How merchants of style became the institution of art
Natasha Degen’s new book Merchants of Style examines how the fashion industry piggybacked on the Warhol revolution to take
10,000 Gecs as 2023 Culture
Hyperpop provocateurs 100 gecs have a great new album. But if they are "the world's strangest band,
Links on Culture - March 2023
Instagram face, Ozempic, olive oil coffee, Pynchon, and when that submarine most definitely does not come out
Each month I
How technology intersects with status signaling
As much as technologists view their creation of more efficient tools as a democratizing force, new gadgets and apps are
The perils of “ape-brain” overreach
“The Elephant in the Brain” asserts that primates are the best way to understand humans, but why exactly are we
Three Ways of Enjoying Music (and the Reverse Snobbery of Ultra-Poptimism)
The “let people enjoy things” ethos isn’t true egalitarianism because it implicitly denies the fact experts take the most
Links on Culture - January 2023
Floppy Birkins, luxury in Korea, literal corporate rock and fashion, and waiting for the post-internet culture to drop
Each month
Is Cultural Change a Darwinian Process? No.
There is no need to shoehorn the complex process of cultural change into pre-existing biological theories, especially as Darwinism doesn&
Why do we provide status to others?
We are logical to seek status to improve our lives. But our reason for granting higher status to others requires
Rap Capital: Trap as 21st Century Culture
Joe Coscarelli's new book is essential reading on Atlanta's emergence as a major force in contemporary
