Society

This blog began in 2004. Back then, my life was changing fast, and I was dreaming of a future creative studio. Where is that dream today?

Opinion: Subscribers keep paying more and getting the same.

The hiatus and possible breakup of Tenacious D makes me feel sad about the state of creative partnerships, and how power dynamics can break them.

Today Kim Kelly returns to write about two contrasting speeches by labor leaders this week: UAW President Shawn Fain at Netroots Nation and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien at the Republican National Convention (not great man!) Previously Kim wrote for Hell World about her Last Normal Day before covid and

Interaction bait is killing social media. You know what I’m talking about. Those posts that are designed to get you to comment, like, or share. They’re everywhere, and they’re getting more and more…

The rallying of the open-source community against CA SB 1047 can represent a turning point for AI regulation.

Ever heard of the “mudsill theory”? Well, it goes back to the slaveholding South. And it explains a lot.

In 1898, Frederick Taylor was hired as a consultant by the Bethlehem Iron Company with the stated mission of improving the efficiency of the workers. It was there that Taylorism morphed from the wh...

Photo by Andy Feliciotti on Unsplash If you’ve been a regular reader, you know I’m a little skeptical of government regulators (including the FTC and DOJ) being able to control and rein in Big Tech…

Cory Doctorow invented the perfect word for our time of collapsing complexity.

When lawmakers voted to allow hemp production in 2018, they quietly opened the door to legal THC in all 50 states.

Russell Vought is rumored to be under consideration for chief of staff in a second Trump administration. This would be a disaster.

A WA working group is researching how to replicate the system, which provides prescription fentanyl and heroin equivalents to help reduce overdoses.

Bible-bashing drug boss accused of targeting Afro-Brazilian religions and Catholic congregations

Make them all say, as Trump himself did after a school shooting massacre in Iowa this year, that we “have to get over it, we have to move forward.”

Political violence and especially electoral violence strike at the heart of the open, free and democratic choice-making upon which our civic democratic system and the legitimacy of its choices are…

Cultural evolution is humanity’s superpower. But we may have broken it. Compared to centuries ago, the world’s cultures now have much higher internal drift rates, much weaker selection pressures, and much less variety. Not re songs or tech, but re norms, status markers, and other culture features that are harder to vary among associates, and thus whose innovation needs more selection

The post discusses the pervasive influence of Donald Trump’s violent rhetoric, citing multiple instances where his statements have incited real-world violence. It highlights failed assassinat…

Bad Faith exposes Christian Nationalism, the most powerful anti-democratic force in America. Streaming on AppleTv+ and Google Play beginning April 26. Available for preorder now.

The little-known charity is backed by famous conservative donors, including the families behind Hobby Lobby and Uline. It’s spending millions to make a big political push for this election — but it may be violating the law.

From Timothy Snyder, an incredible piece on Trump, the coup attempt, and this fascist moment in American history. (Snyder, you may

The Moment, The Media, The Election

Yale history professor Timothy Snyder took to Facebook to share some lessons from 20th century about how to protect our liberal democracy from fascism and authoritarianism. Snyder has given his permission to republish

I want everything

I won’t wear the red flats again. That’s that girl who is in the bathroom forever. I know everybody knows.