AbsolvedFenian
@absolvedfenian.bsky.social
Fiscal policy wonker (ex BEIS and HMT). Writing and comedy on the side.
Yeah it’s like we have this Stalinist work ethic but applied to modern jobs.
Stakhanovites glued to laptop screens, spending their evenings tweaking slide decks and doing GDPR training.
Stakhanovites glued to laptop screens, spending their evenings tweaking slide decks and doing GDPR training.
January 30, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Yeah it’s like we have this Stalinist work ethic but applied to modern jobs.
Stakhanovites glued to laptop screens, spending their evenings tweaking slide decks and doing GDPR training.
Stakhanovites glued to laptop screens, spending their evenings tweaking slide decks and doing GDPR training.
Thing is people like Jonathan Brash probably think that benefit claimants and struggling graduates should work like this too.
Way too much fetishisation of “hard work” across the board.
Way too much fetishisation of “hard work” across the board.
January 30, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Thing is people like Jonathan Brash probably think that benefit claimants and struggling graduates should work like this too.
Way too much fetishisation of “hard work” across the board.
Way too much fetishisation of “hard work” across the board.
Promising Young Woman was good but otherwise she is the antichrist
January 25, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Promising Young Woman was good but otherwise she is the antichrist
Wherever we live, it’s clear a confrontation is coming.
Those of us who believe in freedom, equality and progress need to make ready to fight it.
Those of us who believe in freedom, equality and progress need to make ready to fight it.
January 25, 2026 at 12:53 AM
Wherever we live, it’s clear a confrontation is coming.
Those of us who believe in freedom, equality and progress need to make ready to fight it.
Those of us who believe in freedom, equality and progress need to make ready to fight it.
Really concerned about this stuff. Feels like a psy ops plot to get people to vote Reform.
January 24, 2026 at 11:40 AM
Really concerned about this stuff. Feels like a psy ops plot to get people to vote Reform.
Also a lot of uk legal advice subreddit threads that feel v fake and reform-y
Stuff like: “immigrant step dad spending all my motability money on Ferraris need advice”
All feels very unlikely and designed to bait people.
Stuff like: “immigrant step dad spending all my motability money on Ferraris need advice”
All feels very unlikely and designed to bait people.
January 24, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Also a lot of uk legal advice subreddit threads that feel v fake and reform-y
Stuff like: “immigrant step dad spending all my motability money on Ferraris need advice”
All feels very unlikely and designed to bait people.
Stuff like: “immigrant step dad spending all my motability money on Ferraris need advice”
All feels very unlikely and designed to bait people.
Have gilt markets always been this attuned to things at the micro level? Seems a bit much.
January 22, 2026 at 12:06 PM
Have gilt markets always been this attuned to things at the micro level? Seems a bit much.
We have to change the welfare system and public attitudes to work. Radically.
We can’t just pretend this is normal. Can’t just blame “entitled young people” when they’ve been screwed over by tech and economic changes they had no control over.
We can’t just pretend this is normal. Can’t just blame “entitled young people” when they’ve been screwed over by tech and economic changes they had no control over.
January 22, 2026 at 10:43 AM
We have to change the welfare system and public attitudes to work. Radically.
We can’t just pretend this is normal. Can’t just blame “entitled young people” when they’ve been screwed over by tech and economic changes they had no control over.
We can’t just pretend this is normal. Can’t just blame “entitled young people” when they’ve been screwed over by tech and economic changes they had no control over.
“Fire all civil servants and rehire them as soldiers”
January 21, 2026 at 11:11 AM
“Fire all civil servants and rehire them as soldiers”
Not just the policy but the discourse it unleashed was really radicalising for me.
People just seemed to despise higher ed and students in general.
People just seemed to despise higher ed and students in general.
January 20, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Not just the policy but the discourse it unleashed was really radicalising for me.
People just seemed to despise higher ed and students in general.
People just seemed to despise higher ed and students in general.
Polanski isn’t quite it I don’t think. I get what he’s trying to do and it is working a bit but he doesn’t quite have the charisma or vibe to pull it off.
To take off, they really needed like a Mamdani type figure who who could be radical and a bit of a rockstar.
To take off, they really needed like a Mamdani type figure who who could be radical and a bit of a rockstar.
January 20, 2026 at 9:04 AM
Polanski isn’t quite it I don’t think. I get what he’s trying to do and it is working a bit but he doesn’t quite have the charisma or vibe to pull it off.
To take off, they really needed like a Mamdani type figure who who could be radical and a bit of a rockstar.
To take off, they really needed like a Mamdani type figure who who could be radical and a bit of a rockstar.
Yep you’re right. A WW3 adjacent footing just ain’t compatible with our current media and politics set-up.
January 19, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Yep you’re right. A WW3 adjacent footing just ain’t compatible with our current media and politics set-up.
Also recently did a rewatch! For me it just about edges Sopranos (and Succession) at the top of the pile.
There’s a cynical yet optimistic humanism to it that is really rare.
There’s a cynical yet optimistic humanism to it that is really rare.
January 17, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Also recently did a rewatch! For me it just about edges Sopranos (and Succession) at the top of the pile.
There’s a cynical yet optimistic humanism to it that is really rare.
There’s a cynical yet optimistic humanism to it that is really rare.
“World going one way, and people another yo”
January 17, 2026 at 11:34 AM
“World going one way, and people another yo”
We seem to see Blair as the only “clever” modern PM in a lot of ways. All the others are mocked or derided in some way.
Everything associated with Blair is seen as having a grain of cunning or truth to it.
Not sure it’s helping us.
Everything associated with Blair is seen as having a grain of cunning or truth to it.
Not sure it’s helping us.
January 17, 2026 at 11:15 AM
We seem to see Blair as the only “clever” modern PM in a lot of ways. All the others are mocked or derided in some way.
Everything associated with Blair is seen as having a grain of cunning or truth to it.
Not sure it’s helping us.
Everything associated with Blair is seen as having a grain of cunning or truth to it.
Not sure it’s helping us.
She seems to be enjoying this weird cultural feminist-y revival as an “icon” which I find very weird.
January 13, 2026 at 4:49 PM
She seems to be enjoying this weird cultural feminist-y revival as an “icon” which I find very weird.
Out of touch-ness has become this weird cardinal sin in our politics. The accusation alone is seen as a killer blow.
January 13, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Out of touch-ness has become this weird cardinal sin in our politics. The accusation alone is seen as a killer blow.
I also think it’s part of our massive overcorrection to 2016.
Appearing to be “out of touch/in a bubble” by leaving X is somehow seen as worse to politicos than standing up to racist AI pornographers.
Appearing to be “out of touch/in a bubble” by leaving X is somehow seen as worse to politicos than standing up to racist AI pornographers.
January 13, 2026 at 3:25 PM
I also think it’s part of our massive overcorrection to 2016.
Appearing to be “out of touch/in a bubble” by leaving X is somehow seen as worse to politicos than standing up to racist AI pornographers.
Appearing to be “out of touch/in a bubble” by leaving X is somehow seen as worse to politicos than standing up to racist AI pornographers.
Need to accept that the two are related. Decoupling our economies and jobs from most ethical or philosophical concerns leads to shit like this.
People matter and we need jobs and markets that reflect this.
People matter and we need jobs and markets that reflect this.
January 12, 2026 at 10:40 AM
Need to accept that the two are related. Decoupling our economies and jobs from most ethical or philosophical concerns leads to shit like this.
People matter and we need jobs and markets that reflect this.
People matter and we need jobs and markets that reflect this.
Same with most workplaces.
“Hey stop reading that article about impending fascist apocalypse. The client wants a comma removed on slide 28.”
“Hey stop reading that article about impending fascist apocalypse. The client wants a comma removed on slide 28.”
January 12, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Same with most workplaces.
“Hey stop reading that article about impending fascist apocalypse. The client wants a comma removed on slide 28.”
“Hey stop reading that article about impending fascist apocalypse. The client wants a comma removed on slide 28.”
Regardless of what you think of west ham, it’s not cool to sit in home sections as a secret away fan. Esp if you’re a fan of a touristy “big six” club.
Stuff like this is tearing at the soul of clubs like west ham and English football in general.
Stuff like this is tearing at the soul of clubs like west ham and English football in general.
January 11, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Regardless of what you think of west ham, it’s not cool to sit in home sections as a secret away fan. Esp if you’re a fan of a touristy “big six” club.
Stuff like this is tearing at the soul of clubs like west ham and English football in general.
Stuff like this is tearing at the soul of clubs like west ham and English football in general.
“But evidence shows that this is inaccurate and….”- normal people.
“Are you calling the voters stupid!?”- media.
“Are you calling the voters stupid!?”- media.
January 9, 2026 at 5:05 PM
“But evidence shows that this is inaccurate and….”- normal people.
“Are you calling the voters stupid!?”- media.
“Are you calling the voters stupid!?”- media.
“Centre left party need be more right wing to win. Me very clever”- endless politicos and commentators multiple times a year.
“A rare and insightful take here, Labour/Dems would do well to listen”- rest of media’s reaction every single time.
“A rare and insightful take here, Labour/Dems would do well to listen”- rest of media’s reaction every single time.
January 9, 2026 at 5:03 PM
“Centre left party need be more right wing to win. Me very clever”- endless politicos and commentators multiple times a year.
“A rare and insightful take here, Labour/Dems would do well to listen”- rest of media’s reaction every single time.
“A rare and insightful take here, Labour/Dems would do well to listen”- rest of media’s reaction every single time.
Endless criticism of Whitehall across all parties means it’s hard to celebrate actual successes and motivate future ones
January 9, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Endless criticism of Whitehall across all parties means it’s hard to celebrate actual successes and motivate future ones
Interesting to note (and I think part of the problem here) is that most people would laugh at you/get angry if you suggested any part of the bank bailout or covid response was an example of good govt.
January 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Interesting to note (and I think part of the problem here) is that most people would laugh at you/get angry if you suggested any part of the bank bailout or covid response was an example of good govt.