I suppose I should have gotten in line with Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist manifesto, the sprawling ode to technology and capitalism written recently by the famous billionaire and Silicon Valley legend. The manifesto is written with a reader like me in mind. I am a resident of a capitalistic society who…

Memory is a terrible liar and a powerful myth maker. And sometimes it speaks to deep, almost unconscious truths. On January 10, my sister Cathy died suddenly of a heart attack in her home. She lived alone. My sister Karen discovered her body in a recliner chair, with a mobile…

The Grimace shake is wreaking havoc, and McDonald’s couldn’t be happier. Grimace is at the center of one of the hottest (and hilarious) memes taking TikTok by storm. McDonald’s recently launched the Grimace Birthday Meal to celebrate the 52nd birthday of Grimace, a character McDonald’s created in the pre-Internet days…

Apple is making a big bet on Old Hollywood and taking on Netflix. According to Bloomberg, Apple plans to spend $1 billion a year to produce movies that will be released in theaters. Reportedly, Apple has approached movie studios about partnering to release a few titles in theaters this year…

When I was a kid, I had my mind blown watching Isaac Hayes perform the theme from “Shaft” on TV during the Academy Awards telecast. I am reminded of that moment when I consider why the Oscars matter. The Oscars are a cultural touchstone. The Academy Awards represent the beliefs…

The X factor — human instinct, undefinable and unknowable — still matters in a world where people increasingly rely on machines to do their thinking for them. A January 29 episode of the HBO Max show “The Last of Us” has sparked a resurgent interest in a song sung by…

2022 reminded us of the power of record albums to create events. Harry Style’s Harry’s House united Gen Z listeners around a shared passion like the Beatles did for Baby Boomers back in the day. Beyoncé’s Renaissance dominated social media. Taylor Swift’s Midnights surpassed everyone by becoming a powerful cultural…

What make a brand authentic? For an answer, take a close look at the story of Dolly Parton, who is the latest recipient of the Bezos Courage and Civility Award. Once upon a time, Dolly Parton was one of the biggest country singers in the world. But her appeal was…

Where were you during the Great Ticketmaster Taylor Swift Meltdown of 2022? This question looms large ten days after the infamous crashing of Ticketmaster’s site during the fan pre-sale for Taylor Swift’s 2023 Eras tour. It is not the first time Ticketmaster angered fans with a terrible customer experience (CX)…