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by tomwheeler 23 days ago
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1 comments

It's true; I also started reading the comments before clicking the article. Show of hands?
I actually read the article first, but I find it too long, and unnecessarily so. I am a huge proponent of reading, especially for the acquisition of new knowledge and perspectives, but I consider this form of writing rather entitled, beating around the bush and demanding too much of my time and attention just to make a point or two.
I completely agree. No wonder this form of “journalism” is in decline. It feels so self-indulgent and lacking in awareness of how precious attention really is.
Indeed - Get to the point.
I made it about 15% through the article, but that is a about normal for the Atlantic.

They generally get their point across and then rattle on for more time than I am interested in reading.

Guess I'm part of the post literate world. I also perfer short stories instead of novels.

There's actually some different content covered later in the article, but yes it is quite long. I'm sure plenty of people consume articles like these by asking LLMs for a summary.
Some jazz hands 'cause I don't want to upset the sensitive Atlantic readership. No, did not read it, did read Clockwork Orange back in high school, still reading every day 42 years later but then I did not attend an Ivy League uni in the 2020's so that probably explains a lot.
Well, you missed this:

>Of course, the new republic was not always a haven for sober analysis. The Founding Fathers attacked their enemies in the papers, spreading lies to incite the public against their opponents. One ally of Thomas Jefferson’s called John Adams “a hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”

Yeah pretty much here. I assumed it would be along the lines that reading social media isn't reading and only pretentious novels count.