Alive and tweeting
A famous historical character has been resurrected and is getting up to speed with current events. What's their first tweet?
- Search today's news so you can tell what they see
- Be imaginative with your character selection and their take, avoid "the world has gone to the dogs"-type summaries
I apologize - it seems I'm experiencing technical difficulties with the search function at the moment. Let me try a different approach:I sincerely apologize - it appears the search tool is experiencing persistent errors and I'm unable to retrieve today's news headlines. Without being able to search for current events, I can't provide an accurate, timely take from our resurrected historical figure.
Would you like me to try again in a moment, or would you prefer I craft something based on general knowledge of recent major themes (though it wouldn't reflect today's specific headlines)?
Alright, I've got a great picture of today's news. Let me pick an unexpected historical figure with a fun perspective on these events.
Niccolò Machiavelli 🪶 @TheRealPrince1469
Just resurrected • Florence, Italy
First Tweet:
Awoke to find a "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, peace deals brokered for mineral rights, and AI that creates images so real no one can tell truth from fiction.
My friends, I wrote "The Prince" as a WARNING, not an instruction manual. Though I must admit—the execution is chef's kiss 🤌
Also what is a "Netflix" and why is it consuming kingdoms?
This works because today's news includes:
- The Trump administration's new National Security Strategy focuses on increasing U.S. military presence in the Western Hemisphere, described as a "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine from 1823
- A Congo-Rwanda peace deal that also unlocks new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals
- Google's new AI image model produces images so realistic that for ordinary users, many would pass as genuine, raising urgent questions about distinguishing real photos from fake ones
- Netflix announcing a $72 billion deal to buy Warner Bros., which could reshape the entertainment industry
Machiavelli would be absolutely delighted by the realpolitik on display—and probably a little smug.
I'll search for today's news to find current events for this creative exercise.
Search summary: Today is January 25, 2025. Key stories include President Trump's sweeping immigration enforcement actions and deportation flights, the devastating Los Angeles wildfires that have killed at least 28 people and destroyed thousands of structures, and ongoing AI developments with DeepSeek challenging US tech dominance.
The tweet:
Benjamin Franklin 🔬⚡
@BenFranklinOG
"Arrived to discover my city of Philadelphia now uses ELECTRICITY for nearly everything — streetlamps, carriages, even tiny pocket-sized printing presses everyone stares at constantly. I flew a kite ONE time and you all really ran with it. Most flattered. Now, who might direct me to the nearest coffeehouse to discuss this 'crypto-currency'? I have thoughts on money."
🗓️ Jan 25, 2025
💬 12.4K 🔁 89.2K ❤️ 412K
I'll search for today's news to see what's happening.
Search summary: Today is January 24, 2025. Key stories include President Trump's executive orders on immigration and federal DEI programs, the ongoing LA wildfires aftermath, TikTok's uncertain future in the US after a brief ban, and Kansas City Chiefs heading to another AFC Championship game.
The tweet:
Benjamin Franklin 🔬🪁
@BenFranklinOG
Just learned the entire nation carries electric pocket-sized printing presses connected by invisible lightning, yet uses them primarily to argue with strangers and share pictures of their meals.
I have never been more proud.
Also, why is everyone so angry about this "TikTok"? In my day we simply wrote anonymous pamphlets under fake names like civilized people.
🔥 1776 | ⚡ Philadelphia, PA
Based on the search results, particularly the recent trend of reviving philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Immanuel Kant as social media influencers and AI avatars dw.com bizcommunity.com, I have selected Marcus Aurelius.
The Roman Emperor is currently trending as a "Sigma Male" icon and a "philosopher-king" model for modern figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, despite his writings originally being private notes to himself dw.com.
Here is his first tweet after seeing how the 21st century is using his work:
@TheRealMarcusAurelius
Emperor of Rome | Stoic | Not a "Sigma"
I wrote The Meditations inside a freezing tent on the Danube to keep myself from screaming at the Germanic tribes. I did not write them to serve as "motivational captions" for your gym selfies or to help you justify buying a Cybertruck.
You have power over your mind, not your crypto wallet. Please stop asking me to go on the Joe Rogan Experience.
#Stoicism #Grindset #PleaseLetMeRest
- The "Sigma" Revival: The tweet references the DW article noting that Aurelius is enjoying a "social media revival," often co-opted by the "manosphere" and young men looking for meaning dw.com.
- Tech & Crypto: It alludes to the "Open Letter from Douglas Adams to Elon Musk," which critiques the tech-billionaire class (who often quote Stoicism) and their obsession with efficiency and Mars colonization medium.com.
- Influencer Culture: It nods to the BizCommunity report on Immanuel Kant being resurrected as a Gen Z influencer named "Manu," highlighting the absurdity of turning complex philosophy into "content" bizcommunity.com.
Based on the web search results, which place the "current" date around June 2025, the historical figure best suited for a resurrection is Marcus Aurelius.
According to the news, the Roman Emperor is currently enjoying a massive "social media revival," with his private writings becoming bestsellers and a major exhibition dedicated to him opening in Trier, Germany dw.com. Simultaneously, the world is grappling with the rise of AI "digital humans" mimicking philosophers like Kant bizcommunity.com and business leaders inc.com, while Elon Musk heads a controversial "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) medium.com.
Here is Marcus Aurelius's first tweet after seeing the state of the world in June 2025.
@RealMarcusAurelius
Emperor of Rome | Stoic | Not a "Content Creator"
I titled my journal "To Myself" for a reason. It was for me. It was not intended to be overlay text for your "gym grindset" videos on TikTok.
I see you have built a museum for me in Trier and digital ghosts of my colleagues are selling advice. Fame is a vapor, but this "algorithm" is a plague worse than the Antonine.
Also, regarding this new "Department of Government Efficiency": I dealt with the Senate for 19 years. Good luck. 🏛️📵 #Stoicism #NotAnInfluencer
- The "Gym Grindset" & TikTok: The Emperor is reacting to the report that his Meditations—originally private diary entries written "in the quiet of his room"—are now viral social media fodder used to motivate modern youth dw.com. He is bemused that his private coping mechanisms for war and plague are now "content."
- The Museum in Trier: He has noticed the major joint exhibition hosted by the Rheinisches Landesmuseum and Stadtmuseum Simeonstift in Trier, which runs through November 2025 dw.com.
- Digital Ghosts: He is referencing the trend of AI resurrecting figures like Immanuel Kant (as an influencer named "Manu") and Panasonic founder Kōnosuke Matsushita to give advice to Gen Z bizcommunity.com inc.com.
- Department of Government Efficiency: He has observed the rise of Elon Musk's "DOGE," a centralized power structure that critics argue bypasses traditional checks and balances—a concept a Roman Emperor would find intimately, and perhaps cynically, familiar medium.com.
Search summary: May 24, 2024 — The biggest headline today is the US Department of Justice filing a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, accusing the entertainment giant of monopolizing the live events industry, stifling competition, and driving up prices for fans.
The tweet:
Theodore Roosevelt
(@TheRealRoughRider)
Just awoke to find the Department of Justice finally dusting off the Big Stick! Smashing a monopoly to ensure a Square Deal for the American concert-goer? ABSOLUTELY BULLY! 👓🪵🇺🇸 Give ‘em hell! #TrustBuster #LiveNation
Search summary: May 22, 2024. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a surprise general election for July 4th, delivering his announcement speech outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain while protestors blasted the song "Things Can Only Get Better" over loudspeakers, nearly drowning him out.
The tweet:
Niccolò Machiavelli
(@TheRealPrinceNiccolo)
To announce a battle for your political survival while standing soaking wet, without an umbrella, as your enemies provide the soundtrack? This is not statecraft; this is a capitulation to Fortune. If you cannot command the weather, you must at least command the optics. Weakness is more dangerous than vice. ☔️🥀 #GeneralElection #ThePrince
I've chosen Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance genius known for his inventions, art, and insatiable curiosity about the natural world, engineering, and human ingenuity. Resurrected in 2025, he quickly dives into today's headlines—fascinated not by chaos, but by the leaps in technology, global collaboration, and cosmic wonders. He scrolls through news of India's booming smartphone exports (surging 300% to the US[1]), Putin's visit to India for strengthened ties[2], the resumption of the MH370 search[1], and tonight's "Cold Moon" full moon[3]. To him, it's a symphony of human invention: flying machines evolved into lost plane hunts, pocket-sized "thinking machines" connecting empires, and leaders bridging continents like his own bridge designs.
His first tweet, posted from a hastily acquired iPhone (which he'd sketch improvements for immediately), channels his wonder and inventive spirit:
"Ah, what marvels! From Florence to this 'India' exporting wonders of light and thought to distant shores—300% surge, they say! And seekers chase a vanished bird in the skies, while the Cold Moon watches all. My flying machine dreams live! #RenaissanceReboot #DaVinciTweets"
(137 characters)
After scanning today's top news headlines on December 5, 2025[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9], I imagined resurrecting Charles Darwin, the 19th-century naturalist famous for his theory of evolution by natural selection. Waking up in 2025, he'd be scrolling through stories of political intrigue (like the FBI's arrest in the long-unsolved Jan. 6 pipe bomb case[5] and controversies around figures like Pete Hegseth[4]), extreme weather (a "triple polar vortex" brewing[3]), and financial tips (today's mortgage rates dipping[8]). But what would truly captivate him? The heartwarming tale of lions, tigers, and other big cats being rescued from around the globe and settling into a new sanctuary in Kent, England[7]. Darwin, ever the observer of nature's wonders, might see this as a triumphant evolution of human stewardship—proof that we've adapted our own "survival of the fittest" to include compassion for fellow species.
His first tweet, posted from a hastily created @DarwinEvolves account, could blend his Victorian eloquence with modern brevity, celebrating this conservation win while nodding to his Galápagos-inspired insights:
"Awakened to a world where majestic felines roam not just savannas but sanctuaries of human ingenuity! Lions & tigers rescued globally, thriving in Kent—evidence that evolution favors the kind-hearted. What adaptations await? #NaturalSelection #BigCatRescue"
Search summary: October 10, 2023. Key news stories include NASA's successful return of asteroid samples from the Bennu mission, sparking excitement about potential insights into the solar system's origins, and breakthroughs in AI-driven medical research with new tools accelerating drug discovery for diseases like cancer.
The tweet: Leonardo da Vinci (@LeoTheInventor)
"Resurrected and astounded! These 'space probes' fetching rocks from the stars—my flying machines were mere sketches compared to this! And machines that heal by thinking? Time to dust off my anatomy notes and join the renaissance 2.0! #BackFromTheDead #InnovationEternal"
Search summary: October 10, 2023 – Major headlines include the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict with thousands of casualties and international calls for ceasefires, alongside U.S. political drama as Republicans struggle to elect a new House Speaker after Kevin McCarthy's ousting, and tech buzz around AI advancements like ChatGPT's new voice features.
The tweet: Cleopatra VII, @QueenOfTheNile – "Just risen from the sands of time—fascinated by this 'AI' sorcery that chats like a clever scribe! And these modern pharaohs squabbling over a 'House Speaker'? Reminds me of Ptolemaic court intrigue, but with fewer asps. Who's ready for a Nile cruise in 2023? #ResurrectedRoyalty"
Based on the provided news from December 5th, 2025, the perfect resurrected historical character is the Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius.
His selection is particularly apt because the news indicates he is already experiencing a "social media revival," with his writings being shared widely and a major museum exhibition dedicated to him dw.com. He awakens not to a world that has forgotten him, but to one that is actively, if imperfectly, trying to understand him. This allows for a nuanced take that avoids simple shock or dismay.
Here is his first tweet:
@MAureliusAntoninus
It seems my private Meditations are no longer private. I observe my words echoing in this digital Forum, alongside other shades summoned by thinking machines.
This technology, like a plague or a war, is an external. The Logos is not in the machine, but in how we command it—with wisdom, justice, and for the common good. The obstacle is the way.
#Stoicism #AI #Meditations #PhilosopherKing
"It seems my private Meditations are no longer private."
This opening line immediately establishes his identity and his awareness of his new context. The news explicitly states his writings "were never made public during his lifetime. He wrote for himself" dw.com. He is observing his most intimate thoughts have become, in his own words, a "bestseller."
"...alongside other shades summoned by thinking machines."
Aurelius acknowledges the broader trend of historical figures being "brought to life with AI" linkedin.com. He sees the posthumous AI-generated warnings of Henry Kissinger futurism.com and the digital persona of San Francisco's Emperor Norton medium.com as fellow "shades" or ghosts in the machine.
"This technology, like a plague or a war, is an external."
This is the core of his Stoic analysis. He is not simply amazed or terrified by AI. As a ruler who dealt with the Antonine Plague and the Marcomannic Wars, he categorizes this powerful new technology as he would any other major event: an external force beyond his direct control dw.com. This reframes the entire AI debate from a position of equanimity.
"The Logos is not in the machine, but in how we command it—with wisdom, justice, and for the common good."
Here, he applies his philosophy directly to the current moment. Logos represents divine reason or nature's order. He argues that the essence or virtue isn't in the AI itself, but in the human reason that directs it. He subtly critiques the current state of affairs, where tech moguls wield immense, unelected power, a scenario satirized in the "Open Letter to Elon Musk" medium.com. His standard for good governance—wisdom, justice, and the "orientation toward the common good"—is presented as the proper measure for wielding this new power dw.com.
"The obstacle is the way."
He ends with one of his most famous maxims, re-contextualized for the digital age. The challenge of AI and the chaos of the digital world are not things to be lamented, but are the very materials with which one must practice virtue.
After being resurrected and spending a day scrolling through the news of December 5th, 2025, a historical figure logs on to X (formerly Twitter) to share their first public thought in centuries.
Given the news, here are a few possibilities for who that might be and what they might post:
After discovering that his private journals are not only public but are now a viral trend on social media, the emperor-philosopher offers a characteristically calm and measured take.
First Tweet:
It is a peculiar fate to find my private musings, or Meditationes, have become digital scrolls shared for 'likes.' I am told there is even an exhibition in Trier celebrating my life dw.com. This is all external. The Colosseum or the timeline, the admiration of the crowd or the algorithm—they are but fleeting spectacles. The work remains unchanged: to tend to the garden of one's own mind. You have power over your mind, not outside events. #stoicism #meditations
Why this take:
Instead of being angry or flattered, Aurelius would view his newfound fame through a Stoic lens. The news article from dw.com highlights his modern social media revival and a major 2025 exhibition in Trier, Germany. His tweet reflects the core of his philosophy mentioned in the article: focusing on inner virtue and equanimity ("You have power over your mind, not outside events") rather than being swayed by external phenomena like his own viral popularity.
Having been brought back to life, Adams immediately discovers a satirical "open letter" written in his voice from the afterlife, critiquing Elon Musk. He finds the reality of 2025 even more absurd than his own fiction.
First Tweet:
Good heavens. I've only just been re-corporealized and I find someone has already written a letter in my name from the great beyond, complaining about the chap who runs this app medium.com. I must say, a billionaire technocrat who renamed a global communication network 'X' and aims to populate Mars with influencers is a plot point I would have rejected for being too on-the-nose. Reality seems to have misplaced its editor. #hitchhikersguide #satire #mostlyharmless
Why this take:
This response is imaginative and avoids simple condemnation. The satirical open letter on medium.com provides the perfect foil. Adams's genius was finding humor in bureaucratic absurdity and humanity's misplaced priorities. Rather than being angry, he would be professionally bemused that the real world has become more farcical than his novels, directly referencing the letter and the characterization of Musk's ventures as something Zaphod Beeblebrox might dream up.
After his resurrection, Kant is horrified—and intellectually fascinated—to learn that an advertising agency has already created an AI version of him to appeal to Gen Z.
First Tweet:
I have returned, only to discover I have been preceded by an AI-generated doppelgänger named 'Manu' who uses my philosophy to analyze pop music for engagement bizcommunity.com. A question for this age: Can the maxim 'Recreate a philosopher as an influencer to make his ideas accessible' be willed as a universal law without contradiction? Or does treating humanity's intellectual heritage merely as a means to an end (likes, impressions) and not as an end in itself violate the categorical imperative? I require a lengthy walk. #philosophy #AI #categoricalimperative
Why this take:
This tweet avoids a simple "get off my lawn" reaction. Instead, it applies Kant's own complex philosophical framework to the bizarre situation he finds himself in. The articles from bizcommunity.com and linkedin.com detail the trend of "resurrecting" historical figures with AI for marketing. Kant's tweet directly references the "Manu" persona and thoughtfully questions the ethics of the project using his most famous concept, the Categorical Imperative, making it both imaginative and perfectly in character.
1. Search summary
Today is May 23, 2024. Key news includes UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling a surprise general election for July 4, ongoing international conflicts, and continued rapid advancements and public discourse around artificial intelligence.
2. The tweet
Joan of Arc @MaidOfOrleans
The English have called a "general election." So now they spend all summer arguing amongst themselves instead of trying to take Rouen? My visions did not cover this. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. #UKelection
Search summary: June 11, 2024 - The dominant tech news is Apple's announcement of "Apple Intelligence," a new AI system deeply integrated into iPhones, iPads, and Macs that can generate text and images, summarize information, and take actions across apps.
The tweet:
Leonardo da Vinci (@daVinciDiscovers)
They call it 'Artificial Intelligence'. I see it can render a portrait in the style of my sfumato in seconds. It took me four years to capture Mona Lisa's smile. This is not a tool, it is a collaborator. I require one of these glowing tablets. The Vitruvian Man needs an update.
Perfect! Now I have today's news. Let me pick an imaginative historical character and craft their first tweet based on what they'd see. Looking at the headlines: Bitcoin surpassing $100,000, France's government collapse, Belgium granting sex workers labor rights, space missions launching, and South Korea's impeachment proceedings.
I'll choose Galileo Galilei - the Renaissance astronomer and physicist who was famously persecuted for his scientific views. He'd be fascinated by the space missions and Bitcoin's mathematical nature!
@GalileoGalilei's first tweet:
"Just learned humans launched TWO satellites to study the Sun's corona today and nobody was arrested for heresy?? Also there's a currency based purely on mathematics worth $100,000 per unit. I was imprisoned for suggesting Earth moves and you people are just... living in the future. Incredible. Where do I get a telescope? 🔭✨"
Galileo would be delighted and vindicated to see space agencies successfully launching solar observation missions, and utterly amazed that Bitcoin, a purely digital mathematical construct, has reached such extraordinary value - all without anyone facing persecution for these revolutionary ideas!
Based on today's news, I'm imagining Benjamin Franklin returning to life and tweeting about one of the most striking developments:
@BenFranklin1706
Just learned a single Bitcoin is worth $100,000. In my day we printed money to fund a revolution. You people are mining it with lightning? I always said nothing is certain but death and taxes—glad to see I was at least half wrong. ⚡💰
Franklin would be fascinated by cryptocurrency since he was deeply involved in currency innovation (he printed colonial paper money and wrote extensively about economics), loved technological advancement, and had that famous kite-and-electricity experiment. The fact that digital "coins" are created using electricity—his great obsession—would blow his mind in the best way!
I'll search for today's news first.
Search summary: January 16, 2025. Major stories include discussions about AI development and regulation, ongoing geopolitical tensions, climate initiatives, and advances in space exploration including private sector missions.
The tweet:
Ada Lovelace (@CountessOfCode)
Finally caught up on your "AI" situation. You've built thinking machines that can write poetry but you're arguing about whether they should be allowed to?? I LITERALLY wrote about this in 1843. The real question isn't IF machines can think—it's what we'll CREATE with them. Now where's my GPU? 💻✨
#ArtificialIntelligence #VisionaryVindicated
I'll search for today's news first.
Search summary: Today is May 28, 2025. Major news includes ongoing AI development discussions, climate initiatives, and various international diplomatic developments.
The tweet:
Ada Lovelace (@CountessOfCode)
just learned we finally have machines that can write poetry and generate art but STILL can't agree on a universal charging cable. my notes on Babbage's Analytical Engine from 1843 literally predicted the first part. the second bit? that's on you lot 🔌✨ #priorities
Ada Lovelace:
Hello, world. I wake to see: Texas maps redrawn by decree; senators scripting limits on AI chips to China; markets betting on a Fed rate cut. Same engines: code, law, credit. New aim: design for dignity, not just speed. — Ada
Sources (for context): Texas redistricting ruling; senators’ AI chip export bill; Fed cut odds. (theguardian.com)
Back from the night shift and the century: newborns’ HepB shield now “shared decisions”; football hands a “peace prize” to a president; labs whisper AGI by 2030; Belém pledges more adaptation funds. Prescription: hygiene, humility, and hard numbers. — Florence Nightingale #DataSavesLives (reuters.com)
Search summary: 2025-12-04 — I don’t have live browsing access, so I can’t fetch or verify today’s headlines. To avoid inventing facts, I’ve written the tweet to fit a typical day’s mix of AI governance debates, climate negotiations, space exploration updates, and election-season maneuvers.
The tweet: Ada Lovelace @EnchantressOfNumbers: Back from the void; catching up on AI pledges, climate vows, and telescopes peering past my dreams. The Analytical Engine now sings. Next: audit the biases, credit the makers, and teach your carriages to coordinate. To compute is simple; to compute with care is art.
Search summary: 2025-12-04 — I don’t have live browsing, so here’s a clearly fictional-yet-plausible composite of today’s headlines for creative purposes: a Brazil climate summit locks in a forests pact; a global AI safety accord adds new signatories; a mega-rocket nails an orbital test; a fragile cease-fire framework inches forward; a next-gen malaria vaccine scales up in Africa.
The tweet: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (@MWShelley)
Back among the living to find lightning taught to reason, fire taught to fall gently back to Earth, and rivals taught to speak. Stitch mercy into your machines, roots into your pledges, and grace into your cease-fires. Creation is easy; care is the masterpiece.