Ever felt like something is very wrong with the world but can't put it into words? Here are those words. (henryfudgeofficial.substack.com)

submitted 1 week ago by schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works to c/longreads@sh.itjust.works

17 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Degeneracy is a Symptom: On Conspicuous Despair, the Ponzi stage of being alive, and why your grandparents are wrong about you.

tl;dr: Wealth consolidation and oligopolies have stagnated economic growth. This you probably know, but the author amazingly shows that the rise of "social degeneracy" is merely a symptom of this problem. He tracks this phenomenon around the world and throughout history. We either tackle the problem early and directly or--my words, not his--the rivers will flow with blood.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

r u henry?

[-] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

I refer to him and explictly say I'm using my words, not his, to summarize the article.

What are these breadcrumbs you are hallucinating?

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

no breadcrumbs, just checking.

then, frankly, i can't understand why you may be interested in what he writes or thinks? He is more of a "wannabe influencer" than a thinker (if i may borrow an outdated term). A hyped hotchpotch of things already written, said a million times 🤷

is he trying to sell himself or convey ideas?
It's a curse to belong to his generation. I hope he finds his way 🤷

[-] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

I liked the article, so I shared it.

I think what he did, which I haven't read before, is globalize the phenomenon, which I appreciate, because I find the national boundaries we draw around our problems something a distraction.

I'd also add that if you think writers in published magazines aren't self-promoters, you aren't a very careful reader. Most think pieces are an appeal to some group. For me, the most obvious are the right wing "independent" thinkers whose opinions always seem to line up with capital. Ezra Klein recently gave the game away when Israeli's unpopularity forced him to abandon his pro-Israel stance for reasons that have been obvious for since 1948.

But appealing to audiences is part of the game across the political spectrum, it's not something "this generation" inventeed and therefore you do not need to weep for them.

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

I'd also add that if you think writers in published magazines aren't self-promoters, you aren't a very careful reader.

all my friends are skeletons
and beat the rhythm with their bones

i mostly read people who were long dead before the internets and probably majority of those ghosts haven't even seen screens 🤷

But appealing to audiences is part of the game across the political spectrum, it's not something "this generation" inventeed and therefore you do not need to weep for them

i can't help it. I prefer books written after ideas to ideas gathered to sell books or to promote "self"

i was reading Peter Singer, for example, just before … this. He is still alive 😅 his writing is clear and as the books title (Animal Liberation) suggests, it has more to claim than "me, me, me!

[-] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

i mostly read people who were long dead before the internets and probably majority of those ghosts haven’t even seen screens

That means you are less likely to understand the cultural context they are writing in and how they are speaking to it (ie marketing themselves).

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

That means you are less likely to understand the cultural context they are writing in and how they are speaking to it (ie marketing themselves).

"less likely" indeed. Luckily there are other ways to catch up with the "cultural context"

this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2026

32 points (92.1% liked)

Excellent Reads

3700 readers

22 users here now

Are you tired of clickbait and the current state of journalism? This community is meant to remind you that excellent journalism still happens. While not sticking to a specific topic, the focus will be on high-quality articles and discussion around their topics.

Politics is allowed, but should not be the main focus of the community.

Submissions should be articles of medium length or longer. As in, it should take you 5 minutes or more to read it. Article series’ would also qualify.

Rules:

Common Sense. Civility, etc.
Server rules.
Please either submit an archive link, or include it in your summary.

Other comms that might be of interest:

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

Iliveonsaturdays@sh.itjust.works

awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com

AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works