Michael Feola
@feolski.bsky.social
8.7K followers 850 following 1.2K posts
Dad. Political Theorist. Writes on white nationalism, the far right, critical theory. Author: The Rage of Replacement (2024, UMN Press). Words at The Washington Post, Slate, The Guardian.
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feolski.bsky.social
Publication day at @uminnpress.bsky.social ! The Rage of Replacement is about the dangerous politics that swirl around the "great replacement" narrative -- and the broader far right politics of fear over population change. Summary in thread. Feel free to spread the word!🧵
Cover of The Rage of Replacement book. Blue background with match striking into flame.
feolski.bsky.social
Help!! My kid used a barrel of hair gel for a school project and now every square foot of my house smells like the 80's.
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
"Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it." *winkwink* *cracks knuckles*

Your first amendment rights to assembly in MAGA times.
atrupar.com
Sen. Roger Marshall: "October 18 is when the protest gets here. This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters. The agitators show up. We'll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it."
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
The Gospel of Thiel: the ANTICHRIST is when anyone tries to moderate/regulate TechLord efforts to remake our world in the service of their financial interests. PROGRESS is when the TechLords get to do what they want, without the little people in the way. 🧵
Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction
In leaked recordings of private lectures by tech billionaire Peter Thiel he argued that “the Antichrist” is likely to take the form of a critic of technology.
www.washingtonpost.com
feolski.bsky.social
"Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it." *winkwink* *cracks knuckles*

Your first amendment rights to assembly in MAGA times.
atrupar.com
Sen. Roger Marshall: "October 18 is when the protest gets here. This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters. The agitators show up. We'll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it."
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
FFS. I regret to inform you that the NYT is NYTing again. Turning over the opinion page to a billionaire financier who helped craft the proposal that he is here shilling. It is not too late to cancel your subscription.
Opinion | Academia Is Broken. Trump’s University ‘Compact’ Can Help Fix It.
www.nytimes.com
feolski.bsky.social
FFS. I regret to inform you that the NYT is NYTing again. Turning over the opinion page to a billionaire financier who helped craft the proposal that he is here shilling. It is not too late to cancel your subscription.
Opinion | Academia Is Broken. Trump’s University ‘Compact’ Can Help Fix It.
www.nytimes.com
feolski.bsky.social
Behind the paywall, 3. Financial oversight on the megawealthy is apparently *also* a portent of the ANTICHRIST!!
Screenshot from article: " Thiel, whose net worth is around $27 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, also used his private talks to criticize financial regulations. He said such rules were a sign that a singular world government has begun to emerge that could be taken over by an Antichrist figure who could then use it to exert control over people.

“​​It’s become quite difficult to hide one’s money,” Thiel said, according to the recordings. “An incredible machinery of tax treaties, financial surveillance, and sanctions architecture has been constructed.” Wealth gives the “illusion of power and autonomy,” Thiel added, according to the recordings, “but you have this sense it could be taken away at any moment.” "
feolski.bsky.social
Behind the paywall, 2. Sure, this stuff might be bad, but stopping it is way worse!
Screenshot from article: " He acknowledged that technology could have negative effects on people and society, but argued that constraining its development would be more harmful.

“Maybe these things are good or bad — stopping them seems far, far worse,” he said, according to the recordings. “If the internet or the AI deranges some people but we have to shut it down altogether, that feels like out of the frying pan into the fire — a cure that’s far worse than the disease.”

A threadbare patchwork of state laws imposes limits on AI development, requiring California companies to safety-test products and preventing Texas companies from discriminating against protected classes. Despite a flurry of activity in Washington in recent years, no federal law has passed.

Thiel argued that critiques of technology and calls for stricter regulation by Thunberg and others appear to echo biblical interpretations of an Antichrist who will win power by offering the world “peace and safety” from apocalyptic destruction, according to the recordings. He previously cited Thunberg in a June interview with the New York Times "
feolski.bsky.social
Behind the paywall, 1. Regulation is basically global totalitarianism!
Screenshot from artice: " In the four, roughly two-hour lectures, which began last month and culminated Monday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Thiel laid out his religious views to a sold-out audience told to keep the contents “off-the-record,” according to an event listing. He argued that those who propose limits on technology development not only hinder business but threaten to usher in the destruction of the United States and an era of global totalitarian rule, according to the recordings.

“In the 17th, 18th century, the Antichrist would have been a Dr. Strangelove, a scientist who did all this sort of evil crazy science,” Thiel said in his Sept. 15 opening talk, according to the recordings. “In the 21st century, the Antichrist is a Luddite who wants to stop all science. It’s someone like Greta or Eliezer,” he said, referring to Thunberg and Eliezer Yudkowsky, a prominent critic of the tech industry’s approach to AI. "
feolski.bsky.social
The Gospel of Thiel: the ANTICHRIST is when anyone tries to moderate/regulate TechLord efforts to remake our world in the service of their financial interests. PROGRESS is when the TechLords get to do what they want, without the little people in the way. 🧵
Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction
In leaked recordings of private lectures by tech billionaire Peter Thiel he argued that “the Antichrist” is likely to take the form of a critic of technology.
www.washingtonpost.com
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
A fine example of how quickly *anything* can be recuperated as grist for the far right idea mill. Here, a minister pepper-sprayed in the face by masked ICE agents. The take: "When Christianity in America became so compromised that God had to use the state to put the communist clergy in their place."
Tweet from Joel Webbon. Image, Presbyterian Minister pepper sprayed in the face by masked ICE agents. Text: "This photo will indeed go down in history…

As a powerful reminder of one of the darkest times in our country: When Christianity in America became so compromised that God had to use the state to put the communist clergy in their place."
feolski.bsky.social
A fine example of how quickly *anything* can be recuperated as grist for the far right idea mill. Here, a minister pepper-sprayed in the face by masked ICE agents. The take: "When Christianity in America became so compromised that God had to use the state to put the communist clergy in their place."
Tweet from Joel Webbon. Image, Presbyterian Minister pepper sprayed in the face by masked ICE agents. Text: "This photo will indeed go down in history…

As a powerful reminder of one of the darkest times in our country: When Christianity in America became so compromised that God had to use the state to put the communist clergy in their place."
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
Research question. I'm looking to build a reading list for the best books/articles on the Freikorps (you know, seems maybekinda relevant). Any and all recommendations welcome! Please distribute widely!
feolski.bsky.social
Research question. I'm looking to build a reading list for the best books/articles on the Freikorps (you know, seems maybekinda relevant). Any and all recommendations welcome! Please distribute widely!
feolski.bsky.social
(I'll post this on your comment, too. Can never remember how bsky notifies people on chains): This raises the question (totally useful for my current research project): what are the best books/articles on the Freikorps? Any recs? Looking to build a reading list.
feolski.bsky.social
This raises the question (totally useful for my current research project): what are the best books/articles on the Freikorps? Looking to build a reading list.
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
Anyone could track how a well-compensated cadre of bad-faith idea-merchants have poisoned the information ecosphere. But what makes it tragic is how so many of them have the means to hit eject from the world they have created. The new version of private fallout shelters for the ultra-wealthy.
gilduran.com
Panicked Curtis Yarvin—JD Vance's neo-fascist guru—plans to Flee USA.

“I feel that I personally have to start thinking realistically about how to flee the country.”

www.thenerdreich.com/panicked-cur...
Panicked Curtis Yarvin—JD Vance's guru—plans to flee USA
‘I feel that I personally have to start thinking realistically about how to flee the country.’
www.thenerdreich.com
feolski.bsky.social
Anyone could track how a well-compensated cadre of bad-faith idea-merchants have poisoned the information ecosphere. But what makes it tragic is how so many of them have the means to hit eject from the world they have created. The new version of private fallout shelters for the ultra-wealthy.
gilduran.com
Panicked Curtis Yarvin—JD Vance's neo-fascist guru—plans to Flee USA.

“I feel that I personally have to start thinking realistically about how to flee the country.”

www.thenerdreich.com/panicked-cur...
Panicked Curtis Yarvin—JD Vance's guru—plans to flee USA
‘I feel that I personally have to start thinking realistically about how to flee the country.’
www.thenerdreich.com
Reposted by Michael Feola
feolski.bsky.social
Official DHS account. Posting videos of militarized shock troops forcefully subduing street protesters.

Threatening amplified state violence against political dissenters. If only there were a word to describe that sort of regime.
Tweet from DHS. Image: militarized troops subduing street protesters. Caption: “Dear Antifa: we are just getting started”.
feolski.bsky.social
Official DHS account. Posting videos of militarized shock troops forcefully subduing street protesters.

Threatening amplified state violence against political dissenters. If only there were a word to describe that sort of regime.
Tweet from DHS. Image: militarized troops subduing street protesters. Caption: “Dear Antifa: we are just getting started”.
feolski.bsky.social
Of course, the TX regents. Champing at the bit to tighten right-wing ideological control over the state uni system .
Screenshot: “UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said in a statement shared
first with the American-Statesman on Thursday that the system is "honored" to be selected and is "enthusiastically" working with UT to review the demands.
"Higher education has been at a crossroads in recent years, and we have worked very closely with Governor Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Burrows to implement sweeping changes for the benefit of our students and to strengthen our institutions to best serve the people of Texas," Eltife said. "Today we welcome the new opportunity presented to us and we look forward to working with the Trump Administration on it."