Torsten Kathke
@kathke.com
Historian. 19th/20th century US & Germany. JGU Mainz. 70s/80s cultural criticism, pop science, futurology. Book: Wires That Bind.
Kollegin verabschiedet sich mit den Worten "dann sehen wir uns Donnerstag… so die Züge fahren".
Pendelleben Deutschland 2025.
Pendelleben Deutschland 2025.
November 25, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Kollegin verabschiedet sich mit den Worten "dann sehen wir uns Donnerstag… so die Züge fahren".
Pendelleben Deutschland 2025.
Pendelleben Deutschland 2025.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
When I began my working life in 1994, the WWW scarcely existed. Even 3 or 4 years later it was mostly made up of webpages people had written themselves in their spare time.
This was, in almost every conceivable way, better than now.
This was, in almost every conceivable way, better than now.
It's weird to not only have lived through an information revolution but also now living through its undoing, all within less than a generation.
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 PM
When I began my working life in 1994, the WWW scarcely existed. Even 3 or 4 years later it was mostly made up of webpages people had written themselves in their spare time.
This was, in almost every conceivable way, better than now.
This was, in almost every conceivable way, better than now.
Heute ist mal wieder ein "mal schauen ob die zwei Stunden Puffer bei der Bahnfahrt reichen" Tag.
Scheint als hätte ich jede Woche mindestens einen.
Scheint als hätte ich jede Woche mindestens einen.
November 25, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Heute ist mal wieder ein "mal schauen ob die zwei Stunden Puffer bei der Bahnfahrt reichen" Tag.
Scheint als hätte ich jede Woche mindestens einen.
Scheint als hätte ich jede Woche mindestens einen.
It's weird to not only have lived through an information revolution but also now living through its undoing, all within less than a generation.
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 12:19 PM
It's weird to not only have lived through an information revolution but also now living through its undoing, all within less than a generation.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
An exceptional reason to mask and test! There are now combo flu/covid tests and while they aren’t perfect, having everyone take one before meeting for Thanksgiving could save people from at best a week of misery and at worst disability or death. A no brainer.
Got the flu last year on Thanksgiving and it really sucked. Obviously vaccine is no guarantee you won’t get it, but it’s basically free with no downside and is, imho, a no-brainer.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
A New Flu Variant May Make Cold Season Brutal This Year
U.S. flu rates remain low, but experts are keeping an eye on a new strain that’s been linked to unexpectedly early and severe seasons in several other countries
www.scientificamerican.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:13 AM
An exceptional reason to mask and test! There are now combo flu/covid tests and while they aren’t perfect, having everyone take one before meeting for Thanksgiving could save people from at best a week of misery and at worst disability or death. A no brainer.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Pretty sure some advisor dude in the White House told Trump about Wilson’s 14 Points so Trump said watch me double that number.
November 24, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Pretty sure some advisor dude in the White House told Trump about Wilson’s 14 Points so Trump said watch me double that number.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
*hust* Gegenwart?
November 24, 2025 at 9:14 AM
*hust* Gegenwart?
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Climate change IS everything, because we won’t fix it unless we build a more just politics, and if we don’t fix it, nothing else will matter.
“Climate change isn’t everything“ is becoming a go-to justification for delaying action.
This is - deliberately or inadvertently - a misframing of the issue. The point isn’t CC is everything, it’s that it’s essential to deal with.
1/
This is - deliberately or inadvertently - a misframing of the issue. The point isn’t CC is everything, it’s that it’s essential to deal with.
1/
November 24, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Climate change IS everything, because we won’t fix it unless we build a more just politics, and if we don’t fix it, nothing else will matter.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Wir haben ein Medienproblem, Exempel 2.371
November 23, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Wir haben ein Medienproblem, Exempel 2.371
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Since people seem to post takes on #ww2 #films, this is my recommendation: "Die Brücke" (1959) tells the story of school boys thrown into the final days of the war and killed in a futile battle. Probably the most important #German anti-war film ever made alongside "All Quiet on the Western Front".
Die Brücke (film) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 24, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Der Aufstieg des Rechtsradikalismus in der Gegenwart beruht auf dem Austroturfing von Superreichen.
Auch interessant! Die Agitprop-Schleuder „Nius“ liegt - trotz eines riesigen Budgets und großer Redaktion - nicht mal unter den Top 100 der deutschen Online-Plattformen: kress.de/news/beitrag...
Wie erfolgreich ist Nius wirklich? Zahlen zu Reichweite, Verlusten und Anspruch
Nius wirbt als „Stimme der Mehrheit“, erzielt aber laut Similarweb-Daten nur Platz 115 im Onlineranking. kress pro analysiert Reichweite, Geschäftsmodell und die Millionenverluste der Vius SE.
kress.de
November 24, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Der Aufstieg des Rechtsradikalismus in der Gegenwart beruht auf dem Austroturfing von Superreichen.
Deleted a retweet/comment aimed at Andrew Tate because I couldn’t find the source. This is still true, though.
Every now and then I almost feel sorry for him since he’s clearly deeply unloved and unlovable and will never understand what having a relationship or even a true friend is like.
Then I remember he’s a horrible person.
Then I remember he’s a horrible person.
November 24, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Deleted a retweet/comment aimed at Andrew Tate because I couldn’t find the source. This is still true, though.
Wild to be doing a PhD during the first Obama Administration and not remembering the Tea Party at all.
Even wilder to be a well-known political commentator in the 2020s who doesn’t recall January 6.
Even wilder to be a well-known political commentator in the 2020s who doesn’t recall January 6.
November 24, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Wild to be doing a PhD during the first Obama Administration and not remembering the Tea Party at all.
Even wilder to be a well-known political commentator in the 2020s who doesn’t recall January 6.
Even wilder to be a well-known political commentator in the 2020s who doesn’t recall January 6.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
First of all, rude
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 AM
First of all, rude
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
„Anders als am Markt der sozialen Medien sollten wir nicht jahrelang zuwarten und als Gesellschaft und Politik vorerst sehr geduldig inaktiv sein. Es ist wichtig, dass sehr rasch […] eingefordert wird, dass die großen Tech-Unternehmen hier mehr Verantwortung zeigen“ — volle Zustimmung! #KIEthik
Wieso tauchen plötzlich so viele KI-Fake-Videos auf? Das liegt auch an großen Tech-Unternehmen, wie sie KI-Tools starten - ohne genügend Sicherheitsmechanismen
Auch im deutschsprachigen Raum werden jetzt mit solchen Videos Feindbilder genährt. Dazu ein Überblick in meinem aktuellen Newsletter:
Auch im deutschsprachigen Raum werden jetzt mit solchen Videos Feindbilder genährt. Dazu ein Überblick in meinem aktuellen Newsletter:
Verantwortungslose KI-Unternehmen führen zu Fake-Schwemme
Die Verantwortungslosigkeit der großen Tech-Unternehmen erstaunt mich immer wieder: Zum Beispiel ermöglicht OpenAI eine neue Welle an visueller Täuschung.
steady.page
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 AM
„Anders als am Markt der sozialen Medien sollten wir nicht jahrelang zuwarten und als Gesellschaft und Politik vorerst sehr geduldig inaktiv sein. Es ist wichtig, dass sehr rasch […] eingefordert wird, dass die großen Tech-Unternehmen hier mehr Verantwortung zeigen“ — volle Zustimmung! #KIEthik
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Der Verband der so genannten "Familienunternehmer" gibt die Brandmauer zur AfD auf.
Wer hinter dem putzig klingenden Namen wirklich steckt, zeigt unsere @tanroet.bsky.social Recherche:
Spoiler: Oft sind es globale Konzerne mit Milliardenumsätzen - und politischer Agenda
www.zeit.de/green/2023-0...
Wer hinter dem putzig klingenden Namen wirklich steckt, zeigt unsere @tanroet.bsky.social Recherche:
Spoiler: Oft sind es globale Konzerne mit Milliardenumsätzen - und politischer Agenda
www.zeit.de/green/2023-0...
Verband Die Familienunternehmer: Die heimliche Rückschrittslobby
Er ist reich, mächtig und kaum bekannt. Mit aggressiven Kampagnen bekämpft der Verband Die Familienunternehmer die Energiewende und treibt die Politik vor sich her.
www.zeit.de
November 24, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Der Verband der so genannten "Familienunternehmer" gibt die Brandmauer zur AfD auf.
Wer hinter dem putzig klingenden Namen wirklich steckt, zeigt unsere @tanroet.bsky.social Recherche:
Spoiler: Oft sind es globale Konzerne mit Milliardenumsätzen - und politischer Agenda
www.zeit.de/green/2023-0...
Wer hinter dem putzig klingenden Namen wirklich steckt, zeigt unsere @tanroet.bsky.social Recherche:
Spoiler: Oft sind es globale Konzerne mit Milliardenumsätzen - und politischer Agenda
www.zeit.de/green/2023-0...
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
In den letzten Tagen sieht man wieder, wer sich mit Russland auskennt und wer nicht. Warum reden überall ständig die Ahnungslosen wie Varwick, Precht etc, warum fragt niemand bei @awerberger.bsky.social nach und nutzt ihre großartige Expertise?
Das überrascht niemanden, der täglich russische Nachrichten liest und die Punkte durchlas. Überraschend ist lediglich, dass die Amerikaner das so stümperhaft übernommen haben. Aber daran muss man sich wohl gewöhnen.
www.spiegel.de/ausland/russ...
www.spiegel.de/ausland/russ...
US-Friedensplan: »Guardian« hält einige Sätze des 28-Punkte-Papiers für Übersetzung aus dem Russischen
Der britische »Guardian« findet eine englische Formulierung des sogenannten US-Friedensplans seltsam hölzern oder sogar »klobig« – und meint: Auf Russisch würde die Konstruktion funktionieren.
www.spiegel.de
November 23, 2025 at 8:11 AM
In den letzten Tagen sieht man wieder, wer sich mit Russland auskennt und wer nicht. Warum reden überall ständig die Ahnungslosen wie Varwick, Precht etc, warum fragt niemand bei @awerberger.bsky.social nach und nutzt ihre großartige Expertise?
This is one of those things that AI boosters claim will make life easier for everyone, except it won’t because it can’t do the most important thing:
Know what to do for you when—and how—even if you don’t tell it to every single time, and with perfect accuracy.
Know what to do for you when—and how—even if you don’t tell it to every single time, and with perfect accuracy.
Humanoid robots that are given commands cannot replace good secretaries who actually took over the executive function. When I was lucky enough to have one there are entire things I didn't even have to remember to keep track of.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
This is one of those things that AI boosters claim will make life easier for everyone, except it won’t because it can’t do the most important thing:
Know what to do for you when—and how—even if you don’t tell it to every single time, and with perfect accuracy.
Know what to do for you when—and how—even if you don’t tell it to every single time, and with perfect accuracy.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
Unclear where this war profiteering plan came from or why it emerged right now, but clear that it is in every way disastrous
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Unclear where this war profiteering plan came from or why it emerged right now, but clear that it is in every way disastrous
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
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.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
well this is very, very nice.
New at Media Nation: @marisakabas.bsky.social is the alternative to wallowing in Olivia Nuzzi's tale of dysfunction and deceit. There are 42,000 journalists across the U.S., and the vast majority are performing honorably and ethically. dankennedy.net/2025/11/22/m...
Marisa Kabas is the alternative to wallowing in Olivia Nuzzi’s tale of dysfunction and deceit
Colby Hall’s Mediaite commentary about Olivia Nuzzi is winning a lot of praise. The redoubtable Jay Rosen goes so far as to call it “the best thing I have read about her.” Sign up…
dankennedy.net
November 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
well this is very, very nice.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
I absolutely mean to high horse it. You have failed, morally and ethically, if you give Lizza money, he's no Saint either, just another bland sleaze stumbling his way through the morass, drinking it up as he goes. Spend your money on the people whose good stuff you see on this site all the time.
i promise i don’t mean to high horse this but if you’re thinking about giving lizza ten bucks there are a lot of good independent journalists whose work you could subscribe to for a month instead
November 22, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I absolutely mean to high horse it. You have failed, morally and ethically, if you give Lizza money, he's no Saint either, just another bland sleaze stumbling his way through the morass, drinking it up as he goes. Spend your money on the people whose good stuff you see on this site all the time.
Reposted by Torsten Kathke
I have never been as envious of anyone as I am now of the normal people who don't know who Nuzzi/Lizza are and have not read RFK Jr's porn poetry and I want to be those people but I am not I have read the post and the poetry and I am now ruined for life and all I have is regret
November 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I have never been as envious of anyone as I am now of the normal people who don't know who Nuzzi/Lizza are and have not read RFK Jr's porn poetry and I want to be those people but I am not I have read the post and the poetry and I am now ruined for life and all I have is regret