Kevin
@kmichaelwilson.bsky.social
Historical Chinese literature, poetry, and philosophy. Co-host Rereading the Stone podcast https://bsky.app/profile/rereadingstone.bsky.social
book reviews & discussion of Ming-Qing literature, science fiction, etc. https://www.patreon.com/kmichaelwilson
book reviews & discussion of Ming-Qing literature, science fiction, etc. https://www.patreon.com/kmichaelwilson
Reposted by Kevin
I will not support any funding deal that puts money in the hands of Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and this violent agency. Defund and abolish ICE now.
February 10, 2026 at 4:35 PM
I will not support any funding deal that puts money in the hands of Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and this violent agency. Defund and abolish ICE now.
But once you start thinking more dialectically, it becomes even more apparent that markets were often involved but were not necessarily *driving* the development of arguably any literary form, sci-fi or otherwise
Nor should we want them to be
Nor should we want them to be
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
But once you start thinking more dialectically, it becomes even more apparent that markets were often involved but were not necessarily *driving* the development of arguably any literary form, sci-fi or otherwise
Nor should we want them to be
Nor should we want them to be
Maybe... thinking aloud:
I think the genuinely dialectical nature of historical progress is throwing us all for a loop
it's genuinely the case that, e.g., Frankenstein (1818) only "became science fiction" in the 20th C., but it's difficult to internalize these kinds of "retroactive truths"
I think the genuinely dialectical nature of historical progress is throwing us all for a loop
it's genuinely the case that, e.g., Frankenstein (1818) only "became science fiction" in the 20th C., but it's difficult to internalize these kinds of "retroactive truths"
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Maybe... thinking aloud:
I think the genuinely dialectical nature of historical progress is throwing us all for a loop
it's genuinely the case that, e.g., Frankenstein (1818) only "became science fiction" in the 20th C., but it's difficult to internalize these kinds of "retroactive truths"
I think the genuinely dialectical nature of historical progress is throwing us all for a loop
it's genuinely the case that, e.g., Frankenstein (1818) only "became science fiction" in the 20th C., but it's difficult to internalize these kinds of "retroactive truths"
Indeed, profits and pricing in the arts are even more like fetish objects than for other commodities.
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Indeed, profits and pricing in the arts are even more like fetish objects than for other commodities.
Maybe it's only our being embedded in market relations that makes us treat the moment of sale as this sacred event. It's not. The market is often no more than a defecatory chamber from which commodities emerge.
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Maybe it's only our being embedded in market relations that makes us treat the moment of sale as this sacred event. It's not. The market is often no more than a defecatory chamber from which commodities emerge.
it's like, the former of these works was a popular success, and, while to this day it remains an enjoyable read, it reads like a commercial novel
whereas the latter work never sold well, never will sell well, but is precisely what literate people most care about when they say they care about sci-fi
whereas the latter work never sold well, never will sell well, but is precisely what literate people most care about when they say they care about sci-fi
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
it's like, the former of these works was a popular success, and, while to this day it remains an enjoyable read, it reads like a commercial novel
whereas the latter work never sold well, never will sell well, but is precisely what literate people most care about when they say they care about sci-fi
whereas the latter work never sold well, never will sell well, but is precisely what literate people most care about when they say they care about sci-fi
there's also something amazing that happens, where we are meant to lament the death of once-flourishing markets, at the same time it's slowly revealed that a lot of your favorite works were actually produced in defiance of these same forces
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
there's also something amazing that happens, where we are meant to lament the death of once-flourishing markets, at the same time it's slowly revealed that a lot of your favorite works were actually produced in defiance of these same forces
endlessly annoyed by these "sci-fi is dead" articles 😅
always, there is so much prevaricating over whether market success is good, bad, a necessary evil, or otherwise, it's ultimately hard to pin down what the thesis was even intended to be
www.typebarmagazine.com/science-fict...
always, there is so much prevaricating over whether market success is good, bad, a necessary evil, or otherwise, it's ultimately hard to pin down what the thesis was even intended to be
www.typebarmagazine.com/science-fict...
Science Fiction is Dying. Long Live Post Sci-Fi?
The old mode of science fiction is disappearing. What's replacing it?
www.typebarmagazine.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
endlessly annoyed by these "sci-fi is dead" articles 😅
always, there is so much prevaricating over whether market success is good, bad, a necessary evil, or otherwise, it's ultimately hard to pin down what the thesis was even intended to be
www.typebarmagazine.com/science-fict...
always, there is so much prevaricating over whether market success is good, bad, a necessary evil, or otherwise, it's ultimately hard to pin down what the thesis was even intended to be
www.typebarmagazine.com/science-fict...
Reposted by Kevin
If we're serious about creating a world without depraved billionaires running wild while the rest of us suffer, we need to contend with higher ed's complicity in propping this system up.
February 10, 2026 at 3:48 PM
If we're serious about creating a world without depraved billionaires running wild while the rest of us suffer, we need to contend with higher ed's complicity in propping this system up.
All the skilled disciplines have social customs promoting genuine solidarity between workers, except academia.
February 10, 2026 at 4:13 PM
All the skilled disciplines have social customs promoting genuine solidarity between workers, except academia.
(and, you know, "the translator is a traitor" has a fascist lineage, etc. etc.)
February 9, 2026 at 6:51 PM
(and, you know, "the translator is a traitor" has a fascist lineage, etc. etc.)
translation isn't impossible, translation is... inescapable
February 9, 2026 at 6:51 PM
translation isn't impossible, translation is... inescapable
Reposted by Kevin
This is just to say
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 AM
This is just to say
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
This is just to say
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 AM
This is just to say
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
I have taken
the maid
that served in
your bedchamber
and which
you were probably
hoping
would attend you in your final hours
Forgive me
she was used as a prop in your fake wedding
such a scene
and so convincing
Reposted by Kevin
Remember. Your Ring camera is fascist.
The nice commercial about helping kids find their lost pets was the scariest thing I've seen in my life
February 9, 2026 at 2:31 AM
Remember. Your Ring camera is fascist.
is he aware of how silly his hat is
February 9, 2026 at 1:04 AM
is he aware of how silly his hat is
Reposted by Kevin
made the pronunciation ditty into a post
do you know how to pronounce "Xi Jinping"? What about "Mr. Liu"?
www.patreon.com/posts/pronun...
do you know how to pronounce "Xi Jinping"? What about "Mr. Liu"?
www.patreon.com/posts/pronun...
Pronunciation Ditty #1: "Liu" versus "Lu," and "Xi" | kmichaelwilson
Get more from kmichaelwilson on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 1, 2026 at 12:33 AM
made the pronunciation ditty into a post
do you know how to pronounce "Xi Jinping"? What about "Mr. Liu"?
www.patreon.com/posts/pronun...
do you know how to pronounce "Xi Jinping"? What about "Mr. Liu"?
www.patreon.com/posts/pronun...
caizi jiaren 才子佳人 novels are also unenlightened on this topic
February 7, 2026 at 5:45 AM
caizi jiaren 才子佳人 novels are also unenlightened on this topic
romance novels are surprisingly unenlightened with regards to matters of male endowment
February 7, 2026 at 5:45 AM
romance novels are surprisingly unenlightened with regards to matters of male endowment
Reposted by Kevin
caizi jiaren 才子佳人 is hard to translate, as it's not meant to signify just that the men are talented & the women are beautiful, but that the men and women are both talented and both beautiful, hence there's a mutually reflecting aspect that aligns with, e.g., how Jayne Ann Krentz understands romance
February 5, 2026 at 6:01 PM
caizi jiaren 才子佳人 is hard to translate, as it's not meant to signify just that the men are talented & the women are beautiful, but that the men and women are both talented and both beautiful, hence there's a mutually reflecting aspect that aligns with, e.g., how Jayne Ann Krentz understands romance
Reposted by Kevin
[at the suspension of disbelief store] This is just your standard issue, no frills. What are you planning on reading?
February 6, 2026 at 5:45 PM
[at the suspension of disbelief store] This is just your standard issue, no frills. What are you planning on reading?
Reposted by Kevin
it's taken as given that historical romance creates distance from contemporary life for the representation of ideal desire; what's less obvious is that American authors employ sub-genres like regency romance to distance themselves from not only American contemporary life but also American history
February 6, 2026 at 6:31 PM
it's taken as given that historical romance creates distance from contemporary life for the representation of ideal desire; what's less obvious is that American authors employ sub-genres like regency romance to distance themselves from not only American contemporary life but also American history
it's taken as given that historical romance creates distance from contemporary life for the representation of ideal desire; what's less obvious is that American authors employ sub-genres like regency romance to distance themselves from not only American contemporary life but also American history
February 6, 2026 at 6:31 PM
it's taken as given that historical romance creates distance from contemporary life for the representation of ideal desire; what's less obvious is that American authors employ sub-genres like regency romance to distance themselves from not only American contemporary life but also American history
[at the suspension of disbelief store] This is just your standard issue, no frills. What are you planning on reading?
February 6, 2026 at 5:45 PM
[at the suspension of disbelief store] This is just your standard issue, no frills. What are you planning on reading?
Reposted by Kevin
okay, wow, reports are, indeed, coming in of dangerous pesticide levels being found in tea and tea products
this 19th century take on why tea is bad, actually, is basically right
this 19th century take on why tea is bad, actually, is basically right
February 5, 2026 at 8:04 PM
okay, wow, reports are, indeed, coming in of dangerous pesticide levels being found in tea and tea products
this 19th century take on why tea is bad, actually, is basically right
this 19th century take on why tea is bad, actually, is basically right