It's tricky with Malcolm Gladwell, because he puts out content that I enjoy on entertainment value, and the content often DOES challenge my biases and makes me want to research things on my own. But he also doesn't interrogate his own sources with the same level of rigor as I do (or most of [chat], I believe). He is famous enough that he gets to talk with interesting people that I like, too. For subjects where academic rigor usually doesn't matter, like say the history of certain genres of music or funny sports stories, he's great. It's the whole pop science shit that feels rather dangerous. A lot of his writing is just one step away from "Just So" stories.
I don't think there's even anything wrong with entertaining just-so stories when they're clearly labeled as such. Entertainment is entertainment, and hey, just-so stories could be true!
The irresponsible thing is giving people a sense that they've achieved greater understanding than they actually have
He is clearly a talented raconteur, though, and there's a place for that
I think this is kind of a problem! People are really bad at evaluating evidence, and "this could be true" is interpreted as "this is probably true" to an alarming degree for an alarming number of people.
Though "clearly labeled as such" is doing enough obfuscation that we might agree, I don't know. I just don't think that "this story could be true" in the realm of pop science is healthy.
In my mind, clearly labelling a just-so story as such includes acknowledgement that they're almost never true (because the total space of not-yet-ruled-out explanations is so huge, at least in the social science areas Gladwell plays around in)
I was going to try to Well Actually the 80s being the last good toy decade but apparently George Lucas has a card that gets him free food for life at any Burger King because of his brand loyalty when doing Star Wars promotions
I dont want one, but man, what a deal, I'd be a king!
But Phantom Menace did all their promos with Taco Bell!
I had a ton of those discs that came with the large pops that you had to match for prizes.
For the youngsters in chat: food was TRASH in the 80s
It wasn't all trash. American Coca-Colas had real sugar in them in the 80s.
I don’t think I ever registered the change and I only barely remember all the New Coke stuff
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TTODewbackPuts the drawl in ya'llI think I'm in HellRegistered Userregular
Sun
the advent of the hot pocket destroyed kid cuisine
why have a soggy vegetable filled meal when you could have a bread log filled with molten hot magma cheese and meat.
I'm pretty sure like, brussels sprouts pre the 90s were literally scientifically less good, because they had more bitter compounds and plant scientists spent like an entire decade making them taste good
I feel like all food was either gray or brown in the 80s. Even the iceburg lettuce, once you removed it from the fridge, would have turned to brown water.
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jungleroomxIt's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovelsRegistered Userregular
Regular Potat
I just had a memory flash of this candy called Bonkers that was like gum but you ate it
+4
ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
Tortilla
all the different novelty cereals that were just rebranded lucky charms
I'm pretty sure like, brussels sprouts pre the 90s were literally scientifically less good, because they had more bitter compounds and plant scientists spent like an entire decade making them taste good
Yup, same as they did with broccoli from the 1960s on.
And spinach and pretty much all the other foods that are actually pretty good but Boomer cartoons have gags about how terrible they are and nobody wants to eat them regardless of healthiness.
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MrMisterJesus dying on the cross in pain? Morally better than us. One has to go "all in".Registered Userregular
One of the biggest criticism's I've seen of Donald Trump's restaurants is that even though they are generally well executed, their menus are straight out of the 80's.
Let that one sink in if anyone wants to talk about how 80's food.
+2
SummaryJudgmentGrab the hottest iron you can find, stride in the Tower’s front doorRegistered Userregular
One of the biggest criticism's I've seen of Donald Trump's restaurants is that even though they are generally well executed, their menus are straight out of the 80's.
Let that one sink in if anyone wants to talk about how 80's food.
from what I’ve heard, he demands a lot of input on the menu and interior design (because he’s B a raging narcissist), and he’s just always had dogshit taste
Like, his favorite dish is meatloaf with ketchup, or a well-done steak with ice cream if he’s feeling fancy
Charlie Kelly would be a better person to run your menu
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jungleroomxIt's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovelsRegistered Userregular
Regular Potat
As much as I love garbage I can’t do Stouffers lasagna
Yes, that’s my breaking point
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jungleroomxIt's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovelsRegistered Userregular
Regular Potat
No ricotta no deal
Just like calzones now for me
+1
ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
Posts
I want one
It was probably the top of the pizza chains at the time though. I think its more they stagnated and everyone else caught up though.
In my mind, clearly labelling a just-so story as such includes acknowledgement that they're almost never true (because the total space of not-yet-ruled-out explanations is so huge, at least in the social science areas Gladwell plays around in)
I seriously loved that shit.
Also I am 50% certain it removed a few years of my life.
But Phantom Menace did all their promos with Taco Bell!
I had a ton of those discs that came with the large pops that you had to match for prizes.
I don’t think I ever registered the change and I only barely remember all the New Coke stuff
why have a soggy vegetable filled meal when you could have a bread log filled with molten hot magma cheese and meat.
it's a perfect metaphor for what happened in the 80s
The 3 Michelin star peak of fine dining in the 1980s was a slab of pan seared salmon. I think about that a lot.
tiny boxes of raisins with every lunch
Yup, same as they did with broccoli from the 1960s on.
And spinach and pretty much all the other foods that are actually pretty good but Boomer cartoons have gags about how terrible they are and nobody wants to eat them regardless of healthiness.
tbf, a slab of pan-seared salmon is great
Also I am not sure when I first had like a normal grape.
This commercial is forever buried in my psyche because of Saturday Morning cartoons (maybe? Could also be after-school TV).
Oh god, their TV commercials terrified me. "Eat a Bonker and be crushed where you stood by giant fruit. And you die laughing."
Flush pocket 🎵
Let that one sink in if anyone wants to talk about how 80's food.
I don’t eat pizza if it’s not X-treme
but i also think i just loved anything with sugar in it
Ahahahaha. Serves Two Point Five.
Ahaha.
Haha.
Ha.
mom's big thing was yogurt raisins because we thought they were candy but they're actually healthy
we never thought they were candy
they aren't actually healthy
It’s not just a pizza it’s a FUCKING WRECKING BALL OF SHIT OH GOD
so many slap bracelets
no child left behind
everyone gets a slap bracelet
They changed their veggie lasagna to have broccoli instead of being spinach, carrots, and cheese because broccoli is cheaper and it is a tragedy.
from what I’ve heard, he demands a lot of input on the menu and interior design (because he’s B a raging narcissist), and he’s just always had dogshit taste
Like, his favorite dish is meatloaf with ketchup, or a well-done steak with ice cream if he’s feeling fancy
Charlie Kelly would be a better person to run your menu
Yes, that’s my breaking point
Just like calzones now for me
why are we looking at a massive picture of jizz on toast?
You know, it actually is a ton of food -- you need about 6 slices of toast to shingle all of it so you can split it with someone easy
It's just that the calories don't include the third party bread you're bringing