Oran Magal
@oranmagal.bsky.social
I teach philosophy for a living. Working on a novel. World-weary.
Reposted by Oran Magal
*rubs my nose* okay, let’s try to explain this one more time.
Think of your book like a food item, and AI like nuts.
« Nuts free » would be you being 100% sure no AI even looked in the direction of your manuscript
🧵
Think of your book like a food item, and AI like nuts.
« Nuts free » would be you being 100% sure no AI even looked in the direction of your manuscript
🧵
December 29, 2025 at 5:05 PM
*rubs my nose* okay, let’s try to explain this one more time.
Think of your book like a food item, and AI like nuts.
« Nuts free » would be you being 100% sure no AI even looked in the direction of your manuscript
🧵
Think of your book like a food item, and AI like nuts.
« Nuts free » would be you being 100% sure no AI even looked in the direction of your manuscript
🧵
Reposted by Oran Magal
Donald Trump has effectively ended democracy in the United States. But one of the moms in my kid’s Montessori class drinks something called “structured water”. I have never felt more politically homeless.
December 30, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Donald Trump has effectively ended democracy in the United States. But one of the moms in my kid’s Montessori class drinks something called “structured water”. I have never felt more politically homeless.
Reposted by Oran Magal
Disappointed to see Jon Stewart & co joke about masking in public. I do it for my medically fragile daughter (Batten Disease). People not masking properly led to her getting pneumonia, which led to her being on life support, which led to me getting price quotes on her cremation just in case.
December 29, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Disappointed to see Jon Stewart & co joke about masking in public. I do it for my medically fragile daughter (Batten Disease). People not masking properly led to her getting pneumonia, which led to her being on life support, which led to me getting price quotes on her cremation just in case.
Reposted by Oran Magal
“An AI scientist, for example, could figure out how the human brain works, or deliver any gene to any cell in the body.”
Yeah and a magic pony could shit bricks of 24k gold and piss a highly concentrated solution of pure heroin.
Yeah and a magic pony could shit bricks of 24k gold and piss a highly concentrated solution of pure heroin.
Building an AI Scientist
Hertz Fellow Sam Rodriguez launched FutureHouse, a nonprofit research lab working toward building an AI scientist or AI systems that can automate scientific research in biology and other complex scien...
www.hertzfoundation.org
December 30, 2025 at 12:29 AM
“An AI scientist, for example, could figure out how the human brain works, or deliver any gene to any cell in the body.”
Yeah and a magic pony could shit bricks of 24k gold and piss a highly concentrated solution of pure heroin.
Yeah and a magic pony could shit bricks of 24k gold and piss a highly concentrated solution of pure heroin.
Reposted by Oran Magal
Saw Bluesky described as where elder millennials go to retire from the internet, and immediately felt the peace that passes all understanding wash over me. None of have to struggle any longer. We completed our time.
December 29, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Saw Bluesky described as where elder millennials go to retire from the internet, and immediately felt the peace that passes all understanding wash over me. None of have to struggle any longer. We completed our time.
Reposted by Oran Magal
It was amazing to write with @ehayot.bsky.social & each of us put our stank into every part of this essay.
I have no memory of how we drafted it in October, but when we came back to it a couple weeks ago, I felt this paragraph in my bones.
I have no memory of how we drafted it in October, but when we came back to it a couple weeks ago, I felt this paragraph in my bones.
December 30, 2025 at 1:36 AM
It was amazing to write with @ehayot.bsky.social & each of us put our stank into every part of this essay.
I have no memory of how we drafted it in October, but when we came back to it a couple weeks ago, I felt this paragraph in my bones.
I have no memory of how we drafted it in October, but when we came back to it a couple weeks ago, I felt this paragraph in my bones.
Reposted by Oran Magal
It's a good commentary on 2025 that the US President announces a major military attack on a foreign country and even the straightest arrows think, 50% chance it's an attack, 50% chance president is on another cognition bender.
December 29, 2025 at 8:10 PM
It's a good commentary on 2025 that the US President announces a major military attack on a foreign country and even the straightest arrows think, 50% chance it's an attack, 50% chance president is on another cognition bender.
Reposted by Oran Magal
I am annoyed by the persistence of 'resist libs are tired of resisting Trump' line.
No Kings put record-breaking numbers of people into the streets, specials/off-years are at D+10 or more.
I don't think the resist libs are tired. I think some writers are tired of writing about resist libs.
No Kings put record-breaking numbers of people into the streets, specials/off-years are at D+10 or more.
I don't think the resist libs are tired. I think some writers are tired of writing about resist libs.
December 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
I am annoyed by the persistence of 'resist libs are tired of resisting Trump' line.
No Kings put record-breaking numbers of people into the streets, specials/off-years are at D+10 or more.
I don't think the resist libs are tired. I think some writers are tired of writing about resist libs.
No Kings put record-breaking numbers of people into the streets, specials/off-years are at D+10 or more.
I don't think the resist libs are tired. I think some writers are tired of writing about resist libs.
Reposted by Oran Magal
Whether it's gun control or watching America be destroyed by greed-driven fascist-friendly billionaires, Australia makes an rational assessment about what's best for the country as a whole, and unlike America, does something about it.
December 29, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Whether it's gun control or watching America be destroyed by greed-driven fascist-friendly billionaires, Australia makes an rational assessment about what's best for the country as a whole, and unlike America, does something about it.
Reposted by Oran Magal
My final newsletter of 2025: We're in The Enshittifinancial Crisis, the fourth stage of enshittification, where companies turn on their shareholders. Unprofitable, unsustainable AI threatens future of venture capital, private equity and the markets themselves.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
The Enshittifinancial Crisis
Soundtrack: Lynyrd Skynyrd — Free Bird
This piece is over 19,000 words, and took me a great deal of writing and research. If you liked it, please subscribe to my premium newsletter. It’s $70 a year, ...
www.wheresyoured.at
December 29, 2025 at 5:14 PM
My final newsletter of 2025: We're in The Enshittifinancial Crisis, the fourth stage of enshittification, where companies turn on their shareholders. Unprofitable, unsustainable AI threatens future of venture capital, private equity and the markets themselves.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
Reposted by Oran Magal
Suing the estate of James Joyce; was led to believe by the cover that there would be a heroic adventure featuring Ulysses rather than some tosser walking around Dublin for the day
a lot of dumb dumbs at the Atlantic, but man, Caitlin Flanagan is on another level
December 29, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Suing the estate of James Joyce; was led to believe by the cover that there would be a heroic adventure featuring Ulysses rather than some tosser walking around Dublin for the day
Reposted by Oran Magal
"Trump will live forever, but only as a cautionary tale, one we tell successive generations to demonstrate that sustaining a democracy against the corrupt and the malevolent requires vigilance and determination." — @paulwaldman.bsky.social
Why every vestige of Trump must be torn down
He's trying to create a physical legacy. The moment he's out of power, it has to be smashed to bits.
www.publicnotice.co
December 29, 2025 at 4:52 PM
"Trump will live forever, but only as a cautionary tale, one we tell successive generations to demonstrate that sustaining a democracy against the corrupt and the malevolent requires vigilance and determination." — @paulwaldman.bsky.social
Reposted by Oran Magal
Co-created mental health services aren't new. But there is little evidence that youth are engaged in co-creating the principles that govern their mental health data. New paper with Sebastian Rodriguez Duque and @skyebarbic.bsky.social #philsci #psycsci journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Co-created data governance frameworks for youth mental healthcare: Values, principles, and implementation—A scoping review - Sebastian Rodriguez Duque, Eran Tal, Taite Beggs, Genevieve Gore, Mary Hann...
Background The collection, storage, and use of data are essential elements for advancing mental health services, clinical care, and policy. Data governance is t...
journals.sagepub.com
December 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Co-created mental health services aren't new. But there is little evidence that youth are engaged in co-creating the principles that govern their mental health data. New paper with Sebastian Rodriguez Duque and @skyebarbic.bsky.social #philsci #psycsci journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Oran Magal
Why do so many people think that giving Putin Donbas will satiate his imperial ambitions in Ukraine? Remember, in February 2022, Putin sent his tanks to Kyiv, not Donetsk.
December 29, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Why do so many people think that giving Putin Donbas will satiate his imperial ambitions in Ukraine? Remember, in February 2022, Putin sent his tanks to Kyiv, not Donetsk.
Reposted by Oran Magal
An essential development over the past decade-plus is that the ignorant went from feeling chastened when their ignorance was revealed to banding together and deciding that, actually, they were right. They might disagree at times, but they agreed that ignorance itself was an indicator of trust.
December 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
An essential development over the past decade-plus is that the ignorant went from feeling chastened when their ignorance was revealed to banding together and deciding that, actually, they were right. They might disagree at times, but they agreed that ignorance itself was an indicator of trust.
Reposted by Oran Magal
The New York Times should just rebrand itself as the Upper East Side Co-op Bulletin and Harvard Alumni Rumor Mill.
Zohran Mamdani loves his Astoria, Queens, neighborhood, and the feeling is mutual. But voters who live near Gracie Mansion, his new home when he comes Mayor in January, really wanted his opponent to win.
As Mamdani Leaves Queens for the Upper East Side, a Cool Welcome Awaits
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani loves his Astoria, Queens, neighborhood, and the feeling is mutual. But voters who live near Gracie Mansion, his new home, really wanted his opponent to win.
nyti.ms
December 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The New York Times should just rebrand itself as the Upper East Side Co-op Bulletin and Harvard Alumni Rumor Mill.
Reposted by Oran Magal
No, getting more meetings with Trump is not a win for Zelensky when the meetings involve Trump aping Russian propaganda and telling Ukraine to surrender.
Zelensky is doing the best he can in bad circumstances, and I guess it could be worse, but that's such an absurd lowering of the bar for the US.
Zelensky is doing the best he can in bad circumstances, and I guess it could be worse, but that's such an absurd lowering of the bar for the US.
December 29, 2025 at 5:18 PM
No, getting more meetings with Trump is not a win for Zelensky when the meetings involve Trump aping Russian propaganda and telling Ukraine to surrender.
Zelensky is doing the best he can in bad circumstances, and I guess it could be worse, but that's such an absurd lowering of the bar for the US.
Zelensky is doing the best he can in bad circumstances, and I guess it could be worse, but that's such an absurd lowering of the bar for the US.
Reposted by Oran Magal
The problem with stories like this is that "regulations" can mean very, very different things to different people. It's easy to say "regulate AI." It's extremely difficult to come up with actual regulations that won't kick off another partisan shitshow fight once it gets distorted.
There’s a funny Politico story showing that the latest polling on AI shows 80-20 in favor of heavy regulations, an absolute slam dunk platform, but Dems are worried about not winning back mask-off tech CEO donors
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
December 29, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The problem with stories like this is that "regulations" can mean very, very different things to different people. It's easy to say "regulate AI." It's extremely difficult to come up with actual regulations that won't kick off another partisan shitshow fight once it gets distorted.
Reposted by Oran Magal
You're telling me treating a sequence generating algorithm as a friend, spouse, or therapist is problematic?
Top psychiatrists increasingly agree that using artificial-intelligence chatbots might be linked to cases of psychosis. 🔗 on.wsj.com/4qt0sqb
December 29, 2025 at 4:17 PM
You're telling me treating a sequence generating algorithm as a friend, spouse, or therapist is problematic?
Reposted by Oran Magal
It’s not just “we decided to name our company after the personification of evil.” It’s also “we decided to name our home security company after the personification of evil who was so vainly proud of his vigilance that he let his home get invaded in the most catastrophic way possible.”
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
Sauron, the high-end home security startup for "super premium" customers, plucks a new CEO out of Sonos | TechCrunch
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
techcrunch.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:11 PM
It’s not just “we decided to name our company after the personification of evil.” It’s also “we decided to name our home security company after the personification of evil who was so vainly proud of his vigilance that he let his home get invaded in the most catastrophic way possible.”
Reposted by Oran Magal
Sorry but you do not, under absolutely any circumstances, gotta hand it to Marjorie Taylor Greene www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/m...
‘I Was Just So Naïve’: Inside Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Break With Trump
www.nytimes.com
December 29, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Sorry but you do not, under absolutely any circumstances, gotta hand it to Marjorie Taylor Greene www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/m...
Reposted by Oran Magal
Tech oligarchs consider anyone who opposes their grift to be the left and directly threaten them, while they themselves are the biggest welfare queens out there, profiting from government help in numerous ways
December 29, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Tech oligarchs consider anyone who opposes their grift to be the left and directly threaten them, while they themselves are the biggest welfare queens out there, profiting from government help in numerous ways
Reposted by Oran Magal
This speech is over 400 years old. It is gripping even now. He could be speaking of Steven Miller, Donald Trump, JD Vance, Tom Homans. It is devastating: "This is the strangers’ case
And this your mountainish inhumanity." Share. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DceE...
And this your mountainish inhumanity." Share. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DceE...
Ian McKellen performs speech about immigrants by Shakespeare from Thomas More (23/4/2016)
YouTube video by TFotF
www.youtube.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:27 AM
This speech is over 400 years old. It is gripping even now. He could be speaking of Steven Miller, Donald Trump, JD Vance, Tom Homans. It is devastating: "This is the strangers’ case
And this your mountainish inhumanity." Share. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DceE...
And this your mountainish inhumanity." Share. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DceE...
Reposted by Oran Magal
Excited to announce GOLLUM, an app that helps you focus on your most precious possession!
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
Sauron, the high-end home security startup for "super premium" customers, plucks a new CEO out of Sonos | TechCrunch
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
techcrunch.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Excited to announce GOLLUM, an app that helps you focus on your most precious possession!
Reposted by Oran Magal
"Will you fuckers read the fucking book one fucking time" challenge level impossible. Again.
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
Sauron, the high-end home security startup for "super premium" customers, plucks a new CEO out of Sonos | TechCrunch
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
techcrunch.com
December 29, 2025 at 4:46 AM
"Will you fuckers read the fucking book one fucking time" challenge level impossible. Again.