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David Mair

@davidmair4.bsky.social

2.2K followers 4.4K following 450 posts

Science & knowledge for policy, democracy, public governance and public administration at European Commission’s Joint Research Centre but personal views only. https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/evidence-informed-policy-making_en

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · Nov 12

Trying to understand and navigate the current political situation?
These Joint Research Centre reports may give some answers and ideas.
knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/evidence-inf...

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Reposted by David Mair

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 4d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 4d

“Nous avons eu l'immense naïveté de confier notre espace démocratique à des réseaux sociaux qui sont à la main soit de grands entrepreneurs américains, soit de grandes sociétés chinoises, dont les intérêts ne sont pas du tout la survie ou le bon fonctionnement de nos démocraties.”

Macron yesterday

Déplacement à Sarrebruck pour la journée de l’unité allemande.

Le Président de la République et Madame Brigitte Macron se sont rendus à Sarrebruck en Allemagne ce vendredi 3 octobre 2025.

www.elysee.fr

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 4d

“The most important thing is to rebuild trust in human institutions, in the media, in government.”

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

How to live a good life in difficult times: Yuval Noah Harari, Rory Stewart and Maria Ressa in conversation

From superintelligent AI to the climate and democracy, three leading thinkers discuss how to navigate the future

www.theguardian.com

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 4d

Similar point here - relationships inoculate you against disinformation.

www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...

Want more friends? A better social life? Be like my 85-year-old buddy Gerry

Friendship falters due to the belief it should just happen on its own. The solution: make a conscious effort to be social

www.theguardian.com

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 5d

@sarahsteinlubrano.bsky.social gave a great talk on her book "Don't Talk about Politics" today in the Commission.

Among many striking lines "Conversations don't change minds, relationships do".

Some important consequences for #scipol

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 5d

Good news for democracy?

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 5d

Have we passed peak social media? on.ft.com/46OjAa1 | opinion

Have we passed peak social media?

As platforms degrade into outrage and slop, users are turning away

on.ft.com

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 6d

Proud to work for #JRC.

EU Science, Research & Innovation @scienceinnovation.ec.europa.eu · 7d

Who gives scientific advice to the EU Commission?

The Joint Research Centre, the Commission's in-house science service, has 43 laboratories and 2,000+ researchers who provide independent science for better public policies.

Here we’ll share their findings with the hashtag #JRC
#Science4Policy

Exhibit cube at the Joint Research Centre with large text reading ‘Science for People’ and a map of Europe embossed on the side. Display highlights JRC’s mission of doing science for policy inside a modern glass pavilion.

Reposted by David Mair

Ben Sanderson @benmsanderson.bsky.social · 8d

Paris-Berlin sleeper: low carbon, 2 years old, constantly full, but currently losing SNCF a few million EUR/yr

Intl Jet fuel tax exemptions are 80 years old and cost the EU 22 million EUR/yr for the Paris-Berlin route alone.

And you're cutting... the sleeper?

www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...

It’s goodnight Vienna as Paris sleeper train to Austria and Berlin hit by cuts

Some Nightjet services suspended from mid-December after French withdrawal amid public budget crisis

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by David Mair

La nomade sédentaire @lanomadesed.bsky.social · 9d

2e usager vulnérable tué à Bruxelles ce mois-ci 🤍 Après Etterbeek, c'est le tour d'Ixelles.
Tué au même endroit que Romane, en 2023 - av. de l'Hippodrome. Comme elle, par un conducteur apparemment lui aussi alcoolisé. Délit de fuite ici aussi.

IL FAUT QUE CELA CESSE.

www.dhnet.be/regions/brux...

Accident mortel à Ixelles : un automobiliste percute un trentenaire à trottinette puis prend la fuite

L'accident s'est produit vers 00h30 avenue de l'Hippodrome. Le chauffard a été retrouvé par la police sur l'avenue Louise.

www.dhnet.be

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 9d

@profsanderlinden.bsky.social nails it:

“You may be able to find two people in your neighbourhood who feel the same way, but now you can connect with thousands of individuals who feel the same way as you in a matter of seconds, which leads to a misperception about what the consensus is in society,”

Sander van der Linden @profsanderlinden.bsky.social · 10d

Great feature with some thoughts from me;

"The undermining of democratic institutions on display in these groups echoed fascist methods used throughout history..they
are trying to undermine institutions of truth, facts & education because that is what’s standing in their way–an informed citizenry"

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 10d

Inside the everyday Facebook networks where far-right ideas grow

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 10d

English translation planned?

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 11d

Excellent interview with @simontruwant.bsky.social on the limits to facts in resolving political debates. #scipol

www.bruzz.be/actua/samenl...

Filosoof Simon Truwant over polarisatie: 'Feiten zijn niet altijd het belangrijkste'

Met zijn boek De waarheid heeft vier gezichten schreef de Brusselse filosoof Simon Truwant een handleiding om constructief met elkaar in gesprek te gaan.

www.bruzz.be

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 11d

Lots of echoes in this piece for me of @will-davies.bsky.social analysis in “Nervous States”.

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 11d

“the fate of our democracies is increasingly being played out in a kind of digital Somalia, a failed state as big as the planet, subject to the law of digital warlords and their militias.”

Michiel van Hulten @michielvanhulten.eu · 11d

Clear-eyed and hard-hitting piece. An urgent call to action to rescue our democracies from the wrecking ball alliance of tech broligarchs and populist leaders.

“How tech lords and populists changed the rules of power”, by Giuliano de Empoli in the FT.

(€$£)
on.ft.com/46KUqZL

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Reposted by David Mair

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 11d

Nathan Gill is no fringe politician.

He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.

A Brexit Party MEP.

A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:

"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."

This is a MASSIVE story

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Reform UK's ex-Wales leader Nathan Gill admits pro-Russia bribery

Nathan Gill admits eight charges of bribery while being a Member of the European Parliament.

www.bbc.co.uk

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 11d

Tune to this first of a kind event - a European Young Citizens Assembly.
A new step in democracy in Europe.

webcast.ec.europa.eu/launch-event...

List of sessions - Streaming Service of the European Commission

webcast.ec.europa.eu

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 13d

Excellent épisode. If more people understood how these work in practice, they would take off.

The crisis of trust in democracy is in part because citizens feel they are not being listened to. But also politicians getting a false negative about Overton window. Such new channels tackle both issues.

Past Present Future Podcast @ppfideas.bsky.social · 17d

NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

David talks to @cchwalisz.bsky.social, founder & CEO of Democracy Next, about how citizens’ assemblies could help fix what’s wrong with democracy. Where does the idea of a jury of citizens chosen at random to answer political questions come from?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

Reposted by David Mair

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 14d

Depolarization is not "a scalable solution for reducing societal-level conflict.... achieving lasting depolarization will likely require....moving beyond individual-level treatments to address the elite behaviors and structural incentives that fuel partisan conflict" www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 14d

@institutevidences.bsky.social #scipol

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 14d

Case in point

bsky.app/profile/char...

Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 14d

A 7% decline in English birds in just 5 years is astonishing

The web of life is unravelling fast

Wild bird numbers continue to fall in UK with some species in ‘dramatic freefall’

Species index fell by 4% between 2019 and 2024 – although data shows woodland populations beginning to stabilise

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by David Mair

Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 14d

A 7% decline in English birds in just 5 years is astonishing

The web of life is unravelling fast

Wild bird numbers continue to fall in UK with some species in ‘dramatic freefall’

Species index fell by 4% between 2019 and 2024 – although data shows woodland populations beginning to stabilise

www.theguardian.com

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 15d

Interesting from @pawelzerka.bsky.social
ecfr.eu/publication/...

Reality show: Why Europe must not cave in Trump’s culture war

In today’s transatlantic relationship, Europe’s every concession on policy plays into Trump’s culture war—feeding an image of European weakness…

ecfr.eu

David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 15d

If you are taking suggestions, how about the role of science in keeping democracy and government anchored in reality rather than fantasy and distraction?

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David Mair @davidmair4.bsky.social · 16d

Good listen but surprised no mention of compulsory voting - future episode in the series @ppfideas.bsky.social ?

Reposted by David Mair

Jay 🦋 @jay.bsky.team · 17d

1. Bluesky doesn’t downrank links
2. You can choose your own algorithm from among thousands
3. The whole app is open source

This keeps it a free and open platform by design, leading to better click-throughs and traffic to your site.

We 💙 the open web.

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