Saul Tobias
@saultobias.bsky.social
Humanities Prof @CSUF. Rootless cosmopolitan. Literature | Social and Political Philosophy | Religious Studies. Schubert and Sibelius stan.
‐ plugging away at that novel, same as everyone -
‐ plugging away at that novel, same as everyone -
The Carson Goodyear blimp should sue.
December 2, 2025 at 2:55 AM
The Carson Goodyear blimp should sue.
Next let's apply this logic to the entire undergrad curriculum. Is this course / dept / program necessary for professional licensure or client / patient health? No? Gone. All of humanities gone. Most social science gone.
December 2, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Next let's apply this logic to the entire undergrad curriculum. Is this course / dept / program necessary for professional licensure or client / patient health? No? Gone. All of humanities gone. Most social science gone.
Eminent historian Gordon Wood's recent address to the American Enterprise Institute is a clear riposte to this kind of reactionary revisionism. Full address printed in WSJ behind a paywall but much of it available here:
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
Gordon Wood on America as a "Creedal Nation" Open to all Races and Ethnicities
Wood is the leading living historian of the American Founding. He pushes back here against those who claim America should be an ethno-nationalist polity.
reason.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Eminent historian Gordon Wood's recent address to the American Enterprise Institute is a clear riposte to this kind of reactionary revisionism. Full address printed in WSJ behind a paywall but much of it available here:
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
reason.com/volokh/2025/...
One of my favorites. Watching Brittney Murphy at her most effervescent makes me sad though.
November 30, 2025 at 3:38 AM
One of my favorites. Watching Brittney Murphy at her most effervescent makes me sad though.
Seeing a production of Arcadia is one of my earliest theatrical memories. Remains one of my favorite plays.
November 29, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Seeing a production of Arcadia is one of my earliest theatrical memories. Remains one of my favorite plays.
My sarcasm aside, I think we are agreement.
November 24, 2025 at 2:35 AM
My sarcasm aside, I think we are agreement.
Everyone agrees Taiwan belongs to China except for people who know anything about Taiwan and its history and the majority of Taiwanese in every recent poll on the topic.
November 24, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Everyone agrees Taiwan belongs to China except for people who know anything about Taiwan and its history and the majority of Taiwanese in every recent poll on the topic.
1) Roger Casement
2) Pasta and sauce from the bottle
2) Pasta and sauce from the bottle
November 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
1) Roger Casement
2) Pasta and sauce from the bottle
2) Pasta and sauce from the bottle
I like Darcies, actually.
November 21, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I like Darcies, actually.
They should have just gone for a pee or slipped out to take a very important phonecall.
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 PM
They should have just gone for a pee or slipped out to take a very important phonecall.
Knew and loved this song before i knew who Joe Hill was.
youtu.be/l-JW4DKxwQM?...
youtu.be/l-JW4DKxwQM?...
Joan Baez, "Joe Hill" live at the Woodstock Festival, 1969
YouTube video by dnjnyc
youtu.be
November 19, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Knew and loved this song before i knew who Joe Hill was.
youtu.be/l-JW4DKxwQM?...
youtu.be/l-JW4DKxwQM?...
'We had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little we went insane.'
— Francis Ford Coppola on the production of Apocalypse Now
— Francis Ford Coppola on the production of Apocalypse Now
November 18, 2025 at 5:11 AM
'We had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little we went insane.'
— Francis Ford Coppola on the production of Apocalypse Now
— Francis Ford Coppola on the production of Apocalypse Now
Marriage Story on meth
November 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Marriage Story on meth
Not a lawyer but I read the whole of Fitzpatrick's order and man is it a doozy.
November 17, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Not a lawyer but I read the whole of Fitzpatrick's order and man is it a doozy.
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
November 17, 2025 at 3:34 AM
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
Great piece. Thanks.
November 17, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Great piece. Thanks.
then a number of contemporary movements and regimes are at the very least fascistic. We may learn something about their possible origins and development by recognizing them as such.
November 17, 2025 at 12:44 AM
then a number of contemporary movements and regimes are at the very least fascistic. We may learn something about their possible origins and development by recognizing them as such.
then that would describe a limited number of countries today. If you define fascism as a kind of politics characterized primarily by anti-democratic impulses, a tolerance for violence, ethnic grievance, and a mythic idea of national revival,
November 17, 2025 at 12:44 AM
then that would describe a limited number of countries today. If you define fascism as a kind of politics characterized primarily by anti-democratic impulses, a tolerance for violence, ethnic grievance, and a mythic idea of national revival,
To be clearer on this: The point of calling any political movement or regime fascist is to identify important features that may be historically instructive. Scholars have different definitions of fascism. If you define fascism primarily on the basis of totalizing state violence and repression,
November 17, 2025 at 12:44 AM
To be clearer on this: The point of calling any political movement or regime fascist is to identify important features that may be historically instructive. Scholars have different definitions of fascism. If you define fascism primarily on the basis of totalizing state violence and repression,
Not trying to be pedantic. Making a point about getting a grasp on terminology if we are going to use it. Applying the term more broadly than Fascist Italy is a matter of which characteristics apply and which don't. I find Robert Paxton's Five Stages of Fascism useful.
share.google/iGsJXq26TQlV...
share.google/iGsJXq26TQlV...
share.google
November 16, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Not trying to be pedantic. Making a point about getting a grasp on terminology if we are going to use it. Applying the term more broadly than Fascist Italy is a matter of which characteristics apply and which don't. I find Robert Paxton's Five Stages of Fascism useful.
share.google/iGsJXq26TQlV...
share.google/iGsJXq26TQlV...
This confuses fascism with totalitarianism. Hitler's Germany was both, but it took a few years to get there, and was fascist even when it wasn't yet entrenched enough to be called totalitarian.
November 16, 2025 at 8:29 PM
This confuses fascism with totalitarianism. Hitler's Germany was both, but it took a few years to get there, and was fascist even when it wasn't yet entrenched enough to be called totalitarian.