Patrick Giamario
@gennaionpseudos.bsky.social
I teach and write about political theory. I wrote Laughter as Politics: Critical Theory in an Age of Hilarity (EUP 2022) and am currently working on a new book on Plato's noble lie.
Views expressed here are not those of my employer.
Views expressed here are not those of my employer.
I've noticed a change among students this semester w/ AI. Many are still using it, but more are being vocal about how they think the rush to adopt it everywhere – especially at school – is ripping them off. Shaping up to be a(nother) case where the kids are ahead of the curve.
November 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
I've noticed a change among students this semester w/ AI. Many are still using it, but more are being vocal about how they think the rush to adopt it everywhere – especially at school – is ripping them off. Shaping up to be a(nother) case where the kids are ahead of the curve.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
We are living at a time when university leadership amplifies anti-intellectual tropes and technologies
These are very troubling times
These are very troubling times
November 29, 2025 at 4:08 PM
We are living at a time when university leadership amplifies anti-intellectual tropes and technologies
These are very troubling times
These are very troubling times
One thing that really makes me think we're on the cusp of major changes in higher ed is that on a practical level, it's simply not possible for the contemporary university to operate w/ these extreme levels of animosity and loss of faith b/w faculty & administrators.
So apparently the administrators at Northwestern have caved to the extortionist demands of the Feds. Faculty voted 595-4 AGAINST this measure.
November 29, 2025 at 2:27 PM
One thing that really makes me think we're on the cusp of major changes in higher ed is that on a practical level, it's simply not possible for the contemporary university to operate w/ these extreme levels of animosity and loss of faith b/w faculty & administrators.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
November 29, 2025 at 1:47 AM
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
One explanation for economic populism in the US is the recurring cycle of bubbles and bailouts that happens without any democratic input
November 24, 2025 at 10:35 PM
One explanation for economic populism in the US is the recurring cycle of bubbles and bailouts that happens without any democratic input
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
It’s blowing my mind that schools, universities, public services would run headlong into this. We spent 15 years documenting black boxes. This is a black box in a black hole!
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 11:16 PM
It’s blowing my mind that schools, universities, public services would run headlong into this. We spent 15 years documenting black boxes. This is a black box in a black hole!
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
To all university managers thinking that AI is a good thing, take note.
The reputational damage of fuck ups like this is not worth it.
The reputational damage of fuck ups like this is not worth it.
This is the 2nd time a major government report from Deloitte has been found to contain errors likely generated by AI.
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
A major healthcare policy paper commissioned by @govnl.bsky.social government from Deloitte at a cost of $1.6 million, cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months. #nlpoli #AI
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
November 23, 2025 at 4:02 AM
To all university managers thinking that AI is a good thing, take note.
The reputational damage of fuck ups like this is not worth it.
The reputational damage of fuck ups like this is not worth it.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
The entire US economy is propped up by a product so toxic and insidious that everyone has to go on a weekly scavenger hunt just to remove it from products they're already using.
heads up, gmail has a new setting automatically on that allows their a*i to be trained on your emails so make sure to turn off the 'Smart Feature' checkbox in your settings
November 22, 2025 at 8:17 PM
The entire US economy is propped up by a product so toxic and insidious that everyone has to go on a weekly scavenger hunt just to remove it from products they're already using.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
Anytime somebody tries to rehabilitate the image of George W Bush you have to remember that the seeds for literally ALL this shit were planting in his administration
As someone who was alive, and adult, in the time of its founding, I will never get over how the word "Homeland", which in my 20 years in this country before then I had never heard *anyone* ever use to describe this country, all of a sudden was like "a thing".
November 15, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Anytime somebody tries to rehabilitate the image of George W Bush you have to remember that the seeds for literally ALL this shit were planting in his administration
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
These emails are horrifying.
November 12, 2025 at 11:59 PM
These emails are horrifying.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
This is actually good spin, or would have been. But the fact that the Democratic cave happened without even a coordinated, agreed-upon message like this indicates the depth of the leadership void.
November 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
This is actually good spin, or would have been. But the fact that the Democratic cave happened without even a coordinated, agreed-upon message like this indicates the depth of the leadership void.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
The sooner we get past internal recriminations and back to fighting united, the better off we all are — the likelier our victory next November.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
The Senate minority WHIP – you know, the guy whose literal job it is to make sure everyone votes the same way – is breaking with the rest of the party leadership and voting with a bunch of rebels.
What an absolute joke of a caucus.
What an absolute joke of a caucus.
Durbin is a YES on this deal: “At Democrats’ urging, today’s bill is not the same one we’ve voted down 14 times. Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end. This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt.”
November 10, 2025 at 1:51 AM
The Senate minority WHIP – you know, the guy whose literal job it is to make sure everyone votes the same way – is breaking with the rest of the party leadership and voting with a bunch of rebels.
What an absolute joke of a caucus.
What an absolute joke of a caucus.
Then he needs to go. He’s lost the confidence of his caucus.
*SCHUMER SAYS HE IS VOTING 'NO' ON GOP BILL
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Then he needs to go. He’s lost the confidence of his caucus.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
If Torres and Yglesias are willing to say “are you fucking stupid, why support this bill,” how do you think your donors and primary voters will react.
November 9, 2025 at 11:32 PM
If Torres and Yglesias are willing to say “are you fucking stupid, why support this bill,” how do you think your donors and primary voters will react.
If this is how it shakes out, some combination of House, Senate, and NY Dems need to orchestrate Schumer’s removal as leader. Someone who so brazenly and repeatedly breaks faith with his party’s own voters cannot lead the party into 2026.
November 9, 2025 at 8:44 PM
If this is how it shakes out, some combination of House, Senate, and NY Dems need to orchestrate Schumer’s removal as leader. Someone who so brazenly and repeatedly breaks faith with his party’s own voters cannot lead the party into 2026.
You can’t pick a shutdown fight over healthcare premiums, get nothing for that fight, provide the votes to reopen, and then still have the high ground on healthcare premiums!
November 9, 2025 at 8:17 PM
You can’t pick a shutdown fight over healthcare premiums, get nothing for that fight, provide the votes to reopen, and then still have the high ground on healthcare premiums!
One thing I find endearing about Mamdani is that even if he had no other principles, spite alone could have powered him through the whole campaign. He's a true New Yorker.
November 5, 2025 at 4:44 PM
One thing I find endearing about Mamdani is that even if he had no other principles, spite alone could have powered him through the whole campaign. He's a true New Yorker.
Reposted by Patrick Giamario
Here's another bit of conventional wisdom Zohran completely blew away: His speech was at well above a 10th-grade level. It was complex, erudite, punctuated by deep and fluent references. You don't have to condescend to voters with baby talk! Part of re-establishing norms is speaking like an adult.
November 5, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Here's another bit of conventional wisdom Zohran completely blew away: His speech was at well above a 10th-grade level. It was complex, erudite, punctuated by deep and fluent references. You don't have to condescend to voters with baby talk! Part of re-establishing norms is speaking like an adult.
Hardly the biggest news of the night, but voters in my Greensboro city council district gave the boot to our cartoonishly corrupt councilman and gave the job to a young, progressive community organizer!
November 5, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Hardly the biggest news of the night, but voters in my Greensboro city council district gave the boot to our cartoonishly corrupt councilman and gave the job to a young, progressive community organizer!
Schumer’s strategy here makes no sense in terms of party management, personal electoral interests, or maintaining his hold on the leadership. It’s just spite (or worse) all the way down.
this shit right here is wrecker shit, as much as wrecker shit as any online leftist has done, if not more so. no wonder so many people are repulsed by anyone (rightly) saying 'vote blue no matter who', the most powerful elected Dem in the nation won't do it! it undermines the whole coalition! jfc
November 4, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Schumer’s strategy here makes no sense in terms of party management, personal electoral interests, or maintaining his hold on the leadership. It’s just spite (or worse) all the way down.