Morgan Golf-French
@zenothankyou.bsky.social
History postdoc in Turin, works on race, policy, and education in the German Enlightenment.
Has strong feelings about the periodization of the 18thC. Enjoys hiking, hummus, horror films, and heavy metal. Jewish.
Has strong feelings about the periodization of the 18thC. Enjoys hiking, hummus, horror films, and heavy metal. Jewish.
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Hang on, when did writing articles to mock normal people for doing normal things become so performative?
November 10, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Hang on, when did writing articles to mock normal people for doing normal things become so performative?
Has anyone else been getting a flood of libertarian ads on social media recently?
It's mostly bog-standard mugshot + smug quote fare from the usual suspects (Atlas Society, Young Americans for Liberty, etc.) but it's pure cringe like Simpsons stills with Ayn Rand's face superimposed over Lisa's.
It's mostly bog-standard mugshot + smug quote fare from the usual suspects (Atlas Society, Young Americans for Liberty, etc.) but it's pure cringe like Simpsons stills with Ayn Rand's face superimposed over Lisa's.
November 10, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Has anyone else been getting a flood of libertarian ads on social media recently?
It's mostly bog-standard mugshot + smug quote fare from the usual suspects (Atlas Society, Young Americans for Liberty, etc.) but it's pure cringe like Simpsons stills with Ayn Rand's face superimposed over Lisa's.
It's mostly bog-standard mugshot + smug quote fare from the usual suspects (Atlas Society, Young Americans for Liberty, etc.) but it's pure cringe like Simpsons stills with Ayn Rand's face superimposed over Lisa's.
Can't stop thinking about the guy who recently told me, in all seriousness, that The Phantom Menace is a 10/10 movie on a par with Empire Strikes Back
November 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Can't stop thinking about the guy who recently told me, in all seriousness, that The Phantom Menace is a 10/10 movie on a par with Empire Strikes Back
We have both a right and a duty to insist that our lives are administered by humans, not algorithms.
Identifying flaws in GenAI unfortunately offers a pretext for claims that perfecting the product is just a matter of time & money. So pointing to chatbots’ role in,say, suicides can only go so far if we don’t also identify the systemic, irresolvable lack of Gen AI’s human commitment bc math has none
November 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM
We have both a right and a duty to insist that our lives are administered by humans, not algorithms.
I don't really like the term Russophobia because it tends to get thrown around by Putin apologists trying to equate criticism with bigotry, but I do think it's striking just how many purportedly subtle commentators have an extremely flattened view of Russian society and culture as having existed...
November 8, 2025 at 2:27 PM
I don't really like the term Russophobia because it tends to get thrown around by Putin apologists trying to equate criticism with bigotry, but I do think it's striking just how many purportedly subtle commentators have an extremely flattened view of Russian society and culture as having existed...
I'm staying in Hungary for research, but today I'm in Slovakia for a day trip.
One thing that's striking is English is much more visible in Hungary, but I've had more luck using German as an auxiliary language. Meanwhile German is a lot more visible in SK, but everybody speaks English.
One thing that's striking is English is much more visible in Hungary, but I've had more luck using German as an auxiliary language. Meanwhile German is a lot more visible in SK, but everybody speaks English.
November 8, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I'm staying in Hungary for research, but today I'm in Slovakia for a day trip.
One thing that's striking is English is much more visible in Hungary, but I've had more luck using German as an auxiliary language. Meanwhile German is a lot more visible in SK, but everybody speaks English.
One thing that's striking is English is much more visible in Hungary, but I've had more luck using German as an auxiliary language. Meanwhile German is a lot more visible in SK, but everybody speaks English.
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
Would any successful Bodleian visiting fellow recipients be willing to share their application materials with me? Especially if medieval/early modern. Ta!
November 8, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Would any successful Bodleian visiting fellow recipients be willing to share their application materials with me? Especially if medieval/early modern. Ta!
The great thing about working on early modern academia is you never know if the archive will a) overturn everything we thought we knew about early modern philosophy or b) be nothing but complaints about low pay
November 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM
The great thing about working on early modern academia is you never know if the archive will a) overturn everything we thought we knew about early modern philosophy or b) be nothing but complaints about low pay
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
I am Ozymandias, King of Kings. Press 1 to look upon my works, press 2 to despair
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. I am out of the office but checking emails. Responses may be slower than usual. If your matter is urgent, please feel free to look upon my works and despair.
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works and see it, say it, sorted.
November 3, 2025 at 7:32 PM
I am Ozymandias, King of Kings. Press 1 to look upon my works, press 2 to despair
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
Whoever wrote in the blurb for this edition of Edward Said’s Out of Place that the book reveals “an unimaginably rich world of colorful characters and exotic eastern landscapes” desperately needs to read some Edward Said
November 3, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Whoever wrote in the blurb for this edition of Edward Said’s Out of Place that the book reveals “an unimaginably rich world of colorful characters and exotic eastern landscapes” desperately needs to read some Edward Said
Truly vile to see right-wing USians try to make gun lobby-cum-white nationalist hay out of the horrendous attack in Cambridgeshire.
Every act of violence is a problem requiring serious attention, but by just about every metric the UK is a safer, healthier, less violent place than the USA.
Every act of violence is a problem requiring serious attention, but by just about every metric the UK is a safer, healthier, less violent place than the USA.
November 3, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Truly vile to see right-wing USians try to make gun lobby-cum-white nationalist hay out of the horrendous attack in Cambridgeshire.
Every act of violence is a problem requiring serious attention, but by just about every metric the UK is a safer, healthier, less violent place than the USA.
Every act of violence is a problem requiring serious attention, but by just about every metric the UK is a safer, healthier, less violent place than the USA.
Important to also note that smartphones, including relatively new iPhones, can be bought for <€100.
I recently broke (through my own fault entirely) an iPhone that was brand new in 2022. One option for a replacement was the exact same model for €95.
I recently broke (through my own fault entirely) an iPhone that was brand new in 2022. One option for a replacement was the exact same model for €95.
Never take seriously those who ridicule low income people for having a smartphone or laptop.
“If they’re so poor how did they buy an iPhone???”
Because they’re trying to escape poverty, not the 1700s, genius. If you think basic tech access is luxury, survive a month without it.
“If they’re so poor how did they buy an iPhone???”
Because they’re trying to escape poverty, not the 1700s, genius. If you think basic tech access is luxury, survive a month without it.
November 2, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Important to also note that smartphones, including relatively new iPhones, can be bought for <€100.
I recently broke (through my own fault entirely) an iPhone that was brand new in 2022. One option for a replacement was the exact same model for €95.
I recently broke (through my own fault entirely) an iPhone that was brand new in 2022. One option for a replacement was the exact same model for €95.
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
F. Scott Fitzgerald: In my book I invented Gatsby lifestyle as a cautionary tale
The president: At long last, we have created the Gatsby lifestyle from the classic novel The Great Gatsby
The president: At long last, we have created the Gatsby lifestyle from the classic novel The Great Gatsby
November 1, 2025 at 4:48 AM
F. Scott Fitzgerald: In my book I invented Gatsby lifestyle as a cautionary tale
The president: At long last, we have created the Gatsby lifestyle from the classic novel The Great Gatsby
The president: At long last, we have created the Gatsby lifestyle from the classic novel The Great Gatsby
It gets even better when you read it. Kicks off with "how dare poor countries not know their place" then settles into "we should simply do the things that got us into this mess" with a side of "citation: rich dudes who benefit from all this"
November 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
It gets even better when you read it. Kicks off with "how dare poor countries not know their place" then settles into "we should simply do the things that got us into this mess" with a side of "citation: rich dudes who benefit from all this"
No, Adobe, I neither need nor want an AI summary of my Flixbus ticket. It's literally just a QR code.
November 1, 2025 at 10:11 AM
No, Adobe, I neither need nor want an AI summary of my Flixbus ticket. It's literally just a QR code.
As an Ulm-enjoyer and Barcelona-hater, I can't begin to express my displeasure with this development.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Four feet higher and rising: Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia becomes world’s tallest church
Antoni Gaudí’s masterwork is still under construction but now stands taller than Ulm Minster in southern Germany
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM
As an Ulm-enjoyer and Barcelona-hater, I can't begin to express my displeasure with this development.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
So why does the BBC label the academic and economist Faiza Shaheen an "activist" but refuse to do the same for the former academic, turned anti-migrant activist Matt Goodwin?
October 30, 2025 at 11:06 AM
So why does the BBC label the academic and economist Faiza Shaheen an "activist" but refuse to do the same for the former academic, turned anti-migrant activist Matt Goodwin?
This is one of those things that becomes abundantly clear if you use LLMs to find anything that isn't readily discoverable with a Google search.
And if what you're looking for is readily discoverable with a normal search engine, why bother with an LLM in the first place?
And if what you're looking for is readily discoverable with a normal search engine, why bother with an LLM in the first place?
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
October 29, 2025 at 12:04 PM
This is one of those things that becomes abundantly clear if you use LLMs to find anything that isn't readily discoverable with a Google search.
And if what you're looking for is readily discoverable with a normal search engine, why bother with an LLM in the first place?
And if what you're looking for is readily discoverable with a normal search engine, why bother with an LLM in the first place?
Great to see all the people and institutions who spent years chiding us for living in an echo chamber now calling us luddites for not embracing the echoiest of all echo chambers
I agree, adding that I’m very concerned about its effects on adult brains too. I think it’s much more psychologically dangerous to interact with an LLM designed to reflect your own ideas back flatteringly than to post on social media, where someone will always be ready to call you a c***
I personally am significantly more worried about the effects of LLMs and AI video slop on children’s brain development than I am about even social media. I am very worried that our school systems and laws are pushing kids toward AI artificial “friends” while banning social apps.
October 29, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Great to see all the people and institutions who spent years chiding us for living in an echo chamber now calling us luddites for not embracing the echoiest of all echo chambers
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
it’s officially book promo time! so, hey, i wrote this book; it comes out in a week! would you mind signal boosting and asking your library to buy it? if you’d like a copy, the code AUFLY30 will get you 30%off.
global.oup.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:44 AM
it’s officially book promo time! so, hey, i wrote this book; it comes out in a week! would you mind signal boosting and asking your library to buy it? if you’d like a copy, the code AUFLY30 will get you 30%off.
I've got a research trip to Hungary coming up and need your tips!
I will be in Sárospatak and Debrecen (emphatically not Budapest). I'll have my work cut out clearing through everything I need in the archives, but looking for tips or tricks, especially (vegetarian) food.
I will be in Sárospatak and Debrecen (emphatically not Budapest). I'll have my work cut out clearing through everything I need in the archives, but looking for tips or tricks, especially (vegetarian) food.
October 28, 2025 at 9:38 AM
I've got a research trip to Hungary coming up and need your tips!
I will be in Sárospatak and Debrecen (emphatically not Budapest). I'll have my work cut out clearing through everything I need in the archives, but looking for tips or tricks, especially (vegetarian) food.
I will be in Sárospatak and Debrecen (emphatically not Budapest). I'll have my work cut out clearing through everything I need in the archives, but looking for tips or tricks, especially (vegetarian) food.
Reposted by Morgan Golf-French
Asylum seekers, housed in hotels in Manchester, are reaching out in their own words to address the concerns of the local community.
Please take a minute to read their letter, & share it with the people in your life who need to hear the truth about the people they are protesting.
Please take a minute to read their letter, & share it with the people in your life who need to hear the truth about the people they are protesting.
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Asylum seekers, housed in hotels in Manchester, are reaching out in their own words to address the concerns of the local community.
Please take a minute to read their letter, & share it with the people in your life who need to hear the truth about the people they are protesting.
Please take a minute to read their letter, & share it with the people in your life who need to hear the truth about the people they are protesting.
I keep seeing nominally serious journalists refer to Biden as having an open borders policy like this is a question of plain fact, rather than a mendacious framing designed to legitimize racist authoritarianism.
knew immediately this would have an abysmal 'to be sure' paragraph
October 27, 2025 at 2:23 PM
I keep seeing nominally serious journalists refer to Biden as having an open borders policy like this is a question of plain fact, rather than a mendacious framing designed to legitimize racist authoritarianism.
I have seen precisely three Kazakh horror films and all three of them have been fantastic.
October 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I have seen precisely three Kazakh horror films and all three of them have been fantastic.