Asterisk Magazine
@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev
Substack mirror of Asterisk Magazine. New pieces on Mondays and occasional archives.
Automated feed of https://asteriskmag.substack.com/, find more feeds at @blogsky.venki.dev
Automated feed of https://asteriskmag.substack.com/, find more feeds at @blogsky.venki.dev
Jung's Memories
Jung's Memories
Jung was born 150 years ago. In a special anniversary edition of his biography, all we can see is his shadow
asteriskmag.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Jung's Memories
The First Prophet of Abundance
The First Prophet of Abundance
David Lilienthal’s account of his years running the Tennessee Valley Authority can read like the Abundance of 1944. We still have a lot to learn from what the book says — and from what it leaves out.
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:40 PM
The First Prophet of Abundance
Can You Just Do Things?
Can You Just Do Things?
A conversation about how agency is gained, used, and misused. And also love, drugs, and the Enneagram.
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Can You Just Do Things?
Common Ground between AI 2027 & AI as Normal Technology
Common Ground between AI 2027 & AI as Normal Technology
AI 2027 and AI as Normal Technology were both published in April of this year.
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Common Ground between AI 2027 & AI as Normal Technology
The Perplexing Appeal of The Telepathy Tapes
The Perplexing Appeal of The Telepathy Tapes
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The Perplexing Appeal of The Telepathy Tapes
A Conversation on AI and Wealth Distribution
A Conversation on AI and Wealth Distribution
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
A Conversation on AI and Wealth Distribution
Is the Internet Making Culture Worse?
Is the Internet Making Culture Worse?
The decline of criticism might explain the sense that our culture is stagnating. How can we bring it back?
asteriskmag.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Is the Internet Making Culture Worse?
You Aren't in the DSM
You Aren't in the DSM
Five editions on, the DSM shoulders more responsibilities than it was ever intended for. How did we get here?
asteriskmag.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:45 PM
You Aren't in the DSM
We're hiring a Managing Editor!
We're hiring a Managing Editor!
Come work at the magazine that tries to put the scene and subcultures of America’s West Coast in conversation with themselves, each other, and everybody else.
asteriskmag.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:30 PM
We're hiring a Managing Editor!
The China Tech Canon
The China Tech Canon
How does the paideía of the Chinese tech elite differ from their counterparts in Silicon Valley?
asteriskmag.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The China Tech Canon
How Co-Ops Electrified America
How Co-Ops Electrified America
In the 1930s, private utilities balked at the task of bringing electricity to rural America. A New Deal agency figured out how to do it more quickly and more cheaply than anyone expected.
asteriskmag.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:15 PM
How Co-Ops Electrified America
Tripping Alone
Tripping Alone
The clinical model of psychedelic therapy has become the default way to trip. What might we be missing as a result?
asteriskmag.substack.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Tripping Alone
Why the U.S. is Behind in the AI "Race"
Why the U.S. is Behind in the AI "Race"
bullishlemon.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Why the U.S. is Behind in the AI "Race"
Why Governments Can't Count
Why Governments Can't Count
Counting every citizen is one of the most basic functions of the state. For much of the world, it remains extraordinarily difficult.
asteriskmag.substack.com
September 15, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Why Governments Can't Count
The Demons of Non-Denoms
The Demons of Non-Denoms
Religion in America was once the domain of institutions. How did it grow to be dominated by cults of personality — and what can the process tell us about the rest of American culture?
asteriskmag.substack.com
September 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The Demons of Non-Denoms
Introducing Asterisk's AI Fellows
Introducing Asterisk's AI Fellows
We’d like you to meet our first AI Fellows cohort.
www.asteriskmag.ai
September 4, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Introducing Asterisk's AI Fellows
GDP: We Really Don’t Know How Good We Have It
GDP: We Really Don’t Know How Good We Have It
Everyone loves the hockey stick graph of long-run economic growth. For some, it's the basis of an entire worldview. Unfortunately, the numbers don’t add up.
asteriskmag.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:06 PM
GDP: We Really Don’t Know How Good We Have It
Nine Rules for Managing Humans Managing Nuclear Reactors
Nine Rules for Managing Humans Managing Nuclear Reactors
asteriskmag.substack.com
August 25, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Nine Rules for Managing Humans Managing Nuclear Reactors
How to Vaccinate the World
How to Vaccinate the World
The world’s largest vaccine manufacturer — by far — is the Serum Institute of India. How did a struggling horse farm in Pune become one of the most important companies in global health?
asteriskmag.substack.com
August 18, 2025 at 5:36 PM
How to Vaccinate the World
Reflections on Asterisk's AI Fellows Applications
Reflections on Asterisk's AI Fellows Applications
And why we still think you should start a blog
www.asteriskmag.ai
August 17, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reflections on Asterisk's AI Fellows Applications
Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults?
Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults?
There’s a lot to like about the Rationalist community, but they do have a certain tendency to spawn — shall we say — high demand groups. We sent a card-carrying Rat to investigate what’s going on.
asteriskmag.substack.com
August 11, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults?
No Retvrn
No Retvrn
An American tradition of embracing modernity.
asteriskmag.substack.com
August 4, 2025 at 2:41 PM
No Retvrn
Yes In My Bamako Yard
Yes In My Bamako Yard
Over the next 25 years, Africa is expected to add 900 million people to its cities, the largest wave of urban population growth the world has ever seen. How can the continent begin to prepare today?
asteriskmag.substack.com
July 28, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Yes In My Bamako Yard
Scapegoating the Algorithm
Scapegoating the Algorithm
America's epistemic challenges run deeper than social media.
asteriskmag.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Scapegoating the Algorithm
The Asterisk AI Blogging Fellowship
The Asterisk AI Blogging Fellowship
Apply at asteriskfellows.com/apply
www.asteriskmag.ai
July 16, 2025 at 8:35 PM
The Asterisk AI Blogging Fellowship