Grumpy Philosopher

Aidan McGlynn @aidanmcglynn.bsky.social [ View ] Dec 23, 2023 at 21:47 UTC

RRR - Rage, Revise, Resubmit

1 replies 5 reposts 29 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 20:39 UTC

Agree with most of your thread, but I don’t think it undemocratic to rule out some parties. There’s no strong democratic reason to allow parties that explicitly reject core democratic principles, such as the free & equal status of all citizens, for example.

1 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 20:34 UTC

The vote share was higher for Starmer, the total number of votes was lower.

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 20:33 UTC

Corbyn’s election strategy was to concentrate resources on increasing the Labour vote in Labour seats. Starmer’s strategy was to concentrate resources on increasing the Labour vote in Tory seats. It turns out that the latter is a better way to win elections even if ends-up with fewer total votes.

3 replies 1 reposts 8 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 19:02 UTC

I‘ve got some bad news for Sherelle. I hope someone at the Telegraph checks in on her, she‘s probably having a day.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 18:58 UTC

I‘ve been giving myself joy by reading some of the unhinged opinion pieces Telegraph columnists wrote before and during the election. Admittedly, while quite funny, it‘s hard to read them without a being worried about the writers, they often seem quite unwell. Still, this one is great.

2 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 15:02 UTC

I‘m also really going to really enjoy Nigel Farage having to deal with constituency work and the MPs register of interests and code of conduct. Given his record as an MEP, he is going to cope very badly with having do any work & with scrutiny of his expenses.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 14:27 UTC

More than anything, I am going to really enjoy how angry the right are going to be for the next few years that Angela Rayner is deputy PM. The impotent misogynistic and class-based rage is going to be delicious.

2 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 14:25 UTC

I‘ve enjoyed Liz Truss getting Kwasi Kwarteng to claim on her behalf (because she‘s too craven to do it herself) that she didn‘t give a concession speech because hers was a special constituency where they don‘t do concession speeches. Uh hu.

1 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 13:12 UTC

Thanks, it was a really interesting issue to think about for me.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 12:27 UTC

I wrote a blog piece about on some of the ethical issues around nuclear deterrence and political leadership if you don‘t have institutional access to the paper: politicsblog.ac.uk/2018/10/19/d...

1 replies 1 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 12:26 UTC

Oh, nice, the news channels are all taking about Keir Starmer being given nuclear codes & writing letters to submarine commanders. A perfect opportunity to plug a paper I wrote with a colleague about nuclear weapons policy, democracy, & political leadership: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

1 replies 1 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 12:14 UTC

Oh, while I remember: a massive ‘Fuck you!‘ to everyone who said ‘It doesn‘t matter, they‘re all the same‘ over the past few weeks to justify either not voting or voting for far right bigots.

0 replies 3 reposts 12 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:36 UTC

I am very, very tired, but I have tea, a lot of schadenfreude, and the sun is shining.

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:31 UTC

Honestly, it‘s a sign of how bad things have been that the victory of a party I‘ve never supported has made me cry with relief.

1 replies 0 reposts 5 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:20 UTC

It‘ll be a while before we find out if hope is warranted, but at least we‘ve got it now.

1 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:19 UTC

Labour’s victory, a party I‘m in all honesty not particularly enthusiastic about, takes away a lot of fear. I finally feel a little hope that things in higher education can be turned around. I haven‘t felt anything but fear, anger, or despair for a long time - hope is a nice change. Hope is good.

3 replies 0 reposts 8 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:17 UTC

The UK election result is a massive relief. The higher education here sector is in *really* bad shape because of the what the government has done. I genuinely don’t think it would have survived another Tory term without irreparable damage.

2 replies 0 reposts 6 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:14 UTC

Higher education isn‘t something I value just because it‘s my livelihood. The opportunity to study for a degree later in my life, after messing it all up as a teen, changed my life. Education didn‘t just change my opportunities, it changed me into a better person and allowed me to flourish.

1 replies 1 reposts 13 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 11:10 UTC

Apologies to all my non-UK friends for last night‘s content, and for the more of it that‘s going to come today. It‘s been a bad decade, but now I‘m allowing myself to feel a bit of hope and relief.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 07:01 UTC

I hope so. There are certain some key figures in Labour who favour it.

1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 06:41 UTC

Knowing Nigel Farage‘s record as an MEP, the people of Clacton who are expecting him to work hard for them had better prepare for extreme disappointment. The only person Farage will be working for is himself.

1 replies 0 reposts 7 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 05:48 UTC

At last, Truss is ousted, no doubt thanks to the votes of the woke financial markets. It took a slow clap to get her to join the other candidates on stage for the declaration - pathetic.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 05:20 UTC

Sadly, Cleverly and Williamson kept their seats, but 4 out of 7 isn’t bad. That‘ll do pig, that‘ll do.

0 replies 1 reposts 6 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 04:39 UTC

Announce the lettuce already!

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 04:29 UTC

Super happy to see David Davies lose in Wales, the representative for slum landlords is out.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 04:16 UTC

🥲

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 04:01 UTC

Rees-Mogg gone, oh happy days!

0 replies 0 reposts 7 likes