matt

Been seeing a lot of pundits and writers I like and respect lately saying that the American empire is in decline, and I … just don’t see it? Where is the evidence that the US is any less powerful than before?

Useful sure, in the same way a weapon is useful. A dream? Nah. I’m going Luddite

In theory, no it doesn’t!

So funny that these were the people giving out about cancel culture lmao

Revisiting this and it is so unbelievably good. Do yourself a favour if you haven’t heard it before

lol no they were not

The same dissonance is seen everywhere: “Hamas are terrorists who do not represent the Palestinian people” and “All Palestinians are potential Hamas terrorists.”

PMSL at this

For my sins (and podcast) I read that book, which at the very least gives a real insight into his worldview - it’s neoliberalism all the way down, the logic of the market internalised so much that it doesnt even appear as ideology. I will never believe for a second he’s changed

Thanks both! I’ll be doing some digging

Is there a way to check / confirm whether a short-term let us legal or not?

Breaking Bad literally only works in any way whatsoever because you sympathise with him on some level! What would the show even be if you didn’t?

I agree with this. They should’ve made Walter White wear a big t-shirt the whole time that said BAD GUY on the front.

Still listening to Shabaka this morning. For sure one of the weirdest and most innovative albums I’ve heard in a long time. No idea what people in general will make of it

90% of Spielberg films. There’s something about the combination of the types of musical scores he employs with the “oh my god we are going on an adventure!” tone that puts me off them so intensely.

The new Shabaka album Is dumbfounding. Demented. It’s flute EDM!

Screen shot of text from the end of an email that reads: If you want, I can also write a much sharper version (still legally safe but far more cutting) that will really land with him and his solicitors.

Pro tip: if you're going to send someone a nonsense letter that you hope uses enough serious sounding "legal" language to be taken seriously, you should probably make sure you delete the bit at the end where ChatGPT offers to write a different version lol

My bench 😭

Never mind the super artists like Swift who absolutely do make loads of money off their records but want to gouge their fans anyway

As far as I can tell this isn’t actually true? Concert tickets are expensive primarily because tours are more expensive now?

😡 <- that’s him there now, fuming that his new policy has worked exactly as intended

“Peculiar” is a funny way to say “entirely predictable and what all housing orgs said was going to happen”.

So good!

It doesn’t have to be much on an individual basis. There’s only so much of the world’s shit we can put on our own shoulders. But if the state of the world terrifies or disappoints you, you really should be involved in some left-wing org of some description. It’s the only way

It of course heartens me that there are still huge numbers of people who are decent and have basic but solid moral codes which govern their lives. But unfortunately none of that is going to matter much.

If we are not building and organising for power we are doomed. Simple as

Who needs enemies

People will call themselves leftists and then flat out refuse to engage in any material analysis of any situation ever.

I’d go so far as to say referees simply never give fouls nowadays if you don’t go down, even with the supposed help of VAR. Players get kicked in the shins when they’re through on goal but are never awarded a penalty

Do Americans have any idea how preposterous this shit sounds from the outside looking in?

The US killing one and hundred fifty school children in a single attack on Iran has apparently been universally decided to be a non story by the Western press. Not front page news, not in the highlights, instantly memory holed. Profession and institutions worse than worthless.