Jordan Calhoun
@jordanmcalhoun.com
Editor in Chief, Lifehacker
Author, "Piccolo Is Black: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Pop Culture"
I use storytelling to help make sense of the world
Author, "Piccolo Is Black: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Pop Culture"
I use storytelling to help make sense of the world
Pinned
Jordan Calhoun
@jordanmcalhoun.com
· Jun 29
My world on this app is way too small! My skyline is like the same 5 people
If you like movies, TV, books, comics, anime, video games, writing, the NBA, the WNBA, or Broadway, I’d love to follow you!
If you like movies, TV, books, comics, anime, video games, writing, the NBA, the WNBA, or Broadway, I’d love to follow you!
Marathon day is truly the best of NYC. If you’re not running, you’re cheering
November 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Marathon day is truly the best of NYC. If you’re not running, you’re cheering
Gaming is so much fun if you ignore people on YouTube
October 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Gaming is so much fun if you ignore people on YouTube
“There’s been a second divorce.”
October 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
“There’s been a second divorce.”
Is there a way to avoid retreading the “video games as art” discourse while acknowledging how uniquely internet-brained we are when critiquing them? So much of how we talk about games are in reaction to gaming culture—reactions that would sound ridiculous applied to, say, a painting, book, or movie
October 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Is there a way to avoid retreading the “video games as art” discourse while acknowledging how uniquely internet-brained we are when critiquing them? So much of how we talk about games are in reaction to gaming culture—reactions that would sound ridiculous applied to, say, a painting, book, or movie
I have a defining childhood memory of my dad plunging the drain off a flooded basement, and when I asked him why he doesn’t stop he just said, “perseverance.” I still remember the moment the drain cleared
May my daughter remember the Ghost of Yotei boss fight she watched me play until midnight
May my daughter remember the Ghost of Yotei boss fight she watched me play until midnight
October 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
I have a defining childhood memory of my dad plunging the drain off a flooded basement, and when I asked him why he doesn’t stop he just said, “perseverance.” I still remember the moment the drain cleared
May my daughter remember the Ghost of Yotei boss fight she watched me play until midnight
May my daughter remember the Ghost of Yotei boss fight she watched me play until midnight
Gave this a listen, and I hope you do too. I could go on forever about how much I disagree with what they say, but not only is it an interesting topic, it comes from a place of wanting to make culture writing sharper, braver, and more effective at helping us understand and value art
the latest CRITICAL ERROR podcast is about what video game reviews are/aren't
but tbh this week's episode is not for me: youtu.be/u8ysh5lKZOg?...
but tbh this week's episode is not for me: youtu.be/u8ysh5lKZOg?...
Critical Error Is Not For Me
YouTube video by Critical Error
youtu.be
October 10, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Gave this a listen, and I hope you do too. I could go on forever about how much I disagree with what they say, but not only is it an interesting topic, it comes from a place of wanting to make culture writing sharper, braver, and more effective at helping us understand and value art
Taking off, unsure of wifi. Either way, dinner soon to discuss in person please, @carolynmichelle.bsky.social and @jakesteinberg.substack.com! Happy to prove that a writer who avoids binary judgement of art isn’t craven by disagreeing to your faces and hearing your thoughts!
October 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Taking off, unsure of wifi. Either way, dinner soon to discuss in person please, @carolynmichelle.bsky.social and @jakesteinberg.substack.com! Happy to prove that a writer who avoids binary judgement of art isn’t craven by disagreeing to your faces and hearing your thoughts!
I don’t make often disagree with @carolynmichelle.bsky.social but if there’s wifi on this flight I might have the time for this one. For now, suffice to say that this take ain’t it (for me 😂)
“Not for me,” is fake generosity. You’re still calling it bad, but you know others feel differently and you fear being wrong.
Criticism always holds a specific worldview, but this phrase submits to the dominant taste. It's a plea to be tolerated among an imagined higher authority you are upholding.
Criticism always holds a specific worldview, but this phrase submits to the dominant taste. It's a plea to be tolerated among an imagined higher authority you are upholding.
respectfully: no. develop your own taste, absolutely, but own it. it's fine to think that popular thing is bad. it's fine to not have an opinion too, but i see statements like this one all the time and i just want to push back a bit: there's nothing wrong with having the courage of your convictions.
October 7, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I don’t make often disagree with @carolynmichelle.bsky.social but if there’s wifi on this flight I might have the time for this one. For now, suffice to say that this take ain’t it (for me 😂)
I only want to talk about one thing right now #GhostofYotei
October 2, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I only want to talk about one thing right now #GhostofYotei
Related note... constant layoffs lead to awful employees. Everyone knows someone (or *is* someone) whose productivity was decimated for weeks, months, or longer after surviving layoffs. Hard to emotionally recover from it
I root for every independent writer and worker-owned news startup that pops up here (Defector, 404 Media, Rogue, Aftermath, Autonomy News, a million newsletter writers, the list goes on), but most would prefer to not have been effectively forced into entrepreneurship
September 8, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Related note... constant layoffs lead to awful employees. Everyone knows someone (or *is* someone) whose productivity was decimated for weeks, months, or longer after surviving layoffs. Hard to emotionally recover from it
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
It has been over a year since I was laid off and I have given career doomsday prep advice by request to at least a dozen still employed people.
This is my favorite thing I've read in the past week. We typically discuss the job market as it relates to those searching to land a job. But even those *with* jobs feel unsettled and disillusioned, and are planning a raft for when our ship sinks
The Futile Search for the Bullsh*t-Less Job
Total Control + Totalizing Fear
annehelen.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 6:19 PM
It has been over a year since I was laid off and I have given career doomsday prep advice by request to at least a dozen still employed people.
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
I would love HR or payroll or tech support that wasn't me 🥺
Talking to some friends who have never been self-employed sometimes frustrates me because they seem to think that anyone who's not a "worker" is some fat cat CEO "capitalist."
It's like: my dude, I would just like paid sick leave.
Talking to some friends who have never been self-employed sometimes frustrates me because they seem to think that anyone who's not a "worker" is some fat cat CEO "capitalist."
It's like: my dude, I would just like paid sick leave.
"We have to be constantly looking for more work, and avoid ever saying no, and serve as a one-person provider of customer service, social media management, content creation, graphic design, billing, and accounting ... we don’t need HR, or payroll, or tech support, because that’s us, too!"
September 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I would love HR or payroll or tech support that wasn't me 🥺
Talking to some friends who have never been self-employed sometimes frustrates me because they seem to think that anyone who's not a "worker" is some fat cat CEO "capitalist."
It's like: my dude, I would just like paid sick leave.
Talking to some friends who have never been self-employed sometimes frustrates me because they seem to think that anyone who's not a "worker" is some fat cat CEO "capitalist."
It's like: my dude, I would just like paid sick leave.
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
“do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” man i did not know when i fell in love with Creative Work that i would also have to take in their stepchildren, Social Media and Accounting, those little shits should be in boarding school
"We have to be constantly looking for more work, and avoid ever saying no, and serve as a one-person provider of customer service, social media management, content creation, graphic design, billing, and accounting ... we don’t need HR, or payroll, or tech support, because that’s us, too!"
September 7, 2025 at 5:10 PM
“do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” man i did not know when i fell in love with Creative Work that i would also have to take in their stepchildren, Social Media and Accounting, those little shits should be in boarding school
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
Sorta my dilemma as well, that I’ve written out and rewritten and not published but maybe should publish. I am grateful for an independent platform that I can still publish on. That being said, it was not my first choice—I dreamt of a stable newsroom job with good editors and a team to belong to
I root for every independent writer and worker-owned news startup that pops up here (Defector, 404 Media, Rogue, Aftermath, Autonomy News, a million newsletter writers, the list goes on), but most would prefer to not have been effectively forced into entrepreneurship
September 7, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Sorta my dilemma as well, that I’ve written out and rewritten and not published but maybe should publish. I am grateful for an independent platform that I can still publish on. That being said, it was not my first choice—I dreamt of a stable newsroom job with good editors and a team to belong to
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
I cover one of the biggest stories in the country so when I got laid off in November 2023, I naively thought I'd land a full-time job. That quickly turned into "hm ok I can cobble together writing for a bunch of places" to "if I want to devote myself to this beat, I need people to pay me directly"
I root for every independent writer and worker-owned news startup that pops up here (Defector, 404 Media, Rogue, Aftermath, Autonomy News, a million newsletter writers, the list goes on), but most would prefer to not have been effectively forced into entrepreneurship
September 7, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I cover one of the biggest stories in the country so when I got laid off in November 2023, I naively thought I'd land a full-time job. That quickly turned into "hm ok I can cobble together writing for a bunch of places" to "if I want to devote myself to this beat, I need people to pay me directly"
Is “thriving” the right word though? They more seem to be proliferating in step with the scale of industry layoffs. The more sunk ships, the more lifeboats in the water
Indie news startups are thriving, but it's a bummer they had to pivot due to challenges. 🚀 Embracing adversity can spark innovation! Let's back these bold ventures! 💪 #IndieMedia #Entrepreneurship
I root for every independent writer and worker-owned news startup that pops up here (Defector, 404 Media, Rogue, Aftermath, Autonomy News, a million newsletter writers, the list goes on), but most would prefer to not have been effectively forced into entrepreneurship
September 7, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Is “thriving” the right word though? They more seem to be proliferating in step with the scale of industry layoffs. The more sunk ships, the more lifeboats in the water
Twice a year I text @lebassett.bsky.social with some version of "is any of this viable?"
Everyone is an entrepreneur now. Which can be great (be your own boss! total freedom! glorious purpose!) but seems awful for 99% of the people I know, particularly writers
September 7, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Twice a year I text @lebassett.bsky.social with some version of "is any of this viable?"
This is my favorite thing I've read in the past week. We typically discuss the job market as it relates to those searching to land a job. But even those *with* jobs feel unsettled and disillusioned, and are planning a raft for when our ship sinks
The Futile Search for the Bullsh*t-Less Job
Total Control + Totalizing Fear
annehelen.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 3:26 PM
This is my favorite thing I've read in the past week. We typically discuss the job market as it relates to those searching to land a job. But even those *with* jobs feel unsettled and disillusioned, and are planning a raft for when our ship sinks
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
Hi did you move your newsletter away from substack? drop it in the replies so people can find you and subscribe! I am big on rewarding good choices
September 2, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Hi did you move your newsletter away from substack? drop it in the replies so people can find you and subscribe! I am big on rewarding good choices
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
The wrong way was seeing it at all lmao
Unfortunately, You Watched ‘Fantastic Four’ The Wrong Way This Weekend
www.forbes.com/sites/paulta...
www.forbes.com/sites/paulta...
Unfortunately, You Watched ‘Fantastic Four’ The Wrong Way This Weekend
While you may have enjoyed watching Fantastic Four: First Steps this weekend, there is a 97% chance you…did it wrong. Mild spoilers follow.
www.forbes.com
July 28, 2025 at 12:49 PM
The wrong way was seeing it at all lmao
In 2022, I wrote so much about TV/movies/games/comics that I burnt out. The pace and workload of a book, newsletter, and job sucked the fun out of it, and needing a unique and insightful take on everything became a chore. So I took a break
3 years later, I think I'm ready to come back
3 years later, I think I'm ready to come back
July 27, 2025 at 11:14 PM
In 2022, I wrote so much about TV/movies/games/comics that I burnt out. The pace and workload of a book, newsletter, and job sucked the fun out of it, and needing a unique and insightful take on everything became a chore. So I took a break
3 years later, I think I'm ready to come back
3 years later, I think I'm ready to come back
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
Everyone is caught up in the performance
jakesteinberg.substack.com/p/a-normal-n...
jakesteinberg.substack.com/p/a-normal-n...
July 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Everyone is caught up in the performance
jakesteinberg.substack.com/p/a-normal-n...
jakesteinberg.substack.com/p/a-normal-n...
New mural, bringing the total to three. I love my apartment, I love my friends, I love art made by humans
July 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
New mural, bringing the total to three. I love my apartment, I love my friends, I love art made by humans
I’m always startled when I see how many push notifications people get. Easily my biggest productivity “hack” is to ban push notifications from everything except texts and maybe 1-2 apps (I allow it for Twitch streams)
Choose when to give apps your attention, don’t help companies choose for you
Choose when to give apps your attention, don’t help companies choose for you
Literally the only push notifications I allow are
1) text messages
2) when is my food going to get here
1) text messages
2) when is my food going to get here
I would rather exit the internet forever then get social media push notifications LOL
July 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I’m always startled when I see how many push notifications people get. Easily my biggest productivity “hack” is to ban push notifications from everything except texts and maybe 1-2 apps (I allow it for Twitch streams)
Choose when to give apps your attention, don’t help companies choose for you
Choose when to give apps your attention, don’t help companies choose for you
Reposted by Jordan Calhoun
At this point anyone still using X as a primary social network should just be shunned. You either a Nazi or not a serious person.
July 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
At this point anyone still using X as a primary social network should just be shunned. You either a Nazi or not a serious person.