Will Wilkinson
@wlknsn.xyz
Tech policy and government affairs guy. Ex-Block, Niskanen, NYT, Economist, Cato. Los Angeles / Iowa City
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Every day is a good day, but today is an ESPECIALLY good day, to re-share @kerryhowley.bsky.social's profile of Pete Hegseth.
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
Pete Hegseth Is Playing Secretary
As he sends troops into L.A. and prepares for war, his Pentagon is beset by infighting over leaks, drugs, and socks. How long will Trump stand by him?
nymag.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Every day is a good day, but today is an ESPECIALLY good day, to re-share @kerryhowley.bsky.social's profile of Pete Hegseth.
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
I wrote about the private, intimate, often ridiculous agonies of working for a man who think you’re a monster nymag.com/intelligence...
Doughnuts and Bullets: The Absurdity of Working for RFK Jr.
What happens when your new boss thinks you’re a child killer?
nymag.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
How RFK Jr. destroyed the CDC. Another banger from Kerry Howley @kerryhowley.bsky.social nymag.com/intelligence...
Doughnuts and Bullets: The Absurdity of Working for RFK Jr.
What happens when your new boss thinks you’re a child killer?
nymag.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
How RFK Jr. destroyed the CDC. Another banger from Kerry Howley @kerryhowley.bsky.social nymag.com/intelligence...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
I wrote about the private, intimate, often ridiculous agonies of working for a man who think you’re a monster nymag.com/intelligence...
Doughnuts and Bullets: The Absurdity of Working for RFK Jr.
What happens when your new boss thinks you’re a child killer?
nymag.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I wrote about the private, intimate, often ridiculous agonies of working for a man who think you’re a monster nymag.com/intelligence...
There are so many different reasons to believe that LLMs cannot have beliefs, cannot know anything, cannot reason and cannot be a form of intelligence.
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
November 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
There are so many different reasons to believe that LLMs cannot have beliefs, cannot know anything, cannot reason and cannot be a form of intelligence.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
November 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
i’d not endorse all of the cost computation choices.
but the key point—changes in the price of participation in contemporary life are not taken into account by conventional purchasing power measures, and that price has grown much more than is reflected in inflation and poverty measures—is correct.
but the key point—changes in the price of participation in contemporary life are not taken into account by conventional purchasing power measures, and that price has grown much more than is reflected in inflation and poverty measures—is correct.
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 3:17 PM
i’d not endorse all of the cost computation choices.
but the key point—changes in the price of participation in contemporary life are not taken into account by conventional purchasing power measures, and that price has grown much more than is reflected in inflation and poverty measures—is correct.
but the key point—changes in the price of participation in contemporary life are not taken into account by conventional purchasing power measures, and that price has grown much more than is reflected in inflation and poverty measures—is correct.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
November 24, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 23, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
WATCH: If you really STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, please watch this EXCELLENT video by #NotJustBikes helped by #UrbanThree & @StrongTowns.org. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
November 22, 2025 at 4:57 PM
WATCH: If you really STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, please watch this EXCELLENT video by #NotJustBikes helped by #UrbanThree & @StrongTowns.org. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Warren proposed a bill that would make the PE firms liable for the debts of the companies they control. It really is just common sense
November 23, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Warren proposed a bill that would make the PE firms liable for the debts of the companies they control. It really is just common sense
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
WATCH: If you STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, watch this EXCELLENT video by @notjustbikes with @UrbanThree & @StrongTowns. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
November 22, 2025 at 7:20 AM
WATCH: If you STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, watch this EXCELLENT video by @notjustbikes with @UrbanThree & @StrongTowns. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
The potential benefits of migration are not identical everywhere.
This remarkable new resource from @niskanencenter.bsky.social maps the US counties where the economic benefits of immigration might be highest —>
www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...
This remarkable new resource from @niskanencenter.bsky.social maps the US counties where the economic benefits of immigration might be highest —>
www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...
November 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
The potential benefits of migration are not identical everywhere.
This remarkable new resource from @niskanencenter.bsky.social maps the US counties where the economic benefits of immigration might be highest —>
www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...
This remarkable new resource from @niskanencenter.bsky.social maps the US counties where the economic benefits of immigration might be highest —>
www.niskanencenter.org/mapping-amer...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 AM
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
www.forbes.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Good morning. I've got a banger new post out today that develops a new method for placing voters on the left-right ideological spectrum, and adds a new, "non-ideological"/affordability axis to usual way we chart & think about US voters (esp swing voters). www.gelliottmorris.com/p/not-just-l...
Not just left vs right: Most voters think about affordability and material wellbeing, not in ideological terms
Most voters want a party that emphasizes cost of living issues and makes the world a better place. Few Americans think in solidly ideologically terms. "Moderates" are mostly non-ideological.
www.gelliottmorris.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Good morning. I've got a banger new post out today that develops a new method for placing voters on the left-right ideological spectrum, and adds a new, "non-ideological"/affordability axis to usual way we chart & think about US voters (esp swing voters). www.gelliottmorris.com/p/not-just-l...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
The USDA has designated 444 counties as farming-dependent; their average vote share for Trump was 77.7%.
investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/13/t...
investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/13/t...
November 20, 2025 at 12:47 PM
The USDA has designated 444 counties as farming-dependent; their average vote share for Trump was 77.7%.
investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/13/t...
investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/13/t...
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
November 19, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made.
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
November 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made.
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
"Democracy is dying in the West because it has been overtaken by a caste of professionals, politicians and technocrats, for whom democracy is a slogan, a contest, a source of legitimacy in an instrumental sense, but not an idea or ideal they respect or aspire to."
Running on democracy hasn't been tried
drafts @ interfluidity
drafts.interfluidity.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
"Democracy is dying in the West because it has been overtaken by a caste of professionals, politicians and technocrats, for whom democracy is a slogan, a contest, a source of legitimacy in an instrumental sense, but not an idea or ideal they respect or aspire to."
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
It is must-reading.
Good morning. This article by @alissawilkinson.bsky.social
about AI and documentaries is closely researched, often horrifying, and very important. I'm sharing a gift link because I hope everyone reads it. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/m...
about AI and documentaries is closely researched, often horrifying, and very important. I'm sharing a gift link because I hope everyone reads it. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/m...
Can You Believe the Documentary You’re Watching?
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:56 PM
It is must-reading.
Reposted by Will Wilkinson
Since Christmas is around the corner, a reminder that Wikipedia has a store. And the profits go to a project billionaires hate, so you're buying an object and getting free spite.
Classic Collection
Inspired by infoboxes, blue hyperlinks, talkpages, and everything that makes Wikipedia unique, this collection features new and well-loved designs, reimagined.
store.wikimedia.org
November 17, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Since Christmas is around the corner, a reminder that Wikipedia has a store. And the profits go to a project billionaires hate, so you're buying an object and getting free spite.