Member Brief: From Afterthought to Overlord
Welcome to Friday, futurists.
🎧This week on the podcast, we sit down with Kickstarter founder and modern philosopher Yancey Strickler to discuss his newest venture, Metalabel. From ‘Bentoism’ to the Dark Forest of the Internet, we cover the intersection of culture, commerce, and artistic pursuit. Listen now on Apple or Spotify.
The 2025 Future Commerce annual, LORE, is now available for pre-order on Metalabel.
— Phillip
How Washington's Most Unwanted Department Became Its Most Powerful
As Howard Lutnick settles for his silver medal and Vivek Ramaswamy plots the department's demise, America's most unwanted cabinet post has quietly become its most consequential.
In an administration defined by headline-grabbing appointments (Linda McMahon to Education, Matt Gaetz to Justice), the untold story might be how thoroughly America's favorite departmental punching bag has outmaneuvered its critics to become the architect of our technological future.
For Plus Members: the modern Commerce Secretary—from afterthought to overlord.
Gwen Stefani’s Advent Challenge. Singer Gwen Stefani partners with the Hallow app to inspire faith during Advent through prayer and meditation. The challenge features music, including her “Silent Night” rendition, alongside reflections designed to deepen participants’ spiritual preparation for Christmas. Stefani, a devout Catholic, uses this collaboration to blend her artistry with her faith, encouraging fans to explore prayer during the holiday season.
“Make Public Transit Like Spotify” In the latest episode of Subway Takes, a rider suggests a premium subway class and an ad-supported tier. The ‘freemium’ model, taken to the extreme, suggests that software-based incentives have sympathetic influences on real-world interactions.
Don’t Click Dismiss. Google has integrated emergency alerts across its ecosystem, including Google Docs. This is how some Northern California residents learned a Tsunami Warning had been issued following a historic 7.0 magnitude earthquake offshore.
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