Helen Lewis
@helenlewis.bsky.social
Staff writer, The Atlantic | Author, Difficult Women (2020) and The Genius Myth (2025) | Podcaster, Page 94 | Doom scroller, the internet | uk.bookshop.org/shop/helenlewis
Reposted by Helen Lewis
Amazing letter in The Times (also an unbelievable play fwiw)
December 2, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Amazing letter in The Times (also an unbelievable play fwiw)
New by me: "The only person in this story with real power is RFK Jr., and he is—I cannot believe I am typing this sentence—maintaining a dignified silence. He doesn’t need to 'reclaim the narrative' because he’s too busy helping kids catch measles."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Olivia Nuzzi’s Tell-Nothing Memoir
Can American Canto turn scandal into literature?
www.theatlantic.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:08 AM
New by me: "The only person in this story with real power is RFK Jr., and he is—I cannot believe I am typing this sentence—maintaining a dignified silence. He doesn’t need to 'reclaim the narrative' because he’s too busy helping kids catch measles."
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Helen Lewis
I wrote about how and why social media has largely become boring and why it's a bad idea to eat your own brain: www.forkingpaths.co/p/is-social-...
Is social media just...boring now?
Social media is destroying democracy and accelerating idiocracy. But it's also just...really, really boring.
www.forkingpaths.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I wrote about how and why social media has largely become boring and why it's a bad idea to eat your own brain: www.forkingpaths.co/p/is-social-...
Reposted by Helen Lewis
Worth reading. And contemplating.
"This, to me, was the greatest irony of the Riyadh Comedy Festival. With its Cheesecake Factory outlets and newfound interest in comedy, Saudi Arabia is becoming more American—just as America is becoming more Saudi."
"This, to me, was the greatest irony of the Riyadh Comedy Festival. With its Cheesecake Factory outlets and newfound interest in comedy, Saudi Arabia is becoming more American—just as America is becoming more Saudi."
"Sometimes you have to ask yourself: How did I get here—sitting in Saudi Arabia, listening to Louis C.K. do jokes about Barely Legal magazine?"
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
How Many Comedians Does It Take to Change a Country?
What it’s like to watch Louis C.K. do stand-up in Saudi Arabia
www.theatlantic.com
October 18, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Worth reading. And contemplating.
"This, to me, was the greatest irony of the Riyadh Comedy Festival. With its Cheesecake Factory outlets and newfound interest in comedy, Saudi Arabia is becoming more American—just as America is becoming more Saudi."
"This, to me, was the greatest irony of the Riyadh Comedy Festival. With its Cheesecake Factory outlets and newfound interest in comedy, Saudi Arabia is becoming more American—just as America is becoming more Saudi."
Reposted by Helen Lewis
"Sometimes you have to ask yourself: How did I get here—sitting in Saudi Arabia, listening to Louis C.K. do jokes about Barely Legal magazine?"
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
How Many Comedians Does It Take to Change a Country?
What it’s like to watch Louis C.K. do stand-up in Saudi Arabia
www.theatlantic.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:37 AM
"Sometimes you have to ask yourself: How did I get here—sitting in Saudi Arabia, listening to Louis C.K. do jokes about Barely Legal magazine?"
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Helen Lewis
Why, yes, @helenlewis.bsky.social did go to the Riyadh Comedy Festival
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
How Many Comedians Does It Take to Change a Country?
What it’s like to watch Louis C.K. do stand-up in Saudi Arabia
www.theatlantic.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Why, yes, @helenlewis.bsky.social did go to the Riyadh Comedy Festival
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
"Sometimes you have to ask yourself: How did I get here—sitting in Saudi Arabia, listening to Louis C.K. do jokes about Barely Legal magazine?"
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
How Many Comedians Does It Take to Change a Country?
What it’s like to watch Louis C.K. do stand-up in Saudi Arabia
www.theatlantic.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:37 AM
"Sometimes you have to ask yourself: How did I get here—sitting in Saudi Arabia, listening to Louis C.K. do jokes about Barely Legal magazine?"
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
I went to Riyadh to see the transformation of a country with the world's biggest cultural chequebook. Gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Enjoying myself imagining the thousand yard stares that all the four star generals must be greeting this with
September 30, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Enjoying myself imagining the thousand yard stares that all the four star generals must be greeting this with
Worcester (where I grew up) is such an interesting bellwether. Had a Tory MP 2010-2024. But the council has been getting steadily Greener, and now it’s a minority Labour administration with zero Conservatives on it, and only 1 Reform.
Former Conservative leader defects amid frustration with 'clickbait' politics
Former Conservative leader defects amid frustration with 'clickbait' politics
James Stanley, former leader of the Worcester Conservatives on the city council, has joined the Liberal Democrats
buff.ly
September 30, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Worcester (where I grew up) is such an interesting bellwether. Had a Tory MP 2010-2024. But the council has been getting steadily Greener, and now it’s a minority Labour administration with zero Conservatives on it, and only 1 Reform.
Whenever a politician or activist says "this is a really minor issue that's being talked up by my opponents" you should check to see if the translation actually is "my party is extremely far behind on this issue and so I'd rather not talk about it".
September 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Whenever a politician or activist says "this is a really minor issue that's being talked up by my opponents" you should check to see if the translation actually is "my party is extremely far behind on this issue and so I'd rather not talk about it".
Reposted by Helen Lewis
Democratic Party leaders know they need to moderate on cultural issues to win back working-class voters—so why don’t they?
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Democrats Don’t Seem Willing to Follow Their Own Advice
Party leaders know they need to moderate on cultural issues to win back working-class voters—so why don’t they?
www.theatlantic.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Democratic Party leaders know they need to moderate on cultural issues to win back working-class voters—so why don’t they?
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
This is as rambling a Trump speech as I've ever heard: old Biden, crime-ridden Washington DC, the MAHA discovery of a cure for autism, interspersed with occasional anecdotes about Charlie Kirk. On Fox News, I just saw a shot of people sneaking out early from the seated areas to avoid the rush.
September 21, 2025 at 11:01 PM
This is as rambling a Trump speech as I've ever heard: old Biden, crime-ridden Washington DC, the MAHA discovery of a cure for autism, interspersed with occasional anecdotes about Charlie Kirk. On Fox News, I just saw a shot of people sneaking out early from the seated areas to avoid the rush.
Reposted by Helen Lewis
At #TAF25, Monica Lewinsky says she’s grateful to younger generations for helping shift the perception of her story, saying they wondered: “How is it that the 24-year-old person with the least amount of power in this situation had the largest consequences for what happened?” bit.ly/3IkhDd9
September 20, 2025 at 2:15 PM
At #TAF25, Monica Lewinsky says she’s grateful to younger generations for helping shift the perception of her story, saying they wondered: “How is it that the 24-year-old person with the least amount of power in this situation had the largest consequences for what happened?” bit.ly/3IkhDd9
It's not a great sign for Bluesky that all the Your Party drama is playing out on X
September 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM
It's not a great sign for Bluesky that all the Your Party drama is playing out on X
Reposted by Helen Lewis
"The 'performative utterance' - a sentence that bends reality into the speaker’s preferred form with words alone—might be a concept championed by the postmodern left, but it has been embraced by Trump and the MAGA right, who believe that saying something is 90 percent of doing it."
And they looked from podcaster to administration official, and administration official to podcaster; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
A Government of All the Podcasters
The right-wing podcast-industrial complex is establishing new norms and taboos—and expanding the White House’s power.
www.theatlantic.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:25 PM
"The 'performative utterance' - a sentence that bends reality into the speaker’s preferred form with words alone—might be a concept championed by the postmodern left, but it has been embraced by Trump and the MAGA right, who believe that saying something is 90 percent of doing it."
And they looked from podcaster to administration official, and administration official to podcaster; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
A Government of All the Podcasters
The right-wing podcast-industrial complex is establishing new norms and taboos—and expanding the White House’s power.
www.theatlantic.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:03 PM
And they looked from podcaster to administration official, and administration official to podcaster; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Strong Message Here returns for its autumn run, now with 100 percent less me, but no shortage of odd political language to discuss.
This week @aiannucci.bsky.social has @rialina.com in the co-host chair to talk about PHASE 2 (which may already be over): www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
This week @aiannucci.bsky.social has @rialina.com in the co-host chair to talk about PHASE 2 (which may already be over): www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
BBC Audio | Strong Message Here | Phase 2
'Phase 2' and more language from a fraught political summer.
www.bbc.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Strong Message Here returns for its autumn run, now with 100 percent less me, but no shortage of odd political language to discuss.
This week @aiannucci.bsky.social has @rialina.com in the co-host chair to talk about PHASE 2 (which may already be over): www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
This week @aiannucci.bsky.social has @rialina.com in the co-host chair to talk about PHASE 2 (which may already be over): www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
I was initially resistant to this — a panto! Groundbreaking! — but its sheer demented energy is incredibly appealing. I hope Cole Escola plays Mary when it transfers to London. Jinkx Monsoon was good but a bit bellowing.
September 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I was initially resistant to this — a panto! Groundbreaking! — but its sheer demented energy is incredibly appealing. I hope Cole Escola plays Mary when it transfers to London. Jinkx Monsoon was good but a bit bellowing.
Having said something popular on radicalisation, let me say something unpopular. People on the left are going to have to tolerate sharing online spaces with the centre and centre-right if they don‘t want those people to radicalise.
September 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Having said something popular on radicalisation, let me say something unpopular. People on the left are going to have to tolerate sharing online spaces with the centre and centre-right if they don‘t want those people to radicalise.
Reposted by Helen Lewis
Something I talked about in the post I did over the summer on radicalisation. It's an important factor in elite radicalisation.
samf.substack.com/p/the-radica...
samf.substack.com/p/the-radica...
September 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Something I talked about in the post I did over the summer on radicalisation. It's an important factor in elite radicalisation.
samf.substack.com/p/the-radica...
samf.substack.com/p/the-radica...
I’m a broken record on this, but — there are so many examples of famous people radicalised by midlife career/personal knockbacks. Ant Middleton was on yday’s march. He got done for tax offences and lost his TV work. Now he’s mates with Tommy Robinson.
September 14, 2025 at 10:05 AM
I’m a broken record on this, but — there are so many examples of famous people radicalised by midlife career/personal knockbacks. Ant Middleton was on yday’s march. He got done for tax offences and lost his TV work. Now he’s mates with Tommy Robinson.
My pitch was "if you love comic characters like Uriah Heep and Mrs Jellyby, you'll also love Mustrum Ridcully and Nanny Ogg".
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
September 12, 2025 at 8:57 AM
My pitch was "if you love comic characters like Uriah Heep and Mrs Jellyby, you'll also love Mustrum Ridcully and Nanny Ogg".
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Helen Lewis
I took up @helenlewis.bsky.social ‘s advice and read ‘Mort.’ It was considerably joyous. #StrongMessageHere
Love to see mention of Terry Pratchett. The TV series based on the book Going Postal was brilliant.
September 12, 2025 at 8:32 AM
I took up @helenlewis.bsky.social ‘s advice and read ‘Mort.’ It was considerably joyous. #StrongMessageHere
It's wild how many entries in the Epstein birthday book are basically "felicitations Jeffrey, you big sleazeball, here's to many more years of questionable relationships with girls!!!" Kudos to @cwarzel.bsky.social for wading through it.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
You Really Need to See Epstein’s Birthday Book for Yourself
This time, the conspiracy theorists were right.
www.theatlantic.com
September 10, 2025 at 1:34 PM
It's wild how many entries in the Epstein birthday book are basically "felicitations Jeffrey, you big sleazeball, here's to many more years of questionable relationships with girls!!!" Kudos to @cwarzel.bsky.social for wading through it.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...