gregwa.bsky.social
Escaping from the other place. Recovering academic (film theory/philosophy) but returning to my first love (biological sciences) and wondering what it's all about. None the wiser, but better informed.
775 posts
295 followers
1,218 following
Discussion Master
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Gardening (as opposed to plant shopping). Propagating from seed, division and cuttings is remarkable cheap and a half decent spade and fork will last for decades. Not to mention a huge amount of time is spent weeding and those bastards arrive for free.
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A victory from which they will never recover
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The patterns have always been there but I think there are lulls and troughs in intensity. Interesting piece by David Runicman in the LRB which does suggest both Alt right and left have dug in to more absolutist positions and binary rhetoric as the channels to spread their options have proliferated.
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While our capacity for tribalism/polarisation seems fairly innate what seems different is a wider demand for ideological purity that denies any area of respectful disagreement. The socially liberal shout at people they disagree with online the same intolerance and vehemence as the reactionaries.
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Parties can only exist in a ecosystem where they represent (or are perceived to) a particular set of interests. Who exactly do the Tories serve who isn't equally at home elsewhere? I'm not sure there is a niche for liberal conservatism anymore not least as they salted that earth with Brexit.
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The good stuff (as with photography) undoubtedly will. But I suspect that will sit atop a pile of mundane, derivative dross. I'm not a fan and think the energy consumption is criminal, but I don't think it will do away with human creativity anymore than other tech (writing, oil paint etc) has.
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I can see people doing/swapping fan fic Friends (video as well as the script) and a talent for prompting become valued like one to turn a phrase. It could also become part of gaming. Like photography's effect on the visual arts it could be more democratic, but maybe more banal and pornographic.
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I suspect beyond taking over types of existing content (corporate work, reports, brochures, manluals etc) its effect on inventing new forms of entertainment with words will be equally significant. Replacement won't simply be like for like, AI doing what you do, but it taking attention elsewhere.
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I'm not sure someone so reptilian can do worried. Hedging his bets more probably, not least as I think Musk is already trying to row back.
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I think E has become less likely after the Epstien jibe, but if they don't find a way to deescalate this will in effect be a showdown between the power of the state over the power of capital, both in their most raw and base form. Beyond the entertainment this is oligarchy v totalitarianism.
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you don't buy a ticket to win, but to fantasise. Compared with other media that engage the imagination and make you examine what you think you desire the ticket isn't bad value for money.
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There are certain types of US Mega Corps (Haliburton and most Big Tech) that see chaos and crises as fantastic opportunities to makes obscene profits (not least from the govt/taxpayer) with little to no interest, or understanding in what they destroy in the process. They see 'Science' as a target
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Unfortunately next to the majesty of creation what the Universe does best is pitiless indifference.
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best line ever about superheroes (Scott Bukatman I think) was they don't dress up in order to fight crime, but fight crime in order to dress up.
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While taxes need to rise for everyone, to regain some sense that they are justified we need to at least try to reduce the obscene wealth gap. That was my point. If one decides that is (politically administratively) impossible, people are not going to just shrug, there will be serious consequences
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So what was the NHS, comprehensive education, nationalised services etc all bought on tick?
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I'm am and I'm sure they were all very sensible. Unfortunately sensible isn't going to cut it for much longer as the social contract built over the last century is collapsing and new tech and climate crisis will exacerbate rather than ameliorate the situation.
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and as Thomas Pikkerty argued its a pretty unreliable stat. For example it doesn't take account of what costs you can't avoid spending out of your 'disposable' income. If half your wages go on rent you aren't as rich as the GINI coefficient trumpets. It also misses wealth accumulation effects.
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All economic indicators demonstrate wealth inequality is increasing. No "seem" about it. As long as reasonable centrist continue to claim they have as much control over this as the weather the pressure for more radical and violent responses (probably from the right rather than left) will increase
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What people are picking up on is an acceptance of unfairness not simply a rejected 'magic' solution.The ultra rich have got massively richer over the last few decades, the mega corps they own seem to pay little tax and the future seems to look even more unjust. Shouldn't we be despairing at that?
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he is now just holding a dead puppy so short of a radical change of leadership (which isn't going to happen) I think there is little option but to attempt a realignment on the centre/left.
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It's true that taxing the rich can't fund everything but 1. It would be nice if they actually paid in % terms closer to what they used to because 2. the tax system would feel more equitable so the majority would then be more likely to accept tax rises on them. I know, it isn't going to happen.
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It's when stupidity isn't simply a misunderstanding but a wilful ignorance working in the service of hate and greed that the real damage is done.
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Do Morgdroids dream of elected sheep
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We have leftist nuggets. Its called chicken katsu
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As a good friend said to me back in the late 90s postmodernism is very clever, but I'm not sure it is particulalry wise.
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Our politics still can't escape the toxic legacy of Brexit. The Tories became addicted to their own worst instincts which begat Reform and then Labour normalised them by seeing it as a legitimate policy to ape rather than something catastrophic and pathological. Both will be destroyed by it.
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Unfortunately I'm not sure Labour under its current leadership is cosplaying. They are cultural/social reactionaries who are mildly economic centrists at best.
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I fear they are so far down the hard/blue Labour track there isn't any coming back, certainly not under the current leadership.
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Absolutely. It will make space for the old takeaway plastic and aluminium containers.
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A lack of political imagination, a hope things will return to some sort of more usual balance, a fear of the unknown, ingrained habit or some sort of combination of all of them I suspect.
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Come on! Besides getting it wrong on Trump, Big Tech, the EU, disability benefits, back door privatisation of the NHS, environmental protection, stupid red lines on borrowing and parroting Reform on immigration, Starmer is getting all the big calls right.
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It is fascinating stuff. Best origins of life book I've read is Nick Lane's THE VITAL QUESTION. Highly recommend it.
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as a Palace support I had a lovely day. Just lovely.
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that's a pity. However, if you work out the twist in season 2 that soon I'll accuse you of stealing the script.
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Bad Sisters was fun but not in a stupid way. More black comedy than thriller but I'd recommend it.
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It is always good (in the Aristotelian sense) to be a Palace fan. It is not always enjoyable. Today however was just lovely.
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I would say the hearts of many of their supports were it not for the fact that it has felt a fairly loveless union for quite some time.
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I think I saw him in an episode of The Sweeny. He was a villain who had a cut and shut operation out of a scrap yard in Deptford. The show opens with him dressed like this at his brother's funeral who was found brown bread at his drum with bags full of Nelson Eddys.
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Dare I say it is also as symptom of Labour no longer really knowing what they are for beyond tepid managerialism towards government and instrumentalist vote capture towards the electorate. These things require a level of ideological self belief to feel they are worth fighting for which seems absent.
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Exactly. It works as a mop and has the right vibes, but it isn't coherent. I know plenty of Labour people who will use them as a protest vote, but I equally know ex-Tories who could as easily go Green as Reform.
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Yes and no. There is still a 'liberal' tradition within the lib dems that I don't think has been wholly subsumed under neoliberalism, but clearly it's not socialist left. The Greens are equally all over the place so the options are deeply flawed but that's what's available.
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Compared to what else is on offer they are more so with regard to the EU, Trump and the environment.
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What is real is Lab are not simply failing to implement good policies on Brexit, Trump, the environment and the NHS, but actively pursuing bad ones. Added to that they are now more interested in the reactionary vote than the progressive one. If you are onboard with Blue Labour that's your politics.
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I'll vote tactically for anyone to keep out Reform and the Tories which will still include Lab, but that is now the only circumstance they get the x. Meanwhile I hope there are some tacit local agreements between Green and the Lib Dems to divide up the progressive vote.
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breaking 25% perhaps?
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Saying you are leaving and doing it are entirely different propositions. Even millionaires have kids in school, families and friends and other ties that keep them in place despite the tax rate.
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best one I've seen of these so far is 'you cannot lick badger twice'.
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Good as far as it goes but he has his talons in a lot of other pies so I'm not sure he is anywhere near a done deal.
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His attack on existentialism in the Jargon of Authenticity has a lot of relevance about the dark places identity politics has taken us.