Todd Battistelli
@fromtherostra.com
How do our disagreements go? #rhetoric, #writing, and #education.
Viewpoints that I express are my own and do not represent the views of organizations with which I'm affiliated. Reposts are not endorsements.
he/him
Viewpoints that I express are my own and do not represent the views of organizations with which I'm affiliated. Reposts are not endorsements.
he/him
Pinned
Todd Battistelli
@fromtherostra.com
· Nov 13
Hello!
My main interests are writing and learning, particularly as they relate to productive disagreement in rhetoric, organizational & workplace communication, emergent strategy, coalition work, and facilitation.
More here: fromtherostra.com/2023/03/10/w...
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My main interests are writing and learning, particularly as they relate to productive disagreement in rhetoric, organizational & workplace communication, emergent strategy, coalition work, and facilitation.
More here: fromtherostra.com/2023/03/10/w...
1/3
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Scott Adams' critique of management culture was often biting, but it mostly served to flatter the reader. The Dilbert strip pinned to the cubicle door didn't say "we should change this." It said "I, unlike my idiot coworkers, see through all this." Superiority not solidarity.
January 13, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Scott Adams' critique of management culture was often biting, but it mostly served to flatter the reader. The Dilbert strip pinned to the cubicle door didn't say "we should change this." It said "I, unlike my idiot coworkers, see through all this." Superiority not solidarity.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Thinking about that time the My Little Pony comics, of all things, absolutely bodied Scott Adams.
March 26, 2024 at 9:35 AM
Thinking about that time the My Little Pony comics, of all things, absolutely bodied Scott Adams.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
“This resolution does not create lawlessness. It creates safety. Again. It creates safety. It draws a line that says Aurora will not participate in tearing families apart.”
sentinelcolorado.com/metro/newly-...
#AuroraCO #ReneeGood #ICEraids #COpolitics #NoPaywall
sentinelcolorado.com/metro/newly-...
#AuroraCO #ReneeGood #ICEraids #COpolitics #NoPaywall
Newly elected Aurora council pushes back against ICE, passes resolution - Sentinel Colorado
"This resolution does not create lawlessness. It creates safety. Again. It creates safety. It draws a line that says Aurora will not participate in tearing families apart."
sentinelcolorado.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:43 PM
“This resolution does not create lawlessness. It creates safety. Again. It creates safety. It draws a line that says Aurora will not participate in tearing families apart.”
sentinelcolorado.com/metro/newly-...
#AuroraCO #ReneeGood #ICEraids #COpolitics #NoPaywall
sentinelcolorado.com/metro/newly-...
#AuroraCO #ReneeGood #ICEraids #COpolitics #NoPaywall
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
I've just posted my latest essay w/ @jessicasilbey.bsky.social, titled "How AI Destroys Institutions." We argue that AI systems are designed in ways that degrade & are likely to destroy our crucial civic institutions like the rule of law, universities & a free press. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
How AI Destroys Institutions
Civic institutions—the rule of law, universities, and a free press—are the backbone of democratic life. They are the mechanisms through which complex societies
papers.ssrn.com
January 12, 2026 at 2:15 PM
I've just posted my latest essay w/ @jessicasilbey.bsky.social, titled "How AI Destroys Institutions." We argue that AI systems are designed in ways that degrade & are likely to destroy our crucial civic institutions like the rule of law, universities & a free press. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
“I said some years ago, when laying our claims before the legislatures, ‘I know you are not prepared to give us all we ask, but we claim all our rights. We ask for no more; we can be satisfied with not less. yet we will take what you are prepared to give us, and claim the rest.’”
#TheoryOfChange
#TheoryOfChange
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
“I said some years ago, when laying our claims before the legislatures, ‘I know you are not prepared to give us all we ask, but we claim all our rights. We ask for no more; we can be satisfied with not less. yet we will take what you are prepared to give us, and claim the rest.’”
#TheoryOfChange
#TheoryOfChange
Something I appreciate in Rose’s work is a commitment to speaking of a better world that we have not yet made real and to the long-term work required:
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Something I appreciate in Rose’s work is a commitment to speaking of a better world that we have not yet made real and to the long-term work required:
Check out Paula Doress-Worters’ excellent collection of Rose’s work in Mistress of Herself and her website with more on Rose's life:
www.pauladoressworters.com/ernestine-ro...
www.pauladoressworters.com/ernestine-ro...
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Check out Paula Doress-Worters’ excellent collection of Rose’s work in Mistress of Herself and her website with more on Rose's life:
www.pauladoressworters.com/ernestine-ro...
www.pauladoressworters.com/ernestine-ro...
Happy birthday to Ernestine Rose, born 1810, who was a tireless advocate for abolition, women’s rights, and the rights and dignity of the nonreligious.
“In gratitude to the past we owe a duty to the future.”
#history #nonreligion #atheism
“In gratitude to the past we owe a duty to the future.”
#history #nonreligion #atheism
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Happy birthday to Ernestine Rose, born 1810, who was a tireless advocate for abolition, women’s rights, and the rights and dignity of the nonreligious.
“In gratitude to the past we owe a duty to the future.”
#history #nonreligion #atheism
“In gratitude to the past we owe a duty to the future.”
#history #nonreligion #atheism
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Ernestine Rose is included in our @humanismedu.bsky.social school resource about remarkable humanists alongside Moncure Conway, Eslanda Robeson, Thomas Paine, Eliza Flower, Bertrand Russell, E. M. Forster, and Rose Bush. understandinghumanism.org.uk/stories-of-h...
Stories of historic humanists
Doers, Dreamers, Place Makers tells the stories of eight remarkable people, inspired by their humanist values, who helped change the world for the better.
understandinghumanism.org.uk
January 13, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Ernestine Rose is included in our @humanismedu.bsky.social school resource about remarkable humanists alongside Moncure Conway, Eslanda Robeson, Thomas Paine, Eliza Flower, Bertrand Russell, E. M. Forster, and Rose Bush. understandinghumanism.org.uk/stories-of-h...
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
“we win when everyone has correct opinions” is not a viable theory of change. “We win power when we build solidarity across coalitions” is more like it but note that requires communication & persuasion, which require strategy and discipline
January 13, 2026 at 3:13 AM
“we win when everyone has correct opinions” is not a viable theory of change. “We win power when we build solidarity across coalitions” is more like it but note that requires communication & persuasion, which require strategy and discipline
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
We need less research framing the problem facing our country as "polarization" and more research framing the problem as "anti-democratic radicalization".
January 12, 2026 at 7:26 PM
We need less research framing the problem facing our country as "polarization" and more research framing the problem as "anti-democratic radicalization".
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
We don't need less polarization, we need more commitment to pluralistic democracy
January 12, 2026 at 7:27 PM
We don't need less polarization, we need more commitment to pluralistic democracy
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
This isn't just a casual observation. Fascism scholars have long made this point. It's why calling them "weird" was a more effective strategy than talking about the prices of eggs. Fascism is an aesthetic political movement - you need to make people feel embarassed and horrified by it.
one of the most effective weapons we have against fascism is mockery, especially when its really funny
It occurs to me all the yelling at ICE in MPLS isn't merely funny. Getting made fun of like this is awful for morale. ICE is losing field officers faster than it can wave them through training, and a big part of it is how little of this these little weasels can take.
January 12, 2026 at 5:54 PM
This isn't just a casual observation. Fascism scholars have long made this point. It's why calling them "weird" was a more effective strategy than talking about the prices of eggs. Fascism is an aesthetic political movement - you need to make people feel embarassed and horrified by it.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
The yawning canyon between the bravery of ordinary people trying to protect their neighbors and exercising their First Amendment rights versus the cowardice, silence, and capitulation by elites is something to behold.
January 12, 2026 at 11:38 AM
The yawning canyon between the bravery of ordinary people trying to protect their neighbors and exercising their First Amendment rights versus the cowardice, silence, and capitulation by elites is something to behold.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
This is *power* - the ability to say “absolutely not” or “yeah, we’re gonna do it anyway” and mean it and carry it through. This power is what is built through the kind of organizing we see against ICE. This is power whether you’re wearing a frog suit or not.
January 12, 2026 at 2:33 PM
This is *power* - the ability to say “absolutely not” or “yeah, we’re gonna do it anyway” and mean it and carry it through. This power is what is built through the kind of organizing we see against ICE. This is power whether you’re wearing a frog suit or not.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Beyond any immediate electoral implications, organizing is how you amass the kinds of local resources - relationships, plans, organizations, money, and proto institutions - that allow you to say no when a regime tries to compel you.
January 12, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Beyond any immediate electoral implications, organizing is how you amass the kinds of local resources - relationships, plans, organizations, money, and proto institutions - that allow you to say no when a regime tries to compel you.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Retail workers deal with massive levels disrespect and even violence on a regular basis. They deescalate situations better than law enforcement
January 12, 2026 at 1:55 PM
Retail workers deal with massive levels disrespect and even violence on a regular basis. They deescalate situations better than law enforcement
Trade jabs?!
What are the substantive policy and strategy differences between the candidates?
What are the substantive policy and strategy differences between the candidates?
"Attorney General Phil Weiser, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet trade jabs at governor’s race forum" #denver
Michael Bennet, Phil Weiser trade jabs in forum in governor's race
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser faced off in the first forum of Democratic candidates for Colorado governor.
www.dailycamera.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Trade jabs?!
What are the substantive policy and strategy differences between the candidates?
What are the substantive policy and strategy differences between the candidates?
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
The academic revolving door and the push/eagerness to sell yourself goes all the way around. As some are being pushed out—and encouraged to embrace their expulsion as translatable skills—others are faking their way in. We know this! But it bears thinking these “trends” together more.
January 12, 2026 at 1:08 PM
The academic revolving door and the push/eagerness to sell yourself goes all the way around. As some are being pushed out—and encouraged to embrace their expulsion as translatable skills—others are faking their way in. We know this! But it bears thinking these “trends” together more.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
"A good library is filled with mostly unread books. That’s the point."
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The Antilibrary: The Hidden Value of Unread Books -
The antidote to overconfidence is our relationship with knowledge. The antilibrary is the solution according to Nassim Taleb.
fs.blog
January 11, 2026 at 7:52 PM
"A good library is filled with mostly unread books. That’s the point."
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📚
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
Academics’ enthusiastic (and often uncritical) embrace of LLMs and generative artificial intelligence will be a factor in the junkification of research.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
January 12, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Academics’ enthusiastic (and often uncritical) embrace of LLMs and generative artificial intelligence will be a factor in the junkification of research.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
the DSA, the Federal Reserve, and the ladies who lunch have formed a popular front — it remains only to see if any elected Democrats will join them.
January 12, 2026 at 12:59 AM
the DSA, the Federal Reserve, and the ladies who lunch have formed a popular front — it remains only to see if any elected Democrats will join them.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
What it does not reflect is genuine acquiescence or partnership or a change of heart from Hochul, who made lofty child care commitments during her previous election and then forced the issue into gridlock every subsequent year after she won her reelection.
January 11, 2026 at 4:50 PM
What it does not reflect is genuine acquiescence or partnership or a change of heart from Hochul, who made lofty child care commitments during her previous election and then forced the issue into gridlock every subsequent year after she won her reelection.
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
insane new NJ story: Brendan Gill and by extension the Essex County Democratic machine is supporting a Republican, pro-insurrection mayor for reelection in a deep-blue town because his Democratic opponent is anti-machine newjerseyglobe.com/congress/nj-...
NJ-11 battle lines are drawn in Belleville - New Jersey Globe
The Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 11th congressional district and the nonpartisan race for mayor of Belleville – two very different races happening
newjerseyglobe.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:29 AM
insane new NJ story: Brendan Gill and by extension the Essex County Democratic machine is supporting a Republican, pro-insurrection mayor for reelection in a deep-blue town because his Democratic opponent is anti-machine newjerseyglobe.com/congress/nj-...
Reposted by Todd Battistelli
