J Roach

Xian. Husband. Dad. Minister. Dog lover. My interactions and follows do not = endorsements or reflections of doctrinal and/or political alignment.

[James Lynch @jameslynch32]

The argument for giving AI systems personhood status rests on the notion that humanness is primarily based on cognitive performance.

As @johnehrett explains for @FamStudies, this could have deadly consequences for people who don't meet certain IQ thresholds.

[Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel]

A small fraction of online actors now exerts outsized influence over what the public sees, believes, and argues about.
In a new short review paper, we trace how social media influencers can turn fringe claims into viral narratives—often by exploiting a feedback loop between influencers, algorithms, and crowds.
As such, the modern information environment enables a tyranny of the minority: extreme and coordinated voices dominate attention, distort perceived social norms, and create a “funhouse mirror” version of public opinion that makes fringe positions look common and conflict look inevitable.
We synthesize emerging evidence that a tiny number of highly active users drives a disproportionate share of misinformation and toxicity, and explain how platform incentives reward moralized, identity-salient, and emotionally charged content.
We conclude by outlining pragmatic responses—individual, institutional, and policy-level—and by highlighting how generative AI could either accelerate bespoke realities or help rebuild shared understanding, depending on how these systems are designed and governed. https://t.co/9oZRF8y8mL

We (@PillaiRaunak & @steverathje2) reviewed @noUpside's fantastic book "INVISIBLE RULERS" and connected it to the research we have been doing on this topic for the past decade.

[J Roach @JRoa1208]

@pastorjessen

[Ari Lamm @AriLamm]

Why Read The Bible In Hebrew?

So, remember how Joseph gets sold into slavery in Egypt and eventually rises to become Pharaoh's second-in-command?

Well...why doesn't Joseph ever write home to his father to tell him that he's alive?

A thread (for non-Hebrew readers too!) 🧵1

[Andy Ngo @MrAndyNgo]

NYC, a sanctuary city that initially welcomed illegal migrants, has been using taxpayer funds to fly them to other cities. This was the program that flew Laken Riley’s killer to GA. An undercover journalist shows how easy it is to get a ticket to Hawaii.

[Adam Grant @AdamMGrant]

One of the most reliable ways to improve our mental health is to help others.

After being randomly assigned to do just 3 acts of kindness a week, people felt significantly less depressed, anxious, and lonely.

Lifting others up elevates us too. Giving shows us that we matter.

[City Journal @CityJournal]

.@troy_senik on the historical parallels between the Gilded Age and the 2024 election. Hint: a president elected to non-consecutive terms is just one of many similarities. https://t.co/DbuqitqsEs

[PBS News @NewsHour]

Democratic U.S. Rep. Andy Kim was elected Tuesday to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw for the seat that opened when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his federal conviction on bribery charges.

Kim, a three-term congressman from the 3rd District, in central New Jersey, becomes the first Korean-American in the Senate.
https://t.co/sk9VQy3Fhl

[QUOTES @TeenagerBook]

💭

[Rob Henderson @robkhenderson]

"When Marx lived in London he stayed in a slum apartment, but still had a maid. He lived on money he received from Engels. With that money, Marx bought mostly cigars. His children began to starve. Three of Marx's children died of starvation or starvation-related diseases."

[Art of Manliness @artofmanliness]

Why Teasing Is Good for Society, and for the Soul
https://t.co/pJiQUduFMm

[Bryan Fitzgerald @Bryanzfitz]

Hope makes fools of us all.
Long live the foolishly hopeful.

[Jonathan Haidt @JonHaidt]

Here is a good list and analysis of "Smartphone alternatives for kids and teens," from @JacquelineNesi:

https://t.co/y1XPgnOl7t

[Elon musk news page @abmarkman]

A cool new article in @ScienceMagazine by a team including my colleague David Yeager finds that a simple intervention that helps college students to feel like they belong in school can help at-risk students succeed. My latest for @PsychToday.

https://t.co/Za2m9TTGGK

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Photographer Garret Suhrie captured the glowing eyes of alligators in a swamp at dusk, the burning points of light punctuating the smooth surface of water like stars in the night sky

[source: https://t.co/8dEfvZ2YA0]
[site: https://t.co/Ly7ecuxYMa]

[Timothy Keller (1950-2023) @timkellernyc]

From @nytdavidbrooks
https://t.co/la2ZmXPMyF

[The Figen @TheFigen_]

Aweeeeeeeee this is so beautiful.

https://t.co/Nitzmrl0mo

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

A history of adults blaming the younger generation

[📹 History Hustle]
https://t.co/OeLYVPG2CL

[Erik Rostad (Books of Titans) @booksoftitans]

There. Fixed it.

[J Roach @JRoa1208]

@drantbradley Dr. Bradley - Thanks for asking this! I'm not sure there's a generally accepted archetype for females...

It's a tangent topic for another time, but I have recently wondered by John Wayne is the archetype, and not James Bond.