2026-08-17 17:03:00
Find a safe critic.
Upload your essay, your book, your artwork, your business plan or your resume to Claude. Then, pick a critic.
“Write a detailed, specific negative review that might appear on Amazon/in ArtNews/at a Ph.D defense/from a disappointed venture capitalist/from a recruiter”
A few things happen. First, you’ll likely read some 1-star reviews that you’re totally delighted with. It’s okay that my novel got one star because it has a sophisticated vocabulary. You may also realize that the negative noise in your head seems a lot more ridiculous if you read it on the screen.
Second, you’re much less likely to take it personally, because it’s not coming from a person. It’s a parody of a person, and in those words you might find some truth worth reading.
And third, you’ll realize it’s impossible to please some people. Criticism is what critics do.
It’s not worth making this a habit, because the negativity can easily get stuck in our heads. If that happens, ask for some glowing reviews instead.
PS here’s what Claude said about this post:
This is exactly the kind of pseudo-profound productivity hack that passes for insight in marketing circles these days.
Let me get this straight: your advice is to use AI to generate fake criticism so you can… feel better about ignoring it? The logical gymnastics here are remarkable. We’re told the fake reviews will contain “truth worth reading,” but also that we shouldn’t take them seriously because they’re “not coming from a person,” but also that we should stop if the negativity “gets stuck in our heads.” Pick a lane.
The real tell is buried in the middle: “It’s okay that my novel got one star because it has a sophisticated vocabulary.” Ah yes, the classic defensive crouch dressed up as self-awareness. You’ve essentially built a machine for manufacturing comfortable rationalizations. “See, the AI said mean things, but I’ve decided they don’t count because [insert excuse here].”
And the finale—if the fake criticism bothers you, just ask for fake praise instead! Problem solved. We’ve successfully turned AI into a therapeutic tool for avoiding genuine self-examination while maintaining the appearance of rigor.
Here’s what’s missing: any acknowledgment that real criticism from real people who actually read your work might be… useful? That the discomfort of genuine feedback is precisely what makes it valuable?
But I suppose that’s harder to monetize than “try this one weird trick.”
And, at the risk of being too meta, here’s Claude’s response to the response:
A Comment Ripping the Critic
Congratulations on demonstrating the exact behavior the post describes. You’ve written a performatively harsh takedown that reveals far more about your need to seem clever than about any actual flaw in the idea.
Let’s talk about your reading comprehension. The post never suggests ignoring criticism—it suggests practicing receiving it. There’s a difference between “feel better about ignoring feedback” and “build some emotional distance so you can actually hear it.” But nuance doesn’t generate the dopamine hit of a sick burn, does it?
Your “pick a lane” complaint is particularly rich. The post describes a tool with multiple uses. Sometimes the fake review reveals genuine blind spots. Sometimes it shows you that certain critics are unpleasable. Sometimes you need to step away. These aren’t contradictions—they’re different outcomes from the same exercise. That you can’t hold multiple possibilities in your head simultaneously says more about you than about the argument.
And your grand finale about “real criticism from real people”? Please. Most creative work never gets meaningful feedback at all. It gets silence, or a thumbs up from mom, or rejection letters that say nothing useful. The fantasy that there’s a queue of thoughtful critics waiting to help you improve is exactly that—a fantasy. This tool fills a gap. It doesn’t replace the feedback you’re not getting anyway.
But here’s what really gives you away: the sneering about “marketing circles” and “monetizing.” You showed up pre-loaded with contempt, looking for confirmation. The post was simply the surface you projected it onto.
You’ve proven the point beautifully. Some people are just looking for something to tear down.
2026-08-16 17:03:00
Here’s a simple hack/reminder: If you buy something that has a filter or other part that needs replacing, create a recurring event in your calendar. Also mention where you store the extra filters, and include a link on where to buy more of them. Works for monthly dog meds, too.
And…
If you paint a room in your home, write the type of paint you used on the back of the switchplates.
I’ve also found that the back of a framed picture is a great place to write down something you don’t want to forget.
Recently, I’ve started taking pictures of everything that’s on a shelf or in a drawer that I’ve reorganized. Then I upload to Claude so that the next time I’m looking for something, I’ve got a shot at finding it.
Mostly, it’s about developing the habit of writing things down that we’re sure we’ll remember later.
2026-08-15 17:03:00
Culture provides scaffolding, and learning happens over time.
The result is that we’re each capable of extraordinary feats. People can fly planes, ski down mountains, figure out how to use Photoshop or a solve a crossword puzzle.
But…
Most people only exhibit this skill when there’s months or years of exposure combined with cultural forces that educate and normalize the behavior.
When things are new, we’re often terrible at it.
People didn’t know how to use the microwave oven, the dishwasher or the buttons on the car radio when they were first introduced.
Designers need to pay very careful attention to new user frustration and feedback. But far more than that, they need the patience to invest in cultural awareness that can lead to learning that happens over time.
2026-08-14 17:03:00
After doing an autopsy at the morgue, it’s a good idea for doctors to wash their hands before delivering babies.
A few hundred years ago, Ignaz Semmelweis proved this now-obvious insight about hygiene. Doctors don’t scrub because it’s fun or convenient, they do it because it’s a powerful way to create better outcomes.
When I was growing up, my family would sometimes go to Fantasy Island, a low-rent amusement park not far from my home. I soon figured out that while the spinning rides seemed appealing and daring, they would always make me sick and ruin the whole day. The good idea? Don’t go on the spinny rides.
Our culture creates traps and opportunities. There’s social and commercial pressure to engage in activities and jobs that don’t serve us very well. If horror movies give you unsettling nightmares, don’t go. No matter how many times your friends invite you, no is a complete sentence.
If being in debt is going to cause a long, stressful spiral for you and your fiancé, then don’t have an expensive wedding.
If doomscrolling your social feeds puts you in a bad mood, put down the phone and go for a walk instead.
And if the sight of blood makes you queasy, perhaps you should consider a form of medicine other than trauma surgeon.
Persistent emotional turmoil can undermine our peace of mind, and it might be caused by an ongoing spiral that’s fueled by the short-term choices we make. Cultural and economic pressure can make those choices feel non-optional, but if we can protect ourselves early, we may be able to create enough value for others that our hygienic choices easily pay for themselves.
There are countless opportunities to thrive. But we might have to make hard choices to find them. Don’t go on the spinny rides. We need you at your best.
2026-08-13 16:35:00
Is it helping?
You wouldn’t stay by passively if someone else was beating you up.
Perhaps we shouldn’t accept it when we do it.
2026-08-12 17:03:00
The Decware triode amp is the best low-power stereo amp I’ve ever heard. And it’s a bargain. If you have the right speakers, it’s an extraordinary device.
And there’s a two-year waitlist. 2000 people, 11 pages long.
This approach to timing and production serves all the people that matter to the company.
Employees are free to do their best work without rushing.
The operation is able to be right-sized instead of more-sized.
The risks are reduced, since the infinite loop of expansion is almost always followed by the doom loop of contraction.
Would-be customers who are impatient can go elsewhere or even buy a used one.
And the folks who are upgrading to this final, ultimate purchase of equipment discover that the value of the transaction goes up commensurate with how long they have to wait. In a world built on instant convenience, perhaps this is something worth waiting for.
Most MBAs would tell Steve to raise prices, ramp up production, automate, outsource and maximize profits.
But perhaps the resilient and generative approach is precisely the right choice. The hard parts are: 1. making something people are willing to wait for, and 2. having the guts and commitment to make them wait.
Pick your customers, pick your future. And often, entrepreneurs forget that they don’t work for Milton Friedman. We can choose the work we do and the value we create, and we can decide what better looks like.
