# Saudi Arabia’s Ordeal - by Tomas Pueyo [](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/) # [Uncharted Territories](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/)  Discover more from Uncharted Territories Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more Over 122,000 subscribers By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal) # Saudi Arabia’s Ordeal ### Between the Sandworm and the Quicksand [](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) [Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) Feb 25, 2026 246 67 16 Share This man has the hardest job in the world: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_NF-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5da74752-d88d-4d80-bf5b-4e9b62cf383f_1600x1066.png) _[Mohammed bin Salman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed\_bin\_Salman), crown prince and leader of Saudi Arabia, also known as MbS_ He has to transition the biggest conservative petrostate in the world into a modern, diversified economy. The odds are stacked impossibly against him. To understand why, and how likely he is to succeed, we need to understand the three words that encapsulate his predicament: Saudi, Arabia, and Oil. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JFOJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2cf55677-9b9e-4268-b88a-31f879eb1b0d_1600x1321.png) # Arabia Saudi Arabia is a big country. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GsUv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffae2673a-2ded-4854-81c8-1b9d04cf5c95_1182x1118.png) It’s big, and it sits in the middle of an otherwise pretty divided region: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!M1hc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa3c68252-808f-484a-a33f-e1c76786b7c9_1434x1600.png) Why is the region so divided? Because it’s in the middle of everything. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h4OG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce1c9b8-5b76-4fad-8240-bac41810d3b9_1600x898.png) _World’s shipping lanes, from @PythonMaps_ Virtually everything that moves between Europe, Asia, and Africa moves along the border seas of Arabia, pretty close to the coast because the passages are narrow: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nMiQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc3e9e1e6-764b-48bb-aa5b-6a61c5f5c95f_1600x1576.png) That has been true for millennia. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ap-q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3d08eef-46c2-4111-be7e-5bc6ab96f9ee_1600x1129.png) This means that trading posts appeared along its coasts for millennia, and cosmopolitan kingdoms emerged: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!axcP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb288943b-c69a-45a4-91fc-03b0a0c55fad_960x720.gif) _I extracted a few screenshots from [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S\_xeGC86I3E) to highlight the point_ That’s one of the main reasons Saudi Arabia is surrounded by so many smaller countries along the coasts, including Jordan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrein, and Kuwait. Before Saudi Arabia, the peninsula had only been united for about 200 years, between 650 and 860 AD, through the Rashidun, Umayyad, and Abbasid Caliphates. Why not longer? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cXHi!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6f9f566c-b542-48d0-95f4-aab3f17d7802_1448x1340.png) It’s nearly all desert. Why? Like the Sahara, it’s smack in the middle of the horse latitudes, with dry air coming down from the upper atmosphere preventing humid air from coming in from elsewhere and raining on the region. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WQ3J!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ca32c9a-0f16-46c6-883c-ef7ff59cfefc_1600x895.png) Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the world with no rivers! It only has _wadis_, ephemeral river beds that only occasionally carry water after rain. You can actually tell how dry it is simply by looking at the satellite image—there’s a bit of rocks and water, and the rest is just infinite amounts of sand. ### Dune [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jWPv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c1c443d-627c-4105-b40e-dbcad9acbb91_1600x1483.png) The sand is so sandy that there are dunes up to 250 m high! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XMEj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F79499761-c61c-430c-bb5c-d83cede5a8e7_1201x1600.png) Although to my ignorant eye, it all looks like desert, the locals can distinguish the nuances and have different names for each. The three big sand-dune deserts are Nafud, Dahna, and Rub’al Khali (the Empty Quarter in English). [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8KQD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9befc682-0366-4197-b431-819fb0298035_1024x711.png) The Empty Quarter is so vast that, to this day, no road crosses it! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!t8lb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9700dcf6-ed78-4194-8a51-7f3ad68ba536_1600x1273.png) Why is the west rockier? ### The Red Sea and the Sarawat Mountains You can see here the relative elevation of the west: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!96KS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d45e616-1b8a-4226-8e18-03d8200e0155_1600x1200.jpeg) Where does that come from? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pKqg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10ca224f-7a8f-4399-88a8-06426416a54c_850x677.png) The Arabian-Nubian Shield was a big rocky mountain formation that was then split by the Red Sea. Now the mountains remain on both sides of the sea, and the east part (the Arabian Shield) has some pretty tall mountains! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J6HJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6c1fb183-7d09-48da-a263-e4ee3e9084fb_1600x1148.png) These mountains are so high that sometimes it snows in Yemen, and even in Saudi Arabia! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YFOv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F82bd8881-cf92-4cc5-910d-f17b101fbcb5_640x480.png) _Snow in Yemen. The tallest mountain in Yemen reaches 3,666 m (12k ft). The tallest in Saudi Arabia is 3,000 m high (~10k ft). [Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMiddleEast/comments/rx4fva/snow\_in\_yemen/#lightbox)._ You can get a sense of the coastal escarpment here. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OXTh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4976cdcf-cb48-4b22-afbb-6834f138c7bd_1600x1045.png) This coastal range is called the Sarawat Mountains. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!a5no!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fba7d80c1-f3ea-4a40-a019-a7191f13cd3a_1600x1340.png) Thanks to its altitude, it catches the rainwater coming from Africa and the Red Sea. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Eggk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e255b12-1512-4bd4-bdf7-cf7290e7eaeb_850x671.png) _[Source](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Average-annual-precipitation-AAP-1998-2018-extracted-from-TRMM-3-hourly-3B42-v7\_fig2\_340925728)_ Fun fact: It mostly catches water from the African monsoon! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HWEh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F003a63b1-46c8-4d1a-807f-8f31260d8187_1600x723.png) _Red = dry. Blue = wet. This is the 1970-2000 average rainfall in the region. Notice how much it rains in Ethiopia (on the other side of the sea) in August. That’s monsoon rain, coming mainly from the Gulf of Guinea. The patterns of rain in December are completely different. But the summer rains in the mountains catch much more water than the winter ones in the north. [Source](https://openclimatemap.org/?lat=19.248922&lon=49.965820&zoom=5&variable=PRECIPITATION&resolution=10m&difference=true&month=12&yearRange=1970-2000)._ That rain is necessary for the population to grow: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!V9Gf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac2d5f19-3e00-40a2-8044-bc6883f92cb9_1103x985.png) That’s why the historic kingdoms on the west coast, on the Red Sea, were traditionally the more powerful ones: They had the access to trade and they had the population. This is where you find the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, and Taif, and the birth of Islam. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ulVH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F03608c22-13d2-480a-a02a-bb2e55eddfec_1600x1304.png) _Mecca, on the interior, was more protected from sea attacks. Hills around it also protect it from attacks. But it’s only 277 m high. Taif, less than 100 km away by car, is 1,900 m high, on the escarpment, so it’s substantially cooler than both Jeddah and Mecca._ These coastal regions are also the most exposed to foreign powers: Trade moves in very narrow corridors, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, which can be easily controlled through three choke points. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OVlW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd98bc9d4-da55-49a2-a7b0-39ea4297f9e4_1600x1365.png) This is why most regional empires controlled only parts of the coasts—especially those of the Red Sea, crucial for Europe-Asian trade—but not the interior: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!m_t6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0a3b77b6-8f11-4914-8f78-b363d9fdbcf4_1600x1196.png) _Note how many of the coasts were under British control (dark red) between the two world wars. Many of them are now countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and parts of Yemen and Oman._ But the capital of Saudi Arabia is not in this richer, populous region! It’s in Riyadh, nearer the center, in a more desertic region called the Nadj. Why? ### The Najd [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!duqN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F653121d0-f2d5-4e38-9b8b-2b6d2bf9a48d_1469x1276.png) The [Najd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najd) is basically the Arabian Shield outside of the coast.[1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-1-189182495) Thanks to the mountains, it still catches some rain and humidity. This water follows gravity, so it usually concentrated around wadis—riverbeds that dry up during parts of the year but are generally more humid than the surrounding areas, and can sustain vegetation. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vG8R!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F966bb4b9-649b-4da1-b744-63cd8ccf3135_1182x1084.png) Where water accumulates it can form oases, or if the water table is close to the surface, it can be pumped. This is what formed settlements in the region. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!j4Vo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44b95093-8363-45f4-a81a-61101b542dce_1600x903.png) _[Source](https://www.mesura.eu/projects/wadi-hanifah-cultural-assets)_ Since water is so precious, these settlements needed protection: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OJ96!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c6afc0d-f33c-4327-9311-0a23a20e2828_1024x683.png) _At-Turaif District in ad-Dir’iyah, a UNESCO site at the border of what’s today the capital, Riyadh._ Some of these wadi-fed settlements are cities in Najd today: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Uk_K!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3dc0f26b-3a8d-4a08-a8be-6a8d15b70637_1600x1355.png) _I also added Al Hofuf, outside of the Najd, just to illustrate that such wadi / settlements were not just in the Najd._ You can easily see them in satellite pictures: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H7Pj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb92f255-f85a-4264-a65f-ebcf165c59e7_1600x1272.png) _As most of the irrigation water is pumped from underground water tables, it’s then sprayed from a central sprinkler spinning around, forming these circles._ And since each wadi is independent from the others, the region ended up with several independent settlements—which, naturally, fought each other for these resources. Along these wadis, where agriculture couldn’t survive, grazing could, so pastoral societies emerged shepherding goats, sheep, and especially camels. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cjhQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f373d9e-e82b-4bab-aa18-a022b459be4e_702x497.jpeg) Pastoralists are very mobile and can carry their wealth with them, so they can easily attack settlements when the need arises. Combine this with independent settlements and scarce water, and you have a recipe for intense tribal warfare. # Saudi This is the context in which we should understand the other part of Saudi Arabia—the [House of Saud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Saud). [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p96O!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40efbede-accc-44db-89bd-267fb0d61e99_1600x1600.png) _The House of Saud’s emblem: the palm tree from the wadi farm’s date palms, and the scimitar, to represent the fight with which they took power._ The Al Saud family comes from Riyadh and fought other tribes to prevail in the Najd, especially the [Rashidi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidi_dynasty), whose wadi system was on one of the main pilgrimage paths from Mesopotamia to Mecca: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YD3j!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F972bfd0f-37ba-4405-b411-ee16fecdebed_1444x1600.png) _[Source](https://www.arabnews.com/node/1897531/saudi-arabia)_ ### Religious Zeal One of the keys to defeating the Rashidi was the Al Saud alliance in 1744 with the [Wahhab tribe](https://www.arabnews.com/node/1897531/saudi-arabia), promoters of Wahhabism. Their religious zeal brought the Al Saud family the manpower they needed to contest the region, and eventually prevail in the early 1900s after over 150 years of conflict. We saw how the geography of the Najd gave birth to a certain type of politics. Now imagine the type of religion that can emerge there: One very centered in Arabia, Arabs, and original Muslims, that repudiates anything foreign—as there was virtually no contact with foreigners in the Najd, and when there was, they were Muslim pilgrims. The result is one of the most radically Islamist versions of Islam. To this day, Wahhabis are concentrated in the Najd. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nom-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F92bddc66-b7e1-40de-a772-7caa8a7123ea_1600x1352.png) _The Wahhabis, who practice a radical version of Sunni Muslim, can be found in the Najd to this day. Beige means “there’s nobody here”. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/04/world/middleeast/sunni-shiite-map-middle-east-iran-saudi-arabia.html)._ The House of Saud brought the secular force, the Wahhabis brought the religious zeal. This alliance can be seen on the flag of Saudi Arabia: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!61ha!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4372817f-c59b-42d7-9ad5-ed6b7ede6345_1600x1067.png) Green [represents Islam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_in_Islam). The writing at the top is the [Shahada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahada):_“There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” It represents the religious aspect of Saudi Arabia brought by the Wahhabis. The sword represents the secular force, the other tribe that controls power in Saudi Arabia—the Al Saud._ Note that the previous flag of Saudi Arabia was more blatant about the scimitars being the same as those of the Al Saud: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4thK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7d70142f-9364-46e9-a16e-f31337b89683_1600x1067.png) The Wahhabi were among the first to fight foreign empires in Arabia, fighting the Ottomans in the early 1800s. The Rashidis allied with them and used their power to prevail. But then the Al Saud / Wahhabis partnered with the British Empire, and as it overpowered the Ottomans, so did the Al Saud / Wahhabis. This is how the Al Saud/Wahhab alliance took over what would become Saudi Arabia, and that’s why the country is a hyperreligious monarchy to this day: It’s the result of the central Najd religious-inspired fighters taking over the rest of the peninsula from the center, just at the right moment. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B1b7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb19ad320-54b1-4153-b4b0-833b115921f6_960x720.gif) _[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S\_xeGC86I3E)_ Believe it or not, this entire conquest—going from nothing to retaking Riyadh to conquering all of what would become Saudi Arabia—was done under one single Al Saud ruler, [Ibn Saud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Saud), AKA Abdulaziz. He then proceeded to marry over 20 women—many of them from different Arabian tribes, to cement their alliances—who gave him around 100 children. Today, the family has 15,000 people, of whom 2,000 are close to power.[2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-2-189182495) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZZ9Z!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F079cc3cd-f4e9-4acb-ab9b-9d4b62e9aca3_1536x1024.png) _Never complain again about your family pictures_ ### Hejaz’s Hashemites Of course, not all of the other families are very happy about this. Most notably, the [Hashemites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashemites) (a family that had ruled over Mecca continuously since the 10 th Century) ruled the Kingdom of Hejaz on the west coast when the Al Saud took it. Both families had allied with the Brits during WW1, so after the Al Saud conquered Hejaz, Britain compensated the Hashemites with the kingdoms of Transjordan, Syria, and Iraq. Of those, today they only control Jordan. ### The Shia In the spirit of “making friends”… you know who the Al Saud have not married into? Many Shia. Of course, the Wahhabis, as Sunni zealots, don’t tolerate the Shia well. Among other nice things, they [attacked and sacked](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahhabi_sack_of_Karbala) the Shia Mesopotamian city of Karbala in 1802 (Ottoman at the time), killing thousands, including children and women. Unfortunately for the social cohesion of the newly-formed country in the 1930s, some parts of Saudi Arabia are inhabited by Shia Muslims. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CYxP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F985e37ce-bced-434f-97ec-9a0b35bfb43c_1600x1352.png) _The blue regions on this map are Shia-majority_ As luck would have it, the Shia region on the Persian Gulf coast in the east is where the oil is. # Oil Just as Ibn Saud was unifying Arabia with his family and the Wahhabis, Western companies found oil in Persia (modern-day Iran), and then in Bahrain. The Saudis searched for oil and found it in 1938. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bBbm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff490c275-5b81-446d-8451-515963a5cd57_1600x1371.png) The east coast of Saudi Arabia has the [biggest onshore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghawar_Field) and the [biggest offshore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safaniya_Oil_Field) oil fields in the world. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WyU9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F711d0428-f783-4789-8bbd-f98e15f7e630_1058x1100.png) _Green = predominantly oil; red = predominantly gas. Ghawar is 280 km long and 30 km wide._ This is why Saudi Arabia is the 2 nd largest producer of oil in the world and the largest exporter. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Onec!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9580f98f-5625-49bb-862c-0e9e6938be42_1600x1188.png) But Saudi Arabia makes much more money from its oil than any other country, because its oil is much cheaper to produce. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!donL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7cf6d0d5-cf12-4e01-b3a8-79cc10966e49_1190x734.png) That’s because Saudi Arabia’s oil is in huge fields, mostly onshore, near the surface, easy to access, a lot of it spurts out of the ground without much effort, and the fields are close to the coast, so it’s cheap to get it there. As a result, oil represents about 42% of GDP… but 95% of the country’s exports. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YdMI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb08e91f4-80f0-4678-a097-f80f80c1bf0a_1420x1600.png) _I am folding in the “mining” component (in brown), plastics and chemical products (pinks), because these are derivatives of oil, metals (because they’re only competitive through the energy subsidy from oil). Together, they accounted for 95.2% of exports in 2022. Without metals, it’s 93%. In 2024, the equivalent number for minerals, plastics, and chemical products was 87% of all exports. [Source](https://oec.world/en/visualize/tree\_map/hs92/export/sau/all/show/2024)._ Scarily, oil accounts for ~80% of government income It’s so cheap for Saudi Arabia to pump this oil that it has built a lot of spare capacity. This is a tremendous geopolitical asset, because it can threaten other oil-producing countries with crashing oil prices by dumping millions of additional barrels of oil per day. This leverage frequently pushes them to reduce their own production to keep prices up. How does Saudi Arabia use this oil? ### The Geopolitics of Oil Saudi Arabia spends on its military a bigger share of its income than the US. It spends more than _Russia!_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FDJh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9eb20c37-92ee-428a-9ac8-906c7ae145c3_1600x1157.png) How come?! Part of it is in the alliance with the US: The deal is that the US gets Saudi oil in exchange for protection, but that oil is not free, and neither is the protection. Saudi Arabia needs to pay for it. Part of it is because the government has no legitimacy beyond that of the sword and religious radicalism, so it must make sure people are not scheming against it. This requires a big security apparatus. That’s the stick. The carrot is to have plenty of government jobs in the military, as well as procurement budgets that can benefit important families. But the most important factor is geopolitics, going back to this map: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CYxP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F985e37ce-bced-434f-97ec-9a0b35bfb43c_1600x1352.png) The main opponent is Iran: * It’s right next to Saudi Arabia (SA), about 150 km (~100 mi) away * Iran is Shia, SA is Sunni. * Yet Iran has Sunni populations and SA has Shia populations, both of which can be propped up by the opponent as internal enemies. * [Iran](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/iran) is an Islamic republic that took down its monarchy to replace it. Since then, it’s been trying to take down monarchies across the Muslim world, and the biggest one is Saudi Arabia’s. * Both are the big regional players, so both vie for influence. * Iran as a rule of thumb is pretty hostile and violent to its enemies. * Iran has directly attacked SA in the past: It [destroyed Saudi refineries with drones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abqaiq%E2%80%93Khurais_attack) in 2019. That threat has been multiplying. Iran has taken indirect control of Iraq, which has a huge border with SA that is hard to defend, as it’s in the middle of the desert. And of course, Iran backs the Houthis—Shias in Yemen—in their civil war against the Sunnis. That war is on the border with Saudi Arabia, and SA has some Shia in that region. Iran is the biggest threat, but it’s not the only one. Until a century ago, large parts of Arabia were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, and the Turks still eye the region as they build back their strength. Both compete for the global Sunni leadership. Turkey has supported the Muslim Brotherhood while the Saudis condemn the group—and even facilitated a coup in Egypt to oust them. Jordan and Saudi Arabia have a cordial relationship, but Jordan is still ruled by the Hashemite family, who have a strong claim to the throne of western Arabia, Hejaz. If Saudi Arabia were to weaken, and the Hashemites saw an opening to retake Hejaz, wouldn’t they take it? Finally, we still have the issue that all the trading lanes around Saudi Arabia are narrow and have choke points. If Saudi Arabia loses them—as it has partially with the Red Sea near Bab El-Mandem with the Houthis—its entire budget is at risk. They are one blockade away from financial ruin. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JTuh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3fc57cf5-3dfa-4eab-9636-28290795e23b_1310x1211.png) This is why Saudi Arabia had to be so close with the US, and why they signed an alliance of oil-for-protection around the end of WW2. But that’s not the only balancing act that Saudi Arabia needs to maintain. It also needs to keep oil prices up, which is why it was a founding member of OPEC and raised oil prices against the US. It’s why, after Russia invaded Ukraine, it agreed with Russia (2 nd largest exporter of oil in the world) to reduce their oil output to keep prices up. It’s why it must keep China happy, as the main customer for Saudi oil. These very interests are why the US decided to invest so heavily in its own oil, and why it has become the world’s #1 producer. Thanks to that, and [the rise of solar and batteries](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/peak-oil-is-coming), the US’s interest in the region will continue waning. Saudi Arabia knows this. And it’s not prepared for a crash in oil demand. ### The Military Bind Saudi Arabia has [260k](https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/05/05/why-are-arab-armed-forces-so-ineffective) military personnel and spends over [$60B](https://www.mof.gov.sa/en/budget/2026/BudgetStatementDocs/Eng_2026.pdf) on military gear every year, but even with the help of the other half of Yemen, it hasn’t been able to beat the Houthis.[4](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-4-189182495) So the Saudi military is not that good. This is by design. Maintaining any military force poses the risk that it will topple the government and take power, as happened in Egypt. It’s especially true in Saudi Arabia, where the government has no more legitimacy than having taken power by force. So the Al Saud systematically undermine the power of the military. Half of the Saudi force is in the National Guard, the personal protection force of the Al Saud! The remaining forces are split between the Armed Forces, the Border Guard, the Royal Guard, and state security and intelligence services, all of which report to different princes. Personnel is recruited and promoted based on allegiance, not ability. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rq39!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce114081-6c97-44af-b762-f672664f3e52_1600x1600.png) Notice what’s at the heart of the emblem of the [Saudi Arabian Armed Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabian_Armed_Forces)? That ain’t the Saudi Arabia flag… But the military is not the only dubious beneficiary of oil money. ### Rentier Citizens Saudis make [more money than Canadians](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gdp-per-capita-worldbank?tab=line&country=USA~DEU~GBR~BRA~KOR~JPN~CHN~IND~ETH~RUS~SAU~CAN)[5](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-5-189182495) but read [worse than the Gabonese](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-of-students-at-end-of-primary-education-achieving-minimum-reading-proficiency?country=~SAU). A big chunk of that money comes from oil, as 50% of Saudi nationals are employed in the public sector.[6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-6-189182495) The OECD average is [18%](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/06/government-at-a-glance-2025_70e14c6c/full-report/employment-in-general-government_dafcfac5.html) and the highest in the OECD, the petrostate of Norway, only employs 30% of the country’s workers… Saudis working in the public sector make 30-50% more than their counterparts in the private sector, so these jobs are more prized—not even accounting for all the job benefits they get in the public sector. The result is that [40%](https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2024/280/article-A001-en.xml)–[50%](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.XPN.COMP.ZS) of government spending is in wages, compared to 8% in the US, 18% in bloated France, and 15% in Norway! Wages are not the only way Saudis are supported by the state. For example, Saudi Arabia provides huge fuel subsidies to its citizens: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_YqK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6e0d2f48-94c6-4e8a-9a73-b4e6b760e332_724x652.png) _Source: [IMF](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/wp/2023/english/wpiea2023169-print-pdf.pdf). Explicit subsidies are things like cheaper gas than it should normally cost. Implicit subsidies include things like the externalities provoked by overburning of fossil fuels, including healthcare to fight sickness from pollution of managing the consequences of CO 2 emissions._ $7k in subsidies per person for a family of four, that’s $28k per year… In other words, Saudi Arabia is burning a huge share of its revenue in subsidizing its population, either directly, or indirectly via unproductive public jobs. All this work performed by millions of people… You can’t tax that. You’re using your government revenue to pay for them! How is Saudi Arabia supposed to maintain this level of spending if oil revenue drops? ### Rivers of Oil, Wadis of Water Of course, that’s not the only way Saudi Arabia has been wasting its oil money. In the country, rivers of oil have become rivers of water, as it has developed the world’s highest capacity for water desalination:[7](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-7-189182495) 60% of the water the country consumes is desalinated! Of course, the energy for this desalination comes from oil, so oil is subsidizing the country’s water. Until recently, a sizable amount of this water was dedicated to agriculture—literally watering the desert! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QnzV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077d4aa9-014e-4bc0-afc5-c3477e0d0a0f_1312x962.png) _Desalination plants in Saudi Arabia. [Source](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Desalination-Plants-on-The-Eastern-and-Western-Coasts-with-Beneficiary-Cities\_fig1\_313677888)._ Apparently, another [30%](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Water_Authority) of water consumption in the country is from non-renewable groundwater, so 90% of the country’s water is basically at risk, as oil revenue shrinks.[8](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-8-189182495) # MbS: Between the Sandworm and the Quicksand In Homer’s Odyssey, as Odysseus crosses the Strait of Messina, he must decide which monster his ship will pass closer to: the six-headed Scylla or the whirlpool formed by Charybdis. He won’t be able to avoid danger and loss. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JK4R!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcbaeb1e4-6cb2-4f4f-8ec1-6ce6e0ea4bf2_1536x1024.png) As I think about Mohammed bin Salman’s predicament, I can’t help but think he’s in a similar position, but in the sand—like in Dune, between a sandworm and quicksand: * The foundation of the Al Saud reign is force, underpinned by oil—but oil is waning. * Their power comes from the central Najd, which is culturally and religiously very local and conservative. But the peripheries of Saudi Arabia have a very different history and culture. * Hejaz, to the west, is traditionally much more cosmopolitan, centered on the Red Sea and its trade. It was a kingdom until very recently, and the previous ruling family still reigns in Jordan. * To the east, the population is majority Shia, at odds with the Wahhabi religious interpretation. * Iran, the regional Shia power, is extremely at odds with Saudi Arabia, as Iran replaced its Western-allied king with an Islamist republic, and it hopes to do the same in Saudi Arabia. * Iraq is now aligned with Iran, creating a huge pro-Shia border with Saudi Arabia. * The biggest protector, the US, is losing interest in Saudi Arabia as its own oil production increases and the surge of renewables and batteries limits the importance of oil. * Meanwhile, the other regional hegemon, Turkey, is becoming increasingly assertive. * The Saudis can barely trust their own military to fend off these threats, as the ruling family’s legitimacy is based only on strength and oil. If one goes, the other goes with it, and a coup is likely. * That is, if there isn’t an internal coup first within the Al Saud family—entirely possible since there are 15,000 of them. * As oil income continues shrinking, the Saudis will also have to diversify the economy from oil pretty dramatically. * This is difficult, as the entire economy revolves around oil, from the massive number of civil servants to water, agriculture, and energy subsidies. * A key to achieving this economic turnaround is to thrust Saudi Arabia into the future, but how can you do that when its culture is anchored in Wahhabism? The very modernization it needs economically is radically at odds with its traditional religion, going back over 250 years to the first alliance of the Al Saud with the Wahhabs. [Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share) If MbS succeeds, the transformation might be as impressive as the one carried out by a trader in the region 1,400 years ago. But will he? In the next (premium) article on Saudi Arabia, we will explore what he has tried, how it has gone so far, how likely he is to succeed, and how that helps understand the recent changes in policies in the kingdom. to read it! [1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-1-189182495) _Every map draws it differently, so I had to pick what I thought made the most sense, and my guess is the Najd is defined by the Arabian Shield outside of the coast, because:_ * _Outside of the shield there’s too much sand, and you can’t build anything on sand._ * _On the coast you had populations more centered on the sea, which also means they’re more cosmopolitan and focused on trade._ [2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-2-189182495) _This is a claim [from](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descendants\_of\_Ibn\_Saud)[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House\_of\_Saud). I assumed that meant all the Al Saud from forever, but ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok all suggest the vast majority are direct descendants of Ibn Saud! Assuming every generation takes on average 30 years, and that Ibn Saud’s children were born on average in 1930, by 1960 he had a 2nd generation on average, by 1990 a third, and by 2020 a fourth. The first generation (Ibn’s children) were apparently ~100, and at least one of them had ~100 children, which is how you can get to 10,000 descendants within two generations, and after four, you’d reach 10M. In reality, daughters can’t marry so many men and have so many children, so if you only consider the patrilineal sides, Ibn Saud had 36 sons that survived to adulthood. Four generations like that gets you 1.7M male descendants. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that most of the 15,000 Al Saud are direct descendants, although some also likely come from “cadet lines”, or branches other than Ibn Saud’s direct line._ [3](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-3-189182495) _The figure is actually hard to get, I assume because of course the government wants to sandbag it. Official figures suggest ~[60%](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2590103/business-economy) of income from oil, but they’re breaking down the oil revenue into straight income, royalties, taxes, dividends… Many of which really come from oil. Some of the income comes via the sovereign fund, the PIF, which owns part of the state oil company, Saudi Aramco. But the fact that it comes from PIF and not Saudi Aramco directly doesn’t matter. There’s also the indirect revenue: About ⅔ of Saudis work in the public sector (paid through money coming from oil!). They pay their taxes on goods and services, which apparently are 50% of non-oil taxes. But that money comes mostly from oil, via the salaries of the public servants! That’s ~17% more government income directly attributable to oil. This is why Wikipedia quotes [~75%](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy\_in\_Saudi\_Arabia) as the figure. My guess is the true revenue is probably higher than 80%, but my point here is not to be precise, it’s to convey the idea that the government is terribly dependent on oil, and this is enough for that._ [4](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-4-189182495) _The Houthis now have [200,000](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/yemen-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-security-and-humanitarian-situation-yemen-december-2021-accessible-version) military personnel, but there are also hundreds of thousands of Sunni Yemeni soldiers._ [5](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-5-189182495) _GDP per capita in PPP is a better measure than GDP per capita, but is not perfect here, as Saudi Arabia is much more unequal than Canada. But I couldn’t find a measure of median representative income that exists for both the West and Saudi Arabia. GNI per capita shows something similar. A better measure is median household income, but we need to collate different sources for this. The OECD says Canada’s is $40k, while Saudi Arabia’s government says the equivalent number for Saudi families (not those of foreigners) is $44k. So yes, the average Saudi has more money than the average Canadian!_ [6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-6-189182495) _This was [74%](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099012226144031210/pdf/P179647-b378ec18-7e40-488a-8327-0cc6f6c5dd18.pdf) in 2015, so a huge improvement!_ [7](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-7-189182495) _It [claims 7.5M](https://swa-cdn.swa.gov.sa/Reports/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%83%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A9%20%D9%81%D9%8A%20%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9%20%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%87.pdf) m 3, and from my calculations the 2 nd largest is the UAE, which has about 7M m 3._ [8](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal#footnote-anchor-8-189182495) _Saudi Arabia will always be able to pump its oil to burn it for cheap electricity for desalination, though. It might just be fiscally harder without income from the share of the oil it sells._ * * * #### to Uncharted Territories By Tomas Pueyo · Thousands of paid subscribers Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/104611417-manal)[](https://substack.com/profile/164128014-gadea-de-la-viuda)[](https://substack.com/profile/413841654-matej)[](https://substack.com/profile/160088393-abdulaziz-albawardi)[](https://substack.com/profile/27982521-patricia-kovic) [246 Likes](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal)∙ [16 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-189182495/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 246 67 16 Share #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/1726422-jon?utm_source=comment) [Jon](https://substack.com/profile/1726422-jon?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 26](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal/comment/219874369 "Feb 26, 2026, 4:04 AM")Edited Liked by Tomas Pueyo The recent efforts of the PIF have been spectacularly wasteful, based on conflicting objectives and faulty premises. The sports washing complaints in the west (for things like LIV Golf and various football team investments) routinely ignored how they were transparently value destructive investments that didn’t even achieve the reputation laundering benefits they supposedly were for. Additionally, mega projects such as The Line were sold as ways to induce productive capacity via enormous demand. Unfortunately for the Saudis, their economy lacks productive capacity and unworkable and unproductive modern age equivalents to the Giza pyramids don’t generate it on their own. They do not have a labor force that has the requisite skills to staff a modern economy and are very unlikely to be able to foster that after spending decades subsidizing their population into submission. [Like (9)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal) [5 replies by Tomas Pueyo and others](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal/comment/219874369) [](https://substack.com/profile/18675353-julian?utm_source=comment) [Julián](https://substack.com/profile/18675353-julian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 26](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal/comment/220005901 "Feb 26, 2026, 1:44 PM") Liked by Tomas Pueyo The resource curse isn't just about GDP diversification. Oil revenue let the Saudi state buy social compliance instead of building civic institutions. Vision 2030 can diversify the export basket. But the harder problem is two generations of citizens whose relationship with the state is "we provide, you comply" rather than the tax-representation bargain that creates functional accountability. Singapore built that from scratch. Saudi Arabia has to replace it while operating. [Like (6)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal) [65 more comments...](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/saudi-arabias-ordeal/comments) Top Latest Discussions [Why Warm Countries Are Poorer](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) [The most underrated factor](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) Sep 25, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 10,632 640 1,515  [Never Bet Against America](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) [Why the US Is Overpowered](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) Sep 4, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 1,300 244 172  [Maps Distort How We See the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) [30 Maps to Rethink the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) Apr 20, 2023•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 525 49 36  See all ### ? © 2026 Tomas Pueyo · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# Dubai - by Tomas Pueyo - Uncharted Territories [](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/) # [Uncharted Territories](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/)  Discover more from Uncharted Territories Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more Over 122,000 subscribers By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai) # Dubai ### The Anti-Petrostate [](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) [Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) Feb 06, 2026 269 86 16 Share What will happen to petro-states after oil demand dries up? How can countries be successful in the 21 st Century? Dubai answers both questions, but not the way I thought before I visited the city last year. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!knGN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9fcb912b-28c5-4ba5-a156-91894454ff3b_1593x1600.png) > _My grandfather rode a camel; my father rode a camel. I ride a Mercedes. My son rides a Land Rover, and my grandson will ride a Land Rover. But his son will ride a camel._—[Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum](https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/dubai-sheikhs-words-lost-in-translation-with-viral-quote/), [founding father of the UAE and ruler of Dubai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashid_bin_Saeed_Al_Maktoum). Dubai faced an existential crisis. In 1900, it was a village on a coastal creek in the middle of the desert and hadn’t changed much for centuries. By the 1950s, it was still a small port city. Then, it found oil. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xcq-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8df24b77-e0c7-4492-aa08-5f6d1a8e17c2_1200x676.png) _Many Persian Gulf states had found oil starting in the 1930s. By the 1960s, the neighboring city of Abu Dhabi had found oil, and a British company looked for it in Dubai too, but there was none to be found. The population grew skeptical: Would it ever find any? But the Sheikh was unrelenting. Finally, oil companies found some in 1966, kilometers offshore. At first, people didn’t believe it: They had heard stories of oil for too long, and now coincidentally the oil had been found out of sight? So the Sheikh ordered oil to be extracted from the offshore Fateh field and dumped some of it in a hole in the sand. This picture shows the first oil of Dubai, and how it finally dawned on the population that their lives were about to change forever._ But not much. The rulers knew it wouldn’t last long. If Dubai was going to be anything, they had to act fast. They had to use this oil as intelligently as possible. That was the vision of [Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashid_bin_Saeed_Al_Maktoum), and he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uoHn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2d5a72a0-ab13-4d24-a711-501ef4aad278_1480x1070.png) Today, Dubai is not only a bustling city. It’s one of the most dynamic city-states on Earth, and an example of what can be done to fight the curse of dwindling oil revenues. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Rctw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F178421d5-1291-4ec5-be44-946e762e57b2_1600x1016.png) This is how I see Dubai after studying it and visiting it: How it started, how it got where it is today, and what lessons others can learn from it. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NnW-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6ffceb1-4b0c-42ae-94df-54f22411d45e_1600x1201.png) # Dubai Creek Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates, on the Persian Gulf. Dubai is the second biggest of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fuex!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0438188a-1b6d-4448-9c5e-ab0b4b56194e_1600x1253.png) _Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the most important emirates. The others are secondary._ But it has the biggest city. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5Fur!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0247e259-4846-41c0-b497-77b4456197a2_1200x780.png) It’s on one of the most ancient trade routes. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XnpW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fa3ea7c-ad31-4df6-956d-bb9805323b54_2048x1354.png) _[Source](https://robbyrobinsjourney.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/spiceroute1.jpg)_ Unfortunately, Dubai mostly saw ships pass by, as it’s on desert land, leading nowhere. It was never a crossroads for anything. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqwN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4b03c363-5429-469a-9487-5de048f332c3_1728x1938.png) So as a result, it was not even a minor trade outpost at the height of Muslim power. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wANh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75327987-2695-48ea-8c89-0f2a4c92ff4e_1600x1286.png) _[Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/qtkdtl/11th12th\_century\_trade\_routes/#lightbox)_ That did not get better with the Age of Discovery and its more euro-centric trade routes that completely bypassed the Persian Gulf. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZdnJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6485f8c-a0aa-499b-b68a-1126d613f4eb_1600x988.png) _[Source](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/colonial-shipping-lanes/) (I edited the maps to combine all four)_ The region didn’t have that much going on in that period. The little trade that went on suffered from pirate raids, so Dubai built a fort in the late 1700s. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HmDN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8778ab19-aba2-4722-975b-4a2b6ab91fb7_1600x900.png) _Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest building standing in Dubai today_ In the 1800s, the region became a British Protectorate: Too poor for the UK to turn into a full-on colony, the Brits promised to protect the region in exchange for its help fighting against piracy. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!osa5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2fec72ba-cfaf-4bcb-81b1-33330800f297_1600x955.png) _Dubai in 1822. I took this picture at the Al Shindagha Museum in Dubai. As you can see, it was just a small village when the region became a British Protectorate._ So for centuries, the only remarkable economic activity in Dubai, and the Persian Gulf in general, was the pearl industry. ### Diving for Pearls [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1Zig!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29996d43-895e-433f-ae45-aa5ca9981867_640x480.png) _Cotton suit to protect against jellyfish, finger protectors against cuts, nose clipper against water ingress, and net to carry the oysters. [Source](https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/arts-culture/pearl-diving-uaes-hidden-gem-1.1929448)._ The Persian Gulf is a very shallow sea, about 35 m deep on average.[1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-1-187082675) In reality, it’s just the underwater continuation of Mesopotamia. They are both depressions caused by the weight of the Zagros Mountains to their northeast. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E35z!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F780b5c86-1eb4-41d5-b1ff-57f893516e38_1529x1385.png) And this part of the world has lots of sunlight and little rainfall. This created a goldilocks environment for oysters and their pearls: * Shallow waters mean sunlight reaches the bottom, and there’s a lot of plankton that the oysters can eat. * They like warm temperatures. * No rain means few rivers, so little mud in suspension in the water to clog the oysters’ gills. * These conditions have persisted for millions of years, so the shells of trillions of animals have accumulated, forming a carbonate bed that oysters can use to build their own shells. This carbonate has not been diluted by sand from rivers, and with all this carbonate concentration, the water is alkaline, facilitating shell creation. * The warm and salty environment is ideal for parasites. They penetrate the oyster, which defends itself by surrounding the parasite with nacre, forming a pearl.[2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-2-187082675) * It’s also close enough to the surface for divers to be able to reach them without any special breathing equipment. This is why the entire Persian Gulf was the world’s biggest producer of pearls. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cINn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc9007f15-1ce7-4f3f-af22-55e07e2c07ca_1600x1067.png) That industry got destroyed in the 1930s, after the Japanese had learned to [cultivate pearls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultured_pearl) by artificially inserting something in the oysters’ sac, which then proceed to cover them in nacre. The Great Depression that started in 1929 finished off the industry. Only fishing was left. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8Tjq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6df8ef4-64d4-4b64-8271-bf01e8797126_768x576.png) So Dubai was just a fishing village well into the 1950s: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TcXv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd0a0ed8b-d318-4922-a189-83114d99cba7_1600x900.png) _Dubai in 1951. [Source](https://www.dubaiasitusedtobe.net/DubaifromtheSky.shtml)._ But it had one thing that made it special: its creek. ### The Creek [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!l8UD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d8a5276-566b-4bea-94f4-ab3d9a32568d_1600x1357.png) The creek appears in ancient maps, showing how salient it was. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oz0H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e866cb2-1e52-43a5-a035-20f364cf7c85_1132x676.png) _Map of the Persian Gulf from 1470. Note how the Dubai Creek is highlighted. I also took this picture at the Al Sindagha Museum._ A creek provides protection for ships from sea storms and pirates, so Dubai could theoretically be a port. But how do you compete with all the other ports in the region, when you don’t have special goods to trade, as you’re in the middle of desert land? Here’s the fundamental insight that Dubai’s rulers had around 1900 that made Dubai what it is today: In the modern age, you don’t need an amazing natural endowment to succeed as a city. You just need amazing _governance_. [Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share) ### The Regulatory Arbitrage In the late 1800s, Dubai’s rulers focused on ensuring Dubai was safe. Once they succeeded, they wondered: _How can we use our creek to lure merchants from neighboring cities to settle here?_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WFEd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d7daa45-c4ff-4f69-98e0-84b0261af68d_1600x1180.png) At the time, the biggest port in the gulf was Basra, in the Ottoman Empire. In the region, it was Lingeh, in Persia, on the northern coast of the Persian Gulf. Small creeks competed with Dubai for local trade. But over the centuries, the Ottoman Empire started taxing the merchants in Basra more and more to finance its wars. This happened in Lingeh in the late 1800s, too. But there’s only so much you can tax merchants before they leave. So in 1901-1902, [the ruler of Dubai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maktoum_bin_Hasher_Al_Maktoum) decided to make the port what we understand today as a _Special Economic Zone_ (SEZ): Merchants were granted land on the creek, zero taxes, protection, and tolerance of their beliefs. Merchants left the surrounding regions and established themselves in Dubai. The new steamboats that were accelerating global trade began stopping in Dubai. By 1906, Dubai had replaced Lingeh as the major regional port. Here’s the same population graph as before, but this time logarithmic: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PdSc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe450d9ed-770c-4f17-8614-e20a998a6f32_1480x1104.png) _Logarithmic graph_ This was not a novel strategy: Many coastal cities had used similar strategies in the past, from the Phoenicians and Greeks to the Hanseatic League. Within the British Empire, this was common: Singapore (1819), Hong Kong (1842), and Aden (1839) all followed the same recipe. So Dubai knew what it was doing, and the British saw it positively, as an alternative to Persian and Ottoman trading power in the region. Why did it work for Dubai? A big reason was that it was _weak_. That weakness was an asset, not a liability: The port was not huge, the Sheikh was not powerful, so if he tried anything, merchants would just pack up and go. Instead, Dubai did whatever it could to improve the conditions for its merchants. Notably, as sandbanks had accumulated in the creek, Dubai worked with the merchants to dredge it. Dubai got the British Empire to establish a post office there in 1909—much earlier than in any other city in the vicinity—and later the telegraph. With these measures, Dubai’s population 4xed between 1900 and 1950, despite the pearl crash. But more importantly, Dubai had planted the seed of what would make it great: a commitment to low taxes, trade, safety, and tolerance. # Dubai’s Explosion It’s now 1958, and the man from the beginning of this article, [Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashid_bin_Saeed_Al_Maktoum), succeeds his father as the ruler of Dubai. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!i505!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71d035b8-dd44-4607-9af1-fc5de4e65ff8_1140x1558.png) Sheikh Rashid went all in on infrastructure. ### Dubai’s Infrastructure Run This is what he did: * 1959: Establish Dubai’s first telephone company * 1960: The first airport opens * 1961: Roll out the electricity network * Late 1950s, early 1960s: Dredging Dubai Creek, after which vessels of any size could dock at the port. * 1963: First bridge over the Creek [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nbKQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac769dbb-2b58-44a0-8519-9cf4a418347a_1600x1115.png) _Al Maktoum bridge under construction in the early 1960s. This was reasonably far inland, as the bridge was not very tall, so big ships wouldn’t be able to dock past it. [Source](https://dubaiasitusedtobe.net/AlMaktoumBridge1963.shtml)._ All of these required a strong vision—and immense investment risk in the case of the dredging, the bridge, and the airport—because Dubai only discovered oil in 1966, and production started in 1969! ### Dubai’s Flare The oil was an incredible boon for the economy, but the Sheikh knew it wouldn’t last. He was right. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MLJy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff498caf8-7ddf-406f-a7d6-393e0d7be6fe_1600x1569.png) So, starting in the 1970s, Dubai’s challenge was: How can we use the windfall to create an economy that will sustain itself when there’s no more oil? Very few countries think this way today, forget about the 1970s. But Dubai had the answer. Dubai Creek was already the biggest import-export port in the Persian Gulf in 1960, if you extract oil cargo.[3](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-3-187082675) So Dubai decided to double down on its strength: trade. It used oil money to built [Port Rashid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Rashid), which opened in 1972, because Dubai Creek silted and had become too small. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!U40u!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd92779df-085a-40ab-b52a-54b93021bbbd_1600x900.png) _Port Rashid, at the entrance of Dubai Creek, became the #1 import-export port in the Persian Gulf overnight._ * 1975: Al Shindagha Tunnel opens under Dubai Creek, closer to the entrance of the creek. * 1979: Dubai opens its World Trade Centre, a convention and exhibition center. * 1979: Aluminium production starts: This was very clever, as it moved the city from just a trading hub to one that could add value to the goods before reselling them, and generated both jobs and industry in the process. * 1979: A _new_ port opens south in Jebel Ali! This would become Dubai’s biggest port, and the largest one in the entire Middle East to this day. * 1983: Drydocks open near Port Rashid to repair ships. * 1985: Jebel Ali, to the south, becomes another free trade zone to expand the congested Port Rashid. ### Dubai’s Diversification As oil dwindled, trade had already firmly established itself, so Dubai could continue its aggressive diversification across adjacent industries: finance, tourism, real estate… [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PT4h!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5da56e45-f61d-4394-9922-2a8dc3953af0_1066x1600.png) _Today_ Since the turn of the century, the city has gone all-in on urban development. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syF7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9989635e-17dd-4254-9bea-1270a1a0f40a_1600x889.png) _In Dubai, everywhere you look, you’ll see “EMAAR” at the top of the buildings. It’s [the biggest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emaar\_Properties) real estate development company in the city-state._ You can see this development not just in skyscrapers, but in retail, real estate and tourism, with famous landmarks like the Burj Al Arab hotel: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3J3U!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0245a0dd-4c58-48f6-81f7-f04dbdd3c1ac_1600x900.png) _The Burj Al Arab hotel, one of the most luxurious in the world. Behind, we can see the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. In the background to the left, we can see the center of the city, built around the creek._ Dubai has the tallest building in the world, the Burh Khalifa. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p4JZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F92266c7f-1079-4b30-aa48-9e8ab5e74659_1600x1070.png) It’s in front of the 2 nd biggest mall in the world, Dubai Mall.[4](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-4-187082675) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3nk5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9faf674a-6015-47ee-98b5-667da9ad2558_1600x1070.png) _The Dubai Mall aquarium and underwater zoo is one of the largest in the world._ It has reclaimed land on the coast to create Palm Jumeirah: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g9Ie!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b0f9c38-ec45-410f-a818-96f99d1e1fca_1600x1063.png) Several other coastal reclamation projects have begun, such as [Palm Jebel Ali](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Jebel_Ali), [The World Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_(archipelago)), and [Dubai Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Islands), but none are complete yet. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FdwU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb1ab448-3f89-414d-9ea7-000f3110cbec_1600x1553.png) _Dubai Islands is the new name for Palm Deira, which is unlikely to be completed any time soon._ Many of them commenced construction just before 2008 and stopped during the Great Recession. Most haven’t started redeveloping again,[5](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-5-187082675) although an ad tells me they’re trying with Jebel Ali. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1mph!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0afe23f4-2868-40fd-9b44-5470520ffbad_784x1140.png) Dubai understood that there are huge synergies between transportation modes, so it didn’t only invest in its port and coast. It continued investing in its airport and airline. Today, Dubai International Airport is the [2 nd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic) busiest in the world, and the Dubai-based [Emirates Airline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_(airline)) is the world’s largest long haul airline. It acts as the bridge across Europe, Asia, and Africa. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0Mqr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F685a4a69-c9ac-45cf-8e76-819119aa7da6_1600x1065.png) ### Dubai’s Differentiation But Dubai was not built only on physical investments. Since its beginnings in the early 1900s, its leaders knew that to attract people you needed the right regulations: 1. Very low taxes 2. Safety 3. Tolerance Dubai is the [2 nd most tax-friendly city in the world](https://www.multipolitan.com/resource/tax-friendly-cities-index-2025). No wonder it’s attracting huge numbers of millionaires escaping high taxation around the world. Here, Dubai appears as part of the United Arab Emirates: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HLsR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe8e157c1-fd57-4776-98d4-0f48f8491f6b_1200x1600.png) Dubai is also the[5 th safest](https://ceoworld.biz/2025/05/12/ranked-safest-cities-in-the-world-2025/) city in the world. When I was there, all the locals and expats I talked with had stories about how they left a computer behind and the police tracked it back to them within a couple of hours, how they can leave their cars open and running without fear of theft, or how their children can take the local Uber equivalent (Careem) alone. When I was there, I felt as safe as in Taipei, Tokyo, or Singapore, and way safer than anywhere in the US, or in most European cities. Finally, as a Muslim monarchy, the UAE is not known for freedom. Criticism of rulers, state institutions, religion, or “social harmony” can lead to detention. Online speech, including social media posts, is closely monitored. Media outlets are state-owned or closely aligned with authorities. Public demonstrations require permission and are rarely allowed. Independent civil society organizations are limited; strikes are illegal in many sectors. Public morality laws affect dress, alcohol, relationships. That said, I don’t find any of these fundamentally different from those of, say, Singapore. They only differ in [degree](https://chatgpt.com/share/697b78d8-869c-8008-9f3a-5a5bf3d385f4). And in practice, in Dubai I saw plenty of drunk expats and scantily dressed women. In Singapore as in Dubai, it felt like people say: _Live and let live. Do your thing in private, leave others alone, and we’ll leave you alone._ This felt _liberating_. Knowing you can go anywhere, at any time, do your thing, be respectful, and you’ll be free? That’s amazing. When I lived in San Francisco, I had to be aware of my surroundings when walking on the streets, for fear of attacks. And my speech was not much more free in SF, as I always had to be very conscious of what I said and how it would land with people, for fear of making a faux pas or hurting sensitivities. That’s the difference between freedom and tolerance. If I had to choose only one for the rest of my life and the entire world, I would choose the freedom of the US. But to live in a city that you can leave at any time, the tolerance of a place like Dubai, with the safety that comes with it, is much more comfortable. # Dubai Tomorrow So this is how Dubai went from a village of fishermen and pearl divers to one of the world’s most dynamic metropoles: It tried to become the biggest trading hub it could. For that, it focused on two things: * The right infrastructure for transportation and communication: ports, postal services, telegraph, bridges, tunnels, airports, malls, artificial islands… * The right regulations: low taxes, security, and tolerance. This is how it became a trade hub, and as we’ve seen [in previous articles](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/t/cities), once cities become hubs, network effects are so strong that they keep growing.[6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-6-187082675) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4woI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F991f651e-c168-4d16-a40b-f37b6f859084_1600x1200.png) Today, Dubai still makes $500M in oil revenue per year, but that’s less than 1% of the city’s GDP. Given its unbelievable position for trade and transportation, and all the services burgeoning around it, it seems to me like it’s well positioned for the future. The same can’t be said of Abu Dhabi, the biggest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, which still prints money from oil sales. If Abu Dhabi can’t manage the transition away from oil, will it carry Dubai down with it? # What Lessons Can We Take from Dubai? ### 1. Modern Islam While Western media is filled with stories of intolerant, aggressive, backward-looking Islam, Dubai shows that this narrative doesn’t need to prevail. A Muslim monarchy can be tolerant, welcoming, rich, dynamic, and cosmopolitan. ### 2. Living after Oil When I first heard the story of Dubai, I thought it was a role model for other oil countries to transition out of their oil dependence, but now I’m not so sure: Dubai did not go from oil city to trading city. It was always a trading city, and oil just helped it reach [its ambitions](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DDZjV4CSsCE/). Crucially, this means it avoided the resource curse because its institutions and culture were so strong to begin with.[7](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-7-187082675) Oil did not make Dubai. It just helped. ### 3. Global Competition The world is hyper competitive. You never control your population. People are always trying to go to the next best place. So governments can’t act as if their population is a hostage to milk. The countries that treat their populations (and immigrants) well, [with low taxes](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DDwpi25taL1/), tolerance, and security, will attract money and power and outgrow the others. _It turns out Dubai is not a great blueprint for oil countries trying to diversify away from oil today. So what are better examples? This is what we’ll cover next week in our premium articles. to read them:_ [1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-1-187082675) _Approximately the same in yards. The sea is frequently less than 10 – 15 m deep._ [2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-2-187082675) _Also, the high salinity, extreme summer heat, rapid temperature swings in shallow water, and periodic lack of oxygen create stress that weakens the oysters’ shells, which facilitates parasite penetration._ [3](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-3-187082675) _Other ports were focused on the transition of bulk goods inland, not as entrepots. Persia and Iraq were too controlling of their ports for them to flourish, while Dubai had been a SEZ for decades._ [4](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-4-187082675) _By surface_ [5](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-5-187082675) _A big chunk of the World Islands were sold, so the incentive for further investing isn’t there, yet many of the acquirers did it for speculation, so the project is stalled. Plus, the cost of connecting all these islands with roads, electricity, and water are pretty high. My guess is Palm Jebel Ali or Dubai Islands will finish before The World._ [6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-6-187082675) _As long as they’re not throttled by some force, usually regulation._ [7](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai#footnote-anchor-7-187082675) _It looks like it was mostly the rulers: Dubai’s Al Maktoum family has shepherded the emirate for over two centuries of modernization pretty impressively._ * * * #### to Uncharted Territories By Tomas Pueyo · Thousands of paid subscribers Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/415162302-shar)[](https://substack.com/profile/18654729-rob)[](https://substack.com/profile/15833683-akch-haine)[](https://substack.com/profile/227804265-numinosum)[](https://substack.com/profile/49623876-olivier-roland) [269 Likes](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai)∙ [16 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-187082675/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 269 86 16 Share #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/14136622-becoming-human?utm_source=comment) [Becoming Human](https://substack.com/profile/14136622-becoming-human?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai/comment/210758882 "Feb 6, 2026, 1:30 PM") I normally love your analyses, but this one made me physically ill. Dubai is built on modern slavery. Exploitation and extraction levied against foreign workers with virtually no rights to begin with, and no ability to assert them. Dubai, like Singapore, is simply a modern conservative society - law enforcing a social order. That is why millionaires like it. For shame. [Like (39)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai) [25 replies by Tomas Pueyo and others](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai/comment/210758882) [](https://substack.com/profile/49623876-olivier-roland?utm_source=comment) [Olivier Roland](https://substack.com/profile/49623876-olivier-roland?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 6](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai/comment/210759687 "Feb 6, 2026, 1:32 PM") Liked by Tomas Pueyo Well done, Tomas. It's rare to see such a nuanced article about Dubai, especially from someone who hasn't lived there. You've perfectly understood Dubai's (very clever) positioning in this new world. May I suggest my article "Why I Feel Freer in a Monarchy Than in My Democratic Home Country - Reflections on Dubai and the freedom granted by digital nomadism" [https://disruptive-horizons.com/p/why-i-feel-freer-in-a-monarchy](https://disruptive-horizons.com/p/why-i-feel-freer-in-a-monarchy) as a supplement? I lived in Dubai for seven years and know the city very well. Also, to summarize one of my points about what gives Dubai such a feeling of freedom: "For several years, I haven’t needed to show a passport at Dubai airport: facial recognition identifies me and the gate opens automatically. It’s efficient—but it also shows how easily governments can track people. In Dubai, cameras are everywhere and actively used by police; finding a stolen car is trivial. If you can track cars, you can track individuals. The UAE clearly offers fewer political freedoms than Western democracies, so yes—mass surveillance bothers me. But, paradoxically, less than it would in my home country. Why? Two reasons. First, the balance of power is different. There’s a distinct implicit contract between someone born into a country and someone who chooses a country in a competitive market of jurisdictions. The mono-country person is constrained by inertia—language, ties, habits—and feels the state’s weight acutely. The nomad arrives as a customer. If the value deteriorates or surveillance becomes too heavy, he can—and should—leave. That possibility fundamentally rebalances power. I can choose where to live and contribute, and states must compete to keep me. So I know that if Dubai no longer suits me, I’ll leave. Accepting slightly more state power is the trade-off for having strong exit power. In practice, voting with your feet balances power better than voting at the ballot box—an essential insight when choosing your first expatriate country." (I share the 2nd reason in the above article) So we agree on this point. [Like (13)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai) [1 reply by Tomas Pueyo](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai/comment/210759687) [84 more comments...](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/dubai/comments) Top Latest Discussions [Why Warm Countries Are Poorer](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) [The most underrated factor](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) Sep 25, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 10,632 640 1,515  [Never Bet Against America](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) [Why the US Is Overpowered](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) Sep 4, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 1,300 244 172  [Maps Distort How We See the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) [30 Maps to Rethink the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) Apr 20, 2023•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 525 49 36  See all ### ? © 2026 Tomas Pueyo · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person.” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person.” ### In this edition of the Weekender: pre-dawn rituals, traffic mirrors, and a 1982 portrait of masculinity [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Jan 31, 2026 2,686 82 136 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0Soj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9bd36bf7-c7ea-479c-9758-3e5c4edcd528_2048x2048.png) _Painting by [The Prodigal Artist](https://substack.com/@theprodigalartist/note/c-199648859?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re waking in the dark, perusing old issues of Esquire, and getting lost in Yonville. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0egU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf9c2b28-13bd-48d6-b9c9-cf973f2eeb44_1026x292.png) ##### _MORNING PEOPLE_ ### **How to wake up, according to bakers** For those struggling with winter mornings, Cake Zine consulted the experts: bakers who wake at 3 a.m.—some “with actual hatred” in their hearts—and somehow make it work. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7HfI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf36c633-a2cf-4aaf-8772-5ce7c9246d8f_1456x1941.png) ### **[How Bakers Survive Winter Mornings](https://cakezine.substack.com/p/how-bakers-survive-winter-mornings)** —[Cake Zine](https://open.substack.com/users/849936-cake-zine?utm_source=mentions) in [Cake Zine](https://cakezine.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > **Tanya Bush, pastry chef at Little Egg** > > > “I’m jolted awake by the sound of radar—all the Apple alarms are an assault on the senses, so might as well call a spade a spade. I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person. > > > The only thing that softens the blow is this ridiculous fuzzy pink sweater I’ve started calling my snuggie. I keep it on the bedside so it’s the first thing I reach for. Then I listen to early-aughts rock music (Three Doors Down) on my walk to work to try and feel some semblance of aliveness (lol). Most mornings it’s still brutally dark, but once in a while, depending on the season, I catch a sunrise. I like to smile at the other people on their way to work. I try to remember that we’re doing something together, bringing the city to life.” > > > **Morgan Knight, pastry chef and owner at Saint Street Cakes** > > > “Because most of our bakes don’t require proofing, and cakes are baked the day before, I’m usually up for work around 6 a.m! The thing that keeps me up and ready for the day is using my Brick—it’s a device that disables social media on my phone to avoid the morning doom scroll. Staying off of my phone in the morning helps me be present and intentional. > > > Oh, and I’ll usually make a fruit smoothie to trick myself into feeling like it’s warm out, especially on cold days.” > > > **Kaitlyn Wong, pastry chef at Ouma Brooklyn** > > > “I recently got back into the early-morning baker life at the end of last year when I started the pastry program at Ouma in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. It’s been almost 3 years since I’ve had the (dis)pleasure of waking up that early—I’d be lying if I didn’t say it never gets easier! It’s funny when people constantly assume that because I’m a pastry chef I’m “used to” the early hours … no! I realize I sound very aggro, and I know it’s what I signed up for, but waking up early will never not suck! > > > If bringing fresh pastries to Prospect Lefferts Gardens means waking up at the crack of dawn, I’ll do it—just not with a smile or any cheerful enthusiasm. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve that seem to help make the agony of waking up early a little less agonizing: no caffeine after 10 a.m., asleep by 9 p.m., and just one alarm to wake me up and a second one to yell at me to get out of bed. > > > Biking to work is my usual mode of transportation, and I swear that there’s something about the frigid 5 a.m. air hitting your face that really wakes you up! But it would be disingenuous of me to not admit that I supplement with the occasional Uber (I’ve been Ubering a lot these days…). My partner Jordan and I both get up early for work and sometimes it aligns and we can wake up a little earlier and have a coffee together. Those mornings are always nice.” > > > **Kyla Tang, baker at Plumcot** > > > “The playlist I choose to listen to on the morning commute completely sets my mood for the day. This one always gets me going in the morning. > > > Oh, and I never leave the house without a hot drink (hot water with ginger and dried red dates).” > > > **Dallas King, executive pastry chef at Lost Bread Co.** > > > “I wake up at 2 a.m. on the weekends and pick out an outfit in the dark so I don’t wake up my partner. I chug a pre-workout shake, brush my teeth, moisturize, and walk 30 minutes to work to get there by 3 a.m. I think the walk really helps me wake up and get ready to immediately start working (the walk is great podcast listening time, too). > > > I usually like to have a really consistent routine in the mornings: I let myself snooze once, always, then bolt straight out of bed. The key is good sleep and immediate caffeination. > > > I’ve seen bakers belittle themselves for not getting enough sleep before an early shift, but that couldn’t be me. Just be easy on yourself and have some coffee (there is a recurring theme here). Go slow as you reasonably can but don’t be sloppy. Watch the clock obsessively. Budget in a nap for ASAP after work and move on.” > > > **Lilli Maren, freelance baker in New York** > > > “No matter how early my day starts, I always carve out 15 minutes for puzzles. I call this ‘bringing my brain up to temp.’ I also have a vintage lamp in this cosy corner of my apartment, and it gives the softest light. I snuggle up here with some Kenken and a cup of extra strong black coffee and it sorts me right out. I know you’re not supposed to drink coffee before 10 a.m. or whatever, but at 5 a.m. it tastes extra naughty and extra delicious!” > > > **Gabrielle Weems, freelance baker in New York** > > > “I work evenings now, but I used to think about getting out earlier than everyone. Enjoying the sunshine and (kind of) quiet afternoons while everyone else is still at work. Still having a nice chunk of my day ahead of me to do whatever I want with it. > > > It’s difficult, but getting up earlier helps me allow myself a slow morning. Warm, dim lighting and starting my mornings with jazz is a lovely motivator. As well as fresh chamomile tea. It alleviates a lot of my nerves and stress.” > > > **Kelly Mencin, pastry chef and owner at Radio Bakery** > > > “Ohhhfff—the winters are hard! Honestly, I try to go to bed as early as I can so that I can get at least 8 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, for a 3 a.m. start, that’s 7 p.m. > > > Waking up knowing that I got 8 hours of sleep makes it more bearable, I guess? Maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I tell myself that, yes, I got adequate sleep and, yes, I will be fine. > > > I also don’t wake up from a jarring alarm. I installed HUE lights in my apartment that gradually turn on over a 10-minute time frame. Waking up to light feels more natural and doesn’t make me as cranky as a loud alarm would. > > > Once I’m out the door with the thought of a warm Earl Grey tea awaiting me at work, it makes it pretty easy.” [Keep reading](https://cakezine.substack.com/p/how-bakers-survive-winter-mornings) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UoBM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff5574014-1dc6-4ec6-a960-c38afbda14b9_1184x280.png) ##### _THE QUESTION_ [ augmented man Jan 23 His interpretation is completely different to the traditional one ♾️ Andrew Scott's version of Hamlet's To Be Or Not To Be. 3,061 150 356](https://substack.com/@augmentedman/note/c-203839810) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NBhy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb637c2cf-8fad-4a68-bb33-96480f23981c_1184x280.png) ##### _MEDIA STUDIES_ ### **How to be a man in 1982** Hua Hsu examines a four-decade-old issue of Esquire, considering what the magazine suggests about male status, style, and anxieties in the ’80s. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JnW3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F58d507d3-8dc0-4d3b-855c-fe7d4b066aa7_1456x1939.png) ### **[The November 1982 issue of Esquire ($2.00)](https://magazines.substack.com/p/the-november-1982-issue-of-esquire)** —[Hua Hsu](https://open.substack.com/users/299348041-hua-hsu?utm_source=mentions) in [Magazines](https://magazines.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > I found this on a stoop and took it home because I’ll basically take any old periodicals home so long as they don’t smell too bad. The early nineteen-eighties aren’t my favorite era for magazines; legacy titles like _Esquire_ were still really secure with their core demographic, and the narrowly tailored, scotch + luxury hifi lifestyle they depict can be a little alienating. Anyhow, I constantly think about tossing it out but I’ve always found this issue sufficiently bizarre to keep around, at least until I made time to read the cover story about something called “Father Love.” It sounds a little sinister, all this talk of “profound pain” and “exquisite joy.” And then there’s the photo of the little girl. > > > One of the things about leafing through old magazines or newspapers is seeing writers test out ideas, feelings, modalities that would become more accepted (or passe, or forbidden) over time. Anthony Brandt’s essay is basically an exploration of what it means to be a father when you maybe don’t feel up to the task. In his editor’s note, Phillip Moffitt describes this as the “postponing generation,” with many young men deciding to lock down their professional lives/Truly Understand Themselves before embarking on parenthood. “I hope that our culture is establishing a lasting pattern for itself and other societies: first grow up yourself, and only then think about taking responsibility for creating other lives.” Enter Brandt’s reflections on “the joy and the pain” of fatherhood, offered to readers as “_Esquire’s_ gift to new parents.” > > > What does it mean to grow up? There’s a specific kind of nineties guy who was deeply shaped by reading _Sassy_ (ditto _Maxim_), and it wasn’t until I was much older that I understood how reading, say, _Details_ or _The Face_ or _Giant Robot_ truly shaped my sense of who I wanted to be. And reading Brandt’s essay is particularly interesting when looking at the world one might hope to grow into. _Esquire_ was and remains a magazine devoted to Man at His Best, trafficking in a kind of urbane sophistication expressed through manners and taste, expertise in liquor or sports cars or neckties, curiosity about “Gucci pour homme cologne.” There are stories about great mountaintop getaways, a lot of ads for booze featuring weirdly curvaceous, mildly erotic ice cubes—the kinds of ads I remember studying in junior high in a unit on “subliminal advertising.” > > > [. . .] > > > I can imagine reading the November 1982 _Esquire_ in order to figure out how to be a man and feeling utterly baffled. There’s a long article about borderline personality disorder which opens with a description of how hot the patient is: “Until you saw her arms, she looked like somebody you’d date, or want to. Black hair falling straight to her waist and clear pale skin made her look Irish, which she wasn’t, and her eyes were intelligent and green … Her face was something. If you met her at a party at the Harvard Club or on the beach at the Hamptons you’d be stricken.” Pretty disturbing! > > > Maybe I’m not someone who is interested in BPD, and I’m just here to figure out how to use up my disposable income. Should I be drinking Bailey’s Irish Cream, Old Grand Dad Kentucky Bourbon, Drambuie, Boodles British gin, Courvoisier, Pinch 12 Year Old Scotch, Martell Cognac, Grand Marnier, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Remy Martin, J&B, Grand Old Parr De Luxe Blended Scotch Whiskey, or Jack Daniel’s? Am I a cardigan-wearer? Should I be slightly taller? Someone who uses words like “queeb?” [Keep reading](https://magazines.substack.com/p/the-november-1982-issue-of-esquire) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbca5064e-3c21-4762-9cee-4c39d6df988c_1384x280.png) ##### _ART_ [ Rose Florence Jan 5 Current obsession🤍the stylish, seasoned women of illustrator Isabella Cotier       4,736 33 378](https://substack.com/@roseflorence/note/c-195506718) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GoXW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd394f807-258d-4ad1-9085-5e128f8085e3_1384x280.png) ##### _PHOTO ESSAY_ ### **Mirrored life** Takashi Yasui documents Japan’s ubiquitous traffic mirrors, where fragments of daily life are reflected back at each intersection. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XxIz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fff574547-31f5-4c9c-b0f7-6c298b9b8e39_1456x967.png) ### **[Traffic mirrors in Japan](https://takashiyasui.substack.com/p/traffic-mirrors-in-japan)** —[Takashi Yasui](https://open.substack.com/users/112013452-takashi-yasui?utm_source=mentions) in [Beyond The Frame](https://open.substack.com/pub/takashiyasui) > “What should I do when I come to Japan?” > > > If a foreign friend asks me this, I think of standard answers first. Eating sushi, stopping by convenience stores, visiting shrines, soaking in hot springs. These are all essential experiences in Japan. > > > But I might add one more thing: “It’s interesting to look at the traffic mirrors on the street.” > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WXny!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52356482-9ba1-484a-90ec-ef23ac11e1fa_1456x970.png) > > > Japanese traffic mirrors are unique because of where they are placed. At the entrance of residential areas, narrow T-junctions, sharp curves, and parking lot exits—you can find orange traffic mirrors everywhere. A huge number of mirrors are installed all over the country. > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tJWf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf2a3513-e819-47df-b20b-f0f2e3faf9ef_1456x970.png) > > > In shrines or old towns, some mirrors have wood-grain frames instead of orange. You can enjoy these small variations. > > > I think what is reflected in those mirrors is very “Japanese.” In Japan’s narrow streets, pedestrians, bicycles, and cars naturally mix. You can see fragments of daily life reflected there. The same life exists both inside and outside the mirror. > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aIx3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe129b073-b770-4796-aef3-9397d1731cf0_1456x970.png) > > > I don’t drive often, but when I am behind the wheel, I don’t trust these mirrors 100%. This is because they have blind spots and you can misjudge distances. I remember learning this at driving school, so I think this is a common understanding in Japan. > > > Still, these mirrors continue to be installed. Maybe it is because of the Japanese mindset of trying to avoid risk as much as possible. > > > If you have a chance to walk in Japan, please take a moment to look into a traffic mirror on the street. You will see a layered view of this country that is not in any travel guide. [Keep reading](https://takashiyasui.substack.com/p/traffic-mirrors-in-japan) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QRCe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9773f49e-4809-423f-b404-59040886dfe7_1640x200.png) ##### _SNOW DAY_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4crG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F31134faa-e5e2-45c0-bca5-21222c075a1b_2048x2048.png) _Photo by [Lukas Flippo](https://substack.com/@lukasflippo/note/c-205459786?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LQSf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52f2e06e-69ee-4cd2-8618-ee9e6d4cb0e7_1640x200.png) ##### _LITERATURE_ ### **“Spiritually, they only have four fingers”** Aaron Labaree on running into Madame Bovary in The Simpsons and on the subway. ### **[We Live in Yonville](https://lastyearssnow.substack.com/p/we-live-in-yonville)** —[Aaron Labaree](https://open.substack.com/users/221826012-aaron-labaree?utm_source=mentions) in [Last Year's Snow](https://open.substack.com/pub/lastyearssnow) > When I was right out of college, in an attempt to improve my French, or maybe to convince myself I spoke it, I read _Madame Bovary_ in the original. I honestly don’t know how. Here’s a typical passage, in Francis Steegmuller’s translation, a description of the approach to the fateful village of Yonville: > > > _At the foot of the hill the road crosses the Rieule on a bridge, and then, becoming an avenue planted with young aspens, leads in a straight line to the first outlying houses. These are surrounded by hedges, and their yards are full of scattered outbuildings—cider presses, carriage houses and distilling sheds standing here and there under thick trees with ladders and poles leaning against their trunks and scythes hooked over their branches. The thatched roofs hide the top third or so of the low windows like fur caps pulled down over eyes, and each windowpane, thick and convex, has a bull’s-eye in its center like the bottom of a bottle._ > > > All these physical descriptions: I can barely understand it in English. I’m sure that as I read in French, I remembered that in high school we’d been assigned one of Flaubert’s tales, _Un Coeur Simple_, and all of us, even the straight-A French-nerd suckups, heartily despised it. It was nothing but aspens and alders and fringed lampshades and different types of cloth and carriage. Flaubert is for fluent speakers. > > > My French isn’t much better than it was 20 years ago, so this time I read the book the real way, in English, and actually understood it. My god, what a book. My first time reading it I was just grateful I understood the plot and that part about the torn-up letter fluttering out of the carriage window like butterflies. This time I was really shaken. I’m still recovering. I’m not sure I’ve managed to leave that village with the thatched roofs and the cider presses and the fields around filled with bullrushes and oat stalks with little bell-shaped flowers. > > > Yonville at first reminded me a little of Springfield, in _The Simpsons_. A self-contained world with a cast of recurring characters who all have their little quirks and manias and catchphrases. Lestiboudois, the gravedigger, the garrulous Homais, and the rest of the characters we see around town have that toylike, cartoonish limitedness—spiritually, they only have four fingers, you could say. But where Springfield is basically benevolent, Yonville is—Hell. Is it Hell? No, not exactly. That would be too easy. _Bovary_ is not dark comedy. Charles really loves Emma, a fact that both redeems human beings and makes the story tragic and terrible. The whole thing is so pitiless. We’re spared nothing. There’s a streak of sadism in Flaubert, in the way that great movie directors are sadistic. He knows how to turn the screw to get the maximum out of every scene, more than you would have thought possible, without ever turning maudlin or trashy. Emma’s death scene, for example. When Emma dies, her agony is terrible, but it has something inhuman about it, there’s no moral quality to it, it might almost be an animal dying. She is neither more nor less sympathetic than she’s ever been. But Charles’s pain makes us suffer. > > > [. . .] > > > I found myself pondering _Madame Bovary_ darkly for days after I’d finished it. One of the easier reflections about it is about aspens and alders and the craziness of calling Flaubert’s style “realism.” First of all, what’s reality? It doesn’t exist. Even atoms aren’t real. More importantly, Flaubert’s version of the world, in which mediocrity is so avid, a living thing, a pervasive, almost demonic force, in which people live in a realm of superficiality, fakery, and imitation, within a cloud of vanity and futility: this is clearly, like, a little tendentious. That is to say, it’s hyperreal, a vision. What does it have to do with “reality”? > > > This vision sticks with me. After I finished the book, I found I had started to think of “Yonville” as a term describing all the things that happen to irritate me about daily life and the city I live in, which I could now see as an expression of some essential property of life: the blooming of falsity and mediocrity, its incredible robustness and tendency to thrive. On the subway, for example. That recording that says “This is an MTA accessible station. The elevator is at the rear of the platform” grates the ear because the woman reading the message pronounces the simple words in a stilted, pretentious way, not the way she speaks but the way she thinks it’s supposed to sound. (“Yonville,” I mutter to myself.) And the subway ads, which I’m used to ignoring, now have a new quality. Though advertising different products, they seem identical: loud pitches from the crassest of salesmen, all declaring that happiness is purchasable. [Keep reading](https://lastyearssnow.substack.com/p/we-live-in-yonville) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7hkQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d069112-262a-4960-9c2b-810743733463_1184x280.png) [ Mea Morrowheart Jan 28  2,185 17 123](https://substack.com/@morrowheart/note/c-206481974) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wk60!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbaff6c84-87d1-4679-872c-df6cafe913d1_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[the prodigal artist](https://open.substack.com/users/47132845-the-prodigal-artist?utm_source=mentions), [Rose Florence](https://open.substack.com/users/17538835-rose-florence?utm_source=mentions), [Lukas_Flippo](https://open.substack.com/users/260803-lukas_flippo?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[augmented man](https://open.substack.com/users/59162604-augmented-man?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Cake Zine](https://open.substack.com/users/849936-cake-zine?utm_source=mentions), [Hua Hsu](https://open.substack.com/users/299348041-hua-hsu?utm_source=mentions), [Takashi Yasui](https://open.substack.com/users/112013452-takashi-yasui?utm_source=mentions), [Aaron Labaree](https://open.substack.com/users/221826012-aaron-labaree?utm_source=mentions), [Mea Morrowheart](https://open.substack.com/users/153986265-mea-morrowheart?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QEvY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcba6d0e3-c301-4be8-b619-f38ea6501669_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZSb6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe43cc36-8b43-4ef8-be2c-433749e392f7_1920x1080.png) [Bear Grylls](https://open.substack.com/users/430823380-bear-grylls?utm_source=mentions), the adventurer and TV host, has launched a Substack. In his [first post](https://beargrylls.substack.com/p/lessons-from-the-wild), he offers the lessons he’s learned from surviving in the wilderness and in business. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!culu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb08a24d-d80b-44a6-a2e2-1229393a9e79_1900x1080.png) [Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick](https://open.substack.com/users/4116724-kyle-raymond-fitzpatrick?utm_source=mentions) and [Ben Dietz](https://open.substack.com/users/1153574-ben-dietz?utm_source=mentions) have brought their podcast to Substack. [HIP REPLACEMENT](https://open.substack.com/pub/hipreplacement) “explores media and pop culture alongside politics and technology, seeking to explore each generation’s view of topical subjects while exploring the overlap between them.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CCoL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F23649a9a-3988-44d0-b495-eac48316dc34_1456x485.png) For our French speakers, journalist, broadcaster, and author [Nesrine Slaoui](https://open.substack.com/users/262349052-nesrine-slaoui?utm_source=mentions) has joined Substack, where she’ll be sharing analysis of politics, pop culture, and society. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rQbu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F80d39021-a7f0-43e9-a3e8-c98864e0a150_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fLZG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae849d3e-3a04-4e22-80a2-add34cfa8650_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/111888124-celeste-peters)[](https://substack.com/profile/97841729-nick-palmer)[](https://substack.com/profile/47132845-the-prodigal-artist)[](https://substack.com/profile/8378638-katherine)[](https://substack.com/profile/14578334-kevlar) [2,686 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred)∙ [136 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-186366820/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 2,686 82 136 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 31](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred/comment/207904098 "Jan 31, 2026, 2:32 PM") It is very common to see a mirror facing the road along the window in China. Not sure about Japanese culture, but in China this practice comes from Feng Shui, where a road pointing directly at a window or door is believed to bring sharp energy into the home. The mirror is placed outside and faces outward to reflect that energy away and create a sense of protection for the household. 😜 [Like (28)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [3 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred/comment/207904098) [](https://substack.com/profile/28131442-jjoshua?utm_source=comment) [JJoshua](https://substack.com/profile/28131442-jjoshua?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 31](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred/comment/207927268 "Jan 31, 2026, 3:25 PM") I used to be a 5am waker religiously. Unfortunately life happens. Anyways, one secret I do was prepare everything I needed for the next day. Gym bag, work clothes. Everything planned out the night before. The next morning it was easy to get up and get going. [Like (15)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [80 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“January is not a time for beginnings”](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings) [In this edition of the Weekender: calendar doubts, hangover remedies, and the art of the game](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings) Jan 3•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,491 108 348  See all ### ? © 2026 Substack · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “I just kept thinking, they were almost home” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/i-just-kept-thinking-they-were-almost) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “I just kept thinking, they were almost home” ### In this edition of the Weekender: studio lot crickets, the spiritual predecessor to vibe coding, and camel-birds [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Mar 14, 2026 2,167 86 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AomU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ef21662-618e-4c14-b3d3-936036ffab72_2048x2022.png) _Painting by [Erika Lee Sears](https://substack.com/@erikaleesears/note/c-224269501?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re wandering empty backlots, remembering a colleague in jewel tones, tracing the maker movement, and admiring ostriches. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vzGk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1cf1f729-82ed-466d-80b6-7aee870ad5b6_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ ### **Briefly noted** * **Oscars night:**The Academy Awards are finally here, and [everyone seems to agree](https://goodmovie.substack.com/p/the-official-good-movie-oscars-predictions) that the night’s biggest awards [will be a toss-up between](https://thegridnewsletter.substack.com/p/the-mega-grid-98th-oscars-preview) One Battle After Another and Sinners. Elsewhere, [Ted Balaker](https://open.substack.com/users/10307517-ted-balaker?utm_source=mentions) argues that “[the silly ceremony continues to shape culture and discourse in often-overlooked ways](https://shinyherd.substack.com/p/sad-but-true-the-oscars-still-matter),” whatever its waning viewership might suggest. Speaking of waning viewership, [Club Chalamet](https://open.substack.com/users/390416189-club-chalamet?utm_source=mentions) defends those Timothée Chalamet [comments](https://clubchalamet.substack.com/p/words-taken-out-of-context-may-have) that some think will cost him Best Actor. And [Vince Mancini](https://open.substack.com/users/141841688-vince-mancini?utm_source=mentions) has [drinking game rules](https://vincemancini.substack.com/p/your-2026-oscars-drinking-game) for anyone looking to spice up what is bound to be a long night. * **Cormac vs. Claude:** The New York Times shared a quiz asking readers to identify passages from human writers, including Ursula K. Le Guin, Cormac McCarthy, and Hilary Mantel, against AI-written passages on similar themes. Substackers were unimpressed: [BDM](https://open.substack.com/users/6998-bdm?utm_source=mentions) writes that given the ongoing piracy issues of LLMs, the quiz is an “[exercise in humiliating the writers featured](https://www.notebook.bdmcclay.com/p/some-cranky-thoughts-about-that-nyt),” while [Max Read](https://open.substack.com/users/238208-max-read?utm_source=mentions) counters the idea that these quizzes [measure what they claim to](https://maxread.substack.com/p/what-do-which-is-ai-quizzes-tell). And [M. E. Rothwell](https://open.substack.com/users/99579407-m-e-rothwell?utm_source=mentions)[takes apart a McCarthy sentence](https://substack.com/@merothwell/note/c-225807870?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r) to show that what the quiz describes as ungrammatical or “clunky” writing is actually a thoughtfully stylized representation of how the novel’s characters speak. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RIEo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F927ea5af-8ac5-4ae3-b15d-b078dd9e5258_1640x200.png) ##### _HOLLYWOOD_ ### **That’s all, folks** As the film industry gussies up for its biggest night of the year, Dara Resnik reflects on the changing industry and what happens when Hollywood, the industry, becomes estranged from Hollywood, the place. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mgg3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F84e989b7-fe75-4f24-8a73-64b5ef90770a_1456x820.png) ### **[Say Goodbye to Hollywood](https://dararesnik.substack.com/p/say-goodbye-to-hollywood)** —[Dara Resnik](https://open.substack.com/users/100159585-dara-resnik?utm_source=mentions) in [Dara’s Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/dararesnik) > After a certain number of cocktails (I’ll let you guess the over/under), several of my friends have recently turned to me at separate dinners, and sighed, exasperated: “It’s over, isn’t it?” They mean Hollywood. And by Hollywood, they mean the glamorous place and the world-famous business that grew in her womb. The bad news is that the answer is yes. The good news is that the answer is also no. > > > Before the pandemic, I advised film and television writers—students and professionals—from all over the world to move to Los Angeles. That’s where the money was. That’s where the majority of the exciting jobs were. Even growing up in New York City, the Center of Planet Earth (yes, I said it), it was clear to me that if I wanted to write, produce, and/or direct tentpole films or network television, I had to move to LA. Let’s be clear: I really didn’t want to. I had a rent-controlled apartment on 86th and Broadway. I was writing for magazines. I was living a lovely version of an Upper West Side life I coveted as a kid, but I knew if I was gonna Make It, I needed to be in Hollywood. > > > And I was right. Every wave of young people that moved here in a given year was essentially a college graduating “class.” The people who moved here in ’99, or ’02, or ’06 and on and on, all knew each other in some way. You’d be drinking beer in some stranger’s S’lake backyard one night and realize their roommate was the guy who had the UTA desk next to your best friend, and now he’s an agent, or the young CE you were meeting with was the assistant you used to talk to on the phone all the time when you were a PA. We rose the ranks together, because while jobs out here have always been coveted, there were just enough of them, and we brought each other up alongside us. Vacating a desk in Disney development for a promotion? You knew that girl who’d just left Barry Josephson’s company (uh-huh) would be excited to take it. Need to quit that agency mailroom gig? No problem, the network of “classmates” you arrived with had your back and there was always, within months, a gig around the corner. And while the cost of living was high, it wasn’t nearly as high as it was in the City That Never Sleeps. > > > On the crew side, if you wanted to learn camera, you could start as a 2nd AC, and climb the ladder the same way. And if you got “stuck” on a rung, either as a mid-level executive, or in a crew position that wasn’t the above-the-line gig you dreamed of, you could still make a living, buy a house, get healthcare for your family, send kids to college on the salary. And the perks were enormous. Sure, maybe you’d be making the same amount of money as a middle school teacher, but you got to be on a studio lot, attend premieres, get paid for being creative in some way. You grew in an ecosystem that was creating one of America’s biggest, most lucrative exports: film and television. > > > I wish I could explain to my most recent graduate students how thrilling it used to be on a studio lot. How alive it was with movement and sound and creativity. From 2001-2008, I mostly worked at Warner Bros. (first as an intern for Mimi Leder, then for _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_, then _Pushing Daisies_). Lunch was a trip. At one commissary table, a legendary TV director, at another, a background extra for _ER_ on a break, eating Poquito Mas with a fake nail sticking out of his chest. Around the corner, wardrobe for _The West Wing_ rolling by, around the next, two janitors gossiping in the Stars Hollow gazebo. Everyone was part of something bigger than themselves. While yes, the assholes still thrived because welcome to humanity, the feeling of being part of a creative community was pervasive. You couldn’t help but look wide-eyed at your colleagues sometimes and go, “Guys, we’re really DOING IT!” > > > Sadly, anyone paying attention is finally admitting that has changed. Production has fled. There are fewer buyers, fewer development jobs. The studio lots are devoid of life. I recently had an in-person meeting at the Universal Studios lot, which is huge, and when I inevitably got lost, as I always have, I looked around to ask someone, ANYONE for directions, and I think I literally heard crickets. I was alone. It was eerie. Of course, there are a few productions here and there. But it’s not like it was. And it never will be again. Things change. [Keep reading](https://dararesnik.substack.com/p/say-goodbye-to-hollywood) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KiCx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b22da13-497a-405e-a3e5-b38728764ed9_1184x280.png) ##### _ANIMATION_ [ Philippa Rice Mar 8 This time last year I finished making this crochet big hand thing.       3,310 86 166](https://substack.com/@philipparice/note/c-224947224) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WJbe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e9216a0-b3ba-4914-b928-cae2b5baea0f_1184x280.png) ##### _IN MEMORIAM_ ### **“They were almost home”** Dia Lupo reflects on a glamorous coworker, her figure-skating daughters, and the shocking airplane crash that took them all. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vyOV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd203bb8c-761f-4565-a4df-1506f666cb67_1456x1820.png) ### **[To be beautiful, to be memorable](https://brokebutmoisturized.substack.com/p/to-be-beautiful-to-be-memorable)** —[Dia Lupo](https://open.substack.com/users/10821767-dia-lupo?utm_source=mentions) in [Broke But Moisturized](https://brokebutmoisturized.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > _“Women want to be loved like roses. They spend hours perfecting their eyebrows and toes and inventing irresistible curls that fall by accident down the back of their necks from otherwise austere hair-dos. They want their lover to remember the way they held a glass. They want to haunt.”_ > > > _―Eve Babitz, Slow Days, Fast Company_ > > > Before they were called “Town Hall” meetings, they were called “All Hands.” At some point HR made us change the name because “not everyone has hands.” Believe all 60 of us had both hands but anyway, the point was to get the whole marketing team in a room once a quarter to exchange personality test results and pretend to know what EBITDA means, pretend we control such profitability metrics through Pinterest ads. > > > In advance of each Town Hall, leadership would pick a few people for these “get to know the team” panels. The questions were personal, and yet everyone’s answers always circled back to work. The host would ask, “Who’s on your Spotify Wrapped this year?” and some middle manager would gush, “Like alllll classical because it helps me focus!” SHUT THE FUCK UP. JUST SAY TAYLOR SWIFT AND WALK THOSE DUSTY ROTHYS BACK TO YOUR CUBICLE. > > > I remember the last Town Hall I attended before changing teams. We broke for lunch which was, invariably, a taco bar for gringos on SSRIs. Then it was panel time. > > > Donna Livingston perched upon a stool in her signature glam. Her long, shiny red hair in loose curls; Disney princess eyes with 100 coats of mascara; berry lip. She embodied the bygone elegance of mid-tier city office life, the kind of woman who called a shirt a “blouse” and pants “slacks.” That day she wore black slacks and a deep-pink-hued blouse. I thought to myself, Donna loves a jewel tone. Gotta respect a woman who knows what looks good on her. I’d only ever seen Donna in sapphire and emerald and this shade of pink; it was the color of love refracting off the edges of a ruby. > > > Donna worked remotely from DC. We were all used to admiring her through a screen, her dedication to Getting Ready every day to work from home. Always warm, always smiling. To see her up there on the panel reminded me that those intangibles like “grace” and “poise” can’t be fully apprehended via Microsoft Teams. Real-life Donna was just so… lovely. That’s the word. Lovely. > > > At one point, the panelists were asked about their dream jobs. Everyone got fidgety because what on earth would you do if not write website copy for B2B telecom? > > > They passed Donna the mic and she turned the color of her shirt. > > > “I would be a figure skater,“ she confessed, her voice shaky and girlish. “My girls skate and it’s the biggest part of our lives.” > > > Everybody loved Donna, and that was the first time most of us got a glimpse into her personal life. I must have been in a million meetings with her and she never once mentioned this thing that colored a sterile conference room with charm and wonder and truth. And then it clicked for me: that Donna’s glam might be an extension of her passion for skating. It can be a lovely thing, to look the part; it crystallizes your image in the hearts and minds of everyone who meets you. > > > On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a US Army helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. It was a small flight, 64 people between the crew and passengers, 28 of them returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships training camp in Wichita, Kansas. Donna Livingston died alongside her husband Peter and their daughters, Olympic hopefuls Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, who were known online as The Ice Skating Sisters. > > > I was working from home when my friend called and broke the news. “The whole office is a mess. Everyone’s crying and leaving for the day,” she said. Meanwhile, our friend Sarah had just taken a job under Donna. Sarah was in California for a conference where Donna was to meet her when she returned from Wichita. She was texting with Donna just before she boarded Flight 5342, wished her safe travels and everything. > > > What are the odds of knowing someone who dies in a 64-person plane crash? I was too catatonic for statistics but just responsive and incredulous enough to watch the video footage over and over and over. The helicopter looks like it’s being pulled directly into the plane by some invisible force, something bigger and more sinister than human error. The aircrafts collide into a magnificent ball of fire suspended in the night sky. I just kept thinking, _they were almost home._ [Keep reading](https://brokebutmoisturized.substack.com/p/to-be-beautiful-to-be-memorable) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TGq8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53d88042-a3ae-48b7-900c-67f0307c0cac_1384x280.png) ##### _PHOTOGRAPHY_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6NLx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff767748c-f776-4b67-89f5-4ececafd1010_1651x2048.png) _Photo by [Brandon Tobiassen](https://substack.com/@goodbyephoto/note/c-220998701?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!19XB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6cb590a-8de4-410e-8a56-2e8ea810ed34_1384x280.png) ##### _TECHNOLOGY_ ### **Of slop and crapjects** Sachin traces the arc from 3D-printed crapjects to vibe-coded slop and proposes a more sustainable way to think about what all this building actually produces. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lw3k!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcbb24aa1-52b7-4065-8a5c-3e4e7f820eae_626x782.png) ### **[Will vibe coding end like the maker movement?](https://read.technically.dev/p/vibe-coding-and-the-maker-movement)** —[Sachin](https://open.substack.com/users/933715-sachin?utm_source=mentions) in [Technically](https://open.substack.com/pub/technically) > Whenever a new technology arrives, the impulse is to treat it as something that has never existed before. A clean break from everything that came prior. I catch myself doing this with vibe coding constantly, and I see it everywhere around me. But the most useful lens for understanding a new phenomenon is almost never the phenomenon itself. You want something adjacent, close enough to share structural similarities but removed enough to see clearly. It’s on the lookout for something like this that I started reading more about the Maker Movement of ~2005-2015. > > > The Maker Movement was the spiritual predecessor to vibe coding. The parallels are hard to miss. Vibe coding has _slop_. The Maker Movement had _crapjects_, a term the community coined for 3D-printed objects that served no purpose beyond proving you could extrude plastic into a shape. The Claude Code of that era was a $200 printer from Monoprice and a breadboard. > > > The scene around making produced what were probably the first internet-native network intellectuals. Chris Anderson (who wrote the widely-read piece about the long tail) left his editor-in-chief role at Wired to start a robotics company called 3D Robotics. Cory Doctorow wrote Makers, a sci-fi novel based around characters who are hacking hardware and business models to survive in a world where everything is falling apart. These were people who gained influence by participating visibly in a making culture and writing about what it meant. > > > A lot of the intellectual energy of the AI era orbits around AGI: when it arrives, what it’ll do to jobs, whether it will be aligned. The Maker Movement had its own gravitational center, and it was the idea that making physical things with your hands could produce an internal transformation. You would become more creative, more entrepreneurial, more self-reliant. The object you made mattered less than what the act of making did to you. > > > In 2018, the media scholar Fred Turner published a paper that put this ideology under a microscope. His argument was that the Maker Movement had reinvented the theology of the Western Frontier for the digital age. > > > The specifics of seventeenth-century Puritanism are obviously gone. Nobody at a Maker Faire was talking about predestination. But Turner traced the literary forms and the millenarian structure—the belief that a great transformation is coming, and that individual discipline will determine who makes it through. In the Maker narrative, the American landscape is economically barren. Jobs have disappeared. Institutions have failed you. And in this wilderness, the lone individual searches inside themselves for signs of the entrepreneurial spirit, the creative spark, evidence that they are among the elect who will build their way to salvation. > > > Turner’s observation extends well beyond 3D printers. You can trace this same pattern through almost every hobbyist technology scene of the past fifty years. Homebrew computer clubs in the 1970s. Punk zines in the 1980s. The early web in the 1990s. Each one developed a community of practice—what Brian Eno would call a “scenius”—where people played with tools that the mainstream considered toys. Each one generated its own salvation narrative: master this tool, transform yourself, become the kind of person who builds the future. > > > And each one operated with a useful kind of slack. The tools were unproductive on purpose. Nobody expected your Arduino project to ship to customers. Nobody expected your homebrew computer to compete with IBM. The whole point was that you had permission to fuck around, and the finding-out happened gradually, through play, over years. This is where the old Silicon Valley adage comes from: “What smart people do on the weekends, everyone else will do during the week in ten years.” [Keep reading](https://read.technically.dev/p/vibe-coding-and-the-maker-movement) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!itxz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2770e5c5-8cb4-4cb6-9d6c-4b55b8089ea3_1640x200.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nL0P!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb9ae9309-f015-4dae-abed-2bd2668d03ba_1536x2048.png) _“Head of a Young Girl (Junges Mädchen)” (1908) by Gabriele Münter, shared by [Ella Wiznia](https://substack.com/@herstoryseries/note/c-222195812?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!axGo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff694eb82-3077-4118-9e38-29669b5b1370_1640x200.png) ##### _ANIMALS_ ### **Birds of a feather** In which Jess Nash defends flightless birds as evolutionary pioneers, rather than evolutionary mistakes. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dGNg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf78b369-26ba-4095-9143-4cb6c5af4b0f_1338x978.png) ### **[She Rose Under My Heart the Ostrich-God](https://allmovingparts.substack.com/p/she-rose-under-my-heart)** —[Jess Nash](https://open.substack.com/users/314731229-jess-nash?utm_source=mentions) in [All Moving Parts](https://open.substack.com/pub/allmovingparts) > The 19th-century Japanese master artist Kawanabe Kyōsai is well known for imaginative and satirical visions carried out in energetic, free brushwork. Between political caricatures, animals, ghosts, and acrobats, his scenes favour movement and lightness. It’s no surprise that he often painted birds. > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VDdw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb7f1ffcf-caab-452a-9c75-cf7c18eda23e_2048x1275.png) > > > What better subjects to express liberation and motion? Kyōsai’s soaring eagles, ravens, and songbirds share their substance with moving, changing water and buoyant leaves. Their bodies are as free and flexible as the wind. Air passes through their feathers. > > > Furthest from this lightness among birds is the ostrich—three hundred pounds and fully grounded. Though they share a class, an ostrich would never fit into a Kyōsai picture like a raven or an eagle does. > > > This is a thick and gawky animal, strutting on heavy legs, with feathers like hair draping thickly over the bulky body and spraying out at the tail. Up the curve of the neck, there are long black eyelashes, big black eyes, and big black nostrils set into a squat beak. Besides the beak and feathers, not much about the ostrich really looks birdlike at all. They have wings, of course, but these are instrumental in running, not flying. > > > “In some points it resembles a bird, in others a quadruped,” Aristotle wrote of the ostrich in the 4th-century B.C.E. biological study Parts of Animals. He could make no clear sense of what he observed: feathers and hair, two bird legs and a quadruped’s size, wings and no flight. In his taxonomy of animals, the ostrich was ultimately neither avian nor beast. It was classifiable only as “intermediate”. Indeed, many languages reflect a hybrid view of the ostrich: the Greek term strouthokámilos, the Persian shotormorq, the Turkish devekuşu, and the Chinese tuóniǎo each describe a “camel-bird.” > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8PQq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61ac53e3-14b2-4420-88ed-08826b0e3d56_800x1070.png) > > > Though post-Aristotle Jewish and Islamic scholars viewed the ostrich unambiguously as a bird, it was clearly not like other birds. It ate strange things; it built unusual nests; most pressingly, it didn’t fly. In Job 39:13-17, God speaks: “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly / But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork’s?” The stork has wings that, as biology professor Joel Duff reads, “are beautiful and enable flight.” Not the ostrich. > > > We on foot have always coveted the wide space of the sky, and the natural ease with which birds navigate it. A bird seems to be a light and free spirit, unconfined by its nature. The caging of a bird is a serious cruelty, and doves soar at weddings. A winged human is nothing less than an angel. > > > _(Burst the wild storm? above it thou ascended’st, / And rested on the sky, thy slave that cradled thee) / Now a blue point, far, far in heaven floating_ > > > _—Walt Whitman (To the Man-of-War-Bird)_ > > > “The human fascination with flight seems to be associated with our desire for the pure transcendence of art,” writes poet Rosemarie Corlett. Leonardo da Vinci, who worked obsessively at building a flying machine, loved birds; he used to buy them at the market so that he could set them free. Wilbur Wright, of the brothers who finally saw the dream of aviation through, wrote: > > > _The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air._ [Keep reading](https://allmovingparts.substack.com/p/she-rose-under-my-heart) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cLEf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F94697a51-fc7a-4744-bcf9-5f762feb11d3_1184x280.png) ##### _NOTEBOOK_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!D-Sn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9d464c3d-2626-4f90-b892-8761c2d5f234_1080x1349.png) _Artwork by Yang, shared by [Pmamtraveller](https://substack.com/@pmamtraveller/note/c-219004928?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IQ2d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8fb2ef22-091f-49cf-b1b1-1540de98aa37_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Erika Lee Sears](https://open.substack.com/users/3925874-erika-lee-sears?utm_source=mentions), [Brandon Tobiassen](https://open.substack.com/users/433920570-brandon-tobiassen?utm_source=mentions), [Ella Wiznia](https://open.substack.com/users/79126911-ella-wiznia?utm_source=mentions), [pmamtraveller](https://open.substack.com/users/271604257-pmamtraveller?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Philippa Rice](https://open.substack.com/users/89803224-philippa-rice?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Dara Resnik](https://open.substack.com/users/100159585-dara-resnik?utm_source=mentions), [Dia Lupo](https://open.substack.com/users/10821767-dia-lupo?utm_source=mentions), [Sachin](https://open.substack.com/users/933715-sachin?utm_source=mentions), [Jess Nash](https://open.substack.com/users/314731229-jess-nash?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oGFL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d5e4813-f788-4889-b6c3-660ddf186e5e_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [ Maggie Rogers Mar 12 it is i 901 57 11](https://substack.com/@maggierogers/note/c-226902022) The musician [Maggie Rogers](https://open.substack.com/users/31629093-maggie-rogers?utm_source=mentions) has launched her Substack: “Part-creative outlet, part-self indulgence, part-community connective tissue: this site is a place for me to document, hypothesize, criticize, vent, narrate, and wring out the excess thought-liquid swooshing around my own personal existential aquarium.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LLto!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfd99a6c-3d22-4381-a2aa-e61f27d15312_1214x683.png) [Sonia Sodha](https://open.substack.com/users/2533193-sonia-sodha?utm_source=mentions), the former chief leader writer and columnist at The Observer, has joined Substack, where the center-left journalist will “ask the difficult questions the left too often avoids, from a nuanced and researched vantage.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pVf8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05117ee7-0a1c-4d20-90d7-39f989663edb_1080x1080.png) The team behind Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film [Disclosure Day](https://open.substack.com/users/476459833-disclosure-day?utm_source=mentions) has launched a Substack, sharing the trailer and promising insider access to the movie. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FLpT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1cd2f873-a06a-480d-bef5-29f6ac992068_1092x1092.png) Universal Music has launched a Substack dedicated to celebrating [Amy Winehouse](https://open.substack.com/users/459015560-amy-winehouse?utm_source=mentions)’s music, “where we revisit the stories behind the songs, the collaborators who helped bring them to life and the cultural legacy that still ripples through a new generation of artists.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!T_lS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c21552a-93b7-4f91-9b61-141298bf64bb_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3hK8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36c9acb4-cfe2-4393-bd9e-a2a45c41569d_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/73273682-miles-kohl)[](https://substack.com/profile/96317689-alia-mahajan)[](https://substack.com/profile/2278464-marc-henderson)[](https://substack.com/profile/88080921-josh-hayes)[](https://substack.com/profile/21381771-augustine-mcrae) [2,167 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/i-just-kept-thinking-they-were-almost)∙ [86 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-190906649/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 2,167 86 Share Previous Next Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person.”](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [In this edition of the Weekender: pre-dawn rituals, traffic mirrors, and a 1982 portrait of masculinity](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) Jan 31•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,686 82 136  See all ### ? © 2026 Substack · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “It was always the same story: eternal adolescence, sexual perversion, rampant classism” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “It was always the same story: eternal adolescence, sexual perversion, rampant classism” ### In this edition of the Weekender: the history of looksmaxxing, a defense of love, and the myth of timelessness [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Feb 14, 2026 1,199 41 103 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OPkd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2d4219ec-0406-4d01-9062-173a775455d0_2000x1499.png) _Aerial photography by [36 Exposures](https://substack.com/@dariodimaggio/note/c-212674620?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ It’s Valentine’s Day and everyone’s making questionable decisions—about love, about peptides, about couches, and about eating a mystery gummy and then wandering into the woods. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4tkn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9d000cf7-c263-4e82-85eb-9873bb752c54_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ ### **Briefly noted** * **Looksmaxxing takes center stage:**[laura reilly](https://open.substack.com/users/34067217-laura-reilly?utm_source=mentions) announced a new health and aesthetics newsletter, [High Touch](https://www.magasin.ltd/p/coming-this-spring-high-touch), with a viral post that described an extensive beauty regimen. Responses ran the gamut, from “[this sounds like a dream month to me](https://substack.com/profile/10604800-dayna-cobarrubias/note/c-210894914?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)” to “[I truly think I’d rather just be ugly and die a little sooner](https://substack.com/profile/1233587-mikala-jamison/note/c-209884884?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r).” But, as [Kaitlin Phillips](https://open.substack.com/users/74979917-kaitlin-phillips?utm_source=mentions)[points out](https://giftguide.substack.com/p/laura-reilly-hits-a-nerve), the newsletter _is_ called “‘High Touch,’ not ‘Accessible Health Hacks for Poor People Who Can’t Be Bothered To Go To The Gym.’” * **Is AI coming for our jobs? redux:**An AI startup founder’s viral essay on X sparked the latest round of discussions on whether AI is coming for white-collar work**.**[Derek Thompson](https://open.substack.com/users/157561-derek-thompson?utm_source=mentions) talks through “[The Doomsday Scenario for AI and Jobs](https://www.derekthompson.org/p/why-americas-ai-discourse-feels-so),” while [David Oks](https://open.substack.com/users/2088240-david-oks?utm_source=mentions)[pushed back on the idea](https://davidoks.blog/p/why-im-not-worried-about-ai-job-loss) that AI is soon to replace humans—largely due to the bottlenecks that humans themselves present. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uXJ3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68af90d1-7121-4f3d-8bdb-67f2c13efaa6_1200x44.png) ##### _DESIRES_ ### **Consumerism vs. spiritualism** A weed-induced crisis in the woods leads to a spiritual reckoning with what we actually want. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!99-s!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F74682e3d-193a-4436-bf07-afef4134e964_668x546.png) ### **[My Wishlist Bored Me to Tears](https://totallyrecommend.substack.com/p/my-wishlist-bored-me-to-tears)** —[Totally Recommend](https://open.substack.com/users/2362555-totally-recommend?utm_source=mentions) in [Total Rec](https://totallyrecommend.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > Years ago, I got really into CBD oil. It was the kind you squirt directly into your mouth like a horse supplement. I don’t remember the brand, because I didn’t buy it for myself. Someone at work handed it to me one day and said they couldn’t stand the minty taste. “Don’t you love mint? Want to give it a try?” I thought it was sweet at the time. I now realize it was also their way of saying, “_You look pretty tired._” > > > But I didn’t get mad, because it worked! I slept. I relaxed. I became briefly evangelical and annoying about CBD in a way that now warrants a sincere apology. > > > When I ran out of that liquid gold, I bought some gummies. I popped what I thought was a CBD gummy, and an hour later I felt afraid of heights while just looking out the window. My heart was racing and I was convinced I was having a heart attack. > > > So I checked the packaging: THC. Actual weed. > > > The important context here is that I hadn’t done drugs in a very long time. High school me was a rebel who loved the devil’s herb, but something in my adult nervous system rejected it entirely. It didn’t make me feel relaxed. It made an already overly introspective person feel like I went forty matryoshka dolls deep into my skull and discovered something cosmically wrong. > > > I wasn’t happy about being high. After a lot of heavy breathing, I decided the only solution was to walk aimlessly into the woods like a sick animal preparing for death. Twenty minutes later, I was staring at mossy rocks imagining what photo would end up on my missing persons report. > > > This was extremely dramatic considering I was about 0.02 miles from a Dunkin’ Donuts, and if my brain wasn’t operating at 400% fear capacity I probably could’ve heard traffic nearby. > > > But instead of stumbling to Dunkin’, I sat down and opened a meditation book on my phone (a very on-brand choice for someone having a weed-induced crisis in the woods). > > > The meditation was meant for moments when you feel inadequate, fearful, or closed off. I was told that instead of trying to fix myself or make the feeling disappear, I should imagine giving away the most pleasing and beautiful gifts I could think of—they could even be parts of myself that I loved. Not exactly the most calming advice for someone freaking out and lost in the woods. > > > But I closed my eyes. I started thinking about everything I had personally wanted in the last 48 hours. I was deep in heated negotiations over the price of a cardigan on Poshmark. There was a lamp I’d been debating buying. > > > And then I read what these Buddhists were offering and realized… they were not messing around. While I’m haggling over resale listings, they’re offering jeweled mountains, perfumed oils, incense clouds, celestial bathing chambers, golden lotus lamps. Entire beautiful and peaceful universes imagined just to be given away, and I’m stuck on a button-down shirt. > > > _“A bathing chamber excellently fragrant,_ > > > _With floors of crystal, radiant and clear,_ > > > _With graceful pillars shimmering with gems,_ > > > _All hung about with gleaming canopies of pearls…”_ > > > The imagery went on and on in its abundance. If I wasn’t high, I probably would’ve taken it as a sign to level up my material desires. Missoni towels. A face-sculpting massage. A new perfume. But when I imagined offering those things to someone I actually loved—or offering them to the world—they suddenly felt small. [Keep reading](https://totallyrecommend.substack.com/p/my-wishlist-bored-me-to-tears) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GfXU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F19259521-e907-499d-888e-33e400ac5034_1384x280.png) ##### _A DAY IN THE LIFE_ [ Gallery 98 Feb 12 In the ‘70s, I asked people if I could take photos of their daily life and they could write captions about them. This is Harry, the Bar Owner, c. 1974       13,540 135 632](https://substack.com/@gallery98/note/c-213665975) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gKIS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff0484ebb-214f-4fa2-97a3-80090e85ef18_1184x280.png) ##### _ROMANCE_ ### **Love as a work of art** Tara Isabella Burton on the art—and folly—of falling in love. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pj-x!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F46bc9eaf-fe96-4866-bd87-218505a78f0a_1200x675.png) ### **[In defense of falling in love](https://thelostword.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-falling-in-love)** —[Tara Isabella Burton](https://open.substack.com/users/248362423-tara-isabella-burton?utm_source=mentions) in [The Lost Word](https://open.substack.com/pub/thelostword) > We had a symposium on Christmas Eve. Technically it was Christmas Day. We’d all had dinner and then gone to Midnight Mass and then gone to a piano bar we all knew in Midtown East. The people who go to a piano bar at two in the morning on Christmas are as riotously lonely as you’d expect. A man in a fur coat held the door for us. The pianist sang “Jesus Freaks” and “Tradition.” We ordered garlic bread and got onto the subject of love. > > > One of us made the case that “falling in love” was not only unnecessary, when it came to one’s life partner, but actively undesirable. This was just controversial enough to keep us arguing past last call. > > > I took the side of the romantics. Whether this was out of habit or principle or stubbornness, I’m not sure. If there was ever a year for one to decry romantic impetuousness it is the year of one’s divorce, but I’ve never dropped a cause for being lost. > > > We all weighed in. We came to no conclusions. Some of us saw each other eighteen hours later for Chinese food and kept debating, even though the person who’d tossed the gauntlet was no longer there, and then I spent a month trying to work out what I thought. > > > We were drunk, and didn’t define our terms, and probably all enjoyed playing into our expected roles more than we enjoyed narrowing down the precise limitations of our disagreement, but the rough contours of the proposition, edited in the service of an interesting essay, are these: > > > Falling in love, understood as an erotic vulnerability, or a stronger form of infatuation (but distinguished, let’s say, from sexual attraction), is a bad idea because: > > > a) it makes you crazy; > > > b) it makes you make ill-advised decisions about who to marry, and > > > c) is likely to be more a result of your own projections and idealizations about the other person, downstream of your own projections and idealizations about yourself, and the kind of relationship a person like you should be in, and the fantasy of the other person playing that role, than it is about the kind of actual mutuality and engagement with true otherness that lasting, real, agapic love requires. > > > Points granted. C) is, I think, the most compelling. > > > You should probably do it anyway. > > > No doubt we shouldn’t marry most people we fall in love with. But even sober, even granting the necessity for social order and the begetting of children, even granting that “falling in love” is primarily about the interplay of illusions and not whole human beings, I still think it’s no less worth doing than any other form of artistic creation. > > > It’s only by falling in love that we learn to be ourselves in the first place. I can’t think of a more foundational requirement, for a partner, than _the person with whom you act out the illusion of who you think you are._ > > > I have been in love a handful of times in my life. Fewer, maybe, than you’d think if you knew me. With the benefit of hindsight I’ve imagined I was in love more times than I actually was, which is to say that I experienced a)-c), and made myself insufferable in the process. But the distinction between “intense physical attraction” and “idiotic infatuation” and “truly falling in love” can be made in hindsight only. Falling in love is less about how you feel (or make your exasperated friends feel) in the moment than about who you become afterwards. > > > The times in my life I have actually been in love, by the definition I’m proposing here, I have become somebody else. However the fantasy started, whenever the _pas des deux_ began, whatever pattern of call-and-response led me to imagine that life as the counterpart to, say, a cast-mate in a high school Shakespeare play or an antiquarian book dealer over a decade my senior was the apotheosis of my entire narrative identity, what I ended up left with, after it was all over, was the recognition that _my entire narrative identity_ was completely wrong. Each imagined endpoint—_this settles the story of who I am_—turned out to be a place where my sense of self began. > > > If anything, _falling in love_ signifies, to me, those relationships in which I have so completely absorbed into myself the person I fell in love with, that I can only say that after them I _became someone else_, and that _the someone else_ in question more closely resembled the person with whom I was in love than the person I fancied myself to be. But the illusion of someone else _as the answer_—always, like a witch’s prophecy, _right_, just never in the way I expected—was what snared me. It was what made me willing—the way Tallis’s Lamentations of Jeremiah makes me willing; the way _Four Quartets_ makes me willing; the way an all-night dance party makes me willing—to gamble on a version of myself, and lose. The experience of falling in love for me has always been the experience of good art. Something you recognize snares you; something you don’t keeps you there. [Keep reading](https://thelostword.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-falling-in-love) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9Akb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3e9dde80-340a-4a00-a61e-83f19ada372b_1184x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfrj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F75ad1f6d-853c-4c1a-9705-3758e1b49a36_1300x1600.png) _“Flowers in a Glass Vase” by Adam Lister, shared by [Strung Out on Plenitudes](https://substack.com/@strungoutonplenitudes/note/c-212565055?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9CYo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa8464489-0a57-4b71-8aac-966742178986_1384x280.png) ##### _VANITY_ ### **Face value** On a very different side of the internet from Laura Reilly’s High Touch, a similar conversation about the lengths we’ll go to for our looks is taking place: this week, 20-year-old looksmaxxing streamer Clavicular broke through to mainstream attention. Sean Monahan reports on the history of this mogging, jestergooning cohort. ### **[Clavicular: a picaresque internet personality](https://www.8ball.report/p/clavicular-a-picaresque-internet)** —[Sean Monahan](https://open.substack.com/users/18799411-sean-monahan?utm_source=mentions) in [8Ball](https://www.8ball.report/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > Looksmaxxing isn’t so new. Neither is the term _mogging_ that’s risen to prominence with it. Both are downstream of the Pick-Up Artist (PUA) subculture that has been receiving media coverage since the _Rolling Stone_ contributing editor Neil Strauss wrote a _New York Times_ bestseller on the subject in 2005: _The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists_. > > > Looksmaxxing and mogging (or being the Alpha Male Of the Group) were both born in the cauldron of PUA forums roughly a decade ago. I first came in contact with the terms via Doomscroll’s Josh Citarella. (He also introduced me to the concept of mewing—a tongue posture technique used to align the face and reshape the jawline.) > > > But a decade ago, moral panic was directed at the rise of fillers, Botox, and other injectables among young women, inspired by influencer culture, especially the Kardashian-Jenner clan. I distinctly remember being at a party where a twentysomething Angeleno was bragging to anyone who would listen that Kim Kardashian had been copying her face. > > > Today, this has become so common as to be passé. We chortle at Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s “MAGA face.” Plastic surgeons on TikTok play guess-the-age-of-this-face, as 20-year-old girls now have the faces of 35-year-olds. > > > Looksmaxxing, like Instagram face before it, is powered by the popularity of a new class of drugs: peptides. Introduced to the American public under the banner of GLP-1s—weight-loss drugs like Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide)—a whole class of unregulated grey-market “Chinese peptides” address all manner of ailments and hedonistic desires. There are peptides for energy and peptides for hair loss. There are peptides for collagen production and peptides for muscle growth. > > > At cocktail bars, people in Los Angeles casually recommend their peptide dealers, if only as an opportunity to brag about the celebrities their dealer services. > > > There may be risks. Clavicular may report being infertile at 20. But the body has replaced the garment as the fixation of fashion. Or as Rick Owens put it: > > > “Working out is modern couture. No outfit is going to make you look or feel as good as having a fit body. Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead.” > > > Looksmaxxing is the avant-garde of style inasmuch as style is the art of self-presentation and appearance. [Keep reading](https://www.8ball.report/p/clavicular-a-picaresque-internet) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cA8Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8a63029a-6e2e-4ffa-9cec-c4818c96bcd4_1640x200.png) ##### _THE MYTH OF TIMELESSNESS_ [ Talia Feb 10 if you have a brown velvet couch on your mood board and you’re aiming for “timeless”, allow me to issue you this warning: 1,699 64 35](https://substack.com/@therey0uare/note/c-212733041) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1ZkE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cfd5e84-c470-40cc-8d19-cb4a18627e08_1640x200.png) ##### _RELATIONSHIPS_ ### **“It was always the same story: eternal adolescence, sexual perversion, rampant classism”** Miriam’s tale of falling for a school-aged toff feels like a love story from a different era, complete with wooing by Chaucer comparisons and Gertrude Stein poems. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8wBF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2138a2a4-8847-4dcf-8ab9-c841e63e2071_644x1193.png) ### **[A Coward’s Guide to Eden pt. II](https://miriamshah99.substack.com/p/a-cowards-guide-to-eden-pt-ii)** —[Miriam](https://open.substack.com/users/114275853-miriam?utm_source=mentions) in [Between Monk and Myrmidon](https://open.substack.com/pub/miriamshah99) > Philip was one of a handful of men left on earth who still played court tennis. Last I heard from him, he was trying to gain membership to the Racquet and Tennis Club in New York, which to this day prohibits women. One of his friends, who had slept with over fifty sorority girls, had already gotten him into the New York Athletic Club. My own experience of tennis began and ended in India, where the boys grew so tired of coaching me, I had to run laps around the dirt court. > > > We met through the university’s literary society, which was the sort of institution you’d describe if you needed to evoke trivial decline, the way one complains about an art film where everyone is ugly. The library was named after William Henry Harrison, the only American president who died after only forty days in office. At his inauguration, he refused to heed the warnings of the cold; he was overzealous and spoke too long. In the secret society offices there were scale models of warships, Latin tomes, and, inexplicably, a naked portrait of Ayn Rand. A taxidermy enthusiast once set a lobster loose in the halls, leaving us with a mysterious stench and the game of finding its carcass. The building was named after his great-uncle, who died during the First World War. During its remodeling, Philip would regularly inquire after his ancestor’s missing portrait, and the fact that it was eventually mounted near the gender-neutral bathroom sent him into paroxysms of anguish. > > > I was in attendance when the society was deliberating whether to admit him; I can’t recall whether I voted yea or nay. I remember resolving to stay away from him; men that handsome could never amount to any good. He wore loafers without socks and crossed his legs so that the hem of his Bon Marché trousers settled high above the ankle. Typical upper-class British thrift ensured his haircuts were always too severe. > > > Philip soon found I was the only person at Penn charmed by his knowledge of Napoleon and the Risorgimento. He’d read thirty books on Napoleon, who was great, I was told, because he was both the law’s architect and its exception. That summer we visited Les Invalides twice, both times wearing paper bicornes. On our first date, I read him Gertrude Stein’s “If I Told Him, A Completed Portrait of Picasso”— > > > > Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published _‘If I told him would he like it. Would he like it if I told him. Would he like it would Napoleon would Napoleon would would he like it. If Napoleon if I told him if I told him if Napoleon.’ ..._ > > > It was just as well that, upon first reading, the poem sounds like nonsense—I do not think we were paying attention to the words. > > > When I visited my aunt in Manhattan, she told me to stay far away from him. She’d met plenty such men at Cambridge and then Oxford. It was always the same story: eternal adolescence, sexual perversion, rampant classism. I tried to break up with him, but folded when he started to cry. He told me he loved me eleven days after our first meeting, which marked the end of any resistance on my part. > > > At the beginning, he was one of Chaucer’s _verray parfit gentil knyghts_; he always knew what to say. Instead of a couch, I had two sofa chairs bought for $25 each at the Goodwill; he swooped in graciously and said all it meant was that I was ‘a dynamic woman of discourse’ and ‘not someone who wastes her time lounging.’ A Lawrence of Arabia type, he wore a keffiyeh in Jordan when he went to teach English at a refugee camp on his gap year, and spent all day playing cricket with boys on the street when his family visited India for a wedding. Wooed as I was by his Conservative Party membership card and talk of “polemical sweet nothings,” he became my Lawrence of Philadelphia, pointing out timeless beauty amidst urban decay, such as the scalloped Ghibelline crenelations of Penn’s football field, which cast curling shadows over all the future Wall Street tycoons. [Keep reading](https://miriamshah99.substack.com/p/a-cowards-guide-to-eden-pt-ii) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5tea!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb7195aa3-b2e2-4e56-851d-2ddd31eea967_1184x280.png) ##### _PATCHES_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Pv2T!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F67db24cf-1431-42a2-a2e1-1dec8a4a811b_1080x1350.png) _“Thread doodling” by [Emma Mary Murray](https://substack.com/@emmamarymurray/note/c-214153037?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=1cer5b)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hMk2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd22bd5b-3dca-4674-84de-cf652915e814_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[36 Exposures](https://open.substack.com/users/200738551-36-exposures?utm_source=mentions), [Gallery 98](https://open.substack.com/users/74916268-gallery-98?utm_source=mentions), [Strung Out on Plenitudes](https://open.substack.com/users/72990451-strung-out-on-plenitudes?utm_source=mentions), [Emma Mary Murray](https://open.substack.com/users/15047383-emma-mary-murray?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Talia](https://open.substack.com/users/307251204-talia?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Tara Isabella Burton](https://open.substack.com/users/248362423-tara-isabella-burton?utm_source=mentions), [Sean Monahan](https://open.substack.com/users/18799411-sean-monahan?utm_source=mentions), [Totally Recommend](https://open.substack.com/users/2362555-totally-recommend?utm_source=mentions), [Miriam](https://open.substack.com/users/114275853-miriam?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rPJm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F06f4203e-e184-4c8b-9fb0-d99d2023e6bb_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JxI7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F085522a1-5f8e-4a52-9e01-3e74abd51865_421x421.png) [Playboy](https://open.substack.com/users/428199819-playboy?utm_source=mentions) is here. In the editors’ first post, aptly titled “[I Read It for the Articles](https://playboy.substack.com/p/i-read-it-for-the-articles),” they revisit the magazine’s illustrious literary history. They’ll be continuing that legacy here, with a selection from their archives along with “new fiction and nonfiction alike from some of our favorite established and up-and-coming writers today.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QJ06!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb9568517-aa60-44d7-b3a8-b5e593c57f71_1200x1147.png) [The Western Edge](https://open.substack.com/users/442819148-the-western-edge?utm_source=mentions), “a new type of journalism from the Pacific Northwest,” has joined Substack. It may be a new magazine, but the writers “make journalism the old way: through public records requests, long interviews, source-building, institutional knowledge, archival research and picking up the damn phone.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QvNl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1a1b6d8-afe4-4d66-b4e2-211c614b9ac9_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Euxk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0f1e46d8-3346-4738-9420-add6ff00db37_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/130061429-eric)[](https://substack.com/profile/23333954-mike)[](https://substack.com/profile/105491102-allyson-carter)[](https://substack.com/profile/42698200-bildad-st-louis)[](https://substack.com/profile/104291563-roger) [1,199 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal)∙ [103 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-187919351/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 1,199 41 103 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/94547351-india?utm_source=comment) [India](https://substack.com/profile/94547351-india?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 14](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal/comment/214443736 "Feb 14, 2026, 2:11 PM") It was always PROJECTION‼️⁉️‼️👊🏽 [Like (18)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal) [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 14](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal/comment/214465388 "Feb 14, 2026, 3:07 PM") I want to shamelessly promote my today’s post. The paradox of AI. In the age of AI, if everyone can fly, is it still meaningful to fly itself? I think so. We all want our own version of effort, not someone else’s perfection. [https://xianli.substack.com/p/the-paradox-of-abundance](https://xianli.substack.com/p/the-paradox-of-abundance) [Like (12)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal) [8 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal/comment/214465388) [39 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/it-was-always-the-same-story-eternal/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. 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# “There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living” ### In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens. [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Feb 07, 2026 3,055 265 331 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GC_m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd71c4762-aec3-4e8d-adff-a3d540c12364_2048x1138.png) _Drawings by [Hurrikan Press](https://substack.com/@hurrikanpress/note/c-200794174?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re looking at scientific breakthroughs, the women who dream of chickens, and Cairo’s anarchic streets. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xdra!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc816340f-ad54-4271-ac4b-49c342b22b16_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ ### **Briefly noted** * **The Washington Post is gutted:** After weeks of rumors, the Washington Post laid off over a third of its workforce this week. Every corner of the newsroom was affected, but international, sports, and books coverage were among the most severely impacted. It’s a dark day for journalism, but there is one silver lining: [Ron Charles](https://open.substack.com/users/18176989-ron-charles?utm_source=mentions), [Geoffrey Fowler](https://open.substack.com/users/49926704-geoffrey-fowler?utm_source=mentions), [Azi Paybarah](https://open.substack.com/users/408072-azi-paybarah?utm_source=mentions), and [Chris Richards](https://open.substack.com/users/448244732-chris-richards?utm_source=mentions) have all started Substacks since the layoffs. * **The social network that’s (intentionally) full of bots:** “AI agents have been gathering online by the thousands over the past week, debating their existence, attempting to date each other, building their own religion, concocting crypto schemes, and spewing gibberish,” [Alex Kantrowitz](https://open.substack.com/users/52351-alex-kantrowitz?utm_source=mentions)[writes](https://www.bigtechnology.com/p/moltbook-is-a-warning). This is all happening on Moltbook, a Reddit-like social network specifically for AI agents. For some, the resulting forums are eerie glimpses at self-realized artificial intelligence; for others, including [Sam Kriss](https://open.substack.com/users/14289667-sam-kriss?utm_source=mentions), [they’re an example of](https://substack.com/@samkriss/note/c-207705603?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r) “what you’d expect to see if you told an LLM to write a post about being an LLM, on a forum for LLMs.” As [Scott Alexander](https://open.substack.com/users/12009663-scott-alexander?utm_source=mentions)[summarizes, it’s really in the eye of the beholder](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/best-of-moltbook): “As with so much else about AI, it straddles the line between ‘AIs imitating a social network’ and ‘AIs actually having a social network’ in the most confusing way possible—a perfectly bent mirror where everyone can see what they want.” * **Big week for sports fans:** With the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl kicking off this weekend, the sports fan’s cup runneth over. [Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan](https://open.substack.com/users/12926452-heather-cocks-and-jessica-morgan?utm_source=mentions) of Drinks with Broads opened up their Olympics coverage with a discussion of [one of the weirder Olympics injection scandals in recent years](https://drinkswithbroads.substack.com/p/winter-olympics-day-1-opening-ceremony). Meanwhile, [Joe Pompliano](https://open.substack.com/users/1316121-joe-pompliano?utm_source=mentions) dives into the [bananas list of demands](https://huddleup.substack.com/p/the-nfls-super-bowl-demands-are-crazier) the NFL places on stadiums hoping to host the Super Bowl. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TCJg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd0e256d7-0f26-4238-8d5a-66e5eba7f3e0_1200x44.png) ##### _SCIENCE_ ### **A century of knowledge** We often hear about the technological innovations those born at the beginning of the 20th century lived through. In this post, Hilarius Bookbinder considers the intellectual breakthroughs of the same time period. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!abEL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fedd4074f-c8ba-49c3-8ef6-e6b02a57731a_1280x741.png) ### **[The Thin Ice of Knowledge](https://hilariusbookbinder.substack.com/p/the-thin-ice-of-knowledge)** —[Hilarius Bookbinder](https://open.substack.com/users/24715030-hilarius-bookbinder?utm_source=mentions) in [Scriptorium Philosophia](https://open.substack.com/pub/hilariusbookbinder) > I think a lot of the epistemological troubles of modernity (fake news, bad echo chambers, conspiracy theories, collapse in expert trust) can be explained by the fact that as a species we have learned so much over such a short span of time that our collective knowledge is like a thin crust of ice on the deep sea of ancestral folk wisdom. It takes very little to break through that surface and find ourselves back in the roiling waters of fables, myths, superstitions, auguries, and divination. > > > My grandfather was born in 1901. He once said that he thought he lived during the greatest time in history: born during horse-and-buggy days, he lived to see a man on the moon. Obviously, the technological inventions since 1901 have been staggering, but I want to look at _knowledge_, what we as a species have learned since then. > > > When Granddad was born, no one knew any of the following things. Either no one had any idea they were true or they were wacky ideas promoted strictly by lunatic visionaries. Now they are all common knowledge among educated people. > > > [...] > > > **Black holes and wormholes.** These darlings of sci-fi movies weren’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye back in 1901. They are both predictions from the general theory of relativity (1915), and there wasn’t experimental confirmation of black holes until the 1970s. Wormholes are still theoretical. > > > **The existence of galaxies.** Here’s a good one. In 1901 nobody had any idea that there were other galaxies. There was the Milky Way and that was that. Sure, astronomers could see fuzzy nebulae in their telescopes, but figured they were either gas clouds or some other weird thing inside the Milky Way. It wasn’t until the 1920s (Hubble again) that we learned the truth: our galaxy with its 100 billion stars is merely a grain of sand on a vast beach. It was just a decade ago that we arrived at the current estimate of 1-2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. > > > **Quantum physics.** Knowledge of the very tiny was itself very tiny in 1901. We knew there were atoms and electrons, but that’s it. No one knew about protons, neutrons, the nucleus, or how atoms were put together. Nuclear fission and fusion were unknown (so nobody understood why the sun was hot, or how it was powered). Splitting an atom was unheard of, much less the idea of a chain reaction. The idea that light is made of photons was also unknown. > > > **Plate tectonics.** In 1901 everyone looked at the world map, saw how the eastern coastline of North and South America perfectly fits into the western coastline of Europe and Africa like a jigsaw puzzle and thought, “huh, what a coincidence!” In 1912 Alfred Wegener suggested maybe the continents drift around the surface of the globe, a suggestion that was met with peals of laughter. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the evidence was in, and plate tectonics became settled science, explaining volcanoes, earthquakes, and how mountains arise. > > > **Birds are dinosaurs.** Thomas Huxley’s wild avian speculation in the 19th century was quickly shelved in favor of “dinos were cold-blooded, slow-moving reptiles.” It wasn’t until the 1990s (!) that it was conclusively established that there had been feathered non-avian dinosaurs, that feathers evolved before flight, and that modern birds aren’t descended from dinosaurs, but are in fact the only surviving lineage of theropod dinosaurs. > > > **Blood types.** Doctors had tried blood transfusions since the 17th century, but the results ranged from mixed to disastrous. The reason was that nobody knew about blood types, and how you can’t just mix ’n’ match. That wasn’t discovered until 1901-1902. Decades later we discovered anticoagulants (allowing blood to be stored) and the Rh factor (whether your blood type is + or -). [Keep reading](https://hilariusbookbinder.substack.com/p/the-thin-ice-of-knowledge) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nAb7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0decb55f-61a0-4e31-a5ee-9526858bf1ac_1184x280.png) ##### _COLLAGE_ [ Stella Kalaw Feb 2 Februllage Day 2: TOAST   168 7 10](https://substack.com/@stellakalaw/note/c-208862067) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IyBd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8497095c-134d-4623-b61f-3877b75c39cd_1184x280.png) ##### _ATHLETICS_ ### **The cost of climbing** Paul S., a climber catastrophically injured in a fall, reflects on Alex Honnold’s latest free solo and the ethics of climbing without protection. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FVQj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc6a4ffe5-66c0-437b-8aef-9645168aa4da_250x444.png) ### **[Selfish and Stupid](https://diaryofapunter.substack.com/p/selfish-and-stupid)** —[Paul S](https://open.substack.com/users/19041612-paul-s?utm_source=mentions) in [Diary of a Punter](https://diaryofapunter.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > These days I consume zero climbing media. I haven’t done since the day I woke up in hospital. > > > Whereas I once refreshed UKClimbing 40 times a day, obsessively consumed climbing videos on YouTube, devoured the mountain classics of literature, and leafed through my sizable library of guidebooks planning future adventures, I now pretend that when climbing ceased to exist for me, it ceased to exist for everybody. > > > It is still the only way that I can cope. Whereas some people who are catastrophically injured through sport still take joy in watching others participate, for me it’s too painful. I cut myself off, and never looked back. Hence I’ve no idea if Adam Ondra is still the only person to have climbed 9c, or if that even remains the highest sport grade. Same goes for E12, for Burden of Dreams. I couldn’t even guess who won the men’s gold in 2024, though I’m going to assume that Janja won the women’s. > > > But even I heard about Alex Honnold climbing some building in Taiwan. > > > Before going any further, let’s get one piece of terminology straight. Honnold’s “achievement” (scare quotes to be explained in a moment) last week was not simply that he _free climbed_ Taipei 101, but that he _free soloed_ it. The distinction is important. Free climbing means ascending something without the use of devices to assist (“aid”) the physical moves themselves. However, assistive devices can be used whilst free climbing to prevent injury or death, should a climber’s un-aided physical moves come up short and they fall. (Think: harnesses, ropes, karabiners, et cetera.) By contrast, free soloing is free climbing, but without any of the assistive devices used to (in theory) prevent death if the climber should fall. In essence, free soloing reduces the margin of error to zero. If you fall, you die. > > > I free climbed literally thousands of routes before my accident. On a dozen or so occasions, I free soloed them. > > > A few people have cautiously asked me what I think of Honnold’s latest. My answer has generally been: “how the fuck am I the one in a wheelchair, and not him?” But there’s more to it than that. > > > As I don’t consume climbing media anymore, I don’t know what the general consensus is in the climbing scene regarding his latest spectacle. But I’d wager that most climbers had the same response as me: a rolling of the eyes. > > > This might seem weird. Isn’t free soloing a 500m building an impressive athletic and psychological achievement, and shouldn’t climbers respect that more than anybody? Putting aside for now (we will get there in a minute) furious debates between climbers about the acceptability of free soloing in general, my guess is that even people who free solo won’t have been positively disposed. > > > First, because although what Honnold did will look impressive to non-climbers, those who climb will know that it was nowhere near as hard (to him) as it looks. The now widely circulated footage of making what appear to be difficult moves on the tower are in fact not so for somebody with advanced climbing skills, which he undoubtedly possesses. Those moves are far below Honnold’s technical and physical limits. If you don’t climb, this will be hard to believe, but take it from me: for somebody of his ability, climbing Taipei 101 is about as difficult as going up a ladder. Sure, it’s not a good idea to fall off a 500m ladder. If you do, you will die. But if you don’t, you won’t. > > > And yes, it takes good mental composure to not panic, to be able to commit to something like that from start to finish. But this is hardly Honnold’s first rodeo. He has spent years free soloing, and thus has trained his amygdala such that a panic response is simply not going to happen to him, even at 400m off the ground. If you’ve never climbed a ladder before, then going even 20m up a ladder will likely cause you to quake with fear and be desperate to come down. But if you climb a thousand 20m ladders over the next 20 years, you’re not going to find it remotely difficult to safely climb another one tomorrow. (And trust me, once you are comfortable at 20m, you’re comfortable at 500.) > > > Which is not to say that none of Honnold’s achievements as a free soloist are impressive. Quite the contrary. He has previously pushed the limits of free soloing far beyond what was thought possible, and in a way every climber respects (even if only begrudgingly). When he soloed El Capitan in Yosemite, this was a moment of human accomplishment on a par with being the first to run 100m in under 9.8 seconds—except with the added twist of failure meaning certain death. The film _Free Solo_ is genuinely worth watching, both as a piece of documentary evidence for what he accomplished as well as an interesting insight into the rare psychology of the committed soloist, someone pushing the limits beyond what anybody thought the envelope would allow. > > > But that itself is now part of the problem. Taipei 101 is not El Cap. There is no beauty, in terms of the movement of a human body on rock, to be found in the capital of Taiwan. It is one thing to add potentially the most storied chapter to the grand history of Yosemite climbing, quite another to do a Netflix special. Not even Honnold is going to pretend—the soloist’s oldest defence—that there is a deep spiritual communion to be found in mechanically repeating moves on concrete blocks, filmed by a dozen cameras, as part of a multimillion-dollar media operation. > > > And capped off by taking a selfie at the top. > > > I mean, he’s not even the first person to free solo tall buildings. Alain Robert has been doing it for years, usually illegally, and without making money from it. Where is his Netflix cash-in? > > > In other words, my predominant response to Alex Honnold’s latest media acclaim is that I’m still a punk rock kid at heart: fucking sell-out. [Keep reading](https://diaryofapunter.substack.com/p/selfish-and-stupid) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fLrZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbe96b44e-262d-4d6f-ac59-fcdffcc68cc8_1384x280.png) ##### _WINTER OLYMPICS_ [ Olivia Rafferty ✨Feb 6 It’s DAY ONE of writing a tiny song for every day of the Winter Olympics! Today’s sport: CURLING. 🥌 400 29 18](https://substack.com/@oliviarafferty/note/c-210831276) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!53q6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fceedad2c-31ce-49de-9cd0-267a79d43441_1384x280.png) ##### _TRENDS_ ### **We dream of chickens** Lisa Kholostenko examines the strange lure that raising chickens seems to hold over millennial women. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r3t4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f565011-4963-459e-abcc-d2a3921af00f_1200x936.png) ### **[Why Do All Millennial White Women Want Chickens? An Investigation.](https://lisakholostenko.substack.com/p/why-do-all-millennial-white-women)** —[Lisa Kholostenko](https://open.substack.com/users/216048-lisa-kholostenko?utm_source=mentions) in [Empty Calories](https://open.substack.com/pub/lisakholostenko) > I am a Millennial white woman and yet, I say this bravely, I do not want chickens. > > > I want many things. A calm nervous system. An abundant bank account. Taylor Russell’s coats. But chickens? No. > > > Many of my friends want them. Many Millennial white women want them. Women I know personally. Women I know spiritually. Kristin Cavallari has chickens. Hilary Duff has chickens. Amanda Seyfried? Chickens. Women with blowouts and impeccable contouring are waking up at dawn to collect eggs before their Pilates classes, like they’re in a Perry-free version of _Big Little Lies_, executive produced by Goop. > > > Why? What are the chickens saying? Why are the chickens here? Is this about eggs, or something else? A lifestyle thesis disguised as poultry? Because no one actually wants to care for an animal that screams, attacks you with its beak, and can be taken out by a stiff breeze. > > > Perhaps chickens feel less like a pet and more like an announcement: I HAVE SPACE NOW. Physical space. Emotional space. Acreage. A mudroom. > > > Chickens imply land. You don’t get chickens unless you’ve graduated from “apartment person” to “someone who casually says ‘the property.’” You don’t get chickens unless someone in your home knows their way around a hammer, a latch and a ramp (for the dramatic chickens). You don’t get chickens unless you are committing to a life of many omelettes. > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uwzM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd24556de-c49e-4bea-8570-b3b498941a49_1456x1088.png) > > _It is all a Free People ad. To be fair, the image on the right looks nice. Is it AI? :(_ > > > The aesthetic argument, of course, is airtight. Chickens pair beautifully with a DÔEN dress. You can imagine yourself drifting through your yard at golden hour, hem grazing calf, hair in a loose, morally superior braid, whispering affirmations to a Rhode Island Red. The fantasy is powerful: no screens. Just you and your flock, living off the land. You’re baking sourdough while your chicken friend looks on approvingly: ah yes, good, she thinks, this will go nicely with a breakfast sandwich. You’ve taken a guitar. Not because you play, but because it makes sense. There’s shelving with a lot of bobbins and even more homemade jams. The bobbins and jams are as abundant as the domestic fowl. Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? Need I bring up shiplap? > > > Never mind that chicken caretaking is, by all accounts, bureaucratic labor involving mites, fencing disputes, and the devastation of discovering that something called a “hawk” exists. The fantasy does not include any of that. The fantasy includes speckled eggs in a ceramic bowl. Overalls. > > > So I decided to investigate. > > > Again, not because I want chickens but because the chickens want me. They’re circling. They’re symbolic. A feathered milestone. And I thought it was my duty, as a woman still emotionally renting and more interested in a lymphatic drainage massage than livestock, to look this thing in the eye and ask the only question that matters: what is this all about? [Keep reading](https://lisakholostenko.substack.com/p/why-do-all-millennial-white-women) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!iNEU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F56a18c02-79e3-40a6-88fd-bee6838dbcab_1640x200.png) ##### _DREAMLAND_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3M43!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8d68d0a9-bbb0-47d7-9e88-b80ec827c60b_1080x898.png) _Infographic shared by [Jörgen Löwenfeldt](https://substack.com/@thebagatelles/note/c-210314772?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Jyff!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53d0e387-b94d-4a50-8d64-5e1d6fadddd8_1640x200.png) ##### _TRAVEL_ ### **The streets of Cairo** Christian Näthler on the life-affirming chaos of Cairo’s traffic. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e4Nx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F515c63c0-1d3c-4dfe-916a-30509b03c2b1_1400x1000.png) ### **[The opposite of suicide](https://lolsos.substack.com/p/the-opposite-of-suicide)** —[Christian Näthler](https://open.substack.com/users/8563088-christian-nathler?utm_source=mentions) in [lol/sos](https://open.substack.com/pub/lolsos) > There’s that gabe k-s quote that goes, “There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living.” > > > By that measure, the opposite of suicide is to spend a few days walking and driving the streets of Cairo. > > > ⁂ > > > True, it can feel like self-murder. Cairo has more than 23 million people and no traffic lights. Getting anywhere demands submitting to an unruly accumulation of motion and believing unwaveringly in the ancient concept of going with the flow. It’s very somatic. It made me feel bodily, that I had a presence. It gave shape to me insofar as I became a construction of a thing competing for space with other constructed things. It also made me feel totally irrelevant and trivial. There was a unique spectrum within me and across which I felt myself being thrust toward the extreme ends of: flesh-based conception on one side and disembodiment on the other. > > > ⁂ > > > And where was my mind? Speculating about what it would be like for a bus to run me over and make me flat and, because the vehicles are so one after the other, to squash me several times before anyone stopped, until what was left of me could be used to paint walls, until there was only a granular paste a passerby might skid on and pull their groin. > > > ⁂ > > > It’s no news by now that Cairo’s congestion rivals the world’s great clusterfucks—Delhi, Lagos, Manila. Without a coherent authority, everyone does what they want. I like the self-regulating anarchy. I find it relaxing, even when it feels like it could crush me at any second. What stresses me out is the world of policies and litigation. > > > Such interconnectedness means individual choices matter. A heedless insistence on one’s own priority disrupts the harmony of the whole. And so there’s a real sense of society in the ceaseless tightening and loosening of the knot, the communal negotiation of space. It can be ruthless, but there are small mercies everywhere. Now and then, a hand lifts briefly from a steering wheel to signal that you may merge. > > > ⁂ > > > As for “living like a local,” infused with exhaust and coated in road smut is perhaps the most authentic way to be in Cairo, an experience shared by almost everyone who lives here. You get used to the scratch in your throat. > > > ⁂ > > > An inventory of things in transit, noted over 13 minutes at Ramses Square: > > > Cars, taxis, minibuses, public buses, tourist buses, delivery vans, pickup trucks, dump trucks, cement mixers, fuel tankers, water trucks, garbage trucks, tow trucks, road rollers, cranes in transit, police cars, police vans, armored police vehicles, military trucks, ambulances, fire engines, motorcycles, scooters, tuk-tuks, motorized rickshaws, bicycles, handcarts, pushcarts, produce carts, wheelbarrows, mule carts, pedestrians, street vendors on foot, men carrying trays, children weaving through traffic, mechanics rolling tires, people pushing stalled cars, refrigerators on carts, mattresses strapped to bicycles, gas canisters on trolleys, rolling crates, rolling plastic barrels, rollerbladers, dogs, stray shopping carts. > > > ⁂ > > > It really is another world. Of course we all know the “we” and “us” of contemporary culture writing refers to a rather narrow Western milieu, but the boundless vastness of humanity to be observed on Cairo’s streets makes it seem like that whole referred-to audience could fit into a single backyard in Williamsburg. > > > Flaubert wrote, “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” But it was more like I saw what a tiny world occupied me. [Keep reading](https://lolsos.substack.com/p/the-opposite-of-suicide) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XdIW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa76354d4-6903-4949-924a-76489097a964_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Hurrikan Press](https://open.substack.com/users/211580223-hurrikan-press?utm_source=mentions), [Stella Kalaw](https://open.substack.com/users/69557905-stella-kalaw?utm_source=mentions), [Jörgen Löwenfeldt](https://open.substack.com/users/321100325-jorgen-lowenfeldt?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Olivia Rafferty ✨](https://open.substack.com/users/42045636-olivia-rafferty?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Hilarius Bookbinder](https://open.substack.com/users/24715030-hilarius-bookbinder?utm_source=mentions), [Paul S](https://open.substack.com/users/19041612-paul-s?utm_source=mentions), [Lisa Kholostenko](https://open.substack.com/users/216048-lisa-kholostenko?utm_source=mentions), [Christian Näthler](https://open.substack.com/users/8563088-christian-nathler?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fItb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99ef884e-2e75-4ff3-8541-64a7d4911452_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7XZQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F81efa851-b1fe-465c-abd5-865432fee483_1456x1092.png) [Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club](https://open.substack.com/pub/reesesbookclub) has launched. Reese Witherspoon’s first post describes it as “a cozy corner of the internet where we can actually _talk_ about the books we love and pick up even more reads along the way.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3kD-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1c2f0e6a-7fe1-4fb6-8a72-6c3606005e47_1036x1201.jpeg) Actress and model [Meg Stalter](https://open.substack.com/users/3402780-meg-stalter?utm_source=mentions) has joined Substack, kicking things off with [a personal essay](https://megsstalter.substack.com/p/not-religious-psychosis-a-revival) about her relationship to religion, God, and morality. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HJBM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb57cdeb4-a322-422d-93ce-b7a512b77288_2048x1365.png) The Washington Post’s former book critic [Ron Charles](https://open.substack.com/users/18176989-ron-charles?utm_source=mentions) has turned Substack into his new home, where he “intend[s] to keep nattering on about books, authors, and our imperiled literary culture.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dQGV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Facc43b55-d4dc-47e7-8ac4-ce006826ceb7_1080x1080.png) Comedian and actor [Jeff Hiller](https://open.substack.com/users/9260962-jeff-hiller?utm_source=mentions) has [joined Substack to](https://substack.com/@jeffhiller/note/c-209874562?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r) “try to lower your cortisol and bring a little bit of joy to the world or at least your inbox.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3VB4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb1c1ee43-5d88-4e6b-b1a6-b194bfd4439a_2048x1366.jpeg) Harvard Law professor and author [Noah Feldman](https://open.substack.com/users/436322603-noah-feldman?utm_source=mentions) has joined Substack, where [he’ll be sharing](https://noahfeldman.substack.com/p/welcome-to-professor-noah-feldmans) “what you might call actionable wisdom: thoughts that you can put to use in your own life, that you can discuss with the people who matter to you, and that you can translate into feeling more connected, balanced, and engaged in your own life.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0Ife!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9d4fb82d-a444-4c28-99c7-388828492e12_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sdmq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5d8f14fe-942b-497e-aa09-91aeb152cf56_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/101914490-dr-harvey-mayers)[](https://substack.com/profile/4170622-edward-wohlman)[](https://substack.com/profile/2565047-marion-graham)[](https://substack.com/profile/89674485-megan)[](https://substack.com/profile/58135638-gurpreet-kaur-nagi) [3,055 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the)∙ [331 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-187148616/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 3,055 265 331 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/196983396-kate-stirling?utm_source=comment) [Kate Stirling](https://substack.com/profile/196983396-kate-stirling?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 7](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the/comment/211245796 "Feb 7, 2026, 2:21 PM")Edited I have had both. Suicidal thinking a decade ago after divorce and at Christmas my Dad dying and my own cancer diagnosis has exploded in a “I don’t want to die I want to live FULLY” has totally set me free! It’s liberating beyond belief. Nothing to lose anymore [Like (59)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [27 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the/comment/211245796) [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 7](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the/comment/211248626 "Feb 7, 2026, 2:28 PM") That science section, combined with current situation that we are bombard by AI, reminds me of Interstellar, Professor Brand, recites the line again and again as a quiet insistence on survival in the face of extinction, a refusal to accept the fading of humanity. “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” [Like (50)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [6 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the/comment/211248626) [263 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. 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# “There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be” ### In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Jan 24, 2026 2,368 100 313 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YgED!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7bc49389-9a93-4730-956f-bf58131c273b_2048x2048.png) _“Work series” by [Irfan Ajvazi](https://substack.com/@irfanajvaziart/note/c-200811319?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re discussing poetry with our hairdressers, betting on Best Picture, and defending the written word. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SsTW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52cac91e-3a1e-4efe-b85d-b928730db9c4_1026x292.png) ##### _THE WRITTEN WORD_ ### **The power of text** In which Adam Mastroianni counters the familiar narrative that reading is dead, arguing that the written word commands a power no TikTok can possess. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!geuT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4dcef96d-faea-40da-8ef6-964696c7ffc0_1215x1654.png) ### **[Text is king](https://www.experimental-history.com/p/text-is-king)** —[Adam Mastroianni](https://open.substack.com/users/69354522-adam-mastroianni?utm_source=mentions) in [Experimental History](https://open.substack.com/pub/experimentalhistory) > Perhaps there are frontiers of digital addiction we have yet to reach. Maybe one day we’ll all have Neuralinks that beam Instagram Reels directly into our primary visual cortex, and then reading will really be toast. > > > Maybe. But it has proven very difficult to artificially satisfy even the most basic human pleasures. Who wants a birthday cake made with aspartame? Who would rather have a tanning bed than a sunny day? Who prefers to watch bots play chess? You can view high-res images of the Mona Lisa anytime you want, and yet people will still pay to fly to Paris and shove through crowds just to get a glimpse of the real thing. > > > I think there is a deep truth here: human desires are complex and multidimensional, and this makes them both hard to quench and hard to hack. That tinge of discontent that haunts even the happiest people, that bottomless hunger for more even among plenty—those are evolutionary defense mechanisms. If we were easier to please, we wouldn’t have made it this far. We would have gorged ourselves to death as soon as we figured out how to cultivate sugarcane. > > > That’s why I doubt the core assumption of the “death of reading” hypothesis. The theory heavily implies that people who would once have been avid readers are now glassy-eyed doomscrollers because that is, in fact, what they always wanted to be. They never appreciated the life of the mind. They were just filling time with great works of literature until TikTok came along. The unspoken assumption is that most humans, other than a few rare intellectuals, have a hierarchy of needs that looks like this: > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!E1_6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0b2f786d-2220-49a3-8726-b8d62148cc11_1456x819.png) > > > I don’t buy this. Everyone, even people without liberal arts degrees, knows the difference between the cheap pleasures and the deep pleasures. No one pats themselves on the back for spending an hour watching mukbang videos, no one touts their screentime like they’re setting a high score, and no one feels proud that their hand instinctively starts groping for their phone whenever there’s a lull in conversation. > > > Finishing a great nonfiction book feels like heaving a barbell off your chest. Finishing a great novel feels like leaving an entire nation behind. There are no replacements for these feelings. Videos can titillate, podcasts can inform, but there’s only one way to get that feeling of your brain folds stretching and your soul expanding, and it is to drag your eyes across text. > > > That’s actually where I agree with the worrywarts of the written word: all serious intellectual work happens on the page, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise. If you want to contribute to the world of ideas, if you want to entertain and manipulate complex thoughts, you have to read and write. > > > According to one theory, that’s why writing originated: to pin facts in place. At first, those facts were things like “Hirin owes Mushin four bushels of wheat,” but once you realize that knowledge can be hardened and preserved by encoding it in little squiggles, you unlock a whole new realm of logic and reasoning. > > > That’s why there’s no replacement for text, and there never will be. Thoughts that can survive being written into words are on average truer than thoughts that never leave the mind. You know how you can find a leak in a tire by squirting dish soap on it and then looking for where the bubbles form? Writing is like squirting dish soap on an idea: it makes the holes obvious. > > > That doesn’t mean every piece of prose is wonderful, just that it _can_ be. And when it reaches those heights, it commands a power that nothing else can possess. > > > I didn’t always believe this. I was persuaded on this point recently when I met an audio editor named Julia Barton, who was writing a book about the history of radio. I thought that was funny—shouldn’t the history of radio be told as a podcast? > > > No, she said, because in the long run, _books are all that matter_. Podcasts, films, and TikToks are good at attracting ears and eyes, but in the realm of ideas, they punch below their weight. Thoughts only stick around when you print them out and bind them in cardboard. > > > I think Barton’s thesis is right. At the center of every long-lived movement, you will always find a book. Every major religion has its holy text, of course, but there is also no communism without the _Communist Manifesto_, no environmentalism without _Silent Spring_, no American Revolution without _Common Sense_. This remains true even in our supposed post-literate meltdown—just look at _Abundance_, which inspired the creation of a congressional caucus. That happened not because of Abundance the Podcast or Abundance the 7-Part YouTube Series but because of _Abundance_ the book. > > > A somewhat diminished readership can somewhat diminish the power of text in culture, but it’s a mistake to think that words only exercise influence over you when you behold those words firsthand. I’m reminded of Meryl Streep’s monologue in _The Devil Wears Prada_, when Anne Hathaway scoffs at two seemingly identical belts and Streep schools her: > > > _...it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room._ > > > What’s true in the world of fashion is also true in the world of ideas. Being ignorant of the forces shaping society does not exempt you from their influence—it places you at their mercy. This is easy to miss. It may seem like ignorance is always overpowering knowledge, that the people who kick things down are triumphing over the people who build things up. That’s because kicking down is fast and loud, while building up is slow and quiet. But that is precisely why the builders ultimately prevail. The kickers get bored and wander off, while the builders return and start again. [Keep reading](https://www.experimental-history.com/p/text-is-king) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fVFX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc7689b04-069b-49a3-92b2-d39640c13bf2_1184x280.png) ##### _ANT ART_ [ Cosmos Jan 9 In “Wandering Position” by Yukinori Yanagi, the path of a single ant is traced within a defined space, creating a drawing that documents an otherwise unseen journey. The resulting line captures the ant’s wandering as a direct and unedited observation. The work reflects Yanagi’s ongoing interest in movement, boundaries, and the ways in which simple actions can reveal larger patterns in the world.⁠ 913 35 77](https://substack.com/@sequencebycosmos/note/c-197456719) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DvRj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8dc830e4-8a32-4814-bfec-e2019bada1c8_1184x280.png) ##### _AWARDS SEASON_ ### **Betting on Best Picture** As prediction markets blur the line between gambling and forecasting, Andrew Truong interviews an Oscars betting expert on reading narratives, calculating odds, and turning a profit. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5Bj9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70c2ad47-56b7-4236-97a2-07d4ae68f91d_1456x750.png) ### **[How to Win (or Lose) Money by Betting on the Oscars](https://www.butteredpopcorn.org/p/oscars-betting-prediction-advice)** —[Andrew Truong](https://open.substack.com/users/805388-andrew-truong?utm_source=mentions) in [Buttered Popcorn](https://open.substack.com/pub/butteredpopcorn) > **Thanks for chatting with me about the wild and wonderful world of betting on—sorry, predicting—the Oscars.** > > > Predicting, yes. It is legal if it’s a prediction market. We’re not betting. We’re not gamblers here! > > > No, it is gambling, but in the way the stock market is gambling. I think the line conceptually and maybe morally is pretty blurry. And it’s really just about the regulatory structure. The way I think they justify it is they say, “We’re just a tool to aggregate information.” > > > **When did you first get into Oscars betting?** > > > I had gotten good at the usual Oscars pool, like when you go to an Oscars party and everyone makes their picks. Around 2018 it came up in conversation with a friend of a friend who runs an underground poker ring. That’s like his full-time job, he’s had [a certain former NBA star] show up to his games. > > > He was like, “Dude, if you’re actually good at predicting the Oscars, like let’s put some money down. I know a bookie.” It was just me picking what I think is going to win, and then him making sure the odds were worth betting on. We weren’t going to bet on anything where a film was an 80-90% favorite. > > > The first year we did this was for the ceremony in 2020. This was the _Parasite_ year and I got super lucky. We did not bet on every category, but the ones we did, we got all of them right. > > > A lot of people heard us brag about it, so the next year, we got a big group together to put a lot of money down. And I do terribly, like really terribly. I got everything wrong except for Frances McDormand in Best Actress. But that won us all of our money back and we just broke even. > > > After that, I started getting more visibility into how the oddsmaking worked and would place flyer bets. We wouldn’t just bet on things that I thought were going to win but things that were mispriced. > > > **And how did you do last year?** > > > My group put down a total of $15,000 across 12 categories. Our adjusted odds were around 61% and we hit on 87%, so we outperformed our odds. We made about a 50% margin. > > > **So your profit was $7,500.** > > > Exactly. I just pick things and then people just pony up money. We’re a bit like a venture capital firm. I prepped a spreadsheet for every single category and wrote down my takes. Some people make their own bets on the side based on that. > > > **What makes Oscars betting more appealing compared to sports?** > > > Right now, you don’t have to be super sophisticated. You don’t need a mathematical model to have an edge. It’s about narrative, and that is a much harder thing to mathematically measure. You need to understand trends and tones. > > > **Last year you switched from a traditional bookie to betting on Kalshi. What was the reason?** > > > There were two reasons. One is that the odds were better for us. Kalshi is more volatile than underground betting, but that means more opportunity to be had. > > > And then, two, it was easier. We didn’t have to worry about pooling money together to clear a minimum bet with a bookie. That was a big thing. With Kalshi, we actually have the opposite problem. Once you start putting in enough money, you’re demonstrably changing the odds. > > > **That was something I was looking at, the total market volume. Best Picture has almost $4 million in play, but International Feature only has around $30,000. If I put $1,000 into that category, it’s going to move the odds dramatically.** > > > That’s actually why I’m not putting more money into International Feature. The amount I wanted to put in would have moved the odds to a point where I didn’t want to be in anymore. That didn’t happen with a bookie, where the lines were fixed. It doesn’t happen in sports betting either, because the volume is so high that no single bettor can really move the line. > > > It’s the opposite of the stock market. In the stock market, it’s better to have a big position because you can start to influence the company. Here, it doesn’t pay to be a big fish in a small market. > > > **Unless you start holding Academy members hostage.** > > > We don’t need to go into market manipulation. I’d encourage anyone who believes in a big Oscars-rigging conspiracy to do some research into how the voting and auditing actually work. I’m not a truther. > > > **What’s your starting point with making your predictions?** > > > I have a set of heuristics that I follow, a set of Oscars truths. One of my heuristics, and I think this is what people get wrong more than they get right, is that there’s usually a narrative for the night. These awards are not isolated events, there’s correlation. It’s Pennsylvania and Ohio in the presidential election. That being said, every category does exist on a spectrum. Something like Best Director is probably the best example of correlation with Best Picture. > > > But there are other categories—the technical ones more than others—where there isn’t a correlation. Sound is a great example of this. Does it matter how good the movie was? Not at all. Does it matter how good the sound was? A lot. > > > **I think about**_**Suicide Squad**_**winning the Best Makeup Oscar. People were a little confused and I was like, “Well, they’re not awarding the best movie with makeup. It’s the best makeup in a movie.”** > > > Great example. There’s a difference between predicting what Academy voters like and what they are going to judge as a better-crafted movie, especially in branch-specific categories. And that’s a core part of my philosophy, to watch the movies and separate the two. > > > **Do you look up or calculate any stats, or are you mostly going on instinct?** > > > Both. I’ve looked at the numbers over the last 10-15 years. Most of the time—and I think this is true even in sports—you want cases where the eye test matches the numbers. You don’t want to be led purely by the data, and you don’t want to be led purely by the eye test. > > > This is probably the hottest take of my heuristics: I don’t think the Oscars reward bad movies. There was an era where they were more likely to. But if you look at the Best Picture winners over the last 10 to 15 years, I’d actually be hard pressed to say any of them were bad. I’m not saying they pick the best movie every year, but they’re not picking something that’s poorly made. They have better taste than that. > > > I think that started around 2015, after Oscars So White. When they expanded the Academy and made it less of an old boys’ club, that’s when it started to correlate more with actual excellence. Who knew that by diversifying your voting population, you actually end up with better results, right? [Keep reading](https://www.butteredpopcorn.org/p/oscars-betting-prediction-advice) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xmn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F650dd866-f372-4940-a095-675700201da0_1384x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KjNl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28b4d389-205e-4e20-b8f9-142fafb0997e_1456x1941.png) _“La Espera” by Alejandra Caicedo, shared by [Art in Latin America](https://artinlatinamerica.substack.com/p/in-the-studio-with-alejandra-caicedo)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DiNC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae567fd0-9afa-41e9-bcb9-ca7fb39975e5_1384x280.png) ##### _POETRY_ ### **Of haircuts and poetry** Harriet Truscott on being asked about experimental poetry while getting an asymmetric haircut. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8jye!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44dc4839-4c74-41f8-842e-993b61fe4e0a_400x273.png) ### **[‘Fluff and puff’ at the T.S. Eliot Prize](https://thelittlereviewuk.substack.com/p/fluff-and-puff-at-the-ts-eliot-prize)** —[Harriet Truscott](https://open.substack.com/users/109541833-harriet-truscott?utm_source=mentions) in [The Little Review](https://open.substack.com/users/313199036-the-little-review?utm_source=mentions) > Somehow I mentioned to my hairdresser that I was a poet, perhaps to justify my split ends, or my lack of plans for Friday night. My hairdresser told me that he cut the hair of ‘a poet, Mr Prynne’. Did I know Mr Prynne’s poetry? > > > I said I did. > > > My hairdresser asked me if I was ‘a poet like Mr Prynne’. > > > I said that Mr Prynne was a renowned and distinguished poet, and that I was not. That Mr Prynne had probably published about 50 books of poetry, and that I had not. > > > At this point my neck was strained backwards over the washbasin and my head was being sluiced with water. > > > I told the ceiling that in fact I had published zero books of poetry. > > > How many? said my hairdresser. > > > None, I said. > > > My head was thoroughly scrubbed now, and I was led back to the stylist’s chair. My hairdresser asked me to describe Mr Prynne’s poetry. I opened my mouth. > > > He asked me to keep my head straight, because my asymmetric cut risked becoming symmetric. > > > I said that Mr Prynne’s poetry was hard to describe. > > > It’s quite experimental, I said. > > > What does that mean? he asked me. > > > I tried to think of what I knew about mid-century poetry movements and the relationship between the Cambridge School and L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poetry. > > > My face stared back at me from the light-rimmed mirror. It was the face of someone realising they knew nothing about any poetry later than Des Imagistes. > > > My hairdresser snipped swiftly around my head. Hair fell asymmetrically around me. > > > Fragments, I said. Mr Prynne’s work is fragmented. > > > To either side of me were other people being snipped at. It was central Cambridge. No doubt they were all professors. Probably ninety percent of them had written books on the British Poetry Revival. One of them at least was clearly the world expert on Deleuze. They had all stopped reading _Take a Break_ and were listening to me fail to know about poetry. > > > Fragmented? said my hairdresser. > > > Yes, I said. His work is fragmented, self-reflective and metaphorically asymmetric. > > > And your own poetry? prompted my hairdresser. > > > Isn’t, I said, and asked him about styling mousse. > > > I had the same conversation at three-month intervals until my hairdresser retired to a beach in Italy. > > > Since then, I have grown my hair long, and do my best to avoid discussing poetry. [Keep reading](https://thelittlereviewuk.substack.com/p/fluff-and-puff-at-the-ts-eliot-prize) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eKHk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf37d1bd-8bbd-4fdb-8f98-48ccd9054a8e_1640x200.png) ##### _PHOTOGRAPHY_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gr-d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F915d3555-dd80-4a95-96f2-bff17025973c_2048x1463.png) _Photo by [The Analog Post](https://substack.com/@theanalogpost/note/c-200945277?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!74dl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F692ab8ba-bd01-4b2b-9d56-5999a25aca9a_1640x200.png) ##### _TELEVISION_ ### **Hot hockey** Jenka Gurfinkel on Heated Rivalry as anti-dystopian art: a queer hockey romance offering pleasure, mutuality, and joy in a media landscape saturated with violence. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Rmt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe809836d-1207-4876-9db6-68feec3fab78_1270x790.png) ### **[Heated Rivalry and the Art of Anti-Dystopia](https://jenka.substack.com/p/heated-rivalry-and-the-art-of-anti)** —[Jenka Gurfinkel](https://open.substack.com/users/3092815-jenka-gurfinkel?utm_source=mentions) in [Jenka’s Substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/jenka) > As I sit down to write this, the first episode of the show _Heated Rivalry_ has been out in North America and Australia for less than 2 months. The 6th and final episode has been out only 3 weeks. In that time the show has amassed over 600 million minutes of streaming on HBO alone, increasing, in a “highly unusual” growth curve, 10x since its debut. The show has just premiered in the UK 3 days ago, and it is already a pirated hit worldwide, including in Russia and China, where it is not only unavailable but, due to its LGBTQ subject matter, banned. > > > The stunning, astronomical rise of _Heated Rivalry_ has found us all trying to answer the question Vanity Fair poses: “Why can’t we stop talking about _Heated Rivalry_”? Why has this seemingly niche show with a modest budget and virtually no promotion, produced for Canadian streaming service Crave, with just 4 million subscribers, led by a cast of unknowns, about an autistic half-Asian and a traumatized Russian involved in a secret love affair, based on a queer hockey romance book series, taken over the world? How did this happen? Who is this pair of neophytes no one had heard of a month prior, suddenly presenting at the Golden Globes? WTF is going on? > > > Sure, it’s a faithful adaptation of a best-selling book series with a fan base already built in. Yes, it dutifully adheres to the conventions of the Romance genre, and romance will never let you down when it comes to a happy ending. It appeals to gay men and queer people for a myriad of reasons. It appeals to straight women, and women generally, for a myriad of reasons. It even appeals to straight men. (To paraphrase an Instagram reel that I saw floating by, “Hollander and Rozanov are your buddies. And you’re always happy for your buddies to get laid. And if they’re getting laid with each other, great!”) Obviously, the chemistry between the actors is unrivaled, and the standom they’ve inspired is at a boy-band fever pitch. The film-craft is absolutely superb, sending the last two episodes of the first season to #12 and #13 on IMDB’s list of top TV episodes of all time (again, the show hasn’t been out 2 months). On and on and on. There are many reasons to be enamored with this piece of visual storytelling media. > > > So I would like to add one more reason to the mix. > > > It’s because _Heated Rivalry_ is Anti-Dystopia art. > > > The 21st-century entertainment landscape is filled with dystopian fantasies that inure people to violence, brutality, and trauma. In the parlance of our time, any one of these can be appended with the postfix “-porn” to efficiently communicate the ubiquity and banality of these kinds of explicit visuals within the culture. Dystopian movies and TV shows have transcended mere entertainment and become cultural shorthand. We refer to real-life events in the frame of reference of _The Hunger Games_ or _Squid Games_ or _Mad Max_ or _The Handmaid’s Tale_. Reality has become _Black Mirror_. Dystopia’s vernacular of dehumanization, desensitization, and cruelty, especially towards women, seeps into everything. From comedy (the jarringly gratuitous gun violence ostensibly played for laughs in _The Out-Laws_), to fantasy (the pornographically lurid murder montage of one woman stabbing, choking, slicing the throat of another over and over in _Wheel of Time_)—to action (the glorified dissociation in _Lioness_), to drama (the grimy bleakness of _Euphoria_). Even superhero movies, which draw an obviously younger audience, expose viewers to hyper-real terrorism spectacles from the destruction of cities on par with 9/11 to the destruction of half of all life in the universe with the snap of a finger. Deeply disturbing and inhumane narratives and visuals in the guise of entertainment are constantly streaming into our eyeballs like we are all living in _A Clockwork Orange_. Dystopia as cultural shorthand strikes again. > > > _Heated Rivalry_ might not be science fiction, but it, too, is a fantasy set in a speculative universe: in that universe, the captain of a major league hockey team publicly comes out, setting in motion a cascade of events that diverge from our current reality in which, out of thousands of players, there are currently zero openly gay or bi men actively competing in any of the major North American sports leagues. > > > As it ascends to the status of global phenomenon, creating an entire new cultural shorthand and lexicon along the way, _Heated Rivalry_ offers a cinematic universe that references our own but casts an alternate vision of a world that’s possible—a world of pleasure, mutuality, humanness, intimacy, creativity, and joy. [Keep reading](https://jenka.substack.com/p/heated-rivalry-and-the-art-of-anti) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!97xP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1aa9dcd5-96ab-481c-8d8c-379c996c4122_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Irfan Ajvazi](https://open.substack.com/users/309672287-irfan-ajvazi?utm_source=mentions), [Art in Latin America](https://open.substack.com/users/107973242-art-in-latin-america?utm_source=mentions), [The Analog Post](https://open.substack.com/users/184579706-the-analog-post?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Cosmos](https://open.substack.com/users/272473146-cosmos?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Adam Mastroianni](https://open.substack.com/users/69354522-adam-mastroianni?utm_source=mentions), [Andrew Truong](https://open.substack.com/users/805388-andrew-truong?utm_source=mentions), [Harriet Truscott](https://open.substack.com/users/109541833-harriet-truscott?utm_source=mentions), [Jenka Gurfinkel](https://open.substack.com/users/3092815-jenka-gurfinkel?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2iEZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F17549968-2cde-4570-a24a-57d361d1551e_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tT1d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F23d632eb-8fa4-4f55-8738-f16fa91d3bf7_683x1024.jpeg) Former Vanity Fair editor [Radhika Jones](https://open.substack.com/users/140012231-radhika-jones?utm_source=mentions) has started a Substack, where she’ll be “writing about the books that are on my mind, on my nightstand, and popping up in the culture.” [First up: Wuthering Heights](https://radhikajones.substack.com/p/book-club-wuthering-heights), just in time for the Emerald Fennell adaptation coming out next month. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kicj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3977e0a3-6782-4e02-8459-433d0857acc7_483x483.png) Fashion brand [Veronica Beard](https://open.substack.com/users/122081978-veronica-beard?utm_source=mentions) has launched [A Need to Know Basis](https://aneedtoknowbasis.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes), where the founders—both named Veronica—will be sharing “hacks, secrets, shortcuts, inspiration—to make our lives, and your lives—chicer and easier.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!j8W9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8df9d3d6-d781-40a2-a42f-5d767b41b945_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JOtV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b51ea79-2edb-47e5-b39f-5703ce462956_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/17488745-heather-jw)[](https://substack.com/profile/91238531-chris-gedikli)[](https://substack.com/profile/97841729-nick-palmer)[](https://substack.com/profile/36905205-peter-soida)[](https://substack.com/profile/27799524-sheryl-llewellyn) [2,368 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and)∙ [313 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-185587251/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 2,368 100 313 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=comment) [Roman S Shapoval](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 24](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and/comment/204352714 "Jan 24, 2026, 2:20 PM") Yet Substack is launching a TV platform...this is why the written word, on paper, is the only way to ultimately be free of algorithms and data harvesting. [Like (50)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [2 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and/comment/204352714) [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 24](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and/comment/204358744 "Jan 24, 2026, 2:35 PM")Edited In this age of AI, the ability to express ideas clearly and precisely has become a genuine advantage. Those who can communicate their thinking with sharpness and articulate their thoughts with clarity are far better equipped to engage with the world. “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”- Wittgenstein [Like (33)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [98 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. 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# Why the SpaceX & xAI Merger, IPO, and Pivot to the Moon? [](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/) # [Uncharted Territories](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/)  Discover more from Uncharted Territories Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more Over 122,000 subscribers By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai) # SpaceX + xAI Merger, IPO, Data Centers and Moon Base [](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) [Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) Feb 12, 2026 131 41 15 Share Over the last few weeks, massive changes have happened in Musk Industries: * Musk is saying he’s going to build datacenters in space * SpaceX and xIA are merging * The resulting company is seeking an IPO * SpaceX aims to build a base on the Moon instead of Mars These facts are interconnected, in a way that isn’t obvious. Today, we’re going to make that explicit. # 1. Starship’s Emptiness SpaceX’s valuation has exploded. ### Skyrocketing [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ONu6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f917bb6-7a6a-4b0c-b452-cff89c8cd39f_1760x1206.png) _If you’re wondering, on a logarithmic graph, it looks like a line_ Why? Because its revenue has grown proportionally. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!khrQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0ea6682e-4aae-4477-9d0b-6ed793844f8b_1655x1191.png) Where does that revenue come from? Mostly from Starlink, a global service of direct telecommunications via satellite. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MK8q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa66698e8-d592-48a3-aa04-5b107a4adb8b_1200x750.png) This is SpaceX’s revenue breakdown: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PJB7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbdf6fdcc-8fd6-46ff-9745-e2163a3ee4e2_1898x1738.png) Its number of subscribers has been growing exponentially: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!b5uD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc0de5796-312b-49ec-92a8-13a683a1122c_1400x800.png) _[Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceXLounge/comments/1puofrp/starlink\_growth\_accelerated\_significantly\_in\_the/#lightbox)_ The service is printing cash—about [$12B](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink) in 2025, and growing fast. How is this business growing so fast? Because of this: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4kJs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b3b3284-638d-452c-a097-8deb97e465cd_1751x1202.png) There’s been an explosion in stuff being sent to space, and of course the vast majority is from SpaceX: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gR35!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F509cc250-e2dc-41a5-9917-9f10778bd656_2048x1013.png) _[Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceXLounge/comments/1n744xo/spacex\_is\_fast\_approaching\_50\_of\_all\_orbital/#lightbox)_ And that’s been possible because of this: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eQ3e!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36ac5d36-9118-4d7f-9819-05c18ee4cbce_1759x1358.png) _Starship is estimated for when it will be able to carry payload. [Source](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/how-starship-will-change-humanity)._ SpaceX’s rockets can carry payload to space much more cheaply than the competition. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!61o0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7493dbeb-2ffc-4d57-b6ba-7d6dad4a580f_1041x694.png) _A [Falcon 9 launch](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/spacexs-falcon-9-rocket-launches-dragon-international-space-station/)_ So hold on. Why is a rocket company printing money as a _telecom_ company? In _[Starship Will Change Humanity Soon](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/how-starship-will-change-humanity)_, we explained how SpaceX was crashing the cost of sending stuff to orbit, and dramatically increasing how much stuff could be sent to space. The thing is that people take a long time to react to this type of change. ### Electricity Chased Usage We’ve known about electricity [since the 1600s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity#History), and electricity generation was developed in the 1800s. But electric companies sat idle with their built capacity. For example, a [London electricity company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Metropolitan_Electric_Light_and_Power_Company) had a load factor[1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai#footnote-1-187739727) of only ~10% in the early 1900s. Why? People didn’t know how to use this electricity! So electricity companies started _load-building_: figuring out uses for electricity and pushing people to adopt them. The first big application was the light bulb, but it didn’t use much electricity, and the electricity it did use was in the evenings. So electricity entrepreneurs tried to get daytime use. They pushed for: * Electric streetcars * Industrial motors * Household appliances like refrigerators and irons * And more Sometimes, the push was pretty direct, as electric companies owned [electric car companies](https://www.masterresource.org/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicles-insull/), [electric railway companies](https://www.chicagorailfan.com/holdsci.html), [radio stations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Edison_Company)… It’s not a coincidence that _[General Electric](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General\_Electric)_ was famous for both electricity generation and appliances. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pTha!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3306aeb0-25b4-4e69-a58f-a4fa7ca072d4_660x900.png) _General Electric, 1929. [Source](https://fineartamerica.com/featured/general-electric-1929-1920s-the-advertising-archives.html)._ This is not the only example of a new general technology creating overcapacity, waiting for society to catch up by creating demand, and doing everything it could to accelerate that demand in the meantime. The same thing happened with railroads and broadband. ### The Problem with Railroad and Broadband Early Capacity [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EsCv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd0bc771c-f3d1-40a1-b6d1-9c33b9163a0d_2048x1602.png) _The utilization increased by 10x in the 50 years between 1859 and 1911 in the US!_ Early on, many railroads remained barely used, and lots of railroad companies [went bankrupt](https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/banking-panics-of-the-gilded-age). To avoid this, many became _land management and immigration companies!_ In the US West, many railroads [received large land grants](https://www.loc.gov/collections/railroad-maps-1828-to-1900/articles-and-essays/history-of-railroads-and-maps/land-grants/) (or bought huge tracts), so they were simultaneously selling transportation and the land that would generate the transportation demand. They created [immigration bureaus](https://history.nebraska.gov/when-railroads-promoted-immigration/), sometimes with offices in Europe, explicitly to seed farms and towns that would ship freight and buy tickets. They created towns, frequently [integrated with water](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SERIALSET-06953_00_00-033-0492-0000/pdf/SERIALSET-06953_00_00-033-0492-0000.pdf)[transportation companies](https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1009146.pdf) to be multimodal. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s3IF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01733d93-edee-43f1-943e-5e8b5da243b5_500x786.png) With the advent of the Internet, broadband companies laid out a lot of cable, but in 2000 only [7%](https://courses.media.mit.edu/2001fall/mas968/assignments/Level3.pdf) of it was lit in the US. This is why AOL (cable) merged with TimeWarner (content), or why telecom operators around the world offered (and many still offer) content bundles. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fA9b!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5eefd49c-31dd-4620-b589-f6fcc69f5a0b_1486x895.png) ### Staring into Emptiness The same problem has been happening with SpaceX. Its increase in capacity was so fast that society is not adapted to it yet. So Musk faced a problem: Either he created demand for his new service, or he would go bankrupt, like so many electricity, railroad, and broadband companies before him. He found Starlink. The way electricity companies found light, streetcars, industrial electric motors, and appliances. The way railroads created new towns, farms, and immigrants. The way broadband companies bundled content. Here’s the problem with Starlink: Although it spits money, we only need so many telecom satellites to have full Earth coverage. Starlink currently has a license for 15k satellites, and wants as many as ~[30k](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink). Assuming a five-year lifetime, that’s 3k-6k satellites per year. At ~[1 ton](https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites.html) per satellite, that’s 3–6kT per year of payload. Falcon 9 can deliver 22t to LEO, so that’s ~270 Falcon 9 flights per year. SpaceX is already at 170. Once Starship is ready, just 30 flights will be enough to cover the entire annual need for Starlink. So if SpaceX succeeds with its Starship, it will have too much capacity to bring mass to space, and that emptiness will mean the entire program might not be viable. If SpaceX wants more, bigger rockets, it needs to manufacture demand. It needs another Starlink, another lightbulb, industrial electric motors, streetcars, appliances… Musk thinks that’s AI datacenters. # 2. xAI Datacenters in Space Musk has another company: Twitter, turned X when it rebranded it, and turned xAI when he decided to participate in the race to AGI—artificial general intelligence. And as you know, [I don’t](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/is-there-an-ai-bubble)[think](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/when-will-we-make-god)[AI is](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/computethe-oil-of-the-21st-century)[a bubble](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/ai-algorithms): All the AI corporations are hoping to reach AGI, so they’ll likely keep increasing their AI investments every year for at least a few more years. The demand for compute is insatiable. In this race, each player obsesses about eliminating every bottleneck to growth. Until now, it’s been GPUs, so companies like TSMC and NVIDIA are among the most valuable ones in the world. But for how long is that going to be true? TSMC and NVIDIA are trying to increase their productivity as much as they can, as fast as they can. At some point, they won’t be the bottleneck anymore. When will we hit a different one? What will be the next one? With so much money in play, the most likely bottleneck will be one that doesn’t respond to private capital. It will be politics. And what requirement to build GPUs depends on politics? Energy. Energy generally requires lots of permits, and is affected by political decisions, like the massive tariffs Trump has imposed on Chinese solar panels. So Musk believes AI companies won’t be able to grow their supply of energy fast enough to feed their datacenters. His bet is that, within a few years, energy will be the limiting factor to grow intelligence. His answer is to go to where there are no permits—space. He believes that in three years it will be easier to grow intelligence in space than on Earth. Why? In space, energy from sunlight is not lost from passing through the atmosphere to reach your solar panels. There are no clouds, seasons, dust, or atmospheric damage to reduce efficiency. There are no nights[2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai#footnote-2-187739727), so no need for batteries. And more importantly, no need for permits. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7xkn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2586e4f0-006e-47ca-b438-bf47e658507e_2156x1244.png) The bet is that the cost to send the panels and datacenters to space will shrink while the cost to build them on the Earth will increase so much (including bans) that, in three years, the cheapest will be space. Is this true? I don’t know, I’ll look into the numbers in an article in the coming weeks. _Sign up to read about this_ But Musk trusts it is. So the plan would be to shoot solar panels and GPUs to space… using the spare capacity SpaceX is about to have! Musk believes this kills two birds with one stone: * xAI gets the energy it needs to feed the compute to win the AGI race * SpaceX gets total utilization of its rockets for the foreseeable future That’s not enough though. There’s another problem xAI had to solve, and this merger solves it too. ### Funding AGI xAI’s new datacenter, Colossus 2, which will launch its new AI in 2026, will cost [$44B](https://epoch.ai/data/data-centers). But spending on datacenters is projected to [double every year](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/computethe-oil-of-the-21st-century), so by 2030, xAI would need to spend $700B per year, assuming one such huge training release per year. But the company only makes ~[$0.5B](https://www.reuters.com/technology/musks-xai-posts-net-quarterly-loss-146-billion-bloomberg-news-reports-2026-01-09/)–[$3B](https://bayelsawatch.com/grokipedia-statistics/#:~:text=According%20to%20Sacra%2C%20xAI's%20combined,by%20the%20end%20of%202026.) per year. Do you see the mismatch between spending and revenue? Yeah, xAI is burning [$1B](https://grokipedia.com/page/xAI) per **month**. xAI recently raised [$20B](https://www.reuters.com/business/musks-xai-raises-20-billion-upsized-series-e-funding-round-2026-01-06/), but at this pace, that will only last a year and a half. What then? Musk needed a way to bankroll the build-up of datacenters, which according to him need to be in space, so he decided to merge SpaceX with xAI. That way, the SpaceX cash can fund xAI’s AGI run. But where does the SpaceX cash come from? One way is Starlink revenue, which is estimated to grow to $150B by 2030, with ~$100B of free cash flow by then. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!D8Kn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faf890274-7f57-4c85-b9f6-ec49d516a4c3_1650x862.png) _[Source](https://research.33fg.com/)_ This revenue growth is expected not just from satellite wifi, but through direct-to-phone communications. But you can only use Starlink revenue for xAI datacenters if the two companies become one. So that’s why [SpaceX bought xAI](https://www.reuters.com/business/musks-spacex-merge-with-xai-combined-valuation-125-trillion-bloomberg-news-2026-02-02/). [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sd5G!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3948240d-7a59-46c0-939a-7f479df7d6eb_1422x470.png) Alas, Starlink revenue is not growing as fast as xAI’s need for cash for datacenters right now. So where else can SpaceX + xAI get cash? From you. # 3. The SpaceX IPO Remember how the SpaceX valuation is going stratospheric? Well, Musk has decided he can tap into that. He will [place SpaceX into the public market](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYXbuik3dgA) and raise some money, which he’ll use to fund xAI datacenters, which he’ll send to space to get the electricity he needs because, according to him, nobody can get it on Earth. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Liz9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa62b996f-b1d7-4748-a745-565e0306f324_1758x974.png) _[Source](http://sourcehttps//kalshi.com/markets/kxipospacex/when-will-spacex-ipo/kxipospacex)_ In this process, analysts estimate SpaceX might be able to raise [$50B or more, at a $1.5T](https://www.reuters.com/science/spacex-weighs-june-2026-ipo-15-trillion-valuation-ft-reports-2026-01-28) valuation. My guess is that he hopes this money, along with an increase in Starlink and xAI revenue, will be enough to cover xAI’s cash needs for a few months or years. By then, Starship should be ready to bring solar panels, GPUs, and datacenters to space while the Earth is stuck in energy permitland. In other words, if you participate in that IPO, you’re making a bet that one or more of these is true: * Starlink revenue will keep growing stratospherically * xAI revenue will start picking up and beating its competitors, OpenAI and Anthropic, in an exponential trajectory * Energy on Earth is enough of a bottleneck that the only way to win the AI war is by going to space * AGI is around the corner, and there’s a huge advantage to those who can reach it first So what’s up with the Moon? # 4. The Lunar Pivot Since its inception, SpaceX’s mission has been to make humanity multiplanetary. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AqCm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2cdab7a3-b411-414c-99a4-e8ff21fd7e64_2048x753.png) And the concrete, proximate, inspiring goal was to settle Mars. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mIhP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4a51561e-6e50-4a2d-9fda-8ca52079e400_1956x1850.png) _[Source](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/780859270011113472)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ItrR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5a0137f5-dead-4e73-b776-1219c1d0b3f4_1064x642.png) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Om60!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd8edc88-63b3-412d-b3b8-ae8377fc98d6_2048x1160.png) But now, suddenly, at the same time as SpaceX merges with xAI and they IPO, suddenly Musk pivots to the Moon: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!av3Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffbf5ce48-0fb1-40c8-a03e-b2fa83054a20_1066x956.png) Musk has added details on this: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!o0AW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d47314e-3d4a-4894-8922-79d801590803_1062x1036.png) So the official reading is that SpaceX needs to iterate much faster on landing on another celestial body, building a habitat there, industries, and resupplying them. But why go to the Moon anyway? If the goal is to build datacenters in space, what’s the point of the Moon? Eventually, it can work as a place to produce solar panels and maybe chips, because the Moon has plenty of the main elements needed (aluminium and silicon, among others). But that will take muuuch longer than the few years we might [need](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/is-there-an-ai-bubble) to [get](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/computethe-oil-of-the-21st-century) to [AGI](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/100-billion-humans). So what’s the point of mentioning this pivot _now?_ Maybe the IPO. ### The Mars Uneconomy vs the Moon Economy I shared in the past that [there’s no economic reason to go to Mars](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/no-room-for-deep-space). It would be a passion project, worth ~$500B. An amazing, absolutely worthwhile objective, but a very expensive passion project nonetheless. If Musk were to die, that project would likely not happen soon. It’s OK to have a private company to fund your passion project, but it’s a tougher pill to swallow for a public company. Imagine the roadshow: > INVESTOR: _In a few years, how will future cash flow be used?_ MUSK: _You will see none of it, it will all be plugged into colonizing Mars_. Mars can only be defended as a money sink. But not the Moon. Remember this graph? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UrPT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7c73708-626f-4ca1-8613-3a9d3376674d_1898x1738.png) We focused on the Starlink revenue, but the launch revenue is also there, and part of it comes from NASA for missions to the Moon. Specifically, NASA has already committed to [pay](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/as-artemis-moves-forward-nasa-picks-spacex-to-land-next-americans-on-moon/) SpaceX [$4B](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-awards-spacex-second-contract-option-for-artemis-moon-landing/) to send astronauts to the Moon, with [additional](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-contract-to-launch-initial-elements-for-lunar-outpost/) funding for other Moon missions. So the reality is that SpaceX was _already_ going to go to the Moon profitably, while Mars has already been postponed for over a decade and has no path to generating revenue today—something a public company should be more diligent justifying. Now that Musk has decided to merge SpaceX with xAI, the more urgent problem has become steering humanity through the AI singularity. # Multiplanetary Consciousness So this is why Musk merged SpaceX and xAI: * SpaceX needs cargo for its Starship, or it won’t be able to develop it. * Datacenters in space might be it, provided that energy is the key constraint on Earth. * xAI needs cash to buy these datacenters. * Musk is thus vertically integrating the two companies: the supplier (SpaceX) is funding the customer (xAI). * This allows Musk to fund the race to AGI, and maybe win if indeed the limiting factor is energy. * In the meantime, Mars could cost the merged company a lot, both as a distraction and a harder pill to swallow for investors. So Musk made it official that, in the foreseeable future, SpaceX will focus on the Moon, which makes more money (through NASA), allows for faster iteration for Starship development (which will help for datacenters), and might even help Mars colonization by testing it nearby first. And that’s why all these events are connected. But throughout all this, there’s a more subtle yet much more important thread we should pull. Did you notice what SpaceX’s mission was? To make humanity multiplanetary. _Was_. Musk has [shifted](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2020640004628742577) it to: _Extend **consciousness** and life to the stars_. Consciousness doesn’t require life. AI can be conscious. Musk realizes that the consciousness that will conquer the universe is artificial. And maybe, if we’re lucky, it will bring us along on the journey. Making that _maybe_ more probable is the bet of SpaceX + xAI. [Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share) _Is energy really the next bottleneck? Is it really going to be cheaper to build AI datacenters in space? Will we really have a base on the Moon? What are the problems with that?_ _These are the articles I’ll write next on the topic. to read them._ [1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai#footnote-anchor-1-187739727) _How much electricity is provided vs how much could be provided at a maximum._ [2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai#footnote-anchor-2-187739727) _In the right orbit, far enough from the Earth._ [](https://substack.com/profile/164128014-gadea-de-la-viuda)[](https://substack.com/profile/8281210-kaustubh-sule)[](https://substack.com/profile/238561278-vijay-machado)[](https://substack.com/profile/33955785-mirakulous)[](https://substack.com/profile/46118114-jason-a-clark) [131 Likes](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai)∙ [15 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-187739727/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 131 41 15 Share #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/4139026-emmanuel-florac?utm_source=comment) [Emmanuel Florac](https://substack.com/profile/4139026-emmanuel-florac?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 12](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai/comment/213568216 "Feb 12, 2026, 3:20 PM")Edited Liked by Tomas Pueyo Interesting analysis. There is however some very big holes in the "orbital datacenters" story, that make quite a lot of people think that, like Hyperloop, this is a decoy for other purposes (grabbing cash, getting rid of X as a sinking ship, getting more money in a SpaceX IPO, among many other theories). What are the main holes ? * first, bandwidth and latency. Sure, Starlink show that it's manageable, but we're talking of a several orders of magnitude larger scale here. Will it keep up? * second , energy. People say things like "solar panels in space are more efficient than on the ground and can be permanently illuminated". That's true, however solar panels are big and heavy, and to be efficient, they also need .... * third, and most important, cooling. No, space is not "cold". In fact, whatever is in sunlight in orbit is really hot, like 200°C. And your solar panels at 200°C needs cooling. Ditto your datacenter itself, which is making heat from all that solar energy. But in space, you can only radiate heat, which is really inefficient. The ISS has two 7.5 tons radiators, which each extracts 35kW of heat from the station. Of course we can imagine more effective radiators, and a cascade of heat pumps to reach higher temperature (like red hot) to radiate more efficiently for instance, but physics tells us that these radiators will be extremely bulky, which isn't optimal for space devices... So of course, as a perpetual pessimist, I think these datacenters in space are complete baloney until proven otherwise :) [Like (14)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai) [7 replies by Tomas Pueyo and others](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai/comment/213568216) [](https://substack.com/profile/15843558-roger-iliff?utm_source=comment) [Roger Iliff](https://substack.com/profile/15843558-roger-iliff?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 12](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai/comment/213575827 "Feb 12, 2026, 3:35 PM") Liked by Tomas Pueyo Not discussed is the effect of radiation on the AI chips function and spooky action at a distance quantum interference. Anything known about any requirements for shielding for that issue? Great article. [Like (4)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai) [3 replies by Tomas Pueyo and others](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai/comment/213575827) [39 more comments...](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/spacex-xai/comments) Top Latest Discussions [Why Warm Countries Are Poorer](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) [The most underrated factor](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/mountains) Sep 25, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 10,632 640 1,515  [Never Bet Against America](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) [Why the US Is Overpowered](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-against-america) Sep 4, 2025•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 1,300 244 172  [Maps Distort How We See the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) [30 Maps to Rethink the World](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world) Apr 20, 2023•[Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) 525 49 36  See all ### ? © 2026 Tomas Pueyo · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

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# Not Sustainable, Abundant - by Tomas Pueyo [](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/) # [Uncharted Territories](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/)  Discover more from Uncharted Territories Understand the world of today to prepare for the world of tomorrow: AI, tech; the future of democracy, energy, education, and more Over 122,000 subscribers By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant) # Not Sustainable ➡️ Abundant ### The solution to pollution is neither dilution nor reduction [](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) [Tomas Pueyo](https://substack.com/@tomaspueyo) Jan 27, 2026 137 80 15 Share _The solution to pollution is dilution_. That’s what people thought in the mid 20 th Century. Then, we realized it wasn’t. I grew up in a world where fish in the sea were being decimated. Where forests were burning. Where oil was extracted at breakneck speed. Where CO 2 accumulated dangerously in the atmosphere. Where cropland invaded forests and drove animals to extinction. Where rivers became sewers. Where cities sank as we drank their water tables. Where garbage became mountains we just hid with a skin of mud. Where plastics colonized the oceans and then colonized our brains. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-8iC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe6e30379-154e-4164-a0f6-97903916c21d_1363x1319.png) That’s when Gaia appeared. # Gaia [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AaqI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9bcf62d9-a0ba-4d61-bc0e-21db46502b17_1714x1504.png) Gaia, we were told, was weak. She was delicate. She had finite resources that humans were depleting at an ever-accelerating pace. She was a unique and beautiful blue marble to protect from the dangerous actions of her parasitic host, which was spreading like an infection that had started gangrening her limbs and would eventually kill her. If you have a world with finite resources, you want it to be _sustainable_. You need to protect these resources from depletion. You need to stop the disease, the gangrene. You need to halt humans’ propensity to keep growing and consuming. That’s what sustainability is: Keep what is there. It implies: _Shrink your population, shrink your consumption._ The motto had changed. _The solution to pollution is reduction._ But then I started studying each one of these resources, and the role of humans in depleting them, and the more I learned, the more my intuition for the world changed. # The Dramatic Changes of the World I discovered that, in the beginning, the atmosphere had no oxygen. Then, cyanobacteria and plants started releasing oxygen in a completely unsustainable way: [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ORb4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5489819c-1b70-41c8-b24d-78169073038e_2048x1348.png) First, this oxygen oxidized the seas and the earth’s crust, literally changing the composition of everything we see today. Oxygen is a highly aggressive gas, and it attacks everything it touches. That red dirt everywhere on Earth? It wasn’t always red. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8rcL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d919da2-5c25-441a-a800-57b51fbcab15_2048x1173.png) _Pyrite can’t form (iron sulfide, FeS 2) where there’s lots of oxygen_ As oxygen accumulated, CO 2 was catastrophically depleted. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!U5O7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99fa92a7-99b5-469f-a8f2-642ca9e236b8_586x409.png) Plants need CO 2 to live, and yet 99% of it has been depleted from the atmosphere! How would we have reacted if we had seen this depletion happen during our existence? We would have panicked: _CO 2 is disappearing! We’re_ _releasing too much of this toxic O 2!_ _This is all unsustainable!_ Even things we consider immutable are changing all the time. When the Earth formed, days didn’t last 24h, they lasted [4](https://www.iea.usp.br/en/news/when-a-day-lasted-only-four-hours) – [10h](https://phys.org/news/2023-07-day-hours-astrophysicists-reveal-earth.html)! This means a year may have had over 2,000 days! And that’s after the proto-Earth and Theia collided, forming the Earth and the Moon! This was a world where continents were nothing like today. _And this is in just 150M years!_ And yet these geological changes aren’t all ancient. Sea levels were 120 m lower just 20k years ago! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!emOv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe10e029d-9827-42a3-8d3b-3fe95024b5dc_1600x960.png) Of course, that’s because at the time, a huge chunk of the Earth was frozen. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hJmW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca12cabd-2580-4a17-8eee-0530ee7a3cb6_1600x800.png) _[Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/1jhw80t/map\_of\_earth\_during\_the\_last\_glacial\_maximum/)_ But that’s not the most frozen the Earth might have ever been. That could have been during its [Snowball Earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_Earth) period, about 600M years ago.[1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant#footnote-1-185957606) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ti_H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f4d9c6f-af75-4aa6-bbc1-b3b4a35f34d5_1000x562.png) The Earth is a world where species have disappeared in five mass extinctions already, in an ongoing cycle of destruction and explosion. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!F35C!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d7f8986-cd31-46fc-9ebe-b456a70706ac_1600x1007.png) Dinosaurs came and went. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8kEB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc72f28aa-6c33-4ca6-88bd-ae6e01c5ee63_1250x697.png) There have been mammals bigger than the T-Rex. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3L4I!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe8721267-c949-425c-86b9-31e99e2667ae_1577x687.png) _[Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dinosaurs/comments/d54prs/trex\_compared\_to\_one\_of\_the\_largest\_land\_mammals/#lightbox)_ But humans have driven huge mammals to extinction. Humans have witnessed a green Sahara turn dry, oceans come and go, rivers shift, forests appear and disappear… And yet, despite all these cataclysmic changes, despite these brutal forces that completely transformed the face of the Earth, here we all are, with our forests and our animals and our oxygen and our CO 2 and our electromagnetic field. The Earth is not a delicate ecosystem; it is an engine, a mechanism with enough sunlight and heat and water and atmosphere for life and humans to thrive. In this world, the most beautiful thing has emerged: intelligence. First, prokaryotes, followed by eukaryotes, and then vertebrates, and little by little, the complexity of life and intelligence exploded, reaching mammals, apes, and now humans. With humans, brains were good enough that they started improving intelligence faster than evolution. First through culture, then societies, books, media, the Internet, and now AI. Humans now shape sand to capture light and think, so that they become God.[2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant#footnote-2-185957606) # From Chaotic Cataclysms to Controlled Engineering In our ignorance, we had no clue how to optimize nature. But with our capabilities, we now can. The world is a chaotic system we can improve. This difference is crucial, because a delicate system must be _preserved_, while a complex mechanism can be _optimized_. A system that must be preserved is one that has a limited amount of resources. That’s what sustainability means: there’s only so much we have, so we should make sure we keep as much as we can untouched. There’s only so much we can use, we must make do with what we have. But that’s not the reality. The reality is that there is so much on Earth that we can get substantially more from it than we have. We can see it with GDP per capita, which increases all the time, showing that our ideas get better and better, and they allow us to make more with less. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IrUT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff39d9e4b-29e8-4818-b7b3-a447dca96365_1600x1385.png) We do that while working _less_. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!iJc2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F22969037-e44a-4bb3-98c1-7121cfff5d2e_1600x1130.png) We produce more food with less land. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Zsux!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299e2fde-b222-421c-9daa-f660692669dc_1600x1186.png) We generate more and more wealth with every watt. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GGVc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cb8776f-7c34-44ef-9c76-aab7580d1b21_1462x1600.png) Solar panels are getting better all the time. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!asX3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F531ae02f-5385-421c-b1cc-a44f5a24c11c_1600x1098.png) Every two years, we double our capacity for intelligence, and this is [accelerating with AI](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/computethe-oil-of-the-21st-century). [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PFT2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb3caf120-8ab3-4441-adcf-2a5b18a1075b_1456x889.png) Transportation speeds get better. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!z33H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F19e2b171-ddab-43e8-80dc-0fbe6cb5ed06_656x1398.png) _[Source](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040162510000399)_ We see it with every system in the world: If we are free to optimize it, it gets better, and we get more with less. That’s what abundance is: We can create a world of plenty. We can take what exists and make much more with it. Our only limit is our intelligence. Why, then, are so many people fearful of running out of everything, of exhausting the Earth? # The Fear of Ourselves Part of it is our evolution: We evolved in a world of scarcity. That’s the other side of the coin: We can only get better because we were worse. As we evolved, we never had enough food, we never had enough shelter, enough water, enough safety. And so when we see resources, we crave them, we protect them, for fear that we will exhaust them—or worse, somebody else will take them from us. Another reason is history: We used to love technological progress. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5eAQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2def2dd-cc10-4a59-95c7-23ef71f87721_805x1024.png) But then, we used it to kill each other. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mnt5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b32f267-ded3-4c04-963a-a245a3e75bab_1600x1043.png) WW1 was bad, WW2 was worse. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oc8G!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa53f5f4c-e1d7-4e1e-8fbc-31b131bdc1a0_1200x763.png) We discovered the power we held, and we grew scared. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CPb5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F849730f1-42c2-4045-9d18-479e45c8cdf5_1600x900.png) And we saw it in the environment, too. As we followed the motto of _The solution to pollution is dilution_, we dissolved all our pollutants in nature until we realized that it was not, in fact, the solution. # Sustainable ➡️ Abundant Since then, we’ve overcorrected. That’s good! Humans work like a pendulum, overcorrecting over and over again until we reach the optimal point. That’s why forest area is increasing in Europe. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3_uj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c4585bb-1f7f-4c70-b487-9ee5f22cf409_520x623.gif) That’s why China might have reached peak emissions. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XdCJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa8589caa-4e33-41b2-878d-291c5c44fe5e_1560x866.png) From a chaotic planet evolved life. From life evolved intelligence. Intelligence birthed humans. Humans accelerated intelligence. We created culture. We created societies. We created the Internet. We are creating gods. The Earth is no longer a chaotic system with limited resources that we barely understand and which we must protect to make it _sustainable_. It is a machine that we understand pretty well, that we’re getting better at improving every day when we treat it as a system. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BAH3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3aa767ad-8cca-41b0-83c1-2e3f1b9ef1c2_1204x1112.png) Fishery depletion is not a problem of eating too much fish. It’s a problem of eating too much _wild_ fish. CO 2 emissions are not a problem of too much fossil fuel burning. They’re a problem of rapid temperature increases, [which can be reversed](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/we-can-already-stop-climate-change). Fresh water scarcity is not a problem of drinking too much. It’s a problem of getting the water from unsustainable underground wells instead of [from the sea](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/does-desalination-promise-a-future). The Earth is not a stable goddess, it’s a system, and it has changed dramatically over its history—much more wildly than we’ve ever experienced. As we mindlessly tinkered with the planet, our excesses surfaced these mechanisms. We thought the answer was “_Don’t touch it!”_ But that lesson is outdated. “Sustainable” is defeatist because it says “_I don’t know how this works, I can’t know, just don’t touch it._” It’s a bit like an old religion that tries to placate the gods. to Uncharted Territories But all this tinkering revealed the mechanisms of the Earth. Now, we know much better how it works. And that’s why we can finally optimize for abundance. We _can_ engineer the world. We _can_ have more food, more forests, more money, more people, more animals, more houses, more nature. But only if we strive for abundance instead of sustainability. _The solution to pollution is profusion._ [Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share) [1](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant#footnote-anchor-1-185957606) _Currently a hypothesis_ [2](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant#footnote-anchor-2-185957606) _Solar panels are made primarily of silicon, which is basically sand. That’s also the main component of transistors and chips, which make our computers. And we’re using computers to build gods: artificial superintelligence (ASI)._ [](https://substack.com/profile/164726208-kate)[](https://substack.com/profile/413841654-matej)[](https://substack.com/profile/346750129-kealan-noone)[](https://substack.com/profile/175607674-smit-soni)[](https://substack.com/profile/27982521-patricia-kovic) [137 Likes](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant)∙ [15 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-185957606/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 137 80 15 Share #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/13818349-julia-d?utm_source=comment) [Julia D.](https://substack.com/profile/13818349-julia-d?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 27](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant/comment/205945083 "Jan 27, 2026, 3:32 PM")Edited Liked by Tomas Pueyo There are so many natural systems that we barely understand, especially in the field of health and medicine. And there are so many incentives to flatten the models we do have and oversimplify how we intervene in these systems, often causing harm. For example, we only just confirmed a decade ago that Pitocin, the synthetic hormone that hospitals give almost all birthing mothers to prevent or treat hemorrhage or in higher doses to induce or intensify labor, obstructs mother-baby bonding, causing postpartum depression. Oops! Evolution spent all this time figuring out how to make the birth process jumpstart maternal instincts and motivation, especially for mammals, and especially for comparatively premature human infants. And then we go and mess up those hormones and make motherhood harder and less fulfilling. Then we wonder why people don't have more kids. And hospitals probably won't change those protocols, because the non-pharmaceutical ways of boosting the brain's endogenous oxytocin that drives labor, prevents hemorrhage, and causes bonding are expensive or impossible to implement in hospitals. They basically amount to making sure the laboring mother feels at home and constantly supported in person by safe, snuggly, and familiar people, not bothered by unfamiliar places or people, lights, noises, paperwork, or hostility. Those things are what make hospitals operate efficiently, but they're what tank endogenous oxytocin production and labor progress and safety. That's why, in developed countries, and for low-risk mothers, home birth with a licensed midwife is safer than hospital birth. Regulatory capture is why home birth midwifery is not more common in the US. Of course I appreciate the field of medicine in general, including prenatal ultrasounds, screening tests, Pitocin used to stop hemorrhage when it does occur, etc., all of which home birth midwives also do as a matter of course. High-risk interventions like Pitocin or C-sections are sometimes the best solution, they're just used more often than ideal because we're sabotaging labor earlier in the process. My point is that some complex natural processes, like labor, are poorly understood, poorly taught (unlike midwives, OBs are surgeons foremost and have typically never witnessed an entire labor without drugs), and very inconvenient to scale for financial efficiency. Birth is my area of expertise, but I'm going to remember Gell-Mann and infer that there are many other such systems that we could inadvertently mess up. Evolution has figured out some things that we haven't. We can certainly make some improvements - maternal and infant mortality is lower now than it was 10,000 years ago - but we need to always refer back to nature to make sure we're preserving the good as well as we can while preventing the bad. That requires ongoing scientific inquiry and a foundational respect for nature. [Like (18)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant)[Share](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant) [9 replies by Tomas Pueyo and others](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant/comment/205945083) [](https://substack.com/profile/15225881-reinout-h?utm_source=comment) [Reinout H](https://substack.com/profile/15225881-reinout-h?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 27](https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/not-sustainable-abundant/comment/205913038 "Jan 27, 2026, 2:29 PM")Edited This feels deeply short-sighted and classically techno-optimist. It assumes that technology can indefinitely decouple growth from ecological limits, despite decades of systems research showing that efficiency gains tend to trigger rebound effects and shift pressures rather than remove them. Abundance narratives also flatten complex socio-ecological systems into engineering problems, ignoring feedbacks, material limits, power, and distribution. Technology matters, but without changes in consumption, governance, and underlying growth paradigms, it risks accelerating overshoot rather than delivering sustainability. 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# “It just feels like we are saying the loud part, well, out loud” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “It just feels like we are saying the loud part, well, out loud” ### In this edition of the Weekender: selling out at Art Basel, an ode to taste, and a critical appreciation of the Wii Tennis theme song [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Dec 13, 2025 922 28 103 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YGdA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa0acb101-6f1e-4ce5-88ae-f0c8413e4605_2048x1365.png) _Painting by [Rodrigo Yudi Honda](https://substack.com/@rodrigoyudihonda/note/c-175329253?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re learning to distrust our eyes, selling out at Art Basel, hunting for vintage cookbooks, and appreciating a Nintendo soundtrack. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C9uV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f50a08a-0b7f-4893-87d1-6a0f460b90c7_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ ### **Briefly noted** * **Everybody wants Warner Bros:**Shortly after Netflix’s proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery sounded alarm bells throughout Hollywood, [Paramount launched its own hostile takeover bid](https://dpopstudios.substack.com/p/the-media-playground), offering $108 billion. Although Netflix, with its dominance of streaming and well-documented skepticism of theatrical releases, has provoked special concern, does it really matter which giant takes over the WB? In an op-ed in [The Ankler.](https://open.substack.com/pub/theankler), Jane Fonda writes about [the dangers posed to both art and jobs](https://theankler.com/p/jane-fonda-op-ed-the-wbd-deal-puts) when studios consolidate, regardless of who winds up holding the keys. As [Dan Sickles](https://open.substack.com/users/44509980-dan-sickles?utm_source=mentions) notes, [this is hardly the first time the WB has been bought and sold](https://dpopstudios.substack.com/p/the-media-playground). And many—including [Matt Stoller](https://open.substack.com/users/759128-matt-stoller?utm_source=mentions)—[see these most recent bids as not just bad for Hollywood, but illegal](https://theankler.com/p/it-can-be-stopped-fighting-back-against): “It’s just a merger to monopoly, and everybody knows it.” * **Disney’s deal with OpenAI:** Disney—historically one of the most IP-protective companies in the world—has signed a deal with OpenAI that includes licensing over 200 of its characters to be used in Sora, OpenAI’s video generator, along with an investment of $1 billion. To [The Industry](https://open.substack.com/users/251569642-the-industry?utm_source=mentions), [this seems like a bad idea on many levels](https://theindustry.co/p/fake-mickey-mouse), from Disney’s bottom line to the impact on creative workers already struggling. As [The Entertainment Strategy Guy](https://open.substack.com/pub/entertainment) points out, this may not be great news for OpenAI, either; [Disney has a history of investing in ventures just before they go belly-up](https://substack.com/@entertainment/note/c-186795713?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). * **Legacy media on Substack:**[The New Yorker](https://open.substack.com/users/411127801-the-new-yorker?utm_source=mentions) and [The New York Review of Books](https://open.substack.com/users/6231395-the-new-york-review-of-books?utm_source=mentions) have both joined Substack in the past couple of weeks, with a plan to share stories from their magazines with readers on the platform. The New Yorker’s first essay was especially appropriate for the new space: Jay Kang considers [whether the internet has been good or bad for readers](https://newyorker.substack.com/p/if-you-quit-social-media-will-you), citing Substacker and critic [Celine Nguyen](https://open.substack.com/users/2538585-celine-nguyen?utm_source=mentions) to explore the question. Though the answer may seem obvious, there are no easy answers here; or, as [Ash Carter](https://open.substack.com/users/11647269-ash-carter?utm_source=mentions) puts it (borrowing a phrase from [Meghan Daum](https://open.substack.com/users/2291763-meghan-daum?utm_source=mentions)), the piece is “[nuanced AF](https://substack.com/@ashcarter/note/c-186622214?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r).” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KhnF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd9380364-5a41-40a2-8608-e55adce86309_1184x280.png) ##### _TASTE_ ### **The finer things** In her guide to appreciating craft and artistry, Kendall Waldman ventures into a vintage cookbook shop filled with strange treasures. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vFkZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb728b71b-fe51-42f3-aaae-1e24ea76c917_1366x1025.png) ### **[All the Work That Keeps Us Warm](https://adayguide.substack.com/p/all-the-work-that-keeps-us-warm)** —[Kendall Waldman](https://open.substack.com/users/7882397-kendall-waldman?utm_source=mentions) in [The Guide](https://open.substack.com/pub/adayguide) > “I’m not a scholar of anything,” Joanne Hendricks told me, unconvincingly, moments after describing a treasured piece she regrets selling: an 1884 Percy Bysshe Shelley essay on vegetarianism she once found at the Shelley Society, just to the right of the Spanish Steps in Rome. As evidence of her professed lack of scholastic expertise, she cited her sister-in-law, “who knew absolutely everything,” a real scholar, she insisted, the kind of woman who could name the exact town where Shelley died. “Lerici,” she added, a beat later. > > > “That thrilled me,” Joanne said, in her soft, whistling teakettle voice. “And I’ve never been able to find another copy.” > > > Joanne Hendricks, Cookbooks, is a perfect place. You’ll know it by its silvery, splintered door, weathered by a thousand seasons, and a small brass plaque where the mail slot might be, simply engraved: Cookbooks. It’s a portal into someone’s lifelong obsession. > > > Inside the townhouse where Joanne and her family have lived since the late ’70s, the front parlor has been repurposed into a treasure trove of gastronomic history: cookbooks, cookware, engravings, dishes, oddities, ephemera, all manner of delights relating to food, eating, and the pleasure of the senses. (There are enough gardening and flower books to illustrate this expanded worldview.) A centerfold from Andy Warhol’s illustrated cookbook _Wild Raspberries_ hangs, framed, on the wall. The whole room is as one would hope: giddy, romantic, creaking. > > > I knew I wanted a book, though they’re not cheap, and soon I was sitting on the floor, greedily surrounded by the volumes I’d pulled: M.F.K. Fisher’s novel with the perfect title I’m almost reluctant to share, _Not Now but Now_; _The New Chinese-Kosher Cookbook_;_365 Orange Recipes_; _Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teen-Agers_ (when did we stop spelling it like that?); an omelette book that begins “How I Came to Be an Omelette Maker”; _The Potato Book_; a 1973 Hampton Day School potato recipe anthology with a foreword by Truman Capote. > > > I left with an unusually sized _Japanese Country Cookbook_, published by Nitty Gritty Productions in 1969. The paper is textured like corrugated cardboard, ironed for supper. These details are the mark of things made differently, made for the joy of making, and for the delight of someone who’d notice. > > > Joanne is a living example of the craft of taste—a woman who has spent her life in the flow of curiosity, in pursuit of the undiscovered, in the protection of things worth preserving and skills worth memorializing. Taste is often treated like little more than an inheritance or a personality trait, but in reality it’s a craft, a skill one has to hone through attention, revision, revisitation, and a devotion to getting something as ineffable as one’s own preferences just right, like a perfectly clarified broth. [Keep reading](https://open.substack.com/pub/adayguide/p/all-the-work-that-keeps-us-warm?r=2r3&utm_medium=ios) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SrmB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe288d83e-d2ba-4661-aaa8-3bbe1146bab0_1184x280.png) ##### _MATCHBOXES_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FyZ9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F43bf7dc4-580a-4760-ae65-95e3379624f2_1200x1600.png) _Painted matchboxes by [Loulou Elliott](https://substack.com/@loulouelliott/note/c-185903313?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MC1O!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc4a895e3-58bb-4bca-97dd-2128a5f791c2_1384x280.png) ##### _ART_ ### **“It just feels like we are saying the loud part, well, out loud”** At Art Basel Miami, “Elon Musk” is on all fours, pooping. The viral installation reaches for subversion, but, Brendon Holder notes, “centering money in the world’s biggest art mall isn’t the ‘gotcha’” the artist thinks it is. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6tJg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F95048ecb-f9b4-4ccc-9205-b7e3733bb78c_1200x811.png) ### **[Selling Out: How Money Became the Art World’s Latest Muse](https://www.readloosey.com/p/can-artists-accept-brand-deals-and)** —[Brendon Holder](https://open.substack.com/users/8680939-brendon-holder?utm_source=mentions) in [LOOSEY](https://open.substack.com/pub/brendonholder) > On the ground floor of Art Basel Miami’s convention center, Elon Musk is on all fours, pooping. Next to him is Jeff Bezos, prancing about on his hind legs while Mark Zuckerberg, paws to the floor and ass to the sky in a deranged Child’s Pose, peers into the crowd with his signature slack gaze. Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol are there, too, completing the sausage fest with Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple, the creator of the art installation. > > > The installation, named “Regular Animals,” features freakishly fleshy replicas of the men’s heads affixed to the bodies of beige robot dogs that jitter and tweak in a square, short fence. Beeps putter out from the litter as the pups step over an array of discarded photos they have ejected out of their robotic anuses. Pictorial excrement. The porous details of their faces earn an impressive verisimilitude, which, in turn, achieves the desired spectacle. > > > When I saw the installation on Thursday, the last day before the Art Basel convention became open to the public, there was already a mob of spectators and collectors with phones snapping up the mockery of the most powerful men on the planet, mouths smirking at the canine fuckery as if their snarls could somehow adjust the imbalance of power held by the figures. A few spectators—all men—stepped into the dog ring to pick up the sheets the DOGE-coded doggies were shitting out. The bums of each “Regular Animal” produced sheets of paper, a photo of the crowd, because, of course, these dogs were also surveilling and recording us as we were surveilling and recording them. Each photograph was rendered to the artistic viewpoint of the personified puppy: for Picasso, the photos were abstracted with the geometrical edges of Cubism; for Warhol, it was tinged with the vibrant hues of Pop Art; and for Musk, it was bleak, black, and white. > > > According to Beeple, the alignment of these wealthy men with Warhol and Picasso is meant to represent a shift in cultural custodians, moving from agents of artistry to agents of algorithms and AI. The work posits that technology has become the dominant canvas of culture today, and, as a result, Mark, Jeff, and Elon are meant to be viewed in tandem with some of the art world’s legacy acts. I suppose the work is meant to _confront_, to be _urgent_, to _subvert_, but the installation’s positioning at Art Basel Miami, which is estimated to generate hundreds of millions in art sales and over half a million dollars for Ron DeSantis’s Florida, tips its hat to another theme—that the art world, and popular culture, has not only become completely interlocked with capital and corporate funding, but that money has perhaps become the art world’s most prevalent muse. > > > By relegating the richest men in the world to tweaked-out beasts, Beeple’s “Regular Animals” reaches with strained fingers at subversion, attempting to make the men victims of their own technology through didactic allegory. But all abstraction is lost when the fixture is placed within the Art Basel convention center, only a five-minute escalator from the Chubb Insurance Collectors Lounge, navigated through the UBS-powered Art Basel mobile app, and the surrounding beach parties funded by Chase Bank. And this isn’t a knock on Art Basel; the goal of the convention is to sell and get artists paid. No one walks into the convention center unaware of its reliance on patrons. Yellow stickers that indicate the sale of a piece are proudly placed next to a work, “just to let ya know” it has been taken off the market in a private sale days before the convention’s public opening, and you’ve, unfortunately, missed out—rats! “Regular Animals”’s unhooding of the power men who fund the circus doesn’t do anything to disempower them; the artists, the gallerists, and the surrounding partygoers are acutely aware of who is picking up the check. Positioning their heads on animals is as effective as a double-underlined sentence: excessive, loud, rudimentary, and in poor taste. > > > Centering money in the world’s biggest art mall isn’t the “gotcha” Beeple believes it to be. Despite the aesthetic success of the installation’s surrealism and its captivating images of body horror, the piece’s effect is that of realism. It just feels like we are saying the loud part, well, out loud. [Keep reading](https://www.readloosey.com/p/can-artists-accept-brand-deals-and) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aVFv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb323a299-bad4-465f-ac5a-90db37dfb3e8_1384x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!M5U2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F39deb0db-4eb5-4c97-ae4d-8e767e53f08a_1600x1105.png) _Art by Axel Krause, shared by [Composition](https://substack.com/@composition/note/c-185681695?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IuSv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6f05a151-51d2-4f2d-a073-bc5710630881_1640x200.png) ##### _MUSIC_ ### **The art of the theme song** Wii Tennis’s theme song may be nostalgic, but it’s also more complex than it might seem—and the work of one of Nintendo’s most influential composers. ### **[The Wii Tennis Theme Edition](https://whyisthisinteresting.substack.com/p/the-wii-tennis-theme-edition)** —[Colin Nagy](https://open.substack.com/users/108784-colin-nagy?utm_source=mentions) in [Why is this interesting?](https://open.substack.com/pub/whyisthisinteresting) > Stripped of the emotional context, Kazumi Totaka’s theme for Wii Sports could be mistaken for just background music. It is bright, bouncy, and vaguely jazzy, designed to welcome your parents or grandparents to motion-controlled tennis. Which is exactly the point. > > > Totaka is Nintendo’s most quietly influential composer. He’s been with the company since 1990, provides the voice for Yoshi, and has hidden a 19-note personal melody called “Totaka’s Song” in at least 25 different games—sometimes requiring you to wait several minutes on an obscure menu screen to hear it. In Animal Crossing, the character K.K. Slider is named “Totakeke” in Japanese, a direct reference to him. He’s both a signature and a ghost in the machine. > > > But the Wii Sports theme is actually pretty damn deep. Hooktheory’s analysis calls it “more complex than the typical song,” with above-average scores in chord complexity, melodic complexity, and chord-bass melody—sections modulating through B major, C major, A major, and D-flat major. It draws on bossa nova, lounge, and what one music critic called “that Classic Nintendo Fusion Jazz Sound” to create something that occupies a peculiar audio niche no one else has quite filled. > > > Also interesting: the scale of its reach is staggering, approaching Nokia theme song levels (but not quite). The Wii sold over 100 million consoles. Wii Sports sold nearly 83 million copies, making it the best-selling single-platform game ever. It was bundled with every console outside Japan, but that alone doesn’t explain its cultural penetration. Retirement communities formed Wii Bowling leagues, physical therapists prescribed it for stroke recovery, and, importantly, it redefined gaming demographics so completely that Nintendo’s marketing showed grandparents before it showed teenagers. > > > There’s a case to be made that Totaka’s theme may be among the most-heard compositions of its generation. Eighty-three million copies in living rooms from Tokyo to Toledo, playing on startup for families, seniors, and people who had never touched a video game controller. > > > It needed to feel welcoming without being cloying, sophisticated without being intimidating, memorable without demanding attention. That’s harder than it sounds. [Keep reading](https://whyisthisinteresting.substack.com/p/the-wii-tennis-theme-edition) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J_1Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faf81ce08-10bb-499f-a7b9-5b98019e3377_1640x200.png) ##### _CONVENIENCE_ [ Lobby Riot Dec 2 An Ode to Japanese convenience stores —Intentional color, typography, and the uncomfortable elegance of disposable design.       7,649 36 495](https://substack.com/@lobbyriot/note/c-183353463) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AbKX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F93277848-bcd6-4477-b4fa-9e256d243d68_1184x280.png) ##### _TECHNOLOGY_ ### **RIP photography, 1826-2025** As AI image generation improves, people have begun mourning the end of photographic evidence. But as Julien Posture points out, photographic skepticism has a history as long as the art of photography itself. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BhON!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2f7b9f22-1a7b-4f4f-8111-1587e63404b8_1088x988.png) ### **[The End of Photographic Evidence, Again](https://julienposture.substack.com/p/the-end-of-photographic-evidence?r=48ea6r&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true)** —[Julien Posture](https://open.substack.com/users/22541729-julien-posture?utm_source=mentions) in [On Looking](https://open.substack.com/pub/julienposture) > Last week marked the end of photographic evidence, or so I heard. > > > The two pictures that tolled the bell of evidentiality depicted a woman in a restaurant, her eyes closed as her hand supported her head as she smiled softly. In front of her was a cocktail, a mug, a glass of water and a small vase with a few sprigs in it. In the background, a bartender was making another cocktail at the counter. While the two images depicted the exact same scene, the pictures were strikingly different, yet in ways difficult to describe. For lack of better words, one ‘looked’ fake and the other real. > > > The difference between the two was not explained in terms of their qualities but their provenance: ‘Nano Banana vs Nano Banana Pro’ the caption read. This is typical of AI fans’ chronology, where time is measured and marked by the release of new models, each new one supposedly heralding a new era. Over the past few years, we have been through so many of these technologically induced epochal shifts, it is hard to summon the attention and energy to feel amazed by them. And yet, something about the ‘Nano Banana Pro revolution’ (sigh) gave me pause. > > > On Instagram, many people reposted the images with similar captions like ‘2 months of progress has made AI indistinguishable from real life’ or ‘images are no longer witnesses and now they are mere hypothesis’. ‘You cannot trust your eyes anymore,’ said another one. In a popular repost on Twitter, a user wrote: ‘And just like that, the age of photographic evidence is over. 1826-2025. Update your epistemology accordingly.’ Oh boy. > > > Was our “epistemology,” i.e. the way we know things, really over? Was it the end of photographic evidentiality? Did November 2025 mark a paradigm shift as we entered yet a new epistemic era? Maybe I’m blasé, but I had hoped such upheaval would feel like something. But maybe, just maybe, nothing has changed. > > > The year 1826, often evoked by those comments as the beginning of photographic evidence, refers to the date of the first known photograph, _View from the Window at Le Gras_ by French icon Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. Back then, Niépce had to leave his camera obscura to soak in photons for a whole day to get this image. In 1839 came the first public announcements of the official invention of photography in France and the UK, but it wasn’t until 1860 that photographs would be used in court. The medium was quickly associated with objectivity, as it was a direct imprint of the sun. But even then, the courts had to contend with and make room for the kind of evidentiality photographs afforded. > > > In one of my favourite metaphors about what _kind_ of evidence a photograph is, archivist Rodney Carter explains how in an 1865 court case, ‘Contradictory testimony regarding the photographs submitted into evidence was given, leading the plaintiff’s counsel to argue that […] the photographs were nothing but “hearsay of the sun.”’ As soon as photographs were invented, they were also manipulated, retouched and doctored, a threat which cast a shadow (pun laboriously intended) on their evidentiality. [Keep reading](https://julienposture.substack.com/p/the-end-of-photographic-evidence?r=48ea6r&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PVWM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98c4f867-5ead-4f60-97c7-cbfcc53a6739_1184x280.png) ##### _MILESTONES_ [ Annie Hendrix Dec 10 155 22 21](https://substack.com/@anniehendrix/note/c-186326666) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ljbC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F43eec3b0-936c-499a-97a6-66987863a166_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Rodrigo Yudi Honda](https://open.substack.com/users/399191487-rodrigo-yudi-honda?utm_source=mentions), [Loulou Elliott](https://open.substack.com/users/42299297-loulou-elliott?utm_source=mentions), [Composition](https://open.substack.com/users/250560792-composition?utm_source=mentions), [Ru Kotryna](https://open.substack.com/users/142113772-ru-kotryna?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Annie Hendrix](https://open.substack.com/users/217290280-annie-hendrix?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Kendall Waldman](https://open.substack.com/users/7882397-kendall-waldman?utm_source=mentions), [Brendon Holder](https://open.substack.com/users/8680939-brendon-holder?utm_source=mentions), [Colin Nagy](https://open.substack.com/users/108784-colin-nagy?utm_source=mentions), [Julien Posture](https://open.substack.com/users/22541729-julien-posture?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!02CE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98362391-1515-4785-ab9f-b7898ffb3741_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bk5S!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3ccdb09-3036-4105-b9f5-c93e2a7d7e6b_1080x648.png) [The New York Review of Books](https://open.substack.com/users/6231395-the-new-york-review-of-books?utm_source=mentions), “the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English language,” has joined Substack, where [the editors will offer articles, interviews](https://substack.nybooks.com/p/a-needle-in-a-substack), and “a range of other ephemera, essays, investigations, and criticism.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EK9R!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c22c56f-4061-44cd-bd76-ca16ea8f967b_1280x778.png) The team behind the Points Guy has launched [Talking Points with TPG](https://open.substack.com/users/409985162-talking-points-with-tpg?utm_source=mentions), where they’ll be sharing tips and tricks for travel deals. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XBmc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F98dfaaf2-117a-4ecc-911d-ce99d496c790_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!K-vB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2f16135d-ee1d-4b29-9cc7-5ee9e7280d29_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). 922 28 103 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Dec 13](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying/comment/187379364 "Dec 13, 2025, 3:04 PM")Edited Cannot agree more more. What Disney did is to hollow out creative ecosystem. A handful of once in a generation geniuses at the top who can still command attention because their work is genuinely novel. A massive AI system in the middle churning out competent derivative content. And below that, nothing. No middle class of working creatives. No apprenticeship period where people learn by doing. Just a generation of potential talent that never got the chance to develop because the economic floor fell out before they could build a foundation. [https://xianli.substack.com/p/the-energy-test-why-ai-fails-the](https://xianli.substack.com/p/the-energy-test-why-ai-fails-the) [Like (21)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying) [](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=comment) [Roman S Shapoval](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Dec 13](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying/comment/187369052 "Dec 13, 2025, 2:31 PM") That type of orange juicer brings back great childhood memories - I hope the next generation can still have oranges, as the bees are dying: [https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/olle](https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/olle) [Like (7)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying) [26 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/it-just-feels-like-we-are-saying/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person.”](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [In this edition of the Weekender: pre-dawn rituals, traffic mirrors, and a 1982 portrait of masculinity](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) Jan 31•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,686 82 136  See all ### ? © 2026 Substack · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “Conspiracy theories are the true Great American Art Form” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “Conspiracy theories are the true Great American Art Form” ### In this edition of the Weekender: navigating Shakespearean traffic, ranking conspiracy theories, and a post-apocalyptic short story [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Feb 21, 2026 2,561 139 116 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5MM1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe92e16b4-706f-4b14-887a-fa978668bcfd_2000x1470.png) _“Sunset Glow” by [Kim Roberts](https://substack.com/@kimrobertsart/note/c-217274598?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re rating conspiracy theories, getting stuck in 16th-century traffic, and exploring the AI enthusiasm gap between China and the U.S. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cJj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0176cd51-6afc-412b-b798-abb8aa68934e_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ **Briefly noted** * **In Pursuit brings former U.S. presidents to Substack:**In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the bipartisan group More Perfect has launched a new essay series penned by American public figures and scholars. First up: [George W. Bush](https://open.substack.com/users/457660022-george-w-bush?utm_source=mentions) shared his thoughts on another George W., [praising Washington for his humility and wisdom in voluntarily stepping away from power](https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/george-washington-by-george-w-bush)—praise that some have read as a veiled rebuke to the current administration. [In Pursuit](https://open.substack.com/users/400799381-in-pursuit?utm_source=mentions) has many more essays on the docket, including those by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Chief Justice John Roberts, former first ladies, and other leading historians and public figures. * **Maxximizing:**We’ve gone from [looksmaxxing](https://yourbrainonmoney.substack.com/p/were-all-maxxing-now) to [Infinite Jestermaxxing](https://substack.com/@ancientproblemz/note/c-214825259?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). [Horsemaxxing](https://substack.com/@anniehendrix/note/c-216780160?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). [Symphonymaxxing](https://substack.com/@carhiller/note/c-192596988?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). [Anne of Green Gablesmaxxing](https://substack.com/@janesingasong/note/c-215470838?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). [Je ne sais quoi maxxing](https://substack.com/@randa/note/c-216041272?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). We are rough beasts, [slouchmaxxing towards Bethlehem](https://substack.com/@evangrillon/note/c-213855379?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). Someone, for some reason, has tried [Gaddafimaxxing](https://substack.com/@thehumblednarcissist/note/c-215486650?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r). Have we finally flymaxxed too close to the sun? [ Cecilia Blackwell Feb 17 Idk what it is about the term “maxxing” but I never want to see it used in any context ever again 207 22 12](https://substack.com/@ceciliablackwell/note/c-215558194) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EZAl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7d3fbbea-a41e-49f3-8412-223f3922588b_1184x280.png) ##### _CONSPIRACIES_ ### **A Great American Art Form** The Kennedys are, yet again, having a moment: RFK Jr. is doing ads with Kid Rock, and Ryan Murphy’s new series about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is on screens across the country. Meanwhile, Max Nussenbaum revisits the family’s starring role in America’s greatest art form: conspiracy theories. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MePk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F80857ef4-6e34-41b8-afcd-d1c8e9fe0412_1200x514.png) ### **[JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theories, Reviewed](https://www.candyforbreakfast.email/p/jfk-assassination-conspiracy-theories)** —[Max Nussenbaum](https://open.substack.com/users/2466481-max-nussenbaum?utm_source=mentions) in [Candy for Breakfast](https://www.candyforbreakfast.email/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > Forget jazz, Broadway, comics, or hip-hop—in my book, conspiracy theories are the true Great American Art Form. This country was practically built for them: start with a deep-seated distrust of authority, stir in the Protestant idea of unmediated access to individual truth, and top with the First Amendment to let it all bloom in public. > > > You could even say the United States itself was founded on a conspiracy theory: the Founding Fathers wove a tale of powerful elites (King George) secretly plotting against ordinary people (the colonists) to advance a villainous scheme (subjugate them through oppressive taxation and military control). As with many conspiracy theories, there’s a kernel of truth to this story—but the reality is that what the founders interpreted (or spun) as a deliberate plot against them was really just a patchwork of clumsy, improvised policies from a disorganized British government. > > > If conspiracy theories are the Great American Art Form, there’s no question as to which is the canonical work of art—our _Kind of Blue_, _West Side Story_, _Superman_, and _Illmatic_ all rolled into one: the theories surrounding the 1963 assassination of our third-best president named “John,” John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The belief that Lee Harvey Oswald didn’t act alone is the country’s most widely believed conspiracy theory—if, indeed, it even is a conspiracy theory—sustained across generations and deeply woven into American cultural memory through countless books, movies, and TV shows. > > > In fact, we even have the Kennedy assassination to thank for the term “conspiracy theory” entering widespread use in the first place: as revealed by a declassified 1967 document, the CIA encouraged the use of the then-obscure phrase as a pejorative term to discredit critics of the official narrative. > > > In his book _Reclaiming History_, Manson prosecutor and best-selling true crime author Vincent Bugliosi cites 44 different organizations and 214 specific individuals who have been accused of conspiring to assassinate Kennedy, including the Nazis, the Teamsters, the French OAS, Watergate plotter E. Howard Hunt, and Dr. George Burkley, Kennedy’s personal physician. Needless to say, this review will not manage to investigate all of them. The limits of time, space, and human sanity will sadly constrain me to just ten of the most well-known conspiracy theories, which I will evaluate both for plausibility and—far more importantly—for entertainment value. [Keep reading](https://www.candyforbreakfast.email/p/jfk-assassination-conspiracy-theories) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rJ8f!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb8fa0156-d9d1-4911-93e4-6b12a9d68200_1184x280.png) ##### _FULL CIRCLE_ [ Ken Sakata Feb 15 Moved to Tokyo and I’m living in my grandmother’s old home. I broke this door when I was a child. It has waited 30 years for me to repair it. 2,689 65 33](https://substack.com/@frontofficeco/note/c-214770507) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!M5xH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9a591fe2-1e8d-4d56-8409-530bf919d3ef_1384x280.png) ##### _HISTORY_ ### **“Traffic’s thy god”** Callan Davies on how Shakespeare got to work, and what it tells us about traffic, horses, and a rapidly changing world. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cXNM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b1b97c5-73e9-458e-8be3-9bccf54ad1c8_960x1269.png) ### **[A Shakespearean History of Traffic](https://shakespearestage.substack.com/p/a-shakespearean-history-of-city-traffic)** —[Dr Callan Davies](https://open.substack.com/users/8067047-dr-callan-davies?utm_source=mentions) in [The Shakespeare Stage](https://open.substack.com/pub/shakespearestage) > Thomas was born around 1514, and he testified at the age of 70 in 1584 about some property issues. Over this time, he would have felt keenly the traffic explosion that characterised sixteenth-century England. The term itself took on association in Thomas’s youth with the ever-expanding commercial movement of goods, coming to stand in for all sorts of kinetic trade. Shakespeare even borrows it to refer to dramatic action itself, setting up “the two hours’ traffic of our stage” (_Romeo and Juliet_, Prologue, l.12). This was the age of traffic, both in the global and colonial expansion of merchandising and in our more modern sense of a glut of people and vehicles on the move. As the cynical philosopher Apemanthus in _Timon of Athens_ puts it, chiding a merchant, “Traffic’s thy god”! (1.1.239). > > > All this had me wondering (as I often do) quite what it would be like for the average player or playgoer to commute in the 1580s or 1590s: how did Shakespeare make it from his home off Bishopsgate Street to the Theatre or Curtain in Shoreditch, or to Stratford-upon-Avon? How did individuals travel from Southwark south of the river up north or west? Could Shakespeare ride a horse? (Almost certainly, but how did this come about?) > > > Was horse-riding like learning to drive at 17? Did you borrow your parents’ nag for the odd journey? Who taught you to ride and was there a formalised “mode”? Plenty of clues exist for more elite riders. Horse-riding manuals and fashionable continental riding styles proliferated across this period. But what about, say, a journeyman shoemaker? A farm labourer? The son of a glover? > > > As our Shoreditch carter looked on at a playhouse being built next door, he saw (perhaps not coincidentally) his own work in the carrying trade change rapidly. The historian Joan Thirsk points out that the average horse rider on a road in 1500 was almost certainly a gentry figure; by 1600, it was most likely someone of lower middle social status or below going about their business. In just 100 years, horse-riding became democratised; it became “blue-collared.” > > > Much of this was driven by a growing economy and a rapidly growing population. (And a growing gentility about travel: why drive when you can be driven?) Horses were needed for all sorts of workaday functions (and also for war preparedness over a century of regular geopolitical instability... topical echoes abound). London felt expansion most sharply, more or less doubling in size (to 200,000 residents) in the twenty years from 1580 to 1600. These factors shaped the playing industry, too. There are no crowds without traffic. [Keep reading](https://shakespearestage.substack.com/p/a-shakespearean-history-of-city-traffic) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q1fm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F58cbcff6-8ff7-4429-8eb6-e51aecabad19_1384x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HywV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5789a19b-881b-4138-8e3f-bac2da45faa6_472x839.png) _Painting by [Christina](https://substack.com/@nebeliart/note/c-207397382?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!z6UV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7d6d8a-3895-4c4e-99c1-365266dc78d5_1640x200.png) ##### _TECHNOLOGY_ ### **The AI enthusiasm gap** Afra on why Chinese society—from art-house filmmakers to hundreds of millions of Spring Festival Gala viewers—is broadly optimistic about AI, while Americans remain conflicted, if not outright hostile. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xluQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F447e71a5-829b-4fcd-a754-195d119dc9e9_1456x815.png) ### **[An AI-Maxi New Year](https://afraw.substack.com/p/an-ai-maxi-new-year)** —[afra](https://open.substack.com/users/2227115-afra?utm_source=mentions) in [Concurrent](https://open.substack.com/pub/afraw) > It’s Chinese New Year, and my timeline is dominated by two names: Jia Zhangke and Unitree. > > > Jia Zhangke, the 55-year-old director whose melancholic, unhurried gaze at ordinary Chinese life has long mesmerized Western cinephiles—turns out to be, of all things, very AI-pilled. This is not an obvious move for a filmmaker whose greatest works are elegies for what Chinese modernization has destroyed. But during this holiday, he publicly praised Seedance, ByteDance’s AI video generation tool, and then released a short film made entirely with it. The film is a conversation between two selves: the plain, conservative Jia, thermos flask in hand, and a younger, healthier, optimistic “AI Jia,” debating the nature of filmmaking. In the final scene, the two Jia Zhangkes stand on the shore of the ice-choked Yellow River, a landscape he has returned to across decades of work in Shanxi province, watching fireworks climb into the sky. The palette is his own: subdued long shots, blue-gray hills receding into the distance. The dual selves wish each other a happy new year. The artist has metabolized the technology into something unmistakably his. > > > The other story is Unitree. > > > This is the second year the company’s robots have performed at the Spring Festival Gala, an event that functions as something like the Super Bowl fused with a state address, held annually. I consider the Gala an ultimate “mid-curve” aesthetic, a cultural common denominator. This year’s gala was aggressively AI-maxi. The Unitree G1 humanoid robots performed kung fu, parkour, street dance, and weapons routines with nunchucks and staffs—clips that ricocheted through Western AI communities within hours; many joked “we are cooked”. For a robotics company locked in brutal domestic competition, a Gala slot is a coronation. Meanwhile, the gala itself served as a showcase for Seedance at scale: the segment “Blessing of the Flower God” summoned twelve ancient poets, each reciting verse to honor a flower of their birth month, with AI-generated imagery blended near-seamlessly into the live stage. Later I learned that Seedance had contributed backgrounds, transitions, and generated sequences to at least three other performances. The whole production felt less like a variety show than a national stress test of ByteDance’s compute architecture. > > > When my partner and I were watching the Gala last night, he said it felt too tech-infused—it reminded him of _The Jetsons_, the 1960s cartoon with its relentless, cheerful obsession with a technological utopia. I think he’s underselling it. What I see in China right now is closer to Victorian Britain: a society exuding moral seriousness and deep belief in modernization and technological uplift. > > > What connects these stories is what they reveal about disposition. The Chinese society, from a world-renowned auteur to the hundreds of millions watching the Gala, is broadly, strikingly optimistic about AI. The reflexive existential dread so pervasive in Western discourse is largely absent. > > > I remember I spent some time browsing Unitree’s Xiaohongshu account to see how the company addresses the Chinese public, especially about anxiety about job displacement. Turns out, there’s nearly none. The feed is wall-to-wall spectacle: humanoid robots and robot dogs performing in extreme weather, doing impressive gymnastics. The comment sections, meanwhile, are a gathering place for the self-deprecating humor of Chinese internet users. Young people ask: _When can I ride the robot dog to buy groceries? When will you release a robot nanny?_ (Since they aren’t getting married or having children.) And, inevitably: “We need robots for elderly care, it’s urgent, please Boss Wang (means Wang Xingxing, the founder of Unitree), speed up production so the robots can look after us in old age.” > > > Set this against the posture of Jia Zhangke’s rough American counterparts. On a recent Joe Rogan episode, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon discussed AI filmmaking with open contempt. AI output is “shitty,” Affleck argued, because it regresses to the mean by nature—and when AI becomes ubiquitous, “people will actually value real things made by real people even more.” Meanwhile, the Motion Picture Association has accused Seedance of “unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale,” and Disney has alleged that ByteDance effectively packaged a pirated library of its characters into the tool. The resistance is creative, institutional, legal, and corporate—arriving from all directions at once. > > > Can we find an American Jia Zhangke? And if one existed, would they survive the anti-AI public siege? Where American AI optimism does exist, it is confined almost entirely to Silicon Valley—the OpenClaw frenzy, the collective Claude Code psychosis, and if you reach back a bit, the 3-year-old “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto,” a self-enclosed declaration that humanity ought to ride the technological trajectory forward, though who “we” are and why we “ought to” remain thoroughly unexamined. What you see is a cultishly bullish tech elite producing manifestos that fail to persuade the rest of the country, set against a China where the public, the government, and the tech industry are broadly synchronized. > > > Why such different orientations? It would be easy—and cheesy—to credit propaganda alone, as when Palmer Luckey declared that China’s most powerful weapon is “their ability to control people’s minds through the media.” China’s online discourse is heavily constrained, and voices that sound anything like Western liberal humanism or degrowth are unlikely to survive moderation. But this explanation is too thin to hold. Decades of lived experience have taught Chinese society an empirical lesson: technology makes life tangibly better. I once wrote about my Shandong grandmother, now in her eighties, who once walked five hours to buy a clock so her children could get to school on time. Today her Xiaomi phone has given her an online shopping addiction, and delivery drones fly above her apartment. For many in China, industrialization compressed and bent time itself—and AI simply looks like the next turn of a wheel that has only ever spun forward. [Keep reading](https://afraw.substack.com/p/an-ai-maxi-new-year) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Lr5Y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F47c2e167-73fc-4baa-a8ae-75c05d98d16d_1640x200.png) ##### _SPACE RACE_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ud7Y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8d7aab16-a5bb-4818-9bd3-56899eac1da4_838x1108.png) _From “a small collection of Soviet match boxes,” shared by [Virginia Pili](https://substack.com/@virginiapili/note/c-210686757?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q1dE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fde47d443-15ff-4952-9a49-e0094e02def6_1184x280.png) ##### _FICTION_ ### **After the fall** Michael McSweeney’s short story imagines Boston after an invasion: a skeleton newspaper crew, a seed convoy through occupied Massachusetts, and three women with rifles blocking the road. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lkvD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac33659b-01e3-4759-a42c-03e077ee91ed_1200x790.png) ### **[Dispatch](https://mpmcsweeney.substack.com/p/dispatch)** —[Michael McSweeney](https://open.substack.com/users/1589085-michael-mcsweeney?utm_source=mentions) in [Commonwealth Junction](https://open.substack.com/pub/mpmcsweeney) > Eight months after the invasion failed, our newspaper had electricity again. Someone in the Army’s logistics division owed my editor-in-chief a favor and in exchange for some promised puff pieces they agreed to connect the building with our sole working printer to the fragile power grid. The printer was a tiny machine, a by-now ancient letterpress kept in a storeroom we affectionately dubbed the museum, but it fed two dozen one-page news prints an hour into our grateful, ink-stained hands. Before this we published the paper by hand, with whatever we had on hand. The shreds of cardboard boxes, old envelopes pilfered from Post Offices, or the blank pages of legal orders we found in a backroom at the municipal court. With power, we approached something more consistent, and now we could work at night. We estimated an official circulation of about 500, an amount we considered a small miracle, though we told ourselves we easily reached half of Boston. People devoured our editions at the ration stations set up in the rubble of the Common and the worksite at the Waterfront where soldiers and civilians were lifting one of the invaders’ landing craft out of the harbor. I even sketched the landing craft, a dark and wart-pocked spear-point, and got it printed in the morning edition. > > > Let it be said that humanity will never lose its curiosity. Nor will true journalists lose their desire to feed that curiosity, to create and deliver the news. The invasion had shattered the public internet, though a source once told me a few satellites up there still worked, and all the easy links between people were gone with it. Everyone, myself included, kept reaching for our pockets to connect, to feel the hive mind, to feel happy or angry or sad together. We intended to rebuild these connections through the stories people told us. Meteoric terrors descending from the sky. Family members dragged away. Lakes and rivers drained down to fish bones. I interviewed a woman who shot her husband rather than see him bleed to death after an invader sliced through the door he was barricading and severed his arm. I interviewed a fifteen-year-old boy who dragged his unconscious grandfather into a swamp and hid for a week, surviving on scalding rainwater and tree bark. We printed everything. I believed everything. > > > One day I got a tip about a shipment of seeds and fertilizer out to Western Massachusetts. I grew up in Fallston and felt the pull of home, so after two day-ration bribes I was allowed to ride in one of the trucks. We crawled out of Boston along Route 2 and as we slalomed around ruined cars I gazed out at the broken skyline, the Prudential Building cut in half at the heart. I wanted to see it rebuilt but I knew it wouldn’t or shouldn’t be. It will go back into Boston. Devoured and reused for something new, something more, because no place is ever the same after war. > > > The convoy picked up speed through Concord. Unbound by the stoplights thrown and tarnished in the trees. We drove past bombed-out Emerson Hospital where my uncle was once held against his will, screaming about enemies none of us could see. Burnt-out ambulances crowded the entrance ramp. I stole the manifest from the glove compartment: seeds for corn, tomatoes and asparagus. Germs to feed the thousands who remained. > > > Three women with rifles blocked the way through Athol. The trucks stopped and for a while there was no movement. One of the women fired a flare and took a few steps forward. The driver of the first truck got out and approached her. I leaned out the window and watched the woman’s face grow proud and agitated as she spoke. The driver took his baseball cap off and wiped the sweat from his bald head. He turned, saw me watching, threw an angry look and jerked his head. I sat back in my seat and scribbled my surroundings: an exit ramp a hundred yards away, yellow grass and yellow trees, the speck of a hawk in the cloudy sky. Finally the driver walked back and the second driver joined him. I heard the cargo door open, hang and slam. Then the first driver walked back around, two crates stacked in his arms. The second driver climbed back beside me. They need some help, he told me. Looks like a robbery, I told him. They need some help, he repeated, and then he said, They need help and they’re taking it. [Keep reading](https://mpmcsweeney.substack.com/p/dispatch) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aOxQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce6a675c-16fb-4a7d-8292-162df2f8f952_1184x280.png) ##### _DRAWINGS_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1SHL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63e963c2-dc30-450b-90f2-c6881f4165b4_1297x1928.png) _“Short story” by [Sartorio Pedro](https://substack.com/@sartoriopedro/note/c-211424784?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oziA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F323fc2fa-82c2-496a-b10f-ea0d3f9b0d19_1384x280.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Kim Roberts](https://open.substack.com/users/51311959-kim-roberts?utm_source=mentions), [Christina](https://open.substack.com/users/349636858-christina?utm_source=mentions), [Virginia Pili](https://open.substack.com/users/30037646-virginia-pili?utm_source=mentions), [sartorio pedro](https://open.substack.com/users/151505062-sartorio-pedro?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Ken Sakata](https://open.substack.com/users/163503802-ken-sakata?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Max Nussenbaum](https://open.substack.com/users/2466481-max-nussenbaum?utm_source=mentions), [Dr Callan Davies](https://open.substack.com/users/8067047-dr-callan-davies?utm_source=mentions), [afra](https://open.substack.com/users/2227115-afra?utm_source=mentions), [Michael McSweeney](https://open.substack.com/users/1589085-michael-mcsweeney?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!riHn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb14c902f-fee7-4be6-a8f0-e00ba6bcc549_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vL23!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feda512e1-12f5-4322-8317-ef15deb23007_1206x1206.png) The writer [Nate Postlethwait](https://open.substack.com/users/269509568-nate-postlethwait?utm_source=mentions) has started [I’m Glad You’re Here](https://natepostlethwait.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips), a Substack where he reflects “on the journey through cPTSD, the discovery of Autism, the pursuit of peace.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DGSk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c9b909f-c737-4034-9ed4-fc57e1be1f6d_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XVSw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe8201999-341a-470b-9cd3-8b1e4c414444_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/96344178-venetia)[](https://substack.com/profile/86254034-michael-lapointe)[](https://substack.com/profile/17488745-heather-jw)[](https://substack.com/profile/60089708-michael)[](https://substack.com/profile/97841729-nick-palmer) [2,561 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true)∙ [116 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-188690056/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 2,561 139 116 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=comment) [Roman S Shapoval](https://substack.com/profile/92311873-roman-s-shapoval?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 21](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true/comment/217649590 "Feb 21, 2026, 2:16 PM") Did you know...the word 'conspiracy theory' was invented by the CIA to make those who questioned the JFK assassination look crazy? We can see now many of those so called "theories" are becoming true with the release of the Epstein files. [Like (45)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true) [30 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true/comment/217649590) [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 21](https://post.substack.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-the-true/comment/217655906 "Feb 21, 2026, 2:32 PM")Edited I’m reading The American Scholar, Emerson’s 1837 address. He delivered a speech to the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Harvard. He said, “Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries when they wrote these books.” You read it correct. Bacon was young when he wrote those books. How young? He was only 36 when wrote his masterpiece. Brutally think! Thinking can transcend age and scarce resource! 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# “Like closing a hundred tabs you’re not ready to lose” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/like-closing-a-hundred-tabs-youre) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “Like closing a hundred tabs you’re not ready to lose” ### In this edition of the Weekender: fantasy’s Irish obsession, marriage pacts, and what the AI/DOW showdown really means for our data [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Mar 07, 2026 2,486 84 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rMpf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1c3ec379-125e-408c-a67d-6a157b55bfaa_2048x1418.png) _Photo by [Liv B](https://substack.com/@oliviaburt/note/c-215783630?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re making marriage pacts, singing through sunroofs, inventing Ireland, and wondering who’s been watching. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ywZj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5dd87900-18c7-438d-add2-cb75f389cb05_1026x292.png) ##### _MEMORIES_ ### **I’m here, but I’m really gone** A very ’90s childhood reminiscence, featuring soccer, heartbreak, cigarettes, and Alanis Morissette. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UPo6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6fd94c8-c89b-4c82-bf65-62d4749d27a5_1456x1215.png) ### **[I’m Broke but I’m 6](https://laynedixon.substack.com/p/im-broke-but-im-6)** —[Layne Dixon](https://open.substack.com/users/25353040-layne-dixon?utm_source=mentions) in [Happy to Be Here by Layne Dixon](https://open.substack.com/pub/laynedixon) > My feet barely fit on the car console, which is fine because my feet are tiny (brag!). I’m tall enough to have my chest up through the sunroof. Even though we’re driving well below the 20 MPH speed limit, I feel the wind push my hair past my ears, and I imagine myself like the happiest, most well loved family dog. Eyes closed and mouth open, whipping my head back and forth in slow motion. > > > I close my eyes and raise my hands above my head and scream as loud as I can, louder than the song blasting from the car below me. > > > _I feel drunk, but I’m sober_ > > > _I’m young, and I’m underpaid_ > > > I’m 6 years old. My dad and I are 22 minutes late to my Saturday morning soccer game. 22 minutes late means the game has already started. Not that it matters to my dad and me. I have no concept of time. I am a child. All I know is that we are having a boocoobango good time. > > > My dad, on the other hand, has complete and utter disregard for the concept of time. A real “don’t tell me what to do” attitude when it comes to man-made rules of the universe. The skill of punctuality has simply passed him by. Life instead imbued him with an evil yet charming sense of humor, pants that never fit, and a personality his coworkers called “bulldoggish.” > > > _I’m tired, but I’m working, YEAH AH_ > > > No Dixon family vacation was complete without full-body sweats, a few “god damnits,” and having to turn around and head back to the house because someone (my dad) left their wallet at home. The same wallet that was sitting on the edge of the counter by the coffeepot. The wallet that my mom asked 6 different times if my dad had remembered to grab. The wallet that my dad directly looked at and said, “It’s right here in my hand, Charlotte, where the hell else would it be!” > > > Multiple reasons led to my parents’ divorce, but I’d like to bet that being married to the human version of the iceberg that sank the Titanic was at the top of my mom’s list. > > > _I care, but I’m restless_ > > > _I’m here, but I’m really gone_ > > > _I’m wrong, and I’m sorry, baby_ > > > My voice carries the “Baby!!” out so it tumbles into the next lyric. I am singing with the kind of vitriol only a woman scorned can produce. I am 6 years old. > > > Recess had been completely obliterated two weeks earlier when Harrison, a blond boy with blue eyes who fit perfectly into my fantasy in which he was the 4th Hanson brother and I was the 5th, asked for the wooden painted heart pin back that he had given me during cursive class. “I don’t have it anymore,” I lied, gripping it tightly in my hand, about to mount the monkey bars. I wanted to be high up so I could look down on him. “You’re lying,” he said. “And _YOU’RE_ a bastard!” I yelled. > > > Kidding, I didn’t yell that. I didn’t even know the word bastard. I was a child. I was 6 years old. [Keep reading](https://laynedixon.substack.com/p/im-broke-but-im-6) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-XjC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0091c887-b1b8-427d-8d7d-c11c480a7298_1184x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XcGB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0615bfbf-6bfb-42c9-9c3b-77da1a1a6197_1275x1650.png) _Painting by [Kristen Vardanega](https://substack.com/@littletinyegg/note/c-220318931?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r8oV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd88fbee1-b90a-40a6-b89f-ff4a610c7eb6_1184x280.png) ##### _FANTASY_ ### **Once upon a time in Ireland** Sithara Ranasinghe digs into fantasy’s obsession with creating mystical worlds that look—and sound—an awful lot like Ireland. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!F6rR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86a10d01-f0a7-4f07-bbb0-6a15128f5e3f_1456x819.png) ### **[Fantasy writers are weird about Ireland](https://sitarasgarden.substack.com/p/fantasy-writers-are-weird-about-ireland)** —[Sithara Ranasinghe](https://open.substack.com/users/17317199-sithara-ranasinghe?utm_source=mentions) in [Sithara’s Newsletter](https://sitarasgarden.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > I don’t think anything exemplifies the Y2K thirst for magic better than the music of Enya, an Irish New Age Pop icon who lives in a castle. Her music offered listeners an escape from the ’90s and ’00s into a vaguely medieval Elsewhere made of rolling fields and enormous fogbanks. (McCoy notes that Enya’s album shot “to the highest [charts] position she had ever occupied” immediately after 9/11.) Although detractors called her songs “uplifting nonsense concealing the most cynically calculated mood music in the history of (Middle) Earth,” when Peter Jackson needed a voice to close out _The Fellowship of the Ring_, he knew exactly who to call. > > > Because _Lord of the Rings_ has had such a profound impact on all the fantasy media that’s come after it, Enya’s harps and choirs have been melted into the soup. It’s not Celtic-inspired or Irish, it’s fantasy. But whether it’s music or names or folklore, when “Celtic” becomes the default, what do we do when we need to populate the rest of the fantasy world? Someone needs to be the foreigner to your main kingdom. Worldbuilding is hard, so writers often just borrow real-world stereotypes to serve as a shorthand for the “other.” See that kingdom over there with the curved swords and the veiled princesses and the sand? That’s pretty exotic, right? Well, there you go, that’s the Other. > > > Thankfully, it’s considered a bit gauche these days to play into Orientalist stereotypes. Ireland, on the other hand, feels a bit safer. As Ellen Jacob (Elle Literacy) tells me, “Compared to most post-colonial places—like India or the Caribbean—we’re in a much better position. We’re in Europe, we’re white, we’re quite wealthy.” Added to that, many American writers can trace distant Irish heritage. Still, this doesn’t stop writers from making some really unusual choices in their portrayal of the fantasy Irish analogues. > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q5Wm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b36868a-0ea1-4aa6-b78c-c9cb066d82af_736x594.png) > > > The book that made me fall down this whole rabbit hole to begin with was Christopher Buehlman’s _The Blacktongue Thief_, centring a fiddle-playing, green-eyed, copper-haired thief named Kinch Na Shannack. Kinch is Galtic, meaning he’s from a race of people who drink whiskey, farm tubers, live near peat bogs, and speak with a “handsome brogue” that makes them say “cork and kark almost the same”. His people were forced to mass-migrate west “what with the old Famine”, and if you haven’t guessed which culture the Galts are based on yet, I’ll give you one more clue: Buehlman, an American, self-narrates the entire audiobook in an Irish accent. > > > If the default fantasy mode is Celtic, and the Othered Foreigner People are, on top of that, Celt-coded, you get what scholar Andrea R. Cox calls a “Celtic double exposure”. Celtic cultures provide both the genre’s background texture and its exotic outsider. What that’s going to give you, of course, are a bunch of stereotypes that range from indulging in the odd potato to being physiologically different to the other humans in your fantasy world. [Keep reading](https://sitarasgarden.substack.com/p/fantasy-writers-are-weird-about-ireland) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nypP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99747a72-e262-456a-a11e-41a9266bafe5_1384x280.png) ##### _THE ORIGINAL ART COLLECTORS_ [ Tatum Dooley Mar 2 watching this old bbc documentary on the Medici family in preparation for tonight’s book club: 44 2 3](https://substack.com/@artforecast/note/c-222022611) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!nSHo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb8159f6a-5a09-4979-89c8-33c51b5e37a8_1384x280.png) ##### _TECHNOLOGY_ ### **The banality of surveillance** In the midst of the dustup between Anthropic, OpenAI, and the U.S. Department of War, Benn Stancil digs into the “banality of surveillance” and why, despite online tracking going back years, AI heralds a new era in digital privacy concerns. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Y8S!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F82c3ac34-1b3f-4ce7-9312-da637dbb3fd2_1456x589.png) ### **[The banality of surveillance](https://benn.substack.com/p/the-banality-of-surveillance)** —[Benn Stancil](https://open.substack.com/users/5667744-benn-stancil?utm_source=mentions) in [benn.substack](https://open.substack.com/pub/benn) > Prior to working in Silicon Valley, I assumed that data was secure because it was obfuscated by impressive cryptography and stored in buildings that were guarded by tall fences. And I assumed that what we did on the internet was private—and people’s ability to draw any inferences from what we did was difficult—because “surveillance” required complex technologies that could detect faint patterns in millions of disparate signals. Yes, Target might be able to figure out if someone is pregnant before their father could, but that took years of careful observation and sophisticated science. It took well-trained humans working with well-trained models, years in the making. > > > If only. On an internet where everything is tracked—and man, _everything_ is tracked—surveillance does not require a Ph.D., or even any particularly advanced math. It just requires a junior analyst with 24 hours of free time. Because the real fences around the data we all leave behind—and the real protections of our privacy—are neither tall nor covered in barbed wire. They are simply fences that are annoying to climb. We are not hidden, on the internet; mostly, people are just too uninterested to bother looking for us. > > > Everyone already knows what happened: The United States Department of War wanted to use Claude. Anthropic wanted them to use Claude, but with restrictions. The two sides could not agree; the negotiations broke down; the negotiations turned into outright hostilities; the hostilities became very public. The Atlantic reports on part of what went wrong: > > > _Anthropic learned that the Pentagon still wanted to use the company’s AI to analyze bulk data collected from Americans. That could include information such as the questions you ask your favorite chatbot, your Google search history, your GPS-tracked movements, and your credit-card transactions, all of which could be cross-referenced with other details about your life._ > > > When we hear stories about “mass surveillance” and “artificial intelligence” and the “CIA,” it is tempting to imagine systems of unfathomable reach and sophistication. It is tempting to worry about shadowy government agencies using AI to hack into our phones and turn them into sonar transmitters. It is tempting to see the Greco—a million sensors and cameras feeding into a machine that “doesn’t think, but _reasons_”: > > > _It reads every permutation in every wager in every seat in the entire casino, hand by hand. It’s wired into floor security cameras that measure pupil dilation, and determine if a win is legitimate or expected. It gathers biofeedback—players’ heart rates, body temperatures. It measures, on a second-by-second basis, whether the standard variations of gaming algorithms are holding or are being manipulated. The data is analyzed in real time, in a field of exabytes._ > > > For better or for worse, reality is almost certainly much more mundane. Nobody wants to use AI to bug our phones, or to build a sprawling nerve system to track our vitals, because _our phones are already bugged_. Everything we do on them is recorded a dozen times over, by our wireless carriers, by the websites we visit and the apps we use, by the vendors and ad networks those companies are sending their data to, and in the marketplaces that sell that data. We built the eyes of the Greco decades ago. > > > But that data has remained relatively secure—or maybe more precisely, its potential energy has remained relatively buried—largely because it’s tedious to work with. It’s messy; it’s scattered across different sources and in different formats; combining it together is a pain, and most of us are simply not interesting enough to investigate. Data analysts who work at shadowy government agencies have lives too, and they do not want to write 595-line SQL queries either. > > > But AI doesn’t mind. And that’s the boring danger of what happens next: Not of AI becoming a superintelligent Sherlock Holmes finding impossible patterns in its enormous mind palace, but of it being a million monkeys at a million typewriters, doing the grunt work no person wanted to do. Because when prying questions are a prompt away—rather than 24 hours of work away—who wouldn’t get tempted to pry? [Keep reading](https://benn.substack.com/p/the-banality-of-surveillance) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f8dF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4df0be11-609e-41ba-812d-071dd000cc52_1640x200.png) ##### _PACKAGING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Th4!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee7be5d0-bc62-40f8-a0a0-4222f6109461_1392x2048.png) _“The lost art of button cards,” shared by [Ella Wiznia](https://substack.com/@herstoryseries/note/c-220775467?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ntW8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c71049b-3c4c-4b9f-884f-de85c6cbb728_1640x200.png) ##### _RELATIONSHIPS_ ### **Just in case** Lily Montasser on her five marriage pacts, and what their prevalence says about how we date now. “When the options are endless, choosing one person can start to feel less like romance and more like closing a hundred tabs you’re not ready to lose.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7z_M!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe2d4d016-40f4-4b2f-8811-9bdeb74b68a2_1776x958.png) ### **[Five Marriage Pacts. Zero Boyfriends](https://lilymontasser.substack.com/p/five-marriage-pacts-zero-boyfriends)** —[Lily Montasser](https://open.substack.com/users/518010-lily-montasser?utm_source=mentions) in [sound off](https://open.substack.com/pub/lilymontasser) > I have five marriage pacts. You know, the “if we’re both still single by forty let’s just do the damn thing” deal you make with friends who you wish you were attracted to. > > > They are as follows: > > > **MILES · 33 · Salt Lake City · Marriage Date: “When we’re forty” · Status: Open** > > > My first pact is with Miles, my best friend in college. He was the first person I met when I stepped onto campus, and remains one of my closest friends to this day. One night outside of a party in junior year, we agreed that if we were both single by forty we would buy a big plot of land in Northern California and call it a day, sleeping with other people if necessary. We solidified the deal with a spit handshake. > > > **CHASE · 36 · Miami · Marriage Date: 01/01/2027 · Status: Cancelled** > > > Next is Chase. Chase and I matched on Raya in 2021, and after a few clumsy dates, our relationship evolved into a flirtatious friendship that included him being my unofficial business consultant and me taking over his lease when he moved to Miami. On a drunken night outside a bar at 3am, we agreed to meet at a church in Vegas in two years and get married if we were both single. A Google Calendar invite was sent. As the date approached, Chase requested a one-year extension. > > > I recently ran into a mutual friend who informed me that Chase was considering proposing to his current girlfriend. I texted him a screenshot of our cancelled standing reservation. To which he replied “Damn. Report as spam ¯\_(ツ)_/¯” > > > **WHIT · 45 · New York City · “Start a Family” Date: N/A · Status: Open** > > > Next is Whit, who I was in an emotionally serious yet technically unofficial relationship with. After several months of on-and-off-again emotional entanglement, Whit proposed we start a family—have children and all live together in a big beautiful brownstone he would pay for. When I asked, “Well, would we, like, date?” He confidently said: “No.” I told him I’d think about it. > > > **FLETCHER · 45 · New York City · Marriage Date: 12/31/2029 · Status: Open** > > > Then there’s Fletcher. Fletcher and I are not terribly close friends nor have we ever had a romantic encounter. He’s a two degrees of separation friend, but I’m always happy to be in his company whenever he comes around. He’s conventionally attractive, tall, muscular, and absolutely hilarious. One night at a house party, Fletcher and I found each other on the couch, lamenting our most recent romantic flops. We agreed to get married if we’re both single in five years. We high-fived and created a Google Calendar invite for Dec 31, 2029. [Keep reading](https://lilymontasser.substack.com/p/five-marriage-pacts-zero-boyfriends) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FVAm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83f02c0e-27ac-4cdb-b888-d8bf57f47ff6_1184x280.png) ##### _RESTACK_ [ Benno Feb 22 This is what happens every time you restack  1,015 18 124](https://substack.com/@bennologo/note/c-217923710) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FSIV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc78ba94a-47fa-406c-94a5-1968bd25d080_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[liv b](https://open.substack.com/users/7174031-liv-b?utm_source=mentions), [Kristen Vardanega](https://open.substack.com/users/17116450-kristen-vardanega?utm_source=mentions), [Ella Wiznia](https://open.substack.com/users/79126911-ella-wiznia?utm_source=mentions), [Benno](https://open.substack.com/users/41099219-benno?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Tatum Dooley](https://open.substack.com/users/16385-tatum-dooley?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Layne Dixon](https://open.substack.com/users/25353040-layne-dixon?utm_source=mentions), [Sithara Ranasinghe](https://open.substack.com/users/17317199-sithara-ranasinghe?utm_source=mentions), [Benn Stancil](https://open.substack.com/users/5667744-benn-stancil?utm_source=mentions), [Lily Montasser](https://open.substack.com/users/518010-lily-montasser?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Xk97!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0fdc8dc3-098f-422d-9a71-326c420a6b05_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YBCM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6a0d7557-5a83-4716-8611-f5fe992f2d8b_800x800.png) [Dazed](https://open.substack.com/users/468075446-dazed?utm_source=mentions), the independent fashion, culture, and arts magazine, has launched a Substack. Every week, they’ll “share a different story selected by our editors and send it straight to your inbox.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!njHl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F175a5ff9-69f5-4d1d-81c7-6aa58662d6c6_1456x1040.png) French oenophiles will no doubt be pleased to see [Alicia Dorey](https://open.substack.com/users/11013805-alicia-dorey?utm_source=mentions) on the platform. The Le Figaro wine critic and lifestyle journalist will be sharing her favorite restaurants, hotels, and, yes, wine. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pwtY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec23a7bd-f326-41ce-812f-64dcabaf8b2c_526x526.png) [Christy Carlson Romano](https://open.substack.com/users/7614898-christy-carlson-romano?utm_source=mentions)—a self-described “former child star, current human”—has joined Substack, where she’s sharing dispatches “for all those who grew up and still haven’t figured out what that means.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5HgC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbbbf055d-aaad-42c6-b8e7-e7239ec94a9b_1456x1005.png) Chefs Jack Croft and Will Murray have launched [Fallow Chefs](https://open.substack.com/users/442989761-fallow-chefs?utm_source=mentions), a newsletter where they’ll share recipes, “getting into the ‘why’ and ‘how’, upgrading your palate so you understand when to add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon, as well as giving you a behind-the-scenes view of what it looks like running one of the busiest restaurants in London.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!c2qZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb74a139a-02de-48fe-a97a-38cc92d7c1ae_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5JOw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a6f0ff-ebed-4432-8b0b-85d19d72043c_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). 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I am not a morning person.”](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [In this edition of the Weekender: pre-dawn rituals, traffic mirrors, and a 1982 portrait of masculinity](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) Jan 31•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,686 82 136  See all ### ? © 2026 Substack · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “If you’re going to show us two freaks in love, show us two freaks in love” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks) [Unstacked](https://post.substack.com/s/unstacked/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “If you’re going to show us two freaks in love, show us two freaks in love” ### A Wuthering Heights roundtable [](https://substack.com/@minale)[](https://substack.com/@moviepudding)[](https://substack.com/@radhikajones)[](https://substack.com/@elizabrooke) [Mina Le](https://substack.com/@minale), [Elissa Suh](https://substack.com/@moviepudding), [Radhika Jones](https://substack.com/@radhikajones), and [Eliza Brooke](https://substack.com/@elizabrooke) Feb 16, 2026 1,931 235 172 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!EbUU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F43daa338-9a12-497f-8879-c90b726ad4e7_2560x1440.jpeg) _Still shared by [Lucy Rutherford](https://lucyrutherfilm.substack.com/p/wuthering-heights-2026-review)_ [ Ira Madison III Sep 3 wuthering heights discourse is gonna melt substack i can tell you that much  1,573 60 87](https://substack.com/@iramadison/note/c-152059236) Emerald Fennell’s _Wuthering Heights_ is finally out, so let’s get into it. To discuss, we invited film, culture, and literary critics [Elissa Suh](https://open.substack.com/users/232958-elissa-suh?utm_source=mentions), [Radhika Jones](https://open.substack.com/users/140012231-radhika-jones?utm_source=mentions), and [Eliza Brooke](https://open.substack.com/users/1808185-eliza-brooke?utm_source=mentions) to jump into a Google doc. [Mina Le](https://open.substack.com/users/7088927-mina-le?utm_source=mentions) moderated the conversation, as our panelists dove into the questions plaguing this adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel: Are Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi believable as Cathy and Heathcliff? Did the movie need that opening scene? And what’s the deal with the eggs? Readers beware: spoilers ahead. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fUmm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7287b49e-e524-44fb-b3de-ccaa6c87ed97_1026x292.png) ### Fennell opens _Wuthering Heights_ with a man being hanged while visibly aroused, and the crowd descends into something orgiastic. Provocation or statement of intent? **Elissa Suh:** I read that, at some point, this scene had the condemned [man] ejaculating mid-execution. That certainly would’ve been saying something. Without that bit, I thought the opening was missing something. Sex + Death is such a rich subtheme in the source text and in Gothic literature, but it’s all rather superficial in the film. **Radhika Jones:** I thought about it mostly in terms of the crowd’s reaction, and the sense we get of collective barbarism. In the novel, Heathcliff tends to be the one referred to as “savage.” For me, the takeaway of the opening scene is that, actually, everybody implicated in this scene is savage. Whether that’s a fair indictment is another question, but it did level the playing field. **Mina Le:** Interesting. Do you feel, then, that Heathcliff’s position in the story is compromised? **Radhika Jones:** I did find it hard to parse how he’s supposed to function in the family onscreen. Cathy names him as a brother. He’s loyal to her. Yes, Earnshaw calls him a servant, but it all felt a little muddled, because he doesn’t really seem all that different from them. **Elissa Suh:** I caught the barbarism of the crowd in the opening, but that idea didn’t seem to carry through to the rest of the film—at all!—to me. **Radhika Jones:** Yes, I agree! Which was a pity. **Eliza Brooke:** Agreed that the barbarism of the hanging scene should have bled into the rest of the film. I also wish there had been more Charli xcx needle drops throughout! While it feels like Emerald Fennell was being a bit of an edgelord with the opening sequence, I thought the use of Charli’s pop soundtrack elevated it. It really ratcheted up the feeling of grinding dread amid all that sex and death. Grinding dread: very _Wuthering Heights_! **Mina Le:** Also, they don’t reference the hanging bit ever again … other than to toy with Catherine thinking that Heathcliff has come back. **Radhika Jones:** The other striking thing about it to me was just how many people were there, and this is a novel with barely any named characters. But we cut from there to Cathy and Nelly running across the moors, and then the prevailing mood is emptiness. So it’s a contrast that doesn’t really go anywhere, unfortunately. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jvE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6910666c-564d-45c8-a3c3-5c3d8bf6952e_1200x44.png) ### The cellophane gown, the unrestrained courtship rituals—did the anachronisms feel like they were in service of something, or more like aesthetic moodboarding? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5XDU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa9f1f08d-3637-45bf-b7e2-f33a78e3bc6c_1365x2048.png) _Still shared by [Louis Pisano](https://louispisano.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-wuthering-heights)_ **Eliza Brooke:** As far as the costuming and production design is concerned, I didn’t mind the anachronistic flourishes until the iridescent cellophane gown showed up after Cathy’s marriage to Edgar Linton (and a parade of similarly anachronistic fabrics followed). It was a jarring visual transition that seemed like it should indicate a shift in the narrative, but ultimately, I wasn’t sure what point Fennell was trying to make. Was she saying something about the Lintons and their wealth? Their innate ridiculousness? Their detachment from the wildness that surrounds their home? It felt a bit like flashy costuming for flashy costuming’s sake. And I say that as someone who loves a big look! **Mina Le:** Yeah, the cellophane stood out quite a lot. But I wish there were fewer costumes overall. They were beautiful, but Margot went through what felt like 40 in an hour, and it was difficult for any of them to make an impact. **Elissa Suh:** Honestly, the costumes and set design—and the hair, don’t forget the hair!—were the most (only) rewarding parts of the film for me. I clung to them. Each one outdid the next. My mind needed something to focus on, and so I actually appreciated the parade. I wonder what the final gown count was. **Radhika Jones:** For me, the parade of dresses was a laugh-out-loud moment, sort of cathartic. Honestly, from the moment the character of Isabella was introduced, I felt like there was another parallel film happening, which was a little weirder (high bar, but still!) and more surreal. It wasn’t consistent, though, which made it hard to follow. **Eliza Brooke:** I completely agree that Isabella was in a different film—and one that I would really like to watch! I thought Alison Oliver was an absolute delight and a high point of the movie. Obsessed with her weird dolls, her baby voice, and, frankly, her sexual self-knowledge. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ejTY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7ce8d66f-37fd-475f-a178-18296c542959_1456x819.png) _Still of Alison Oliver as Isabella, shared by [Rose Gallagher](https://rosegallagher.substack.com/p/emerald-fennells-reimagined-wuthering)_ **Radhika Jones:** Yes, this! I kept thinking: what parallel-universe movie is she performing this role in, because I’d like to see that! Fennell is good with that lighter touch. Isabella’s Romeo and Juliet monologue was pitch-perfect. And it did more to explain her character than any amount of ribbons (although the ribbons were fun). **Mina Le:** I think maybe Fennell was trying to replicate Josh O’Connor and Tanya Reynolds’s characters in _Emma_ with Isabella—that sort of weird and off-kilter side character. But it didn’t make sense for this particular movie … and Isabella has quite a lot of substance in the book, too, that she lost here. **Eliza Brooke:** Isabella was giving _Emma_ (2020) for suuure! **Mina Le:** I can definitely see the humor in the ostentatiousness. Maybe my issue was that the film didn’t seem to take itself seriously. Tonally, I was getting whiplash. I mean, this story is pretty tragic, but the confectionery production design is very reminiscent of ’60s-’70s medieval-revival love stories. **Elissa Suh:** It’s hard for me to determine whether the costuming really achieved anything meaningful, because the film overall is muddled and caught between wanting to be subversive while also sticking to traditional conventions of romance—and then failing to really deliver on either. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GbiQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770c82db-dfc4-426f-b83f-b834431fad55_1200x44.png) ### Did Robbie and Elordi actually become Cathy and Heathcliff for you? Was their chemistry convincing? **Mina Le:** Though I think that Robbie and Elordi are great and talented actors, the casting inaccuracy really pulled me out of it. I couldn’t believe them in these roles, unfortunately. Especially when the actors who played Edgar and Isabella more so represented who Heathcliff and Cathy were in my mind, so I kept getting distracted by that loss whenever they came onscreen. **Elissa Suh:** Margot was not always credible to me, even though she tries. She seems a bit too old—no ageism—to play someone going through their first love. I mean, isn’t part of the appeal of Margot Robbie as an actor the way she seems like she was just born a mature woman? Like, this is why we were all in collective shock in 2013 when we found out she was only 20-something years old and playing Leo’s wife in _The_ _Wolf of Wall Street_. I felt like sometimes Cathy—or Robbie as Cathy—was too coy or “modern” in giving a winking kind of performance, but then other times not. Going back to what Mina said earlier, this is definitely part of the tonal whiplash that undermines the film. **Eliza Brooke:** I agree that Margot Robbie doesn’t read as someone who would spy a pair of people getting it on and be shocked by that. I struggled to see either of them as the book’s Cathy and Heathcliff simply because … those characters are not Cathy and Heathcliff! [Elordi’s] Heathcliff in particular bears no resemblance to the vindictive, abusive character in the book. In the movie, he’s noble and loyal as a child, and he’s passionate and devoted as a grown man. People keep calling him a “brute,” and Cathy claims he has a “wicked temper,” but he’s basically a decent guy. I think Fennell has to have it that way in order for him to remain a blameless, gorgeous heartthrob—and in order for Cathy to deserve him, she also has to be less of an asshole than she is in the book. **Radhika Jones:** Exactly. Heathcliff is truly abusive in the book, as much as we might like to forget it. **Mina Le**: In the film, Heathcliff kept referring to himself as “cruel” and “savage”—that was just before the Isabella-in-chains scene, too—but besides his self-declarations, there really were no traces of that? He’s totally a sweetie. **Eliza Brooke:** Yes! On the BDSM bit—when he marries Isabella in the book, he’s unbelievably cruel to her, and she’s utterly miserable for it. In the movie, his “cruelty” translates to giving her what she wants, sexually speaking. Including chaining her up like a dog. **Mina Le:** Another way that Fennell unfortunately strays from the meaning of the novel for the purpose of sex and shock value. **Radhika Jones:** I couldn’t think of them as Cathy and Heathcliff. I’m not a reader who visualizes characters, so it wasn’t like they contrasted with specific actors I would have wanted. But the relationship diverges so much from the text that I just thought of them as playing other roles. Elordi in particular seemed like a very gentle Heathcliff. It’s a gentleness that worked so well as the creature in _Frankenstein_, but here it seemed at odds with the story. **Mina Le:** Even his pivot to “sadism” in the second half of the film felt off to me. It didn’t seem aligned with how he developed Heathcliff up to that point. I get that there’s a time jump, but something about it was still unsatisfying to me. I also think Elordi’s Heathcliff is Byronic-hero coded, which is sort of the antithesis of who the character is supposed to be. _Wuthering Heights_ is supposed to be an inversion of the romances of the time. **Elissa Suh:** I also want to say that any potential lack of chemistry is due to the writing and the way the movie unfolds. Elordi and Robbie are talented, but for me, the problem starts at the beginning with the child actors (no shade to Owen Cooper and Charlotte Mellington, who are just doing their job). The scenes of earlier life were pretty rote, doing the heavy lifting to ground the romance. We know Cathy and Heathcliff are going to fall in love because we understand the conventions of romance, even if we have never read Brontë. It was like Emerald was operating mechanically with the scenes of their childhood, telling rather than showing us how to feel. This dully-formed character investment carries through to the end of the film for me, so anything between Cathy and Heathcliff later on could only be believed to a certain extent. **Radhika Jones:** The scene when I most believed in all of it was Cathy’s declaration to Nelly that she would marry Linton because she thought it might help raise Heathcliff up. I believed in that moment that she cared about Heathcliff. It was less about the chemistry between the two of them onscreen together, and more about her own conception of how love might direct her life. **Eliza Brooke:** Speaking of Nelly … should we talk about how that character changed? I found it fascinating that, by making Heathcliff and Cathy into star-crossed lovers who aren’t all that terrible, Fennell had to turn someone else into the story’s villain. And Nelly was that guy. **Radhika Jones:** I went back to the book to look at that scene specifically, in her narration of it to Lockwood (in the frame story that’s not in the film). And Nelly does see Heathcliff outside, and she does keep that from Cathy. But in the book, she’s not in a position to control events the way she does in the film, especially at the end. And she’s not set up with a resentful backstory (it’s mentioned early in the film that she’s a bastard child, right? So she’s not just a servant, she’s also an outcast). In the book, she meddles, but she’s not vindictive—or at least, if she is, it’s all mixed up in her unreliable narration and gives the reader something productive to consider. **Eliza Brooke:** Exactly. In the book, when Nelly fails to intervene after Heathcliff overhears Cathy saying that marrying him would “degrade her” (and runs off before her confession of love), it doesn’t seem like she’s trying to punish them. She’s more of a neutral third-party observer. In the movie version, Nelly acts with much more intent. **Elissa Suh:** A person of color who is the help/(hand)maid. How revolutionary. What a disservice to Hong Chau. **Eliza Brooke:** Yep! **Mina Le:** Ironically, I felt that Edgar’s casting (a brown man to represent this character who’s extremely noble) really took away from the important class/racial commentary present in the book (because Elordi’s Heathcliff is white). And in normal circumstances, I would be fine with Hong Chau’s casting (she also did amazing as Nelly), but considering this was totally “colorblind,” it felt like subliminal biases were present. Especially because neither Edgar nor Nelly gets character development that I felt was substantive enough. **Eliza Brooke:** I agree with this. When the two actors of color are playing the villain and the cuck, it reads as subliminal bias. **Radhika Jones:** Hong Chau was so good, I almost wished she had more power. She was incredibly convincing. She reminded me visually of the handmaids in Vermeer paintings, who ferry letters back and forth surreptitiously between lovers. That moment when the camera pulls back and you see all the black and white tile and she’s there with Cathy. I wished there were more quiet moments like that, where, as a viewer, you could sit with the dynamics between two characters and really ponder them. So I was extra-annoyed when her character became more of a cartoon gatekeeper and villain at the end. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!77BC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe976620d-8cc2-4dd6-9e04-7039c9c2f504_1200x44.png) ### I was surprised by how tame the actual sex was in this, compared to _Saltburn_. Maybe that says something about me? Did the eroticism here live up to anyone’s expectations based on the marketing? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7vPn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c8e561b-3bfe-4b8e-9e93-1d53f8e5307c_1456x819.png) _Still shared by [Kevin J. Pettit](https://kevinjpettit.substack.com/p/wuthering-heights-review)_ **Mina Le:** So what did y’all think of all those eggs? **Radhika Jones:** Is it a sign of the times (their times? our times?) that I immediately thought, what a waste of eggs! Eggs are expensive! **Eliza Brooke:** I was feeling bad about the lack of washing machines, personally. **Mina Le:** You know Nelly was pissed. **Elissa Suh:** There’s a certain level of salaciousness one has come to expect from an Emerald Fennell movie, and that is woefully absent here. **Mina Le:** I literally thought Heathcliff was going to hump Cathy’s corpse at the end of the film because of all she put me through with _Saltburn_, and weirdly? Disappointed that nothing happened. **Elissa Suh:** I was waiting for that too! Part of me wonders if Emerald had entertained that thought and was stopped by the studio? **Eliza Brooke:** Yes! Maybe she felt like she couldn’t have two grave-humping scenes in back-to-back movies? (Relatedly, I was shocked, upon recent re-read, to realize that nobody actually humps a corpse in the book. I could have sworn that happened.) **Elissa Suh:** And it would have been more earned here, too. **Radhika Jones:** I had really been hoping Fennell would film a scene that’s in the book in which Heathcliff has Cathy’s coffin dug up and opened, 13 years after her death. He checks her out, notes that she hasn’t started decomposing yet and still looks great, then convinces the sexton to leave a side of her coffin open so he can eventually be buried next to her, with a side of his coffin open, so their bodies can merge for eternity. **Eliza Brooke:** That would have been a stronger ending. Missed opportunity! **Elissa Suh:** Close enough to corpse-humping for me. **Mina Le:** Yeah, and honestly, would’ve done more to show how messed-up their relationship actually was. I think flashing back to them as children made it feel too “happily ever after” and overly sentimental, considering how much destruction they caused. **Radhika Jones:** I love that Brontë goes there. Honestly, when the source text is so extreme, it doesn’t leave much room to maneuver. To Fennell’s credit, a lot of the language that seems over-the-top comes from the novel. But the onscreen sex was, in my opinion, not as credible in the parameters she set. In the fake-parallel-Isabella movie that we’re writing together, yes! **Elissa Suh:** In general, the sex scenes were few and far between, and the ones we did see seemed like pure clickbait, engineered for Instagram. The BDSM lite—if you can even call it that—with Isabella? That’s it? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this movie could’ve benefited from the edgelord tendencies of _Saltburn_ and _Promising Young Woman_. **Eliza Brooke:** Absolutely. If you’re going to show us two freaks in love … show us two freaks in love. **Mina Le:** I wasn’t even sure how much of the BDSM was actually happening between Heath and Isabella, versus overdramatized in her letters to stoke Cathy’s jealousy. Even when Isabella’s yapping with her collar, it’s with the context that Cathy is supposed to stop by. **Elissa Suh:** True. It’s all just a show. The peak of provocation from this movie, it seems, was Elordi’s tongue wagging in people’s ears. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vZy0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1416031b-b1b5-478e-91ff-1b343c2733cb_1200x44.png) ### Fennell skips the second half of the novel, which dives into the trauma Heathcliff and Cathy’s love inflicts on their offspring. Do you think it’s the right choice to focus on the love story versus the full, intergenerational tragedy of the book? Does the audience lose anything significant? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xlwM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe3f4d14d-12b6-4947-aac6-1b0d603e0b7c_1400x787.png) _Still shared by [Douglas Greenwood](https://substack.i-d.co/p/wuthering-heights-is-not-what-you)_ **Eliza Brooke:** We definitely lose something for it! I get why filmmakers avoid the portion of the book that takes place after Cathy’s death, especially when that would mean benching your biggest star. However: what’s so incredible about the book is how Brontë weaves a story about an inescapable cycle of familial abuse that makes monsters out of each progressive generation (until it doesn’t!). I wish that spirit had broken through in this movie, just because it’s so well done in the book. But that wasn’t the love story Fennell wanted to tell. **Mina Le:** Yes, on that last point, I think if these adaptations that focus on the first half are still able to weave in the themes of the book and stay true to the heart of it, I don’t mind them axing off the time jumps and Cathy II and Linton Heathcliff (the fact that they all have the same names is insane, thanks, Ms. Brontë), because I understand it can be more difficult to structure for film. **Radhika Jones:** It’s understandable that any filmmaker would do it, but the revenge part of the novel only comes to some sort of resolution at the end. So in this case, with the focus on the first half, you get Heathcliff trying to exact revenge, but it doesn’t really pay off. In the novel, he goes after Edgar Linton, long after Cathy is dead, to get his hands on the property. That has huge implications in terms of his obsession with gaining power over the people who scorned him. Here, his revenge motivation is more muddled. He’s mad at Cathy for making a mistake. That doesn’t seem like enough to drive his bad behavior. **Elissa Suh:** The motivation was indeed thin to me, who hasn’t read the Brontë. So if you’re not going to go into the depths of character and theme, then you should at least go all out with the sex and kink or what-have-you. Literally anything. **Mina Le:** Honestly, in this version I think they downplayed Heathcliff’s childhood abuse quite a lot, so it’s probably better that Fennell didn’t try to tackle the second half. It wouldn’t feel realistic for this Heathcliff to hold so many grudges. **Eliza Brooke:** 100%! This version of Heathcliff would not abuse his own son like that. **Elissa Suh:** Not having read the book, I can’t speak to specifics, but I think it’s the filmmaker’s right to focus on what they want; but they should have a good reason for doing it. All said and done, this did not amount to much beyond your typical romance with Gothic undertones—I don’t think it’s particularly memorable, and from what you’ve all said, a much more interesting story was originally there. You are all really making me want to read the book. **Radhika Jones:** Heathcliff is deeply unhinged in the book (some of it justified, some not), such that if you made a literal BBC-style miniseries, à la 1994 _Pride and Prejudice_, people would be like, “This is insane, it couldn’t possibly have been written in 1847.” **Elissa Suh:** This is the kind of TV we desperately need. **Radhika Jones:** Right? Clearly there’s an audience for it! Wait, there is a BBC miniseries from 2009! OK, I know what my next watch is. **Elissa Suh:** Just put that on HBO instead of BBC, and voilà. **Mina Le:** Maybe the bright side of this adaptation is that it will spur more interest in _Wuthering Heights_ in general, so we can get the adaptation we want. **Radhika Jones:** Now I’m wondering if there’s a _Clueless-_ type adaptation that is fully contemporary but gets the themes and story contours exactly right. **Eliza Brooke:** Oh, that’s a great question and idea. The tough thing about adapting _Wuthering Heights_ in a way that’s true to the story is that it will be extremely grim. But I think that contemporary viewers have enough of an appetite for misery that it would work out fine. **Radhika Jones:** Let’s pitch it! I think part of the fun of a closer adaptation would be casting the two generations. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rWuv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F97e9b592-7799-4edd-a79f-74adedb761d5_1200x44.png) ### Fennell has said she wanted to make the _Wuthering Heights_ she imagined when she first read the book at 14. Is that a legitimate approach to adaptation—prioritizing the feeling a book gave you over what the book actually says? Should Fennell have just made an original film instead? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GiUo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6a3a323-9aad-40e2-934f-f0fd0acc20d6_666x411.jpeg) _Still shared by [Kayleigh Donaldson](https://gossipreadingclub.substack.com/p/review-wuthering-heights-is-oh-so)_ **Elissa Suh:** That’s an approach for sure, but maybe not a good one. If that was her M.O., then she succeeded—but it still doesn’t make it a good movie. Also, sidenote: I think that adapting the feeling or sensibility of a book (albeit not rooted in nostalgia) and translating that mood to the screen is a legitimate approach. There’s a bit of film theory on that, where André Bazin says, “literal translations are not the faithful ones.” **Radhika Jones:** I wrote in my [opening book club piece](https://substack.com/home/post/p-185548079) about _Wuthering Heights_ that increasingly I think it’s a middle-aged book. We meet Heathcliff in the novel when he’s around 38. He’s seen a lot, he’s endured and occasioned a lot of tragic events. He’s a hollow man. So on the one hand, I think Fennell captures the book you read when you’re 14 (or anyway, the book she read), where all you notice is this doomed, passionate connection between two young people. But the book itself is not merely about that. That said, filmmakers absolutely get to make the films they want. And you can tell in the script that the language of _Wuthering Heights_, that is part of that doomed love story, means a lot to her. **Mina Le:** I think there is a way to adapt something based on how you read it as a child, but that has to somehow be acknowledged and present in the way you tell the story. Not that this is an Oscar-winning idea, but I feel like if it were framed as a 14-year-old girl reading the book, and it went in and out of the story, then that could be a way to show this very specific interpretation that is also sort of wrong. Rob Reiner did this with _The_ _Princess Bride_ (though I haven’t read the book, so maybe there is book-reading-ception in the book). Or with _Stand by Me_, when the main character is later depicted writing his memoir at his desk. **Eliza Brooke:** Oh, I like that idea. And it would be a little nod to the framing device in the book, with Nelly narrating the story to Heathcliff’s new tenant. If I were adapting the book that I remember reading in high school, there would be 100% more grave-fucking. **Elissa Suh:** Emily Brontë would’ve wanted it that way. **Eliza Brooke:** I feel like the story that Fennell actually wanted to tell was _Romeo and Juliet_? As discussed above, there’s a reference to the play right there in the script. Or rather, maybe Fennell wanted to make a version of _Romeo and Juliet_ in the sweeping atmosphere of _Wuthering Heights_. **Radhika Jones:** I think this is why Isabella’s _Romeo and Juliet_ moment was so satisfying to me. It was an addition to the story and dialogue that felt thematically valuable, not gratuitous. **Elissa Suh:** The Baz Luhrmann one? That one has a great sense of play, which is missing here. I think there’s a world where she could’ve managed that in _Wuthering Heights_ (I mean, the quotations!) despite the dark material. **Eliza Brooke:** Speaking of Baz, he and Fennell share a lot of DNA in terms of their over-the-top aesthetics (and willingness to let the aesthetics do the heavy lifting for them). I wonder how much of an inspiration he is for her. **Mina Le:**Okay, guys—I think we’re done! **Radhika Jones:**Most fun in a Google doc ever? **Elissa Suh:** This was so fun! Hope to see you all outside of a Google doc too, one day. **Mina Le:**Yes—we need to get together to pitch our _Wuthering Heights_ adaptation series to HBO. **Elissa Suh**: Substack Productions! [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HfiP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbc0dae9f-c09d-491b-8fa4-655d224d99e6_775x213.png) #### **More on the participants:** * [Elissa Suh](https://open.substack.com/users/232958-elissa-suh?utm_source=mentions) is a culture writer and film critic whose work has appeared in _Vogue_, _Eater_, _New York Magazine_, and MUBI. Her Substack, [Moviepudding](https://moviepudding.substack.com/), pairs reviews of films and food. * [Radhika Jones](https://open.substack.com/users/140012231-radhika-jones?utm_source=mentions) is a writer, editor, and book critic. The former editor in chief of _Vanity Fair_, she is currently running a book club on her [Substack](https://radhikajones.substack.com/). They’re currently reading _Wuthering Heights_, naturally. * [Eliza Brooke](https://open.substack.com/users/1808185-eliza-brooke?utm_source=mentions) is a culture, entertainment, and fashion journalist. Her Substack [The Scumbler](https://open.substack.com/pub/elizabrooke) features interviews alongside essays on film and fashion. * [Mina Le](https://open.substack.com/users/7088927-mina-le?utm_source=mentions) is a writer, actress, and video essayist. Her Substack, [High Brow](https://open.substack.com/pub/minale), analyzes fashion, film, and internet culture. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). [](https://substack.com/profile/107796339-faezeh-takfallah)[](https://substack.com/profile/125534076-crabby-crab)[](https://substack.com/profile/105491102-allyson-carter)[](https://substack.com/profile/8556553-haley-huchler)[](https://substack.com/profile/93506702-fernando-m-rincon) [1,931 Likes](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks)∙ [172 Restacks](https://substack.com/note/p-188076895/restacks?utm_source=substack&utm_content=facepile-restacks) 1,931 235 172 Share Previous [](https://substack.com/@minale?utm_source=byline)A guest post by [Mina Le](https://substack.com/@minale?utm_campaign=guest_post_bio&utm_medium=web) WRITER-ACTRESS-LES MIS ENJOYER[ to Mina](https://minale.substack.com/ ?) [](https://substack.com/@moviepudding?utm_source=byline)A guest post by [Elissa Suh](https://substack.com/@moviepudding?utm_campaign=guest_post_bio&utm_medium=web) Film critic and writer. As seen in Vogue, MUBI, Eater, NYmag, Screen Slate, Cultured, Bomb Magazine, T Magazine, etc. Life's too short for bad movies and bad food.[ to Elissa](https://moviepudding.substack.com/ ?) [](https://substack.com/@radhikajones?utm_source=byline)A guest post by [Radhika Jones](https://substack.com/@radhikajones?utm_campaign=guest_post_bio&utm_medium=web) I'm a writer, editor, and voracious reader, at work on 'Bookish,' a memoir, with Penguin Press. I'm also a former EIC of Vanity Fair, NYT Book Review alum, English Ph.D., and longtime book-club moderator[ to Radhika](https://radhikajones.substack.com/ ?) [](https://substack.com/@elizabrooke?utm_source=byline)A guest post by [Eliza Brooke](https://substack.com/@elizabrooke?utm_campaign=guest_post_bio&utm_medium=web) Freelance journalist and author of The Scumbler, a weekly newsletter dedicated to movies, fashion, culture, and cartoons.[ to Eliza](https://elizabrooke.substack.com/ ?) #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/25234098-michelle-oxman?utm_source=comment) [Michelle Oxman](https://substack.com/profile/25234098-michelle-oxman?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 16](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks/comment/215385117 "Feb 16, 2026, 6:22 PM") Thank you for this article. Now I know I don’t need to see the movie. [Like (126)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks) [12 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks/comment/215385117) [](https://substack.com/profile/34128394-amanda-beyerlein?utm_source=comment) [Amanda Beyerlein](https://substack.com/profile/34128394-amanda-beyerlein?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Feb 16](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks/comment/215391291 "Feb 16, 2026, 6:35 PM") Well, this gave me enough info to decide NOT to watch the movie, which was my inclination any way. My 23 year old daughter and I just read (re-read #4 for me) and talked about the book in order to be able to stay up on the discourse, and I prefer that memory. [Like (84)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks) [1 reply](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks/comment/215391291) [233 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/if-youre-going-to-show-us-two-freaks/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. 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# “January is not a time for beginnings” - The Substack Post [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “January is not a time for beginnings” ### In this edition of the Weekender: calendar doubts, hangover remedies, and the art of the game [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Jan 03, 2026 2,491 108 348 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jRO0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e1eb24-3f6e-4aeb-a9eb-4717c4ee9d0b_2048x2022.png) _Painting by [Kate Kern Mundie](https://substack.com/@katemundieart/note/c-193175084?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re questioning the calendar, curing hangovers, and finding the art in sports. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98XC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa0b3fce6-7cbf-42d5-bcbc-338a09f3b6ea_1026x292.png) ##### _HAPPY NEW YEAR_ ### **Why do we celebrate the new year in January?** Spring is universally understood to be the season of new beginnings. So why do we celebrate the new year in the depths of winter? Romanticon and Samara trace the long, contentious history of the Gregorian calendar. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7mGx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbeded530-bab2-40cd-8405-ece95c6eec4f_669x926.png) ### **[Happy New Year?](https://romanticon.substack.com/p/happy-new-year)** —[Romanticon](https://open.substack.com/users/359598372-romanticon?utm_source=mentions) and [Samara](https://open.substack.com/users/338272881-samara?utm_source=mentions) in [Romanticon](https://romanticon.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > The wheel of the year is the rise and fall of a human life. The year is born on the vernal equinox as the first flowers bloom and the birds return. It grows and copulates and dances through the spring, celebrates its bounteous zenith at the summer solstice, becomes masterful and wise in autumn, then turns inward in preparation for its transition to winter. On the longest night of the year, the darkest of the dark, the year blows out its last candle and dies. > > > This pattern, the story of the Vegetation Deity rising and falling, is the ancient framework for the rites of the year. The drama of a human life unfolds in the annual cycle of the seasons. As the constellations twirl above us, so too the repeating myths of the year’s rituals tell the story of human life. In a sense, it’s a way to transcend the cruel joke of age: our wisdom increases as our strength decreases. By acknowledging and celebrating the passage of the seasons, we can grow wiser every autumn and be rejuvenated every spring. We rise and fall like the seasons; someday we will fall and not rise again, but someone else will, our children and grandchildren and the next generation, and so the big wheel keeps on turning. > > > Within this cycle, the spring equinox is the time of birth and new life. So why do we celebrate New Year’s in the dead of winter? > > > January is not a time for beginnings. It is not a time for initiative or turning over a new leaf. It’s not even an enjoyable time to have a party. Too dark, too cold. This is the time to hibernate, not change a damn thing, stay the course, survive, eat stew, snuggle, sleep. > > > But this particular calendar, a relatively recent imposition on human existence, seems to be here to stay. > > > Like nearly all ancient calendars, the first Roman calendar started on the spring equinox (approximately 21 March). The first four months of the Roman calendar were named after gods (Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius) and the next six were numbered (Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December). This ten-month calendar, which Romans attributed to their legendary founder Romulus, comprised a year of 304 days. > > > The 61-day gap in the dead of winter had no name. The days were not marked, and the world was dead; in fact, it belonged to the dead. The Romans are known for ancestor veneration, which was indeed an important part of their communal life, but there was a precautionary element to it as well. They lived in terror of the vengeful ghosts they deemed responsible for pestilence, death, ruined crops, and drought. These spirits had to be appeased, so the 61 unnamed days of winter were proffered as their time of dominion. During this calendric lacuna, Romans sacrificed goats and dogs, cleaned their houses with salt, and lit bonfires in the dark wintry streets. Especially penitent ones ran through the flames to purify themselves. Nude Luperci priests whipped spectators. > > > Roman king Numa Pompilius (715-673 BCE) apparently did not fear the wrath of the hungry ghosts and decided to end all this moribund nonsense. He added two more months to the calendar: Ianuarius (after Janus, god of beginnings) and Februarius (‘to cleanse by sacrifice,’ a small nod to the fearful rituals of the nameless winter days). His calendar had 355 days, and January was now its start. > > > Absolutely everyone ignored this. They continued celebrating the New Year on the vernal equinox as they always had. For the next six hundred years. > > > In those six hundred years, however, Rome had expanded to span the Italian peninsula, the Mediterranean basin, and much of the Middle East. Running a republic and collecting taxes required a calendar with dates that recurred on an annual basis. > > > The lunar calendar of Numa Pompilius with its scanty 355 days fell out of sync with our actual 365-day solar year, resulting in all sorts of agricultural complications. Planting usually occurred around the vernal equinox, but the calendar had drifted away until the equinox fell in mid-May, which now had no relevance to the agricultural year. The calendar was an unreliable mess. > > > Julius Caesar decided to fix this. [Keep reading](https://romanticon.substack.com/p/happy-new-year) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mDIl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F861dbe12-a69a-4dca-a34d-a9aaf0632686_1184x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KESv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F92ea8211-8b94-483a-a55d-0a1e8e309cdb_1532x2048.png) _“Still Life With Snapper” by [Melissa Clements](https://substack.com/@melissaclements/note/c-188242965?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!l30R!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f1635ca-4d0b-4783-b267-0fe279488b6d_1184x280.png) ##### _PANACEAS_ ### **A philosophy of hangovers** Hopefully your New Year’s hangover has faded by now, but Jack Hanson’s advice should do you well throughout 2026. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JHIQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1f3d0b61-e148-4d48-8c19-02a1ed6bd66b_2048x1749.png) ### **[Cold New Light](https://phantomheresy.substack.com/p/cold-new-light)** —[Jack Hanson](https://open.substack.com/users/22371605-jack-hanson?utm_source=mentions) in [Phantom Heresy](https://phantomheresy.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > The best hangover cure I’ve ever heard of is one I’ve never been in a position to take. It comes from my father. If memory serves (I texted him asking only for permission to share, not a restatement of the procedure), it consists of, first, arriving at work around 5 a.m., that is, on time, a crucial step in alleviating what Kingsley Amis, the greatest writer of the _gueule de bois_, called the ‘metaphysical’ hangover, which he defined as, “that ineffable compound of depression, sadness (these two are not the same), anxiety, self-hatred, sense of failure and fear for the future.” Second, have that work be marine construction, specifically on a barge that travels slowly up and down the salt rivers of Cape Cod. Once the barge is underway, you should tie a long line around your waist, secure the other end to a stern cleat, and, having leapt into the cool water, allow yourself to be towed, floating in the gently churning foam of the vessel’s wake, all the way to the job site. In his telling, you emerge feeling as fresh as if you’d gone to bed at a sensible hour with a glass of warm milk. > > > Obviously, there are some preconditions here that most of us cannot meet. Except for the very strongest and vainest among us, this is a cure that can only be taken in summertime. It will also require you trusting your knot-tying skills even in your diminished state, as well as some particularly tolerant coworkers. And, of course, you’ll have to have a job that, I’d imagine, not terribly many people are willing or able to get. > > > But there is a lot to learn here, both for the morning after and for life. It requires getting up and doing what you planned on doing. (Lest I sound too much like a rise-and-grinder, I want to emphasize that this is not a moral accomplishment—Descartes invented his coordinates system by lying in bed until noon and watching a fly on his ceiling—but a practical necessity. Most of us assume that if we feel bad, we’ll feel better if we stay in bed or, at the most, remove ourselves directly to the couch. In instances of real illness, this is probably true, but in cases of self-made or self-perpetuating diminishment, be it a hangover or persistent anxiety, getting up and out will do you much better than hanging around. It’s an awful fact of life, but it’s true.) > > > It also requires paying attention to how you feel and how you want to feel, not what you’ve done to get that way. Dwelling on the latter is the nastiest part of any hangover, and a cure like this one compels a mindset that you can adopt in any unpropitious circumstances, namely: when you feel terrible, accept that you feel terrible and do what you can to fix it. The time for adjudicating the wisdom of the choices you made to make you feel that way, if it ever comes, is not now. Again, I’m not advocating for any kind of moralism here—or amoralism, which is simply moralism when scared of its own shadow—but a principled adherence to the rule over and against the turbulence of the exception. Incidentally, if the brief academic fad of experimental philosophy were of any value at all (it’s not), it might be worth including hangover remedies in a study of Aristotle’s ethics. > > > It would also lend some support to the Philosopher’s poetics, particularly the cathartic effect of tragedy. Chances are, if you’re currently in rough shape, you won’t be at work, but at home, wondering what to do. Amis heartily recommends reading and music, and even “going off and gazing at some painting, building or bit of statuary,” with the intention of a bit of ritualized emotional processing. “The structure,” he writes, “of…hangover reading and hangover listening, rests on the principle that you must feel worse emotionally before you start to feel better. A good cry is the initial aim.” I would add that it’s best not to go for anything that depicts something you might have directly experienced yourself, especially recently—breakups, death of a parent, career failures, etc.—as this may send you down precisely the spiral you’re hoping to avoid. Choose instead the big picture, existential, unavoidable stuff, which gives you the best of both worlds: the comfort of distance and the perspective of relative scale. [Keep reading](https://phantomheresy.substack.com/p/cold-new-light) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pvg8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86893470-a31a-4f7b-bcf6-2b05bc4042e7_1384x280.png) ##### _PORTRAIT_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N1A5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F498c9776-45b0-4a4d-b63e-a843eba819e5_2000x2000.png) _Drawing by [Aaron Aalto](https://substack.com/@aaraalto/note/c-193364262?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_26J!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe15bcf37-9679-4690-aed1-64114df5e56f_1384x280.png) ##### _POETRY_ ### **Bliss, four ways** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4cL0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F039c6cb0-2d47-40b6-8a8d-ab27b8c206a7_750x523.png) ### **[Four Varieties of Bliss](https://sunworship.substack.com/p/four-varieties-of-bliss)** —[Sam Robinson](https://open.substack.com/users/12158284-sam-robinson?utm_source=mentions) in [Look at the Sun Directly](https://open.substack.com/pub/sunworship) > Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published 1. > > I watch your eyelids flutter with the spirit > of song, beauty of your own making makes you > cry at times, or laugh and run around. Both > extremes stand on either side of the illusory > chasm, appearing as emptiness to naked eyes. > In fact, even that void is full. I’ve spoken of all > this before, and you even listened to me say it. > Now, you are not listening, and I do not speak. > You are singing, and I am writing down thoughts > as they occur to me, one after another, intervening > as little as possible, except for when I travel down > blind alleys, mercifully yet to occur in this instance. > It all just keeps going forward, as if it has no choice. > > > > Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published 2. > > From alchemic morning shame > Can you detect a soupçon of God & his infinite > Love, infinite scorn, et cetera? > All else being equal, time halts and possibility is > Completely lost, likewise keys > Snap off in the little silver mouth that comes > Out of black plastic leather. > My skin pruned overnight. I laid in the rice > Field of divine intervention, > Lo & behold, the world turns again. What does that > Tell you, actually, forget it. > I don’t want to know what the psychic says. > There is a direct line to the Holy > Spirit, unbroken, from my forehead it appears to be > A single antenna, novel organ > For which there is no name. It would be the word > To end all words. Keep quiet, please. [Keep reading](https://sunworship.substack.com/p/four-varieties-of-bliss) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Y7g!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F151d5bc5-2ed5-4812-b6a0-9fb12b0bd0a4_1640x200.png) ##### _ART_ ### **The art of the game** You’ve no doubt seen countdowns of the best albums, films, books, and more from 2025. But have you seen the best sports-art pairings of the year? ### **[The Best of 2025, No. 20-1](https://www.artbutmakeitsports.com/p/the-best-of-2025-no-20-1)** —[ArtButMakeItSports](https://open.substack.com/users/110789978-artbutmakeitsports?utm_source=mentions) in [ArtButMakeItSports](https://www.artbutmakeitsports.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uSXZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fc921d7-3916-4294-9d59-fc97bd19a50e_1456x1820.png) > > _“Red and Blue Composition” (flipped) by Ad Reinhardt, 1941, photo by @mordyphoto_ > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TccM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38c2cc0f-6b2d-4171-8e4c-bcb53368fcb9_1456x1820.png) > > _“Madonna and Child,” artist unknown (National Museum in Warsaw), 1800-1850_ > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4yXI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc10cac4d-34cc-4756-b6c9-24d21487ffb5_1456x1820.png) > > _“The Haywain Triptych” (detail, flipped) by Hieronymus Bosch, 1516, photo by @StephChambers76_ > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9j-h!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9adcc5ae-03df-475b-b666-93a10b56a997_1456x1820.png) > > _“Suprematist Design for a Façade” by Vera Ermolaeva, 1920, photo by @kelcgrant_ > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qWQg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8eee5e30-b8c1-49be-a6e6-769e9a086ed4_1456x971.png) > > _“Under the Wave off Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai, 1830-32, photo by @edgarpix_ > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mRnz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdcb59f51-6add-4885-a2a3-b9371eaba374_1456x1820.png) > > _“The Swan, No. 24, Group IX” by Hilma af Klint, 1914, photo by @artbutmakeitsports_ [Keep reading](https://www.artbutmakeitsports.com/p/the-best-of-2025-no-20-1) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qZRC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe27f53e0-f0fa-4033-ac26-14516c546c32_1184x280.png) ##### _IN MEMORIAM_ [ Samantha Dion Baker Dec 31 Today is the last day to refill MetroCards in NYC, and I’ll miss them. Here’s a tiny one I made a while back to fit into the pocket of a pouch in my sketchbook. 416 17 17](https://substack.com/@samanthadionbaker/note/c-193522686) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xmR9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2ba3ccdd-bb66-43f9-b6e2-ce44aa48c484_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Kate Kern Mundie](https://open.substack.com/users/919937-kate-kern-mundie?utm_source=mentions), [Melissa Clements](https://open.substack.com/users/369459890-melissa-clements?utm_source=mentions), [Aaron Aalto](https://open.substack.com/users/106558933-aaron-aalto?utm_source=mentions), [ArtButMakeItSports](https://open.substack.com/users/110789978-artbutmakeitsports?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Samantha Dion Baker](https://open.substack.com/users/105752484-samantha-dion-baker?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Romanticon](https://open.substack.com/users/359598372-romanticon?utm_source=mentions), [Samara](https://open.substack.com/users/338272881-samara?utm_source=mentions), [Jack Hanson](https://open.substack.com/users/22371605-jack-hanson?utm_source=mentions), [Sam Robinson](https://open.substack.com/users/12158284-sam-robinson?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p6tY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F89259601-cdb2-4fc9-97a6-dcaabfcac70b_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qHGZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1567eca-a259-4fcf-ba13-bf59267961cd_1286x1288.png) Rapper and singer [doechii](https://open.substack.com/users/415713498-doechii?utm_source=mentions) has joined Substack, and [spent the new year](https://substack.com/@doechii/note/c-193778950?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r) “sipping champagne and catching up on saved Substacks like a real bitch.” Stars: they’re just like us. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!25Tw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd71a7b78-f579-4f06-9e47-6cd0b7b7cfe8_1456x749.png) Actor [Ben Sinclair](https://open.substack.com/users/59695504-ben-sinclair?utm_source=mentions), best known for HBO’s High Maintenance, has started a Substack called [Low Maintenance](https://open.substack.com/pub/theguybensinclair). He describes it as “an attempt to understand how identities form, why we cling to them, and how hard it can be to grow out of something that once saved you—especially when other people love you for it.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3fSn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F101a3caa-25eb-4590-93fd-0d4593323c4e_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WhGh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F46c53766-6147-46c4-ae73-c98d3f339005_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). 2,491 108 348 Share Previous Next #### Comments Restacks  [](https://substack.com/profile/331253166-stephanie?utm_source=comment) [Stephanie🧠💰](https://substack.com/profile/331253166-stephanie?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 3](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings/comment/194681850 "Jan 3, 2026, 2:58 PM") And this is the argument yearly BUT every day is the time for new beginnings. Every single day [Like (73)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings) [4 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings/comment/194681850) [](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=comment) [Xian](https://substack.com/profile/7238332-xian?utm_source=substack-feed-item) [Jan 3](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings/comment/194696514 "Jan 3, 2026, 3:33 PM") January is not for beginnings. It is for accounting. The calendar turns, but habits linger, fatigue follows, unfinished work stays where it was. January is cruel in this way. [Like (43)](javascript:void(0))[Reply](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings)[Share](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings) [2 replies](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings/comment/194696514) [106 more comments...](https://post.substack.com/p/january-is-not-a-time-for-beginnings/comments) Top Latest Discussions [“There must be something like the opposite of suicide, whereby a person radically and abruptly decides to start living”](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) [In this edition of the Weekender: the selfishness of free soloing, what we learn in a century, and the strange appeal of keeping chickens.](https://post.substack.com/p/there-must-be-something-like-the) Feb 7•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 3,055 264 331  [“There’s no replacement for text, and there never will be”](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) [In this edition of the Weekender: anti-dystopian TV, experimental poetry, and the enduring power of the written word](https://post.substack.com/p/theres-no-replacement-for-text-and) Jan 24•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,368 100 313  [“I emerge from bed with actual hatred in my heart. I am not a morning person.”](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) [In this edition of the Weekender: pre-dawn rituals, traffic mirrors, and a 1982 portrait of masculinity](https://post.substack.com/p/i-emerge-from-bed-with-actual-hatred) Jan 31•[Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) 2,686 82 136  See all ### ? © 2026 Substack · [Privacy](https://substack.com/privacy) ∙ [Terms](https://substack.com/tos) ∙ [Collection notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) [ ](https://substack.com/signup?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_content=footer)[ ](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&utm_content=web-footer-button) [Substack](https://substack.com/) is the home for great culture

# “An extravagant, delightful, ridiculous, and wholly unnecessary gimmick” [](https://post.substack.com/) # [](https://post.substack.com/)  Discover more from The Substack Post A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). Already have an account? [ ](https://post.substack.com/p/an-extravagant-delightful-ridiculous) [The Weekender](https://post.substack.com/s/the-weekender/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu) # “An extravagant, delightful, ridiculous, and wholly unnecessary gimmick” ### In this edition of the Weekender: London Bridge in the desert, the tension of portrait photography, and a 10-year-old’s guide to fragrance [](https://substack.com/@substack) [Substack](https://substack.com/@substack) Feb 28, 2026 2,350 75 Share [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oSHE!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6e16871a-d8dc-4221-b9d8-b01bd82cabe6_838x842.png) _Artwork by [Priya](https://substack.com/@priyavignetta/note/c-220097054?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ This week, we’re terraforming the desert, sniffing Oreos, and attempting to capture a person’s essence in a photograph. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zCTU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44a9568e-9b5c-48bb-95ba-1723dc721ad2_1026x292.png) ##### _THE DISCOURSE_ ### **Briefly noted** * **Citrini moves markets:**Despite a caveat at the top of [The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis](https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gic) by [Citrini](https://open.substack.com/users/86606269-citrini?utm_source=mentions) and [Alap Shah](https://open.substack.com/users/87659235-alap-shah?utm_source=mentions) that what followed was an imagined scenario, many in the tech and finance sectors viewed the doomer vision of AI-driven economic collapse as if it were news from the future. And the market took notice: the post was cited as a reason the stock market plunged earlier this week. [Michael Burry](https://open.substack.com/users/287900483-michael-burry?utm_source=mentions) described it as a “[brilliant, gut-wrenching approach](https://substack.com/@michaeljburry/note/c-218550753?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)” to predicting AI futures, while [Noah Smith](https://open.substack.com/users/8243895-noah-smith?utm_source=mentions) described it as “[just a scary bedtime story](https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-citrini-post-is-just-a-scary).” Regardless of the accuracy of the narrative itself, it’s hard not to notice when a work of speculative fiction can move very real markets (and inspire [financial firms to publish rebuttals](https://www.citadelsecurities.com/news-and-insights/2026-global-intelligence-crisis/)). * **Anthropic vs the Pentagon:** The federal government and the AI company Anthropic clashed this week over the company’s hard limits on the use of its technology for mass surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons without human oversight. [As of Friday evening](https://maxread.substack.com/p/what-anthropics-fight-with-the-pentagon), the Trump administration seemed ready to make good on its threat to designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” which would bar government contractors from using its products and could, per [Scott Alexander](https://open.substack.com/users/12009663-scott-alexander?utm_source=mentions), [be fatal to the company’s business](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/the-pentagon-threatens-anthropic). Employees at OpenAI and Google have signed open letters urging their own leaders to back Anthropic and commit to the same stances. Meanwhile, San Francisco’s hippy history and its tech present collided on Hippy Hill, where a [“Peace Claude” rally](https://partiful.com/e/8NxKC5RnhTnPWURaXebN?) took place. * **CBK dominates fashion discourse (again):** Ryan Murphy’s show chronicling the love story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has led to a new generation’s obsession with her ’90s minimalism. [anastasiacng](https://open.substack.com/users/8818202-anastasiacng?utm_source=mentions) writes about [CBK’s discernment](https://anastasiacng.substack.com/p/carolyn-bessette-kennedy-and-the) as the real reason behind her enduring popularity, while [Viv Chen](https://open.substack.com/users/42713285-viv-chen?utm_source=mentions) reports that a [“CBK tax” on vintage basics](https://www.themolehill.net/p/the-cbk-tax-has-hit-ebay) has hit eBay and [laura reilly](https://open.substack.com/users/34067217-laura-reilly?utm_source=mentions) lists the [(many) brands trying to capitalize on the moment](https://substack.com/@magasin/note/c-220350911?r=48ea6r&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action). [Allison Bornstein](https://open.substack.com/users/34975750-allison-bornstein?utm_source=mentions) reminds us that [CBK’s consistent sense of style](https://substack.com/@allisonbornstein/note/c-220099624?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r) reflects the fact that she spent only a few years in the public eye before her tragic death. And for those ready to move on from CBK but perhaps not from the ’90s, [Cartoons Hate Her](https://open.substack.com/users/208140520-cartoons-hate-her?utm_source=mentions) has a [broad list of icons to pick from](https://www.cartoonshateher.com/p/90s-style-icons-to-emulate-who-are), including Margaret Thatcher, Al Gore, and Geraldo Rivera. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PfQt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28077871-c75a-4cf2-a2de-c98267019dd1_1184x280.png) ##### _PORTRAITURE_ ### **On photography** Dina Litovsky on the ethics of portrait photography, and why making someone look good isn’t the same as making a good photograph. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zpiM!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49aa9141-a244-4f7b-9f58-b4630bee8ee0_1456x1040.png) ### **[What Does a Photographer Owe the Portrait Subject?](https://dinalitovsky.substack.com/p/what-does-a-photographer-owe-the)** —[Dina Litovsky](https://open.substack.com/users/5933647-dina-litovsky?utm_source=mentions) in [In the Flash](https://open.substack.com/pub/dinalitovsky) > During any portrait session, my mind engages in a constant negotiation between the sitter’s preferred version of themselves and my own interpretation of them. The balance is not symmetrical, because no matter how formidable the person in front of me, the photographer always has more power. Every decision, from what to emphasize or conceal to what expression to tease out, adds up to a representation that is outside the subject’s control. This delicate dance comes with a sense of responsibility to ensure that the final portrait is, at the very least, non-manipulative. What makes the process trickier is that no matter who my subject is, my secret desire is that they, if not love, at least don’t hate the final portrait. That is often a tall order. > > > While [Michael] Heizer laid out his terms up front, many other subjects are less forthright and leave the photographer with more room for interpretation and guesswork. To find the subject’s baseline, I like to ask the person if there are any portraits of them that they love. This gives me a reference point for how they see themselves at their best. In most cases, the image that I’m shown, regardless of the age or sex of the subject, is an idealized representation, but one that is rarely interesting as a photograph. The exercise reveals that while it’s easy to appreciate the artistic merits of someone else’s portrait, when it comes to your own likeness, what matters most is whether the image is flattering. > > > This is where the struggle comes in. One of my hidden photography superpowers has always been understanding how a person likes to be perceived and what their best angles are. I can make people look good, but that doesn’t necessarily add up to a portrait that goes beyond the superficial and holds enough tension to make it interesting. There are requests that I honor, whether it’s avoiding the “bad side” or concealing sensitive areas like a bald patch. But when it comes to framing and emotion, I often end up at odds with the subject, and the tighter their control over their self-presentation, the more I want to break through that facade and catch them outside their comfort zone. > > > There are two genres where the complex calculations of how to best represent the subject are reduced to extreme dead ends—celebrity and political portraiture. Celebrity portraits most often cater to the subject (and their PR), with the intention to flatter and beautify the individual. The portraits employ soft light, neutral expressions, fan-blown hair, heroic poses, and airbrushing to achieve the desired effect. The portraits are pleasing to the eye but forgettable, because a pandering representation will always lack the necessary bite to cut through the noise. > > > On the opposite end of the spectrum is political portraiture, which carries an expectation that a photographer should be critical and harsh when working with an unpopular politician. A few years ago, a magazine put a controversial Republican on the cover with unforgiving light beams that exaggerated the facial pores and made the skin texture look like a volcanic field. I was no more a fan of the politician than most readers of the publication, but I thought the choice of the photo was unethical. Besides taking advantage of the trust between the sitter and the photographer, such an approach, relying on technical cheap shots, lacks the depth and complexity necessary for the image to survive past the immediate cultural moment. > > > The sweet spot between celebrity and political extremes is where most powerful portraits exist. Viewers are more perceptive than we sometimes give them credit for, and a portrait that’s too flattering or too grotesque won’t land the same way as a more nuanced representation. An insightful portrait reflects the sitter’s personality through clues, colors, and positioning, rather than the brute force of technical decisions. [Keep reading](https://dinalitovsky.substack.com/p/what-does-a-photographer-owe-the) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7dM8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4765af96-31b0-46e0-b37b-d8d0d88d2ab8_1184x280.png) ##### _PAINTING_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q1Dk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F17aceb22-3640-4240-96a9-2654b332522d_1084x807.png) _“Peach Quartz” by Lucy Roleff, shared by [Ella Frances Sanders](https://substack.com/@ellafsanders/note/c-218949244?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KTZ7!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd16ea73-df60-49da-9c5e-fa7c1702f3e9_1384x280.png) ##### _FRAGRANCE_ ### **The best-smelling kid at the playground** Anna Dorn and Crissy Milazzo interviewed writer Emily Gould’s 10-year-old son to get the lowdown on Gen Alpha’s perfume preferences. Read on for some excellent mom shade, a review of perfumes that smell like Oreos, and the age-old question: does this smell good, or am I just hungry? [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!StVN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c758391-5183-4f12-83aa-5331f0cdb144_1456x535.png) ### **[Smells like Gen Alpha 🍪🍦🍫](https://samplesluts.substack.com/p/smells-like-gen-alpha)** —[anna dorn](https://open.substack.com/users/1834010-anna-dorn?utm_source=mentions) and [Crissy Milazzo](https://open.substack.com/users/1083513-crissy-milazzo?utm_source=mentions) in [Sample Sluts](https://open.substack.com/pub/samplesluts) > **Do you remember the first fragrance you ever smelled? What was it?** > > > Well, my mom used to really just dive into bottles of perfume (not anymore, she has learned how much she should put on now), and when I was much younger, whenever she would be going to a party or a formal occasion she would have perfume on, and a lot of it, too. The only one I can remember that she wore before recent years was a strong sweet-and-sour plum perfume, which she reminded me the name of which was Umé by Keiko Mecheri, which smells great but not in the amount my mom wore, which would never fail to make my nose hurt with how much she wore. > > > **What is your favorite fragrance right now?** > > > Phlur Vanilla Skin. I really like the strong-at-first, smooth vanilla, or even Oreo (as people have told me) scent, because Oreos are peak. > > > **What does your mom smell like?** > > > My mom wears a great-smelling apple pie-scented perfume called Angels’ Share, and she wears Replica “By the Fireplace” perfume, and they both smell great and she finally knows how much to put on. > > > **You live in Brooklyn: what does it smell like?** > > > > [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mOJp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F41e677ad-048e-4699-955c-2c8d68fb31c2_215x51.png) > > > Just kidding (kinda), but it can smell good, like passing by someone with great perfume, or it can smell absolutely disgusting, such as being on any train station in all of Brooklyn, nobody’s safe. > > > **Do your friends at school like to wear fragrance? If so, what do they wear?** > > > I don’t really know tbh. One of my friends is always like “What’s the point of wearing deodorant or perfume, we’re just 10” (I mean that’s one friend), but when we’re playing sports or having PE, you will not catch more than 1 person within a 3-foot radius of him. [Keep reading](https://samplesluts.substack.com/p/smells-like-gen-alpha) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7ZN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6685d456-c5a7-4b77-a41d-0f03ff3560a1_1384x280.png) ##### _WINTER BLUES_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pqbP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbd2d9733-0fe2-4565-8709-55b1dd88e3ea_840x840.png) _Cartoon by [Avi Steinberg](https://substack.com/@steinbergdrawscartoons/note/c-219175029?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1bc-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ea0dcdc-915b-4b1a-b468-596b33a12e4d_1640x200.png) ##### _POETRY_ ### Coming —By Philip Larkin, shared by [James Marriott](https://substack.com/@jamesmarriott716869/note/c-219926827?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=1cer5b) Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published On longer evenings, Light, chill and yellow, Bathes the serene Foreheads of houses. A thrush sings, Laurel-surrounded In the deep bare garden, Its fresh-peeled voice Astonishing the brickwork. It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon — And I, whose childhood Is a forgotten boredom, Feel like a child Who comes on a scene Of adult reconciling, And can understand nothing But the unusual laughter, And starts to be happy. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KZNv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7a7abcb-b6b8-4710-b3da-431671c73e87_1640x200.png) ##### _CITY PLANNING_ ### **London Bridge, Arizona** In an ode to idealized cities, Naomi Xu Elegant looks at the “kooky midcentury American businessman” who bought the London Bridge, shipped it to the Arizona desert, and built a Disneyfied English village around it. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!hEdy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F633f0c85-4e29-41bb-a95f-56c1d2ef7a4a_910x512.png) ### **[The ideal city](https://naomixe.substack.com/p/the-ideal-city)** —[Naomi Xu Elegant](https://open.substack.com/users/4185585-naomi-xu-elegant?utm_source=mentions) in [luanqibazao](https://open.substack.com/pub/naomixe) > Only about 60,000 people live in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, one of four towns in the southwest founded by Robert P. McCulloch, a land developer, oil, gas and geothermal energy speculator, and purveyor of lawnmowers, garden tractors, car, boat and airplane engines, and, in 1949, the world’s first one-man chainsaw. > > > McCulloch was a man of gorgeously midcentury dreams. He founded and ran six eponymous companies before he died in 1977. With the money he inherited from his father and made from his own superchargers, motor engines, oil exploration, and real estate deals, McCulloch produced a working prototype of a steam-powered coupé (1953), manufactured a fleet of two-seat gyrocopters (a strange cousin of the heli) that he hoped would one day sit in every driveway beside the family car (1969), and launched a passenger airline to ferry prospective residents to the various cities he was spawning in the desert (1970). His California home appeared on the cover of Life Magazine in 1956, billed as a “push-button paradise” of futuristic contraptions: rotating sunbeds, self-heating barbecues, automatic whiskey dispensers, and buttons for drawing curtains and turning on the lights. > > > The doohickey house was located in Palm Springs, about three hours’ drive from Lake Havasu City. McCulloch purchased the land for the city after flying his prop plane over near the border of California and Arizona, scouting for opportunity, and spotting Havasu Lake (actually a reservoir) in the middle of the desert. He enlisted C.V. Wood, the chief designer of Disneyland in Anaheim—which had opened 15 years earlier, in 1955—to design a new town. > > > Lake Havasu City is the site of McCulloch’s most famous shenanigan: in 1968, he purchased the London Bridge from the City of London. McCulloch did not, as is often repeated, believe he was buying the more distinctive Tower Bridge, nor is his exploit the origin of the phrase “I have a bridge to sell you.” The man knew what he was doing! > > > The bridge, too weak to support the increasingly heavy vehicles of the modern world, was sinking into the Thames. Rather than demolishing it to build a new one, the city government thought to save some money by seeing if anyone would want to buy it. McCulloch did. > > > Slab by slab, he had 10,000 tons of 19th-century granite shipped from the UK to an unpopulated patch of desert in Arizona, where he did not even have a river for the bridge to cross. > > > The plan was to reassemble the bridge on dry ground, laying the arches over the sand dunes and then digging the sand out and rerouting a section of the Colorado River to run underneath it. After their permit to do this was denied, Wood, the Disney designer, pulled strings to get an audience with President Lyndon B. Johnson himself, whom he somehow convinced to let them build the bridge and carry out the minor terraforming work necessary for it to actually function as such. > > > It took three years and seven million dollars, thrice as much as it cost McCulloch to purchase all the land that would make up Lake Havasu City. It was an extravagant, delightful, ridiculous, and wholly unnecessary gimmick: what could be more American? [Keep reading](https://naomixe.substack.com/p/the-ideal-city) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aSNu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ad3951b-429f-45fa-8a0c-5cbe8ab65a87_1184x280.png) ##### _PHOTOGRAPHY_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pbEy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F558250bb-9f77-450f-a44b-475304ee0975_1080x1350.png) _“Windows of the 7 train” by Cal Cole, shared by [Everett Williams](https://substack.com/@iameverett/note/c-218546099?utm\_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r)_ [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ochj!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa9a6eabf-aa0f-44d3-8942-3944ad3301e5_1184x280.png) ##### _MUSIC_ ### **Notes from the road** There’s a lot of beauty in Damien Jurado’s dispatch from the road: from the fall of snow to the feeling of history in a venue, from conversations about God with his brother to a live recording of “After Hours Mr. Rogers” by St. Yuma during a soundcheck. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmOZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F82ce9f39-f683-4568-a41d-75cf2e08f641_1456x1742.png) 0:00 -2:33 on your browser. Please upgrade. ### **[Behold, I say unto you.](https://damienjurado.substack.com/p/behold-i-say-unto-you)** —[Damien Jurado](https://open.substack.com/users/249300545-damien-jurado?utm_source=mentions) in [Damien Jurado](https://damienjurado.substack.com/?utm_source=mention&utm_content=writes) > We sailed across the frozen tundra of Wyoming yesterday, through high winds and snow. It was terrifying. > > > We got word of a pileup that had happened just the night before involving twenty semi-trucks and twelve cars. In total, there were two fatalities and countless injuries. The wait for ambulances must have felt like an eternity in the winter storm. > > > There is nothing—no civilization between towns. If you have ever driven on Interstate 80 between Utah and Colorado, you will know what I’m talking about. It’s almost haunting, no matter what the season. > > > The shows have been memorable. After Baker City, Oregon, we were on to Boise, Idaho. We played at a venue I’d never been to before: Shrine Social Club. It was beautiful. > > > You feel the history immediately when entering the building. Just beautiful. All wood. Chairs that have most likely been there since the opening line the outer parameters of the walls. I kept imagining the countless dances that took place there. Cigarette smoke ages a place—in a cool way. At times, I swear I could smell it still lingering. > > > My older brother, who lives in Boise, came out to the show. I have a strong bond with him—one that is spiritual. A devout Mormon whose belief is so real, so deep, that you feel its presence as you stand beside him. I’ve only known a few people like this. It goes without saying just how much I love and deeply admire him. He’s the real deal. > > > We talked for what felt like hours about Jesus and the beliefs pertaining to the Latter-day Saints Church. When he spoke, explaining the answers to my questions, I hung on his every word. When he gave pause while thinking about how to respond to something, it seemed to last an eternity. > > > He would sometimes pause mid-thought, staring into the atmosphere as if he were fishing or cloud-watching, and say, “You know what? That is a great question. I don’t have the answer to that right now. But if you give me some time to think more about it, and perhaps consult the scriptures, I will have an answer for you.” > > > I really respected that. Too many people pretend to know when they don’t. There is a certain beauty in not knowing the answers. It’s human. > > > I walked away challenged, as always after talking with him. I hope to see him again soon. [Keep reading](https://damienjurado.substack.com/p/behold-i-say-unto-you) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!iUHS!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5703b318-2221-4443-b250-268b37e35d15_1032x348.png) ### **Substackers featured in this edition** **Art & Photography:**[Priya](https://open.substack.com/users/146325632-priya?utm_source=mentions), [Ella Frances Sanders](https://open.substack.com/users/1530468-ella-frances-sanders?utm_source=mentions), [Avi Steinberg](https://open.substack.com/users/6950057-avi-steinberg?utm_source=mentions), [Everett Williams](https://open.substack.com/users/3463995-everett-williams?utm_source=mentions) **Video & Audio:**[Damien Jurado](https://open.substack.com/users/249300545-damien-jurado?utm_source=mentions) **Writing:**[Dina Litovsky](https://open.substack.com/users/5933647-dina-litovsky?utm_source=mentions), [anna dorn](https://open.substack.com/users/1834010-anna-dorn?utm_source=mentions), [Crissy Milazzo](https://open.substack.com/users/1083513-crissy-milazzo?utm_source=mentions), [James Marriott](https://open.substack.com/users/6334572-james-marriott?utm_source=mentions), [Naomi Xu Elegant](https://open.substack.com/users/4185585-naomi-xu-elegant?utm_source=mentions) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MLFs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F015e5968-ed6b-4ca2-8115-19ac6d9229b5_1200x44.png) ### **Recently launched** [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CXxv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b20bdf6-8cda-444e-9a51-6d18f93a24f0_654x580.jpeg) Hot off hosting [Substack’s inaugural Spelling Bee](https://substack.com/@substack/note/c-219809890?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=48ea6r), the writer, comedian, and actress [Cazzie David](https://open.substack.com/users/459544930-cazzie-david?utm_source=mentions) has launched a Substack. In her first post, she asks that [you think of it as an](https://cazziedavid.substack.com/p/how-to-flop-and-get-away-with-it) “ongoing performance art piece about… being irrelevant.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!U5Jk!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F945c874d-a6d5-467d-ba1f-bcc4c8510d76_1382x1382.png) [Ray Dalio](https://open.substack.com/users/453822074-ray-dalio?utm_source=mentions) has launched [Principled Perspectives](https://raydalio.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips), where the global macro investor and writer will be [sharing articles](https://substack.com/@raydalio/note/c-219018784) about “principles, tools, and what’s going on with life, work, economics, markets, politics, the changing world order, AI, the Big Cycle, and other such things.” [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-DWr!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F151230c0-781b-41b5-b6c3-79258c07d333_1200x44.png) _Inspired by the writers and creators featured in the Weekender? Starting your own Substack is just a few clicks away:_ [Start a Substack](https://substack.com/get-started) [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YhxA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc9230c36-a322-4f01-bfe1-c1a134633607_1200x105.png) _The Weekender is a weekly roundup of writing, ideas, art, audio, and video from the world of Substack. Posts are recommended by staff and readers, and curated and edited by Alex Posey out of Substack’s headquarters in San Francisco._ Got a Substack post to recommend? Tell us about it in the comments. * * * #### to The Substack Post By Substack A guide to the creators and stories shaping culture By subscribing, you agree Substack's [Terms of Use](https://substack.com/tos), and acknowledge its [Information Collection Notice](https://substack.com/ccpa#personal-data-collected) and [Privacy Policy](https://substack.com/privacy). 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