John Pettus
@johngpettus.bsky.social
Social venture entrepreneur. San Francisco native. Iraq veteran. Economics-trained, MBA liberal. Both more liberal and more conservative than you, in some ways. Working on improving public discourse and teaching & measuring critical thinking at scale.
Pinned
Reposted by John Pettus
This cringe video actually represents the conservative sensibility very well. All societal problems are the fault of citizens. They are not the product of elite mistakes or wrongdoing.
No, they are your fault. So shut up, go to church, and start obeying people.
No, they are your fault. So shut up, go to church, and start obeying people.
Oh good, Glenn Beck has created an AI George Washington. You will be shocked to learn that the AI George Washington created by Glenn Beck sounds exactly like what would happen if Glenn Beck built an AI George Washington to sound exactly like Glenn Beck.
December 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
This cringe video actually represents the conservative sensibility very well. All societal problems are the fault of citizens. They are not the product of elite mistakes or wrongdoing.
No, they are your fault. So shut up, go to church, and start obeying people.
No, they are your fault. So shut up, go to church, and start obeying people.
Listening to the #Warrriors Plus/Minus podcast and it's not the first time I've wondered how much Marcus Thompson and Tim Kawakami's default assumption that JK is great and it's just "fit" or Kerr holding him back has driven that narrative.
Why do they believe that when the stats and eyes say no?
Why do they believe that when the stats and eyes say no?
December 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Listening to the #Warrriors Plus/Minus podcast and it's not the first time I've wondered how much Marcus Thompson and Tim Kawakami's default assumption that JK is great and it's just "fit" or Kerr holding him back has driven that narrative.
Why do they believe that when the stats and eyes say no?
Why do they believe that when the stats and eyes say no?
Reposted by John Pettus
I used to do a thing on the other app where you describe a person you're holiday shopping for and I tell you a really good book they would like (usually history but other ones too). Y'all want to do that this year? Comment if so. 🎄
December 8, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I used to do a thing on the other app where you describe a person you're holiday shopping for and I tell you a really good book they would like (usually history but other ones too). Y'all want to do that this year? Comment if so. 🎄
Reposted by John Pettus
The logical extension of "education is a moral good" is students occasionally having to take a class they hate.
The logical extension of "school is a pipeline to industry" is kids spending four years watching Amazon training videos before being sent into the fulfillment mines.
I know which I prefer.
The logical extension of "school is a pipeline to industry" is kids spending four years watching Amazon training videos before being sent into the fulfillment mines.
I know which I prefer.
December 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The logical extension of "education is a moral good" is students occasionally having to take a class they hate.
The logical extension of "school is a pipeline to industry" is kids spending four years watching Amazon training videos before being sent into the fulfillment mines.
I know which I prefer.
The logical extension of "school is a pipeline to industry" is kids spending four years watching Amazon training videos before being sent into the fulfillment mines.
I know which I prefer.
Reposted by John Pettus
They're wholly separate, and even contradictory, but they're also both key motivators in the history of public education.
The philosophical idea that knowledge is innately good conflicts with the industrial notion that you can use schooling to offload training costs and devalue skilled labor.
The philosophical idea that knowledge is innately good conflicts with the industrial notion that you can use schooling to offload training costs and devalue skilled labor.
December 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
They're wholly separate, and even contradictory, but they're also both key motivators in the history of public education.
The philosophical idea that knowledge is innately good conflicts with the industrial notion that you can use schooling to offload training costs and devalue skilled labor.
The philosophical idea that knowledge is innately good conflicts with the industrial notion that you can use schooling to offload training costs and devalue skilled labor.
Reposted by John Pettus
How do they face their children?
December 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM
How do they face their children?
Reposted by John Pettus
The whole “aw shucks we’re so polarized and post-truth, who can tell what to believe now” schtick also hits different when the guy you torched your career for is the antivaxxer who burned down the NIH.
“There exists no agreed-upon neutral arbiter of facts.” …Gee, Olivia, who might we blame?
“There exists no agreed-upon neutral arbiter of facts.” …Gee, Olivia, who might we blame?
December 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
The whole “aw shucks we’re so polarized and post-truth, who can tell what to believe now” schtick also hits different when the guy you torched your career for is the antivaxxer who burned down the NIH.
“There exists no agreed-upon neutral arbiter of facts.” …Gee, Olivia, who might we blame?
“There exists no agreed-upon neutral arbiter of facts.” …Gee, Olivia, who might we blame?
Reposted by John Pettus
I am tired of South Africans who don't understand the values or traditions of this country moving here and wrecking the place.
December 8, 2025 at 6:07 PM
I am tired of South Africans who don't understand the values or traditions of this country moving here and wrecking the place.
Reposted by John Pettus
An ICE agent has been arrested for putting a woman in a chokehold and causing “serious physical harm”
Police said they had been called to the residence 22 times
It’s time we talk about what kind of men are attracted to being ICE agents
Hint: It’s men who would strangle a woman
Police said they had been called to the residence 22 times
It’s time we talk about what kind of men are attracted to being ICE agents
Hint: It’s men who would strangle a woman
ICE agent arrested, held on ‘no bond’ order at prosecutor’s request
Samuel Saxon is charged with felonious assault, strangulation and domestic violence.He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
www.cincinnati.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:25 AM
An ICE agent has been arrested for putting a woman in a chokehold and causing “serious physical harm”
Police said they had been called to the residence 22 times
It’s time we talk about what kind of men are attracted to being ICE agents
Hint: It’s men who would strangle a woman
Police said they had been called to the residence 22 times
It’s time we talk about what kind of men are attracted to being ICE agents
Hint: It’s men who would strangle a woman
Reposted by John Pettus
The two quarterbacks that started in the last Super Bowl just spent Sunday and Monday night throwing zero touchdowns and SEVEN interceptions
December 9, 2025 at 4:53 AM
The two quarterbacks that started in the last Super Bowl just spent Sunday and Monday night throwing zero touchdowns and SEVEN interceptions
This is me, too.
Attention NYC: We made it past the earliest sunset of the year.
No, it's not on the solstice. That's the shortest day, but the earliest sunset is sooner and the latest sunrise is later.
So those of us who, like me, are primarily offended by early sunsets have officially survived rock bottom.
No, it's not on the solstice. That's the shortest day, but the earliest sunset is sooner and the latest sunrise is later.
So those of us who, like me, are primarily offended by early sunsets have officially survived rock bottom.
December 9, 2025 at 5:02 AM
This is me, too.
Reposted by John Pettus
Listen to the story of this Marine Corps Veteran.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
ICE arrests military spouses at green card interviews in San Diego
A Marine Corps veteran is speaking out, saying he feels “betrayed” after his wife was one of the military spouses arrested during a green card interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services....
www.nbcnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Listen to the story of this Marine Corps Veteran.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
Reposted by John Pettus
I hate how often this quote so perfectly describes our times.
December 9, 2025 at 3:51 AM
I hate how often this quote so perfectly describes our times.
Reposted by John Pettus
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
December 8, 2025 at 9:29 AM
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
Reposted by John Pettus
It is newsworthy that the president of the United States is increasingly verbally abusive of women reporters and he should be asked about it.
December 8, 2025 at 8:39 PM
It is newsworthy that the president of the United States is increasingly verbally abusive of women reporters and he should be asked about it.
Reposted by John Pettus
Being unable to tolerate frustration + chasing social media clout gotta be a big reason why ppl jumped on the gen ai machine to churn out slop
December 6, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Being unable to tolerate frustration + chasing social media clout gotta be a big reason why ppl jumped on the gen ai machine to churn out slop
Reposted by John Pettus
Every legal story now is either
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
October 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Every legal story now is either
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Reposted by John Pettus
I am SO sick of people pumping out AI everything that is Thomas Kinkadesque mediocre common denominator junk mail content. None of the things I like about the internet work as well as they did before it escaped containment. Congrats guys you invented internet Ice-Nine.
December 8, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I am SO sick of people pumping out AI everything that is Thomas Kinkadesque mediocre common denominator junk mail content. None of the things I like about the internet work as well as they did before it escaped containment. Congrats guys you invented internet Ice-Nine.
Reposted by John Pettus
It’s very funny to me that countries are trying to pass laws banning teens from social media until they’re older and can “handle it” as if the last decade hasn’t been about watching rich middle aged men nuke their brains on Twitter and then run the USA via shitpost.
Dude. Yes. Alito and Thomas are of course the standout examples, but all of the Republican justices have tells in their writing and their questioning indicating that they are, to varying degrees, marinating their brains in dumb bitch juice
My theory, fwiw, is that Supreme Court Justices are not immune to Twitter brain poisoning. I suspect all six have horrific information environments and have therefore lost the ability to understand the people who don't agree with them.
December 8, 2025 at 6:13 PM
It’s very funny to me that countries are trying to pass laws banning teens from social media until they’re older and can “handle it” as if the last decade hasn’t been about watching rich middle aged men nuke their brains on Twitter and then run the USA via shitpost.
Reposted by John Pettus
404 Media is making a print zine! About the surveillance technologies used by ICE. 16 pages, riso printed. Shipping early January. Features reworked versions of our best reporting and a few new things. We're very excited! And hope to do more if people like it:
www.404media.co/404-media-is...
www.404media.co/404-media-is...
404 Media Is Making a Zine
We are publishing a risograph-printed zine about the surveillance technologies used by ICE.
www.404media.co
December 8, 2025 at 3:42 PM
404 Media is making a print zine! About the surveillance technologies used by ICE. 16 pages, riso printed. Shipping early January. Features reworked versions of our best reporting and a few new things. We're very excited! And hope to do more if people like it:
www.404media.co/404-media-is...
www.404media.co/404-media-is...
Pointing out that Olivia Nuzzi sucks is not sexist. It’s obvious.
Anyone who disagrees should be forced to read her writing until they recant!
Anyone who disagrees should be forced to read her writing until they recant!
There are a lot of journalists who claim to care deeply about sexism toward women in journalism when it’s liberals criticizing Olivia Nuzzi, and who suddenly go silent when it’s Donald Trump openly insulting women in the WH press corps.
Oh look, Trump just disrespected another woman journalist
December 8, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Pointing out that Olivia Nuzzi sucks is not sexist. It’s obvious.
Anyone who disagrees should be forced to read her writing until they recant!
Anyone who disagrees should be forced to read her writing until they recant!
Reposted by John Pettus
If you can’t see Trump’s racism, chances are you’re also racist.
December 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
If you can’t see Trump’s racism, chances are you’re also racist.
Reposted by John Pettus
the great irony of kamala harris running on “saving democracy” and losing because it wasn’t even a popular issue
December 8, 2025 at 2:18 AM
the great irony of kamala harris running on “saving democracy” and losing because it wasn’t even a popular issue
100% agree
Not hurting people's feelings should not be the basis for morality!! #subwaytakes #nyc
YouTube video by SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma
youtube.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:25 PM
100% agree
Reposted by John Pettus
Why is everyone addicted to gambling, wtf.
Adverts for any type of gambling should just be banned everywhere. That includes sports betting, prediction markets, cryptocurrency, trading individual stocks, and gacha games.
Adverts for any type of gambling should just be banned everywhere. That includes sports betting, prediction markets, cryptocurrency, trading individual stocks, and gacha games.
December 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Why is everyone addicted to gambling, wtf.
Adverts for any type of gambling should just be banned everywhere. That includes sports betting, prediction markets, cryptocurrency, trading individual stocks, and gacha games.
Adverts for any type of gambling should just be banned everywhere. That includes sports betting, prediction markets, cryptocurrency, trading individual stocks, and gacha games.