@testotestotesto.bsky.social
Preeminent center-right commentator of Bluesky.
US liberals have a distorted view of Europe since they only talk to European liberals that share all the same priors.
The fact that Europe has widespread problems with woo woo quackery (e.g. Germany and homeopathy), or that they are WAY more racist than the US, doesn't enter the discourse.
The fact that Europe has widespread problems with woo woo quackery (e.g. Germany and homeopathy), or that they are WAY more racist than the US, doesn't enter the discourse.
January 6, 2026 at 9:02 PM
US liberals have a distorted view of Europe since they only talk to European liberals that share all the same priors.
The fact that Europe has widespread problems with woo woo quackery (e.g. Germany and homeopathy), or that they are WAY more racist than the US, doesn't enter the discourse.
The fact that Europe has widespread problems with woo woo quackery (e.g. Germany and homeopathy), or that they are WAY more racist than the US, doesn't enter the discourse.
EU governments are stingy about any public good/service that isn't welfare. US public R&D and foreign aid, for example, is way higher than the EU even post-DOGE.
On certain public services like airports or postal service EU govs are way more inclined to privatize than the US
On certain public services like airports or postal service EU govs are way more inclined to privatize than the US
January 6, 2026 at 6:01 PM
EU governments are stingy about any public good/service that isn't welfare. US public R&D and foreign aid, for example, is way higher than the EU even post-DOGE.
On certain public services like airports or postal service EU govs are way more inclined to privatize than the US
On certain public services like airports or postal service EU govs are way more inclined to privatize than the US
It's pretty clear that these guys are just intellectual insecure and can't argue their position rationally so they reach for emotionally-charged insults as a crutch.
"Thread about complexities of oil production I don't understand? Uh, ableist much??"
"Thread about complexities of oil production I don't understand? Uh, ableist much??"
January 6, 2026 at 5:56 PM
It's pretty clear that these guys are just intellectual insecure and can't argue their position rationally so they reach for emotionally-charged insults as a crutch.
"Thread about complexities of oil production I don't understand? Uh, ableist much??"
"Thread about complexities of oil production I don't understand? Uh, ableist much??"
To Be Fair artists hating the utility-optimizing nature of capitalism makes some sense. Good art is usually at least a little elitist, and if we were deciding between funding an Avatar-esque blockbuster vs 100 art films the former would be more welfare-maximizing given consumer preferences.
January 5, 2026 at 9:52 PM
To Be Fair artists hating the utility-optimizing nature of capitalism makes some sense. Good art is usually at least a little elitist, and if we were deciding between funding an Avatar-esque blockbuster vs 100 art films the former would be more welfare-maximizing given consumer preferences.
I'd say it's
1) Copyright terms being crazy long (technically the more laissez-faire solution is no copyright at all lol)
2) The market is doing a good job catering to the median consumer. Good art is often somewhat elitist and a Pareto-optimal world probably has less good art overall.
1) Copyright terms being crazy long (technically the more laissez-faire solution is no copyright at all lol)
2) The market is doing a good job catering to the median consumer. Good art is often somewhat elitist and a Pareto-optimal world probably has less good art overall.
January 5, 2026 at 9:44 PM
I'd say it's
1) Copyright terms being crazy long (technically the more laissez-faire solution is no copyright at all lol)
2) The market is doing a good job catering to the median consumer. Good art is often somewhat elitist and a Pareto-optimal world probably has less good art overall.
1) Copyright terms being crazy long (technically the more laissez-faire solution is no copyright at all lol)
2) The market is doing a good job catering to the median consumer. Good art is often somewhat elitist and a Pareto-optimal world probably has less good art overall.
The synthesis here is that marketing matters but has a low ceiling on its effect.
People way overemphasize the degree to which statements of fact can influence underlying moral/cultural commitments. My conservative relatives have mentally jiujitsu'ed majority of Trump's fuckups lol.
People way overemphasize the degree to which statements of fact can influence underlying moral/cultural commitments. My conservative relatives have mentally jiujitsu'ed majority of Trump's fuckups lol.
January 5, 2026 at 9:40 PM
The synthesis here is that marketing matters but has a low ceiling on its effect.
People way overemphasize the degree to which statements of fact can influence underlying moral/cultural commitments. My conservative relatives have mentally jiujitsu'ed majority of Trump's fuckups lol.
People way overemphasize the degree to which statements of fact can influence underlying moral/cultural commitments. My conservative relatives have mentally jiujitsu'ed majority of Trump's fuckups lol.
Hot take: people should learn how to constructively engage views they find deeply wrong.
Center-left bloggers were really good at this during the Bush years & were far more persuasive to normie bystanders than the pile-on brigade of the post-Obama left.
Center-left bloggers were really good at this during the Bush years & were far more persuasive to normie bystanders than the pile-on brigade of the post-Obama left.
January 5, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Hot take: people should learn how to constructively engage views they find deeply wrong.
Center-left bloggers were really good at this during the Bush years & were far more persuasive to normie bystanders than the pile-on brigade of the post-Obama left.
Center-left bloggers were really good at this during the Bush years & were far more persuasive to normie bystanders than the pile-on brigade of the post-Obama left.
IMO one reason there's been such a resurgence in conservative views as of late is that center-left commentators got lazy and forgot how to constructively engage conservative ideas like they did during the Bush years. Pile-ons, insults, etc just aren't persuasive to neutral parties.
January 5, 2026 at 9:28 PM
IMO one reason there's been such a resurgence in conservative views as of late is that center-left commentators got lazy and forgot how to constructively engage conservative ideas like they did during the Bush years. Pile-ons, insults, etc just aren't persuasive to neutral parties.
As an experiment I'm curious if "polite 4chan" could be a viable model. Ruthlessly moderate rude language but allow basically any view, incl horrendous ones like holocaust denial.
Such an environment would likely be both 1) more pleasant and 2) do a better job of combatting wrong ideas overall
Such an environment would likely be both 1) more pleasant and 2) do a better job of combatting wrong ideas overall
January 5, 2026 at 9:25 PM
As an experiment I'm curious if "polite 4chan" could be a viable model. Ruthlessly moderate rude language but allow basically any view, incl horrendous ones like holocaust denial.
Such an environment would likely be both 1) more pleasant and 2) do a better job of combatting wrong ideas overall
Such an environment would likely be both 1) more pleasant and 2) do a better job of combatting wrong ideas overall
The degree to which people are exposed to Arguments and Discourse is historically unusual. Not everyone wants to spend time learning the args for & against the strong form of hereditarianism, for ex.
Echo chambers are one solution. Discursive norms are following consumer demand in this regard.
Echo chambers are one solution. Discursive norms are following consumer demand in this regard.
January 5, 2026 at 9:11 PM
The degree to which people are exposed to Arguments and Discourse is historically unusual. Not everyone wants to spend time learning the args for & against the strong form of hereditarianism, for ex.
Echo chambers are one solution. Discursive norms are following consumer demand in this regard.
Echo chambers are one solution. Discursive norms are following consumer demand in this regard.
Tbh a major issue is most people are just not comfortable with reasonable disagreement or entertaining distasteful views.
It's necessary for intellectual growth but many of the users here treat arguments from the out-group like vampires treat garlic.
It's necessary for intellectual growth but many of the users here treat arguments from the out-group like vampires treat garlic.
January 5, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Tbh a major issue is most people are just not comfortable with reasonable disagreement or entertaining distasteful views.
It's necessary for intellectual growth but many of the users here treat arguments from the out-group like vampires treat garlic.
It's necessary for intellectual growth but many of the users here treat arguments from the out-group like vampires treat garlic.
"All of my European socialist friends are telling me that the US is widely hated around the world"
January 5, 2026 at 3:46 AM
"All of my European socialist friends are telling me that the US is widely hated around the world"
Deep down most people want to be contrarians. They don't want to incur any social cost for it, but the feeling of being a bold truth-teller is addictive.
Social media offers that consequence-free. It's why everyone is spiraling into baroque conspiracy theories & extremist ideologies.
Social media offers that consequence-free. It's why everyone is spiraling into baroque conspiracy theories & extremist ideologies.
January 5, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Deep down most people want to be contrarians. They don't want to incur any social cost for it, but the feeling of being a bold truth-teller is addictive.
Social media offers that consequence-free. It's why everyone is spiraling into baroque conspiracy theories & extremist ideologies.
Social media offers that consequence-free. It's why everyone is spiraling into baroque conspiracy theories & extremist ideologies.
There are serious selection effects here too. US libs are likely to only share online spaces with liberals from other countries, which means their sense of the international response is going to be distorted
Maduro was unpopular across S. America! Brazilian libs are not a representative sample
Maduro was unpopular across S. America! Brazilian libs are not a representative sample
January 4, 2026 at 10:12 PM
There are serious selection effects here too. US libs are likely to only share online spaces with liberals from other countries, which means their sense of the international response is going to be distorted
Maduro was unpopular across S. America! Brazilian libs are not a representative sample
Maduro was unpopular across S. America! Brazilian libs are not a representative sample
Also something to keep in mind when European liberals act haughty about US military adventurism: EU countries spend peanuts on foreign aid & public R&D. Their access to global trade depends on our blue-water navy deterring piracy.
The EU is allergic to leadership & free-rides on US power projection
The EU is allergic to leadership & free-rides on US power projection
January 4, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Also something to keep in mind when European liberals act haughty about US military adventurism: EU countries spend peanuts on foreign aid & public R&D. Their access to global trade depends on our blue-water navy deterring piracy.
The EU is allergic to leadership & free-rides on US power projection
The EU is allergic to leadership & free-rides on US power projection
Of course the 20th century New Deal coalition worked by 1) catering to segregationists in the south and 2) cartelizing most major industries in exchange for labor concessions (the real loser in the New Deal era was the consumer, not big business).
DSA politics is definitely Not That.
DSA politics is definitely Not That.
January 4, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Of course the 20th century New Deal coalition worked by 1) catering to segregationists in the south and 2) cartelizing most major industries in exchange for labor concessions (the real loser in the New Deal era was the consumer, not big business).
DSA politics is definitely Not That.
DSA politics is definitely Not That.
Many of the DSA types think an uber-dominant New Deal coalition would be easily achievable in 21st century America and the only reason Democrats don't campaign on that is b/c they're getting bribed by corporate America. It's a QAnon-level delusion but it's surprisingly widespread, even among normies
January 4, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Many of the DSA types think an uber-dominant New Deal coalition would be easily achievable in 21st century America and the only reason Democrats don't campaign on that is b/c they're getting bribed by corporate America. It's a QAnon-level delusion but it's surprisingly widespread, even among normies
I initially parsed this as referring to a Dutch vampire investor
January 4, 2026 at 2:56 AM
I initially parsed this as referring to a Dutch vampire investor
It's possible that there'll be chaos in the aftermath but I think this is straight-forwardly a W for the admin.
No one likes to admit when the other side scores a W so Dems are rehashing Iraq War talking points (incl Trump for some reason?)
No one likes to admit when the other side scores a W so Dems are rehashing Iraq War talking points (incl Trump for some reason?)
January 4, 2026 at 2:49 AM
It's possible that there'll be chaos in the aftermath but I think this is straight-forwardly a W for the admin.
No one likes to admit when the other side scores a W so Dems are rehashing Iraq War talking points (incl Trump for some reason?)
No one likes to admit when the other side scores a W so Dems are rehashing Iraq War talking points (incl Trump for some reason?)
Guy who thinks enforcing anti-truancy laws is racist: "What we need is a return of the New Deal coalition!"
January 3, 2026 at 3:00 AM
Guy who thinks enforcing anti-truancy laws is racist: "What we need is a return of the New Deal coalition!"
Orthogonal to this but Lyman is just not that smart of a policy thinker. He opposed ROAD to Housing Act b/c he thinks multifamily construction directly reduces fertility. He promoted health share ministries as an alternative to health insurance b/c of basic ignorance about how insurance works
January 2, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Orthogonal to this but Lyman is just not that smart of a policy thinker. He opposed ROAD to Housing Act b/c he thinks multifamily construction directly reduces fertility. He promoted health share ministries as an alternative to health insurance b/c of basic ignorance about how insurance works
In person social groups tend to follow the contours of personal acrimony; friend groups will usually pick sides in a divorce.
Online social groups are in theory excludable but anonymity + public nature of posting make it so in practice we're all in the same karaoke room.
Online social groups are in theory excludable but anonymity + public nature of posting make it so in practice we're all in the same karaoke room.
January 2, 2026 at 3:50 AM
In person social groups tend to follow the contours of personal acrimony; friend groups will usually pick sides in a divorce.
Online social groups are in theory excludable but anonymity + public nature of posting make it so in practice we're all in the same karaoke room.
Online social groups are in theory excludable but anonymity + public nature of posting make it so in practice we're all in the same karaoke room.
One reason why social media makes us miserable is that our brains aren't used to sustained acrimony. With IRL conflict most people will try to establish detente or just cut out the other person entirely if they can. Cosocializing with someone who hates you is torturous.
January 2, 2026 at 3:47 AM
One reason why social media makes us miserable is that our brains aren't used to sustained acrimony. With IRL conflict most people will try to establish detente or just cut out the other person entirely if they can. Cosocializing with someone who hates you is torturous.
In theory the welfare state doesn't even have to be redistributive. You could implement a tax deduction for lower-risk citizens. But the fact that 1) income taxes are progressive and 2) non-wage-earners can still qualify makes the system net redistributive opportunistically.
January 1, 2026 at 3:31 PM
In theory the welfare state doesn't even have to be redistributive. You could implement a tax deduction for lower-risk citizens. But the fact that 1) income taxes are progressive and 2) non-wage-earners can still qualify makes the system net redistributive opportunistically.
The first theorem of welfare economics assumes complete markets (i.e. everything can be insured). The core competency of the welfare state is as an insurer-of-last-resort, providing insurance policies that don't exist privately due adverse selection & moral hazard.
January 1, 2026 at 2:52 PM
The first theorem of welfare economics assumes complete markets (i.e. everything can be insured). The core competency of the welfare state is as an insurer-of-last-resort, providing insurance policies that don't exist privately due adverse selection & moral hazard.