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Aaron Ross Powell

Aaron Ross Powell

@aaronrosspowell.com

Politics, culture, and philosophy through a radical liberal lens. Co-host of the Inner Life of Liberalism podcast.

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All Those Metrics Bleed Your Obsessions

The internet once encouraged us to build entire identities around our weirdest, deepest fascinations. Then metrics and distribution flattened those obsessions into fungible content.

technologywriting

Field Notes: The Architecture of Rationalization

Marginalia on the internet turning bad, platform extraction, and existential restlessness.

Field Notes: Idoru, Incel Culture, and the Social Web

A roundup for the week of September 30

Social Media and Anti-Social Pluralism

Communities are different online and off, and pluralism that thrives in the real world can turn toxic in the digital world.

social mediabluesky

The Anti-Social Life of the Unapologetic Man

On the fantasy of masculinity without accountability.

culturemasculinity

Decentralization is Insurance

And no one's excited to buy insurance.

technologysocial media

We Needn't Have a One True Platform

On Bluesky, user numbers, and the silliness of endless growth.

Distinguishing Labor from Work

We should get rid of the former, if we can, but we should absolutely keep the latter.

Your Internet Doesn't Need to Be Big

But it definitely can be better.

NIMBYism's Slow Cancellation of the Future

How the cost of housing undermines creative dynamism

A Couple of What They Call Media Hits

Liberal virtues and right-wing vices.

blognews and updates

Skillful and Unskillful Politics

Skill is a combination of good intent and sufficient knowledge to act well.