NFTs Are, Quite Simply, Bullshit
NFTs are emblematic of capitalism’s growing retreat from productive activity — and the wealthy’s desire to extend their dominion into the digital ether. They’re worse than useless.
20413 Article(s) by: Julia Goodman
Workers Just Won a Rare Supreme Court Victory Against Wall Street
The Supreme Court isn’t a friend of workers. So a recent ruling that retirees can sue employers who help investment firms rip them off with high fees and poor performance is a rare and crucial win.
Censoring Joe Rogan Is No Solution to Vaccine Misinformation
There’s a campaign underway to kick podcast host Joe Rogan off Spotify for spreading COVID misinformation. But Rogan at his worst couldn’t do as much damage to public trust in science as the political and scientific establishment has during the pandemic.
Biden’s Escalation With Russia Over Ukraine Is a Terrible Idea
Western governments are being called on to send more weapons to Ukraine — an arms buildup that will only escalate a potentially disastrous conflict. What we really need is a comprehensive peace settlement for the region.
REI Is the Latest “Progressive” Company Trying to Bust Its Employees’ Union
Workers at a Manhattan REI store are unionizing with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Their “progressive” employer is doing everything possible to undermine them.
Workers Are Trying to “Democratize Starbucks”
After the successful union drive at several Starbucks stores in Buffalo, New York, more Starbucks workers around the country are interested in unionizing. The latest: Chicago Starbucks workers have filed for a union election.
Chile’s Private Bus Companies Tried to Repress the Working-Class Vote. It Backfired.
On election day in Chile, private bus companies refused to transport working-class voters to polls to help the right-wing candidate. The Left and unions rapidly organized to counteract the boycott — and socialist candidate Gabriel Boric emerged victorious.
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy Is Still Fighting for Justice
Fifty years ago today, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established in Canberra. It successfully pushed Australia’s government to establish indigenous land rights in the 1970s and helped create a model for militant action in indigenous rights struggles today.
The Florida GOP Is Trying to Legislate Corporate Tyranny Over Local Governments
A chilling bill in the Florida legislature aims to punish local governments for passing measures that impede private profits. It’s yet another example of the Republican animus toward democracy — and a warning sign about where national Republicans could be headed.
Why Are US Workers Quitting Their Jobs in Droves?
A recent New York Times article investigates why quitting can spread within a workplace. By only asking white-collar workers, it misses much of the story.
The Most Wasteful Pandemic Relief Program Was the One the Rich Loved
There’s one pandemic program that’s been strikingly immune to attacks over not being targeted or means-tested. Surprise, surprise: it’s the Paycheck Protection Program, which delivered three-quarters of its funds to the upper-quintile income bracket.
Joe Biden Never Wanted a Roosevelt-Style Presidency
When Joe Biden was inaugurated a year ago, many expected his presidency to emulate the reforming ambition of FDR’s New Deal. But that ignores what made the New Deal possible: a climate of militant agitation and a populist president willing to align himself with it.
Union Membership Is Still Declining
Unions raise wages and benefits and increase job security. So, the fact that unionization rates are still in decline, despite some recent bright spots in worker militancy, is very bad news.
Italy’s Recovery Plan Shows Why Public Spending Isn’t Always “Left-Wing”
Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi’s government has been widely hailed for using EU funds to invest Italy’s way out of crisis. Yet while the plan promises big spending, it’s mainly a transfer of public resources to private business.
West Elm Caleb Is a Victim of For-Profit Social Media Companies
The true villains in the “West Elm Caleb” fiasco aren’t Caleb himself nor the women who exposed him — they’re the social media brands that exploit human needs for connection and ruin our lives for profit.
Twee Began as an Unabashedly Radical Subculture
Love it or hate it, twee is back. It’s the subject of innumerable think pieces, but the subculture’s radical roots in feminism, punk, and the fight against Margaret Thatcher often go unnoticed.
Yemen Could Have Peace — If the Saudis Stop Demanding Victory
Yemen’s rich and complex history was upended by its catastrophic civil war beginning in 2014. A peace agreement could help Yemenis recover the frustrated hopes of the 2011 uprising — if Saudi Arabia stops demanding victory for its allies.
Give Us a Three-Day Weekend
We work too much. Now is the time to change that: we need a four-day workweek and a three-day weekend.
The Rise of the Technocrats Has Pushed Italian Democracy Deeper into Crisis
Today, Italian lawmakers begin electing a new president. The president is often seen as a neutral referee standing above politics — but calls for ex–central banker Mario Draghi to take the job show how pro-market dogmas have been hardwired into public life.
What Will the “Metaverse” Do to Art and Culture?
By privileging immediacy and affect, virtual and augmented reality require us to submit to our senses. But culture is not just a matter of feeling — it is also a way of knowing and understanding the world.