of the drudgery of making choices.
One of ai boosters’ favorite pitches is the offer to relieve you of the drudgery of making choices.
Tinder is Testing AI Features That Look Through Your Camera Roll
The feature is opt-in, but still raises concerns about privacy. Called
gizmodo.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:05 PM
“And while that might sounds like a rather invasive way to find a match, the dating app notes that it’s opt-in and will hopefully combat what it calls ‘swipe fatigue.’”
One of ai boosters’ favorite pitches is the offer to relieve you of the drudgery of making choices.
One of ai boosters’ favorite pitches is the offer to relieve you of the drudgery of making choices.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Unpopular opinion : that I’m not even sure is safe to say
Until we are able to have real discussions about how using Ai is always an attempt at control and domination
And that using it without consent is just a violation ?
We won’t get anywhere
Until we are able to have real discussions about how using Ai is always an attempt at control and domination
And that using it without consent is just a violation ?
We won’t get anywhere
“Ansari’s Micro1 also does something called human data capture. It pays people to wear smart glasses that capture everyday actions. It is doing this in Brazil, Argentina, India, and the United States.”
Inside the race to train AI robots how to act human in the real world
Humanoid robot training is booming around the world. Tech companies are rushing to build the robots for a market projected to reach $38 billion within the next decade.
tech.yahoo.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Unpopular opinion : that I’m not even sure is safe to say
Until we are able to have real discussions about how using Ai is always an attempt at control and domination
And that using it without consent is just a violation ?
We won’t get anywhere
Until we are able to have real discussions about how using Ai is always an attempt at control and domination
And that using it without consent is just a violation ?
We won’t get anywhere
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
While we debate the future, AI-enabled deportations, surveillance, and deaths are increasing. The concentration of power in the hands of a few directly controls who live and who dies. The video is inspired by and supports the work of @danmcquillan.bsky.social -Read his Resisting AI
November 5, 2025 at 6:58 PM
While we debate the future, AI-enabled deportations, surveillance, and deaths are increasing. The concentration of power in the hands of a few directly controls who live and who dies. The video is inspired by and supports the work of @danmcquillan.bsky.social -Read his Resisting AI
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
Like séances surging after the Civil War and Spanish Flu, today's AI promises—eternal life, superintelligence, climate solutions—emerge from the conditions of collective grief and fear.
November 5, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Like séances surging after the Civil War and Spanish Flu, today's AI promises—eternal life, superintelligence, climate solutions—emerge from the conditions of collective grief and fear.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
The tech companies, I fear, do not care about our input on their destruction of our learning sites, water infrastructure, or democracies.
November 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
The tech companies, I fear, do not care about our input on their destruction of our learning sites, water infrastructure, or democracies.
Reposted by Megan McIntyre
I am very concerned about anticipatory compliance at UC. Provost Katherine Newman has opted to defund a critical program called the UC Presidents Postdoctoral Fellowship (PPFP). This incredibly selective postdoc has provided a route to UC faculty for many of my most valued colleagues. +
November 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I am very concerned about anticipatory compliance at UC. Provost Katherine Newman has opted to defund a critical program called the UC Presidents Postdoctoral Fellowship (PPFP). This incredibly selective postdoc has provided a route to UC faculty for many of my most valued colleagues. +