The guy that wrote it was very well regarded in the industry, but not only did he obviously mail this one in, it read exactly like everything else he wrote and nothing like us. Because - to your point I think - why would it?

It really is the kiss of death. Not at all shocked it's true on the creative side. In fact I have vivid memories of personally completely rewriting the copy for an entire campaign supplied by one of these outside consultants as we were sitting around the table at a final go to press meeting with PR

I've seen the close approximation of this occur with several small corporate entities I have been involved in. The worst, most doomed to failure thing you ever want to hear is "board member X wants you to partner with outside consultant Y to get this project across the goal line".
Fuuuuuu...

It's well past time we stop normalizing Douthat. @slate I'm talking to you

Wouldn't leave much for them to talk about, would it?

My wife has spent most of her career working with the unhoused population. I've spent some of mine working with the oligarch class. We routinely compare stories. Couldn't agree more.

My deepest condolences to you and yours.