Simon Duffy
@simonduffy.bsky.social
Philosopher and social activist with interest in self-directed support, basic income, neighbourhood democracy, neighbourhood care and anything else that helps create a world where everyone matters (and chippy Northerner). https://citizen-network.org
Duolingo understands the truth:
We are all citizens!
We are all citizens!
November 11, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Duolingo understands the truth:
We are all citizens!
We are all citizens!
Irritating…
Sky journalist keeps referring to Bolton as Greater Manchester.
What’s that about?!
Sky journalist keeps referring to Bolton as Greater Manchester.
What’s that about?!
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Irritating…
Sky journalist keeps referring to Bolton as Greater Manchester.
What’s that about?!
Sky journalist keeps referring to Bolton as Greater Manchester.
What’s that about?!
The victory of @plaidcymru.bsky.social is a very important reminder that there are 3 strands of progressive power in the UK - sadly unaligned and in conflict:
People who care about equality
People who care about the planet
People who care about communities
- why are we forced to choose?
People who care about equality
People who care about the planet
People who care about communities
- why are we forced to choose?
October 24, 2025 at 7:47 AM
The victory of @plaidcymru.bsky.social is a very important reminder that there are 3 strands of progressive power in the UK - sadly unaligned and in conflict:
People who care about equality
People who care about the planet
People who care about communities
- why are we forced to choose?
People who care about equality
People who care about the planet
People who care about communities
- why are we forced to choose?
I knew today was going to be a good day when I arrived at BISLA and found this.
Then a debate with Dr. Iveta Radičová (the ex -PM) the reasons for the decline in trust between citizens and the state - and what we can do about it.
We agreed about a lot - but not #basicincome
An amazing women.
Then a debate with Dr. Iveta Radičová (the ex -PM) the reasons for the decline in trust between citizens and the state - and what we can do about it.
We agreed about a lot - but not #basicincome
An amazing women.
October 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I knew today was going to be a good day when I arrived at BISLA and found this.
Then a debate with Dr. Iveta Radičová (the ex -PM) the reasons for the decline in trust between citizens and the state - and what we can do about it.
We agreed about a lot - but not #basicincome
An amazing women.
Then a debate with Dr. Iveta Radičová (the ex -PM) the reasons for the decline in trust between citizens and the state - and what we can do about it.
We agreed about a lot - but not #basicincome
An amazing women.
Past the KGB Pub in Bratislava today. Made me smile, but also wonder. Do we crave surveillance?
It was only recently (which is embarrassing) that I realised that the English Pub is a licensed house precisely because the police wanted to ensure landlords would have to snitch on their customers.
It was only recently (which is embarrassing) that I realised that the English Pub is a licensed house precisely because the police wanted to ensure landlords would have to snitch on their customers.
October 6, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Past the KGB Pub in Bratislava today. Made me smile, but also wonder. Do we crave surveillance?
It was only recently (which is embarrassing) that I realised that the English Pub is a licensed house precisely because the police wanted to ensure landlords would have to snitch on their customers.
It was only recently (which is embarrassing) that I realised that the English Pub is a licensed house precisely because the police wanted to ensure landlords would have to snitch on their customers.
Today is International Democracy Day - and we need a real democracy more than ever.
Today @citizennetwork.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @compassoffice.bsky.social @henrytam.bsky.social shared our 8 step plan for rebuilding a renewed UK democracy.
citizen-network.org/library/demo...
Today @citizennetwork.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @compassoffice.bsky.social @henrytam.bsky.social shared our 8 step plan for rebuilding a renewed UK democracy.
citizen-network.org/library/demo...
September 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Today is International Democracy Day - and we need a real democracy more than ever.
Today @citizennetwork.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @compassoffice.bsky.social @henrytam.bsky.social shared our 8 step plan for rebuilding a renewed UK democracy.
citizen-network.org/library/demo...
Today @citizennetwork.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social @compassoffice.bsky.social @henrytam.bsky.social shared our 8 step plan for rebuilding a renewed UK democracy.
citizen-network.org/library/demo...
Is this normal now?
Shouldn’t the Government have seized his assets, closed down X and declared him a foreign enemy?
Was Fascism defeated by hoping it will go away?
Shouldn’t the Government have seized his assets, closed down X and declared him a foreign enemy?
Was Fascism defeated by hoping it will go away?
September 14, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Is this normal now?
Shouldn’t the Government have seized his assets, closed down X and declared him a foreign enemy?
Was Fascism defeated by hoping it will go away?
Shouldn’t the Government have seized his assets, closed down X and declared him a foreign enemy?
Was Fascism defeated by hoping it will go away?
I was messing around with Chat GPT for a project I’m working on when I discovered that it had converted the Union Jack into the Stars and Stripes.
Mmm
Thought you’d be interested @jowolff.bsky.social
Mmm
Thought you’d be interested @jowolff.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 10:43 AM
I was messing around with Chat GPT for a project I’m working on when I discovered that it had converted the Union Jack into the Stars and Stripes.
Mmm
Thought you’d be interested @jowolff.bsky.social
Mmm
Thought you’d be interested @jowolff.bsky.social
Yesterday @citizennetwork.bsky.social hit Parliament.
Thanks to @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social and Baroness Hollins for hosting us.
And guests @compassoffice.bsky.social @disrightsuk.bsky.social @learningdiseng.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social @carefull.bsky.social @plancommonsense.bsky.social …
Thanks to @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social and Baroness Hollins for hosting us.
And guests @compassoffice.bsky.social @disrightsuk.bsky.social @learningdiseng.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social @carefull.bsky.social @plancommonsense.bsky.social …
September 3, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Yesterday @citizennetwork.bsky.social hit Parliament.
Thanks to @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social and Baroness Hollins for hosting us.
And guests @compassoffice.bsky.social @disrightsuk.bsky.social @learningdiseng.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social @carefull.bsky.social @plancommonsense.bsky.social …
Thanks to @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social and Baroness Hollins for hosting us.
And guests @compassoffice.bsky.social @disrightsuk.bsky.social @learningdiseng.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social @carefull.bsky.social @plancommonsense.bsky.social …
Looking at the London skyline, a monument to ‘financial services’ I was struck by the logic of neoliberalism:
Q. What is the most efficient economic activity?
A. Theft.
Q. What is the most efficient economic activity?
A. Theft.
September 2, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Looking at the London skyline, a monument to ‘financial services’ I was struck by the logic of neoliberalism:
Q. What is the most efficient economic activity?
A. Theft.
Q. What is the most efficient economic activity?
A. Theft.
Wonderfully lucid translation which for a reason I can’t explain made me read more slowly than I’ve ever done so before. Beautifully putdownable?
Exemplary notes also.
Exemplary notes also.
August 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Wonderfully lucid translation which for a reason I can’t explain made me read more slowly than I’ve ever done so before. Beautifully putdownable?
Exemplary notes also.
Exemplary notes also.
I’m pretty sure that had anyone else in the UK formed a political party, with several MPs and seen 600,000 people join in less than a week it would be front page news.
Just another week on normal island.
Just another week on normal island.
July 31, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I’m pretty sure that had anyone else in the UK formed a political party, with several MPs and seen 600,000 people join in less than a week it would be front page news.
Just another week on normal island.
Just another week on normal island.
Sadly institutions have largely been replaced by a residential care system that takes people away from family and community.
I suspect our current challenges are connected to our woeful meritocratic view of ‘the mainstream’ which has no place for the joy of difference.
I suspect our current challenges are connected to our woeful meritocratic view of ‘the mainstream’ which has no place for the joy of difference.
July 24, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Sadly institutions have largely been replaced by a residential care system that takes people away from family and community.
I suspect our current challenges are connected to our woeful meritocratic view of ‘the mainstream’ which has no place for the joy of difference.
I suspect our current challenges are connected to our woeful meritocratic view of ‘the mainstream’ which has no place for the joy of difference.
I’m reposting quote from @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Now with Alt Text - TY @cleanbreak.bsky.social
Hoisting neoliberalism by its own petard. A system that reduced growth while proclaiming that it’s the only possible system, creating chaos and failing to address the challenges ahead of us.
Now with Alt Text - TY @cleanbreak.bsky.social
Hoisting neoliberalism by its own petard. A system that reduced growth while proclaiming that it’s the only possible system, creating chaos and failing to address the challenges ahead of us.
June 22, 2025 at 8:56 AM
I’m reposting quote from @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Now with Alt Text - TY @cleanbreak.bsky.social
Hoisting neoliberalism by its own petard. A system that reduced growth while proclaiming that it’s the only possible system, creating chaos and failing to address the challenges ahead of us.
Now with Alt Text - TY @cleanbreak.bsky.social
Hoisting neoliberalism by its own petard. A system that reduced growth while proclaiming that it’s the only possible system, creating chaos and failing to address the challenges ahead of us.
The wonderful @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social on neoliberalism
June 19, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The wonderful @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social on neoliberalism
May 23, 2025 at 8:42 AM
I made an existential decision…
Profiteroles s’il vous plaît
Profiteroles s’il vous plaît
May 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
I made an existential decision…
Profiteroles s’il vous plaît
Profiteroles s’il vous plaît
Doncaster votes Reform.
Doncaster.
If this doesn’t wake the Labour Party up I don’t know what will.
And I’m not remotely confident it will.
(sigh)
Doncaster.
If this doesn’t wake the Labour Party up I don’t know what will.
And I’m not remotely confident it will.
(sigh)
May 2, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Doncaster votes Reform.
Doncaster.
If this doesn’t wake the Labour Party up I don’t know what will.
And I’m not remotely confident it will.
(sigh)
Doncaster.
If this doesn’t wake the Labour Party up I don’t know what will.
And I’m not remotely confident it will.
(sigh)
Well that was a book and a half. A thought-provoking cocktail of moral, scientific and social questions driven by a remorseless logical structure and dark hypothesis. Hard-going for us optimistic Christians, but worth the effort.
April 21, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Well that was a book and a half. A thought-provoking cocktail of moral, scientific and social questions driven by a remorseless logical structure and dark hypothesis. Hard-going for us optimistic Christians, but worth the effort.
This is where we are now. (sigh)
April 1, 2025 at 5:07 PM
This is where we are now. (sigh)
The charms of authoritarianism and fascism are not so hard to describe…
but don’t strap yourself to a pig.
simonduffy.info/blog/dont-st...
but don’t strap yourself to a pig.
simonduffy.info/blog/dont-st...
March 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The charms of authoritarianism and fascism are not so hard to describe…
but don’t strap yourself to a pig.
simonduffy.info/blog/dont-st...
but don’t strap yourself to a pig.
simonduffy.info/blog/dont-st...
And!!
An institution is not defined by size but by the operation of power over others.
An institution is not defined by size but by the operation of power over others.
March 20, 2025 at 11:18 AM
And!!
An institution is not defined by size but by the operation of power over others.
An institution is not defined by size but by the operation of power over others.
Great to hear from Scottish Human Rights Commission.
There is no justification for institutions - they are de facto and de jure a breach of human rights.
There is no justification for institutions - they are de facto and de jure a breach of human rights.
March 20, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Great to hear from Scottish Human Rights Commission.
There is no justification for institutions - they are de facto and de jure a breach of human rights.
There is no justification for institutions - they are de facto and de jure a breach of human rights.
But fundamentally cuts to the DWP (cuts that often never happen as people adapt to the craziness of the system) cannot lift people out of poverty. The poor already work their socks off and still pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits. Robin Hood in Reverse.
March 18, 2025 at 3:08 PM
But fundamentally cuts to the DWP (cuts that often never happen as people adapt to the craziness of the system) cannot lift people out of poverty. The poor already work their socks off and still pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits. Robin Hood in Reverse.
Up early to catch the train to Londinium - looking forward to working with my friend and co-author Wendy Perez and meeting social workers in Hounslow on World Social Work Day #ESWD2025 @citizennetwork.bsky.social @redpress.bsky.social
March 18, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Up early to catch the train to Londinium - looking forward to working with my friend and co-author Wendy Perez and meeting social workers in Hounslow on World Social Work Day #ESWD2025 @citizennetwork.bsky.social @redpress.bsky.social