Alex Hern
@hern.bsky.social
AI writer at the Economist. I write about it, that is. I’m still human. One of literally dozens of people online who is not American.
And crucially, unlike what came before, playwrights didn't have to wait until they were already famous before receiving income from book sales, which made it easier to earn a living in the early years.
January 13, 2026 at 11:22 AM
And crucially, unlike what came before, playwrights didn't have to wait until they were already famous before receiving income from book sales, which made it easier to earn a living in the early years.
It sounds funny to say "he invented the practice of bundling the playtext and programme together and selling them from opening night" but he did! No-one had done it before! And it wasn't just an idea – it was a reshaping of the entire logistics of that small branch of publishing.
January 13, 2026 at 11:20 AM
It sounds funny to say "he invented the practice of bundling the playtext and programme together and selling them from opening night" but he did! No-one had done it before! And it wasn't just an idea – it was a reshaping of the entire logistics of that small branch of publishing.
It's always funny learning what your own parents were doing while you were barely aware of them as human beings. British theatre is small; my dad had materially changed the publishing industry for playwrights while his company was two people in our back bedroom
January 13, 2026 at 11:19 AM
It's always funny learning what your own parents were doing while you were barely aware of them as human beings. British theatre is small; my dad had materially changed the publishing industry for playwrights while his company was two people in our back bedroom
Americans stubbornly insisting on doing things their way is great for the UK taxpayer. This guy paying £1500 to make a car look silly; Musk paying 10% of global revenues to generate CSAM
January 12, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Americans stubbornly insisting on doing things their way is great for the UK taxpayer. This guy paying £1500 to make a car look silly; Musk paying 10% of global revenues to generate CSAM
I like it too, this guy’s paid for three months of my daughter’s disability support
January 12, 2026 at 9:12 PM
I like it too, this guy’s paid for three months of my daughter’s disability support
gotta say if a fantastically unhealthy octogenarian dying of natural causes is all it takes to win your allegiance i'm surprised you're not partying with baal already
January 12, 2026 at 3:15 PM
gotta say if a fantastically unhealthy octogenarian dying of natural causes is all it takes to win your allegiance i'm surprised you're not partying with baal already
Also how many people have just completely forgotten the near 20 year period of mobile but not smart phones. You can keep in touch with your child without them having a smartphone!
January 12, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Also how many people have just completely forgotten the near 20 year period of mobile but not smart phones. You can keep in touch with your child without them having a smartphone!
one of my favourite distractions from work is laboriously doing my accounts so i can see this
January 12, 2026 at 11:43 AM
one of my favourite distractions from work is laboriously doing my accounts so i can see this
everyone who subscribes to the economist wants, uses and values it as a subscription
January 12, 2026 at 11:21 AM
everyone who subscribes to the economist wants, uses and values it as a subscription
Yeah, which also infringed adult rights, but “you can’t use social media unless you jump through these hoops” is a bigger infringement than “you can’t look at porn”
January 12, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Yeah, which also infringed adult rights, but “you can’t use social media unless you jump through these hoops” is a bigger infringement than “you can’t look at porn”
Yeah. Can’t do full anonymity and age gating. Lots of fairly good tradeoffs imo but they are real trade offs.
January 12, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Yeah. Can’t do full anonymity and age gating. Lots of fairly good tradeoffs imo but they are real trade offs.
Buses invented in 2007 of course
January 12, 2026 at 10:54 AM
Buses invented in 2007 of course
Latter much easier than former imo. Former inherently infringes on adult rights too, latter doesn’t
January 12, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Latter much easier than former imo. Former inherently infringes on adult rights too, latter doesn’t
in other news, crossrail's doing well huh
January 12, 2026 at 9:01 AM
in other news, crossrail's doing well huh