Monday Dispatch – 2024/02/13
A reflection on the incentives of big podcasters. Plus, highlights from the books I've been reading.
Welcome to Monday Dispatch, a bonus publication for premium subscribers with additional notes, deep dives, reading recommendations, and business updates.
(Yes, I know it’s Tuesday, not Monday. Sorry about being late, but I guess better late than never, like it happened last week.)
The Downfall Of Modern Podcasts
I was scrolling YouTube’s algorithmically generated home page when The Downfall Of Modern Podcasts by James Smith caught my attention. I didn’t know the guy before this, looking at his most popular videos, he seems to like debunking pop-fitness advice—while being a fitness influencer himself?!
Side note: James Smith books all have a nice picture of him on the cover. The only book I ever read with the author’s face printed on it that wasn’t crap is The Beginning of Infinity. If you know others, please leave a comment below. I’ll try them and let you know what I think.
Here’s James’ point:
Big podcasts these days aim to push your button and stir controversy. The mechanism is simple: The more people talk about it, the more downloads. The more downloads, the more sponsors will pay the host.
A simple mechanism, but perverse one, too, because the pool of quality guests that people will want to listen to is quickly exhausted. What’s left, if the goal is to gather downloads, views, and clicks on the affiliate links, is to invite guests that will make sensational or controversial (or, ideally, both) claims.
James is probably playing the same game in his video, to be fair. Say something contrarian so people will engage with your video, but I find his argument solid. Do you?
Also, it made me wonder how much of that pattern is at play here on Substack as well. Just by looking at my subscriptions, the biggest in size are those touching divisive topics.
And, yes, this is all anecdotal evidence and that one should go look through the top charts. Still, it makes you think, doesn’t it?
I don’t have a useful takeaway to share here. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you not to trust advice random people utter in microphones, that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and that your favorite podcast host doesn’t really go around with Athletic Greens sachets, enjoy Magic Spoon cereals as a treat, or sleep on a Helix Sleep mattress. (On this note, check out You Can Lie, But Only A Little by
.)I guess this is yet another reminder that we all should choose carefully what we put into our minds.
Which begs the question: Why was I scrolling the YouTube homepage? What can I say, nobody is perfect.
See also:
Stop consuming. Start savoring.
Whenever I hear the term “consuming content,” I picture people pouring colorless sludge down feeding pipes that come out of their heads. The entertainment industry, in particular, seems to have embraced the term content consumption. Streaming services churn out shows nonstop, and every new movie either sets up a franchise or is…
The Sherlock Holmes information diet
The quality of what we create with our minds depends on the raw materials available to them. And while range and variety are essential, we must choose what we feed our minds carefully. Time and mental space are limited. We should use them wisely. No one better exemplifies the approach of
What happened to the January Q&A?
No one sent questions. That’s all.
Make up for it with a double dose of questions for the end of February. Nudge, nudge.
Quotes selection
From The Idea Factory – Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation:
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