Pavel
@spavel.bsky.social
Raised gifted; non-practicing.
If your reply doesn't have alt text, I won't see it.
🌐 productpicnic.beehiiv.com 💼 UX Design 🟦 Sick of rectangles 🧑 he/him
If your reply doesn't have alt text, I won't see it.
🌐 productpicnic.beehiiv.com 💼 UX Design 🟦 Sick of rectangles 🧑 he/him
In January, I started a newsletter. Because I can read, I chose to avoid Substack, and settled on @beehiiv.com.
One cool feature on Beehiiv that helps desubstackify the media environment is a site's "top 4" - and I finally found 4 other Beehiiv newsletters I can recommend! The ecosystem is healing.
One cool feature on Beehiiv that helps desubstackify the media environment is a site's "top 4" - and I finally found 4 other Beehiiv newsletters I can recommend! The ecosystem is healing.
December 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM
In January, I started a newsletter. Because I can read, I chose to avoid Substack, and settled on @beehiiv.com.
One cool feature on Beehiiv that helps desubstackify the media environment is a site's "top 4" - and I finally found 4 other Beehiiv newsletters I can recommend! The ecosystem is healing.
One cool feature on Beehiiv that helps desubstackify the media environment is a site's "top 4" - and I finally found 4 other Beehiiv newsletters I can recommend! The ecosystem is healing.
Reposted by Pavel
It doesn’t matter if people “truly” believe anything or not. Playing make-believe, publicly participating in a bit like an improv sketch, is just as good as any “sincerely held” belief for all purposes of the function of collective belief in society (though this also shapes people’s private beliefs)
December 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM
It doesn’t matter if people “truly” believe anything or not. Playing make-believe, publicly participating in a bit like an improv sketch, is just as good as any “sincerely held” belief for all purposes of the function of collective belief in society (though this also shapes people’s private beliefs)
Reposted by Pavel
“Zines are back, baby” — @spavel.bsky.social
"A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something"
— Donella Meadows
#AdventOfSystemSeeing Day 5: Characterizing Systems
www.ruthmalan.com/Advent/2025/...
— Donella Meadows
#AdventOfSystemSeeing Day 5: Characterizing Systems
www.ruthmalan.com/Advent/2025/...
Advent(ure) in System Seeing
Some ideas for the page: a characterization of systems. A list of the key ideas in systems. Some images that illustrate your characterization. Some examples.
www.ruthmalan.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
“Zines are back, baby” — @spavel.bsky.social
Hokay, so here's the Earth, chilling. Damn! That is a sweet earth you might say.
WRONG!
WRONG!
December 5, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Hokay, so here's the Earth, chilling. Damn! That is a sweet earth you might say.
WRONG!
WRONG!
Live, Laugh, Figma
December 5, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Live, Laugh, Figma
Reposted by Pavel
My employer, Dartmouth College, today boasts it's 1st Ivy "to launch AI at an institutional scale." It is doing this by partnering--"more than a collaboration"--with Anthropic, a company that stole the books of many faculty, me included, which many of us are suing.
December 4, 2025 at 9:38 PM
My employer, Dartmouth College, today boasts it's 1st Ivy "to launch AI at an institutional scale." It is doing this by partnering--"more than a collaboration"--with Anthropic, a company that stole the books of many faculty, me included, which many of us are suing.
Reposted by Pavel
AI is a lack of consent project, and we’ve now entered the lovebombing and smear campaign section of the engagements
Update on the White Mirror project.
A softer image of AI? This Google-backed film aims to change the narrative
The Silicon Valley giant teamed up with Range Media Partners earlier this year to commission short films about artificial intelligence that have less doomsday depictions of technology.
www.latimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:44 PM
AI is a lack of consent project, and we’ve now entered the lovebombing and smear campaign section of the engagements
"The best men are rich" is not a preference of women, it's a preference of rich guys (sort of how Conan is also, in his own way, pandering to the male gaze).
The real thing manosphere influencers are selling is, essentially, how to win their own approval. But it is worth nothing.
The real thing manosphere influencers are selling is, essentially, how to win their own approval. But it is worth nothing.
"Men need to spend money to get laid!"
Meanwhile, just the other day...
Meanwhile, just the other day...
December 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
"The best men are rich" is not a preference of women, it's a preference of rich guys (sort of how Conan is also, in his own way, pandering to the male gaze).
The real thing manosphere influencers are selling is, essentially, how to win their own approval. But it is worth nothing.
The real thing manosphere influencers are selling is, essentially, how to win their own approval. But it is worth nothing.
Getting a Paradox vibe from these dev diaries
Our Vision for Total War: MEDIEVAL III
This is what MEDIEVAL III is all about: You pick a realm, seize your glory, and rewrite history - or kneel before it!
www.totalwar.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Getting a Paradox vibe from these dev diaries
The golden age of cocktails
'Tis the season!
“One Night Cough Syrup” from the 1930s, which contained cannabis, morphine, chloroform, and alcohol! In 1934, the FDA ruled that the claims of the cough syrup's therapeutic properties were misleading, and remaining stock was destroyed.
#skystorians #medhist #science 🧪
“One Night Cough Syrup” from the 1930s, which contained cannabis, morphine, chloroform, and alcohol! In 1934, the FDA ruled that the claims of the cough syrup's therapeutic properties were misleading, and remaining stock was destroyed.
#skystorians #medhist #science 🧪
December 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The golden age of cocktails
Was confused why anisota thought 🐏️ was my most-used emoji this year and it's literally just from this post lmao
Herd, chef!
Don't you mean, heard⸻
🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🧑🏻🍳🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏
Don't you mean, heard⸻
🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🧑🏻🍳🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏
December 4, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Was confused why anisota thought 🐏️ was my most-used emoji this year and it's literally just from this post lmao
JIRA has gone too far.
Flight home. Sitting next to a priest trying not to read the prayer requests he’s getting on his phone. O the modern world.
December 4, 2025 at 7:51 PM
JIRA has gone too far.
Using an LLM to come up with funny things to post is not the poster's ethos. The true poster does not care if their posts are funny. The true poster posts solely as an outlet for the silly little thoughts that build up in their head like an abscess.
December 4, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Using an LLM to come up with funny things to post is not the poster's ethos. The true poster does not care if their posts are funny. The true poster posts solely as an outlet for the silly little thoughts that build up in their head like an abscess.
yet another reason to take the train over flying
wait, does sean duffy care about me wearing pyjamas and slippers on a train? or was that just about airlines and we're still allowed to be comfy slobs on amtrak?
i'm finishing up packing, can someone go ask him
i'm finishing up packing, can someone go ask him
December 4, 2025 at 7:28 PM
yet another reason to take the train over flying
This is a good example of how the well-meaning instinct that "someone somewhere is getting away with something" ultimately ends up harmful.
Balancing "no person with a disability should be denied accommodations" with "it's important to discourage non-disabled people from pretending to be disabled to take advantage of these accommodations" is really difficult and I don't have a great answer for what anyone should do about it.
December 4, 2025 at 7:22 PM
This is a good example of how the well-meaning instinct that "someone somewhere is getting away with something" ultimately ends up harmful.
Reposted by Pavel
“When participants used ChatGPT to draft essays, brain scans revealed a 47% drop in neural connectivity across regions associated with memory, language, & critical reasoning.
Their brains worked less, but they felt just as engaged—a kind of metacognitive mirage.”🧪
Their brains worked less, but they felt just as engaged—a kind of metacognitive mirage.”🧪
December 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
“When participants used ChatGPT to draft essays, brain scans revealed a 47% drop in neural connectivity across regions associated with memory, language, & critical reasoning.
Their brains worked less, but they felt just as engaged—a kind of metacognitive mirage.”🧪
Their brains worked less, but they felt just as engaged—a kind of metacognitive mirage.”🧪
Tired: kei truck
Wired: kei train
Wired: kei train
December 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Tired: kei truck
Wired: kei train
Wired: kei train
Reposted by Pavel
“Blah,” said Toad.
December 4, 2025 at 2:37 PM
“Blah,” said Toad.
Wrong framing: "Meta cutting Metaverse resources by 30%"
Correct framing: "Meta still setting 70% of resources on fire, for some reason"
Correct framing: "Meta still setting 70% of resources on fire, for some reason"
Meta’s Zuckerberg Plans Deep Cuts for Metaverse Efforts
Meta Platforms Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg is expected to meaningfully cut resources for building the so-called metaverse, an effort that he once framed as the future of the company and the reason for chan...
www.bloomberg.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Wrong framing: "Meta cutting Metaverse resources by 30%"
Correct framing: "Meta still setting 70% of resources on fire, for some reason"
Correct framing: "Meta still setting 70% of resources on fire, for some reason"
At long last we have invented Gattaca, from the acclaimed 1997 movie "Wouldn't It Be Fucked Up If We Had Gattaca"
His “it’s not a eugenics company” tee is raising questions already answered by his shirt. www.cbsnews.com/news/nucleus...
![Sadeghi says this "genetic optimization" allows parents to minimize disease while maximizing traits they prefer. However, critics have drawn comparisons to a different term: "eugenics."
"[It's not eugenics] by any stretch, because it's fundamentally about empowering people with information that they can use to give their child the best start in life," he said. "And yes, if you want 2 inches taller for your child, 3 inches taller, right, if you want a couple IQ-point difference, absolutely, by all means, do that. But I'm saying, you're really asking me here, you're asking me, what is life about? That's what you're really getting at when you talk about height and IQ, right, they're abstractions of life."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hakzua5btcgcfjye2yujlhos/bafkreifaqvbu6nccxgbeyhhxnijihbi33qd27xijof7fy4apsgbbnmbw64@jpeg)
December 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
At long last we have invented Gattaca, from the acclaimed 1997 movie "Wouldn't It Be Fucked Up If We Had Gattaca"
One of the under-discussed trends in UX is the shift in product design borrowing addictive elements from gambling, to straight up making gambling products.
Post-ZIRP, the psychological toolkit that was once used for growth (goosing MAU metrics) is now being deployed for revenue extraction purposes.
Post-ZIRP, the psychological toolkit that was once used for growth (goosing MAU metrics) is now being deployed for revenue extraction purposes.
December 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
One of the under-discussed trends in UX is the shift in product design borrowing addictive elements from gambling, to straight up making gambling products.
Post-ZIRP, the psychological toolkit that was once used for growth (goosing MAU metrics) is now being deployed for revenue extraction purposes.
Post-ZIRP, the psychological toolkit that was once used for growth (goosing MAU metrics) is now being deployed for revenue extraction purposes.
Reposted by Pavel
OpenAI designed the affirming tone of ChatGPT to goose engagement because their business model depends on it. Blanket affirmation and encouragement is how we get people turning to ChatGPT as a therapist AND how we get suicide instructions, deepening delusions, and this shit. It's the business model.
New from 404 Media: ChatGPT told a violent stalker to continue running his misogynistic and threat-filled podcast despite the “haters,” and to visit more gyms to find women. The man stalked women in multiple states, including touching and following from work
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
ChatGPT Told a Violent Stalker to Embrace the 'Haters,' Indictment Says
A newly filed indictment claims a wannabe influencer used ChatGPT as his "therapist" and "best friend" in his pursuit of the "wife type," while harassing women so aggressively they had to miss work a...
www.404media.co
December 4, 2025 at 2:15 PM
OpenAI designed the affirming tone of ChatGPT to goose engagement because their business model depends on it. Blanket affirmation and encouragement is how we get people turning to ChatGPT as a therapist AND how we get suicide instructions, deepening delusions, and this shit. It's the business model.
Reposted by Pavel
I'm begging any artists still using Twitter claiming it's integral to their work to just leave. It's been revealed the site works off a made up "credit score" from hell and punishes you for posting like a normal human being.
Abandon Twitter for good. It's time. It's been time.
Abandon Twitter for good. It's time. It's been time.
December 4, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I'm begging any artists still using Twitter claiming it's integral to their work to just leave. It's been revealed the site works off a made up "credit score" from hell and punishes you for posting like a normal human being.
Abandon Twitter for good. It's time. It's been time.
Abandon Twitter for good. It's time. It's been time.
The men must drown.
Your hands are covered in little men. And the little men can make you sick if you don’t give them a bath. Sometimes they make other people sick too. Please give the little men a bath! I’m not crazy! Just listen to me! Bathe the little men on your hands! This is real! Get the men wet, you fools!
December 4, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The men must drown.