Isabella
@isabellap789.bsky.social
"The laws of the moon, a thousand year journey
To all, you may think of the chill night as infinitely far away
And now, let us go on our path of fear, doubt, and loneliness, into darkness"
To all, you may think of the chill night as infinitely far away
And now, let us go on our path of fear, doubt, and loneliness, into darkness"
Pinned
Isabella
@isabellap789.bsky.social
· Dec 26
The past few years have long-ended in sour notes, for all democracies of the world weather a storm and the very structure of our rights and liberties have withstood horrific affronts.
It is amid this, that I repeat to myself these words as a mantra. As our ancestors have before us, we must believe.
It is amid this, that I repeat to myself these words as a mantra. As our ancestors have before us, we must believe.
Reposted by Isabella
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
January 25, 2026 at 9:24 AM
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
Reposted by Isabella
"I guess we're just going to have to become firemen" is an MLK quote I only discovered today and I suspect it may become a favourite
The autobiography concludes its section on this conversation interestingly:
"I [Harry Belafonte] felt as if our moorings were unhinging. "Damn, Martin! If that's what you think, what would you have us do?" I asked.
He gave me a look. "I guess we're just going to have to become firemen.""
"I [Harry Belafonte] felt as if our moorings were unhinging. "Damn, Martin! If that's what you think, what would you have us do?" I asked.
He gave me a look. "I guess we're just going to have to become firemen.""
January 20, 2026 at 10:23 AM
"I guess we're just going to have to become firemen" is an MLK quote I only discovered today and I suspect it may become a favourite
Reposted by Isabella
To support whoever promises them escape from the drudgery of tradeoffs is to shirk their duty
January 20, 2026 at 2:39 AM
To support whoever promises them escape from the drudgery of tradeoffs is to shirk their duty
Reposted by Isabella
The US traditionally used carrots for Europe and sticks for LatAm, now they're brandishing the stick at everyone
January 20, 2026 at 7:06 AM
The US traditionally used carrots for Europe and sticks for LatAm, now they're brandishing the stick at everyone
Reposted by Isabella
He does have one in which he says that if the People elect a dictator and that dictator goes on to do evil things then the blame still lies with the people who put the dictator in power. He says "The sin of dictatorship is that people push the failures of government onto one man"
January 19, 2026 at 10:50 PM
He does have one in which he says that if the People elect a dictator and that dictator goes on to do evil things then the blame still lies with the people who put the dictator in power. He says "The sin of dictatorship is that people push the failures of government onto one man"
Reposted by Isabella
Some of the doomerism you keep seeing here and other places is because a lot of people's fundamental assumptions about the way the world is meant to were thoroughly broken in the past decade. People feel like none of their mental models work any more and shut down in defence.
January 16, 2026 at 2:44 AM
Some of the doomerism you keep seeing here and other places is because a lot of people's fundamental assumptions about the way the world is meant to were thoroughly broken in the past decade. People feel like none of their mental models work any more and shut down in defence.
Reposted by Isabella
The US is effectively doing an even stupider Falklands War in Greenland, except instead of one country they're picking a fight with an entire continent.
January 15, 2026 at 2:37 PM
The US is effectively doing an even stupider Falklands War in Greenland, except instead of one country they're picking a fight with an entire continent.
Reposted by Isabella
Fucking lol.
January 14, 2026 at 11:14 PM
Fucking lol.
Reposted by Isabella
The reactionary mindset is a human universal and is found in every society and culture on the planet, but its particular manifestations are determined by the specificities of each society
January 14, 2026 at 9:20 PM
The reactionary mindset is a human universal and is found in every society and culture on the planet, but its particular manifestations are determined by the specificities of each society
Reposted by Isabella
this is also how you should think about the boat strike war crimes imo: a small evil that gets the people uncomfortable with those things out of the ranks in preparation for a greater one.
January 12, 2026 at 11:04 PM
this is also how you should think about the boat strike war crimes imo: a small evil that gets the people uncomfortable with those things out of the ranks in preparation for a greater one.
Reposted by Isabella
"I'm gonna go look at the newspaper headlines, bsky is so pessimistic , I need something less negative, I'm sure the old newspaper headlines are more normal"
Actual domestic newspaper headline:
Oh.
Actual domestic newspaper headline:
Oh.
January 7, 2026 at 10:35 PM
"I'm gonna go look at the newspaper headlines, bsky is so pessimistic , I need something less negative, I'm sure the old newspaper headlines are more normal"
Actual domestic newspaper headline:
Oh.
Actual domestic newspaper headline:
Oh.
Reposted by Isabella
Gotta love a normally pretty uncontroversial executive order from the early cold war that goes "if Danish soil is attacked, you gotta shoot at them guys" suddenly becomes "if the Americans invade, you gotta shoot them"
January 7, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Gotta love a normally pretty uncontroversial executive order from the early cold war that goes "if Danish soil is attacked, you gotta shoot at them guys" suddenly becomes "if the Americans invade, you gotta shoot them"
Reposted by Isabella
Hostes. Humani. Generis.
ICE just murdered a woman here in Minneapolis. A legal observer. Shot her multiple times while she drove away as ordered. She was a US citizen.
Absolute, unequivocal, cold-blooded murder by Trump’s gestapo.
Abolish ICE, jail for everyone in charge. This is the lowest bar we accept now.
Absolute, unequivocal, cold-blooded murder by Trump’s gestapo.
Abolish ICE, jail for everyone in charge. This is the lowest bar we accept now.
January 7, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Hostes. Humani. Generis.
Reposted by Isabella
Dr. Fukuyama, you can't miss
January 6, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Dr. Fukuyama, you can't miss
Reposted by Isabella
”If your neighboring country is openly planning on annexing you, you should prepare to be invaded.” -Sun Tzu, The Art of War
January 6, 2026 at 3:35 AM
”If your neighboring country is openly planning on annexing you, you should prepare to be invaded.” -Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Reposted by Isabella
it's this scene on a civilizational scale
January 6, 2026 at 1:00 PM
it's this scene on a civilizational scale
Reposted by Isabella
Just bleak man
I really think hybrid warfare and online grifting (information warfare) is one of the biggest threats of our lifetime.
The informational environment is a extremely sensitive critical equilibrium and it is actively being destroyed for cash and clout
I really think hybrid warfare and online grifting (information warfare) is one of the biggest threats of our lifetime.
The informational environment is a extremely sensitive critical equilibrium and it is actively being destroyed for cash and clout
January 5, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Just bleak man
I really think hybrid warfare and online grifting (information warfare) is one of the biggest threats of our lifetime.
The informational environment is a extremely sensitive critical equilibrium and it is actively being destroyed for cash and clout
I really think hybrid warfare and online grifting (information warfare) is one of the biggest threats of our lifetime.
The informational environment is a extremely sensitive critical equilibrium and it is actively being destroyed for cash and clout
It is another day ending in -day and contemplating the complacency of many democracies with the world engulfed in increasingly illiberal chaos, it is another day I find LOGH to have been cursedly prescient.
January 4, 2026 at 4:58 AM
It is another day ending in -day and contemplating the complacency of many democracies with the world engulfed in increasingly illiberal chaos, it is another day I find LOGH to have been cursedly prescient.
Reposted by Isabella
Okay here’s an actual take: the fascist international is at war with the very concept of legitimacy.
Their messaging is so fucking incoherent. Maduro was an illegitimate leader who lost in 2024, which is why we're replacing him with his VP instead of the person who won in 2024. We did this to stop fentanyl, which is why he's indicted for cocaine.
We're also occupying Venezuela via Zoom call.
We're also occupying Venezuela via Zoom call.
January 3, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Okay here’s an actual take: the fascist international is at war with the very concept of legitimacy.
Reposted by Isabella
If sovereign heads of state can be kidnapped at the will of the hegemon for any reason at all then sovereignty as we know it is a dead concept and we live in a post-Westphalian world now.
January 3, 2026 at 3:35 PM
If sovereign heads of state can be kidnapped at the will of the hegemon for any reason at all then sovereignty as we know it is a dead concept and we live in a post-Westphalian world now.
Reposted by Isabella
explaining why we have the separation of powers to the median voter like I’m explaining why we can’t have cookies for every meal to my three year old
January 3, 2026 at 3:20 PM
explaining why we have the separation of powers to the median voter like I’m explaining why we can’t have cookies for every meal to my three year old
Reposted by Isabella
I’m sure to Trump this looks like strength but to everyone else calculating their security options this morning it's more confirmation that US power is capricious and the only insurance policy is a nuclear one
January 3, 2026 at 1:14 PM
I’m sure to Trump this looks like strength but to everyone else calculating their security options this morning it's more confirmation that US power is capricious and the only insurance policy is a nuclear one
Reposted by Isabella
The president's unaccountable assassination squad is now also an unaccountable kidnapping squad and dems can either plan to take action accordingly or be replaced by those who will
I'm not joking
January 3, 2026 at 9:39 AM
The president's unaccountable assassination squad is now also an unaccountable kidnapping squad and dems can either plan to take action accordingly or be replaced by those who will
Reposted by Isabella
I think it varies and manifestation but that this is an essential aspect of nationalist ideology. Liberal intelligentsia in the cities invent the concept of the nation from the cities that form cultural centers, idealizing the rural peasantry.
Do other countries have this weird notion that you’re not a “real” representative of the nation if you live in an urban center? Like do the French say Parisians aren’t really French? Are you considered not a real German if you live in Berlin? Or is this mainly a weird American thing?
January 1, 2026 at 5:47 PM
I think it varies and manifestation but that this is an essential aspect of nationalist ideology. Liberal intelligentsia in the cities invent the concept of the nation from the cities that form cultural centers, idealizing the rural peasantry.