i honestly enjoy the Hate Read series but do find it sad that all these writers are reduced to debating about age gaps & menswear bros instead of anything actually new and interesting in culture and politics! the prose in these viral pieces is usually good — and demonstrates a capacity to do better work — but the ecosystem doesn’t create the incentives or space for it
there's so much to agree with here! I wrote a piece about the role of hate-reading and rage bait in fashion and media more broadly last month, and it's been on my mind nonstop since then. we were discussing The Cut in the comments, and it absolutely seems to fall into the same trap – glad to see someone else discussing this!
This is such an interesting phenomenon and you’ve analysed it so well. I wonder if it also has something to do with the media and publishing industry’s investment in making gender normativity “cool” again (there was a great essay sort of about this in Lux a while ago). I’m also always a little jaded about The Cut’s editorial practices because I may or may not have heard a number of times that they steal pitches….
Laughable (and quite telling) that these people think they need anonymity to bash on climber bros, Lessons In Chemistry, and menswear. Like wearing kevlar to a Nerf war.
The Cut essay factory does seem very reminiscent of XO Jane, with a tad more respectability. The shame incurred by XO Jane writers, though, was that they were sacrificing a better future for themselves by writing their hateable overly confessional pieces. But nowadays, when there is no better future, I have to wonder if the only feeling left is a sense of triumph that they at least got noticed.
i honestly enjoy the Hate Read series but do find it sad that all these writers are reduced to debating about age gaps & menswear bros instead of anything actually new and interesting in culture and politics! the prose in these viral pieces is usually good — and demonstrates a capacity to do better work — but the ecosystem doesn’t create the incentives or space for it
some bars here
there's so much to agree with here! I wrote a piece about the role of hate-reading and rage bait in fashion and media more broadly last month, and it's been on my mind nonstop since then. we were discussing The Cut in the comments, and it absolutely seems to fall into the same trap – glad to see someone else discussing this!
another slapper. this anti-rock climbing post got me rolling my eyes out of my head
This is such an interesting phenomenon and you’ve analysed it so well. I wonder if it also has something to do with the media and publishing industry’s investment in making gender normativity “cool” again (there was a great essay sort of about this in Lux a while ago). I’m also always a little jaded about The Cut’s editorial practices because I may or may not have heard a number of times that they steal pitches….
Interesting read, thanks!
Laughable (and quite telling) that these people think they need anonymity to bash on climber bros, Lessons In Chemistry, and menswear. Like wearing kevlar to a Nerf war.
The Cut essay factory does seem very reminiscent of XO Jane, with a tad more respectability. The shame incurred by XO Jane writers, though, was that they were sacrificing a better future for themselves by writing their hateable overly confessional pieces. But nowadays, when there is no better future, I have to wonder if the only feeling left is a sense of triumph that they at least got noticed.