Joanna Bryson, blathering

@j2bryson
1.6K Followers
459 Following
11.7K Posts
I'm an academic, proud to work in a policy school, but still sometimes longing to return to natural science and/or programming again. Or maybe art? This Mastodon account is more personal than professional; my more professional one is bridged here https://mastodon.social/@j2bryson.bsky[email protected] Blogpost on my social media policy, linking yet more accounts: https://joanna-bryson.blogspot.com/2024/10/guidance-to-my-social-media.html Increasingly reading physical books again too.
PositionProfessor of Ethics and Technology, Centre for Digital Governance, Hertie School, Berlin
ExpertiseArtificial & natural intelligence, culture, cooperation, evolution (behavioural ecology),
Expertise (cont.)technology policy, competition/antitrust, and (digital) governance
Websitehttps://www.joannajbryson.org/

Chat Control 1 is dead. Let’s end Chat Control 2.

Members of The European Parliament: stand firm in your position – no mass surveillance whatsoever!

"America does not know how to exist in a world it does not control. Since its inception, America has assured itself it was simply too big, too far away and too richly endowed to suffer any serious consequences for its actions. But there will be no escaping the cataclysm in Iran. In its wake, there is a chance to recognize our place in an interconnected world and see ourselves clearly. The way out of the cycle of failure and betrayal is to shed our illusions, once and for all."

General Stanley McChrystal in a recent NYT interview laid out why the entire Iran war strategy is built on magical thinking. He described three “great seductions” that trap American administrations: covert action that never stays covert, surgical Special Ops raids that don’t change facts on the ground, and the myth of air power dominance. He’s seen all three up close. And he’s watching all three fail in real time in Iran.

“Everything after this will be harder,” McChrystal said.

@j2bryson I believe it is not a good way to think about things. The federal budget is in shambles but not in this way. The job of the federal budget is to keep the economy running smoothly, it owns the money supply and can’t be insolvent. If we insist on the home budget comparison the situation we’re in is the parents are handing out 20,000 gold stars to one kid and spending all its time and resources making sure the golden child is never bored while the other 3 are locked in the basement.
@j2bryson I remember, during trump's first stint in the White House, mitch mcconnell went to Fort Knox to check on the gold. https://home.treasury.gov/news/recent-highlights/secretary-mnuchin-meets-with-senate-majority-leader-mcconnell-visits-fort
Secretary Mnuchin Meets with Senate Majority Leader McConnell; Visits Fort Knox

​Louisville, KY – On August 21, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin traveled to Kentucky to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and visit the United States Gold Depository at Fort Knox.  The Secretary and the Majority Leader also met with local business leaders to discuss the Administration and Congress’ tax reform efforts.   ####

U.S. Department of the Treasury
I find this graph of who ours friends, enemies, and people trying to stay out of it are really useful https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_ES-11/7
United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/7 - Wikipedia

reparations to ukraine, gaza, and Iran sound like a great idea https://p.dw.com/p/5B7aN maybe also chechnya and georgia?
Tehran issues a counterproposal to end war

dw.com
Ancient skeleton unearthed in France is latest to be found sitting upright

Scientists trying to work out why Gauls chose to bury some of their dead in seated position facing west

The Guardian
Israel used white phosphorus to scorch earth in south Lebanon, researcher says

Human Rights Watch and others say they have documented use of weapon in civilian areas during war on Gaza

The Guardian

Philosophy Professor sues after his #Texas university terminated his contract after he gave a talk about Palestine in another state at which he did not give his university affiliation.

Anti-Palestine groups took over a year to track and doxx him then another year to campaign to get him fired.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/25/professor-texas-state-university-israel-palestine

Professor sues Texas university that terminated contract after Palestine talk

Idris Robinson says Texas State violated his constitutional rights over off-campus talk seized on by pro-Israel activists

The Guardian