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- Did Twitter’s design inevitably led us to Brexit and Trump? July 30, 2025Last week we talked about how mediums—like film and novels—have their own built-in rules, and how those rules necessarily shape the way you can tell stories and express ideas. We made this point, naturally, by talking about Tom Bombadil. This week we’re going to see how the same principles apply online. A social media network […]The Justin Pot Blog
- The Tom Bombadil theory of media literacy July 23, 2025One of the most profound lessons you can learn about media literacy is that it isn’t enough to talk about the content—you need to talk about the medium. People far smarter than me have written books and dissertations about this, but let’s start with an example that’s easy to grasp: the differences between the Lord […]The Justin Pot Blog
- YouTube and the end of “internet culture” July 16, 2025Last week YouTube officially announced that the trending page is going away, to be replaced with separate trending pages just for music, podcasts, and movie trailers. It’s the end of “internet culture”. Let’s back up. In the early days of YouTube—two decades ago—the homepage had a “Featured Videos” box that was curated by YouTube staff. […]The Justin Pot Blog
- Do it anyway. July 1, 2025I hate running. I used to believe that, over time, this would change. I thought, over time, that I would grow to love running out of sheer repetition. This has not happened. I used to think that if I could write for a living I’d never have to work—my hobby would be my job. This also […]The Justin Pot Blog
- What to do if you find a shipwreck and other practical advice I wrote this week June 13, 2025I had a great time writing about what to do if you find a shipwreck over at PopSci. The good news: it’s not impossible! The bad news: you don’t get to keep any treasure. I’ve had a really great time lately writing these sorts of articles, well outside of my wheelhouse. I hope you like it too. […]The Justin Pot Blog
- How to bring democracy to America June 13, 2025Imagine that you, as a philanthropist or activist who wants to help spread democracy across the world, read about a country described as a “flawed democracy.” The report describes the problems that country is facing in this way: low levels of trust in political institutions and the media; institutional gridlock; excessive influence of lobbyists, interest […]The Justin Pot Blog
- Oh No There’s an AI Clippy Now (and other stuff I wrote this week) June 6, 2025I regret to inform you that someone made an actual AI Clippy. The application, which is more art project than useful application, run an actual local large language model right on your computer, allowing you to have the conversations with Clippy you once dreamed about. It’s complete with Windows 98-style graphics for period accuracy. I highly […]The Justin Pot Blog
- The hardest thing I do every week (and how I do it) June 6, 2025I write a lot. I’ve finished just shy of 150 articles so far this year between Lifehacker, PopSci, WIRED, and PCMag, an average of 25 articles a month. I love it. The best part of being a freelancer, to me, is that I don’t have to do anything but write. Yes, there is a little […]The Justin Pot Blog
- Dishwashers are great and other stuff I wrote this week May 23, 2025I think dishwashers are great, so I wrote about the science of why you should use your dishwasher over at PopSci. It’s easier to do and better for the environment than hand washing. A point I want to emphasize is that study after study shows that pre-rinsing dishes isn’t necessary, assuming you scrape off excess food and […]The Justin Pot Blog
- Tech is making things easier—just not for you May 23, 2025“Technology makes everything more complicated,” an elderly relative said to me. It’s hard to argue with. In this specific situation she had paid to reserve a parking spot that, it turned out, she didn’t need. She tried to get a refund only to find out that’s not possible—all you can do is try to sell […]The Justin Pot Blog
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