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J.B Payne

@abstractivist.bsky.social
286 followers 460 following 76 posts

Critical theorist, sociologist, philosophy nerd. Honorary academic at UoA. Abstraction, tech, capital, politics. Advocating against homelessness and mental distress in my day job. Tangata Tiriti. Ko Ōtautahi te kāinga. 🇵🇸 ☭

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by J.B Payne
CindyBax @cindybax.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
OMG full page full racist Hobson’s Pledge in The Post today is this even legal? #nzpol
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Brett @brettcd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I'm from Nuzlind and I endorse this ad. #NZPol youtube.com/shorts/bRP1k...
youtube.com
NZ Election 2026 | 100% Pure S*itF@^kery
YouTube video by thejuicemedia
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nullifie @nullifie.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
A photo of Donald Trump inspecting the scale model of the Trump arch with drones, snipers, and golden statues was unavailable due to reporters being banned from the briefing. So, here is Hitler and other top Nazis inspecting a scale model of a planned Triumphal Arch in Berlin, circa 1939.
A photo of Donald Trump inspecting the scale model of the Trump arch with drones, snipers, and golden statues was unavailable due to reporters being banned from the briefing. So, here is Hitler and other top Nazis inspecting a scale model of a planned Triumphal Arch in Berlin, circa 1939.
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Char Of AotearoaNZ @kiwichar.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Found elsewhere, worth a share here. #nzpol #OneTermGovernment #NZ
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CindyBax @cindybax.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
This is only the past week of headlines... Do we really want more of this? #nzpol
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Dr Bex @drbex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
371 Kāinga Ora developments (involving 1,576 planned homes) were cancelled by Chris Bishop when he came to power. Bishop also slashed the accessibility requirements for state housing. drbex.substack.com/p/social-hou...
drbex.substack.com
Social housing is a key part of solving homelessness
Cancelling over 1500 new social housing builds is both fiscally and socially irresponsible, given homelessness is on the rise
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I'm guessing nobody has told Luxon how a strike works... #nzpol
Quote under an image of Christopher Luxon saying striking public service workers "should be at work"
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harkin61.bsky.social @harkin61.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
#nzpol
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James W @jamesw228.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
If anyone believes ACT will actually build a dedicated cancer hospital which is publicly funded and operated, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you #nzpol www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rnz.co.nz
ACT to campaign on Paul Henry's 'Starship for cancer' proposal
The ACT Party wants to build New Zealand's first dedicated national cancer centre, turning a musing from new candidate Paul Henry into a campaign promise.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
lithub.com/how-accusati...
lithub.com
How Accusations Against Black Academics Point to the Real End of “Woke 1.0”
This week, the British academy was rocked by a scandal that curdled into a tragedy. Jason Arday, a neurodivergent Black Cambridge professor who was feted as a wunderkind by some and denigrated as a…
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Forget STUFFs clickbait headline. This is legitimately funny. Seymour knows very well that ACT would be cooked by serious donation reform. They have received +$1.7m this year alone. #nzpol www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
stuff.co.nz
Seymour attacks Opportunity’s donation limits as double standard
Opportunity has unveiled a suite of proposals aimed at limiting private influence in politics.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
"test groups who used ChatGPT had the lowest brain activity and “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioural levels”. We undergo not just cognitive offloading, but cognitive surrender: we forget what was possible..."
theguardian.com
‘I hate what AI is doing to the minds and happiness of the young’: Katherine Rundell on the view from the classroom
Education is at a crossroads, argues the author and academic. Should we embrace new technology in the name of efficiency, or is it time to fight back?
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Guess the PR hacks haven't pointed out how on brand it is for the ACT party to target children. #nzpol
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Dr Bex @drbex.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
The majority of these kids have disabilities, are non speaking, developmentally delayed, etc. Neither schools nor parents are getting the funding they need for adequate interventions, training, or support. Fining parents exacerbates the financial strain. Manhandling kids leads to abuse. #nzpol
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Andrew Dickson @andrewdickson13.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
1/7 Yet again, David Seymour provides an appalling, evidence-free policy. His new welfare reforms are built on a complete fantasy (shock!) and the machinery he’s designed will reliably break real bodies while completely missing the target. 🧵 andrewdicksonnz.substack.com/p/staining-t...
andrewdicksonnz.substack.com
Staining the Poor: The Cruelty and Coercive Control of Seymour's New Card
ACT’s cashless welfare card ignores years of failed evidence to do something far worse: treat state-sponsored financial abuse as public policy.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The disgraceful "Climate Change Response Amendment Bill" is brazen corruption dressed up as mitigation. This is utterly shameful legislation #nzpol lawnews.nz/administrati...
lawnews.nz
“Extraordinary’ bill blocking climate change lawsuits risks eroding public confidence and a ‘frontal’ challenge to the courts, TLANZ committee warns - Law News
The Law Association warns a bill blocking climate lawsuits could undermine public confidence and challenge the role of the courts.
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Dylan Reeve @dylanreeve.com · 21/07/2026
"Dylan doesn't win Lotto, but if numbers had been different he would have"
Headline screenshot:
Inflation rises to 4.1%, but if fuel prices had not changed it would be 2.9%
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Breathtaking stupidity. An unprecedented heatwave is literally killing record numbers of people in Europe while our own infrastructure is crumbling but these vandals want hit the accelerator #nzpol www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
stuff.co.nz
NZ First pledges $1b for surveying offshore oil and gas to drill
Winston Peters announced the policy saying the “existential threat to fuel security and fuel supply” was one of the most concerning issues facing New Zealand.
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Jordan Rivers @jordanriversnz.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Probably a good time to point out that after cuts to services like our bio-security under the last National Govt, M.bovis was able to breach our borders and infect our farms. It was the next Labour govt that managed to eradicate it and set up a 10 year plan to monitor its situation long term.
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GreenEggs| Toitū Te Tiriti @hekikakariki.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
#nzpol Today he’s separating himself from Brian Tamaki, but in 2018 Seymour and Tamaki were bosom buddies. Video from @mountaintui.bsky.social youtu.be/Wb2sC2XMMfA?...
youtu.be
David Seymour calls Brian Tamaki a "good man" (2018)
YouTube video by Mountain Tui
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PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 19/06/2026
Today's chart, after a couple of chunky donations to the National Party Still looks a bit lopsided😉 Chart by @marcdaalder.bsky.social #nzpol
National $823,670
Labour $401,511
Green $143,014
ACT $1,357,480
NZF $500,000
Te Pāti Māori $40,000
Opportunistic Party $290,520
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Wait, David Seymour is an asshole…who knew? www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360... #nzpol
stuff.co.nz
‘Are you ready to accept you’ve just had a beating?’: Seymour sorry for lashing out at woman in email
The ACT leader accused a concerned voter of “lazy thinking” after she wrote in with concerns about his minister spending $17k on airport parking.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Lest we forget the current NZ Government thinks AI can be rolled out as quickly as possible to discard public service workers #nzpol
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/wer...
mcsweeneys.net
We’re Diversifying the University by Hiring More Crackpots
“For too long, the university has ignored the wisdom of the donor class and hired based on academic excellence. Regrettably, this has led to the underreprese...
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Emily @emilywrites.co.nz · 05/05/2026
Please please please share this post. There is some bizarre magic spell on the words "pay equity" that makes people's eyes glaze over but there's nothing boring about working women being robbed of BILLIONS of dollars by the chaos coalition
emilywrites.co.nz
Government's treatment of women in Aotearoa goes to the United Nations
One year after legislation killed existing pay equity claims and basically ended the opportunity to bring new claims, the government is being taken to the United Nations. It's a huge deal. The team ...
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
He means it this time.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/bei...
mcsweeneys.net
Being a Luddite Is Cool and All, but Have You Seen the Hilarious Tapestries These New Looms Are Making?
“Am I worried about losing my job? Sure. It seems almost assured that eventually, my skilled craftsmanship and decades of experience will be replaced by a hu...
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
😂
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
“Our number one priority is keeping team and customers safe, and we believe that FRT can play an important role in helping to protect people from violence, abuse and intimidation,”… Yeah right.
stuff.co.nz
Bunnings to introduce facial recognition tech in all stores
The technology was intended to provide proactive warnings when serious repeat offenders entered a store.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
This is nuts…
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Teanau Tuiono @teanau.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
The Government is currently negotiating an Enhanced Border Security Partnership with the US Department of Homeland Security that would grant US agencies, including ICE, automated, direct access to New Zealanders' biometric data and identity records.
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Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist @nameshiv.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
"The Islamists oppose women getting an education," I mutter, as I aim my missile at the girls school
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kottke.org @kottke.org · 08/02/2026
The Guardian: here’s how Substack makes money hosting Nazi newsletters. These newsletters weren’t even hard to find or subtle: swastikas and in-app recommendations from one antisemitic newsletter to a bunch of others. [theguardian.com]
theguardian.com
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
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Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 27/01/2026
In the lawsuit, plaintiffs allege “that Meta and WhatsApp ‘store, analyze, and can access virtually all of WhatsApp users’ purportedly ‘private’ communications’ — and accuse the companies and their leaders of defrauding WhatsApp’s billions of users worldwide.”
bloomberg.com
Lawsuit Claims Meta Can See WhatsApp Chats in Breach of Privacy
An international group of plaintiffs sued Meta Platforms, Inc. alleging that the company has made false claims about the privacy and security of its WhatsApp chat service.
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Craig Renney @clrenney.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
#nzpol Data released by Stats NZ today shows that the cost of living rose at its fastest rate for 18 months. Prices rose for 80% of items in the CPI basket, meaning growth in prices was broad-based. Minimum wage workers are now facing a 3rd year of real terms cuts in wages. A thread
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Paul_BarlowNZ @paulbarlownz.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
This week the country was again battered by summer storms with tragic outcomes. It’s emergencies like these that our state media is really important for keeping people informed. But how am I to trust RNZ if they’re putting laundered astroturf content in with that coverage? youtu.be/RqSeS_04bfQ
youtu.be
Partisan Laundering of Data makes Media Harder to Trust When We Need It Most
YouTube video by Paul… The Other One
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The Onion @theonion.com · 09/01/2026
JD Vance Claims Renée Good Had No Authority To Be Alive In First Place
JD Vance Claims Renée Good Had No Authority To Be Alive In First Place
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Dear @theguardian.com I think the word you are looking for is ‘lies’
Screenshot of the Guardian front page that says “Trump administration unleashes torrent of untruths…”
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
www.ft.com/content/ad94...
ft.com
Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter
A look inside Elon Musk’s big tent
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Paul Fairie @paulisci.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (August)
Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through after man orders 18,000 waters
--BBC, 29 Aug 2025
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Tania Roxborogh @taniaroxborogh.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
#4 sounds like a lovely book but I didn't write it. Have had whānau up and down the country send me clippings lol Whoever put together this list that has been circulated to regional papers, didn't fact check.
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
www.historicalmaterialism.org/in-memoriam-...
historicalmaterialism.org
In memoriam: Asad Haider (1987-2025) - Historical Materialism
‘Our subjective horizon is the optimism of the intellect; our objective, structuring condition is pessimism of the will. Without optimism of the intellect, we have the party without the people. Withou...
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Sad to learn of Asad Haider’s passing. Brian Cooke’s interview with him on Philosophy Can Ruin Your Life a few years back gives some insight into what a generous and insightful thinker he was. Such a loss www.philosophycanruinyourlife.com/e/s02e04-asa...
philosophycanruinyourlife.com
S02E04 Asad Haider | Philosophy Can Ruin Your Life
Bryan Cooke and Asad Haider discuss Marxism, identity, polarization, academia, class, and emancipatory politics.
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Jewish Voice for Peace @jvp.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Since 1978, the world has observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People every November 29th.
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Russ Jones @russincheshire.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Good morning to all those people who wasted the last decade saying, "there's no point tackling climate change in the UK, because China." www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
theguardian.com
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
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samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 26/10/2025
our govt wants to spend 327 times more on a single road ($18b) than they are currently spending yearly on all of basic science in new zealand ($55m) #nzpol
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J.B Payne @abstractivist.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
People who revel in cruelty are often engaging in reactive abuse as a result of trauma… but in this instance I just think we are dealing with inherently cruel bastards: #nzpol
rnz.co.nz
Very few beneficiaries offered new non-financial sanctions, thousands have benefit cut
Thousands have had their benefits cut since new non-financial sanctions were introduced, and only nine offered the new alternative.
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Watershitdown @watershitdown.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
'Please help make parents hate teachers so I can get back to arms dealing..... sorry I mean aerospace.' #nzpol
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