Bill Ryan
@billr1953.bsky.social
I write essays for the pure fun of doing so. My topics pertain mostly to philosophy, culture, history, politics, and economics. Check out my essay collection free of charge at billryanwritings.com or Substack https://billryan.substack.com
"...at least $50 trillion moved upward from the bottom 90% to the top 1% between 1975 and 2020."
Heather Cox Richardson
Heather Cox Richardson
February 17, 2026 at 2:16 AM
"...at least $50 trillion moved upward from the bottom 90% to the top 1% between 1975 and 2020."
Heather Cox Richardson
Heather Cox Richardson
"I do not make any clear distinction between mind and God. God is what mind becomes when it has passed beyond the scale of our comprehension. God may be considered to be either a world-soul or a collection of world souls."
Freeman Dyson via John Horgan
Freeman Dyson via John Horgan
February 17, 2026 at 1:45 AM
"I do not make any clear distinction between mind and God. God is what mind becomes when it has passed beyond the scale of our comprehension. God may be considered to be either a world-soul or a collection of world souls."
Freeman Dyson via John Horgan
Freeman Dyson via John Horgan
Reposted by Bill Ryan
Happy Valentine's Day, Bluesky.💘
Hope yours is an Astronomical one.
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/gzac6b
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #valentinesday #eastcoastkin #photography
Hope yours is an Astronomical one.
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/gzac6b
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #valentinesday #eastcoastkin #photography
February 14, 2026 at 1:12 AM
Happy Valentine's Day, Bluesky.💘
Hope yours is an Astronomical one.
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/gzac6b
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #valentinesday #eastcoastkin #photography
Hope yours is an Astronomical one.
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/gzac6b
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #valentinesday #eastcoastkin #photography
Reposted by Bill Ryan
Just finished my first painting of 2026, I’ce titled it ‘Woodpecker & Shadows’ - painted in watercolours.
#watercolours #birdart #woodpecker 🪶
#watercolours #birdart #woodpecker 🪶
January 30, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Just finished my first painting of 2026, I’ce titled it ‘Woodpecker & Shadows’ - painted in watercolours.
#watercolours #birdart #woodpecker 🪶
#watercolours #birdart #woodpecker 🪶
Reposted by Bill Ryan
Slavery is white history, how we survived it is Black history. - Malcolm Jamal Warner
Pic of the day
#photography
Pic of the day
#photography
February 13, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Slavery is white history, how we survived it is Black history. - Malcolm Jamal Warner
Pic of the day
#photography
Pic of the day
#photography
I think socially toxic "otherness" begins with each of us individually. When we view others we have a choice. We can first look for traits we have in common with others or we can first look for traits that are different from ours. The latter promotes "otherness". The former does not.
February 13, 2026 at 5:27 PM
I think socially toxic "otherness" begins with each of us individually. When we view others we have a choice. We can first look for traits we have in common with others or we can first look for traits that are different from ours. The latter promotes "otherness". The former does not.
Reposted by Bill Ryan
February 13, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Reposted by Bill Ryan
It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea
February 13, 2026 at 11:26 AM
It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea
I contend, however, that there are a number of spiritual searchers who prefer a solo quest, the contours of which they construct individually, intentionally, and perhaps idiosyncratically. billryanwritings.com/the-allure-o...
The Allure of Pantheism | Bill Ryan Writings
billryanwritings.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:14 AM
I contend, however, that there are a number of spiritual searchers who prefer a solo quest, the contours of which they construct individually, intentionally, and perhaps idiosyncratically. billryanwritings.com/the-allure-o...
"...God enabled evil and suffering to exist to leave it to us to turn the world into a utopia through our own hard work and manifest ourselves as godlike mini creators."
Netanel Ron
Netanel Ron
February 9, 2026 at 9:59 PM
"...God enabled evil and suffering to exist to leave it to us to turn the world into a utopia through our own hard work and manifest ourselves as godlike mini creators."
Netanel Ron
Netanel Ron
Reposted by Bill Ryan
"Thus, the way to choose a good Federal Reserve chair is to read what candidates have said about how the economy operates and ask them about their economic beliefs. If what a candidate says is unrealistic or poorly reasoned, move on to another candidate or risk a replay of the 1930s or the 1970s."
February 9, 2026 at 6:28 PM
"Thus, the way to choose a good Federal Reserve chair is to read what candidates have said about how the economy operates and ask them about their economic beliefs. If what a candidate says is unrealistic or poorly reasoned, move on to another candidate or risk a replay of the 1930s or the 1970s."
I think socially toxic "otherness" begins with each of us individually. When we view others we have a choice. We can first look for traits we have in common with others or we can first look for traits that are different from ours. The latter promotes "otherness". The former does not.
February 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
I think socially toxic "otherness" begins with each of us individually. When we view others we have a choice. We can first look for traits we have in common with others or we can first look for traits that are different from ours. The latter promotes "otherness". The former does not.
"Being kind can also increase the happiness of those who act with kindness consistently. Thus, kindness, as with all other virtues, is its own reward."
Karen Swallow Prior
Karen Swallow Prior
February 9, 2026 at 5:25 PM
"Being kind can also increase the happiness of those who act with kindness consistently. Thus, kindness, as with all other virtues, is its own reward."
Karen Swallow Prior
Karen Swallow Prior
Nice image on a frigid morning
February 8, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Nice image on a frigid morning
Reposted by Bill Ryan
The Boogeyman Nebula - LDN 1622
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/cdhqmx
Let's boogey man! 😎
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #eastcoastkin #photography
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/cdhqmx
Let's boogey man! 😎
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #eastcoastkin #photography
February 7, 2026 at 2:10 PM
The Boogeyman Nebula - LDN 1622
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/cdhqmx
Let's boogey man! 😎
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #eastcoastkin #photography
High-resolution: app.astrobin.com/i/cdhqmx
Let's boogey man! 😎
#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposure #nebula #eastcoastkin #photography
"...a lot of the epistemological troubles of modernity...can be explained by the fact that as a species we have learned so much over such a short span of time that our collective knowledge is like a thin crust of ice on the deep sea of ancestral folk wisdom.
Hilarius Bookbinder
Hilarius Bookbinder
February 7, 2026 at 8:32 PM
"...a lot of the epistemological troubles of modernity...can be explained by the fact that as a species we have learned so much over such a short span of time that our collective knowledge is like a thin crust of ice on the deep sea of ancestral folk wisdom.
Hilarius Bookbinder
Hilarius Bookbinder
Reposted by Bill Ryan
🌿 Stillness in Seneca's words:
“Only time can heal what reason cannot.”
“Only time can heal what reason cannot.”
February 7, 2026 at 8:00 PM
🌿 Stillness in Seneca's words:
“Only time can heal what reason cannot.”
“Only time can heal what reason cannot.”
Reposted by Bill Ryan
This female mallard appears to sit at the top of the flock's hierarchy. In other words, she bullies all the other ducks. 😆
#naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birds #ducks #eastcoastkin #photography
#naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birds #ducks #eastcoastkin #photography
February 6, 2026 at 3:18 PM
This female mallard appears to sit at the top of the flock's hierarchy. In other words, she bullies all the other ducks. 😆
#naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birds #ducks #eastcoastkin #photography
#naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birds #ducks #eastcoastkin #photography
Wow! A piece of Trump pottery!
i think we all need to step back and realize that peak art was made when neolithic pot in the shape of a pig was fired
February 7, 2026 at 12:28 AM
Wow! A piece of Trump pottery!
"So Trump’s war on immigrants is turning into a war against the decency of the American people."
Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
February 7, 2026 at 12:27 AM
"So Trump’s war on immigrants is turning into a war against the decency of the American people."
Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.”
Bob Marley
Bob Marley
February 6, 2026 at 1:31 PM
“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.”
Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Reposted by Bill Ryan
Reposted by Bill Ryan
“Alexander the Great and his mule driver both died and the same thing happened to both. They were absorbed alike into the life force of the world, or dissolved alike into atoms.”
– Marcus Aurelius
#stoic #philosophy #wisdom
– Marcus Aurelius
#stoic #philosophy #wisdom
February 6, 2026 at 3:00 AM
“Alexander the Great and his mule driver both died and the same thing happened to both. They were absorbed alike into the life force of the world, or dissolved alike into atoms.”
– Marcus Aurelius
#stoic #philosophy #wisdom
– Marcus Aurelius
#stoic #philosophy #wisdom