Will Stancil
@whstancil.bsky.social
Minnesota guy.
"This particular activist will not stop." Sen. Chris Murphy
"This particular activist will not stop." Sen. Chris Murphy
The collapsing cost of media production has fragmented media into literally millions of publishers, creating a true marketplace of ideas where producers benefit by providing the exact narratives that consumers enjoy hearing the most. That means lurid doomerism is endemic
boy there seems to be a bottomless appetite for dogmatic economic pessimism on video platforms. clicked on one of those during the morning Zwift and now my youtube feed is WE'RE DOOMED re the stock market, jobs, car market, inflation, AI on and on
November 25, 2025 at 3:54 PM
The collapsing cost of media production has fragmented media into literally millions of publishers, creating a true marketplace of ideas where producers benefit by providing the exact narratives that consumers enjoy hearing the most. That means lurid doomerism is endemic
Planning a new investment in healing crystals after my six previous investments failed to cure my kidney stones
here we go again www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
Democrats plan a new investment in winning rural voters, who've fled the party
Democrats are announcing a new investment to win over voters in rural areas — where the party has suffered deep losses in recent elections — by leaning on an economic message.
www.npr.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Planning a new investment in healing crystals after my six previous investments failed to cure my kidney stones
Reposted by Will Stancil
here we go again www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
Democrats plan a new investment in winning rural voters, who've fled the party
Democrats are announcing a new investment to win over voters in rural areas — where the party has suffered deep losses in recent elections — by leaning on an economic message.
www.npr.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:13 PM
here we go again www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
So many popular theories of politics are guided by open contempt for the electorate and nothing else. “Just give the dumb schmucks more treats and they’ll love you” - what if that’s wrong, actually? What if human beings are often guided by ideas and beliefs?
Obamacare should have included a provision where everybody gets mailed a $100 prepaid debit card every year they can use exclusively to purchase medications; dim Midwesterners who vote for President based on their opinion of the infield fly rule love that shit.
November 25, 2025 at 2:07 PM
So many popular theories of politics are guided by open contempt for the electorate and nothing else. “Just give the dumb schmucks more treats and they’ll love you” - what if that’s wrong, actually? What if human beings are often guided by ideas and beliefs?
That’s why the expanded child tax credit was so popular and there was mass public support for its renewa.. *looks at notes* oh no
I think every major policy initiative has to come with a specific Really Obvious Immediate Benefit for voters; if BBB had come with $1000 checks or nationwide free buses or some such, it would have been a huge success. You could fund universal preschool with a fraction of this year’s tax cuts.
Unlike the far right, liberals and progressives do not live inside an endlessly mutable reactionary phantasmagoria where the search for energizing narratives rules all. We have actual policy objectives. Those objectives are doomed to fail in the media dreamland we’re building
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
That’s why the expanded child tax credit was so popular and there was mass public support for its renewa.. *looks at notes* oh no
You cannot rationally govern an electorate guided by hallucinations
Yep. If voters aren't making choices based in actual reality then democracy cannot function
November 25, 2025 at 1:50 PM
You cannot rationally govern an electorate guided by hallucinations
Reposted by Will Stancil
The monthly payments on my $90k super duty big horn truck are starting to pinch.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 PM
The monthly payments on my $90k super duty big horn truck are starting to pinch.
Reposted by Will Stancil
There is hyperinflation of 3%, you insensitive neoliberal sellout
November 25, 2025 at 1:43 PM
There is hyperinflation of 3%, you insensitive neoliberal sellout
Reposted by Will Stancil
I think he’s saying that if we sacrifice reality in favor of a preferred narrative we contribute to the delusory condition that allows charlatans to thrive
November 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
I think he’s saying that if we sacrifice reality in favor of a preferred narrative we contribute to the delusory condition that allows charlatans to thrive
Yes, Trump is doing real damage to the economy, and it certainly feels like a future recession is POSSIBLE. But these stories about America as an unlivable hellscape are… insane? Wrong? Delusional?
It’s a public hysteria eagerly fostered by media and politicians.
It’s a public hysteria eagerly fostered by media and politicians.
I think there's a correct version of this where Trump is directly making the economy worse than it otherwise would be and the drags he's introducing elevate the risk of downward spiral, but at the same time the stories acting as though a catastrophic collapse has happened aren't true.
November 25, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Yes, Trump is doing real damage to the economy, and it certainly feels like a future recession is POSSIBLE. But these stories about America as an unlivable hellscape are… insane? Wrong? Delusional?
It’s a public hysteria eagerly fostered by media and politicians.
It’s a public hysteria eagerly fostered by media and politicians.
Sure, I’m not sad to see Trump suffer. But we’re literally one year out from a vivid demonstration of how the media’s ability to perpetuate a narrative of mass economic despair, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, is ultimately fatal to the liberal and progressive project.
Dude, they did the same thing to Biden and it took off like wild fire.
Turn about is fair play.
The shoe is on the other foot now and it has Trump and his administration on its heels.
Turn about is fair play.
The shoe is on the other foot now and it has Trump and his administration on its heels.
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Sure, I’m not sad to see Trump suffer. But we’re literally one year out from a vivid demonstration of how the media’s ability to perpetuate a narrative of mass economic despair, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, is ultimately fatal to the liberal and progressive project.
It’s sort of funny to see the same dynamic turned back around on Trump but this is still completely deranged - even the chart shows CONTINUING WAGE GROWTH. It’s free-floating unspecified misery, being encouraged from almost every corner because it makes for interesting headlines and hurts Trump.
Quotes on the economy, last few days:
* WSJ: “Life felt more doable a year and a half ago.”
* CBS: “Paying for the house, the car — I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
* FT: “scraping for crumbs.”
@financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/cfa6...
* WSJ: “Life felt more doable a year and a half ago.”
* CBS: “Paying for the house, the car — I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
* FT: “scraping for crumbs.”
@financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/cfa6...
November 25, 2025 at 1:16 PM
It’s sort of funny to see the same dynamic turned back around on Trump but this is still completely deranged - even the chart shows CONTINUING WAGE GROWTH. It’s free-floating unspecified misery, being encouraged from almost every corner because it makes for interesting headlines and hurts Trump.
No, I do not “pick on” trans people, I have never done anything like this. And frankly, I think the willingness of some people to completely invent accusations of transphobia in the desperate search for a cudgel against ideological opponents suggests they don’t really care about transphobia
Listen dude, you can try and ride for this guy all you want, but the trans userbase of this platform fucking hates him because he picks on them. I'm going to listen to the trans people I know who are telling me he's bad. Plus I've been in these threads and seen it
November 25, 2025 at 3:28 AM
No, I do not “pick on” trans people, I have never done anything like this. And frankly, I think the willingness of some people to completely invent accusations of transphobia in the desperate search for a cudgel against ideological opponents suggests they don’t really care about transphobia
oh god a typo how am I just seeing this
Got my Holidays on Hennepin Passport. Love that they’re acknowledging all the ways people get around — walking, biking, rolling, transit, and driving. That’s the new Hennepin.
November 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
oh god a typo how am I just seeing this
This is literally in the grant application to the city! We want to familiarize people with the new Hennepin, spread awareness of the E Line, and make people realize that yes, there are places to park still, BUT ALSO, it’s quite nice for biking and walking :)
It’s secretly a public info campaign
It’s secretly a public info campaign
Got my Holidays on Hennepin Passport. Love that they’re acknowledging all the ways people get around — walking, biking, rolling, transit, and driving. That’s the new Hennepin.
November 25, 2025 at 12:21 AM
This is literally in the grant application to the city! We want to familiarize people with the new Hennepin, spread awareness of the E Line, and make people realize that yes, there are places to park still, BUT ALSO, it’s quite nice for biking and walking :)
It’s secretly a public info campaign
It’s secretly a public info campaign
Okay, so let's find some points of agreement here: can we agree that the US was, for at least the 40 years after WW2, the richest nation on earth, by a considerable margin?
At what point did it become a country where a majority of the people are below the poverty line? Was this always true?
At what point did it become a country where a majority of the people are below the poverty line? Was this always true?
But isn’t that the whole point of the article? That we need to come to terms with how most of the US population is below the poverty line, and a huge number of families are at starvation level (under $35K)
November 24, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Okay, so let's find some points of agreement here: can we agree that the US was, for at least the 40 years after WW2, the richest nation on earth, by a considerable margin?
At what point did it become a country where a majority of the people are below the poverty line? Was this always true?
At what point did it become a country where a majority of the people are below the poverty line? Was this always true?
Incredible scenes on here today
Two adults making a combined $136k before taxes is not working class, apparently
Astounding. Just incredible how some people think
Astounding. Just incredible how some people think
Even in San Diego, a family making 136k a year isn’t exactly working class, much less living in poverty! There are many, many people making much less than that
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Incredible scenes on here today
It’s funny because these people will say “I bet you’ve never met a person making less than six figures, you trust fund baby!” and then turn around and complain about how 136k is barely scraping by. Telling on yourselves
It’s absolutely insane to me that the pundit class thinks two adults raising kids and making $136k before taxes are not “working class”
Like they have a trust fund cushion somewhere or something
Like they have a trust fund cushion somewhere or something
November 24, 2025 at 6:07 PM
It’s funny because these people will say “I bet you’ve never met a person making less than six figures, you trust fund baby!” and then turn around and complain about how 136k is barely scraping by. Telling on yourselves
Reposted by Will Stancil
This cover oozes with contempt for the magazine’s history and its readership
Over many interviews, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Michael Scherer about how he plans to remake America’s public-health system. Can he lead the scientific establishment he’s spent much of his life crusading against?
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This cover oozes with contempt for the magazine’s history and its readership
We should try to avoid explicitly converting the hedonic treadmill into a policy metric, imo
by definition we should expect half of people to be living a below average lifestyle
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
November 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
We should try to avoid explicitly converting the hedonic treadmill into a policy metric, imo
Reposted by Will Stancil
by definition we should expect half of people to be living a below average lifestyle
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
November 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
by definition we should expect half of people to be living a below average lifestyle
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
if your absolute minimum quality of life is defined as "a comfortable average lifestyle" then you've mathematically guaranteed that half of the population will always be in poverty
Even in San Diego, a family making 136k a year isn’t exactly working class, much less living in poverty! There are many, many people making much less than that
I usually at least mildly understand where Stancil is coming from, but this is a wild take
$136k for a family of four would only just make ends meet in San Diego. Perhaps not “poverty” status but def not “saving money for emergencies and taking fun vacations” status, either
$136k for a family of four would only just make ends meet in San Diego. Perhaps not “poverty” status but def not “saving money for emergencies and taking fun vacations” status, either
Man, gotta love some Wall Street guy who decides It’s Time To Care About Poverty and uses vibe math to recalculate the poverty line, as… $136,500
Extreme “it’s one banana, Michael” energy
Extreme “it’s one banana, Michael” energy
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Even in San Diego, a family making 136k a year isn’t exactly working class, much less living in poverty! There are many, many people making much less than that
you can actually go look at who funded my “failed political career” and it was approximately 2000 of my closest friends and friendliest neighbors. everyone who disagrees with you isn’t rich
yeah, he doesn't want to admit that he lives off of passive income from being born into an upper class family, and that this financial freedom is why he can live without stress and can self fund a failed political career
November 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
you can actually go look at who funded my “failed political career” and it was approximately 2000 of my closest friends and friendliest neighbors. everyone who disagrees with you isn’t rich
Reposted by Will Stancil
Why do you assume the gestalt of the electorate is driven by the median voter's personal circumstances rather than the median voter's media environment?
November 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Why do you assume the gestalt of the electorate is driven by the median voter's personal circumstances rather than the median voter's media environment?
You mean the place where I live, work, and rent my home on a completely unremarkable median income?
like i seriously don't understand how a flouncing little Lord Fauntleroy like you thinks he has his finger on the pulse of middle America
November 24, 2025 at 3:38 PM
You mean the place where I live, work, and rent my home on a completely unremarkable median income?