Pluralistic: Market participation is exhausting (30 Mar 2026)

Today's links

Market participation is exhausting: No one wants to be the sucker at the table.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: EMI DRM v Brazil; "The Information"; Genome patenter v copyright troll (let them fight); Green investing isn't; Trump loves Big Tech; Kleptones' "24 Hours"; Lasermonks; Ransomware hospital; News co-ops; AI "art" sucks; Swisscom wifi is $838/24h; Millennials don't exist; Why Microsoft's chatbot turned Nazi; NYC's best dumpster-dived food; RIP Diana Wynne Jones; What really happened at the student protests in Trafalgar Square; Church-owned insurer has secret pedo priest files; Names that break databases; Reality-based communities; Hugo for websites; Cop cabs; Fake pediatrician group; Bring Your Own Bigwheeel; "How To Talk About Videogames."
Upcoming appearances: Montreal, London, NYC, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

For-profit healthcare is the problem, not (just) private equity: Competition can't solve the hospice problem.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Inner-tube laces; NZ MPs ejected for talking about sexual assault; Snowden's opsec advice; Xi on interop.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Defense (of the internet) (from billionaires) in depth: "Nonprofits" can and do enshittify.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 20241
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Capitalists hate capitalism: Merck's version of "market pricing" is "whatever we ask for."
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Even if you're paying for the product, you're still the product: Incentives matter, but impunity matters more.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

How lawyers became sadists: What about the incentive not to be perceived as a colossal asshole?
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2020.
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

How Palantir will steal the NHS: Stealth privatisation was always the endgame for public-private-partnerships.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading