Toby Buckle
@polphilpod.bsky.social
Host of the Political Philosophy Podcast & occasional writer. US & UK politics, philosophy, religion, & the odd food pics.
Pinned
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
i wrote about musk's claim the english are 'like hobbits' invaded by orc immigrants
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
December 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
it's only a 'gotcha' if there's consequences to being got
otherwise, it's power advertising its unaccountability
otherwise, it's power advertising its unaccountability
RAJU: If defenseless survivors were killed, would that constitute a violation of the laws of war?
MIKE JOHNSON: I'm not going to prejudge any of that. I was pretty busy yesterday. I didn't follow a lot of the news.
MIKE JOHNSON: I'm not going to prejudge any of that. I was pretty busy yesterday. I didn't follow a lot of the news.
December 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
it's only a 'gotcha' if there's consequences to being got
otherwise, it's power advertising its unaccountability
otherwise, it's power advertising its unaccountability
Reposted by Toby Buckle
political philosophy starter pack updated again to include all recent podcast guests
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
December 2, 2025 at 1:16 AM
political philosophy starter pack updated again to include all recent podcast guests
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
political philosophy starter pack updated again to include all recent podcast guests
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
December 2, 2025 at 1:16 AM
political philosophy starter pack updated again to include all recent podcast guests
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
everyone whose ever been on the show + some others
go.bsky.app/6BBahr1
it's easy to make fun of this, i kinda find it sad:
activists have often been deeply hurt by formal structures - it's a hard thing to make peace with & an easy one to end up replicating
activists have often been deeply hurt by formal structures - it's a hard thing to make peace with & an easy one to end up replicating
Sultana drew parallels to "the Labour right's playbook", including alleged "witch-hunts, smears, intimidation, the bullying, the legal threats and leaks to the Murdoch press" from Corbyn's allies.
She said she "did not leave the Labour Party to create another Labour Party".
She said she "did not leave the Labour Party to create another Labour Party".
December 1, 2025 at 11:55 PM
it's easy to make fun of this, i kinda find it sad:
activists have often been deeply hurt by formal structures - it's a hard thing to make peace with & an easy one to end up replicating
activists have often been deeply hurt by formal structures - it's a hard thing to make peace with & an easy one to end up replicating
Reposted by Toby Buckle
This is actually an important point.
The consensus political goal that's so fundamental it practically defines what it means to have a successful society—improving living standards—requires an open immigration policy that's flatly rejected by today's right. But it's all they care about!
The consensus political goal that's so fundamental it practically defines what it means to have a successful society—improving living standards—requires an open immigration policy that's flatly rejected by today's right. But it's all they care about!
"immigration has to go up for our growth goals, but our policy is to bring it down"
uk politics in a nutshell
uk politics in a nutshell
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
This is actually an important point.
The consensus political goal that's so fundamental it practically defines what it means to have a successful society—improving living standards—requires an open immigration policy that's flatly rejected by today's right. But it's all they care about!
The consensus political goal that's so fundamental it practically defines what it means to have a successful society—improving living standards—requires an open immigration policy that's flatly rejected by today's right. But it's all they care about!
Reposted by Toby Buckle
"immigration has to go up for our growth goals, but our policy is to bring it down"
uk politics in a nutshell
uk politics in a nutshell
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
December 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
"immigration has to go up for our growth goals, but our policy is to bring it down"
uk politics in a nutshell
uk politics in a nutshell
Reposted by Toby Buckle
"a biological male who now identifies as female"
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sandie Peggie launches further legal action against NHS Fife
Ms Peggie has now expanded her case to include Carol Potter, the chief executive of NHS Fife, and its director of people and culture, David Miller.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 5:40 PM
"a biological male who now identifies as female"
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
Good piece by @polphilpod.bsky.social at @theunpopulist.net. I think there is something to be said for distinguishing fascism proper from merely illiberal right-populism. And there's no plausible narrow and precise definition of "fascist" that Musk doesn't very obviously meet.
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Good piece by @polphilpod.bsky.social at @theunpopulist.net. I think there is something to be said for distinguishing fascism proper from merely illiberal right-populism. And there's no plausible narrow and precise definition of "fascist" that Musk doesn't very obviously meet.
"immigration has to go up for our growth goals, but our policy is to bring it down"
uk politics in a nutshell
uk politics in a nutshell
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
December 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
"immigration has to go up for our growth goals, but our policy is to bring it down"
uk politics in a nutshell
uk politics in a nutshell
Reposted by Toby Buckle
If you want to see perhaps the greatest use of Backstreet Boys' "Everybody" in a videogame, here it is
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zc...
NAMELESS KING x BACKSTREET BOYS (Everybody)
YouTube video by Dr. Doot
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:45 PM
If you want to see perhaps the greatest use of Backstreet Boys' "Everybody" in a videogame, here it is
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zc...
"a biological male who now identifies as female"
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sandie Peggie launches further legal action against NHS Fife
Ms Peggie has now expanded her case to include Carol Potter, the chief executive of NHS Fife, and its director of people and culture, David Miller.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 5:40 PM
"a biological male who now identifies as female"
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
this appears to now be standard BBC phrasing
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
this is both a huge & urgent task
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
December 1, 2025 at 2:48 PM
this is both a huge & urgent task
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
the trans panic is an elite thing
most people don't have well-defined views & it's not what they vote on
www.liberalcurrents.com/trans-panic-...
most people don't have well-defined views & it's not what they vote on
www.liberalcurrents.com/trans-panic-...
Trans Panic? More Like Trans Apathetic
2025 shows trans rights aren't electoral poison. The truth? Most people just don't care that much.
www.liberalcurrents.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM
the trans panic is an elite thing
most people don't have well-defined views & it's not what they vote on
www.liberalcurrents.com/trans-panic-...
most people don't have well-defined views & it's not what they vote on
www.liberalcurrents.com/trans-panic-...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
Good article. Would like to just point out: the hard men of Gondor don’t actually end up protecting the Shire, a soft little hobbit does. Also also: JRRT’s dwarves are a philosemitic counterpart to the Nazi’s view of dwarves from Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Brand new at @theunpopulist.net, @polphilpod.bsky.social's fascinating piece showing how Elon Musk's deployment of Tolkien is straightforwardly fascist.
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Good article. Would like to just point out: the hard men of Gondor don’t actually end up protecting the Shire, a soft little hobbit does. Also also: JRRT’s dwarves are a philosemitic counterpart to the Nazi’s view of dwarves from Wagner’s Ring cycle.
also, as simple as it sounds, the distinction between the form of government & the ideology of those in government
which i think is what trips many "it's not fascism!!" commentators up. they are trying, but they have not succeeded. i think it is bad enough that they are trying. that alone is worth fighting.
December 1, 2025 at 4:02 PM
also, as simple as it sounds, the distinction between the form of government & the ideology of those in government
Reposted by Toby Buckle
another entry into the "what is fascism really" genre from toby--with an interesting list of the core concepts of fascism:
"the state, the nation (understood in terms of both race and culture), masculinity, violence, and (the restoration of) a mythic past"
"the state, the nation (understood in terms of both race and culture), masculinity, violence, and (the restoration of) a mythic past"
Brand new at @theunpopulist.net, @polphilpod.bsky.social's fascinating piece showing how Elon Musk's deployment of Tolkien is straightforwardly fascist.
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
another entry into the "what is fascism really" genre from toby--with an interesting list of the core concepts of fascism:
"the state, the nation (understood in terms of both race and culture), masculinity, violence, and (the restoration of) a mythic past"
"the state, the nation (understood in terms of both race and culture), masculinity, violence, and (the restoration of) a mythic past"
Reposted by Toby Buckle
"Fascists simply do not care about what is true. In a deep and fundamental way, it just doesn’t matter to them. You can see that even in how Musk set up his analogy. What he posted is not even the plot of The Lord of The Rings! It is the hobbits who ultimately save Gondor, not the other way around."
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 3:45 PM
"Fascists simply do not care about what is true. In a deep and fundamental way, it just doesn’t matter to them. You can see that even in how Musk set up his analogy. What he posted is not even the plot of The Lord of The Rings! It is the hobbits who ultimately save Gondor, not the other way around."
this is both a huge & urgent task
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
December 1, 2025 at 2:48 PM
this is both a huge & urgent task
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
one place to start is to support those of us calling attention to the problem & developing alternatives
www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalP...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
in case you missed it, i had a new article out over the weekend
how musk, among other things, doesn't understand the plot of lord of the rings
how musk, among other things, doesn't understand the plot of lord of the rings
i wrote about musk's claim the english are 'like hobbits' invaded by orc immigrants
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM
in case you missed it, i had a new article out over the weekend
how musk, among other things, doesn't understand the plot of lord of the rings
how musk, among other things, doesn't understand the plot of lord of the rings
pol science/ theory friends -
has there been any interesting academic literature on (us) presidential incumbency lately?
cc @smotus.bsky.social @jacobtlevy.bsky.social @angiemaxwell.bsky.social @mattpolprof.bsky.social
has there been any interesting academic literature on (us) presidential incumbency lately?
cc @smotus.bsky.social @jacobtlevy.bsky.social @angiemaxwell.bsky.social @mattpolprof.bsky.social
December 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
pol science/ theory friends -
has there been any interesting academic literature on (us) presidential incumbency lately?
cc @smotus.bsky.social @jacobtlevy.bsky.social @angiemaxwell.bsky.social @mattpolprof.bsky.social
has there been any interesting academic literature on (us) presidential incumbency lately?
cc @smotus.bsky.social @jacobtlevy.bsky.social @angiemaxwell.bsky.social @mattpolprof.bsky.social
Reposted by Toby Buckle
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
#USA #uspoli
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
#USA #uspoli
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
#USA #uspoli
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
#USA #uspoli
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
Reposted by Toby Buckle
Tolkien was a small c conservative and there is racial essentialism in his work (though he complicates it in the post-WWII LOTR trilogy) but unlike Musk, he was no fascist.
i wrote about musk's claim the english are 'like hobbits' invaded by orc immigrants
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
my 1st piece with @theunpopulist.net
www.theunpopulist.net/p/even-by-a-...
Even by a Strict Definition, Elon Musk Is a Fascist
He is weaponizing Tolkien to promote violence by ‘hard men’ against Asian immigrants
www.theunpopulist.net
December 1, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Tolkien was a small c conservative and there is racial essentialism in his work (though he complicates it in the post-WWII LOTR trilogy) but unlike Musk, he was no fascist.
Reposted by Toby Buckle
Elon's maternal grandfather...
December 1, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Elon's maternal grandfather...
1 in 500 people in the uk identified as trans (either man or woman) in the last census
December 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
1 in 500 people in the uk identified as trans (either man or woman) in the last census