I'll have more to say when I have an opportunity to expand on your ideas expressed so brilliantly, not just the immediate circumstances but the wider context particularly the militarization of the everyday under Palantir - I have a thinkpiece brrewing on that very thing.
Meanwhile I'll just drop this here as an indication that some people do in fact know what's going on - maybe not so many, but they do exist. They even get onto the mainstream media if something freakish happens...
"Trump is Trump. No one is expecting him to have a coherent, brave and stabilising response to Israel. But the problem predates him: a political establishment of ostensibly liberal, reliable custodians of stability that has no moral compass, and no care for the norms it constantly claims to uphold. Under its watch, international and human rights law has been violated again and again in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. Its answer has been to get out of Israel’s way at best, and arm it and provide it with diplomatic cover at worst. Joe Biden’s administration set the tone, and European governments followed "
This is a moment where I feel paralyzed by how much I want to say on all of this. Like I’ve been hit in the head and can’t quite tape the thoughts together anymore. Like, I went to school on this. “The Prize,” “The Quest.” I took classes with Leverett as my professor for crissakes, read his “Going To Tehran.” He and his wife were ousted from the CIA for daring to suggest they weren’t just Tolkienesque orcs bent on destruction. That even rival nations have certain rights.
I’m glad it opened my mind, but for what? That learning just so I can feel the dread too as I drink coffee and work. And never mind the role AI plays in our military industrial complex. How all this is a prelude to eroding our rights, while the rights of others are totally eroded. Blue or red are just different flavors for the same popsicle, we’d have committed to this either way.
Thanks for the list because one really speaks to me— “By grieving out loud, and then feeding someone.”
People are dying today. Today I learned to make English muffins to house a sunny egg, prosciutto and pesto.
💔 🩹 "for daring to suggest they weren’t just Tolkienesque orcs bent on destruction."
I'd rather make muffins with a broken heart than miss the opportunity to help someone. I'm so glad you exist in this world, Ben. Big hug to you and your beautiful family today.
seems in service of distraction. will be interesting to see what goes through legislationally in the coming time.
and also, what a privilege it is to be aware of and feel so deeply for others. while there are times that the siren call blissful ignorance is appealing, what a disservice to our own humanity. everything may be better if i didn’t know anything.
Too true, I shudder wishing for my own ability to peer through time.
"and also, what a privilege it is to be aware of and feel so deeply for others. while there are times that the siren call blissful ignorance is appealing, what a disservice to our own humanity. everything may be better if i didn’t know anything." 🖤
This was so well written and profoundly moving. I cannot believe that people believe this is okay, and don’t think that Iran will not defend themselves. The last 6 months have only been a display of “mine is bigger than yours”, testosterone driven rhetoric. Thank you for posting this - please know that you have a lot of people that agree with you (even if they choose not to speak up).
I restacked this earlier but I loved it. I'm not sure I agree on the Kamala-dropping-the-bomb part, but you definitely made me think. As usual, your writing is well reasoned and drops logic that's hard to deny. Idk anymore. Enjoyed reading this as it brought some words to feels I too have had.
I'll have more to say when I have an opportunity to expand on your ideas expressed so brilliantly, not just the immediate circumstances but the wider context particularly the militarization of the everyday under Palantir - I have a thinkpiece brrewing on that very thing.
Meanwhile I'll just drop this here as an indication that some people do in fact know what's going on - maybe not so many, but they do exist. They even get onto the mainstream media if something freakish happens...
"Trump is Trump. No one is expecting him to have a coherent, brave and stabilising response to Israel. But the problem predates him: a political establishment of ostensibly liberal, reliable custodians of stability that has no moral compass, and no care for the norms it constantly claims to uphold. Under its watch, international and human rights law has been violated again and again in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and now Iran. Its answer has been to get out of Israel’s way at best, and arm it and provide it with diplomatic cover at worst. Joe Biden’s administration set the tone, and European governments followed "
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/23/us-iran-israel-war-western-leaders-diplomacy
🖤 can't wait to read it.
This is a moment where I feel paralyzed by how much I want to say on all of this. Like I’ve been hit in the head and can’t quite tape the thoughts together anymore. Like, I went to school on this. “The Prize,” “The Quest.” I took classes with Leverett as my professor for crissakes, read his “Going To Tehran.” He and his wife were ousted from the CIA for daring to suggest they weren’t just Tolkienesque orcs bent on destruction. That even rival nations have certain rights.
I’m glad it opened my mind, but for what? That learning just so I can feel the dread too as I drink coffee and work. And never mind the role AI plays in our military industrial complex. How all this is a prelude to eroding our rights, while the rights of others are totally eroded. Blue or red are just different flavors for the same popsicle, we’d have committed to this either way.
Thanks for the list because one really speaks to me— “By grieving out loud, and then feeding someone.”
People are dying today. Today I learned to make English muffins to house a sunny egg, prosciutto and pesto.
💔 🩹 "for daring to suggest they weren’t just Tolkienesque orcs bent on destruction."
I'd rather make muffins with a broken heart than miss the opportunity to help someone. I'm so glad you exist in this world, Ben. Big hug to you and your beautiful family today.
We appreciate it on a day like today. Wishing you and your partner calm, and those muffins (also full tanks of gas probably)
seems in service of distraction. will be interesting to see what goes through legislationally in the coming time.
and also, what a privilege it is to be aware of and feel so deeply for others. while there are times that the siren call blissful ignorance is appealing, what a disservice to our own humanity. everything may be better if i didn’t know anything.
Too true, I shudder wishing for my own ability to peer through time.
"and also, what a privilege it is to be aware of and feel so deeply for others. while there are times that the siren call blissful ignorance is appealing, what a disservice to our own humanity. everything may be better if i didn’t know anything." 🖤
This was so well written and profoundly moving. I cannot believe that people believe this is okay, and don’t think that Iran will not defend themselves. The last 6 months have only been a display of “mine is bigger than yours”, testosterone driven rhetoric. Thank you for posting this - please know that you have a lot of people that agree with you (even if they choose not to speak up).
🖤 thanks for reading, Jen.
I restacked this earlier but I loved it. I'm not sure I agree on the Kamala-dropping-the-bomb part, but you definitely made me think. As usual, your writing is well reasoned and drops logic that's hard to deny. Idk anymore. Enjoyed reading this as it brought some words to feels I too have had.