How AI, Healthcare, and Labubu Became the US Economy. “… the US is becoming Las Vegas - but everywhere. We are essentially building a glorified, speculative fantasy while China focuses on the foundational, ‘boring’ work of scientific and technological advancement.” kyla.substack.com/p/how-ai-…

A bleak assessment by Kyla Scanlon. But she ends on a cautiously hopeful note. We have the skills and labor to turn the U.S., and the west, around. We need the will and leadership.

Good ideas are popular: But they’re impolitic. “In democracies, we’re told, politicians exist to reflect and enact the popular will; but the truth is, politicians’ primary occupation is thwarting the will of the people, in preference to the will of a small group of wealthy, powerful people.” Most people around the world support socialism and socialist policies. But politicians don’t represent most people; politiians represent the super-wealthy. Fortunately, the super-wealthy hate each other, which gives the people people opportunity to enact policies that benefit all. By Cory Doctorow pluralistic.net/2025/08/0…