I'm sick of good sites being bogged down by numerous ads. I'm sick of having to sit through a 20 second ad to watch an 8 second sports highlight. I'm sick of endless commercials on Sirius/XM radio when there should be none. Ever seen the movie Idiocracy?
I knew the Donnas, in passing, when I lived in Palo Alto. They were awesome girls and always a killer live band.
We're overdue for a reinvigoration of the democratic spirit. Most Americans seem not to regard themselves as citizens of the country, but as subjects, and in many ways that's become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I had hoped that COVID would remind people that there's many areas of life, such as public health, where there's a lot of useful things to be done that can't be organized on the basis of a market, and if we don't have a competent government, those useful things simply won't be done because there's no profit in it. That hasn't happened.
I think Biden's administration is doing what it can and I've been particularly heartened by its more aggressive approach to antitrust, but he doesn't have Roosevelt's Congressional majorities and Congress itself is structurally dysfunctional. We need constitutional reform so badly (repeal of the Electoral College, banning of the filibuster, voting districts drawn by independent commissions to eliminate gerrymandering) but it's hard to see where it will come from.
Excellent as usual. First example I thought of when you described how sites become worse over time was TripAdvisor. From a travel essential to all but worthless. And now some big company wants to buy it? Good luck.
Will, agree with all this today, but I REALLY agree with your shame column from 2018. I had never read it. The poison from possibly the most shameless person who has ever lived has spread exponentially through our country. Reality is no longer reality, truth is no longer truth. We are in a very, very bad place right now. It is not only sad, it is frightening.
This is an excellent piece, Will. Your prescient newsletter about shame, as told from the Avis counter, was even better. You once completely trashed a book I co-wrote with Mariano Rivera (The Closer), which you called "the dullest book I've ever read" in the Wall Street Journal, but grudges can only last so long. I admire the volume of your work, and its quality.
That's terrible what happened in Athens. I'm a daily runner like you. A few years ago I was talking with a female coworker who also ran and she listed off at least a half a dozen things she does to avoid this exact thing. I was blown away.
As I was just now reading your newsletter, Apple pushed an ad to pop on my phone screen for some likely complete shite game in the App Store. Now, Apple doesn’t let others do this because it’s against their rules, but here they are doing it, proving your point in real time. Incredible.
I'm sick of good sites being bogged down by numerous ads. I'm sick of having to sit through a 20 second ad to watch an 8 second sports highlight. I'm sick of endless commercials on Sirius/XM radio when there should be none. Ever seen the movie Idiocracy?
I knew the Donnas, in passing, when I lived in Palo Alto. They were awesome girls and always a killer live band.
We're overdue for a reinvigoration of the democratic spirit. Most Americans seem not to regard themselves as citizens of the country, but as subjects, and in many ways that's become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I had hoped that COVID would remind people that there's many areas of life, such as public health, where there's a lot of useful things to be done that can't be organized on the basis of a market, and if we don't have a competent government, those useful things simply won't be done because there's no profit in it. That hasn't happened.
I think Biden's administration is doing what it can and I've been particularly heartened by its more aggressive approach to antitrust, but he doesn't have Roosevelt's Congressional majorities and Congress itself is structurally dysfunctional. We need constitutional reform so badly (repeal of the Electoral College, banning of the filibuster, voting districts drawn by independent commissions to eliminate gerrymandering) but it's hard to see where it will come from.
your quality level still good! :)
Excellent as usual. First example I thought of when you described how sites become worse over time was TripAdvisor. From a travel essential to all but worthless. And now some big company wants to buy it? Good luck.
Great stuff as always! For item #3 that you wrote, I read it as you are one of the five best players in MLB.
Will, agree with all this today, but I REALLY agree with your shame column from 2018. I had never read it. The poison from possibly the most shameless person who has ever lived has spread exponentially through our country. Reality is no longer reality, truth is no longer truth. We are in a very, very bad place right now. It is not only sad, it is frightening.
We’re in the middle of the Fall of Rome and it sucks butt.
This is an excellent piece, Will. Your prescient newsletter about shame, as told from the Avis counter, was even better. You once completely trashed a book I co-wrote with Mariano Rivera (The Closer), which you called "the dullest book I've ever read" in the Wall Street Journal, but grudges can only last so long. I admire the volume of your work, and its quality.
Biden border plan. That other word you said.
Betts is even a professional caliber bowler!
Banging playlist, as the kids say….
Only write this to be helpful not nitpicking but there’s a typo, you refer to eshittification as being the 2003 word of the year not 2023
Just an FYI
That's terrible what happened in Athens. I'm a daily runner like you. A few years ago I was talking with a female coworker who also ran and she listed off at least a half a dozen things she does to avoid this exact thing. I was blown away.
How weird...just yesterday I had the thought pop into my head: "Remember when we all talked ourselves into The Donnas?"
And now here they are
As I was just now reading your newsletter, Apple pushed an ad to pop on my phone screen for some likely complete shite game in the App Store. Now, Apple doesn’t let others do this because it’s against their rules, but here they are doing it, proving your point in real time. Incredible.
Fantastic summary. Sharing with others.