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Shannon Ray

@shannonwrites.bsky.social
236 followers 272 following 126 posts

Animals, environment, etc 🐋 linktr.ee/rayshannon

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Reposted by Shannon Ray
Luke BOO 👻 ber @coolhand.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
There is a latent human anxiety about being kicked off the top of the food chain that seems to be stronger than the anxiety that we might destroy ourselves directly. So now we have abject terror about AI for the wrong reasons alongside complacency about the damage caused by humans.
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Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 19/09/2026
I promise you there would be no AI alignment problem if the CEOs of AI companies faced jail time if their AI killed anyone.
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 20/09/2026
“The fears expressed by A.I. executives are, mostly, serious and genuine,” Gideon Lewis-Kraus writes. But shouldn’t it be the job of those creating the dangers to save us from them? www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
newyorker.com
Our A.I. Problem
Why can’t the people who produced the technology, which has already shown that a different world is possible, just do the things that would prevent extinction?
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Dave Karpf @davekarpf.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Anthropic employees: NEXT-GEN AI COULD WIPE OUT HUMANITY WITH A SUPERVIRUS! Normies: that seems like a big leap. How would this AI disseminate such a virus in the real world? Anthropic employees: oh, through the wet labs we built and hooked it up to, of course. Normies: …😬😤
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Brooke Harrington @ebharrington.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
When I tell you this is one of the most riveting, concise and accurate depictions of the catastrophically defective thought processes behind Effective Altruism and the larger Broligarch Epistemic Universe... Run, don't walk, to read the whole thing (link below), which concludes thus:
Example of the problematic thinking behind Effective Altruism.
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Dr. Émile P. Torres @xriskology.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
If you want to understand the current debate about ASI extinction risk, please please read this. I explain how you've almost certainly been misled into thinking this is about saving humanity--it's NOT. The term "human extinction" doesn't mean what you think it does!
realtimetechpocalypse.com
The ASI Extinction Debate Is the Opposite of What You Think
The media needs to wake up, fast. (3,100 words.)
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Would you say this is why eg climate change and biodiversity loss aren’t EA issues? Even though they will clearly result in the deaths of billions, much suffering, and societal destabilization in the near term, they don’t ultimately existentially threaten project make tech billionaires posthuman?
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I found this really interesting; thank you! The idea that all “AI safety” means for this group is “making sure AI is aligned with the master plan to colonize space with digitized minds” is quite enlightening/frightening.
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Alex Kealy @alexkealy.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Absolutely incredible chart, Starmer's failure boils down to this stupid, flawed strategy
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Our rapid disillusionment with political leaders is treated by much of the media as some kind of pathology. But what I see is these leaders backtracking on their promises, dashing people's hopes and serving the ultra-rich ahead of the rest of the population. Why wouldn't we be disillusioned?
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Emily Cassidy @enviroem.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
People are always surprised to learn that packaging, processing, and transportation are almost always small contributors (<10%) of food-related GHG emissions. The TYPE of food we eat -- meat versus plants -- is a MUCH bigger factor.
Bar chart of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the lifecycle production of different foods. Beef and lamb are the highest emitting. Farm-level emissions and land use change emissions are the greatest contributors to lifecycle food emissions.
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Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
As @aarnegranlund.eurosky.social notes, regardless of the evidence and escalating impacts, the high carbon norms of the affluent in society go largely unquestioned.‘Sufficiency’ remains an essentially taboo issue in the mainstream climate debate.
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Robert Raymond @robpertray.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
it's hard to describe how much it sucks living in a society where things only ever get worse
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
So much life, so much beauty, so much of what makes our planet function as a system, all going up in smoke because of rampant greed and corruption. Headlines like this are heartbreaking far beyond anything words could possibly express.
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Chris Packham @chrisgpackham.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Anyone else get this earlier? petition.parliament.uk/petitions/767687
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 14/08/2026
This is fine... "Britain on fire" "Heatwave devastation" "Inferno" "Houses burn and train derails on hottest day" "Rampant wildfires engulf streets of family homes" "Record 2.5m trips to A&E" "Temps hit 38.1C as fifth heatwave peaks" "Britain in meltdown"
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dvdjnstndn.bsky.social @dvdjnstndn.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A shoddy photoshop of Andy Burnham standing in front of the Dunwich Heath wildfire, with the "This is fine" speech bubble.
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
have we tried releasing the beavers into capitalism
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
My column on how capital becomes a death cult. Faced with a choice between profit and human life, the radical right chooses profit. Then it tries to persuade us that mass death is what we want. It's the new phase of climate denial: accept your fate, earthlings. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Murderous heat, an endangered food supply, decimated landscapes: embrace the Mediterranean life | George Monbiot
As climate disaster stares us in the face, the radical right says ‘Embrace the Mediterranean life’. Embrace death, more like it, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I know he has a lot on, but in the midst of a ferocious drought, fires, heat events and severe threats to food production, it would be quite edifying to hear Andy Burnham mention climate breakdown.
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Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
So NYT reports that Third Way will spend $15-million to discredit democratic socialism ahead of the presidential elections. “Their fear: Dr. El-Sayed was paving a path for a progressive to seize the party’s presidential nomination in 2028 — and then go on to lose the general election.” Except...
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The whole world over, those political forces who insist *they* are 'moderate', 'reasoned', 'a safe pair of hands', but when in power do all they can to defend big money, and block or delay serious action on gross wealth inequality, climate and eco-collapse: these are the real extremists.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
It's time we stopped calling them "moderates". They are extremists in service to capital. And many of them appear to hate and fear the left of their own party far more than they hate and fear the Republicans. Like Starmer's Labour "centrists" (extremists) in the UK. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/u...
nytimes.com
Moderate Democrats Prepare for ‘War’ Against an Ascendant Left
One moderate group says the progressive wins are “deeply troubling” and is planning a $15 million effort against democratic socialism.
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 04/08/2026
The head of Norway's oil fund is going to flip out when someone tells him what fossil fuels do 🧐🧐🧐🧐
Nicolai Tangen in . Following
Chief Executive Officer at Norges Bank Investment Management 2h 0
TERRIBLE: Belatedly I watched 'Dopesick', unbelievable that a company can cut lives short for profits.
MICHAEL
PETER
MICHAEL
KAITLYN
ROSARIO
KEATON SARSGAARD STUHLBARG WITH
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
But the researchers (who I realize are my former colleagues and I should probably just email them this) never seem to say this, and not eating animal foods is so unconscionable to people that they think “well I’ll just have to pick the harm I’m more ok with” instead Anyway, George’s thread is 🔥
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
This message — intensive is horrific for welfare, extensive is horrific for environment and therefore kills us all, so don’t eat any of it — is the obvious one that comes from studies like these
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Even worse for animal welfare tho :(
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
The descriptor “researcher” is so misleading He’s a researcher in the way that like, ezra klein is a researcher … which kind of tells you everything you need to know
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Yes tech bros suck, yes AI is a completely unnecessary and in many ways harmful extravagance, but the notion that it’s pushing our planet to the brink is … just not supported by the evidence, which tells us that land use change for animal farming is THE no 1 environmental issue
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
The difference being: one of those things is a product they dislike and boycott, and the other is a product they love and participate in But what does it say about the left that we’ll happily neglect reality to create narratives that are more convenient to us?
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
I am no fan of the tech industry but it strikes me that the left has mobilized around the environmental impacts of data centers in a way that they have never been interested in doing around things with incomparably worse environmental impacts, like the meat industry
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
I know people who clung onto the Labour Party in the slim chance that after Keir Starmer things might have been different. Labour consistently revealing there's absolutely no plan for change. The puurpose is to maintain power & wealth for the super rich. Join.greenparty.org.uk
join.greenparty.org.uk
Join the Green Party
Join the Green Party from just £6 a year. Become a member today - join the only party standing up for people and planet.
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Grace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 15/07/2026
"Whether it’s the cartoon super-villainy of Alex Karp, the lies of Sam Altman, or the Hitler worship of Elon Musk, the mask is off and the psychotic personalities behind these companies have been revealed for all to see." Great new guest post from Ryan Ward open.substack.com/pub/gracebla...
open.substack.com
What you hate about AI is the capitalism
AI pulls the curtain back on the extractive logic that orders our lives
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
“Because global temperature lags ENSO by around three to five months, most of this event’s warming will land in 2027, which is now shaping up to be a genuinely alarming year and the warmest on record by a sizable margin.”
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
This point needs to be made over and again: The main purpose of wealth taxes should not be to raise revenue. That's a small and secondary benefit. The main purpose should be to *reduce the fortunes of the ultrarich*. Why? Because those fortunes present a massive threat to democracy and public life.
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
I’d add to this that reducing the fortunes of the rich also frees up productive capacity to build the stuff the rest of us actually need — and that the “fleeing the country” problem can be mitigated somewhat by introducing tax rules that require emigrants to keep paying tax (like the US has)
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Housing is in short supply & unaffordable mainly due to financialisation, absence of strong rent controls, the death-grip of 6 volume housebuilders on the sector, and their landbanking and other strategies designed to restrict supply. Plenty of analysis showing planning is seldom the blockage.
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
P sure there’s literally a black mirror episode about this
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Jason Hickel @jasonhickel.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Why did our ruling class not invest in decarbonising faster to avoid this acceleration in deadly heatwaves that scientists warned would come? Because of the capitalist law of value.
jasonhickel.substack.com
Climate socialism
I am writing this message to the millions of people who have been involved in the climate movement over the past several years.
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Jason Hickel @jasonhickel.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
"The climate crisis cannot be addressed within capitalism. It is vital that we understand this fact and develop our strategies accordingly, otherwise we are headed for certain failure. And failure is not an option." jasonhickel.substack.com/p/climate-so...
jasonhickel.substack.com
Climate socialism
I am writing this message to the millions of people who have been involved in the climate movement over the past several years.
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Jason Hickel @jasonhickel.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Seven years ago a representative from Google reached out to me in an official capacity to discuss the company's energy use. I told them it would become necessary for major firms in core economies to reduce energy use in order to enable Paris-compliant decarbonisation.
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Yeah 100%! I (embarrassingly) got in a BSky debate with a stranger recently who posts about data center environmental impacts but got angry at someone for saying that meat has big env impacts 🙄 People who acknowledge but don’t exaggerate the problem are rare!
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
There’s a lack of self-awareness in the suggestion that everyone worried about the environmental impacts of data centers only cares because they hate AI, but that people on the AI kool aid are being totally impartial when defending data centers
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Just to be clear: my place is grazed by a very few Dexter cattle in the winter. Grazing at the right levels (which immediately excludes commercially viable densities of livestock), and for limited periods of time, can be highly beneficial to ecosystem recovery.
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Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
As someone in this picture I find it a little odd that @natureportfolio.nature.com chose this image to illustrate the point. We were very careful when choosing a slogan for our signs that it be scientificly defenceable. "Science says New Oil & Gas = Death" is a plain statement of fact 🧵
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Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
What *actually* works — right here, right now — to address climate change? Here you go. This is the result of thousands of hours of painstaking research and analysis from the Project Drawdown team.
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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimals.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
“‘We mostly think of nature as biodiversity, a concept, but this made it so personal, so emotional and so horrific.’” Fascinating study that asked volunteers to imagine — first-hand — what it might be like to live as a wild animal.
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
We don’t need more land to grow crops; we desperately need land to be restored to nature. And yes, it’s feeding people, but in a deeply inefficient way that is destroying life support systems. We can feed so many more people with 75% less land and restore the rest to nature.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 26/06/2026
European heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists say
theguardian.com
European heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists say
Study also finds high humidity means people in hundreds of cities are enduring their worst ever heat stress The heatwave scorching western Europe is the most severe and widespread ever and is only possible due to the climate crisis driven by fossil fuel burning, scientists have said. Almost half of Europe’s 850 largest cities are also enduring their worst ever heat stress, a combination of temperature and humidity, they found. Muggier conditions mean sweating is less effective at cooling the body, making heatwaves even more dangerous. Continue reading...
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Shannon Ray @shannonwrites.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Animal ag uses 634 trillion gallons of water a year, is the number one driver of biodiversity loss, uses 40% of the planet’s land, and accounts for 15% of global emissions. It’s harder to confront your diet than it is to hate AI companies, but that doesn’t change what the “right track” is
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