Jen Briselli
@jbriselli.bsky.social
anarcho absurdist agential realist
• experience strategy, service design, systems & complexity science, scicomm, rhetoric, education, death metal
• past: physics teacher, exec @Mad*Pow
• present: playing hockey, learning drums, co-founder @Topology
• experience strategy, service design, systems & complexity science, scicomm, rhetoric, education, death metal
• past: physics teacher, exec @Mad*Pow
• present: playing hockey, learning drums, co-founder @Topology
Pinned
Jen Briselli
@jbriselli.bsky.social
· Jun 1
“To hell with the future. It's a man eating idol.”
Ivan Illich
Ivan Illich
I keep trying to keep a rhythm with BlueSky, but of all my internet things, it ends up feeling the most doom-scroll-y and I drop away. I've worked hard to curate my feed and yet the smart people I like hearing from nonetheless contribute. How are you guys doing this thing everyday? Pro tips welcome.
September 22, 2025 at 7:14 PM
I keep trying to keep a rhythm with BlueSky, but of all my internet things, it ends up feeling the most doom-scroll-y and I drop away. I've worked hard to curate my feed and yet the smart people I like hearing from nonetheless contribute. How are you guys doing this thing everyday? Pro tips welcome.
Reposted by Jen Briselli
A lot of advice for improving team velocity looks like speedrunning: sequence break as much as possible, any% everything in between.
But life isn't a video game, and shoveling crap at colleagues and customers is not a winning long-term strategy. No LLM can stand in for actual human teammates.
But life isn't a video game, and shoveling crap at colleagues and customers is not a winning long-term strategy. No LLM can stand in for actual human teammates.
The people ARE the process
Cutting down on collaboration tricks you into thinking you're going faster, but it destroys the divergence effects that make the design process valuable.
productpicnic.beehiiv.com
September 21, 2025 at 10:10 PM
A lot of advice for improving team velocity looks like speedrunning: sequence break as much as possible, any% everything in between.
But life isn't a video game, and shoveling crap at colleagues and customers is not a winning long-term strategy. No LLM can stand in for actual human teammates.
But life isn't a video game, and shoveling crap at colleagues and customers is not a winning long-term strategy. No LLM can stand in for actual human teammates.
I've been re-watching Monty Python's Flying Circus over dinner the last few weeks and when I hit episode 12 I did a spit take. If I was teaching history right now, I'd ask my students to watch this sketch and reflect on current events. 🫠
"Well, I think he'd do a lot of good for the stock exchange."
"Well, I think he'd do a lot of good for the stock exchange."
Monty Python - Mr. Hilter
YouTube video by Caio Badner
youtu.be
September 11, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I've been re-watching Monty Python's Flying Circus over dinner the last few weeks and when I hit episode 12 I did a spit take. If I was teaching history right now, I'd ask my students to watch this sketch and reflect on current events. 🫠
"Well, I think he'd do a lot of good for the stock exchange."
"Well, I think he'd do a lot of good for the stock exchange."
“To hell with the future. It's a man eating idol.”
Ivan Illich
Ivan Illich
June 1, 2025 at 3:48 PM
“To hell with the future. It's a man eating idol.”
Ivan Illich
Ivan Illich
I spend a lot of time explaining what I mean by #complexity informed. I enjoy it, but I wished there was a video (more invitation than explainer) to help me do the job. After hunting for something that didn't really exist, I decided to just make it. Maybe it'll help you too: youtu.be/o-gOyaXZLqo?...
What is Complexity Informed Strategy?
YouTube video by Topology
youtu.be
April 29, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I spend a lot of time explaining what I mean by #complexity informed. I enjoy it, but I wished there was a video (more invitation than explainer) to help me do the job. After hunting for something that didn't really exist, I decided to just make it. Maybe it'll help you too: youtu.be/o-gOyaXZLqo?...
I've fallen into lurker mode with this site lately but I'm still here... and this week I wrote this thing that seemed to resonate with a bunch of folks, maybe if you're into #SystemsThinking or #Complexity you'll dig it too:
Letter to a Young Systems Thinker
Don’t search for the answers.
medium.com
April 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I've fallen into lurker mode with this site lately but I'm still here... and this week I wrote this thing that seemed to resonate with a bunch of folks, maybe if you're into #SystemsThinking or #Complexity you'll dig it too:
Hi. I wrote a thing about learning and apprenticeship that intersects a bit with #edusky and #complexity and would love to hear from you if it resonates...
Apprenticeship Is Dead. Long Live Apprenticeship.
Expertise is a group project.
medium.com
March 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Hi. I wrote a thing about learning and apprenticeship that intersects a bit with #edusky and #complexity and would love to hear from you if it resonates...
Reposted by Jen Briselli
just saying: it's possible that "I'm gonna dramatically constrict my state capacity while plotting dramatic imperial expansion, and expanding my set of internal enemies while alienating most of my foreign allies" is the beginning of a world-historical masterstroke. but also possible that it isn't
February 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
just saying: it's possible that "I'm gonna dramatically constrict my state capacity while plotting dramatic imperial expansion, and expanding my set of internal enemies while alienating most of my foreign allies" is the beginning of a world-historical masterstroke. but also possible that it isn't
Reposted by Jen Briselli
Y'all pick a lane. Then make a little progress in your lane each day.
Every serious, experienced organizer I know is Doing Their Thing. Instead of freaking out about each bit of bad news, we're in our lanes rapidly building dual power infrastructure and networks that don't rely on the goverment.
Every serious, experienced organizer I know is Doing Their Thing. Instead of freaking out about each bit of bad news, we're in our lanes rapidly building dual power infrastructure and networks that don't rely on the goverment.
February 4, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Y'all pick a lane. Then make a little progress in your lane each day.
Every serious, experienced organizer I know is Doing Their Thing. Instead of freaking out about each bit of bad news, we're in our lanes rapidly building dual power infrastructure and networks that don't rely on the goverment.
Every serious, experienced organizer I know is Doing Their Thing. Instead of freaking out about each bit of bad news, we're in our lanes rapidly building dual power infrastructure and networks that don't rely on the goverment.
Richard Feynman - Names Don't Constitute Knowledge
YouTube video by Caitlin Spies
youtu.be
February 4, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Reposted by Jen Briselli
Being a person with deadly, incurable cancer who is nonetheless still alive for an indefinite timeframe gives me an interesting metaphor that helps me deal with things like large-scale corruption in government or commerce.
Bear with me for a second while I try to explain.
Bear with me for a second while I try to explain.
January 21, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Being a person with deadly, incurable cancer who is nonetheless still alive for an indefinite timeframe gives me an interesting metaphor that helps me deal with things like large-scale corruption in government or commerce.
Bear with me for a second while I try to explain.
Bear with me for a second while I try to explain.
Do these folks not realize that something being "allowed" or "not allowed" on social media platforms is, uh, not quite the same as something being completely and socially acceptable?
Also... xkcd.com/1357
Also... xkcd.com/1357
January 15, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Do these folks not realize that something being "allowed" or "not allowed" on social media platforms is, uh, not quite the same as something being completely and socially acceptable?
Also... xkcd.com/1357
Also... xkcd.com/1357
January 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Last year, my health insurance company refused to negotiate a reasonable 2025 contract rate with my doctor's org, so in November I got the dreaded "we're no longer in network with your insurance, starting 1/1/25" letter. My options are now to pay out of pocket (not feasible) or find a new doctor.
January 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Last year, my health insurance company refused to negotiate a reasonable 2025 contract rate with my doctor's org, so in November I got the dreaded "we're no longer in network with your insurance, starting 1/1/25" letter. My options are now to pay out of pocket (not feasible) or find a new doctor.
Reposted by Jen Briselli
December 23, 2024 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Jen Briselli
highly recommend this whole thread. I’ll take a stab at what I think public health is doing wrong: we assume people are being “duped.” That’s not it. Something more complex is going on: people are *making meaning* out of difficult situations where authoritative messages come with no actual support
As Tara told me: "We are pretty sure that vaccines caused my daughter to regress. She was perfectly fine. She was meeting all of her milestones at a year and a half old, and one day it was just all gone, and she started having meltdowns. She started not liking people. She doesn’t talk.” 2/
December 20, 2024 at 7:02 PM
highly recommend this whole thread. I’ll take a stab at what I think public health is doing wrong: we assume people are being “duped.” That’s not it. Something more complex is going on: people are *making meaning* out of difficult situations where authoritative messages come with no actual support
“Attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer. It presupposes faith and love. Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.” ― Simone Weil
December 18, 2024 at 5:40 PM
“Attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer. It presupposes faith and love. Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.” ― Simone Weil
Reposted by Jen Briselli
the perfect rating doesn't exi......
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December 14, 2024 at 10:30 PM
the perfect rating doesn't exi......
📽️
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“Contemplative Lemmy With Lens Flare” (2024)
December 14, 2024 at 8:30 PM
“Contemplative Lemmy With Lens Flare” (2024)
Oh how I wish more folks understood how important this nuance is:
“Disinformation can work by introducing false evidence, such as a forgery or a hoax event. But it can also work by shaping the frames through which people interpret the evidence they see.”
“Disinformation can work by introducing false evidence, such as a forgery or a hoax event. But it can also work by shaping the frames through which people interpret the evidence they see.”
Our team still studies “collective sensemaking” during breaking news events. What we see with MH17 and Jan6 are attacks on the sensemaking process itself… not just a distortion (like those described in this article) but a denial of service attack on sensemaking. www.cip.uw.edu/2023/12/06/r...
Facts, frames, and (mis)interpretations: Understanding rumors as collective sensemaking
The communicative solution to pervasive misinformation is not better facts, but better frames.
www.cip.uw.edu
December 14, 2024 at 8:13 PM
Oh how I wish more folks understood how important this nuance is:
“Disinformation can work by introducing false evidence, such as a forgery or a hoax event. But it can also work by shaping the frames through which people interpret the evidence they see.”
“Disinformation can work by introducing false evidence, such as a forgery or a hoax event. But it can also work by shaping the frames through which people interpret the evidence they see.”
Bubble Bobble was the first NES game I ever beat. A truly special game for me. When I met the guy I’d eventually marry I learned it was the first game he ever beat as a kid too.
We later got matching Bub & Bob tattoos in place of wedding rings.
You either get it or you don’t.
We later got matching Bub & Bob tattoos in place of wedding rings.
You either get it or you don’t.
played Bubble Bobble with my brother and neighbor growing up. near my first GDC a small crowd formed around me playing this because I very visibly Knew What I Was Doing.
designer MTJ passed away in 2008, this interview by him and me translating his school site led to what I've been doing ever since
designer MTJ passed away in 2008, this interview by him and me translating his school site led to what I've been doing ever since
December 13, 2024 at 6:23 AM
Bubble Bobble was the first NES game I ever beat. A truly special game for me. When I met the guy I’d eventually marry I learned it was the first game he ever beat as a kid too.
We later got matching Bub & Bob tattoos in place of wedding rings.
You either get it or you don’t.
We later got matching Bub & Bob tattoos in place of wedding rings.
You either get it or you don’t.
Conscientization =/= radicalization.
December 11, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Conscientization =/= radicalization.
Perhaps because she’s a friend and not just a random internet “thought leader,” it’s literally never occurred to me until recently that others in my network would likely appreciate Abby’s takes.
I bet some of you will. Especially now:
I bet some of you will. Especially now:
wrote about health care and knowledge production buttondown.com/abbycartus/a...
RIP Bruno Latour, you would've loved United Health Group
Just a quick note about something I’ve been thinking about… saving the Big One (my manifesto, if you will) that gets into similar topics in a lot more depth...
buttondown.com
December 11, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Perhaps because she’s a friend and not just a random internet “thought leader,” it’s literally never occurred to me until recently that others in my network would likely appreciate Abby’s takes.
I bet some of you will. Especially now:
I bet some of you will. Especially now:
Reposted by Jen Briselli
Live your life such that only a relatively small number of people celebrate your death
December 5, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Live your life such that only a relatively small number of people celebrate your death