Having been desperate for more Narnia films as a kid really makes me happy to see this properly taking shape. Memories of reading rumours of the horse and his boy being adapted (as a not very world-wise 11yo) have left me cynical!

Another recent example is the transformation of gov websites.

Makes a massive difference in doing admin efficiently, but (unless e.g. like me you're a dual national) you don't ever have perspective on how crap it could be/was. The very improvement achieved in turn makes you *not* notice anything.

On the former, even hacking arguments really do just seem silly ... as if the issue w hackers is an inability to apply the theft act!

Any idea of incentivisation through law around groups/ppl who often revel in their being rogue and criminal is laughable (especially when they're often in russia!)

I have similar feelings from a reader's perspective. More good stuff, no actual iron cross pp Nazis.

The question I wonder is whether what I miss out on *matters*? When I log in, am I just seeing weird twitter-brain or am I seeing important stuff/trends in the UK? Feels hard to tell.

a profound irony when I went to add this to my reading list (for when finals are done and I have time to read again) and the following feature was the first thing to come up

After reading some other comments I wonder if the issue could also be that 'second hand' has an implicit bad quality grading. Refers to there being a prior owner AND the item being well worn.

Vintage refers to 2h AND good quality (see, similarly, like new).

(agree on the preloved hate though)

What slightly scares me is I don't see how we break the cycle. And insofar as these things tend to push people step-by-step to the more extreme, where will this take some politicians? Are we doomed to fascism for the sake of twitter blue engagement payments? What a way to go.

Further evidence for your great piece's basic thesis is in the always internet popular 'gruel'-y quotes, like the ones on those annoying ig/pinterest accounts telling you to love yourself or something. Esp. telling that ai is massive in that kind of thing now—but people loved it even as human slop!

I’m amused at imagining this for older works. I’d love to walk into a living room dominated by a giant, detailed Canaletto in the middle of the floor — not quite sure how I’d react!

/2 Not to say that you can't choose that fishing is the more important thing to protect. But you can't just debate no eu fishing vs eu fishing. One side has more defence investment, potential export benefits, and youth mobility econ benefits. Irritating to see papers analyse *comparatively*.

Amused to see that none of the (albeit relatively tiny) tax rises have been mentioned since the election. Highlights the extent to which this is all fairyland politics where no sacrifices need to be made and anything becomes possible!

People making that equation, however, is one of the many ways in which discussions are prevented from being had in proper good faith. That's bad (I should get back to productive work rather than list reasons why).

And be contrarian if you want to! As much as I am not one — and contrarians can piss me off deeply — there is genuine value in them.

But it doesn't mean that you're the only one in the room 'thinking for yourself'. That question is independent of the substance of your beliefs.