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...
Repeat after me: NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING ONE, ASKED FOR PROTEIN IN THEIR STROOPWAFEL
December 30, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Repeat after me: NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING ONE, ASKED FOR PROTEIN IN THEIR STROOPWAFEL
Reposted by JD Shadel
Honored that our article, "The Myth of AGI", was one of Tech Policy Press's Top 30 read pieces of the year.
In some great company here, especially with @eryk.bsky.social's "Anatomy of an AI Coup".
www.techpolicy.press/top-30-most-...
(with @emilymbender.bsky.social)
In some great company here, especially with @eryk.bsky.social's "Anatomy of an AI Coup".
www.techpolicy.press/top-30-most-...
(with @emilymbender.bsky.social)
Top 30 Most Read Pieces on Tech Policy Press in 2025 | TechPolicy.Press
In 2025, Tech Policy Press published over 1,100 posts, including articles, analyses, perspectives, transcripts, trackers, podcasts, and more.
www.techpolicy.press
December 29, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Honored that our article, "The Myth of AGI", was one of Tech Policy Press's Top 30 read pieces of the year.
In some great company here, especially with @eryk.bsky.social's "Anatomy of an AI Coup".
www.techpolicy.press/top-30-most-...
(with @emilymbender.bsky.social)
In some great company here, especially with @eryk.bsky.social's "Anatomy of an AI Coup".
www.techpolicy.press/top-30-most-...
(with @emilymbender.bsky.social)
Reposted by JD Shadel
Something very much worth noting is that there is a lot of 'in between' stuff - degraded industrial land that is expensive to restore, often near good connection points.
Environment groups are already on this case, eg
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
Environment groups are already on this case, eg
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
December 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Something very much worth noting is that there is a lot of 'in between' stuff - degraded industrial land that is expensive to restore, often near good connection points.
Environment groups are already on this case, eg
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
Environment groups are already on this case, eg
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
Reposted by JD Shadel
Back in June, I tagged along with the legendary Mira Nair for an afternoon canvass in Richmond Hill. Production delays (by yours truly) kept this from coming out during the election, but we wanted to share this one with you for the holidays. I hope you enjoy it - this is one of my favorites.
In less than a week, I will be sworn in as the next mayor of New York City. It was only possible because of the more than 100,000 people who volunteered on our campaign. Here’s a story about one of them, my mother.
December 26, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Back in June, I tagged along with the legendary Mira Nair for an afternoon canvass in Richmond Hill. Production delays (by yours truly) kept this from coming out during the election, but we wanted to share this one with you for the holidays. I hope you enjoy it - this is one of my favorites.
Reposted by JD Shadel
It’s warm outside because ya’ll using Chat GPT to see what you would look like as a horse 🙃
December 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM
It’s warm outside because ya’ll using Chat GPT to see what you would look like as a horse 🙃
yet again, r/digitalnomad proves one of the most depressing places on the internet
December 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
yet again, r/digitalnomad proves one of the most depressing places on the internet
🎶 deck the halls …🎶
WHO CAN AFFORD “HALLS”?!?
WHO CAN AFFORD “HALLS”?!?
December 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
🎶 deck the halls …🎶
WHO CAN AFFORD “HALLS”?!?
WHO CAN AFFORD “HALLS”?!?
Reposted by JD Shadel
This is an absolutely brutal journalism prediction for 2026. And it might be right.
December 25, 2025 at 1:35 AM
This is an absolutely brutal journalism prediction for 2026. And it might be right.
still life: baked bean girl deadlinez
December 22, 2025 at 7:23 PM
still life: baked bean girl deadlinez
All the best early internet GIFs mined from 90s websites — using @archive.org's GifCities search engine — and resurfaced in the ESC KEY .CO newsletter in the year of our lord 2025:
Click for the GIFs plus a few words from me on the Archive's Vanishing Culture report www.esckey.co/this-year-in...
Click for the GIFs plus a few words from me on the Archive's Vanishing Culture report www.esckey.co/this-year-in...
This year in early internet GIFs: From dragons to drag queens, retro pixels we resurfaced in 2025
In the past year, I've published 166,351 words on ESC KEY .CO ... alongside a whole bunch of GIFs mined from '90s and early '00s websites. Some of you are just here for the GIFs. That's OK. So, here ...
www.esckey.co
December 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
All the best early internet GIFs mined from 90s websites — using @archive.org's GifCities search engine — and resurfaced in the ESC KEY .CO newsletter in the year of our lord 2025:
Click for the GIFs plus a few words from me on the Archive's Vanishing Culture report www.esckey.co/this-year-in...
Click for the GIFs plus a few words from me on the Archive's Vanishing Culture report www.esckey.co/this-year-in...
Reposted by JD Shadel
support independent media. idk what else to say right now.
December 22, 2025 at 3:24 AM
support independent media. idk what else to say right now.
In the grand scheme of marketing the media, which we need to get better at if we want journalism to exist, I earnestly wish journalists would stop talking about democracy so much and instead talk about the demos
December 22, 2025 at 12:47 AM
In the grand scheme of marketing the media, which we need to get better at if we want journalism to exist, I earnestly wish journalists would stop talking about democracy so much and instead talk about the demos
one thing that irritates me more than anything else is when people say “people don’t read,” like, bro, your anti-intellectualism is showing
or when people think their audiences are dumber than they are … like your prejudice is showing, dude
it’s the “i’m boring but pretending to be a populist”
or when people think their audiences are dumber than they are … like your prejudice is showing, dude
it’s the “i’m boring but pretending to be a populist”
December 22, 2025 at 12:21 AM
one thing that irritates me more than anything else is when people say “people don’t read,” like, bro, your anti-intellectualism is showing
or when people think their audiences are dumber than they are … like your prejudice is showing, dude
it’s the “i’m boring but pretending to be a populist”
or when people think their audiences are dumber than they are … like your prejudice is showing, dude
it’s the “i’m boring but pretending to be a populist”
do you know how many newsletters I could subscribe to with that kind of money
Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, gifted the soccer star a seven-figure watch on his recent trip to India.
Indian Billionaire’s Son Reportedly Gifted This $1.2 Million Richard Mille Watch To Lionel Messi
Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, gifted the soccer star a seven-figure watch on his recent trip to India.
www.forbes.com
December 21, 2025 at 11:13 PM
do you know how many newsletters I could subscribe to with that kind of money
Hot Girl Summer <<< Wet Rat Winter
December 21, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Hot Girl Summer <<< Wet Rat Winter
Reposted by JD Shadel
More like, Alexander the Guncle
December 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
More like, Alexander the Guncle
me at an Impressionist exhibition: “Monet? More like Mehhh-net”
December 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM
me at an Impressionist exhibition: “Monet? More like Mehhh-net”
Reposted by JD Shadel
Want to feel really good about yourself REALLY fucking fast?
Go volunteer somewhere. Show up for people who truly have nothing.
Go DO something that will give you nothing back but a swollen heart and a deepened connection to your humanity.
Go volunteer somewhere. Show up for people who truly have nothing.
Go DO something that will give you nothing back but a swollen heart and a deepened connection to your humanity.
December 20, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Want to feel really good about yourself REALLY fucking fast?
Go volunteer somewhere. Show up for people who truly have nothing.
Go DO something that will give you nothing back but a swollen heart and a deepened connection to your humanity.
Go volunteer somewhere. Show up for people who truly have nothing.
Go DO something that will give you nothing back but a swollen heart and a deepened connection to your humanity.
i remember when this one dropped and the mewithoutYou fanbase was like "wtf??" and i was like "i want a shortbread cookie and german chocolate tart!! ... you rotten wooden mixing spoon!!! ... you no good bird black macaroon!!!" www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fRF...
MeWithoutYou - The Fox, The Crow And The Cookie
YouTube video by MeWithoutYouVEVO
www.youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:49 PM
i remember when this one dropped and the mewithoutYou fanbase was like "wtf??" and i was like "i want a shortbread cookie and german chocolate tart!! ... you rotten wooden mixing spoon!!! ... you no good bird black macaroon!!!" www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fRF...
on-brand that my last big ✨ personal news ✨ of the year is also the item making me feel the most ✨ anxious ... ✨
today, we've launched the first subscriber drive for worker-owned media to hold fashion to account
it's the way we make anxiety.eco, well, sustainable
www.anxiety.eco/p/why-we-nee...
today, we've launched the first subscriber drive for worker-owned media to hold fashion to account
it's the way we make anxiety.eco, well, sustainable
www.anxiety.eco/p/why-we-nee...
Will you be our boss?! Why we need worker-owned media to hold fashion to account.
We’re launching our first subscriber drive. This week, we tell you why — and the reasons you’ll want to be one of our first 500 Founding Members.
www.anxiety.eco
December 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
on-brand that my last big ✨ personal news ✨ of the year is also the item making me feel the most ✨ anxious ... ✨
today, we've launched the first subscriber drive for worker-owned media to hold fashion to account
it's the way we make anxiety.eco, well, sustainable
www.anxiety.eco/p/why-we-nee...
today, we've launched the first subscriber drive for worker-owned media to hold fashion to account
it's the way we make anxiety.eco, well, sustainable
www.anxiety.eco/p/why-we-nee...
Reposted by JD Shadel
I am taking the opportunity to once again remind you of the time Naomi Wolf thought Apple invented time machines run by vaccines
December 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I am taking the opportunity to once again remind you of the time Naomi Wolf thought Apple invented time machines run by vaccines
"‘embrace AI or die’ says German media boss"
i realize this isn't your point, bro, but philosophically speaking, embracing the inevitability of death is actually a really healthy way to live a happy life because it reminds you to avoid being such a silly freaking jerk
www.wsj.com/business/med...
i realize this isn't your point, bro, but philosophically speaking, embracing the inevitability of death is actually a really healthy way to live a happy life because it reminds you to avoid being such a silly freaking jerk
www.wsj.com/business/med...
The German Media Boss Who Can’t Find Anything to Buy in the U.S.
Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner says “embrace AI or die” as he looks to bolster his U.S. media holdings.
www.wsj.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM
"‘embrace AI or die’ says German media boss"
i realize this isn't your point, bro, but philosophically speaking, embracing the inevitability of death is actually a really healthy way to live a happy life because it reminds you to avoid being such a silly freaking jerk
www.wsj.com/business/med...
i realize this isn't your point, bro, but philosophically speaking, embracing the inevitability of death is actually a really healthy way to live a happy life because it reminds you to avoid being such a silly freaking jerk
www.wsj.com/business/med...
Reposted by JD Shadel
The TikTok algorithm is about to be handed to right-wing billionaires.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — TikTok signs deal to sell US unit to American investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake.
December 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
The TikTok algorithm is about to be handed to right-wing billionaires.
Reposted by JD Shadel
Jeez. Nearly a full one third of new fossil gas expansion in the US is specifically for data centres. It's 12% in Germany. It should be 0% in both!!!!
www.urgewald.org/shop/fossile...
www.urgewald.org/shop/fossile...
December 18, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Jeez. Nearly a full one third of new fossil gas expansion in the US is specifically for data centres. It's 12% in Germany. It should be 0% in both!!!!
www.urgewald.org/shop/fossile...
www.urgewald.org/shop/fossile...