squirrel
@jwbates.bsky.social
because at least in my little corner of the world the people i see talking about media shortcomings are generally trying to come up with ways to rebuild, as you put it.
but you can’t rebuild if you hand wave away all the problems. you can’t dismiss structural issues with “just a few bad apples”
but you can’t rebuild if you hand wave away all the problems. you can’t dismiss structural issues with “just a few bad apples”
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
because at least in my little corner of the world the people i see talking about media shortcomings are generally trying to come up with ways to rebuild, as you put it.
but you can’t rebuild if you hand wave away all the problems. you can’t dismiss structural issues with “just a few bad apples”
but you can’t rebuild if you hand wave away all the problems. you can’t dismiss structural issues with “just a few bad apples”
complaints about the media are a universal part of human history. it didn’t start with reagan.
i would add 24 hour news networks to your list as a driving factor.
let me in turn ask for some specificity: who wants to “tear it all down”? are you sure that’s what’s being argued?
i would add 24 hour news networks to your list as a driving factor.
let me in turn ask for some specificity: who wants to “tear it all down”? are you sure that’s what’s being argued?
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
complaints about the media are a universal part of human history. it didn’t start with reagan.
i would add 24 hour news networks to your list as a driving factor.
let me in turn ask for some specificity: who wants to “tear it all down”? are you sure that’s what’s being argued?
i would add 24 hour news networks to your list as a driving factor.
let me in turn ask for some specificity: who wants to “tear it all down”? are you sure that’s what’s being argued?
wow i can’t even begin to describe the logical journey you have taken to get from “the media is not taking trump’s mental condition seriously” to “all art is pornographic”.
breathtaking
breathtaking
December 11, 2025 at 2:58 AM
wow i can’t even begin to describe the logical journey you have taken to get from “the media is not taking trump’s mental condition seriously” to “all art is pornographic”.
breathtaking
breathtaking
i thought art was anything with a bird on it
December 11, 2025 at 2:50 AM
i thought art was anything with a bird on it
i refuse to acknowledge the existence of “air” until you can concisely describe the location and velocity of every atmospheric particle. can’t do it? well then i win
December 11, 2025 at 2:41 AM
i refuse to acknowledge the existence of “air” until you can concisely describe the location and velocity of every atmospheric particle. can’t do it? well then i win
ok if you want serious: why the hell would it be critical to define exactly the universally agreed upon elements of a set before discussing it?
engineers. pffft
engineers. pffft
December 11, 2025 at 2:28 AM
ok if you want serious: why the hell would it be critical to define exactly the universally agreed upon elements of a set before discussing it?
engineers. pffft
engineers. pffft
no because that’s stupid
December 11, 2025 at 2:22 AM
no because that’s stupid
reporting.
insisting on avoiding nonmonotonic reasoning leads to a need to spell out every case, every exception, every policy and policy implication.
that gets monotonous
insisting on avoiding nonmonotonic reasoning leads to a need to spell out every case, every exception, every policy and policy implication.
that gets monotonous
December 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
reporting.
insisting on avoiding nonmonotonic reasoning leads to a need to spell out every case, every exception, every policy and policy implication.
that gets monotonous
insisting on avoiding nonmonotonic reasoning leads to a need to spell out every case, every exception, every policy and policy implication.
that gets monotonous
most people are able to understand how generalizations work. the fact that “birds fly” is very useful even though emus don’t. although they do when being transported by airplane, so i guess “emus can’t fly” is also too abstract.
the existence of bad reporting does not deny the existence of good
the existence of bad reporting does not deny the existence of good
December 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
most people are able to understand how generalizations work. the fact that “birds fly” is very useful even though emus don’t. although they do when being transported by airplane, so i guess “emus can’t fly” is also too abstract.
the existence of bad reporting does not deny the existence of good
the existence of bad reporting does not deny the existence of good
he does seem to have some trouble with reading his own expectations into statements.
For someone trying to argue for more specificity, that’s a problem.
look, @jeffsharlet.bsky.social, you’re being defensive in the weirdest way. yes, “the media” is a broad generalization. but context matters and
For someone trying to argue for more specificity, that’s a problem.
look, @jeffsharlet.bsky.social, you’re being defensive in the weirdest way. yes, “the media” is a broad generalization. but context matters and
December 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
he does seem to have some trouble with reading his own expectations into statements.
For someone trying to argue for more specificity, that’s a problem.
look, @jeffsharlet.bsky.social, you’re being defensive in the weirdest way. yes, “the media” is a broad generalization. but context matters and
For someone trying to argue for more specificity, that’s a problem.
look, @jeffsharlet.bsky.social, you’re being defensive in the weirdest way. yes, “the media” is a broad generalization. but context matters and
the problem is the collective behavior of the media.
if you will, it’s the center of the normal curve. You want to call them outliers?
if they were outliers there wouldn’t be a problem.
if you will, it’s the center of the normal curve. You want to call them outliers?
if they were outliers there wouldn’t be a problem.
December 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
the problem is the collective behavior of the media.
if you will, it’s the center of the normal curve. You want to call them outliers?
if they were outliers there wouldn’t be a problem.
if you will, it’s the center of the normal curve. You want to call them outliers?
if they were outliers there wouldn’t be a problem.
coverage may have an incorrect understanding of the symptoms and progression of dementia.
i do in fact understand that “the media” is composed of individuals. But addressing collective behavior by calling out individuals is the wrong level of abstraction.
and in this case, as in so many others,
i do in fact understand that “the media” is composed of individuals. But addressing collective behavior by calling out individuals is the wrong level of abstraction.
and in this case, as in so many others,
December 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
coverage may have an incorrect understanding of the symptoms and progression of dementia.
i do in fact understand that “the media” is composed of individuals. But addressing collective behavior by calling out individuals is the wrong level of abstraction.
and in this case, as in so many others,
i do in fact understand that “the media” is composed of individuals. But addressing collective behavior by calling out individuals is the wrong level of abstraction.
and in this case, as in so many others,
careful reading of my texts should lead to the observation that i did not declare that “the media lied about Biden.”
It was instead a blanket statement meant to convey that certain thought leaders and trendsetters who as a matter of professional culture set the direction and tone of broader media
It was instead a blanket statement meant to convey that certain thought leaders and trendsetters who as a matter of professional culture set the direction and tone of broader media
December 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
careful reading of my texts should lead to the observation that i did not declare that “the media lied about Biden.”
It was instead a blanket statement meant to convey that certain thought leaders and trendsetters who as a matter of professional culture set the direction and tone of broader media
It was instead a blanket statement meant to convey that certain thought leaders and trendsetters who as a matter of professional culture set the direction and tone of broader media
it’s the curse of knowledge. we can’t speak plainly because of all the nuance. gotta have all the nuances or somebody might understand what we’re saying without working hard enough to earn it
December 11, 2025 at 1:15 AM
it’s the curse of knowledge. we can’t speak plainly because of all the nuance. gotta have all the nuances or somebody might understand what we’re saying without working hard enough to earn it
isn’t all energy ultimately solar energy?
bam. checkmate.
oh, i guess not fission and radioactive decay.
isn’t all energy except fission and radioactive decay ultimately solar energy?
oh, damn. kinetic impact from extra-solar objects.
isn’t all energy except fission, radioactive decay, and ki
bam. checkmate.
oh, i guess not fission and radioactive decay.
isn’t all energy except fission and radioactive decay ultimately solar energy?
oh, damn. kinetic impact from extra-solar objects.
isn’t all energy except fission, radioactive decay, and ki
December 11, 2025 at 12:44 AM
isn’t all energy ultimately solar energy?
bam. checkmate.
oh, i guess not fission and radioactive decay.
isn’t all energy except fission and radioactive decay ultimately solar energy?
oh, damn. kinetic impact from extra-solar objects.
isn’t all energy except fission, radioactive decay, and ki
bam. checkmate.
oh, i guess not fission and radioactive decay.
isn’t all energy except fission and radioactive decay ultimately solar energy?
oh, damn. kinetic impact from extra-solar objects.
isn’t all energy except fission, radioactive decay, and ki
who made an issue out of biden’s age related difficulties have failed to make an issue out of trump’s possible dementia at anywhere near the scale.
so, where is my model wrong? do you deny groupthink? do you deny the existence of an editorial bias? where is my bad data? my limited understanding?
so, where is my model wrong? do you deny groupthink? do you deny the existence of an editorial bias? where is my bad data? my limited understanding?
December 11, 2025 at 12:38 AM
who made an issue out of biden’s age related difficulties have failed to make an issue out of trump’s possible dementia at anywhere near the scale.
so, where is my model wrong? do you deny groupthink? do you deny the existence of an editorial bias? where is my bad data? my limited understanding?
so, where is my model wrong? do you deny groupthink? do you deny the existence of an editorial bias? where is my bad data? my limited understanding?
but i still don’t understand your specific objections. “the media” as i described it exists. decades of observations suggest that they often engage in groupthink and bias masked behind objectivity.
my statement is based on recent observations in which a set of journalists and commentators
my statement is based on recent observations in which a set of journalists and commentators
December 11, 2025 at 12:38 AM
but i still don’t understand your specific objections. “the media” as i described it exists. decades of observations suggest that they often engage in groupthink and bias masked behind objectivity.
my statement is based on recent observations in which a set of journalists and commentators
my statement is based on recent observations in which a set of journalists and commentators
more specifically, that one can lump a specific group into “mainstream media” and point to a shared narrative/belief structure that seems to exist?
how can i improve that model?
and fwiw an answer of “read my book” is absolutely fine with me. i am not being intentionally confrontational
how can i improve that model?
and fwiw an answer of “read my book” is absolutely fine with me. i am not being intentionally confrontational
December 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
more specifically, that one can lump a specific group into “mainstream media” and point to a shared narrative/belief structure that seems to exist?
how can i improve that model?
and fwiw an answer of “read my book” is absolutely fine with me. i am not being intentionally confrontational
how can i improve that model?
and fwiw an answer of “read my book” is absolutely fine with me. i am not being intentionally confrontational
so do you agree that in theory, abstractions can be useful but you have specific objections to some?
an abstraction is a model of the world which necessarily drops details in order to aid understanding. objecting to a model is fine — but what specific objections do you have to my proposed model?
an abstraction is a model of the world which necessarily drops details in order to aid understanding. objecting to a model is fine — but what specific objections do you have to my proposed model?
December 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
so do you agree that in theory, abstractions can be useful but you have specific objections to some?
an abstraction is a model of the world which necessarily drops details in order to aid understanding. objecting to a model is fine — but what specific objections do you have to my proposed model?
an abstraction is a model of the world which necessarily drops details in order to aid understanding. objecting to a model is fine — but what specific objections do you have to my proposed model?
and in all seriousness abstraction is an important tool for analyzing and communicating about the world.
I appreciate that precision is valued, but so is the ability to quickly and effectively communicate.
I appreciate that precision is valued, but so is the ability to quickly and effectively communicate.
December 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
and in all seriousness abstraction is an important tool for analyzing and communicating about the world.
I appreciate that precision is valued, but so is the ability to quickly and effectively communicate.
I appreciate that precision is valued, but so is the ability to quickly and effectively communicate.