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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   1712 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for August 9, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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Do you all think there is a niche for independent writing these days? Could a Scott-like or similar figure rise out of the ashes of the blogosphere and have success, say, on Substack? As far as I can tell, the platform has been quite effective in attracting a small horde of Gen-Z amateur anthropologists, mainly of the ironic post-feminist variety, though many of them have pre-existing credentials that boosted their writing from the get-go. How do you view the current landscape for aspiring authors?

If you can write as good as Sam Kriss, you will enjoy the same success as Sam Kriss. Algorithms make recognition of ability easy, efficient, and reliable. No more languishing in obscurity. The problem is that algorithms also select for cheap, shallow thrills in addition to hardcore skill and talent, so most aspiring writers take the easy route of producing trash for the masses (see KulakRevolt and Scott Alexander) rather than more significant aesthetic works.

Overall, the market for writing may have shrunk as well, as the attention economy has gotten hyper saturated. It may follow the general trend we're seeing of entry and midlevel opportunities drying up as things become more concentrated at the highest levels. That's probably also the work of efficient markets.

What’s a good Sam Kriss passage / article?

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