from the chat: mall rats are BACK, baby
ALSO: are we all bad people, the rise of the assistant influencer, Live Nation avoids an antitrust suit, and more
Happy Tuesday, March 10th!
FYSA, every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.
And don’t forget to head to the bottom of the newsletter for the GCC JOBS CORNER!
I’M ALSO LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO DO MINI INTERVIEWS FOR OPEN TABS :) Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, tea, etc?
And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), or buy me a matcha, that would be so appreciated 🙏
U.S. was only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people
A striking survey released Thursday finds that 53 percent of American adults describe the morality and ethics of their fellow citizens as “bad” (somewhat bad or very bad). In the 24 other countries polled by Pew Research Center, most people said other residents there are somewhat good or good. (WaPo, 3/6 – free version)
Seeking Abortion Care Across State Lines After the Dobbs Decision (ACADEMIC)
Participants reflected on how restrictive policies in their home states deepened abortion stigma and stifled access to accurate information. Most participants encountered their longest delays in the information-gathering phase, as they had to find legitimate clinics, often without any referrals, and navigate the complex web of laws between states. (JAMA, 3/9)
Trump Is Obsessed With These $145 Shoes—and Won’t Let Anyone Leave Without a Pair
Recipients have taken to wearing their Florsheims around Trump, some apparently begrudgingly. One cabinet secretary has grumbled that he had to shelve his Louis Vuittons, according to people who heard the complaint. Officially the White House wouldn’t confirm Trump’s choice of Florsheim. One recipient said Trump had a stack of them in an office. A box read “Scott”—for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (WSJ open link, 3/9)
$700 Erewhon hauls, 21-hour shifts: celebrity assistants go public with their grueling, fabulous work
The trend reflects a broader shift in celebrity culture itself; fame is no longer assumed to be self-evident, but is increasingly understood as constructed and forcefully sustained. Fans now speak easily about figures such as Tree Paine, the longtime publicist for Taylor Swift, and Lena Dunham’s social media ghostwriter. (The Guardian, 3/5)
Supreme Court says mayors can’t ban Facebook frenemies. N.J. lawsuit will put it to the test.
The mayor has two separate Facebook pages. One page uses his name but not his mayoral title. Some of the public posts are about political campaigns, and there are a few posts about food. It’s unclear if any other posts are there, but set to private for only his friends. Then there’s the “Mayor Mike Ghassali” page. (NJ.com, 3/8)
Live Nation settles government antitrust suit — and dodges a breakup
Eight states so far have indicated they plan to join the settlement, a district attorney said in court, and four others remain unclear on their status. The case alleged that it illegally monopolized parts of the live events industry, leading to higher ticket prices for consumers and locking venues into exclusive deals. Under the terms of the settlement shared by Live Nation, the deal won’t force it to split off from Ticketmaster. (The Verge, 3/9 – free version)
Uber expands women-only ride option nationwide
Women riders can request a woman driver on demand, reserve one in advance or set a standing preference in the app. Women drivers can toggle a setting to receive trip requests only from women — including during peak earning hours. Teens can also request women drivers where teen accounts are available. (Axios, 3/9)
A New Generation of Mall Rats Has Arrived
The first digitally native generation is resurrecting an old-fashioned American pastime: Shopping at the mall. Gen Z’s retail-spending growth is outpacing all other generations, according to data firm NielsenIQ, with the generation’s global annual retail spending expected to exceed $12 trillion by 2030. (WSJ open link, 3/9)
Difficult people in your life might make you age faster, study suggests
Researchers found that for every additional hassler participants regularly interacted with, their pace of aging increased by 1.5 percent. In other words, instead of aging one biological year per calendar year, a person with at least one extra hassler would age around 1.015 years during the same time. (WaPo, 3/8 – free version)
A new poll finds young volunteers embrace informal, everyday acts of service. So do some nonprofits
About 7 in 10 of 12- to 25-year-olds said they’ve helped someone at least “a few times” in the past week with a task — a sign to Allstate Foundation officials that young people view service more generally, not as an extracurricular but an ingrained part of daily life. Only about 1 in 10 young people who had volunteered said their service activities were all required, such as through school or a club. (AP, 3/9)
Viola Davis and her latest co-star, author James Patterson
To help flesh out the character of the victim, Davis says she drew on her own experience with sexual assault. “I felt a responsibility to women who have been sexually assaulted and raped, especially children, as I am one of them,” she said. “And what they also deserve is the truth of how it made them feel.” (CBS News, 3/8)
We tried the Golden Glizzy, the Miami Open’s $100 caviar-topped hot dog
“Caviar is having a moment,” Golden Goat managing partner Keith Glickman told me. (Look up #CaviarBump anywhere on social media and you’ll see he’s right.) The brand emerged from a private, members-only caviar club two years ago and still caters to the more traditional caviar audience. (Axios Miami, 3/6)
Extra Credit 🤓
Some newsletters I thought were excellent recently:
““It’s Not Living. It’s Survival.” What 22 Gen Z Voters Told Me in Charlotte” from JDV on Gen Z
“AI can do work. Can it do a job?” from Kobe Yank-Jacobs and The Argument
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Friday!
Have a job or opportunity (full-time, part-time, contract, or a secret fourth option) to share? SUBMIT IT HERE!
Digital Communications Specialist, The Century Foundation
JD HERE, $95,000-105,000 per year, contact: digregorio@tcf.org
Social Media and Narrative Director, Coalition for Healthy Democracy
JD HERE, $125,000 per year (but flagging this appears to be a CYCLE JOB), contact: jesse@coalitionforhealthydemocracy.org
Thumbnail Designer & Packaging Consultant, Morning Brew
JD HERE, $250-400 per video (2-4 videos per month)