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.
One person who I find very helpful in understanding what's driving the enshittification of things is Matt Stoller. His focus is on market power and how so many different sectors are consolidating, which is how you got to a point where even competition seems as if it's making things worse. I think he'd say that most Americans don't remember a time of vigorous competition, which is why we forgot that the intervention of the federal government is necessary for the free market to work the way it should. It's no surprise that Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Republicans started with trust-busting, because that's the reform that unlocks so many other improvements.
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.
So I'll confess, I had forgotten about that review -- which is now almost 10 years old! -- and had to dig through my own archives to find it. I think the general principle of the review is still true -- though I think it says more about Rivera than it does about your book or, more specifically, how you wrote it -- but I will say that I find myself grateful that I no longer try to make Big Declarative But Ultimately Empty Statements That Are Easily Disproven But Make Me Look STRONG in the lede of reviews anymore. It's a pretty dull way to write, actually.
Thank you for your kind words. I would not have blamed you had you held the grudge, but I'm grateful you haven't. (Also, I liked the Dickey book!)
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.
Isn't one, like, a professor now? I know they're retired, I think I remember reading a story about them ...
A professor? Not sure. I do know the drummer could no longer play due to an arm injury, quit the band and ended up going to Harvard.
I need to look them up.
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.
I'm hopeful. I'm trying to be.
One person who I find very helpful in understanding what's driving the enshittification of things is Matt Stoller. His focus is on market power and how so many different sectors are consolidating, which is how you got to a point where even competition seems as if it's making things worse. I think he'd say that most Americans don't remember a time of vigorous competition, which is why we forgot that the intervention of the federal government is necessary for the free market to work the way it should. It's no surprise that Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Republicans started with trust-busting, because that's the reform that unlocks so many other improvements.
https://www.thebignewsletter.com/
I guess we’ve got to get to work. Like really.
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.
It's pretty remarkable how it feels like the problem has only gotten worse since then.
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.
So I'll confess, I had forgotten about that review -- which is now almost 10 years old! -- and had to dig through my own archives to find it. I think the general principle of the review is still true -- though I think it says more about Rivera than it does about your book or, more specifically, how you wrote it -- but I will say that I find myself grateful that I no longer try to make Big Declarative But Ultimately Empty Statements That Are Easily Disproven But Make Me Look STRONG in the lede of reviews anymore. It's a pretty dull way to write, actually.
Thank you for your kind words. I would not have blamed you had you held the grudge, but I'm grateful you haven't. (Also, I liked the Dickey book!)
All good, Will. Thanks for reading R.A. Dickey, a collaborator's dream and possibly the last of the knuckleballers. See you online.
Biden border plan. That other word you said.
Betts is even a professional caliber bowler!
Banging playlist, as the kids say….
It is embarrassing how much time I spend on it.
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.
If anyone can take anything from this awfulness, it's that.
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
They're good!
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.