Pinned
will Tavlin
@tavlin.bsky.social
· Dec 16
Casual Viewing | Will Tavlin
A decade before Airbnb persuaded homeowners to transform their homes into hotels, Netflix convinced its users to turn theirs into mini Netflix warehouses. Customers who held onto their DVDs for longer...
www.nplusonemag.com
I have an essay about how Netflix destroyed the movies in the new issue of @nplusonemag.com. Read it online and in print!
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/ess...
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/ess...
I recommended some books for this year's bookmatch. Take the quiz already
🚨 Bookmatch is back! 🚨 From now until December 2, make a donation of any amount to n+1 and we’ll send you the Bookmatch quiz—a personality test that will generate a reading list tailored to your tastes and whims. Try the quiz here: secure.givelively.org/donate/n1-fo...
November 4, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I recommended some books for this year's bookmatch. Take the quiz already
Reposted by will Tavlin
The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the humanities? Yes—and every student gets a personal chatbot. www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
Large Language Muddle | The Editors
The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...
www.nplusonemag.com
September 15, 2025 at 3:15 PM
The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the humanities? Yes—and every student gets a personal chatbot. www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
Reposted by will Tavlin
“The retired general [said] more than 10% of Gaza’s 2.2 million population had been killed or injured – “more than 200,000 people”. That estimate is…close to the current figures provided by Gaza’s health ministry, which Israeli officials have frequently dismissed as Hamas propaganda.”
‘We took the gloves off’: ex-IDF chief confirms Gaza casualties over 200,000
Retired general Herzi Halevi says ‘not once’ had legal advice constrained Israel’s military decisions in the strip
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 6:26 PM
“The retired general [said] more than 10% of Gaza’s 2.2 million population had been killed or injured – “more than 200,000 people”. That estimate is…close to the current figures provided by Gaza’s health ministry, which Israeli officials have frequently dismissed as Hamas propaganda.”
Reposted by will Tavlin
For the past year, journalists at CBS News have been up against extraordinary pressure. The network reached a tipping point. Read the report by Adam Piore. www.cjr.org/feature/cbs-...
A Tipping Point at CBS News
“Who would have thought this is the piece that would get me fired?” Bill Owens, the former executive producer of 60 Minutes, said in the screening room. For the past year, CBS journalists have been up...
www.cjr.org
September 11, 2025 at 11:19 AM
For the past year, journalists at CBS News have been up against extraordinary pressure. The network reached a tipping point. Read the report by Adam Piore. www.cjr.org/feature/cbs-...
“'What if we take seriously the idea that AI assistance can accelerate learning — that students today are arriving at their destinations faster?' Hsu asks. But what if we don’t?"
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
Large Language Muddle | The Editors
The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...
www.nplusonemag.com
September 10, 2025 at 8:31 PM
“'What if we take seriously the idea that AI assistance can accelerate learning — that students today are arriving at their destinations faster?' Hsu asks. But what if we don’t?"
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...
Reposted by will Tavlin
This is the most entertaining thing I’ve read in some time, and extremely insightful about the coroprate bland-ification of American life.
@nplusonemag.com spoke with me about the dreaded Cracker Barrel rebrand. www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
The Haunting of Cracker Barrel | A. S. Hamrah, Will Tavlin, Lisa Borst
Semiotically, it's detached from all these kinds of things that it was originally designed for. But this kind of sign was always part of the corporate blandification of the American travel experience....
www.nplusonemag.com
September 2, 2025 at 5:25 PM
This is the most entertaining thing I’ve read in some time, and extremely insightful about the coroprate bland-ification of American life.
Lisa Borst and I spoke to @hamrahrama.bsky.social about the new Cracker Barrel logo
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
The Haunting of Cracker Barrel | A. S. Hamrah, Will Tavlin, Lisa Borst
Semiotically, it's detached from all these kinds of things that it was originally designed for. But this kind of sign was always part of the corporate blandification of the American travel experience....
www.nplusonemag.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Lisa Borst and I spoke to @hamrahrama.bsky.social about the new Cracker Barrel logo
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
Reposted by will Tavlin
As long as we’re on the subject of Netflix and movies (however reluctantly!) I recommend this piece by @tavlin.bsku.social about why so many Netflix movies suck: www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/ess...
Casual Viewing | Will Tavlin
A decade before Airbnb persuaded homeowners to transform their homes into hotels, Netflix convinced its users to turn theirs into mini Netflix warehouses. Customers who held onto their DVDs for longer...
www.nplusonemag.com
August 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
As long as we’re on the subject of Netflix and movies (however reluctantly!) I recommend this piece by @tavlin.bsku.social about why so many Netflix movies suck: www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/ess...
Reposted by will Tavlin
Fascinating and depressing article on why almost everything on Netflix is shit
July 20, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Fascinating and depressing article on why almost everything on Netflix is shit
I went to Il Cinema Ritrovato for @airmail.news airmail.news/issues/2025-...
The Cannes Film Festival of Old Movies
How Il Cinema Ritrovato became an international destination for film fanatics.
airmail.news
July 14, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I went to Il Cinema Ritrovato for @airmail.news airmail.news/issues/2025-...
Reposted by will Tavlin
a political consultancy that does what now?
June 26, 2025 at 12:41 PM
a political consultancy that does what now?
If you're near a landlord, go put your hand in his pocket for no reason
June 25, 2025 at 11:56 AM
If you're near a landlord, go put your hand in his pocket for no reason
Reposted by will Tavlin
He was detained outside church.
“He was in chains at his feet,” Alondra Sotelo-Garcia told a local news outlet about seeing her father arrested. “Shoelaces were taken off, his belt was off, he didn’t have his ring, he didn’t have his watch. Everything was taken from him.”
“He was in chains at his feet,” Alondra Sotelo-Garcia told a local news outlet about seeing her father arrested. “Shoelaces were taken off, his belt was off, he didn’t have his ring, he didn’t have his watch. Everything was taken from him.”
Ice’s ‘inhumane’ arrest of well-known vineyard manager shakes Oregon wine industry
Friends and family of Moises Sotelo ‘disappointed and disgusted’ after respected fixture detained outside church
www.theguardian.com
June 19, 2025 at 8:10 PM
He was detained outside church.
“He was in chains at his feet,” Alondra Sotelo-Garcia told a local news outlet about seeing her father arrested. “Shoelaces were taken off, his belt was off, he didn’t have his ring, he didn’t have his watch. Everything was taken from him.”
“He was in chains at his feet,” Alondra Sotelo-Garcia told a local news outlet about seeing her father arrested. “Shoelaces were taken off, his belt was off, he didn’t have his ring, he didn’t have his watch. Everything was taken from him.”
Reposted by will Tavlin
A man with a green card said ICE agents arrested him in #Lynn, Mass then took him to a detention facility—but first made a detour to a cemetery, where they took him out of their vehicle and beat him.
#mapoli #Massachusetts
#mapoli #Massachusetts
Worker arrested by ICE in Lynn, later released, says agents beat him in cemetery
A Massachusetts man said he told immigration agents multiple times that he's a legal resident and that he was brought to a cemetery where they assaulted him.
www.nbcboston.com
June 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
A man with a green card said ICE agents arrested him in #Lynn, Mass then took him to a detention facility—but first made a detour to a cemetery, where they took him out of their vehicle and beat him.
#mapoli #Massachusetts
#mapoli #Massachusetts
Reposted by will Tavlin
n+1’s 50th issue is out today! Feat. @hzeavin.bsky.social, Andrew Liu, @hamrahrama.bsky.social, @richardbeck.bsky.social, Iman Mersal, @cgvanderburg.bsky.social, Gemma Sack, @sarahlovescali.bsky.social, E. Tammy Kim, Lisa Borst, Gillian Linden, and Maureen McLane. www.nplusonemag.com/magazine/iss...
Issue 50
Content filed under the Issue 50 taxonomy.
www.nplusonemag.com
May 20, 2025 at 3:32 PM
n+1’s 50th issue is out today! Feat. @hzeavin.bsky.social, Andrew Liu, @hamrahrama.bsky.social, @richardbeck.bsky.social, Iman Mersal, @cgvanderburg.bsky.social, Gemma Sack, @sarahlovescali.bsky.social, E. Tammy Kim, Lisa Borst, Gillian Linden, and Maureen McLane. www.nplusonemag.com/magazine/iss...
Reposted by will Tavlin
This was just posted by @tbretc.bsky.social on another platform. The Chicago Sun-Times obviously gets ChatGPT to write a ‘summer reads’ feature almost entirely made up of real authors but completely fake books. What are we coming to?
May 20, 2025 at 11:04 AM
This was just posted by @tbretc.bsky.social on another platform. The Chicago Sun-Times obviously gets ChatGPT to write a ‘summer reads’ feature almost entirely made up of real authors but completely fake books. What are we coming to?
Reposted by will Tavlin
‘Fetterman went on to make statements that shocked people. In opposing a cease-fire, he said, “Let’s get back to killing.” A person who heard the conversation told me, “He said, ‘Kill them all.’”’
John Fetterman’s Struggle
The senator insists he is in good health. But staffers past and present say they no longer recognize the man they once knew.
nymag.com
May 2, 2025 at 11:35 AM
‘Fetterman went on to make statements that shocked people. In opposing a cease-fire, he said, “Let’s get back to killing.” A person who heard the conversation told me, “He said, ‘Kill them all.’”’
I’ll be speaking about Netflix and Casual Viewing at Stanford shortly. Zoom link here: events.stanford.edu/event/four-l...
Four L.A.S.E.R. talks: Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, Islamic Architecture, Art in an Algorithmic World, Casual Viewing
events.stanford.edu
April 15, 2025 at 7:37 PM
I’ll be speaking about Netflix and Casual Viewing at Stanford shortly. Zoom link here: events.stanford.edu/event/four-l...
Reposted by will Tavlin
SCOOP: Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi went into an interview today hoping he would come out a U.S. citizen. Instead, ICE arrested him. theintercept.com/2025/04/14/i...
Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE
Palestinian Columbia student leader Mohsen Mahdawi was called in for a citizenship interview. Instead, ICE arrested him for deportation.
theintercept.com
April 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
SCOOP: Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi went into an interview today hoping he would come out a U.S. citizen. Instead, ICE arrested him. theintercept.com/2025/04/14/i...
The thing about "it's so important to read people who interview people who work at these companies" is the giveaway. The idea that only people who work inside a company can understand it is how journalists become stenographers
Found out that Casey Newton talked about me on a podcast and I cannot stop laughing. Bro is mad :(
April 11, 2025 at 5:06 PM
The thing about "it's so important to read people who interview people who work at these companies" is the giveaway. The idea that only people who work inside a company can understand it is how journalists become stenographers
Reposted by will Tavlin
What a grim paragraph www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/u...
April 10, 2025 at 8:16 PM
What a grim paragraph www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/u...
Reposted by will Tavlin
Deeply concerning: US citizen lawyer getting detained and his phone searched on reentering the U.S. at Customs. www.freep.com/story/news/l...
Lawyer for U-M protester detained at airport after spring break trip with family
Dearborn lawyer says feds tried to seize his cellphone at Detroit Metro Airport as he returned from spring break trip with his family.
www.freep.com
April 8, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Deeply concerning: US citizen lawyer getting detained and his phone searched on reentering the U.S. at Customs. www.freep.com/story/news/l...
Reposted by will Tavlin
NEW—DHS claims, without citing proof, Rumeysa Ozturk "engaged in activities in support of Hamas."
Among "activity" Ozturk engaged in was co-writing an op-ed urging Tufts to heed student resolutions to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide & divest from companies tied to Israel.
Among "activity" Ozturk engaged in was co-writing an op-ed urging Tufts to heed student resolutions to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide & divest from companies tied to Israel.
March 26, 2025 at 7:56 PM
NEW—DHS claims, without citing proof, Rumeysa Ozturk "engaged in activities in support of Hamas."
Among "activity" Ozturk engaged in was co-writing an op-ed urging Tufts to heed student resolutions to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide & divest from companies tied to Israel.
Among "activity" Ozturk engaged in was co-writing an op-ed urging Tufts to heed student resolutions to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide & divest from companies tied to Israel.
Reposted by will Tavlin
