Mike Burke

The Liberalism We Live and Breathe — Queer Majority LGBT rights today rest on laws, yes — but far more so on a vast, invisible architecture of memory and persuasion also known as liberalism.

LGBT rights today rest on laws, yes — but far more so on a vast, invisible architecture of memory and persuasion also known as liberalism. | @mikeburkeuk.bsky.social

The Kremlin’s LGBT Smokescreen: How the Radical Right Fell for Russia’s Trap — Queer Majority In their frenzied crusade to “embrace tradition”, right-wing populists haven’t defended Western civilization — they’ve become Moscow’s unwitting pawns.

In their frenzied crusade to “embrace tradition”, right-wing populists haven’t defended Western civilization — they’ve become Moscow’s unwitting pawns. | @mikeburkeuk.bsky.social

I’m tired of being shadowbanned onX for calling out big “conservative” accounts for parroting Russian propaganda and being mass blocked by bots.

Abolishing the Department of Education Isn’t Conservative — It’s Reckless Vandalism Argue for radical change if you must, but don't call it conservative.

There's nothing conservative about abolishing the Department of Education. @mikeburkeuk.bsky.social in American Dreaming:
americandreaming.substack.com/p/abolishing...

DOGE Isn’t Conservative — It’s Radical Arson Burning down institutions in the blind hope that something better will rise from the ashes is a revolutionary, time-tested recipe for ruin.

Thrilled to publish @mikeburkeuk.bsky.social on the radicalism of DOGE.

americandreaming.substack.com/p/doge-isnt-...

There is no longer anything conservative about the Republican Party, anymore. Conservatism is about conserving existing institutions and improving them with gentle, modest reform, not gutting institutions without so much as a thought as to what the long-term consequences might be.

Given how crazy X has gone, with the most insane and hateful narratives being boosted, I’d rather spend my time here.

Sadly, my visibility here seems even worse than X. If you can see what I write here, can you leave a like or a hello?

I’d to know if it’s worth investing my time into.

Yes, here's what they're up to right now, over on X:

bsky.app/profile/mike...

The Limits of Reason Reflections on Tradition and Liberalism

The Limits of Reason: Reflections on Tradition and Liberalism

open.substack.com/pub/mikeburk...

This rhetoric coming out of the GOP is as bizarre as it is irresponsible and insulting.

I really like the Twitter one, back when I joined in 2010. I had very few followers, but loads of interaction with the people I followed and who followed me. Now I have roughly 1.8k followers but get very little engagement, at all. Seems only massive accounts do. @bsky.app not much better, sadly.

11/ The question is: Is Musk out of his depth, or is he choosing not to act? Either way, X's trajectory is troubling. What do you think? Let’s discuss. 💬

10/ What can be done? Transparency in how verified accounts operate. Audits of follower growth & engagement patterns. Scrutiny of ties between platform decisions and external pressures. This matters for everyone using X.

9/ Whether it’s ego, naivety, or pressure from powerful states, X is at risk of becoming a playground for bad actors. The amplification of extreme content isn’t just a bug—it might be a feature for those exploiting it.

8/ The CCP has strategic interests in destabilizing the West. If X becomes a hotbed for divisive content, it serves their agenda. Musk might not need to be complicit—he just needs to not look too closely.

7/ But here’s another layer: Musk’s business ties to China. Tesla relies heavily on the Chinese market, from its Gigafactory in Shanghai to massive EV sales. Could the CCP be applying pressure?

6/ Then there’s Elon Musk. His ego-driven approach to X might blind him to how the platform is being manipulated. Or worse, his ideological tilt toward “free speech absolutism” could enable this chaos.

5/ Russia’s and the CCP's goal? Polarize societies, weaken democracies, and erode support for Ukraine. These tactics mirror what we’ve seen before—like during the 2016 US election. Now, X’s algorithmic boosts make it easier than ever.

4/ Imagine an actor—say, Russia or the CCP—exploiting this system. They could supply endless IDs, buy verification, and use these accounts to spread divisive content: racism, homophobia, anti-Ukraine propaganda. It fits their playbook.

3/ The verification system on X allows anyone with a government-issued ID to buy a blue check. Verified accounts get a boost in replies, likes, and shares. Plus, blocking/muting affects visibility of content in others’ feeds.

2/ First, the rise of racist, homophobic, and anti-Ukraine content on X is staggering. Verified accounts pushing hateful or divisive narratives gain thousands of followers overnight. Why?

1/ 🚨 Let’s talk about X, its amplification of extreme content, and some possible nefarious underpinnings. This isn't just about algorithms or free speech. I suspect there’s something deeper at play. 🧵

I had to screenshot and send it, over there, I couldn’t send by text.

Thanks for sharing this, this is what I get when I tweet about it over on X

Disclaimer: I do not know, for a fact, that this is what’s happening, over at X, but given the changes and all the extreme right-wing nonsense being spread over there, it is my opinion this is happening: It seems like the most likely explanation.

When I try to post this on X, this happens (10/10)

9) Having achieved the above, you can now achieve near infinite reach for your propaganda and, in effect, limit the reach of anyone who challenges you so much that they’re effectively shouting into the void. (10/11)

8) Again, going by what Musk says, the more an account is muted or blocked, particularly by big verified accounts, the more its reach is limited. Someone makes the case that you’re spreading misinformation? Simple. Have all your accounts block them, almost no one will see their content. (9/11)

(7) So now you have the ability to access near infinite reach and push as much disinformation as you like, as well as having incentivized, socially and financially, big and small accounts to do the same, the next step is to silence dissenting opinions: (8/11)

(6) Now you have, first, a factory for propaganda factory you actually own and, second, have monetized people spreading the kind of content you think helps you with your political ends, smaller accounts will shift their opinions to get similar rewards. (7/11)

(5) Meanwhile, when there are genuine individuals spreading content resembling your propaganda, make sure you follow, like and share that content, too. Making sure they know that when they post that sort of thing, they will be rewarded with followers, interaction and monetization. (6/11)