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Paul Kelly

@pjthinker.bsky.social

3.7K followers 2.5K following 1.1K posts

Professor of Political Theory Former Head of Department of Government and PVC Education London School of Economics Author Against Post-liberalism: Why Faith, Family and Flag is a Dead End for the Left, Polity Press 2025

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 3h

Curtis Yarvin is not, repeat not a serious thinker. That he has such a presence amongst commentators and their editors is merely a sign of intellectual laziness. If you want serious radical right read Julius Evola or Carl Schmitt but actually read them - Yarvin is at best a second class mind…

Reposted by Paul Kelly

David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 5h

But, grumpy old man that I am, I do think "intellectual energy" and "a fresh fizz of ideas" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, although I accept that many of the ideas of the '60s were throwbacks to earlier times (such as the Levellers and Diggers).

In the panic about young people flirting with fascism, this difference is important. Because one of the main reasons the young are drifting not just to the right, but to the radical or even far right, is its intellectual energy a fresh fizz of ideas about the ways in which we organise society. That appeals to young people looking for something to get excited about, and something that feels like a departure from a rebellion against - what their stodgy liberal parents believe.

And while there are plenty of prominent theorists on the right offering radical ideas Yarvin himself argues that democracy should be replaced with monarchy - there is a distinct deficit of such thinkers, or even of new ideas, on the left. The young men who might once have been excited about Noam Chomsky's arguments about the media manufacturing consent are now immersing themselves in the pseudonymous rightwing writer Bronze Age Pervert's Nietzschean critiques of modernity, and his enthusiasm for pre-civilisational masculinity.

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 14h

Me and me at Anne’s exhibition- final day great fun…

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 15h

Wonderful👆👆👆

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Philip Stephens @philipstephens.bsky.social · 16h

Times/S Times campaign against Jonathan Powell accuses him of “caring about one audience above others: Starmer himself”. Clearly it’s a heinous crime for PM’s national security adviser to prioritise giving advice to, well, the PM..

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 15h

Some have never forgiven him for the Good Friday Agreement - absolutely ludicrous…👆👆👆

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TheRoadie. @roadie63.bsky.social · 2d

I just watched the video of the Portland Cop threatening to arrest an ICE agent if they drive their truck through a crowd. Now I see this where the General of the Oregon National Guard says if they get called up they will protect the protesters. People are fed up.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Oregon general’s testimony that National Guard troops ‘will be protecting any protesters’ gains traction online

Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold made the comments to state lawmakers Sept. 30, and they drew notice on social media this week.

www.oregonlive.com

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James Martin, SJ @jamesmartinsj.bsky.social · 2d

Honored to be invited to reflect on how "Decree 4" of the Jesuits' 32nd General Congregation changed my life. As it happens, some of these themes, especially understanding structures that keep people poor, were taken up by Pope Leo XIV in "Dilexi te"
www.sjesjesuits.global/sj-testimoni...

My Life with Decree 4 | Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat

www.sjesjesuits.global

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hannah @hannahkateboast.bsky.social · 1d

obsessed with the antifascist frogs in Portland, I hope they continue to multiply 🙏

Person in frog costume with poster saying 'frogs together strong'

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 1d

Day 3 at Anne’s Gallery and a textile trunk (one for Louis Vuitton- if you’re out there!) at the Knit and Stitch show

Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 1d

True on the last point but hard to see how any UK institution could compete with a £20m+ endowment in the field of economics. This is Christiano Ronaldo level economics - we’re more at the Harry Kane level…

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Iain Mansfield @igmansfield.bsky.social · 2d

"The West is not doing Ukraine a favour by helping it resist aggression; it is Ukraine doing the West a favour."

Fundamental point in @ldfreedman.bsky.social's latest. The true 'realist' position on Ukraine is that we should support Ukraine.

samf.substack.com/p/as-long-as...

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The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 2d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

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Matthew L Reznicek @drreznicek.bsky.social · 2d

These are the toads that try men’s souls

Sam Adams @samadams.bsky.social · 2d

congrats to Nobel Peace Prize winner Portland Frog

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 2d

An extraordinary coup foe Zurich …👆👆👆

Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 2d

Day two of @annekellytextiles.bsky.social exhibition at Alexandra Palace

Reposted by Paul Kelly

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 3d

Marvellous column by @rafaelbehr.bsky.social that absolutely nails Kemi Badenoch - who clearly very deeply believes that the mere act of 'well, I'm saying it' means that something must be thoughtful, even if it is just a more innumerate and caustic echo of Nigel Farage:

Badenoch’s ‘thoughtful Conservatism’ turns out to be just the slower road to Faragism | Rafael Behr

The Tory leader’s intellectual meanderings have shrunk her party into little more than a holding pen for future Reform party candidates, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr

www.theguardian.com

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Massimo Faggioli @massimofaggioli.bsky.social · 3d

The social teaching of the Catholic Church is the largest - or the last global organization - left to speak about the poor, and in this way, about their dignity, hope, liberation and aspirations.

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 3d

More detail on the exhibition 👆👆👆 @annekellytextiles.bsky.social

Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 3d

@annekellytextiles.bsky.social gallery at the Knit an Stitch show at Alexandra Palace until Sunday.

Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 5d

The last line is always worth repeating 👆👆👆

Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 5d

A fine piece - he’s already missed at this time. 👆👆👆

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London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 5d

‘Domestic judges cannot undo the case law of the Strasbourg court that so irritates a section of the political class and its journalist outriders. But they are doing everything short of that to make human rights as much of a domestic legal irrelevance as possible.’

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Conor Gearty · Unwelcome Remnant: Erasing the Human Rights Act

The Supreme Court is quietly editing the Human Rights Act out of existence. In cases where human rights cannot be...

www.lrb.co.uk

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Paul Kelly @pjthinker.bsky.social · 5d

Tories only manage 6th item on the BBC website this morning and that’s Jenrick not Badenoch or Stride 👆👆👆

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