robertwrighter.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

I got laid off today, with the rest of 18F. 18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it. We made this website to tell our story: 18f.org

submitted 1 day ago • 3183 comments

If you get in the habit of behaving badly in one realm, will that make you behave badly in other realms? Whether or not that's true for humans, a new study suggests that it's the way things work with AIs. More from @robertwrighter.bsky.social: buff.ly/3XpDHax

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Instead of DEFCON (1-5) or color-spectrum terror alerts, I propose we use images of @robertwrighter.bsky.social in various levels of distress to visually shorthand the state of the world. Current level:

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

My latest with @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social, in which I wow Paul with my genius plan to end fighting in hockey, Paul claims his fellow Canadians don't utterly loathe Americans, and we again fail to avoid the subject of Musk. Also available on the NonZero Podcast feed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7o-...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

I learned a lot from my conversation w/ Jack Goldsmith about how the Trump chaos could play out in the courts, why Trump may be hurting his chances w/ SCOTUS, and the importance of norms Trump is damaging. You can watch on YouTube or listen via the Nonzero podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAZN...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Learn something about the Unitary Executive theory with Jack Goldsmith hosted by @robertwrighter.bsky.social. I love Bob, wonderful discussion. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAZN...

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

Trump: Peacemaker or Chaos Agent? | @nonzeronews.bsky.social World feat. @robertwrighter.bsky.social #politics #foreignaffairs www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m3H...

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

This guy is so transparently full of shit. If this were the actual concern, he could have sent out a much simpler and less stress-inducing email (maybe throw in a CAPTCHA!). I think he actually enjoys making people suffer.

submitted 7 days ago • 3 comments

NEW: For those who want to see an end to the war in Ukraine, this was a good week and a terrible week. @connorechols.bsky.social tries to split the difference https://buff.ly/3QPfxml

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Elon Musk promised this week to recuse himself from any government work that may pose a conflict of interest. To help him out, we've gone ahead and started a list: https://buff.ly/41s0yF0

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Really enjoyed this conversation with @norabelrose.bsky.social about how fast things in AI are moving and what it all means (in various senses). www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksso...

submitted 10 days ago • 1 comment

Some suggestions for DOGE cost cutting: www.aerotime.aero/articles/275... oh and how about the carried interest loophole and the use of debt by billionaires to avoid paying taxes altogether. Now, if someone near Elon Musk can use a calculator, that's real money!

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

The ropes are down; the rules are off: "AI Accelerationism Goes Global," from @robertwrighter.bsky.social (Plus- Giordano Bruno) Prioritize prudence: roughlydaily.com/2025/02/17/l...

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

He who is named Bob gets free coffee at Starbucks. (Is that the way it works--you just start a sentence with 'He who' and the sentence magically becomes true?)

submitted 14 days ago • 3 comments

NEW: This week's Paris AI summit made one thing clear: AI accelerationism has gone global. More from @robertwrighter.bsky.social www.nonzero.org/p/a-very-bad...

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

I think JD Vance will come to regret that he said this. By the time he starts his 2028 presidential bid, AI will have caused enough turmoil and dislocation that his explicit call to disregard its risks will look really dumb. www.nonzero.org/p/a-very-bad...

submitted 15 days ago • 1 comment

They said Trump couldn't unify a divided nation. But he's now unified Canada! I discussed this development--and lots of other stuff, including Severance, Super Bowl ads, and my theory of Musk--with famed Canadian psychologist @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AMD...

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

Oligarchy update.

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

This is sure to rattle a few cages.

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

My uphill battle against threat inflation continues... www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfRS...

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

Really enjoyed discussing @musaalgharbi.bsky.social's book We Have Never Been Woke with him. You can watch here or listen on my Nonzero podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHWg...

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

On @nonzeronews.bsky.social @robertwrighter.bsky.social & Conor Echols want analysis of America First & left-wing critiques of aid. I study aid so... waylaiddialectic.wordpress.com/2025/02/09/u...

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

The average human brain now contains enough microplastics to make a standard plastic spoon. (Data via Nature Medicine) More: https://buff.ly/40SCxW3

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

Since the advent of LLMs this has been revised to "What I can create I do not understand."

submitted 22 days ago • 1 comment

Trump's Shock-and-Awe: Madness or Method? | @nonzeronews.bsky.social Feat. @robertwrighter.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-vU...

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

The federal government has reached step two of Elon Musk's multi-step process for making organizations more efficient: Delete any part or process you can. More from @connorechols.bsky.social:

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

This week's tariff dustup is a useful reminder of how unwilling President Trump is to accept the limits of American power in a multipolar world—a refusal that will only speed up the erosion of American power over the long term. My latest in @nonzeronews.bsky.social www.nonzero.org/p/what-trump...

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

Really enjoyed talking to Paul Triolo, a true expert on Chinese technology, about the many misconceptions surrounding the AI "race" with China (and the problems with framing it as a race). You can watch here or listen on @NonzeroPods. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gine...

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

I figured that a summit between the world's two leading authorities on how to make your nation widely hated would produce some unfortunate synergy, but this exceeded my wildest expectations.

submitted 25 days ago • 3 comments

Had a great conversation w/ @markleongoldberg.bsky.social of the Global Dispatches newsletter and podcast about what Trump 2.0 will mean for the UN and global governance more broadly. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1_7...

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

From the excellent newsletter Eunomia, written by @daniellarison.bsky.social. daniellarison.substack.com/p/the-illega...

submitted 27 days ago • 1 comment

Those community notes on Twitter do have their uses.

submitted 27 days ago • 1 comment

Had a great conversation with @elizabethrb.bsky.social on the history of American terror designations—and how Trump is gearing up to use these tools to fight everything from the Houthis to the cartels: youtu.be/7s7vHTLDTxQ?...

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Trump's attempts to freeze funding and lay off federal workers show just how influential Elon Musk has become, writes @connorechols.bsky.social

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

A plurality of Americans believes the United States is an oligarchy, according to a poll from YouGov. More: https://buff.ly/4hDAXOr

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Was great to join @nonzeronews.bsky.social to talk with @connorechols.bsky.social all about terror designations 👇

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Oligarchy update

submitted 30 days ago • 2 comments

Post Enjoyed wowing @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social w/ my blinding insights into the whole DeepThink thing. Plus we swapped theories on the Musk salute, on Trump's tactical craziness, on Severance, etc. You can watch here or listen on the Nonzero Podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKOP... .

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments

This excellent analysis from @robertwrighter.bsky.social & @peterbeinart.bsky.social, who both show remarkable self-awareness in addition to their understanding of international relations.

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

An American Jew Reflects on Gaza | @robertwrighter.bsky.social and @peterbeinart.bsky.social discuss Peter’s new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mgM...

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

How social media drives political tribalism @robertwrighter.bsky.social explains:

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

My very short video explaining the very simple reason that America's chip war on China increases the chances of real war on Taiwan. www.youtube.com/watch?v=auNR...

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

I talked to my old friend @peterbeinart.bsky.social about his new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. You can watch here or listen on the Nonzero Podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mgM...

submitted 33 days ago • 2 comments