laurence pevsner
@lpevs.bsky.social
📚 moynihan public scholar at ccny
🎲 riskgaming at lux capital
✊🏽abundance, nuance, democracy
✍️ former columnist at mcsweeney’s and lefty speechwriter at the UN, now working on a book about public apologies and a novel about buried treasure
🎲 riskgaming at lux capital
✊🏽abundance, nuance, democracy
✍️ former columnist at mcsweeney’s and lefty speechwriter at the UN, now working on a book about public apologies and a novel about buried treasure
Imagine a butler whose sole purpose is to supply you with whatever you desire. He studies your dopamine output...and constantly supplies you with cigarettes.
I wrote about why AI faces the same problem as social media: it's incentivized to feed our base desires www.riskgaming.com/p/ais-cigar...
I wrote about why AI faces the same problem as social media: it's incentivized to feed our base desires www.riskgaming.com/p/ais-cigar...
AI’s Cigarette Butler Problem
Alignment, dopamine, and the danger of too much of what we want
www.riskgaming.com
July 15, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Imagine a butler whose sole purpose is to supply you with whatever you desire. He studies your dopamine output...and constantly supplies you with cigarettes.
I wrote about why AI faces the same problem as social media: it's incentivized to feed our base desires www.riskgaming.com/p/ais-cigar...
I wrote about why AI faces the same problem as social media: it's incentivized to feed our base desires www.riskgaming.com/p/ais-cigar...
Coco Gauff is about to step onto the court at Wimbledon. But the headlines have been entirely focused on an apology she recently received—one she accepted, but her fans strangely did not.
I wrote about this confusion that happens when a private apology goes public.
I wrote about this confusion that happens when a private apology goes public.
July 1, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Coco Gauff is about to step onto the court at Wimbledon. But the headlines have been entirely focused on an apology she recently received—one she accepted, but her fans strangely did not.
I wrote about this confusion that happens when a private apology goes public.
I wrote about this confusion that happens when a private apology goes public.
It's election day in New York City! To celebrate, we had the leaders of @abundanceny.bsky.social on the Riskgaming podcast. We talked housing, subways, community boards, Robert Moses, and the politics of growth.
June 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
It's election day in New York City! To celebrate, we had the leaders of @abundanceny.bsky.social on the Riskgaming podcast. We talked housing, subways, community boards, Robert Moses, and the politics of growth.
The details of my friend Alistair’s deportation are even more horrific than I previously thought. Recommend reading his brutally honest account:
I was deported by the U.S. for reporting on the Columbia University student protests.
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
How My Reporting on the Columbia Protests Led to My Deportation
As an Australian who wrote about the demonstrations while on campus, I gave my phone a superficial clean before flying to the U.S. I underestimated what I was up against.
www.newyorker.com
June 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The details of my friend Alistair’s deportation are even more horrific than I previously thought. Recommend reading his brutally honest account:
Reposted by laurence pevsner
Hi everyone
I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests
I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests
I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
June 14, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Hi everyone
I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests
I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests
I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
I wrote about Joni Ernst's "apology," the medicaid cuts, getting banned on X, and the legacy of my late Uncle Ravi
June 9, 2025 at 11:52 AM
I wrote about Joni Ernst's "apology," the medicaid cuts, getting banned on X, and the legacy of my late Uncle Ravi
Reposted by laurence pevsner
Thanks to all who joined up for our Riskgaming meetups in DC and Pittsburgh and our runthrough of Southwest Silicon in London. We’ll have more Riskgaming events throughout the summer, so stay tuned. Sign up at www.riskgaming.com to be the first to know
June 6, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Thanks to all who joined up for our Riskgaming meetups in DC and Pittsburgh and our runthrough of Southwest Silicon in London. We’ll have more Riskgaming events throughout the summer, so stay tuned. Sign up at www.riskgaming.com to be the first to know
The internet didn’t used to suck this much. @dannycrichton.com and I talked to the great @noupside.bsky.social about middleware, community gardens, this website, and how to make the internet fun again.
Transcript below!
www.riskgaming.com/p/how-can-we...
Transcript below!
www.riskgaming.com/p/how-can-we...
How can we make the internet fun again?
Renée DiResta on the future of social media
www.riskgaming.com
May 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
The internet didn’t used to suck this much. @dannycrichton.com and I talked to the great @noupside.bsky.social about middleware, community gardens, this website, and how to make the internet fun again.
Transcript below!
www.riskgaming.com/p/how-can-we...
Transcript below!
www.riskgaming.com/p/how-can-we...
We have probably not found aliens, yet. Science is all about uncertainty—but you wouldn't know it from the headlines.
I wrote about how the media has decreased trust in science, and aided the Trump Administration's war on science, for the Riskgaming newsletter: www.riskgaming.com/p/the-nyts-...
I wrote about how the media has decreased trust in science, and aided the Trump Administration's war on science, for the Riskgaming newsletter: www.riskgaming.com/p/the-nyts-...
The NYT’s alien headline is everything wrong with science journalism
Building trust means teaching us all to live with scientific uncertainty
www.riskgaming.com
May 6, 2025 at 3:15 PM
We have probably not found aliens, yet. Science is all about uncertainty—but you wouldn't know it from the headlines.
I wrote about how the media has decreased trust in science, and aided the Trump Administration's war on science, for the Riskgaming newsletter: www.riskgaming.com/p/the-nyts-...
I wrote about how the media has decreased trust in science, and aided the Trump Administration's war on science, for the Riskgaming newsletter: www.riskgaming.com/p/the-nyts-...
I wrote about chess and a cheating scandal that happened today on Twitch and the apology that followed open.substack.com/pub/laurence...
Cheating at Chess
DrLupo, Marina Keegan, and a Twitch charity tournament gone awry
open.substack.com
May 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
I wrote about chess and a cheating scandal that happened today on Twitch and the apology that followed open.substack.com/pub/laurence...
It’s a big day for us at the Riskgaming Initiative—we now have our own website and substack, and to celebrate Danny has penned a brilliant and only slightly crazed manifesto on what the hell this is and why we’re doing it.
Give it a read! t.co/JWL8b8DbCN
Give it a read! t.co/JWL8b8DbCN
https://www.riskgaming.com/p/riskgaming-against-a-world-on-fire
t.co
April 28, 2025 at 11:07 PM
It’s a big day for us at the Riskgaming Initiative—we now have our own website and substack, and to celebrate Danny has penned a brilliant and only slightly crazed manifesto on what the hell this is and why we’re doing it.
Give it a read! t.co/JWL8b8DbCN
Give it a read! t.co/JWL8b8DbCN
We should protest arbitrary deportations to El Salvadorian gulags because it's the right thing to do.
But it's also a smart political tactic. You absolutely should attack your opponent's strength.
But it's also a smart political tactic. You absolutely should attack your opponent's strength.
April 26, 2025 at 2:07 PM
We should protest arbitrary deportations to El Salvadorian gulags because it's the right thing to do.
But it's also a smart political tactic. You absolutely should attack your opponent's strength.
But it's also a smart political tactic. You absolutely should attack your opponent's strength.
Yesterday a business school in Lithuania did a play-through of our China/EV Riskgaming scenario without us even knowing!
Building a worldwide Riskgaming community like this is one of the great advantages of being open source.
Building a worldwide Riskgaming community like this is one of the great advantages of being open source.
April 9, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Yesterday a business school in Lithuania did a play-through of our China/EV Riskgaming scenario without us even knowing!
Building a worldwide Riskgaming community like this is one of the great advantages of being open source.
Building a worldwide Riskgaming community like this is one of the great advantages of being open source.
The obsession with trade deficits, manufacturing jobs...Trump clearly has China envy.
So we had @neilthomas123.bsky.social and @katelogan.bsky.social, two top China industrial strategy experts, on the pod. They played our riskgame and told us what we got right, wrong, and everything in-between
So we had @neilthomas123.bsky.social and @katelogan.bsky.social, two top China industrial strategy experts, on the pod. They played our riskgame and told us what we got right, wrong, and everything in-between
April 7, 2025 at 12:06 PM
The obsession with trade deficits, manufacturing jobs...Trump clearly has China envy.
So we had @neilthomas123.bsky.social and @katelogan.bsky.social, two top China industrial strategy experts, on the pod. They played our riskgame and told us what we got right, wrong, and everything in-between
So we had @neilthomas123.bsky.social and @katelogan.bsky.social, two top China industrial strategy experts, on the pod. They played our riskgame and told us what we got right, wrong, and everything in-between
Maybe us Jews really do control the markets and the weather
April 3, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Maybe us Jews really do control the markets and the weather
I wrote about comms consultants, that guy big ballz, and how the right wing plays the apology game better than the left on twitter.
(Also: I'm moving from a private newsletter to substack!)
laurencepevsner.substack.com/p/on-comms-c...
(Also: I'm moving from a private newsletter to substack!)
laurencepevsner.substack.com/p/on-comms-c...
March 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I wrote about comms consultants, that guy big ballz, and how the right wing plays the apology game better than the left on twitter.
(Also: I'm moving from a private newsletter to substack!)
laurencepevsner.substack.com/p/on-comms-c...
(Also: I'm moving from a private newsletter to substack!)
laurencepevsner.substack.com/p/on-comms-c...
TSA agents should be able to nominate well-behaved and efficient boarders to get lounge status
February 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
TSA agents should be able to nominate well-behaved and efficient boarders to get lounge status
In LA they just sell you viral products straight from TikTok
February 26, 2025 at 1:11 AM
In LA they just sell you viral products straight from TikTok
Obsessed with this pickle tower, complete with a pickle juice waterfall, erected for a German election results watch party
February 23, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Obsessed with this pickle tower, complete with a pickle juice waterfall, erected for a German election results watch party
Reposted by laurence pevsner
a special 60-second teaser for our lovely Bluesky fans
February 20, 2025 at 10:00 PM
a special 60-second teaser for our lovely Bluesky fans
We like to shame politicians for staying in their jobs too long and furthering gerontocracy.
That means we should also do the reverse, and praise the ones that step aside for the next generation.
That means we should also do the reverse, and praise the ones that step aside for the next generation.
I wanted you to hear directly from me that I have decided not to run for reelection to the Senate in 2026.
I have loved my job, and after 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I'm ready to spend more time with my family.
I want to take some time here to explain my decision (🧵)
I have loved my job, and after 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I'm ready to spend more time with my family.
I want to take some time here to explain my decision (🧵)
February 13, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We like to shame politicians for staying in their jobs too long and furthering gerontocracy.
That means we should also do the reverse, and praise the ones that step aside for the next generation.
That means we should also do the reverse, and praise the ones that step aside for the next generation.
Reposted by laurence pevsner
The motto of USAID is "From the American people." But we've invested too much in arguing that foreign aid is for the American people. My piece in the Atlantic on foregrounding the moral case for foreign aid: www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
The Wrong Case for Foreign Aid
As Republicans seek to demolish USAID, its defenders should appeal to a higher principle than self-interest.
www.theatlantic.com
February 12, 2025 at 4:12 PM
The motto of USAID is "From the American people." But we've invested too much in arguing that foreign aid is for the American people. My piece in the Atlantic on foregrounding the moral case for foreign aid: www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Reposted by laurence pevsner
The Moynihan Center at The City College of New York is excited to announce our 2025–2026 senior fellowship opportunities! We are now accepting applications for the Moynihan Public Scholars Fellowship and the Moynihan Postdoctoral Fellowship. 👇🏽 1/
moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu/news-events/...
moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu/news-events/...
The Moynihan Center | Call for Applications: 2025–2026 Senior…
Applications are now open for the 2025–2026 senior fellowship opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellows and Public Scholars.
moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu
December 16, 2024 at 6:31 PM
The Moynihan Center at The City College of New York is excited to announce our 2025–2026 senior fellowship opportunities! We are now accepting applications for the Moynihan Public Scholars Fellowship and the Moynihan Postdoctoral Fellowship. 👇🏽 1/
moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu/news-events/...
moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu/news-events/...
I'm hosting a new riskgame (immersive simulation) on the perils and possibilities of biotech.
You’ll get to step into the shoes of a scientist, diplomat, or epidemiologist when a crisis hits.
Tell me if you'd like to join us in NYC or LA. Fills up fast -- DC already full!
You’ll get to step into the shoes of a scientist, diplomat, or epidemiologist when a crisis hits.
Tell me if you'd like to join us in NYC or LA. Fills up fast -- DC already full!
February 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
I'm hosting a new riskgame (immersive simulation) on the perils and possibilities of biotech.
You’ll get to step into the shoes of a scientist, diplomat, or epidemiologist when a crisis hits.
Tell me if you'd like to join us in NYC or LA. Fills up fast -- DC already full!
You’ll get to step into the shoes of a scientist, diplomat, or epidemiologist when a crisis hits.
Tell me if you'd like to join us in NYC or LA. Fills up fast -- DC already full!
Our commons are collapsing.
The US pulled out of the Paris Accords, the WHO. China is cutting undersea cables. Antarctica is up for grabs.
Online, fact checking is out, paywalls are up, and platforms are polarized.
In person, we spend our time home alone. Third places, gone.
The US pulled out of the Paris Accords, the WHO. China is cutting undersea cables. Antarctica is up for grabs.
Online, fact checking is out, paywalls are up, and platforms are polarized.
In person, we spend our time home alone. Third places, gone.
January 23, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Our commons are collapsing.
The US pulled out of the Paris Accords, the WHO. China is cutting undersea cables. Antarctica is up for grabs.
Online, fact checking is out, paywalls are up, and platforms are polarized.
In person, we spend our time home alone. Third places, gone.
The US pulled out of the Paris Accords, the WHO. China is cutting undersea cables. Antarctica is up for grabs.
Online, fact checking is out, paywalls are up, and platforms are polarized.
In person, we spend our time home alone. Third places, gone.