Last month we discussed the philosophy of social media design, the inexorable march of time and the process of aging out of “cool,” and, of course, great action movies.
This month’s discussion topics are up to you: I’m looking for burning questions, incisive comments, great recommendations, and truly worthwhile shitposts. Please leave your queries and complaints below, or respond directly to this email.
And thank you, as always, for your continued support of my worst instincts and stupidest ideas.
Whenever a particularly terrible NYT Opinion column comes out there's always a bunch of performative cringe-posting from people who say they're going to cancel their subscriptions. Three-parter here: 1) What percentage of the people who do those posts actually pay for NYT subscriptions in the first place? 2) Of that cohort, what percentage of them actually cancel said subscriptions? 3) How many people would have to cancel their subscriptions in a short timeframe (say, within 24 hours of the publication of Pamela Paul's newest steamer) for NYT brass to give even the tiniest bit of attention to it?
Speculative answers welcome and encouraged. I'll hang up and listen. Thanks Max.
What does it mean that Meta doesn’t seem to be very good at things these days? Has their lack of success (relatively speaking) changed your thinking about them at all?
I haven’t used any social media in 2+ years. In a month I’m moving across the country for grad school/hopefully “career”-related reasons. I currently know next to no one where I’m moving (just a few old friends/acquaintances I haven’t talked to in a while & with whom it would probably—maybe—be weird to reacquaint at this point?). How the hell do I—an internet-weary person in their mid-30s—make friends/network/date (ugh) in a new place? Do I HAVE to learn how to use Instagram again? Do I bite the bullet and join Tinder? Should I just be grateful for my grad school bubble and otherwise accept a life of hermitage in a big city?
Is there a point or set of conditions that you can imagine under which you could no longer tolerate living in the US? What's your breaking point? Do you have a top 5 pre- or post-apocalyptic asylum destinations listicle you can share for actual and/or aspirational expats?
Whenever a particularly terrible NYT Opinion column comes out there's always a bunch of performative cringe-posting from people who say they're going to cancel their subscriptions. Three-parter here: 1) What percentage of the people who do those posts actually pay for NYT subscriptions in the first place? 2) Of that cohort, what percentage of them actually cancel said subscriptions? 3) How many people would have to cancel their subscriptions in a short timeframe (say, within 24 hours of the publication of Pamela Paul's newest steamer) for NYT brass to give even the tiniest bit of attention to it?
Speculative answers welcome and encouraged. I'll hang up and listen. Thanks Max.
How do I get a toddler to wear gloves?
What does it mean that Meta doesn’t seem to be very good at things these days? Has their lack of success (relatively speaking) changed your thinking about them at all?
I haven’t used any social media in 2+ years. In a month I’m moving across the country for grad school/hopefully “career”-related reasons. I currently know next to no one where I’m moving (just a few old friends/acquaintances I haven’t talked to in a while & with whom it would probably—maybe—be weird to reacquaint at this point?). How the hell do I—an internet-weary person in their mid-30s—make friends/network/date (ugh) in a new place? Do I HAVE to learn how to use Instagram again? Do I bite the bullet and join Tinder? Should I just be grateful for my grad school bubble and otherwise accept a life of hermitage in a big city?
Is there a point or set of conditions that you can imagine under which you could no longer tolerate living in the US? What's your breaking point? Do you have a top 5 pre- or post-apocalyptic asylum destinations listicle you can share for actual and/or aspirational expats?