Mark Fabian
@markfabian.bsky.social
Ass-Prof of Public Policy at Warwick. Work mostly on wellbeing from an interdisciplinary perspective. Interested in *everything*. Run ePODstemology: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1763534/episodes
Pinned
Mark Fabian
@markfabian.bsky.social
· Feb 26
Beyond Happy: How to rethink happiness and find fulfilment
YouTube video by M. Fabian Education
www.youtube.com
Friends, foes, family:
I have a popular booking coming out on April 10 - Beyond Happy: How to rethink happiness and find fulfilment. It's the book I wish existed when I was 18. I couldn't find it in 20 years of searching, so I went and wrote it.
A video brief:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XPZ...
I have a popular booking coming out on April 10 - Beyond Happy: How to rethink happiness and find fulfilment. It's the book I wish existed when I was 18. I couldn't find it in 20 years of searching, so I went and wrote it.
A video brief:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XPZ...
I again see critical theorists criticising the political left for not articulating a narrative/paradigm alternative to the right.
Isn't that your job as a left wing intellectual?
It might require a bit less critique and a bit more construction.
Maybe endless critique is why we fail?
Isn't that your job as a left wing intellectual?
It might require a bit less critique and a bit more construction.
Maybe endless critique is why we fail?
February 9, 2026 at 3:37 PM
I again see critical theorists criticising the political left for not articulating a narrative/paradigm alternative to the right.
Isn't that your job as a left wing intellectual?
It might require a bit less critique and a bit more construction.
Maybe endless critique is why we fail?
Isn't that your job as a left wing intellectual?
It might require a bit less critique and a bit more construction.
Maybe endless critique is why we fail?
New episode of ePODstemology!
@valeriaramirez.bsky.social from Cambridge is on to talk about meaningful and meaningless digital metrics.
If you're enthralled by the possibilities of passive data gathering through online platforms, this episode is for you!
www.buzzsprout.com/1763534/epis...
@valeriaramirez.bsky.social from Cambridge is on to talk about meaningful and meaningless digital metrics.
If you're enthralled by the possibilities of passive data gathering through online platforms, this episode is for you!
www.buzzsprout.com/1763534/epis...
Data data everywhere yet no meaning to be found - ePODstemology
It seems these days that we are awash in data. Indeed, in their recent book The Ordinal Society, Marion Foucard and Kieran Healy argue persuasively that the passive data collection facilitated by the ...
www.buzzsprout.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:46 PM
New episode of ePODstemology!
@valeriaramirez.bsky.social from Cambridge is on to talk about meaningful and meaningless digital metrics.
If you're enthralled by the possibilities of passive data gathering through online platforms, this episode is for you!
www.buzzsprout.com/1763534/epis...
@valeriaramirez.bsky.social from Cambridge is on to talk about meaningful and meaningless digital metrics.
If you're enthralled by the possibilities of passive data gathering through online platforms, this episode is for you!
www.buzzsprout.com/1763534/epis...
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Imagine if the average man cared about policy as much as they care about football. We'd live in the Star Trek universe by now.
Two blokes behind me on the train have been discussing a single red card decision for the last 20 minutes. They are *informed*. One of them is quoting the by-laws.
Two blokes behind me on the train have been discussing a single red card decision for the last 20 minutes. They are *informed*. One of them is quoting the by-laws.
February 9, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Imagine if the average man cared about policy as much as they care about football. We'd live in the Star Trek universe by now.
Two blokes behind me on the train have been discussing a single red card decision for the last 20 minutes. They are *informed*. One of them is quoting the by-laws.
Two blokes behind me on the train have been discussing a single red card decision for the last 20 minutes. They are *informed*. One of them is quoting the by-laws.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Sigh. What could go wrong?
February 9, 2026 at 5:30 AM
Sigh. What could go wrong?
Reposted by Mark Fabian
I’ve said before that Adam Sandler‘s character in uncut gems is supposed to be a degenerate gambling addict because of the insane parlays he places, now that’s sold as a feature for everyone to enjoy
Remember watching Silver Linings Playbook where you learn a four-leg parlay is language exclusive to compulsive gambling addicts? And now it's just sold every 90 seconds on network television as the new national pastime?
February 9, 2026 at 2:15 AM
I’ve said before that Adam Sandler‘s character in uncut gems is supposed to be a degenerate gambling addict because of the insane parlays he places, now that’s sold as a feature for everyone to enjoy
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Issues have come up as recently as last summer. It's difficult to adjudicate every single claim because Zara always has some excuse. But ask yourself: why has this company attracted so many claims for so long? IMO, the issue is structural: fast fashion is inherently exploitative.
February 9, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Issues have come up as recently as last summer. It's difficult to adjudicate every single claim because Zara always has some excuse. But ask yourself: why has this company attracted so many claims for so long? IMO, the issue is structural: fast fashion is inherently exploitative.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Disappointed to learn Bad Bunny wore Zara, effectively promoting the brand to millions. Although Zara has made admirable strides to address labor conditions, fast fashion can never be ethical because it depends on rapid production and cheap prices, which results in worker exploitation.
February 9, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Disappointed to learn Bad Bunny wore Zara, effectively promoting the brand to millions. Although Zara has made admirable strides to address labor conditions, fast fashion can never be ethical because it depends on rapid production and cheap prices, which results in worker exploitation.
Just did a 10min search of the academic literature on this and found nothing. Tiny effects in hypergonadal men over 70, even tinier effects on depression.
Why are there so many grifts right now?
Men, Feeling fatigue? Try drinking less, sleeping more, cutting trans fats.
Why are there so many grifts right now?
Men, Feeling fatigue? Try drinking less, sleeping more, cutting trans fats.
February 9, 2026 at 7:31 AM
Just did a 10min search of the academic literature on this and found nothing. Tiny effects in hypergonadal men over 70, even tinier effects on depression.
Why are there so many grifts right now?
Men, Feeling fatigue? Try drinking less, sleeping more, cutting trans fats.
Why are there so many grifts right now?
Men, Feeling fatigue? Try drinking less, sleeping more, cutting trans fats.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
A Labour MP tells The House’s Sienna Rodgers McSweeney’s resignation will mean “full speed ahead to uber-woke, net-zeroist, rejoinerism”.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
February 8, 2026 at 6:10 PM
A Labour MP tells The House’s Sienna Rodgers McSweeney’s resignation will mean “full speed ahead to uber-woke, net-zeroist, rejoinerism”.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
Murmurs are one of the most beautiful, mystical things.
I often wonder if people lived less in cities and saw more big nature like this, or the night sky full of stars, whether they might get off the rat race and reconnect with fundamentals.
I often wonder if people lived less in cities and saw more big nature like this, or the night sky full of stars, whether they might get off the rat race and reconnect with fundamentals.
They were so fast my camera focus couldn't keep up with them.
February 8, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Murmurs are one of the most beautiful, mystical things.
I often wonder if people lived less in cities and saw more big nature like this, or the night sky full of stars, whether they might get off the rat race and reconnect with fundamentals.
I often wonder if people lived less in cities and saw more big nature like this, or the night sky full of stars, whether they might get off the rat race and reconnect with fundamentals.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Today we’re bringing you this charming print by Ohara Koson.
Koson was a Japanese painter and woodblock print designer. He was famous as a master of bird-and-flower designs and was a prolific artist, creating around 500 print designs during his lifetime.
🦆 EA1957.81
Koson was a Japanese painter and woodblock print designer. He was famous as a master of bird-and-flower designs and was a prolific artist, creating around 500 print designs during his lifetime.
🦆 EA1957.81
February 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Today we’re bringing you this charming print by Ohara Koson.
Koson was a Japanese painter and woodblock print designer. He was famous as a master of bird-and-flower designs and was a prolific artist, creating around 500 print designs during his lifetime.
🦆 EA1957.81
Koson was a Japanese painter and woodblock print designer. He was famous as a master of bird-and-flower designs and was a prolific artist, creating around 500 print designs during his lifetime.
🦆 EA1957.81
This is what my review request que looks like for every paper. 5 solicitations a week into the void. Always to people who've written on the exact topic, across the career stage spectrum. Not even an email back to say "no time".
After four months, the journal has not found a single reviewer for my PhD student's manuscript. The academic peer review system is broken.
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
February 6, 2026 at 2:31 PM
This is what my review request que looks like for every paper. 5 solicitations a week into the void. Always to people who've written on the exact topic, across the career stage spectrum. Not even an email back to say "no time".
Reposted by Mark Fabian
As a former editor: PLEASE do this!
A quick e-mail saying: "I don't have time, but try [A] or [B]" can speed up the review process by *weeks*. And it also helps the many junior scientists who need reviewing experience on their CVs, but struggle to get invited.
A quick e-mail saying: "I don't have time, but try [A] or [B]" can speed up the review process by *weeks*. And it also helps the many junior scientists who need reviewing experience on their CVs, but struggle to get invited.
3) When you decline, suggest at least one other reviewer, preferably a junior scientist who tends to do a great job and is likely not on the radar of the editor.
February 6, 2026 at 11:45 AM
As a former editor: PLEASE do this!
A quick e-mail saying: "I don't have time, but try [A] or [B]" can speed up the review process by *weeks*. And it also helps the many junior scientists who need reviewing experience on their CVs, but struggle to get invited.
A quick e-mail saying: "I don't have time, but try [A] or [B]" can speed up the review process by *weeks*. And it also helps the many junior scientists who need reviewing experience on their CVs, but struggle to get invited.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Name them
shame them
shame them
February 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Name them
shame them
shame them
Doo doo doo
Brad Karp, the chairman of the Paul Weiss law firm who brokered that deal with Trump last year & agreed to provide $40 million of pro bono services for Trump's causes, resigns due to fallout over his emails with Epstein: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/b...
Brad Karp Resigns as Paul Weiss Chairman Amid Epstein Fallout
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Doo doo doo
Jokes and despair aside the fact that an elected official would admit they were wrong is amazing stuff. UK still has some integrity floating around it seems.
"IT'S ALL SOCIAL CARE!" they screamed.
Reform councillors in Kent told the FT that they were surprised not to find lavish spending on wokeness from their predecessors
Another councillor has resigned from his role lesding "DOGE", regretting his comments to the newspaper acknowledging the challenges
www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/ne...
Another councillor has resigned from his role lesding "DOGE", regretting his comments to the newspaper acknowledging the challenges
www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/ne...
February 5, 2026 at 9:04 AM
Jokes and despair aside the fact that an elected official would admit they were wrong is amazing stuff. UK still has some integrity floating around it seems.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
In the UK it used to be the case that discovering a dead body and reporting it meant you had to pay for the burial unless someone else claimed the body. Great way to ensure disappearances remain unsolved.
February 4, 2026 at 8:35 AM
In the UK it used to be the case that discovering a dead body and reporting it meant you had to pay for the burial unless someone else claimed the body. Great way to ensure disappearances remain unsolved.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Happy SBD to all who celebrate
February 1, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Happy SBD to all who celebrate
Why do so many of my politics and international studies students seek internships at finance and equity firms?
Why didn't they study finance in the first place?
Half our department seems to be anti-capitalist critical theorists but then so many of our students just go work for capital. Wassup?
Why didn't they study finance in the first place?
Half our department seems to be anti-capitalist critical theorists but then so many of our students just go work for capital. Wassup?
January 31, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Why do so many of my politics and international studies students seek internships at finance and equity firms?
Why didn't they study finance in the first place?
Half our department seems to be anti-capitalist critical theorists but then so many of our students just go work for capital. Wassup?
Why didn't they study finance in the first place?
Half our department seems to be anti-capitalist critical theorists but then so many of our students just go work for capital. Wassup?
Reposted by Mark Fabian
INLAND EMPIRE - You see a flash of teeth -- a young woman smiling at you, near some railway overpass in your ruined past. She is gorgeous. And she is *yours*.
January 30, 2026 at 11:53 AM
INLAND EMPIRE - You see a flash of teeth -- a young woman smiling at you, near some railway overpass in your ruined past. She is gorgeous. And she is *yours*.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
Someone had a fun example the other day: they had an mri scan on a usb and wanted to see it but apparently it was a proprietary format and you had to pay a lot for an mri viewer. Claude examined the saved scan, guessed how it worked, and one shorted a 3D viewer in a webpage.
January 29, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Someone had a fun example the other day: they had an mri scan on a usb and wanted to see it but apparently it was a proprietary format and you had to pay a lot for an mri viewer. Claude examined the saved scan, guessed how it worked, and one shorted a 3D viewer in a webpage.
Hahahahahaha this is hilariously true. I get a couple on happiness but I'm sure it would be x100 worse in consciousness or religion etc.
I have learned that after a successful career as sth like a CFO or CTO in pharma or finance, the next logical step for some men is to submit papers on consciousness directly to my inbox.
#philsky #philosophy #consci #cogsci #academicsky
#philsky #philosophy #consci #cogsci #academicsky
January 28, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Hahahahahaha this is hilariously true. I get a couple on happiness but I'm sure it would be x100 worse in consciousness or religion etc.
Bumping this for anyone who only logs on in the evening.
After 5 years I can finally share a full WP of our project conducting cognitive interviews of life satisfaction reporting.
Main findings:
1. LS scales are psychometrically valid, but...
2. Standard statistical assumptions made when analysing LS data are not credible.
osf.io/gv5e3/files/...
Main findings:
1. LS scales are psychometrically valid, but...
2. Standard statistical assumptions made when analysing LS data are not credible.
osf.io/gv5e3/files/...
January 26, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Bumping this for anyone who only logs on in the evening.
Reposted by Mark Fabian
We still have a relatively poor understanding of the relationship between evidence and policy. Program evaluation in particular is often motivated by a desire to make policy better. But how effective is program evaluation itself?Michelle Rao's JMP tackles this question. www.michellerao.com/research
November 27, 2024 at 5:42 AM
We still have a relatively poor understanding of the relationship between evidence and policy. Program evaluation in particular is often motivated by a desire to make policy better. But how effective is program evaluation itself?Michelle Rao's JMP tackles this question. www.michellerao.com/research