JD Shadel
@jdshadel.com
💌 Join the only lifestyle newsletter on the internet ;-) www.esckey.co
Chief Editorial Officer at new media outlet ESC KEY .CO — also the only employee
Work in Condé Nast Traveler (ex-Future of Travel columnist), WaPo, Them, BBC, Vice, more
They/etc
Chief Editorial Officer at new media outlet ESC KEY .CO — also the only employee
Work in Condé Nast Traveler (ex-Future of Travel columnist), WaPo, Them, BBC, Vice, more
They/etc
Pinned
JD Shadel
@jdshadel.com
· May 19
Do you believe in hope after “AI” hype? Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna make the case
In this extended briefing, “TL;DR” = “Totally Legit; Def. Read” because we review “The AI Con,” the spicy new book ready to rattle the broligarchy. Plus, the authors answer ESC KEY .CO’s questions abo...
www.esckey.co
“If they couldn’t be bothered to write this, why should we be bothered to read it?” ‼️
In their cathartic, broligarchy-rattling new book, “The AI Con,” @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social are handing out needles so you, too, can burst the hype bubble.
www.esckey.co/do-you-belie...
In their cathartic, broligarchy-rattling new book, “The AI Con,” @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social are handing out needles so you, too, can burst the hype bubble.
www.esckey.co/do-you-belie...
Reposted by JD Shadel
So thrilled to finally have @ketanjoshi.co on the podcast!
We dig into what the numbers are telling us about the climate impact of data centers — and it’s not a good story. These tech companies need to be held accountable for the climate cost of their AI ambitions!
We dig into what the numbers are telling us about the climate impact of data centers — and it’s not a good story. These tech companies need to be held accountable for the climate cost of their AI ambitions!
Tech giants are building loads of hyperscale data centers to power generative AI. What happened to their climate pledges?
This week @ketanjoshi.co joins @parismarx.com to discuss the greenwashing of data centers and how they’re driving fossil fuel demand.
Full ep: techwontsave.us/episode/304_...
This week @ketanjoshi.co joins @parismarx.com to discuss the greenwashing of data centers and how they’re driving fossil fuel demand.
Full ep: techwontsave.us/episode/304_...
November 27, 2025 at 1:56 PM
So thrilled to finally have @ketanjoshi.co on the podcast!
We dig into what the numbers are telling us about the climate impact of data centers — and it’s not a good story. These tech companies need to be held accountable for the climate cost of their AI ambitions!
We dig into what the numbers are telling us about the climate impact of data centers — and it’s not a good story. These tech companies need to be held accountable for the climate cost of their AI ambitions!
“a sprinkle of Centrist Dad tech authoritarianism” lmfao
Worth saying they tech policy (which is currently economically driven) is not at all left-wing though - strongly influenced by Silicon Valley tech and US foreign policy, with a sprinkle of Centrist Dad tech authoritarianism
Starmer and Reeves run probably the most economically left-wing government of past five decades and yet bleeding support to its left thanks to dumb strategy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
“a sprinkle of Centrist Dad tech authoritarianism” lmfao
Betteridge's Law of Headlines is right yet again!! 🤣
Okay, I hestitate to even share this link, because while I like NYMag I do not want to send this journalist in particular clicks, b ut:
If your framing is that an academic is the "dominant voice" and the underdogs are OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, maybe a fact check in is order??
>>
If your framing is that an academic is the "dominant voice" and the underdogs are OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, maybe a fact check in is order??
>>
Is ChatGPT Conscious?
Many users feel they’re talking to a real person. Scientists say it’s time to consider whether they’re onto something.
nymag.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Betteridge's Law of Headlines is right yet again!! 🤣
i was drafing an email to confirm what coffee shop we should meet at and AI autocomplete — a feature i did not opt into nor consent to — suggested i "finish" the sentence by proposing we meet at a coffee shop that 👏 doesn't 👏 exist 👏
no surprises just like, OK!!!
no surprises just like, OK!!!
November 26, 2025 at 7:53 PM
i was drafing an email to confirm what coffee shop we should meet at and AI autocomplete — a feature i did not opt into nor consent to — suggested i "finish" the sentence by proposing we meet at a coffee shop that 👏 doesn't 👏 exist 👏
no surprises just like, OK!!!
no surprises just like, OK!!!
Reposted by JD Shadel
Maybe the next generation will set its sights on solving systemic problems instead of “My burrito is at a restaurant, but I’m all cozy here so, can a guy with a medical degree from another country bring it to me.” We’ve got that covered, and then some.
November 25, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Maybe the next generation will set its sights on solving systemic problems instead of “My burrito is at a restaurant, but I’m all cozy here so, can a guy with a medical degree from another country bring it to me.” We’ve got that covered, and then some.
Reposted by JD Shadel
November 26, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Candid, class-based analysis of creative work makes some people uncomfortable.
You know what else makes people uncomfortable? Getting stuck in an elevator.
Yes, getting stuck in an elevator is scary. So is the state of working in the media.
Umm, OK lemme explain: www.esckey.co/what-getting...
You know what else makes people uncomfortable? Getting stuck in an elevator.
Yes, getting stuck in an elevator is scary. So is the state of working in the media.
Umm, OK lemme explain: www.esckey.co/what-getting...
What getting trapped in an elevator teaches us about the state of media
Concerned by journalism’s decline and the déjà vu discourse around it? This week, I recap a year of meta media headlines and connect that to the psychological toll of watching your industry collapse. ...
www.esckey.co
November 26, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Candid, class-based analysis of creative work makes some people uncomfortable.
You know what else makes people uncomfortable? Getting stuck in an elevator.
Yes, getting stuck in an elevator is scary. So is the state of working in the media.
Umm, OK lemme explain: www.esckey.co/what-getting...
You know what else makes people uncomfortable? Getting stuck in an elevator.
Yes, getting stuck in an elevator is scary. So is the state of working in the media.
Umm, OK lemme explain: www.esckey.co/what-getting...
Reposted by JD Shadel
leave it to soleil — they always serve: “So if you’re going to do Thanksgiving this year, it behooves you to at least sabotage the vibes a little.”
if you're going to go ahead with Thanksgiving anyway, you might as well be a menace about it!! here are some tips from me, your resident crackpot food critic www.coyotemedia.org/epstein-file...
How to Shoehorn the Epstein Files Into Any Thanksgiving Dinner Conversation
Thanksgiving is for suckers. Here’s how to ruin it for everyone.
www.coyotemedia.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
leave it to soleil — they always serve: “So if you’re going to do Thanksgiving this year, it behooves you to at least sabotage the vibes a little.”
Loving this new newsletter from the stellar @ashendruk.com, (and I don't only say this because she featured the first long-form feature we published on anxiety.eco ... Not-Ship is a really fresh read)
Also in this week's newsletter — my favourite things from elsewhere, featuring:
📉 Precarious UK data from @jamesrball.com
👠 AI slop in the fashion industry by @jdshadel.com
🎸 And a funky new music find: @cosmosheldrake.music-social.com
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
📉 Precarious UK data from @jamesrball.com
👠 AI slop in the fashion industry by @jdshadel.com
🎸 And a funky new music find: @cosmosheldrake.music-social.com
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
There's something irregular about regular prices
Don't let this ubiquitous tactic dupe you into dodgy discounts.
www.not-ship.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Loving this new newsletter from the stellar @ashendruk.com, (and I don't only say this because she featured the first long-form feature we published on anxiety.eco ... Not-Ship is a really fresh read)
Reposted by JD Shadel
Gearing up to drop a lot of dough this Black Friday?
I looked into the data behind the "crossed-out" price. That's the little number that lets you know whether or not you're getting a good deal.
But it all comes down to how it's defined — or not.
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
I looked into the data behind the "crossed-out" price. That's the little number that lets you know whether or not you're getting a good deal.
But it all comes down to how it's defined — or not.
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
There's something irregular about regular prices
Don't let this ubiquitous tactic dupe you into dodgy discounts.
www.not-ship.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Gearing up to drop a lot of dough this Black Friday?
I looked into the data behind the "crossed-out" price. That's the little number that lets you know whether or not you're getting a good deal.
But it all comes down to how it's defined — or not.
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
I looked into the data behind the "crossed-out" price. That's the little number that lets you know whether or not you're getting a good deal.
But it all comes down to how it's defined — or not.
www.not-ship.com/theres-somet...
Reposted by JD Shadel
Don't call it a "bubble."
OpenAI, Microsoft, & Alphabet are just fine with that term because they get to tell you that all the dot-com bubble or the railroad bubble or the whatever bubble was, was a shaking out the greats after an intense period of mania. This isn't a bubble. This is a time bomb.
OpenAI, Microsoft, & Alphabet are just fine with that term because they get to tell you that all the dot-com bubble or the railroad bubble or the whatever bubble was, was a shaking out the greats after an intense period of mania. This isn't a bubble. This is a time bomb.
Opinion from Alphaville: OpenAI is a money pit with a website on top. That much we know already, but since OpenAI is a private company, there’s a lot of guesswork required when estimating the depth of the pit. on.ft.com/44xy39L
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Don't call it a "bubble."
OpenAI, Microsoft, & Alphabet are just fine with that term because they get to tell you that all the dot-com bubble or the railroad bubble or the whatever bubble was, was a shaking out the greats after an intense period of mania. This isn't a bubble. This is a time bomb.
OpenAI, Microsoft, & Alphabet are just fine with that term because they get to tell you that all the dot-com bubble or the railroad bubble or the whatever bubble was, was a shaking out the greats after an intense period of mania. This isn't a bubble. This is a time bomb.
if you're gonna write a substack post critiquing something someone else wrote, i would suggest (a) having the nerve to not put that thing behind a paywall; but (b) if you do put it behind a paywall, have the courtesy to email the person what you said; otherwise i'm not sure you're serious about sass
November 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
if you're gonna write a substack post critiquing something someone else wrote, i would suggest (a) having the nerve to not put that thing behind a paywall; but (b) if you do put it behind a paywall, have the courtesy to email the person what you said; otherwise i'm not sure you're serious about sass
Reposted by JD Shadel
I think there's an interesting study of media to be done looking at who gets labeled an "expert" and who gets labeled a "skeptic". Certainly for coverage of "AI", but I wonder if there are other topics that would make interesting comparisons.
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I think there's an interesting study of media to be done looking at who gets labeled an "expert" and who gets labeled a "skeptic". Certainly for coverage of "AI", but I wonder if there are other topics that would make interesting comparisons.
I hate living in a world where only multinational corporations can afford to open a cafe on the city’s bustling corners
November 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I hate living in a world where only multinational corporations can afford to open a cafe on the city’s bustling corners
Reposted by JD Shadel
when i die i hope the headline begins "LONGTIME NONBINARY BISEXUAL...."
November 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
when i die i hope the headline begins "LONGTIME NONBINARY BISEXUAL...."
Reposted by JD Shadel
Stop the fashion slop: Fake “AI” campaigns destroy creative work -
“The real motivation seems crystal clear: avoiding paying humans.” | JD Shadel for anxiety.eco
www.anxiety.eco/p/stop-the-a...
“The real motivation seems crystal clear: avoiding paying humans.” | JD Shadel for anxiety.eco
www.anxiety.eco/p/stop-the-a...
Stop the fashion slop: Fake “AI” campaigns destroy creative work. Greenwashing makes it worse.
No, replacing creatives with “AI” generated slop is not a climate solution. It obviously does not “increase diversity.” But that’s exactly what brands from Benetton to Levi’s are claiming. The real mo...
www.anxiety.eco
November 15, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Stop the fashion slop: Fake “AI” campaigns destroy creative work -
“The real motivation seems crystal clear: avoiding paying humans.” | JD Shadel for anxiety.eco
www.anxiety.eco/p/stop-the-a...
“The real motivation seems crystal clear: avoiding paying humans.” | JD Shadel for anxiety.eco
www.anxiety.eco/p/stop-the-a...
software is so sloppy now it’s sad
software should work and be boring — not make up fake news about me
software should work and be boring — not make up fake news about me
Microsoft’s AI-powered copy and paste can now use on-device AI
Microsoft’s AI-powered copy and paste can now use on-device AI
Advanced Paste is getting more advanced.
buff.ly
November 20, 2025 at 9:52 PM
software is so sloppy now it’s sad
software should work and be boring — not make up fake news about me
software should work and be boring — not make up fake news about me
I have so many mean, subjective thoughts and yet I am also an angelic cute lil baby creature anyway yeah is it the weekend yet??
November 20, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I have so many mean, subjective thoughts and yet I am also an angelic cute lil baby creature anyway yeah is it the weekend yet??
Reposted by JD Shadel
finding out recently that almost all the words in the dictionary are not IP and are in fact open source/public domain was an absolute game changer for me as a writer
November 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
finding out recently that almost all the words in the dictionary are not IP and are in fact open source/public domain was an absolute game changer for me as a writer
nothing makes me hornier than well written alt text
November 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
nothing makes me hornier than well written alt text
Writing is easier the more you do it
Writing is easier the more you do it
I TELL MYSELF LIES!
I AM WEEPING INTO MY KEYBOARD BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EASY AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME!
While failing to write what I’m supposed to write, the construction team down the street has added a floor to a condo
Writing is easier the more you do it
I TELL MYSELF LIES!
I AM WEEPING INTO MY KEYBOARD BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EASY AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME!
While failing to write what I’m supposed to write, the construction team down the street has added a floor to a condo
November 20, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Writing is easier the more you do it
Writing is easier the more you do it
I TELL MYSELF LIES!
I AM WEEPING INTO MY KEYBOARD BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EASY AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME!
While failing to write what I’m supposed to write, the construction team down the street has added a floor to a condo
Writing is easier the more you do it
I TELL MYSELF LIES!
I AM WEEPING INTO MY KEYBOARD BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EASY AND I DO IT ALL THE TIME!
While failing to write what I’m supposed to write, the construction team down the street has added a floor to a condo
Liv Simpliciano, Fashion Revolution’s head of policy and research, tells anxiety.eco: “At COP, frontline activists are literally on their knees pleading for what should be the most basic point of consensus: the right to a livable future.”
www.anxiety.eco/p/feeling-co...
www.anxiety.eco/p/feeling-co...
Feeling COP fatigue from all the climate inaction? Activists tell us how clear the solutions are.
As COP30 wraps up in Brazil, it’s starting to feel like déjà vu: Indigenous communities and activists underscore the urgency of the moment we’re in, while world leaders fail to act. This week, anxie...
www.anxiety.eco
November 20, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Liv Simpliciano, Fashion Revolution’s head of policy and research, tells anxiety.eco: “At COP, frontline activists are literally on their knees pleading for what should be the most basic point of consensus: the right to a livable future.”
www.anxiety.eco/p/feeling-co...
www.anxiety.eco/p/feeling-co...
idk about you but i'm honestly having a lot of fun making myself unhirable on LinkedIn dot com
November 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
idk about you but i'm honestly having a lot of fun making myself unhirable on LinkedIn dot com