Dr. S.A. Applin
@anthropunk.bsky.social
Applied Anthropologist researching how people promote, manage, resist, and endure change; and how they, algorithms, and ethics coexist. (Or not). Social Systems/Culture. Sometimes write for Fast Company.
To answer your question: this is the 🤮 stage of Capitalism.
🚨NEWS: A tech giant has filed a lawsuit asking federal courts to grant artificial intelligence algorithms a First Amendment right for to help landlords raise rent prices.
What stage of capitalism is this?
What stage of capitalism is this?
Tech Giant Says AI Has A First Amendment Right To Raise Your Rent
Fresh off a Trump settlement, RealPage is trying to overturn New York’s anti-rent-gouging law.
www.levernews.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM
To answer your question: this is the 🤮 stage of Capitalism.
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
“When we can no longer immediately assume any of the media we encounter was made by a human, the act of using social media or browsing the web is transformed into a never-ending procession of existential double-takes.”
www.404media.co/slop-evader-...
www.404media.co/slop-evader-...
'Slop Evader' Lets You Surf the Web Like It’s 2022
Artist Tega Brain is fighting the internet’s enshittification by turning back the clock to before ChatGPT existed.
www.404media.co
November 26, 2025 at 11:20 PM
“When we can no longer immediately assume any of the media we encounter was made by a human, the act of using social media or browsing the web is transformed into a never-ending procession of existential double-takes.”
www.404media.co/slop-evader-...
www.404media.co/slop-evader-...
We have related Chapter 4 out on 12/1! Fischer, M.D., Applin, S.A., and Ravula, R. 2025. "External Intelligence: Oracles, Divination and Animism, and the Use of #LLMs / #Generative #AI." In Studies in Symbolic #Interaction, Vol. 61, Symbolic Interaction and AI Link:
www.emerald.com/books/edited...
www.emerald.com/books/edited...
November 26, 2025 at 11:17 PM
We have related Chapter 4 out on 12/1! Fischer, M.D., Applin, S.A., and Ravula, R. 2025. "External Intelligence: Oracles, Divination and Animism, and the Use of #LLMs / #Generative #AI." In Studies in Symbolic #Interaction, Vol. 61, Symbolic Interaction and AI Link:
www.emerald.com/books/edited...
www.emerald.com/books/edited...
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
A new court filing alleges Meta shut down a study that found users felt less depressed and anxious after leaving Facebook for a week. f-st.co/a8NzX4J
Meta allegedly buried internal research on social media harms
A new court filing alleges Meta shut down a study that found users felt less depressed and anxious after leaving Facebook for a week.
f-st.co
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
A new court filing alleges Meta shut down a study that found users felt less depressed and anxious after leaving Facebook for a week. f-st.co/a8NzX4J
The Bay Area Air Quality is poor this week because it got cold and suddenly people are lighting fires at home. It happens every year...it means no one can get fresh air. www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-air...
Air Quality Forecasts
Get daily forecasts of air quality and weather factors that affect air pollution potential in the Bay Area.
www.baaqmd.gov
November 26, 2025 at 7:31 AM
The Bay Area Air Quality is poor this week because it got cold and suddenly people are lighting fires at home. It happens every year...it means no one can get fresh air. www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-air...
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
700 Years of Persian Manuscripts Now Digitized & Free Online
700 Years of Persian Manuscripts Now Digitized & Free Online
Too often those in power lump thousands of years of Middle Eastern religion and culture into monolithic entities to be feared or persecuted. But at least one government institution is doing exactly th...
www.openculture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:24 AM
700 Years of Persian Manuscripts Now Digitized & Free Online
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
In the 1980s, at least one person had to have their hand resting on top of the monitor. It's a requirement!
November 26, 2025 at 3:54 AM
In the 1980s, at least one person had to have their hand resting on top of the monitor. It's a requirement!
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
Article:
CDC Quietly Turned Off Its Vaccine Search Tool. It’s Not Clear When It’s Coming Back.
“I have heard that they are planning to ‘update it’ and shudder to think what that will mean,” Demetre Daskalakis, a former member of CDC leadership, told NOTUS.
www.notus.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Article:
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
The CDC has turned off its vaccine search tool.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
November 26, 2025 at 5:50 AM
The CDC has turned off its vaccine search tool.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.
They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
@robmayeda.bsky.social Hi! When might we see air wuality telief in San Mateo/Foster City? Thanks!
November 26, 2025 at 12:13 AM
@robmayeda.bsky.social Hi! When might we see air wuality telief in San Mateo/Foster City? Thanks!
look! a cybertruck being a...truck...?
November 25, 2025 at 10:25 PM
look! a cybertruck being a...truck...?
People are going to take agency:
November 25, 2025 at 1:24 AM
People are going to take agency:
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
New from 404 Media: X has shown where accounts are actually being run from, revealing many MAGA accounts are actually grifters in Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. But the situation is much, much worse. Entire guides specifically on how to squeeze US audiences with AI.
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
America’s Polarization Has Become the World's Side Hustle
The 'psyops' revealed by X are entirely the fault of the perverse incentives created by social media monetization programs.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 6:52 PM
New from 404 Media: X has shown where accounts are actually being run from, revealing many MAGA accounts are actually grifters in Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. But the situation is much, much worse. Entire guides specifically on how to squeeze US audiences with AI.
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
www.404media.co/americas-pol...
Let me tell you again why this won't work. Ex-Apple culture: www.fastcompany.com/91130458/hum...
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Let me tell you again why this won't work. Ex-Apple culture: www.fastcompany.com/91130458/hum...
@linkedin.com I pay ypu. You reward me by borking a Quick Application I spent an hour writing an essay for on. POS software. i want a refund for Nov.
November 24, 2025 at 10:27 PM
@linkedin.com I pay ypu. You reward me by borking a Quick Application I spent an hour writing an essay for on. POS software. i want a refund for Nov.
November 24, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
Good luck losing less than an hour to this: a huge archive of logos for government, non-profit, private, military, and even fictional space agencies and companies. [kottke.org]
The Space Exploration Logo Archive
Good luck losing less than an hour to this: a huge archive of logos for government, non-profit, private, military, and even fictional space agencies and companies. There is also a book, but it looks like it was only
kottke.org
October 16, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Good luck losing less than an hour to this: a huge archive of logos for government, non-profit, private, military, and even fictional space agencies and companies. [kottke.org]
For anyone, but especially any Social Scientists who follow me, please read this article. It's stellar. (Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Opinion | How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 PM
For anyone, but especially any Social Scientists who follow me, please read this article. It's stellar. (Gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
Ooops.
Magician loses password to his hand after RFID chip implant
: Storing credentials safely and securely is the real trick
www.theregister.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Ooops.
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
PHOTO TAKEN NOV 22, 1963 - HOW PRESIDENT KENNEDY LEFT THE OVAL OFFICE
November 22, 2025 at 11:47 PM
PHOTO TAKEN NOV 22, 1963 - HOW PRESIDENT KENNEDY LEFT THE OVAL OFFICE
Reposted by Dr. S.A. Applin
This, by comedy duo The Exploding Heads, is the only explanation of AI that you’ll ever need.
August 1, 2025 at 9:45 AM
This, by comedy duo The Exploding Heads, is the only explanation of AI that you’ll ever need.
You know what "Spatial Intelligence" is going to need? POWER. As in NUCLEAR POWER. I wrote all about this last Spring here in @fastcompany.com
www.fastcompany.com/91308664/ai-...
www.fastcompany.com/91308664/ai-...
November 22, 2025 at 7:26 AM
You know what "Spatial Intelligence" is going to need? POWER. As in NUCLEAR POWER. I wrote all about this last Spring here in @fastcompany.com
www.fastcompany.com/91308664/ai-...
www.fastcompany.com/91308664/ai-...
One thing that might help more than crowd optics, is returning planes to that "Golden Age," where there was legroom and enough flight attendants and service to make it a peaceful experience. If you want people to behave better, maybe don't cram them into tiny spaces with no way to leave....
November 22, 2025 at 2:39 AM
One thing that might help more than crowd optics, is returning planes to that "Golden Age," where there was legroom and enough flight attendants and service to make it a peaceful experience. If you want people to behave better, maybe don't cram them into tiny spaces with no way to leave....