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The sanity caucus; AI regurgitates; books as startups: Newsletter 14 January 2026
ByJosh Bernoff January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

Newsletter 131. American business is the last bulwark against authoritarianism. Plus, large language models memorize whole books, Matthew McConaughey™, three people to follow, three books to read, and the virtual book coach. Enough, cried the business interests The checks and balances in our political system have been effectively neutered. Trump dominates the executive and the…

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Politics

Are we at war?
ByJosh Bernoff October 3, 2025October 3, 2025

When the U.S. goes to war, it takes extraordinary actions. Those actions may come into conflict with the rights of citizens and other residents, but there is an argument that they’re still necessary. Do you feel like we are at war? If so, with whom, and what’s the evidence? And does that war justify whatever…

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Books | Politics

How the Trump Administration could threaten book publishers
ByJosh Bernoff September 23, 2025September 23, 2025

Many of us were astounded to see Trump’s FCC chairman Brendan Carr threaten the broadcaster ABC over comments by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. As I explained Friday, The FCC charter explicitly prohibits enforcement actions based on the political content of broadcasts. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was crafted specifically to prevent the government…

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Media | Politics

Regarding the Kimmel affair: Don’t boycott Disney, they’re the victim
ByJosh Bernoff September 19, 2025September 19, 2025

ABC, a Disney property, recently suspended the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and took his show off the air due to pressure from the Trump administration. Some of my friends are suggesting, knee-jerk fashion, that the right reaction is to boycott Disney. But before you do that, you should understand why Disney and ABC made this…

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Media | Newsletter | Politics

Feeding the beast; ChatGPT users revealed; how not to write: Newsletter 17 September 2025
ByJosh Bernoff September 17, 2025September 17, 2025

Newsletter 111. Think twice about recycling your outrage. Plus, not sounding like an AI, how consultants stand out, three people to follow and three books to read. Welcome to the machine You had a busy week. I know. You posted on social media, and I saw it. You’re hurting, like all of us, and I…

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Politics

The Day of the Dove
ByJosh Bernoff September 15, 2025September 15, 2025

In the classic Star Trek episode, “The Day of the Dove,” the crew of the Enterprise and a group of Klingons are pitted against each other. Forced into sharing a small space with equal numbers on a ship they no longer control, they find their passions inflamed. Stratagems are employed. Weapons are wielded. Members of…

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Politics

“Department of War” and other clearer names for cabinet departments
ByJosh Bernoff September 5, 2025September 5, 2025

Yesterday President Trump issued an executive order renaming the Department of Defense to “Department of War.” It was a refreshingly direct description of what the department actually does (or more accurately, the parts of what it does that the Trump administration would like you to focus on). In that spirit, can you identify the renamed…

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Books | Newsletter | Politics

Restless Gen Z; Virtual supermodel; Super Agers ripoffs: Newsletter 20 August 2025
ByJosh Bernoff August 20, 2025August 20, 2025

Newsletter 107: How young adults got a raw deal, preparing for the writing trek, sign onto the Anthropic lawsuit, plus three people to follow, three books to read, and another chance to make your voice heard. Spare a thought for Generation Z I’m a Baby Boomer. Very few of my followers are in Gen Z….

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Books | Newsletter | Politics

Reality threatened; McKinsey’s future; thoughtstipation: Newsletter 6 August 2025
ByJosh Bernoff August 6, 2025August 6, 2025

Newsletter 105. Trump’s ultimate goal is the destruction of reality, or at least how we measure it. Plus, will AI doom consultancies; Johns Hopkins licenses books for a pittance, three people to follow, and three books to read. The war on reality We’ve heard past presidents declare war on concepts: the war on cancer, the…

Read More Reality threatened; McKinsey’s future; thoughtstipation: Newsletter 6 August 2025