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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 13, 2026

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So, this is where we're at, huh. Things that were basic and readily accessible have been ruined to the point to get anything worthwhile, you have to pay money for it, now.

The future is absolute dogshit.

(Yes, yes, I get it, if you're not paying money for it you are the product blah blah blah. Atleast allow me a moment to scream to the heavens when I witness how far we've fallen from greatness.)

Everyone wants what they want. Nobody ever wants to pay for it. You end up paying regardless, one way or another; even with Google. Yeah it’s a minor annoyance, but I have no problems paying for Kagi. The benefit I get is much greater than the cost.

Yes, yes, I get it, if you're not paying money for it you are the product blah blah blah.

You can't really just fast talk through that point though, at no point in history was Google a charity. They were never offering free search because they just believed it was the right thing to do for humanity. They've always believed they were getting something valuable out of the exchange, either immediately or in the future, and that the trade as it used to be became unattractive for one of the parties is not some sort of decadence, just an evolving situation.

At least with a straightforward transaction as with Kagi, it's very clear what they're getting, and as long as they keep getting that the deal is unlikely to change.