Michael Engard
@engard.me
560 followers 350 following 2.4K posts
Writer and web developer. Rochester, NY. Of late: WordPress, TTRPGs, the open web. You may never read my book but at least I’m writing it.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
engard.me
They can't look at Obergefell and confront the magnitude of the grassroots sociocultural sea change that made it possible. They only see their Good True America suffering an inconceivable invasion of the mind.
engard.me
I think this is true, and it's partially because (and we do this too) they can't imagine people coming by liberal/leftist beliefs sincerely and honestly. It only makes sense to them as the product of conspiracy.
engard.me
Easier to list the issues that this *isn’t* the ultimate, obvious response to.
annabookwriter.bsky.social
Just be cool, man. Don’t know why folks are so fussed about how others feel and live and ARE.
engard.me
I remember this one vividly. That person is the patron saint of the confidently wrong.
engard.me
This is enabled in large part by our having normalized posting video on social media with no source or attribution.
Reposted by Michael Engard
resnikoff.bsky.social
I write because I love writing. I love writing even when I'm struggling with a writing problem that is killing me. Finding a way through that problem is both intensely rewarding and also helps me become a better writer. There is no reason for me to ever outsource that.
faineg.bsky.social
there’s this weird idea a lot of people seem to have about how all of us writers and artists must secretly want to use AI and are merely resisting temptation for ethical reasons, and like, no, it’s not hard for me to resist drinking the bowl of Piss With Glass In It actually
engard.me
This also spotlights the difference between “use good power to stop bad power” vs. “fix the system to prevent abuse of power.” Neither would be easy, but it’s unnerving how many nominally liberal/leftist voices are essentially demanding Democrats raise up a benevolent dictatorship.
engard.me
I adore that they not only had a “Cheats” page on the official website, but it was placed prominently in the main menu.
engard.me
I am in awe. I thought *I* was a professional procrastinator but this is the stuff of legend.
Reposted by Michael Engard
hazelweakly.me
I once started writing an assignment in high school *during* the class it was due. Five pages. Cranked out in ten minutes.

Then I printed it to the class printer mid sentence from the teacher. The entire room froze as the phantom fuckin printer started shitting paper…
alexhanna.bsky.social
As an instructor, I'd rather see your fever dream, No Doze-fueled 4AM essays written at an IHOP rather than anything generated by an LLM.

Hope this helps
monkeyminion.com
I wrote a 15 page report on heraldic symbolism in medieval armor and weapon design for my art history class the night before it was due (8am class). Made up 90% of it (only found one book for reference) and got an A. GenAI could fucking never.
engard.me
On the contrary, I can’t think of a better time to send a loud and clear signal to anyone considering a run in 2028 that compromising on human rights would be political suicide.
engard.me
I heard a rumor that the next presidential election is still over 3 years away and we have plenty of time to nominate someone who is both electable and not an opportunistic bigot.
engard.me
I think more than anything he was just the absolute king of Unfortunate Implications. It’s like yes, eugenics are deep in the marrow of Arda and that sucks, but he also recoiled at any suggestion that it constitutes a statement about our world. No, dammit, it’s literally about the Big Shiny Trees!
engard.me
You gotta log off man. This isn’t good for you. Get some fresh air and talk to someone.
engard.me
Any chance you could try actually talking to real people who have actually been through the experiences you’re dismissing? We’re on Bluesky, there’s a lot of them around!
engard.me
Sorry, so this “Iran-style” totalitarian regime pushing trans ideology that you’ve been railing against is based on… your own hazy speculation about a hypothetical teenagers not knowing the difference between dysphoria and adolescence?
engard.me
“Or else” what? What do you imagine trans kids are being threatened with to pressure them *into* transitioning?
Reposted by Michael Engard
engard.me
I’m not surprised from the way you’ve been taking to people that your “understanding” is divorced from reality. If you’re going to identify yourself as an enemy of fascism, you might want to vet the fascists’ propaganda before you uncritically believe and repeat it.
engard.me
You think they should be psychologically screened? They are.

You think it should be hard to get puberty blockers? It’s incredibly hard.

Trans people have to jump through hoops for years to achieve the lives they want. And they do, because they want it that badly. Their existence is not a whim.
engard.me
Sure. Now rewind that thinking about 30 years. “These kids experimenting with their sexuality are just confused. Gays are pushing their dangerous lifestyle on vulnerable children!” It’s the same shit now. You don’t want to listen when people are telling you who they are.
engard.me
It really is incredible that you’re recycling warmed-over homophobic talking points from the 80s and 90s to redirect them against trans people and doing it with a pride flag in your name.