We can owe others morally good treatment, but what do we owe to ourselves? And is it even possible to owe something to yourself? Yes, argues the philosopher Thaddeus Metz in this Essay interweaving different strands of African philosophical traditions
In case you want some longform investigative journalism about an anonymous street artist and activist called <checks notes> Banksy, here you have it.
You are welcome. 😊
Quest to identify the artist Banksy uncovers much more than a name - www.reuters.com/default/ques...
Will it matter, especially with American exceptionalism and hegemony in the mix?
You think it can't get worse. Then it gets worse.
Seems there is no bottom after all.
The NY Times went back through a century of women’s obituaries “to re-examine them with the benefit of distance — to see what was emphasized, what was minimized, what might have been left unsaid”. https://bsky.app/profile/prisonculture.bsky.social [nytimes.com]
"Department of War"
SMH.
This was just four days ago, and now another war has been added to the list.
Gosh!
When Amir Ahmadi Arian was an aspiring writer growing up in Iran, almost everyone he met told him to read Sadeq Hedayat’s 1936 novel “The Blind Owl.” The work is not a pinnacle of literary craftsmanship, Arian writes, but it is an essential text for understanding the contradictions of Iran.
It's so easy to be exhausted by the state of the world in the second month of 2026.
Man!
High time we gave this phenomenon a name, this photo-editor-as-rebel protest "movement". That's if it doesn't have a name already. 🤭
Every time I stumble on Geoff Dyer's work online, at a bookshop, or on some random person's bookshelf, the first thing that comes to my mind is "look, my supremely intellectual birthday mate" 😀
"Though their names and contributions are not often recognized, amanuenses had profound impacts on the careers and legacies of modern writers."
publicdomainreview.org/essay/typing...
Excellent stuff (as usual) from @publicdomainrev.bsky.social
To think we are just 20 days into the new year...
I keep wondering if Pitchfork still has the cultural cachet it used to have, now that we are in the age of Substack etc etc
It's crazy just thinking about how to approach the current geopolitical zeitgeist without unintentionally catastrophizing.
"...Beyond precedent, parody and reality….”
What a time to be alive.
"The memefication of fascism"
Very interesting 🤔
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
A noir-style illustrated poster titled “The Case of the Disappearing Copyright.” The Lockette—a cartoon character whose body is an open yellow padlock—cautiously steps out of an open vault marked with a copyright symbol. A strong beam of light shines from outside the frame, casting a large copyright symbol onto the floor. Floating eyes and a magnifying glass with a question mark evoke a detective mystery. Red footprints lead toward the open vault door. Text reads: “Public Domain Day 2026” and “Jan 21st @10am PT: Virtual.” Illustrated by Freya Morgan.
🎊 Celebrate Public Domain Day with us online January 21! Our virtual event brings together artists, librarians, scholars, & creators to explore what happens when culture becomes free again.
Revisit iconic characters & stories from 1930 now in the #publicdomain.
🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1977502652...
What's going on with cranes in Thailand? 🥲😪
Watching Pinky and the Brain as an adult makes me want to write an academic paper 😂
I am thoroughly annoyed that Matter (the Pocket app replacement I found) won't be coming to Android.
🙄🙄
I hope we all get instant notifications at the exact time when AI bubble bursts. 🤔
Still searching for a permanent cure for this chronic procrastination.
🥲🥲
What a terrible reading year I had. I need to reclaim my attention span.
Send help!
This just reminds of that Key and Peele Boxing Match skit, and I had a really good laugh!
youtu.be/0z-oJTZ1b5Q?...
🤣🤣
This is where we are now. 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
T'is the time for best-of-the-year lists!
Another round for 2025! Deep appreciation for this labour of love.
Still waiting for "we met on Bluesky" love stories. Or am I too early? Lol