1 Scientists can spend ages quibbling over terminology. Which is actually a good thing, because words have meanings, which should be as clear as possible (most of the time). Which is why I wholeheartedly agree with Tim Bale: We must stop this “hard right” nonsense in its tracks, lest we contribute to the further normalisation of the far right.
2 So-called (generative) AI is making most things worse, and is about to make the Internet completely useless. Here is a radical idea: perhaps, just perhaps, this could be a good thing? Because, after more than two decades of this nonsense, we might be persuaded to read books and talk to actual people? It’s … a thought, and at any rate a pleasant read (hopefully, I have copied the gift link)
3 More on so-called AI: Many people have noticed that the far right loves the stereotypical aesthetics of generative AI. While this is true (and remarkable), this is an actual empirical case study, which shows how so-called AI was used to push racist conspiracy propaganda on social media in the context of the riots that blighted England in 2024.
4 This article argues that democracies need to be clear about their enemies to survive and thrive. All good points, but what’s even worse: many adversaries operate from the inside, and many citizens struggle to understand not only who the enemies are, but also what democracy stands for.
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How “hard right” became so ubiquitous in the media, I’ll never know. It’s not political science