Tuomas Äystö
@aystotuomas.eurosky.social
Associate Professor (Docent) and University Lecturer, Study of Religion, Uni Helsinki. Co-editor of Temenos - Nordic Journal for the Study of Religion.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=fi&user=0NxHFoEAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=fi&user=0NxHFoEAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
AI-bros evoke the Terminator scenario, because they would rather talk about that than the regulation of data centres, non-consensual pornography, war stuff, propaganda, copyrights, mental health...
"They ask to be regulated".
Well, they want regulation for the Terminator. Not for the other stuff.
"They ask to be regulated".
Well, they want regulation for the Terminator. Not for the other stuff.
September 12, 2026 at 6:56 PM
AI-bros evoke the Terminator scenario, because they would rather talk about that than the regulation of data centres, non-consensual pornography, war stuff, propaganda, copyrights, mental health...
"They ask to be regulated".
Well, they want regulation for the Terminator. Not for the other stuff.
"They ask to be regulated".
Well, they want regulation for the Terminator. Not for the other stuff.
How to create and then dismantle a welfare state and an equal society.
(Data from wid.world/country/swed... )
(Data from wid.world/country/swed... )
September 9, 2026 at 7:12 AM
How to create and then dismantle a welfare state and an equal society.
(Data from wid.world/country/swed... )
(Data from wid.world/country/swed... )
He could at least refrain from using our national anthem as the soundtrack.
Kash Patel posted an AI slop video yesterday about how much the FBI is benefiting from AI.
The FBI seal in the video says "Bureal" instead of Bureau.
The FBI seal in the video says "Bureal" instead of Bureau.
Federal 'Bureal' of Investigation: Kash Patel Posts Embarrassing Slop Video About How Much the FBI Loves AI
Is anybody checking this stuff for accuracy over there?
gizmodo.com
September 4, 2026 at 7:03 PM
He could at least refrain from using our national anthem as the soundtrack.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
"Principal investigators need cheap grad and postdoc labor to boost their own research profiles. Treating them like workers by allowing them to unionize disrupts the feudal lord-serf relationship that exists in most labs."
There I fixed it for you
There I fixed it for you
Opinion | Postdocs Aren’t Burger Flippers: Why Unionization Is a Bad Idea
Unionization disrupts the bespoke mentor-mentee relationships that are central to the advancement of science. By Evan D. Morris: https://bit.ly/3Sus7fa
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
Unionization disrupts the bespoke mentor-mentee relationships that are central to the advancement of science. By Evan D. Morris: https://bit.ly/3Sus7fa
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
August 27, 2026 at 9:28 PM
"Principal investigators need cheap grad and postdoc labor to boost their own research profiles. Treating them like workers by allowing them to unionize disrupts the feudal lord-serf relationship that exists in most labs."
There I fixed it for you
There I fixed it for you
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
New book alert.: “Neoliberalism and authoritarian populism are some of the main forces endangering contemporary universities. This applies to the study of religion in several ways…”
@teemutaira.bsky.social @equinoxpub.bsky.social @naasr.bsky.social
@teemutaira.bsky.social @equinoxpub.bsky.social @naasr.bsky.social
August 25, 2026 at 10:33 AM
New book alert.: “Neoliberalism and authoritarian populism are some of the main forces endangering contemporary universities. This applies to the study of religion in several ways…”
@teemutaira.bsky.social @equinoxpub.bsky.social @naasr.bsky.social
@teemutaira.bsky.social @equinoxpub.bsky.social @naasr.bsky.social
My feeds are sure getting a lot of video clips on how to make living in a car better.
August 26, 2026 at 2:19 PM
My feeds are sure getting a lot of video clips on how to make living in a car better.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
History of Religions Vol. 66, No. 1 (2026) www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/hr/2026/... @chicagojournals.bsky.social Bruce Lincoln's Secrets, Lies, and Consequences: A Review Symposium
@mccutcheonsays.bsky.social
@adeler.bsky.social
@mccutcheonsays.bsky.social
@adeler.bsky.social
History of Religions | Vol 66, No 1
www.journals.uchicago.edu
August 20, 2026 at 1:48 PM
History of Religions Vol. 66, No. 1 (2026) www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/hr/2026/... @chicagojournals.bsky.social Bruce Lincoln's Secrets, Lies, and Consequences: A Review Symposium
@mccutcheonsays.bsky.social
@adeler.bsky.social
@mccutcheonsays.bsky.social
@adeler.bsky.social
I've now seen some researchers, who use Atlas.TI to code their data (and it's a good software to do that) also state, that they did not use the new AI features but actually read the data and coded it themselves. I guess I need to start making a remark about this too, or swich to some other program.
August 20, 2026 at 12:26 PM
I've now seen some researchers, who use Atlas.TI to code their data (and it's a good software to do that) also state, that they did not use the new AI features but actually read the data and coded it themselves. I guess I need to start making a remark about this too, or swich to some other program.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
We have just witnessed an incredible A/B test showing how plagiarism allegations at Cambridge University play out depending on how racialized the subject of the allegations are and it says nothing good about our society or the state of "race relations".
O'Reilly is still in post.
O'Reilly is still in post.
Plagiarising professor stays in post and threatens student journalists
More than twelve pages of an article published under O’Reilly's name had been lifted almost word for word from two essays by one of his students
www.varsity.co.uk
August 15, 2026 at 7:37 AM
We have just witnessed an incredible A/B test showing how plagiarism allegations at Cambridge University play out depending on how racialized the subject of the allegations are and it says nothing good about our society or the state of "race relations".
O'Reilly is still in post.
O'Reilly is still in post.
So interesting @suscrockford.bsky.social !
Why Climate Change Sounds Like Apocalypticism (feat. Dr. Susannah Crockford)
YouTube video by ReligionForBreakfast
youtu.be
August 7, 2026 at 4:51 PM
So interesting @suscrockford.bsky.social !
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
Good morning, scholars.
August 1, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Good morning, scholars.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
there is a skill to asking tough questions in a friendly way and we'd all be better off if it were more widely distributed
I think academic philosophy has gotten a lot less overtly mean over the last couple decades, and that’s overall good. But it is sorta *weird* that as a result a lot of people sorta linger in the hallway after talks to whisper ‘that was shit, right?’ to one another
one thing I’ll note on this is that as a young grad student it can be pretty disheartening to see a talk you’re pretty sure is bs but no one in the q&a is calling it out, and now you’re wondering if there’s something you aren’t getting
August 1, 2026 at 6:40 PM
there is a skill to asking tough questions in a friendly way and we'd all be better off if it were more widely distributed
So, this is bad.
A Minnesota religious studies professor is facing six years in prison, with the DOJ saying he is part of an "antifa" conspiracy against ICE
Erik Davis speaks out about his prosecution, largely based on a handful of his comments in Signal chats. He's not accused of any violence
“It’s petty revenge"
Erik Davis speaks out about his prosecution, largely based on a handful of his comments in Signal chats. He's not accused of any violence
“It’s petty revenge"
The professor facing prison in ‘antifa’ case: ‘They want to scare all who oppose ICE’
Erik Davis is accused by the government of a ‘conspiracy’ to obstruct ICE – experts say it’s part of a pattern to criminalize lawful organizing and ruin activists’ lives
www.theguardian.com
July 29, 2026 at 9:16 PM
So, this is bad.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
church of scientology, print ad, your commodore, magazine (1986) archive.org/details/16-y...
July 28, 2026 at 7:31 AM
church of scientology, print ad, your commodore, magazine (1986) archive.org/details/16-y...
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
Saying universities have to allow AI because people are using it anyway is identical to demanding that mainstream TV stations show hardcore pornography.
Like, yes, you can certainly make that argument. But only an absolute fool would see this response as the only viable course of action.
Like, yes, you can certainly make that argument. But only an absolute fool would see this response as the only viable course of action.
July 11, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Saying universities have to allow AI because people are using it anyway is identical to demanding that mainstream TV stations show hardcore pornography.
Like, yes, you can certainly make that argument. But only an absolute fool would see this response as the only viable course of action.
Like, yes, you can certainly make that argument. But only an absolute fool would see this response as the only viable course of action.
EU politicians: what on earth are you still doing there?
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy quits TwitterX. This should be the first of many.
July 2, 2026 at 7:38 PM
EU politicians: what on earth are you still doing there?
This fits:
"Tommy Robinson says Russia is not an enemy as he travels to meet Elon Musk’s father in Moscow."
"Tommy Robinson says Russia is not an enemy as he travels to meet Elon Musk’s father in Moscow."
Tommy Robinson says Russia is not an enemy as he travels to Moscow
Robinson posted a video of himself and Errol Musk in which he says ‘We are going to go and cause some trouble’
www.independent.co.uk
June 13, 2026 at 8:03 AM
This fits:
"Tommy Robinson says Russia is not an enemy as he travels to meet Elon Musk’s father in Moscow."
"Tommy Robinson says Russia is not an enemy as he travels to meet Elon Musk’s father in Moscow."
New issue of Temenos - Nordic Journal for the Study of Religion is out, open access.
journal.fi/temenos/issu...
Articles on topics such as environmentalism, indigenous activism, Asatru in Denmark, Jewish radicalism, and religious dreams from a cognitivist perspective.
journal.fi/temenos/issu...
Articles on topics such as environmentalism, indigenous activism, Asatru in Denmark, Jewish radicalism, and religious dreams from a cognitivist perspective.
June 11, 2026 at 9:50 AM
New issue of Temenos - Nordic Journal for the Study of Religion is out, open access.
journal.fi/temenos/issu...
Articles on topics such as environmentalism, indigenous activism, Asatru in Denmark, Jewish radicalism, and religious dreams from a cognitivist perspective.
journal.fi/temenos/issu...
Articles on topics such as environmentalism, indigenous activism, Asatru in Denmark, Jewish radicalism, and religious dreams from a cognitivist perspective.
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
I’m a little behind on my podcasts, even my favorite ones, but guys …
@ardenthistorian.bsky.social and @adriandaub.bsky.social talking about Silicon Valley weirdness was so good. I could listen to them for hours. (I also recommend Adrian’s book.)
www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/the...
@ardenthistorian.bsky.social and @adriandaub.bsky.social talking about Silicon Valley weirdness was so good. I could listen to them for hours. (I also recommend Adrian’s book.)
www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/the...
The Sunday Interview: Governing Without Accountability: Silicon Valley’s Ideology with Adrian Daub
www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com
June 7, 2026 at 5:39 PM
I’m a little behind on my podcasts, even my favorite ones, but guys …
@ardenthistorian.bsky.social and @adriandaub.bsky.social talking about Silicon Valley weirdness was so good. I could listen to them for hours. (I also recommend Adrian’s book.)
www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/the...
@ardenthistorian.bsky.social and @adriandaub.bsky.social talking about Silicon Valley weirdness was so good. I could listen to them for hours. (I also recommend Adrian’s book.)
www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/the...
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
The new Department of Defense faith codes list also classifies Orthodox Judaism as a type of Orthodox Christianity and "Reformed Judaism" as a type of Reformed Christian, while classifying Messianic Jews as a type of Judaism.
June 7, 2026 at 3:07 PM
The new Department of Defense faith codes list also classifies Orthodox Judaism as a type of Orthodox Christianity and "Reformed Judaism" as a type of Reformed Christian, while classifying Messianic Jews as a type of Judaism.
Pentagon removes 180 items from its internally recognized list of religions (related to chaplains etc.), leaving only 31.
Did the US military facilitate the practice of, say, Wicca a lot before this change?
Did the US military facilitate the practice of, say, Wicca a lot before this change?
Pentagon drops 180 religions from its recognized faiths list
A former Army chaplain called the reported changes a ‘tragedy’
www.independent.co.uk
June 5, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Pentagon removes 180 items from its internally recognized list of religions (related to chaplains etc.), leaving only 31.
Did the US military facilitate the practice of, say, Wicca a lot before this change?
Did the US military facilitate the practice of, say, Wicca a lot before this change?
"Anthropic's Olah appears alongside pope at Vatican."
Anthropic's Olah says AI must be guided from outside Big Tech
The company's co-founder urged greater oversight from religious leaders, governments and civil society.
www.reuters.com
May 26, 2026 at 9:32 AM
"Anthropic's Olah appears alongside pope at Vatican."
We are not really aiming to advance the concept of Christian nationalism as such (especially not in the normative sense), but we had the data to examine whether the concept would work analytically in a completely different context, so we took the opportunity.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
May 12, 2026 at 9:05 AM
We are not really aiming to advance the concept of Christian nationalism as such (especially not in the normative sense), but we had the data to examine whether the concept would work analytically in a completely different context, so we took the opportunity.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Tuomas Äystö
"The humanities are not a luxury. They are how a democracy understands itself." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/a...
DOGE’s Termination of Humanities Grants Is Ruled Unconstitutional
www.nytimes.com
May 8, 2026 at 2:19 AM
"The humanities are not a luxury. They are how a democracy understands itself." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/a...