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Reposted by Conor P. Williams

Michael Baumann @baumann.bsky.social · 1h

If the "how can you post about SPORTSBALL when we're LIVING under FASCISM" scolds paid attention to sportsball, they'd know what happens when a manager tries to get through a series using only his high-leverage relievers. There's no better example of why you can't go through life in panic mode 24/7

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

wanted to make a PotomacsMen joke but couldn't work it out

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

Anyway, the violence is the worst bit.
The norm-breaking is the second-worst bit.
The normalization of the violence and norm-breaking's third.

But the utter unseriousness of the whole moment is also really bad! It's exhausting!

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

lol

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

Like Whitehead put it..."The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

That is, we're living in a moment where we have all these serious problems—and some people genuinely trying to respond to them with serious ideas.

But we are being ruled by a political faction that is not interested in solving problems OR listening to the people who want to solve them!

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

Sometimes I think that, to make sense of our present chaos, the only thing you need from the Western canon is this passage from Plato's Republic.

Screenshot of text from Plato's Republic, reading: "May there not be the alternative, I said, that we may persuade you to let us go?
But can you persuade us, if we refuse to listen to you? he said.
Certainly not, replied Glaucon.
Then we are not going to listen; of that you may be assured."

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

So:
1) I *mostly* think that I disagree with the premise about parenting = grim/terrible.
2) I *also* think that the slate of policy moves should be heavily focused on making it clear that that premise isn't generally true. $$ + flexibility for families = making parenting seem more tenable.

Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

And also, I hasten to add—particularly as a former teacher—NO ONE should have kids who doesn't VERY MUCH WANT to have kids.

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 2h

(I'm a father of three.) My knee-jerk thought is that I think that having kids is Actually Very Good as a personal choice. Like, it *doesn't* suck, on aggregate.

But I remain a big fan of leaving ppl alone—particularly when it comes to sex and reproduction and etc.

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 3h

This is a take that I have not seen before but one that I want to think about more

William B. Fuckley @opinionhaver.bsky.social · 7h

I think the thing with the debate about ‘Pro-Natalism’ is that everyone kind of dances around saying explicitly is that revealed preferences show lots of people think having kids of sort of sucks for the parent but is clearly necessary for society.

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 5h

The politics keep spiraling out into the culture (and into the economy and into the churches and into the society and, and, and)

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 6h

terrible and dumb and etc

Men in Blazers Media Network @meninblazers.bsky.social · 6h

Barcelona will play Villarreal in Miami on December 20. It's official 🇺🇸

It will be the first game from one of Europe's major leagues to be played abroad and is technically a Villarreal home fixture ✈️

Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 6h

Definitely. I've made some really productive professional connections on here (and on Twitter once upon a time)...leading to formal collaborations, funding, new work opportunities, etc.

That said, it's consistently 1% wheat and 99% chaff. Maybe .1% wheat, tbh.

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 18h

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 6h

'Being “the right kind” of progressive or feminist or socialist can easily become its own goal, rather than winning concrete victories that match the values and goals behind these labels.'

Thinking about this @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social piece again today.

www.teenvogue.com/story/trump-...

The Bad Guys Don’t Really Care What Kind of Leftist You Are

Infighting is a waste of energy.

www.teenvogue.com

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

I want so badly to make a Bill Swerski's Superfans joke here

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

“I see dual language immersion almost like language reparations” www.the74million.org/article/texa...

Texas Outshines California in its Approach to Teaching English Learners

Texas enrolls nearly 40% of its English learners — twice the rate California does — in some form of best-in-class bilingual education.

www.the74million.org

Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

yeah, a pretty good list, tbh

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

I want to like this b/c it's sarcastic and funny but tbh it could so easily be real at some imminent moment so I can't like this

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Reposted by Conor P. Williams

Molly Knight @mollyknight.bsky.social · 1d

Hey friends-

It’s really hard being alive right now for those of us who care about things like humanity, decency, the environment, democracy, etc,

If you are here still fighting for what is right I love u.

None of this is easy. Please take care of yourselves. Logging off sometimes is A-OK.

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Reposted by Conor P. Williams

Litbowl @litbowl.bsky.social · 1d

What a lovely message from @bookshop.org. Glad to see them growing and growing. We CAN claim back what has been taken from us by these monstrous corporations, and it starts with things like this. Grab some books these next couple days!

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

...and to build something new once it crashes.

Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

I've been on the "escalating normbreaking and eroding democratic institutions" barricades for about a decade now. As those trends are hitting this new 10/7/25 threshold, it really is time to think more comprehensively about what it looks like to surf the authoritarian wave...

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

Resharing this. @dhnexon.bsky.social: "The single most important problem for pro-democracy forces is that too many people—especially in position of power—seem unable to truly believe that we are living in a consolidating competitive authoritarian regime."
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/10/the-...

The State of the Republic is Grim - Lawyers, Guns & Money

If you’re on Bluesky and follow me, you’ve probably seen that I’m writing threads that really should be the basis for posts at LGM. You’ve also likely gotten a bead on where I am these days. Here’s a ...

www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com

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Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 1d

my god it's perfect

Margaret Thornton @maggiethornton.bsky.social · 1d

Somebody said she thinks she's Jeff Daniels in The Newsroom but she's actually Jeff Daniels in Dumb and Dumber. I can't unsee it now.

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