Shaun Chamberlin

Author • Ex-chair of the Ecological Land Co-op • XR mastodon admin (npub1zve…w3ql) arrestee • Consulting scholar to https://otherWise.one • Resident of #TheHappyPig, Éire • Savourer

Big tech & AI free
#DarkOptimism #SurvivingTheFuture #LeanLogic #ConversationsForOurTime

Website: https://darkoptimism.org
The best thing ever!: https://leanlogic.online
My physical community: https://darkoptimism.org/projects#TheHappyPig
My online community — join us :): https://survivingthefuture.darkoptimism.org/

Public Key

npub1vj3fd8h9xgrtsuf0en3qsfm37ckmcqa899r0mp3w0pwv0lvghamqn0elud

NIP-05 Address

darkoptimism_at_mstdn.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsxfg5knmjnyp4cwyhuecsgyaclvtduqwnjj3hasch8shx8lkyt7aspz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dst0v72s

Publishing to

nostr.mom

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1vj3fd8h9xgrtsuf0en3qsfm37ckmcqa899r0mp3w0pwv0lvghamqn0elud

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-09-01 10:32:41 UTC

It brings me a deep satisfaction to learn that those on the frontlines of the war against data centres are drawing inspiration from my late mentor #DavidFleming's compelling, realistic vision of a sequel to the growth-based industrial system!
(even if he only thought it would come about post-collapse)
"And so, the people came."
https://impakter.com/the-war-against-data-centers/

2026-08-18 15:58:08 UTC

- reply

The late David Fleming absolutely — and entertainingly — nailed the nature of such "appeals to inevitability":
https://leanlogic.online/distraction/

2026-08-17 16:54:25 UTC

- reply

In solidarity! ✊🏼
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/117/111/877/275/656/891/original/2c6d5680a8144bd9.jpg

2026-08-11 12:30:20 UTC

- reply

So if a substantial part of the *point* of AI is its exceptional surveillance harvesting, rather than any productivity, maybe it's worth the cost to the orifice class?
It doesn't need to be profitable, any more than hiring mercenaries or building Flock cameras needs to be profitable.
AI is *incredibly* pricey, sure, but what price becoming everyone's trusted friend, confidant, advisor, walletholder, AND the interface they have to use to access any services?
#surveillancewetdream

2026-06-20 20:59:40 UTC

- reply

Kirkpatrick Sale's book "Rebels against the future : the Luddites, their war on the Industrial Revolution, and lessons for the computer age" is pure :nes_fire:

2026-06-04 11:22:22 UTC

- reply

By the same logic your claim that "it isn't easily determined" whether Fairphones are built with more ethical practices than Foxconn could be said to undermine the supply chain ethics movement.
I would NOT say that, despite finding your claim deeply questionable.
Because offering a product with a different focus — as you do — is something that I greatly value and appreciate, albeit I chose to prioritise the wellbeing of those affected by the supply chain over my own security.

2026-06-04 11:16:21 UTC

- reply

Interested to see when they misled people about Signal, do you have a link?
Though this constant overwhelming hostility towards /e/OS kinda puts me off Graphene, even though it's absolutely what I would use if I needed top-level security.
In terms of badmouthing it's clear that it's hard to mention /e/OS anywhere without you doing so.
I also value that they honestly state that they are not as secure as Graphene, rather than seeing that as "undermining the privacy movement".

2026-06-03 21:53:12 UTC

- reply

We all do. I've been on /e/OS (https://mastodon.social/@e_mydata) for six years now, and I can report that it was a LOT less scary than I anticipated. Good people have done the work to make this easier for us.
In case you need some encouragement, here's what Google's terms of service actually say:
https://tosdr.org/en/service/217
And here's their business model!
https://blog.rebeltechalliance.org/know-your-enemy-pt-1-google/
You got this ✊🏼

2026-06-03 11:23:53 UTC

- reply

Ah, sorry to hear that Chris. Yeah, fingers crossed, and at least you can install @npub1kwa…e0nj on your Pixel :)

2026-06-02 19:17:22 UTC

- reply

Also, tosdr is an excellent resource!
https://tosdr.org/

2026-06-02 14:17:37 UTC

A little appreciation message for my @npub13w2…qvn2! ❤️
Friday I spilled some liquid on it, and later plugged it in. No charging + a tiny puff of smoke/steam... NOT good.
So I ordered a new bottom module from Fairphone (£17), and accurate tracking updates told me it'd arrive Tues afternoon.
It did, I followed the simple install video (took 30 mins) and my 6-year old #Fairphone3 is now good as new.
AND I had use of it the whole time, since I just swapped in a spare battery.
#HowRepairsShouldBe!

2026-02-21 19:42:16 UTC

- reply

https://leanlogic.online/boundaries-and-frontiers/

2026-02-14 09:04:58 UTC

It took me a while to figure out what this strange feeling was.
But when I see nearly 3,000 people choosing to get peacefully arrested to expose the sheer stinking injustice, thus pressuring the High Court to admit that the malevolent UK government's prohibition of #PalestineAction was illegal from the start...
When I see the brave #Filton24 who've put their liberty at risk to reduce genocidal slaughter...
God, yes, I do actually feel a tiny bit proud to be English.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/13/uk-decision-to-ban-palestine-action-as-terror-group-unlawful-court-says

2026-02-04 12:14:52 UTC

#FiltonSix NOT GUILTY or NO VERDICT on all counts!!!
All not guilty of aggravated burglary.
Samuel Corner also no verdict causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
No convictions. My God, the relief!!
Let's not forget that contrary to British law they have spent 17 months in prison and 2 months on trial, without being found guilty of anything.
Bail hearings for all at 2pm (potential retrial on "no verdict" counts).
More here:
https://realmedia.press/filton-verdict/
#FiltonSix #Filton24

2026-02-03 20:35:20 UTC

"Every day computers are making people easier to use"
--Masthead on In Formation Magazine

2026-01-20 19:26:57 UTC

The UK government just v quietly released a stunning 9 page report on
'GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY LOSS, ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE & NATIONAL SECURITY':
"Every critical ecosystem is on a pathway to collapse (irreversible loss of function beyond repair)".
"Global ecosystem degradation and collapse threaten UK national security & prosperity".
"The impacts will range from crop failures, intensified natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks to conflict within & between states."
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696e0eae719d837d69afc7de/National_security_assessment_-_global_biodiversity_loss__ecosystem_collapse_and_national_security.pdf

2026-01-16 15:46:28 UTC

- reply

Excellent. Reminds me muchly of my late mentor's little piece On the Use of Big Sticks:
https://leanlogic.online/big-stick/

2025-11-07 13:43:36 UTC

The UK's #OnlineSafetyAct is working exactly as planned.
This is not a good thing.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/11/6/britain-calls-it-safety-it-is-censorship

2025-10-20 16:22:50 UTC

Wow this is a powerful piece from @npub1fdr…lvhs on Apple/Google/Microsoft's capitulation to #DonaldTrump;
the profound, unfolding dangers of continuing to use their software;
and what we collectively need to do about it.
The Mad King's Digital Killswitch:
https://pluralistic.net/2025/10/20/post-american-internet/

2025-07-11 12:59:36 UTC

What a breath of fresh air to hear directly from #FrancescaAlbanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, now banned from the US for doing her job.
To hear someone who simply speaks the truth, with courage, decisiveness and the smile of integrity in her eyes.
Makes me realise how rarely that makes it to any mass broadcast:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/10/un-expert-albanese-rejects-obscene-us-sanctions-for-criticising-israel

2025-06-29 17:08:51 UTC

The other night I watched the powerful #Yintah, about one of the most important Indigenous land-protection struggles in the world today, resisting the oil pipelines that #Canada wants to put through Wet’suwet’en land.
Highly recommended:
https://www.yintahfilm.com/
More on the resistance here:
https://www.yintahaccess.com/
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/767/466/331/929/265/original/b71e45267eed7734.webp

2025-03-25 14:03:19 UTC

This strikes me as an exceptional summary of all that's afoot in the US right now:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/24/trump-us-constitution
And summaries are useful in our world right now, because if we try to follow everything, we'll do nothing.
Far better to choose your passion and get to work, and support others in theirs. To remember that we are not alone.
Do you know how choirs hold notes longer than any human could? They take breaths when they need to, and trust that their fellows will do their part.

2025-02-18 09:26:39 UTC

- reply

On the right-hand side there you have:
"You are not logged in. However you can subscribe from another Fediverse account, for example Lemmy or Mastodon. To do this, paste the following into the search field of your instance:
!FediRanPrieur@lemmy.today "
For those wanting to subscribe via Mastodon though they/we need to replace the initial "!" with "@" for that to work
You might like to add the version with the initial @, to make it easier for (likely) the majority
And thanks!✊

2022-12-04 15:06:18 UTC

'Financial independence' is perhaps this society's most dangerous myth.
We are told we're a failure or a parasite if we don't achieve it, when in fact it doesn't even exist.
Even if you're a billionaire, someone else still grew your food, someone else still built your house. You're still dependent.
Money just allows you to be dependent on people you don't know instead of people you do. Which is miserable.
Yet most give up most of the days of their life to striving for this unhappy illusion.