Philip N Cohen
@philipncohen.com
Sociologist and demographer, University of Maryland; SocArXiv director.
New book: Citizen Scholar: Public Engagement for Social Scientists https://cup.columbia.edu/book/citizen-scholar/9780231555418
Website: philipncohen.com
Blog: familyinequality.com
New book: Citizen Scholar: Public Engagement for Social Scientists https://cup.columbia.edu/book/citizen-scholar/9780231555418
Website: philipncohen.com
Blog: familyinequality.com
Dropped by Ballona Wetlands in LA on my way to UCLA for tomorrow's talk. Favorite 🪶 pix:
January 14, 2026 at 5:16 AM
Dropped by Ballona Wetlands in LA on my way to UCLA for tomorrow's talk. Favorite 🪶 pix:
These are the rebound scenarios, where global total fertility rate converges to 1.66 (PLOS One, right) and something else (1.6?) in the book (left), and then rises back to 2.1 starting in 2125, 2150, or 2175. In the worst (2175) case, we're stabilize at ~6 billion by ~2300 (round numbers).
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January 12, 2026 at 2:03 AM
These are the rebound scenarios, where global total fertility rate converges to 1.66 (PLOS One, right) and something else (1.6?) in the book (left), and then rises back to 2.1 starting in 2125, 2150, or 2175. In the worst (2175) case, we're stabilize at ~6 billion by ~2300 (round numbers).
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OK, ChatGPT 5.2 on cue. My prompt: "write a 200-word abstract for a paper that proposes a new theory to explain modern fertility trends in post-industrial societies, using [random theories] Marxist feminism, Jungian psychology, Second Demographic Transition theory, and neoclassical economics." Bingo
January 11, 2026 at 9:59 PM
OK, ChatGPT 5.2 on cue. My prompt: "write a 200-word abstract for a paper that proposes a new theory to explain modern fertility trends in post-industrial societies, using [random theories] Marxist feminism, Jungian psychology, Second Demographic Transition theory, and neoclassical economics." Bingo
People who produce AI slop papers love to skip the boring research and get right to the dramatic discovery. The LLMs tell them their idea is awesome and original, and write it up as a "proposed framework" (with no data or evidence). That term increased 70% in Web of Science abstracts last year.
January 11, 2026 at 9:53 PM
People who produce AI slop papers love to skip the boring research and get right to the dramatic discovery. The LLMs tell them their idea is awesome and original, and write it up as a "proposed framework" (with no data or evidence). That term increased 70% in Web of Science abstracts last year.
I really believe NYT headlines do not matter, but they are revealing. And this one reveals utter stupidity. There are no doubts, and no questions.
January 11, 2026 at 5:55 AM
I really believe NYT headlines do not matter, but they are revealing. And this one reveals utter stupidity. There are no doubts, and no questions.
So choice, so much rational.
pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/...
pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/...
January 11, 2026 at 5:14 AM
So choice, so much rational.
pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/...
pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/...
That was when we got "polarization" or whatever this is down to the molecular level and never came back.
January 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM
That was when we got "polarization" or whatever this is down to the molecular level and never came back.
Nazi: "color blindness is a product of feminism that has contributed to the fall of the patriarchy and even influenced the fertility crisis spreading across the world."
Musk: 100%
Musk: 100%
January 8, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Nazi: "color blindness is a product of feminism that has contributed to the fall of the patriarchy and even influenced the fertility crisis spreading across the world."
Musk: 100%
Musk: 100%
Also withdrew from UN Women
January 8, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Also withdrew from UN Women
Trump just withdrew the US from the UN Population Fund. For obvious reasons: "working to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people... Through our work, we ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can fulfil their potential."
January 8, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Trump just withdrew the US from the UN Population Fund. For obvious reasons: "working to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people... Through our work, we ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can fulfil their potential."
I guess so. I chose "temporary chat" but that's not the default
January 6, 2026 at 10:37 PM
I guess so. I chose "temporary chat" but that's not the default
Also multiple choice postcards, circa 1900-1910. Fabulous.
January 6, 2026 at 3:48 AM
Also multiple choice postcards, circa 1900-1910. Fabulous.
Hey, I'm going to UCLA next week! Two events Wednesday, 14 Jan. at the California Center for Population Research:
1. A talk on my book, Citizen Scholar (ccpr.ucla.edu/event/philip...)
2. A discussion on a book talk by Michael Geruso on “After the Spike." ccpr.ucla.edu/event/michae...
#demography
1. A talk on my book, Citizen Scholar (ccpr.ucla.edu/event/philip...)
2. A discussion on a book talk by Michael Geruso on “After the Spike." ccpr.ucla.edu/event/michae...
#demography
January 5, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Hey, I'm going to UCLA next week! Two events Wednesday, 14 Jan. at the California Center for Population Research:
1. A talk on my book, Citizen Scholar (ccpr.ucla.edu/event/philip...)
2. A discussion on a book talk by Michael Geruso on “After the Spike." ccpr.ucla.edu/event/michae...
#demography
1. A talk on my book, Citizen Scholar (ccpr.ucla.edu/event/philip...)
2. A discussion on a book talk by Michael Geruso on “After the Spike." ccpr.ucla.edu/event/michae...
#demography
All they are asking heritage American women to do in support of this vision is have a couple more babies. Weird that it's not working.
January 5, 2026 at 7:13 PM
All they are asking heritage American women to do in support of this vision is have a couple more babies. Weird that it's not working.
Ok, I like the ear shadows the best. This seems wrong
January 5, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Ok, I like the ear shadows the best. This seems wrong
The flag in the background has too many stars, but it doesn't seem to change? But she has a mole on her neck that doesn't mess up as she moves.
January 5, 2026 at 1:33 AM
The flag in the background has too many stars, but it doesn't seem to change? But she has a mole on her neck that doesn't mess up as she moves.
135. Counties that voted against Trump have higher levels of education, but also a steeper age-education gradient. As those areas age, they will have better economic and health conditions in the future. (Among 380 biggest counties because I'm lazy.) [corrected text]
January 2, 2026 at 8:30 PM
135. Counties that voted against Trump have higher levels of education, but also a steeper age-education gradient. As those areas age, they will have better economic and health conditions in the future. (Among 380 biggest counties because I'm lazy.) [corrected text]
Of course grok doesn't "know" things or "say" things, I just kind of still hope that the fact that it outputs and posts these words contributes to the company's culpability. Pathetic, I know.
January 2, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Of course grok doesn't "know" things or "say" things, I just kind of still hope that the fact that it outputs and posts these words contributes to the company's culpability. Pathetic, I know.
In this case it identifies the person who it has violated by name and admits to committing a crime
![x.com
@grok which laws regarding
nonconsensual Al generated porn are you governed by
• The post by sociologist Philip N. Cohen directly challenges Grok's compliance with laws on nonconsensual Al-generated explicit imagery, following Grok's creation of a revealing, rear-view image of UK journalist [redacted] based on a user's prompt modifying her public event photos.
• In the UK, the Online Safety Act 2023 criminalizes sharing non-consensual intimate images, including Al deepfakes, with penalties up to two years imprisonment; in the US, the 2024
DEFIANCE Act allows civil suits against creators of such content without consent.
• This exchange underscores tensions in AI deployment, as Grok's unrefused prompt reveals gaps in real-time safeguards against harm, despite xAl's emphasis on helpfulness over strict content filters in evolving legal landscapes.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:iwjcgn5pt2krm2lmav2mdcyz/bafkreifceyhih4rhmv6hkuetb66rj6urzcz24x37e4wguqeadpo6syxxwu@jpeg)
January 2, 2026 at 4:57 AM
In this case it identifies the person who it has violated by name and admits to committing a crime
I literally do not understand the world
January 2, 2026 at 4:49 AM
I literally do not understand the world
Folks, you might be jumping to conclusions. I opened X to look for the so-called bad content and found this at the top of my feed instead. Aww!
January 2, 2026 at 4:25 AM
Folks, you might be jumping to conclusions. I opened X to look for the so-called bad content and found this at the top of my feed instead. Aww!
In addition to the 100 million deportations tweet folks are commenting on, Homeland Security yesterday declared the 250th as a celebration of "American supremacy" to "Return this Land." Basically, Nazis trolls run their PR
January 1, 2026 at 3:39 PM
In addition to the 100 million deportations tweet folks are commenting on, Homeland Security yesterday declared the 250th as a celebration of "American supremacy" to "Return this Land." Basically, Nazis trolls run their PR
This SMS spam is just madlibs of random words. If this works, I'm impressed.
December 31, 2025 at 5:58 PM
This SMS spam is just madlibs of random words. If this works, I'm impressed.