@afferentinput.bsky.social
Reposted
Is social media dying? How much has Twitter changed as it became X? Which party now dominates the conversation?
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Is social media dying? How much has Twitter changed as it became X? Which party now dominates the conversation?
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Exactly. Politics is the art of persuasion, to get as many people to change their minds and line up behind your bold vision. Politicians that only talk about poll-tested ideas are doing it backwards.
"normies do not care about this thing and so it is no use raising a stink" is imho just an excuse for not doing politics, which is the job of making normies care about something
October 24, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Exactly. Politics is the art of persuasion, to get as many people to change their minds and line up behind your bold vision. Politicians that only talk about poll-tested ideas are doing it backwards.
This isn't wrong per se, and, yes, the opioid crisis is awful. But this is a weird way to characterize the stats and requires context.
Nearly 1 in 100 Americans died from heart disease over the last five years.
1 in 120 Americans died from cancer.
1 in 200 died from accidents!
Nearly 1 in 100 Americans died from heart disease over the last five years.
1 in 120 Americans died from cancer.
1 in 200 died from accidents!
Trump claims that "more than" 1 out of 1,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses over the past five years
October 23, 2025 at 8:28 PM
This isn't wrong per se, and, yes, the opioid crisis is awful. But this is a weird way to characterize the stats and requires context.
Nearly 1 in 100 Americans died from heart disease over the last five years.
1 in 120 Americans died from cancer.
1 in 200 died from accidents!
Nearly 1 in 100 Americans died from heart disease over the last five years.
1 in 120 Americans died from cancer.
1 in 200 died from accidents!
As everyone knows, we lost Vietnam not because we were supporting an unpopular authoritarian regime opposed by a well-funded gorilla organization but entirely because we changed the name from the Department of War 20+ years earlier. That and drag-queen story hour.
Trump: "We won the first world war, second world war -- I always say, everything before and everything in between -- and then we got woke and we said, 'Well, let's call it Defense.'"
October 23, 2025 at 8:14 PM
As everyone knows, we lost Vietnam not because we were supporting an unpopular authoritarian regime opposed by a well-funded gorilla organization but entirely because we changed the name from the Department of War 20+ years earlier. That and drag-queen story hour.
Graded the first genetics exam for the term. Nearly half the class failed...
October 17, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Graded the first genetics exam for the term. Nearly half the class failed...
The Constitution does need significant revision, and maybe starting over would be a good idea.
But it is absolutely true that there are parts that are just being ignored and not enforced. e.g. the emoluments clause
But it is absolutely true that there are parts that are just being ignored and not enforced. e.g. the emoluments clause
There are problems with your Constitution, but I don't think this is one of them.
This is more a "the Constitution is a piece of paper and needs people, who believe that it has meaning, to enforce it" issue.
It doesn't matter how well the enforcement mechanisms are spelled out, if they're ignored.
This is more a "the Constitution is a piece of paper and needs people, who believe that it has meaning, to enforce it" issue.
It doesn't matter how well the enforcement mechanisms are spelled out, if they're ignored.
October 7, 2025 at 8:50 PM
The Constitution does need significant revision, and maybe starting over would be a good idea.
But it is absolutely true that there are parts that are just being ignored and not enforced. e.g. the emoluments clause
But it is absolutely true that there are parts that are just being ignored and not enforced. e.g. the emoluments clause
The Right-Wing perfected the art of Cancel Culture a long time ago. One of my favorite examples is how Phil Donahue's show on MSNBC was literally canceled because he questioned the pretense for the invasion of Iraq. This was over 20 years ago!
![n July 2002, Donahue returned to television after seven years of retirement to host a show called Donahue on MSNBC.[21] On February 25, 2003, MSNBC canceled the show.[22][23] Soon after the show's cancellation, an internal MSNBC memo was leaked to the press stating that Donahue should be fired because he opposed the imminent U.S. invasion of Iraq and that he would be a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war"[24] and that his program could be "a home for the liberal anti-war agenda".[25] Donahue commented in 2007 that the management of MSNBC, owned at the time by General Electric, a major defense contractor, required that "we have two conservative (guests) for every liberal. I was counted as two liberals."[26]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bpt5byfqomatbrxldigvleuw/bafkreiavqdor2z4vwxboapnxr627urj4hwp7egwuajmggx5gvaw666ih6u@jpeg)
September 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
The Right-Wing perfected the art of Cancel Culture a long time ago. One of my favorite examples is how Phil Donahue's show on MSNBC was literally canceled because he questioned the pretense for the invasion of Iraq. This was over 20 years ago!
Called it.
September 12, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Called it.
Reposted
“We need a liberal Joe Rogan”
August 23, 2025 at 12:29 PM
“We need a liberal Joe Rogan”
There are tons of schisms on the right that would be fascinating to liberals and would be effective wedge issues for the left, but the MSM ignores all of them.
one thing about the genuinely liberal media is that it’s too focused on serious stuff. we need a media ecosystem that covers this the way Fox covers Sydney Sweeney ad hysteria
In case you didn't know, there's a bizarre panic on the Granola Nazi far-right about bluetooth devices causing cancer
August 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
There are tons of schisms on the right that would be fascinating to liberals and would be effective wedge issues for the left, but the MSM ignores all of them.
This is the absolute truth. Too many Dems think the way to win over the American Heartland is some complicated tax-deduction plan for small businesses. F that. They want red meat. If the next Dem presidential candidate says they will release Epstein docs, we're looking at FDR-sized landslide.
With the caveat that I am no political strategist, my take on whether to Glonzo the Epstein Files story is that demagoguery has always been central to the American political vernacular and I don't think liberals/the left should get too precious about this sort of thing now.
July 11, 2025 at 7:23 PM
This is the absolute truth. Too many Dems think the way to win over the American Heartland is some complicated tax-deduction plan for small businesses. F that. They want red meat. If the next Dem presidential candidate says they will release Epstein docs, we're looking at FDR-sized landslide.
Elon Musk is a world-class bull shitter; he lies ALL THE TIME. He promised that his cars will drive be fully autonomous by the end of 2017!
Flash forward 8 years later, and his robotaxis need human intervention and is STILL crashing into parked cars.
Flash forward 8 years later, and his robotaxis need human intervention and is STILL crashing into parked cars.
July 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Elon Musk is a world-class bull shitter; he lies ALL THE TIME. He promised that his cars will drive be fully autonomous by the end of 2017!
Flash forward 8 years later, and his robotaxis need human intervention and is STILL crashing into parked cars.
Flash forward 8 years later, and his robotaxis need human intervention and is STILL crashing into parked cars.
Emperor Palpatine, he said, should deliver an ultimatum to Bail Organa, Senator of Alderaan, and order him to agree to the complete dismantlement of the rebel fleet or face “the complete destruction of your planet and your regime and your people.”
the nyt did an "only '00s kids will remember" recap of the runup to the iraq war and its potential relevance today, and by far the most unhinged thing anyone said in it came from david petraeus www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/u...
June 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Emperor Palpatine, he said, should deliver an ultimatum to Bail Organa, Senator of Alderaan, and order him to agree to the complete dismantlement of the rebel fleet or face “the complete destruction of your planet and your regime and your people.”
Reposted
The 80-year recipe stoking America’s Prosperity:
1) Free-market capital investments in brilliant ideas…
2) enabled by Engineering Innovations…
3) based on Science Research in Universities…
4) funded by Grants from the US Government.
It’s time more people understood this.
1) Free-market capital investments in brilliant ideas…
2) enabled by Engineering Innovations…
3) based on Science Research in Universities…
4) funded by Grants from the US Government.
It’s time more people understood this.
May 17, 2025 at 1:36 PM
The 80-year recipe stoking America’s Prosperity:
1) Free-market capital investments in brilliant ideas…
2) enabled by Engineering Innovations…
3) based on Science Research in Universities…
4) funded by Grants from the US Government.
It’s time more people understood this.
1) Free-market capital investments in brilliant ideas…
2) enabled by Engineering Innovations…
3) based on Science Research in Universities…
4) funded by Grants from the US Government.
It’s time more people understood this.
I applied for a management position at this facility on Monday. Had an interview with them and was told that I would be moving forward to the next stage. Got a call this morning that the position is canceled.
Just a disaster for science.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
Just a disaster for science.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
RFK Jr.’s HHS Orders Lab Studying Deadly Infectious Diseases to Stop Research
NIAID’s Integrated Research Facility is one of the few federal facilities charged with studying Ebola. Tuesday afternoon, all of its work was put on indefinite pause by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s departm...
www.wired.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I applied for a management position at this facility on Monday. Had an interview with them and was told that I would be moving forward to the next stage. Got a call this morning that the position is canceled.
Just a disaster for science.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
Just a disaster for science.
www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...
@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social shows that many prominent conservatives come out of Harvard.
Yet much of the conservative movement is deeply anti-intellectual. There is a reason that crackpottery such as young-earth creationism, flat-earthism, anti-vax, etc is almost entirely conservatives.
Yet much of the conservative movement is deeply anti-intellectual. There is a reason that crackpottery such as young-earth creationism, flat-earthism, anti-vax, etc is almost entirely conservatives.
David French’s column today says Harvard is “remarkably intolerant,” the speech environment is “abysmal,” and left-wing bias is “overwhelming.”
So I have a question: if they’re so biased against conservatives, how do they keep being a stepping stone for influential conservative lawyers and judges?
So I have a question: if they’re so biased against conservatives, how do they keep being a stepping stone for influential conservative lawyers and judges?
April 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM
@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social shows that many prominent conservatives come out of Harvard.
Yet much of the conservative movement is deeply anti-intellectual. There is a reason that crackpottery such as young-earth creationism, flat-earthism, anti-vax, etc is almost entirely conservatives.
Yet much of the conservative movement is deeply anti-intellectual. There is a reason that crackpottery such as young-earth creationism, flat-earthism, anti-vax, etc is almost entirely conservatives.
Reposted
We laugh about AI not understanding how to draw hands or feet or genitals, but it turns out AI's "understanding" of human anatomy is even worse in written text!
April 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
We laugh about AI not understanding how to draw hands or feet or genitals, but it turns out AI's "understanding" of human anatomy is even worse in written text!
Get some excellent Anti-Confederate and Anti-KKK stickers at this online shop. suffernocopperhead.bigcartel.com
April 9, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Get some excellent Anti-Confederate and Anti-KKK stickers at this online shop. suffernocopperhead.bigcartel.com
Reposted
Elon Musk might be cutting government spending, but not on his own projects — billions in extra federal money is likely headed toward SpaceX, thanks to policy changes that will make the world’s richest man even richer. A NYT investigation examines the Trump-era shift toward SpaceX
nyti.ms/4kPE8VJ
nyti.ms/4kPE8VJ
Musk’s SpaceX Could Secure Billions in New Contracts Under Trump (Gift Article)
Elon Musk’s role in the White House allows him to cancel contracts and influence policy, potentially benefiting his companies. Supporters say he has the best technology.
nyti.ms
March 23, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Elon Musk might be cutting government spending, but not on his own projects — billions in extra federal money is likely headed toward SpaceX, thanks to policy changes that will make the world’s richest man even richer. A NYT investigation examines the Trump-era shift toward SpaceX
nyti.ms/4kPE8VJ
nyti.ms/4kPE8VJ
The Emperor's New Breakfast
Apologists for dictatorships have long used the cliché "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs," and to be fair, Trump is offering something new and bold: "We can make an omelette without having eggs."
March 18, 2025 at 3:13 PM
The Emperor's New Breakfast
Reposted
Curious about how America could possibly elect a mad king... twice? You couldn't do better than read When the Clock Broke by @lioneltrolling.bsky.social.
He shows that this level of crazy has always been there, just under the surface.
He shows that this level of crazy has always been there, just under the surface.
February 1, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Curious about how America could possibly elect a mad king... twice? You couldn't do better than read When the Clock Broke by @lioneltrolling.bsky.social.
He shows that this level of crazy has always been there, just under the surface.
He shows that this level of crazy has always been there, just under the surface.