John ‘John’ Morrison

Neoliberalism *is* saving the planet

Marx is actually far more popular in English and history departments than economics departments, which is telling.

I don’t understand why the AI camp markets their product so adversarially, openly talks about their product causing seismic societal shifts towards class polarization, and hypes up the end of class mobility, and then they are offended when public and regulatory opposition emerges

The UK has an aging population but high youth unemployment. Can somebody explain how this can be the case

Their allegiance is not to humans. It's to consciousness/life itself. Which might sound like an enlightened position! And these guys really are earnest — they're genuinely trying to find a lofty moral vision, and they think this is it. They think they're helping life. 4/n

The Labour Party understands trickle-down economics doesn’t work. So why back trickle-down housing? Let developers build expensive homes and hope crumbs filter down. It's not worked in 40 years! We need a need-led approach: build social rent & affordable homes at scale.

Tony Blair: Wow, get a load of AI. We should probably cut welfare somewhat. Also, we should be involved in the Iran War for some reason. Broadsheet columnist: Say what you like about the man, but the sophistication of his analysis is unparalleled.

The TB essay has been a long time in the making. Built on a deep analysis of how the world is changing, it’s a contribution to the debate on the future of Britain. Rightly, it will draw criticism. That will be valuable where it’s a question of substance but let’s be honest, most will focus on the politics and personalities of today. That actually underscores a central point that TB makes: we need to put policy first and politics second. This means building an agenda that gives Britain a fighting chance of thriving in the coming decades. Where that means being radical, we should be - pleasing everyone is not a viable strategy. Some voters and advocacy groups will not be happy. The polls will hold no answers. Leaders should be prepared to take the argument to the country. What could this mean in practice? Prioritise cheap power over clean power. Rip up the planning system so local consent doesn’t delay building. Reduce welfare spending now by swapping cash payments for support when it comes to certain mental health conditions. Embrace quality universities, don’t denigrate them. Unleash the private sector across Britain to innovate and take risks. Radically reform public services to centre prevention and personalisation for everyone, not just those who can afford it. Use defence spending to create skills right across Britain - and high quality jobs to go with them. Establish a new relationship with a new Europe. There’s lot more in the essay. Policy first, politics second. There is huge demand for that. People want difficult decisions to be taken and tradeoffs to be confronted. It’s why the greens and reform (and restore) are different sides of the same coin - an FU to a mainstream politics that prefers reviews to decisions and incrementalism to speed. It is leadership. Read the essay. Here’s to the market place of ideas 👇

The simple-minded, economically illiterate scaremongering from the neoliberal press is coming thick and fast. No natural, systemic causes and effects are at work here - these people actually want us to be 'disciplined' by 'markets' for all eternity. 'Highly original' my arse.

The idea that AI systems are “alive” strikes me preposterous. But this argument is also bizarre. The models are not merely mathematical equations. They’re mathematical equations + silicon (carbon’s next door neighbor on the periodic table) + energy.

Whether a BOP consists or not, MMT regards exports as a cost *definitionally* because a nation uses its resources to produce G&S for consumption by other nations. Not because exporting is somehow bad or unneeded. That’s just ridiculous. Of course exports generate revenue.