Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026www.abc.net.au/religion/mid...abc.net.auIn Dallas, Donald Trump’s dominance and detachment from reality were on display - ABC Religion & EthicsLast week’s mid-term convention highlighted both Trump’s total dominion over the Republican Party, and the fact that the US president lives in a fantasy land where facts don’t matter. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 11/09/2026TV Meets Fruit Machine www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...lrb.co.ukWilliam Davies · TV Meets Fruit Machine: Faragist TikTokIn my own For You journey into Faragism, I was struck by the recurring assumption that the ultimate prize was exit of... 001
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Important to read and a great piece of bracing journalism open.substack.com/pub/owenjone...open.substack.comThe 9/11 wars were a bigger crime than you think9/11 was a terrible crime. What followed was the crime of the century 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 06/09/2026This is very concerning: Why the Hugging Face Hack Should Make You Worry More About A.I. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/t...nytimes.comWhy the Hugging Face Hack Should Make You Worry More About A.I.The attack by an aggressive “collective” of OpenAI agents shows the danger of artificial intelligence systems that organize themselves. 020
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Appalling: prospect.org/2026/08/31/w...prospect.org‘What America Did to Me Is Wrong’: Inside One of the Largest Third-Country Removal Flights So Far - The American ProspectOn July 31, an estimated 71 detainees were expelled to various countries on a hellish flight to Africa. Many were then illegally returned to their home countries. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 18/08/2026‘A Blatant and Gargantuan Conflict of Interest’ www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/o...nytimes.comOpinion | ‘A Blatant and Gargantuan Conflict of Interest’The Trump family’s crypto business exemplifies all of the sleaziest aspects of the president’s code of conduct. 010
Reposted by Brendon O'ConnorHari Kunzru @harikunzru.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Thanks for this thoughtful piece @brendonoconnor.bsky.social 0378
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 18/08/2026I’m a Psychiatrist. I’m Hearing Something New From Young Women. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/o...nytimes.comOpinion | How to Find Your Daughter’s Therapy-Speak Less TraumatizingStep 1: Take it seriously, not literally. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Here is an essay I wrote for The Metropolitan Review on the novels of Hari Kunzru: metropolitanreview.com/revolutionar...metropolitanreview.comRevolutionary Blues: On the Novels of Hari Kunzru - The Metropolitan ReviewFor some of us avid readers, the joy of reading novels is nearly matched by the pleasure of recommending them to our most simpatico friends. Thoughtful criticism can play this role writ large. I can s... 042
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Israel’s migration statistics The exodus from Israel giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...giftarticle.ft.comThe exodus from IsraelImmigration is at the heart of the country’s self-image. But people have been leaving 100
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Abbas fought the Taliban alongside US and Australian troops. Now exiled in Iran, he feels abandoned www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...theguardian.comAbbas fought the Taliban alongside US and Australian troops. Now exiled in Iran, he feels abandonedFive years after the fall of Kabul, the former Afghan soldier is stuck in the middle of a new American war 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Cool article about the precise use of words www.smh.com.au/national/the...smh.com.auThere’s no getting around it: We need to talk about this irksome wordDo you say “about” or “around”? Trust me: it matters. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026If You Weren’t Worried About A.I., You Should Be After the Past Few Weeks www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/o...nytimes.comOpinion | If You Weren’t Worried About A.I., You Should Be After the Past Few WeeksIf there was ever a time to consider halting development of A.I., it’s now. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Here is my take on Muskism: www.abc.net.au/religion/mus...abc.net.auMuskism isn’t just post-Fordist, it’s post-humanist - ABC Religion & EthicsA new book by Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff explains why Elon Musk has increasingly chosen to use his wealth and power to advance far-right politics and why he advocates accelerating the integration... 0104
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 12/08/2026I wrote this article a while back on Punk, Fascism and Trump: www.abc.net.au/religion/the...abc.net.auTheatricality and threat: Is Donald Trump a fascist? - ABC Religion & EthicsIt can be hard to take Trump’s antics seriously. But just because his fascism is delivered with a voice, fake tan and coiffed hairstyle that are easily satirised, we should not treat him as less dange... 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 11/08/2026www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgGuns and bulletproof vests: How federal agents arrested Fauci aideDavid Morens, 78, was stripped and handcuffed for email violations 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 11/08/2026What is punk? This guy has a definitioin. www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/a...theguardian.comJohn Cameron Mitchell: ‘It’s punk to turn off your phone – you’re walking away from the herd’The writer, director and star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch on turning down David Bowie, falling off a Broadway stage, and a cringeworthy moment with Nicole Kidman 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026The Architecture of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza foreignpolicy.com/2026/08/04/g...foreignpolicy.comThe Architecture of Israel’s Genocide in GazaA new book describes the destruction of Palestinian life street by street. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026What Everyone Is Missing About Ceuta foreignpolicy.com/2026/08/06/c...foreignpolicy.comWhat Everyone Is Missing About CeutaThe history of the disputed exclave should inform what Spain does next. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...newleftreview.orgAnatol Lieven, Mutual Delusion — SidecarThe war in Ukraine. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Crazy story! Inside a meme factory: meet one of thousands of Indonesians trading political outrage clicks for Facebook cash www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...theguardian.comInside a meme factory: meet one of thousands of Indonesians trading political outrage clicks for Facebook cashExclusive: Adira says she doesn’t know much about her target countries or even know who their leaders are. Instead she’s chasing money from Meta, which pays for engagement 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 04/08/2026This is worth reading on US-China tech rivalry: www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comThe Future, Made in ChinaBeijing is competing with the U.S. for tech supremacy. Who wins will have huge political implications. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Are Trump’s most blatant authoritarian moves backfiring? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comAre Trump’s most blatant authoritarian moves backfiring? | Jan-Werner MüllerThe president’s methods, from ‘flooding the zone’ with scandals to prioritizing loyalty over competence, could ultimately weaken rather than strengthen him 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 29/07/2026www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...theatlantic.comHow Netanyahu Lost AmericaThe prime minister, a self-styled expert on the U.S., has shattered his country’s standing. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary?Why does the owner of X get a pass for what he says and does there? 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 06/05/2026Clear discussion of foreign policy today. Good overview open.spotify.com/episode/0e1B...open.spotify.com‘Ask Me Anything’—the Iran War Edition 010
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 23/04/2026Trump Holds the American People in Total Contempt www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Trump Holds the American People in Total Contempt 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Excellent overview of the craziest nonsense that is now powerful and taken seriously! open.spotify.com/episode/7Dmt...open.spotify.comSpotify – Web Player 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 22/04/2026This article on the far-right groypers is insightful: www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comHow the Internet Fringe Infiltrated Republican PoliticsInside the battle for the post-MAGA G.O.P. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Trump Is Said to Be in Talks to Send Afghans Who Aided U.S. Forces to Congo www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/w...nytimes.comTrump Is Said to Be in Talks to Send Afghans Who Aided U.S. Forces to Congo 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/04/2026Such an important decision and Trump’s inner circle expressed little support for war: How Trump Took the U.S. to War With Iran www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/u...nytimes.comHow Trump Took the U.S. to War With Iran 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 04/04/2026Trump Wants to Make Deportation Deals. Autocrats Are Ready to Listen. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/w...nytimes.comTrump Wants to Make Deportation Deals. Autocrats Are Ready to Listen. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 29/03/2026Prominent Climate Scientist Resigns From NASA, Citing Trump’s Attack on Science www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/c...nytimes.comProminent Climate Scientist Resigns From NASA, Citing Trump’s Attack on Science 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 18/03/2026This is well worth listening to: open.spotify.com/episode/2TIm...open.spotify.comPete Hegseth’s Holy War 010
Reposted by Brendon O'ConnorPaul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 16/03/2026I wrote about it! www.ms.now/opinion/oil-...ms.nowOpinion | With oil prices spiking, Trump's policies curbing electric vehicles look even worsePaul Waldman: Because of Trump, there are fewer drivers of electric vehicles on our roads 1139377
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 17/03/2026What was Doge? How Elon Musk tried to gamify government www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...theguardian.comWhat was Doge? How Elon Musk tried to gamify governmentThe long read: Steeped in gaming and rightwing culture wars, Musk and his team of teenage coders set out to defeat the enemy of the United States: its people 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 17/03/2026Explainer: What is the "liberal international order" www.gmfus.org/news/what-li...gmfus.orgWhat is the Liberal International Order? 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 17/03/2026For those interested in arguments about the liberal world order and the "Westphalian system-sovereignty" this is a rather maximalist position: www.proquest.com/docview/8635...proquest.comThe Future of the Liberal World Order: - ProQuestExplore millions of resources from scholarly journals, books, newspapers, videos and more, on the ProQuest Platform. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 12/03/2026The Unmaking of the American University Fascinating piece The Unmaking of the American University www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comThe Unmaking of the American UniversityFor decades, research universities have relied on federal funding, with no guarantee that it will last. Now their survival may depend on compliance with the government. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 11/03/2026Trump’s ‘quasi-dove’ era is over. Iran strikes expose his hawkish turn www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...theguardian.comTrump’s ‘quasi-dove’ era is over. Iran strikes expose his hawkish turnDeploying the world’s most powerful military seems to exert an almost erotic fascination for Donald Trump 010
Reposted by Brendon O'ConnorThe New York Times @nytimes.com · 10/03/2026Mangled missile fragments purporting to be from the deadly strikes that hit a naval base and elementary school in southern Iran on Feb. 28 bear the markings of an American cruise missile, according to an analysis by The New York Times.nyti.msMissile in Deadly Iranian School Strike Appears to Be U.S.-Made, Photos Taken by Iran ShowIranian state media posted mangled remnants it claims were from the Feb. 28 attack in Minab. An analysis shows they have the markings of a missile made by American manufacturers 28880278
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 10/03/2026Trump’s Smash-and-Grab Presidency Reaches New Heights www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Trump’s Smash-and-Grab Presidency Reaches New Heights 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026The Christian Nationalist dimension to the war against Iran open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...open.substack.comU.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of JesusAdvocacy group reports commanders giving similar messages at more than 30 installations in every branch of the military 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Good overview of the war against Iran and why Australia’s support should be questioned open.spotify.com/episode/0u0V...open.spotify.comThe US Israel Strike on IranSpotify video 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Good overview of the US approach to Iran open.spotify.com/episode/0OVv...open.spotify.comThe Washington Roundtable on the Iran War 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Reports on defending war criminals Turning a Blind Eye to War Crimes www.newyorker.com/news/news-de...newyorker.comTurning a Blind Eye to War CrimesA second Trump Administration could give impunity to American soldiers who commit atrocities. 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Background article on the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s Secret History www.newyorker.com/news/news-de...newyorker.comPete Hegseth’s Secret HistoryA whistle-blower report and other documents suggest that Trump’s nominee to run the Pentagon was forced out of previous leadership positions for financial mismanagement, sexist behavior, and being rep... 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 08/03/2026Recent U.S. Assessment Found an Attack on Iran Unlikely to Result in Regime Change www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/w...nytimes.comRecent U.S. Assessment Found an Attack on Iran Unlikely to Result in Regime Change 010
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 04/03/2026Trump Tries to Quiet Claims Among Supporters That Israel Dragged Him Into War www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/u...nytimes.comTrump Tries to Quiet Claims Among Supporters That Israel Dragged Him Into War 000
Brendon O'Connor @brendonoconnor.bsky.social · 03/03/2026This is an interesting take on the War against Iran www.forever-wars.com/interceptors...forever-wars.comInterceptors Versus Missiles: The Iran War's Wrath of The MathA theory of Iranian strategy. PLUS: Me, Chris Hayes and Ayman Mohyeldin on the war's politics 000