Hi Phil, I'm in England (Surrey, just South of London). I like to read these political thoughts, and I feel for you, and anyone else who adheres to truth and justice in the US. I don't know how to subscribe to a Thread so I hope your arrangement stays as it is. I think I discovered you when I was looking for writing about Marianne Robinson, but I can't remember how! You were the first person I followed on Substack.
I followed your link to the online Daily Office and I discovered that that form of prayer was completely strange to me. It's great that you find comfort in it.
I am sorry to say that Trump has a hold on a large minority of people here in the UK, including my former best friend. I think she must have fallen down some internet rabbit hole. But I can't like her anymore, she is so bitter against anyone who isn't a fan of Trump's and I can't explain what's wrong with him in a way she'll understand. I panic when faced with an argument.
I've been considering what I can do to demonstrate community. I used to teach English to refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine but I dropped out because I thought that there were too many volunteers. I might just join in again.
Last week I went to a play locally of "Animal Farm". I was interested to see how relevant it seemed to our current predicament. The answer seemed to be - not very, but the similarity was in the bare-faced lying. The farm animals bent themselves into awkward shapes to believe what the pigs told them. But the pigs were merely animals who wanted to promote themselves, whereas I think your oligarchs perceive themselves as born superior, more like royalty in days gone by.
I don't think an opposition to Trump will come out of the Democratic party but maybe someone who the public perceive to be fun.
I also find your political letters interesting! Not because I find them galvanizing (I’m sorry!), but because I find it interesting to hear how different people are reacting to the moment and trying to meet it. I like the lists of practical things that you’re doing, they’re tangible and good things!
I do think it’s sort of a trap to fall into the ‘why does writing/art matter right now’ argument. No other industry or profession routinely questions their own right to exist like that. People read books and listened to music during the holocaust, and that’s wonderful, and it will always be that way. And so in that same way i’m wary when people (especially writers) begin to argue things like ‘well writing isn’t *that* important, compared to these other things’. Or when they argue that certain kinds of writing aren’t important… It’s a trap!
But i like your posts a lot, and i don’t think they’re liberal virtue signaling or anything. At the same time, I have soured on the type of liberal resistance posting that was prominent during the first Trump term. Not because i wildly disagreed with the posts, but because they were ineffective pieces of, essentially, propaganda. I’m not wildly opposed to propaganda (i used to write it when i was an organizer!), but if someone is trying to write propaganda it should really be bold, inspiring, and hopefully a little beautiful. If it’s not, then it’s possibly a product that is actually bad for people — that is eroding people’s capacity for free thought and agency. I don’t think your series is that! But these thoughts are why I don’t really see most political posts at galvanizing. On the contrary, I see them as slightly deflationary. Food for thought, lol. But i appreciate what you’re doing.
Yeah I agree. I’m trying not to let all my posts about other stuff become “and what is the meaning of this other stuff in the age of Trump” posts—another reason to set them under one heading.
I am going to church tomorrow (also a St. Andrews. Despite my Baptist roots I’ve realized I am probably an Episcopalian these days; I miss fiery sermons but I like good music and can be fairly sure that our priest is not going to say something stupid about gay people, given that he is gay, and there are a lot of what seem to be good people there. So far I’ve made it to half of the last four Sundays, but that’s a heck of a lot better than I’ve done previously, which was 0/X Sundays).
I am going to continue to do my job, despite how futile it often feels, particularly in The Times In Which We Live.
I am going to write the reviews I have due soon, because art is good even in The Times In Which We Live
I am going to finally respond to the very earnest DSA organizer who is trying to get me to knock on doors in our local city council race.
I am also going to continue to not drink this month, which has limited Broader Political Relevance, but needs to happen!
For what it’s worth, I like the earnest resistance posts—I find them galvanizing, especially when they appear side-by-side with the other posts. I think you can categorize posts on this platform in a way that puts them in a separate feed, which allows people to opt in or opt out.
I hadn't heard of the survey, so thanks for notice of it. I also go to St. A's. Just took it and gave them whatever is the digital equivalent of an earful.
I heartily second your comments on the church survey, and I'll even provide more fodder, because too few people are aware of certain facts. Back in 2023, it struck me that the hype surrounding AI really exploded just a few months after the cryptocurrency bubble burst. That seemed very suspect, since AI has been around for decades. Apparently Biden-era regulations on speculative investments and lack of public enthusiasm mean that the tech bros, who invested billions in it, will lose their money without deregulation and a big push from the government. Similarly for AI: corporations have invested heavily, which has led to a speculative bubble, and Chinese technology is now a threat, which makes sense of Trump's protectionism. Finally, Trump/Musk's rush to decimate climate policy makes sense when you think about the horrible energy sink the data centers are: according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), in 2022 these datacenters were already responsible for 2% of the world's energy consumption and 1% of global emissions, and their usage is supposed to double by 2026. I bet it already has (these predictions are inevitably optimistic). I'm doing as much within my circle of influence as possible to persuade my technophilic friends that AI is, in a way, a driving force behind the hostile takeover we're witnessing in D.C. And if you need any further persuasion that it is evil, check out this at the LRB on how AI has been used in Gaza: https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/january/militarised-ai?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20250205BlogUSRW&utm_content=20250205BlogUSRW+CID_3af904971c3e354ae6ae7d7f46c9ee89&utm_source=LRB%20email&utm_term=Militarised%20AI
Yes, I hadn't made these specific connections exactly, but it always has had an air of Next Big Floating Craps Game to keep money in motion until someone actually invents something *useful* again!
Phil, do you have a link to the story about the non-tenured faculty cuts at U Chicago Illinois? I’d like to send it to our union bargaining team since we go into bargaining next fall, but cannot find a source online. Thanks.
I’ve really been appreciating these posts, Phil. I’ve been trying to follow in your footsteps and do 5 Calls at least 3 times a week. Started doing morning prayer in Claiborne’s Common Prayer book (feels incredibly cringe, but it’s what I got). And have been setting increasingly stringent parameters for news intake given how much even a 10-30 minute run through of headlines sends me into a spiral of repeating “we’re fucked” to myself until the day is over. And I’m going to talk to someone in the fledging Indivisible group for our Minneapolis neighborhood next week and find out how I can get more involved.
Hi Phil, I'm in England (Surrey, just South of London). I like to read these political thoughts, and I feel for you, and anyone else who adheres to truth and justice in the US. I don't know how to subscribe to a Thread so I hope your arrangement stays as it is. I think I discovered you when I was looking for writing about Marianne Robinson, but I can't remember how! You were the first person I followed on Substack.
I followed your link to the online Daily Office and I discovered that that form of prayer was completely strange to me. It's great that you find comfort in it.
I am sorry to say that Trump has a hold on a large minority of people here in the UK, including my former best friend. I think she must have fallen down some internet rabbit hole. But I can't like her anymore, she is so bitter against anyone who isn't a fan of Trump's and I can't explain what's wrong with him in a way she'll understand. I panic when faced with an argument.
I've been considering what I can do to demonstrate community. I used to teach English to refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine but I dropped out because I thought that there were too many volunteers. I might just join in again.
Last week I went to a play locally of "Animal Farm". I was interested to see how relevant it seemed to our current predicament. The answer seemed to be - not very, but the similarity was in the bare-faced lying. The farm animals bent themselves into awkward shapes to believe what the pigs told them. But the pigs were merely animals who wanted to promote themselves, whereas I think your oligarchs perceive themselves as born superior, more like royalty in days gone by.
I don't think an opposition to Trump will come out of the Democratic party but maybe someone who the public perceive to be fun.
I also find your political letters interesting! Not because I find them galvanizing (I’m sorry!), but because I find it interesting to hear how different people are reacting to the moment and trying to meet it. I like the lists of practical things that you’re doing, they’re tangible and good things!
I do think it’s sort of a trap to fall into the ‘why does writing/art matter right now’ argument. No other industry or profession routinely questions their own right to exist like that. People read books and listened to music during the holocaust, and that’s wonderful, and it will always be that way. And so in that same way i’m wary when people (especially writers) begin to argue things like ‘well writing isn’t *that* important, compared to these other things’. Or when they argue that certain kinds of writing aren’t important… It’s a trap!
But i like your posts a lot, and i don’t think they’re liberal virtue signaling or anything. At the same time, I have soured on the type of liberal resistance posting that was prominent during the first Trump term. Not because i wildly disagreed with the posts, but because they were ineffective pieces of, essentially, propaganda. I’m not wildly opposed to propaganda (i used to write it when i was an organizer!), but if someone is trying to write propaganda it should really be bold, inspiring, and hopefully a little beautiful. If it’s not, then it’s possibly a product that is actually bad for people — that is eroding people’s capacity for free thought and agency. I don’t think your series is that! But these thoughts are why I don’t really see most political posts at galvanizing. On the contrary, I see them as slightly deflationary. Food for thought, lol. But i appreciate what you’re doing.
Yeah I agree. I’m trying not to let all my posts about other stuff become “and what is the meaning of this other stuff in the age of Trump” posts—another reason to set them under one heading.
I am going to church tomorrow (also a St. Andrews. Despite my Baptist roots I’ve realized I am probably an Episcopalian these days; I miss fiery sermons but I like good music and can be fairly sure that our priest is not going to say something stupid about gay people, given that he is gay, and there are a lot of what seem to be good people there. So far I’ve made it to half of the last four Sundays, but that’s a heck of a lot better than I’ve done previously, which was 0/X Sundays).
I am going to continue to do my job, despite how futile it often feels, particularly in The Times In Which We Live.
I am going to write the reviews I have due soon, because art is good even in The Times In Which We Live
I am going to finally respond to the very earnest DSA organizer who is trying to get me to knock on doors in our local city council race.
I am also going to continue to not drink this month, which has limited Broader Political Relevance, but needs to happen!
Beyond that, we will see!
For what it’s worth, I like the earnest resistance posts—I find them galvanizing, especially when they appear side-by-side with the other posts. I think you can categorize posts on this platform in a way that puts them in a separate feed, which allows people to opt in or opt out.
My two cents, please don't do these as an open thread. I think the posts are valuable, but I avoid the non-bloggy parts of this app like the plague.
Phil core post, I admire you much
Thank you for this, from Ireland.
re footnote 1: I think Postman 'corrected' himself in 'Teaching as a Conserving Activity'? Recently I've spent time with 'Technopoly', and there he hits so many nails on the head: https://juliangirdham.substack.com/p/neil-postmans-technopoly
Yes, he did! I’ve moved on to “Conserving Activity” and I think it might be his best book? One of them, certainly.
I hadn't heard of the survey, so thanks for notice of it. I also go to St. A's. Just took it and gave them whatever is the digital equivalent of an earful.
I heartily second your comments on the church survey, and I'll even provide more fodder, because too few people are aware of certain facts. Back in 2023, it struck me that the hype surrounding AI really exploded just a few months after the cryptocurrency bubble burst. That seemed very suspect, since AI has been around for decades. Apparently Biden-era regulations on speculative investments and lack of public enthusiasm mean that the tech bros, who invested billions in it, will lose their money without deregulation and a big push from the government. Similarly for AI: corporations have invested heavily, which has led to a speculative bubble, and Chinese technology is now a threat, which makes sense of Trump's protectionism. Finally, Trump/Musk's rush to decimate climate policy makes sense when you think about the horrible energy sink the data centers are: according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), in 2022 these datacenters were already responsible for 2% of the world's energy consumption and 1% of global emissions, and their usage is supposed to double by 2026. I bet it already has (these predictions are inevitably optimistic). I'm doing as much within my circle of influence as possible to persuade my technophilic friends that AI is, in a way, a driving force behind the hostile takeover we're witnessing in D.C. And if you need any further persuasion that it is evil, check out this at the LRB on how AI has been used in Gaza: https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/january/militarised-ai?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20250205BlogUSRW&utm_content=20250205BlogUSRW+CID_3af904971c3e354ae6ae7d7f46c9ee89&utm_source=LRB%20email&utm_term=Militarised%20AI
Yes, I hadn't made these specific connections exactly, but it always has had an air of Next Big Floating Craps Game to keep money in motion until someone actually invents something *useful* again!
Phil, do you have a link to the story about the non-tenured faculty cuts at U Chicago Illinois? I’d like to send it to our union bargaining team since we go into bargaining next fall, but cannot find a source online. Thanks.
Hi, Kaya! This is what I went by: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/uic-proposes-closing-linguistics-school/
Thanks!
I’ve really been appreciating these posts, Phil. I’ve been trying to follow in your footsteps and do 5 Calls at least 3 times a week. Started doing morning prayer in Claiborne’s Common Prayer book (feels incredibly cringe, but it’s what I got). And have been setting increasingly stringent parameters for news intake given how much even a 10-30 minute run through of headlines sends me into a spiral of repeating “we’re fucked” to myself until the day is over. And I’m going to talk to someone in the fledging Indivisible group for our Minneapolis neighborhood next week and find out how I can get more involved.