Absolute Ethical Life — @michaellazarus.bsky.social: Ethics is an absolute form of life, not rule-based morality. Normativity arises from shared social practices and lived ways of life that precede moral theory, grounding ethics in collective existence rather than principles.
Bernd Roeck’s The World at First Light argues that the Renaissance was a long, multi-century, globally connected transformation driven by media, exchange, and accumulated cultural change—not a sudden European “rebirth.”
The Climate of History in a Planetary Age (Dipesh Chakrabarty, 2021) argues that climate change forces us to rethink history beyond human-centered narratives, integrating geological time and planetary processes to reshape ideas of agency, modernity, and responsibility.
In States of the Earth, @mohamedamermeziane.bsky.social argues that secularization is a colonial process that replaced non-European spiritualities, enabling racial capitalism and ecological destruction under the guise of modernity and empire.
The main argument of AI Snake Oil by @randomwalker.bsky.social is that many AI applications—especially in hiring, policing, and education—are overhyped and ineffective, lacking scientific validity and transparency, and often fail to deliver on their claimed societal benefits.
The Spell of the Sensuous (1996) by David Abram explores how human perception is deeply rooted in the natural world. Drawing on phenomenology and indigenous wisdom, Abram argues that language and sensory experience shape our relationship with the more-than-human world.
In Immediacy, or The Style of Too Late Capitalism, @annakornbluh.bsky.social argues that today’s fast, immersive, anti-reflective culture mirrors capitalism’s focus on circulation over production, eroding mediation and critical thought.
The Eurasian Century by Hal Brands argues that control over Eurasia has been central to global power—spanning hot and cold wars—and that pivotal 20th‑century events (from WWII to the Cold War) were driven by rivalries for dominance across this strategic supercontinent.
Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers argues that today’s inflation isn’t just about overheated demand—it’s driven by supply shocks, climate, and geopolitics. @mkblyth.bsky.social and @nfraccaroli.bsky.social urge a rethink of old inflation cures that often hurt the vulnerable most.
In Crashed, @adamtooze.bsky.social argues that the 2008 financial crisis triggered a global chain reaction—reshaping geopolitics, fueling populism, and exposing the fragility of the international financial system dominated by U.S. dollar-based interdependence.
In The Master’s Tools Michael A. McCarthy argues that finance has captured politics, hollowing democracy. He calls for democratizing financial institutions—using sortition and deliberation—to fund green transition, housing, and public goods, shifting power to working‑class and excluded communities.
In The Age of Choice: A History of Free Will, Sophia Rosenfeld argues that the modern ideal of personal choice, central to democracy and individual freedom, has always been contested. She traces its history, showing how politics, philosophy, and science have shaped and challenged it.
Kari Marie Norgaard argues in Salmon and Acorns Feed Our People that settler colonialism disrupted the Karuk Tribe’s traditional ecological practices, leading to environmental decline and social harm. She highlights the deep ties between Indigenous knowledge, cultural survival and ecological health.
In Marxist Modernism (1984), Gillian Rose critiques Marxist and structuralist readings of modernism, arguing that they fail to engage with Hegelian dialectics. She contends that modernist thought reflects capitalism’s contradictions but remains trapped, unable to envision true social transformation.
Humans: A Monstrous History by @drsurekhadavies.bsky.social argues that societies have long used monsters to define the boundaries of humanity, reinforcing hierarchies of race, gender, and power. By tracing these constructs, she reveals how myths of monstrosity shape discrimination across history.
In Outraged, @kurtjgray.bsky.social argues that moral outrage isn’t just irrational emotion—it plays a key role in enforcing norms, uniting groups, and driving change. However, it can also be exploited or misdirected, fueling division and performative activism.
Definitely! Thank you for writing it. Interestingly, the discussion of the coming together of the quantitative and the qualitative from the introduction has become a part of my frame of reference.
@mikesavagelse.bsky.social's The Return of Inequality argues that historical inequalities shape modern society, challenging the idea that capitalism naturally reduces inequality. Using historical and quantitative data, he shows how wealth persist across generations, deepening disparities.
In Nationalism: A World History @ericstorm.bsky.social argues that nationalism is an evolving ideology shaped by historical, cultural, and technological forces. He examines its role in forming nation-states, influencing politics and society, making it both a source of unity and division worldwide.
Peter Burke's Ignorance: A Global History explores how societies create, sustain, and exploit ignorance. He examines historical examples of suppressed knowledge, blind spots in science, and political misinformation, showing how ignorance shapes culture, power, and decision-making worldwide.
Annette Kehnel's The Green Ages argues that medieval societies practiced sustainable living through commons-based resource management, local economies, and social cooperation. By revisiting these historical models, we can find solutions for modern environmental and social challenges.
The Long History of the Future by @njkobie.bsky.social argues that many promised futuristic technologies—flying cars, robots, and smart cities—fail to materialize due to historical, economic, and technical challenges. She explores why these innovations remain stuck in the realm of speculation.
The Hidden Globe by @atossaaraxia.bsky.social argues that the ultra-wealthy manipulate global systems—using tax havens, special zones, and loopholes—to create parallel worlds that serve their interests while evading laws, taxes, and accountability, deepening inequality and undermining democracy.
Disaster Nationalism by @leninology.bsky.social argues that crises— climate disasters, economic shocks—are exploited by nationalist forces to strengthen state power, scapegoat outsiders, and entrench capitalist interests. He critiques neoliberalism and advocates ecosocialism as an alternative.
In Living on Earth, @petergs.bsky.social argues that life doesn't just adapt to Earth—it actively shapes it. From forests to coral reefs, organisms transform their environments, influencing evolution and planetary systems. He explores how consciousness and agency emerge through these interactions.
@brunoleipold.com's Citizen Marx argues that Karl Marx's thought was deeply influenced by republicanism. Marx saw true freedom as the absence of arbitrary power and believed democracy was key to overcoming capitalism’s social domination, advocating for popular sovereignty and state transformation.
Steven Mithen's "The Language Puzzle" explores the evolution of human language over six million years. It traces the shift from apelike calls to words, emphasizing cognitive and social influences, metaphor's role in abstract thought, and language's impact on culture.
In "The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024," @billmckibben.bsky.social highlights the unprecedented challenges faced by our planet in 2023, emphasizing the urgent need to address environmental crises while appreciating Earth's enduring beauty and resilience.
Jean-Baptiste Fressoz's More and More argues that the West's energy-intensive growth was not inevitable but shaped by deliberate political and cultural choices, challenging progress narratives and showing historical awareness of environmental damage long before the modern climate crisis.
In The Automatic Fetish, Beverley Best argues that automation is fetishized under capitalism, viewed as autonomous and powerful while masking the human labor and social relations behind it. This reflects Marx's "law of value" and its influence on contemporary cultural and economic systems.
