Ben Werdmuller
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Ben Werdmuller

Ben Werdmuller

Jesse Armstrong on the roots of Succession: ‘Would it have landed the same way without the mad bum-rush of Trump’s presidency?’

“I guess the simple things at the heart of Succession ended up being Brexit and Trump. The way the UK press had primed the EU debate for decades. The way the US media’s conservative outriders prepared the way for Trump, hovered at the brink of support and then dived

30 May 2023

Petition: GLOBAL CALL FOR THE URGENT PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN BRAZIL

“As citizens from all over the world, we are uniting our voices to demand urgent justice for the indigenous peoples of Brazil.” This is urgent; please sign.  #Climate [Link]

29 May 2023

Where have I been

Inspired by Manton’s list of countries and states he’s been to, I thought I’d come up with my own. I’ve lived in five: * The Netherlands 🇳🇱 * England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 * Austria 🇦🇹 * Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 * The United States 🇺🇸 In addition to those, I’ve been to (excluding those “I’ve technically been to

29 May 2023

AI as an evolutionary trend

I’m soliciting prompts for discussion. This piece is a part of that series. Michael Kriegh asks: ‌Do you think AI is an evolutionary trend for intelligence in the universe? If so, what do you imagine that trend will look like in 50 years? 100 years? If not, why not?

29 May 2023

Games

TimeGuessr

Fun little game that asks you to guess the place and time a series of photos were taken. My best score so far: 38,000.  #Games [Link]

29 May 2023

Power of One

“It’s not about how many views you have, how many likes, trying to max all your stats… sometimes a single connection to another human is all that matters.”  #Technology [Link]

29 May 2023

This moment isn't about decentralization

I think it’s important to understand that what’s happening today in social media is not because decentralization’s time has come: it’s because Twitter’s time has gone. The core need being expressed by millions of users isn’t “get me a decentralized protocol that nobody owns

27 May 2023

Why do prison emails cost so much?

I’m soliciting prompts for discussion. This piece is a part of that series. An anonymous reader asks: ‌Why do emails in jail cost 50 cents each? Since around 2016, US inmates in 43 state prison systems and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been able to send electronic messages

26 May 2023

How We Reached Dairy Farm Workers to Write About Them

“The reporters’ process underscores one of our central beliefs at ProPublica: Publishing a story about injustice isn’t enough if we don’t reach the people who are directly affected.”  #Media [Link]

26 May 2023

How I Won $5 Million From the MyPillow Guy and Saved Democracy

“But if more people sought truth, even when that truth is contrary to their beliefs — such as when a Republican like me destroys a Republican myth — then I think we really can save democracy in America. In fact, I think that’s the only way.”  #Democracy [Link]

26 May 2023

2023: The year equitable journalism goes mainstream

“For too long, journalism has had a laser focus on holding power to account, rather than widening its aperture to recognize the opportunity to build and share power in and with communities.”  #Media [Link]

25 May 2023

Henry Kissinger at 100: Still a War Criminal

“Kissinger’s diplomatic conniving led to or enabled slaughters around the globe. As he blows out all those candles, let’s call the roll.” #Democracy [Link]

25 May 2023
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Ben Werdmuller

Ben Werdmuller

Writing at the intersection of technology, journalism, and community.

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Ben Werdmuller explores the intersection of technology, democracy, and society. Always independently published, reader-supported, and free to read.