Anxious historian
@iamexhausted.bsky.social
History professor, 20th century US, gender, race, medicine, and politics.
Reposted by Anxious historian
I don't remember seeing any calls for violent retribution after a Minnesota state senator was assassinated, and it would have been nice not to see any today.
September 10, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I don't remember seeing any calls for violent retribution after a Minnesota state senator was assassinated, and it would have been nice not to see any today.
Reposted by Anxious historian
I keep saying this but it remains true: Dems have not learned the central lesson of Reconstruction, that multiracial democracy cannot survive when those working to overthrow the rule of law & fair elections are allowed to operate with impunity.
the problem for Ds right now is not winning elections. they are doing fine at winning elections.
the problem is what happens *between elections.* as in, if you don't fight fascism between elections, election outcomes start not to matter. 1
the problem is what happens *between elections.* as in, if you don't fight fascism between elections, election outcomes start not to matter. 1
August 23, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I keep saying this but it remains true: Dems have not learned the central lesson of Reconstruction, that multiracial democracy cannot survive when those working to overthrow the rule of law & fair elections are allowed to operate with impunity.
Reposted by Anxious historian
Narrator: turns out bootlicking the nazis is bad for business
August 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Narrator: turns out bootlicking the nazis is bad for business
Reposted by Anxious historian
I don't know who needs to hear this but slavery was bad.
August 20, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I don't know who needs to hear this but slavery was bad.
Reposted by Anxious historian
This.
I must continue to insist that this is not a strong regime. It does not have the kind of pan-societal support needed to enforce Gleichshaltung. It has significant elite buy-in and a small popular coalition, but it is brittle and feeble and will collapse if pressed hard enough.
Situation on 14th St and W St. NW, with federal agents -- no specific agency identified -- pulling cars over for checks. They arrested a Black woman in this car.
BIG crowd of people shouting at police.
"Fuck you!"
"What is wrong with you!"
"You don't need to terrorize people like this!"
BIG crowd of people shouting at police.
"Fuck you!"
"What is wrong with you!"
"You don't need to terrorize people like this!"
August 14, 2025 at 10:26 AM
This.
I am going to frame all of these
August 13, 2025 at 10:56 PM
I am going to frame all of these
Reposted by Anxious historian
Reposted by Anxious historian
Authoritarian regimes are notorious for making people think what they perceive to be reality is not actually real. Sometimes this is called creating "unreality" sometimes "gas-lighting." It doesn't matter which label is used, the goal is the same: make people doubt what they see with their own eyes.
August 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Authoritarian regimes are notorious for making people think what they perceive to be reality is not actually real. Sometimes this is called creating "unreality" sometimes "gas-lighting." It doesn't matter which label is used, the goal is the same: make people doubt what they see with their own eyes.
Reposted by Anxious historian
THIS. It has hurt STEM students on the job front as much as it’s hurt humanities enrollments. We claim to be helping these students w focused ‘job ready’ degrees. It’s a lie. It has always been a lie.
(Not all, of course, but overall siloing stem students away from books and humanities, and more than that, convincing them those things are beneath them/obsolete, has done them a disservice. There just isn't really a way to learn critical thinking skills without, apart from lived experience.)
August 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
THIS. It has hurt STEM students on the job front as much as it’s hurt humanities enrollments. We claim to be helping these students w focused ‘job ready’ degrees. It’s a lie. It has always been a lie.
Reposted by Anxious historian
(Humanities professors after decades of STEM pushes)
August 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
(Humanities professors after decades of STEM pushes)
Reposted by Anxious historian
say it again:
4 million people work in higher ed, the largest employer in 10 states, second largest employer in 10 more, and in 60 of the 100 biggest cities
demolishing higher education is economic sabotage
4 million people work in higher ed, the largest employer in 10 states, second largest employer in 10 more, and in 60 of the 100 biggest cities
demolishing higher education is economic sabotage
It's important to note here that we're not just talking about faculty & university staff. 100s of U.S. colleges are in towns or small cities where they form the major industry & lifeblood of the community. Loss of students -> loss of rent $, restaurant $, bars, bookstores, gaming stores...
The US could see a 30-40% decline in new international student enrollment, resulting in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer American jobs. https://www.nafsa.org/fall-2025-international-student-enrollment-outlook-and-economic-impact
August 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM
say it again:
4 million people work in higher ed, the largest employer in 10 states, second largest employer in 10 more, and in 60 of the 100 biggest cities
demolishing higher education is economic sabotage
4 million people work in higher ed, the largest employer in 10 states, second largest employer in 10 more, and in 60 of the 100 biggest cities
demolishing higher education is economic sabotage
Reposted by Anxious historian
I'm so tired of hearing that we need to "teach our students how to use AI" when the thing they most need to use it is a critical-thinking skill set that can only be acquired by NOT using it. I'm tired of hearing that it's inevitable. I'm tired.
August 1, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I'm so tired of hearing that we need to "teach our students how to use AI" when the thing they most need to use it is a critical-thinking skill set that can only be acquired by NOT using it. I'm tired of hearing that it's inevitable. I'm tired.
Reposted by Anxious historian
60 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law, the greatest health insurance expansion in our nation's history.
I usually celebrate the anniversary of this transformative moment, but this year, now that the BBB is in effect, I just feel sad.
I usually celebrate the anniversary of this transformative moment, but this year, now that the BBB is in effect, I just feel sad.
July 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM
60 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law, the greatest health insurance expansion in our nation's history.
I usually celebrate the anniversary of this transformative moment, but this year, now that the BBB is in effect, I just feel sad.
I usually celebrate the anniversary of this transformative moment, but this year, now that the BBB is in effect, I just feel sad.
So I’m going to need him to run for office.
July 30, 2025 at 12:47 PM
So I’m going to need him to run for office.
Reposted by Anxious historian
If Trump didn't send Epstein that birthday drawing, then why did he beg Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief at WSJ, not to run the story?
July 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
If Trump didn't send Epstein that birthday drawing, then why did he beg Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief at WSJ, not to run the story?
Reposted by Anxious historian
Trump genuinely believes that tariffs are a free money hack that everyone except him just never noticed.
July 11, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Trump genuinely believes that tariffs are a free money hack that everyone except him just never noticed.
Every word of this
Black women are the most educated demographic in America.
More degrees per capita than any other group, including white men and white women.
And still, they’re among the most underpaid.
More educated, less paid. Overqualified, underestimated, and undervalued. Every time.
(1 of 3)
More degrees per capita than any other group, including white men and white women.
And still, they’re among the most underpaid.
More educated, less paid. Overqualified, underestimated, and undervalued. Every time.
(1 of 3)
July 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Every word of this
Reposted by Anxious historian
61 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I shudder to think how few current Republicans in Congress would vote in favor of that legislation.
I shudder to think how few current Republicans in Congress would vote in favor of that legislation.
July 2, 2025 at 9:12 PM
61 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I shudder to think how few current Republicans in Congress would vote in favor of that legislation.
I shudder to think how few current Republicans in Congress would vote in favor of that legislation.
Reposted by Anxious historian
the Senate's small-state ultra-bias is never more maddening than when one senator uses it to get benefits for her 740,000 constituents while openly acknowledging the bill she's supporting will harm the nation's 339 million other residents.
July 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
the Senate's small-state ultra-bias is never more maddening than when one senator uses it to get benefits for her 740,000 constituents while openly acknowledging the bill she's supporting will harm the nation's 339 million other residents.
Reposted by Anxious historian
This nation was built on the backs of immigrants, many of whom were forced. We are stronger because of our diverse population of many cultures and beliefs.
Kirk acts as if his being white is the result of an accomplishment on his part. It is not. His genetics are the least interesting part of him.
Kirk acts as if his being white is the result of an accomplishment on his part. It is not. His genetics are the least interesting part of him.
June 27, 2025 at 10:50 AM
This nation was built on the backs of immigrants, many of whom were forced. We are stronger because of our diverse population of many cultures and beliefs.
Kirk acts as if his being white is the result of an accomplishment on his part. It is not. His genetics are the least interesting part of him.
Kirk acts as if his being white is the result of an accomplishment on his part. It is not. His genetics are the least interesting part of him.
Reposted by Anxious historian
Eliminate ChatGPT from the humanities and humanities education
New research from MIT found that those who used ChatGPT can’t remember any of the content of their essays.
Key takeaway: the product doesn’t suffer, but the process does. And when it comes to essays, the process *is* how they learn.
arxiv.org/pdf/2506.088...
Key takeaway: the product doesn’t suffer, but the process does. And when it comes to essays, the process *is* how they learn.
arxiv.org/pdf/2506.088...
June 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Eliminate ChatGPT from the humanities and humanities education
Reposted by Anxious historian
There are no distractions. It's all bad. Systematically stripping trans people of their rights, guys in balaclavas shoving any brown person with a tattoo into a ummarked vans, ending healthcare for millions. It's all in service of fascism and technofeudalism. It's all one thing. That's the point.
June 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
There are no distractions. It's all bad. Systematically stripping trans people of their rights, guys in balaclavas shoving any brown person with a tattoo into a ummarked vans, ending healthcare for millions. It's all in service of fascism and technofeudalism. It's all one thing. That's the point.
Reposted by Anxious historian
I am so fucking sick of fighting this regime and then hearing of Democrats rolling over in Congress and providing votes needed to pass anti-American legislation. All under Chuck Schumer’s leadership. Buy a fucking clue and help get him out of the way.
June 16, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I am so fucking sick of fighting this regime and then hearing of Democrats rolling over in Congress and providing votes needed to pass anti-American legislation. All under Chuck Schumer’s leadership. Buy a fucking clue and help get him out of the way.