Viral bluesky post reignites debate over solar power and fossil-fuel politics
A meme-style post drew over 6,000 likes and spawned a 72-comment thread mixing renewable-energy advocacy, oil-industry criticism and jokes about the sun itself.
What to know
- A near-content-free viral bluesky post ("Yup" plus emoji) became the anchor for a 72-comment debate about solar energy and fossil-fuel politics.
- Commenters split between blaming Republican/oil-aligned politicians (invoking Reagan's removal of Carter-era White House solar panels and Trump's drilling policies) and urging individual adoption of solar, batteries and EVs regardless of policy.
- One commenter's repeated, unverified claim that China's solar capacity hit ~1,286 GW and overtook coal by July 2026 circulated in the thread without independent sourcing.
- A parallel comic subthread riffed on the literal sun as Earth's original power source, with jokes about Dyson spheres and relocating Earth.
The dispute Whether the thread's political anger at fossil-fuel interests is the substantive point, versus commenters who treat the whole premise as a pretext for jokes about the literal sun. · positions read across 84 posts and comments
Fossil-fuel-aligned politicians and wealthy interests are deliberately blocking cheaper renewable energy for their own profit.
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“Because for these sick, vile, sociopathic men, way, way, way more than enough is not enough”
broekn.bsky.social · bluesky ↗
Individuals should adopt solar, batteries and EVs themselves since it already works and can't be stopped by policy.
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“Get your own solar panels, battery, heat pump and EV. They can't stop you doing that, at least for now.”
serious-stuff.bsky.social · bluesky ↗
The whole premise is played for jokes about the literal sun being Earth's power source.
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“What a waste of energy. The sun should use wind mills and solar pow…… oh. It’s THE sun.”
berncomar.bsky.social · bluesky ↗
pissedoffpundant.bsky.social Original poster
Ronald Reagan Former US president (historical reference)
Donald Trump US president (referenced in comments)
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments
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5
Thread splits between political blame and calls for self-sufficiency
Some commenters blamed oil-industry-aligned politicians (naming Trump) for blocking renewable expansion, while others urged individuals to install their own solar, batteries and EVs regardless of policy.
“Get your own solar panels, battery, heat pump and EV. They can't stop you doing that, at least for now.”
— serious-stuff.bsky.social -
Here's the method and the message. Help spread the word.
2 more of the top 3 · 66 posts in this stretch
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I absolutely despise Reagan for this. For so many other things, but this pettiness was beyond the fucking pale.
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They have vision. They have a glorious dream of themselves getting even richer.
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4
Commenter cites China's solar capacity overtaking coal
A commenter posted a claim, twice, that China's installed solar capacity reached roughly 1,286 GW by July 2026, surpassing coal-fired capacity for the first time.
“China's installed solar capacity reached approximately 1,286 GW by July 2026, officially overtaking coal-fired power capacity for the first time in history.”
— democracy4u.bsky.social -
China's installed solar capacity [g-PR7lu67x4] reached approximately 1,286 GW by July 2026, officially overtaking coal-fired power capacity for the first time in history.
2 more of the top 3 · 4 posts in this stretch
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That's the Old White Men With No Vision Syndrome.
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We need to get Democrats back in control to make this financially attainable for more people. Hubs & I installed geothermal HVAC + solar panels before the tax credit ended. We’re hoping to get an EV in a few years.
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3
Commenters recall Reagan removing White House solar panels
Replies invoked the history of Jimmy Carter installing solar panels on the White House and Ronald Reagan later removing them, framing it as emblematic of partisan differences on renewable energy.
“I'm old enough to remember when a Democratic president put solar panels on the White House. The very next Republican came in and removed them. 50 years ago.”
— fiddledeedum.bsky.social -
I'm old enough to remember when a Democratic president put solar panels on the White House. The very next Republican came in and removed them. 50 years ago. pretty much sums up the two parties differences.
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
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Turns out the sun is the only power source that earth has had in 4 billion years…
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Side conversation turns to jokes about the sun as literal power source
A secondary comic thread emerged riffing on the literal fact that the sun itself is Earth's original power source, including jokes about Dyson spheres and moving Earth closer to the sun.
“Turns out the sun is the only power source that earth has had in 4 billion years…”
— digitmusic.bsky.social -
Powers me just fine! Yes those are tesla chargers using off gird solar. Why would I spend $5 a gallon or .23kw? No I didn’t listen 5 years ago when I was told I was dum(b) for buying an electric car the sun could power and not relying on Exxon or the middle east! Bet that thinking has changed!
2 more of the top 3 · 9 posts in this stretch
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Get your own solar panels, battery, heat pump and EV. They can't stop you doing that, at least for now. Then you don't care what the other folk are up to.
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Thank Westinghouse Morgan Edison for starting that trend Tesla was goin to give us power free and power the entire planet from Niagra falls hydro plant he and Westinghouse built however when these robber barons found out they ruined him over it so they could charge us for electricity in perpetuity!
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pissedoffpundant posts viral "Yup" reaction on bluesky
A bluesky post reading "Yup" followed by rows of thinking-face and 100 emoji was posted and rapidly accumulated over 6,000 likes and 72 comments, apparently endorsing an implied point about solar power being free energy that fossil-fuel interests resist.
“Yup🤔💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯…”
— pissedoffpundant.bsky.social -
Look at the bright side: over 50% of human electricity now comes from renewables and the new PV+ battery install pace is accelerating despite the policies of the oil-igarchs
1 more of the top 2 · 3 posts in this stretch
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i’m just saying we don’t have to KEEP the dyson sphere up
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What people are saying 11 voices from 1 site · best of 84 · verbatim
- Is the cited figure of China's solar capacity (~1,286 GW, overtaking coal by July 2026) accurate or independently verified?
- Sep 12
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1 kW per square meter (under perfect conditions) There's so much damn energy hitting our planet every second it's unbelievable. We could easily power 10 Earths.
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Tidal power generation is powered by moon.
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You really think humans will be around another 500,000 years?
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A high electric bill does not bother them I imagine their accountant pays their bills. They do not know how much their bill is, how much groceries are, how much health insurance is. In November, stop and think how they helped you and your family, then vote.
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If they could figure out a way to own, and sell "sun" this all would change.
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Yet the sun's core has a power density of only about 140 watts per cubic meter—the same as a compost pile.
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And our favorite president keeps buying back contracts for renewables and demanding more drilling and more digging. He doesn't care about global warming cause he's gonna be dead before it's non- reversible and our planet is a smoldering heap of dead humans
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Amazing the least free and least progressive nations have the least use of renewables. The fascists and the evil nations are committing mass suicide. The only hope is we can let them self destruct without taking the whole world with them. America must choose to reject Trump and Oil to survive.
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And when I say the way the Starkiller Base consumed a star in "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" was so implausible it entirely ruined the movie for me, they tell me I need to just "suspend disbelief". Nope. Can't.
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Actually, the sun's energy HAS been powering the Earth for billions of years.
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What a waste of energy. The sun should use wind mills and solar pow…… oh. It’s THE sun.