Barry Schachter
@barryschachter.bsky.social
risk guy, interested in phil. sci., AI risks, general semantics, society&technology, objective truth, leadership, books that make me think & opinions that are not my own. Warning: highly fallible, but good natured
“Leaked files show far-right influences among #Project2025 applicants
Applicants reportedly cited N@zi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trvmp administration roles”
—Jason Wilson, in The Gardian @jasonaw.bsky.social
#CarlSchmitt
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Applicants reportedly cited N@zi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trvmp administration roles”
—Jason Wilson, in The Gardian @jasonaw.bsky.social
#CarlSchmitt
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Leaked files show far-right influences among Project 2025 applicants
Applicants reportedly cited Nazi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trump administration roles
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:56 AM
“Leaked files show far-right influences among #Project2025 applicants
Applicants reportedly cited N@zi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trvmp administration roles”
—Jason Wilson, in The Gardian @jasonaw.bsky.social
#CarlSchmitt
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Applicants reportedly cited N@zi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trvmp administration roles”
—Jason Wilson, in The Gardian @jasonaw.bsky.social
#CarlSchmitt
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
only the refusal to listen guarantees one against being ensnared by the truth
– Robert Nozick, “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”
– Robert Nozick, “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”
November 25, 2025 at 10:14 PM
only the refusal to listen guarantees one against being ensnared by the truth
– Robert Nozick, “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”
– Robert Nozick, “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”
20th Cent. German Philosopher Carl Schmitt, a fave of some members of US Admin., in 1932 defended the role of the Chancellor as "guardian of the Constitution" - its spirit, not the letter of. Claimed the Leader had extra-Constitutional powers to defend the Constitution. Twisted. Being revisited?
November 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
20th Cent. German Philosopher Carl Schmitt, a fave of some members of US Admin., in 1932 defended the role of the Chancellor as "guardian of the Constitution" - its spirit, not the letter of. Claimed the Leader had extra-Constitutional powers to defend the Constitution. Twisted. Being revisited?
On characterizing Trump as a populist, the journalist is neglecting "watch what I do" in favor of focusing on "listen to what I say".
How many times exactly does Trump have to hand billions to rich people or destroy the safety net before the media stops calling him a populist?
Every article by a 'savvy' political analyst reads like a focus group transcript with a low-information voter.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
November 22, 2025 at 5:23 PM
On characterizing Trump as a populist, the journalist is neglecting "watch what I do" in favor of focusing on "listen to what I say".
"I sure wisht I were a tree. I figger they got somthin' we haven't got. Don't make no mistakes."
- character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W.O. Mitchell
❤️📚 #booksky
- character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W.O. Mitchell
❤️📚 #booksky
November 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
"I sure wisht I were a tree. I figger they got somthin' we haven't got. Don't make no mistakes."
- character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W.O. Mitchell
❤️📚 #booksky
- character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W.O. Mitchell
❤️📚 #booksky
Meaning was a tag that people tied to things, nothing more.
—character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W O Mitchell
—character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W O Mitchell
November 21, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Meaning was a tag that people tied to things, nothing more.
—character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W O Mitchell
—character in Who Has Seen the Wind, by W O Mitchell
"In a free society, the rules that govern economic life should be knowable, reasoned, and appropriately constrained." (12/11/2025)
Paul Atkins, chair, US Securities & Exchange Commission
Paul Atkins, chair, US Securities & Exchange Commission
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
"In a free society, the rules that govern economic life should be knowable, reasoned, and appropriately constrained." (12/11/2025)
Paul Atkins, chair, US Securities & Exchange Commission
Paul Atkins, chair, US Securities & Exchange Commission
Reposted by Barry Schachter
What the fuck?
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts detained by ICE agents
The superintendent of the largest school district in Iowa has been detained by federal immigration officials. Superintendent Ian Roberts of Des Moines Public Schools was detained Friday morning, accor...
www.iowapublicradio.org
September 26, 2025 at 6:56 PM
What the fuck?
[W]hat has been told is finished. Only after he’s told someone about his journey, will he have crossed that desert once and for all.
—narrator, Transit by Anna Seghers
—narrator, Transit by Anna Seghers
November 3, 2025 at 3:16 AM
[W]hat has been told is finished. Only after he’s told someone about his journey, will he have crossed that desert once and for all.
—narrator, Transit by Anna Seghers
—narrator, Transit by Anna Seghers
what freedom really is: the discipline of sharing a world with other beings
- Harry Law (@lawhsw on X)
- Harry Law (@lawhsw on X)
October 31, 2025 at 2:31 PM
what freedom really is: the discipline of sharing a world with other beings
- Harry Law (@lawhsw on X)
- Harry Law (@lawhsw on X)
we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.
- Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, Ch. 1)
- Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, Ch. 1)
October 31, 2025 at 12:51 PM
we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.
- Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, Ch. 1)
- Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, Ch. 1)
"He has no material power...They tell him he is a god; he believes them...The followers of this man do not think at all; he was their act of spontaneous creation. Now he leads them, this madman..."
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock 📚❤️
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock 📚❤️
October 18, 2025 at 1:41 PM
"He has no material power...They tell him he is a god; he believes them...The followers of this man do not think at all; he was their act of spontaneous creation. Now he leads them, this madman..."
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock 📚❤️
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock 📚❤️
"He has no material power...They tell him he is a god; he believes them...The followers of this man do not think at all; he was their act of spontaneous creation. Now he leads them, this madman..."
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock
October 18, 2025 at 1:36 PM
"He has no material power...They tell him he is a god; he believes them...The followers of this man do not think at all; he was their act of spontaneous creation. Now he leads them, this madman..."
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock
-narrator, "Behold the Man" by Michael Moorcock
There came a day when those who strained their eyes and looked forwards could see the forms of designs blocked out upon the future. Men did not need to be prophets to discern these patterns...The future...became shockingly discernible.
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
October 6, 2025 at 6:59 AM
There came a day when those who strained their eyes and looked forwards could see the forms of designs blocked out upon the future. Men did not need to be prophets to discern these patterns...The future...became shockingly discernible.
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
There are certain things about which one can only form a theory.
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
October 6, 2025 at 6:53 AM
There are certain things about which one can only form a theory.
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
—Ethel Wilson ("The Innocent Traveller")
« Almost no one is aware of his own shortcoming »
—René Girard (attributed)
—René Girard (attributed)
October 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
« Almost no one is aware of his own shortcoming »
—René Girard (attributed)
—René Girard (attributed)
« everything today is propaganda… . You always claim to be fighting the violence of others. »
—René Girard (attributed)
in, The Misuse of René Girard by Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance and the American Right, by Paul Leslie
—René Girard (attributed)
in, The Misuse of René Girard by Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance and the American Right, by Paul Leslie
October 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
« everything today is propaganda… . You always claim to be fighting the violence of others. »
—René Girard (attributed)
in, The Misuse of René Girard by Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance and the American Right, by Paul Leslie
—René Girard (attributed)
in, The Misuse of René Girard by Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance and the American Right, by Paul Leslie
“when a symbol becomes too dear…it can blot out the truth”
—Nell Severence, character in “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
When you turn something into a symbol, something larger than life, you cease to see it for what it is actually.
—Nell Severence, character in “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
When you turn something into a symbol, something larger than life, you cease to see it for what it is actually.
August 20, 2025 at 8:11 PM
“when a symbol becomes too dear…it can blot out the truth”
—Nell Severence, character in “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
When you turn something into a symbol, something larger than life, you cease to see it for what it is actually.
—Nell Severence, character in “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
When you turn something into a symbol, something larger than life, you cease to see it for what it is actually.
A first meeting…Meeting partakes in its very essence not only of the persons but of the place of meeting. And that essense of place remains, and colors, faintly, the association, perhaps forever.
—narrator, “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
—narrator, “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
August 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A first meeting…Meeting partakes in its very essence not only of the persons but of the place of meeting. And that essense of place remains, and colors, faintly, the association, perhaps forever.
—narrator, “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
—narrator, “Swamp Angel” by Ethel Wilson
I am reading an excellent novel by Ethel Wilson, published in 1954, and ran smack into « propinquity ». I can’t recall how long it’s been, when reading, since my eyes were this close to « propinquity ». It is a fine word. Ms. Wilson had a knack for choosing the perfect word, I think.
#booksky ❤️📚
#booksky ❤️📚
August 16, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I am reading an excellent novel by Ethel Wilson, published in 1954, and ran smack into « propinquity ». I can’t recall how long it’s been, when reading, since my eyes were this close to « propinquity ». It is a fine word. Ms. Wilson had a knack for choosing the perfect word, I think.
#booksky ❤️📚
#booksky ❤️📚
When markets boom for years on end, optimists reign supreme.
—Ken Rogoff
“Our Dollar, Your Problem”
‘recency bias’ makes people’s baseline view artifically variable. It works in reverse, too.
—Ken Rogoff
“Our Dollar, Your Problem”
‘recency bias’ makes people’s baseline view artifically variable. It works in reverse, too.
July 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
When markets boom for years on end, optimists reign supreme.
—Ken Rogoff
“Our Dollar, Your Problem”
‘recency bias’ makes people’s baseline view artifically variable. It works in reverse, too.
—Ken Rogoff
“Our Dollar, Your Problem”
‘recency bias’ makes people’s baseline view artifically variable. It works in reverse, too.
For some, it is complacency;
For others, it is active avoidance of dissonance;
For many, it is the inability to process the implications of the evidence bc it is so alien to their worldview—it just doesn’t compute.
It’s unfortunate.
For others, it is active avoidance of dissonance;
For many, it is the inability to process the implications of the evidence bc it is so alien to their worldview—it just doesn’t compute.
It’s unfortunate.
July 23, 2025 at 10:26 PM
For some, it is complacency;
For others, it is active avoidance of dissonance;
For many, it is the inability to process the implications of the evidence bc it is so alien to their worldview—it just doesn’t compute.
It’s unfortunate.
For others, it is active avoidance of dissonance;
For many, it is the inability to process the implications of the evidence bc it is so alien to their worldview—it just doesn’t compute.
It’s unfortunate.
To lay claim to the truth of a thing one must be able to advance external evidence that vouches for the truth of the claim. This distinguishes knowledge from story, myth, opinion, propaganda.
Always ask why.
paraphrasing Maurice Mandelbaum “The Anatomy of Historical Knowledge”
Always ask why.
paraphrasing Maurice Mandelbaum “The Anatomy of Historical Knowledge”
July 23, 2025 at 3:54 AM
To lay claim to the truth of a thing one must be able to advance external evidence that vouches for the truth of the claim. This distinguishes knowledge from story, myth, opinion, propaganda.
Always ask why.
paraphrasing Maurice Mandelbaum “The Anatomy of Historical Knowledge”
Always ask why.
paraphrasing Maurice Mandelbaum “The Anatomy of Historical Knowledge”
Edward Tufte has said it before and I will say it again, it is essential to always ask yourself, "how do I know that, how do they know that?"
Asking this question powers self-agency. Self-agency is power. This is a virtuous circle.
Asking this question powers self-agency. Self-agency is power. This is a virtuous circle.
July 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Edward Tufte has said it before and I will say it again, it is essential to always ask yourself, "how do I know that, how do they know that?"
Asking this question powers self-agency. Self-agency is power. This is a virtuous circle.
Asking this question powers self-agency. Self-agency is power. This is a virtuous circle.
Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; no amount of force can control...a man whose mind is free.
Robert Heinlein, "Revolt in 2100"
Robert Heinlein, "Revolt in 2100"
July 7, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; no amount of force can control...a man whose mind is free.
Robert Heinlein, "Revolt in 2100"
Robert Heinlein, "Revolt in 2100"