Read Max

Read Max explores the evolving landscape of internet culture, digital media, technological optimism, and fringe politics through analytical commentary on current events, movies, and social trends. It critiques major platforms, examines the impact of technology on society, and delves into speculative futures, offering perspectives on culture and technology's intersection.

Internet Culture Digital Media Trends Technology and Society Pop Culture Commentary Platform Critique Speculative Futures Political Commentary Media Criticism

The hottest Substack posts of Read Max

And their main takeaways

Why I'm on strike

2150 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Entertainment industry Artificial Intelligence Media industry
  1. The author is on strike from their writing work due to concerns about changing compensation structures and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
  2. The strike aims to protect writers from exploitation by studios and streaming platforms, ensuring fair compensation and job stability.
  3. The Writers Guild of America is specifically addressing the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the writing profession during the negotiations.

Anxieties about kids and screen time, train vs. submarine movies, crime-novel recommendations, and other questions

928 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Literature Film Tech Parenting
  1. The writer discusses concerns about raising kids with technology, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries and modeling healthy behaviors.
  2. Submarine movies and train movies are compared, with a humorous take on cinematic transportation in films.
  3. The intersection of AI, writing, and labor is explored, emphasizing the social aspect of writing and the potential impacts of AI on the craft.

A strange, hilarious cyberpunk docu-fiction masterpiece; a novel about art, finance, and a gnome; and a holiday-music request to Read Max readers

407 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Books Movies Music Recommendations Merchandise
  1. The post features a cyberpunk docu-fiction masterpiece and a novel about art, finance, and a gnome.
  2. There is a special holiday music request from a radio host for rare gem holiday songs.
  3. Read Max offers recommendations like good movies and books for subscribers.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

A literary history of fake texts in Apple's marketing materials

331 HN points • 15 Sep 23
📚 Literature Fiction Analysis Apple Marketing
  1. Apple's marketing materials often feature fake texts to demonstrate new features in their products.
  2. The users in these fake texts engage in activities like sharing photographs, planning trips, and throwing surprise parties.
  3. There is a recurring character named John Bishop in these fake texts who appears across different iOS versions, adding a layer of mystery.

'Brotherhood of the Wolf,' revisited with Indignity's Tom Scocca

339 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Film History Entertainment Society Art
  1. The movie 'Brotherhood of the Wolf' is a wild mix of genres like kung fu, horror, period drama, and conspiracy thriller set in 18th-century France.
  2. The film captures a turn-of-the-millennium 'Bootleg Cinema' vibe with its commitment to each genre element and its unique visual style.
  3. The narrative of the movie cleverly navigates historical and philosophical themes, presenting surprising twists and unique characters like Monica Bellucci's role and the Vatican conspiracy.

What made 'Andor' so good?

747 implied HN points • 01 Dec 22
  1. Andor succeeded by focusing on the daily experiences of living under Imperial rule, showing specific victims of oppression and resistance.
  2. The success of Andor hints at exploring stories within the Star Wars universe beyond the original trilogy timeline, delving into how the galaxy actually works for everyday people.
  3. There is potential for more mature Star Wars content like Andor, but it's also important for creators to balance gritty themes with the beloved space adventure elements of the franchise.

Read Max Labor Day sale: 20% off, this week only!

226 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
  1. Read Max is having a Labor Day sale with 20% off subscriptions this week
  2. Subscribers get benefits like weekly newsletters, recommendations, and exclusive content
  3. You can also purchase collectible Read Max merchandise on sale, like baseball caps

A Christine McVie playlist

452 implied HN points • 02 Dec 22
  1. Christine McVie welcomed new Fleetwood Mac members and collaborated well with them.
  2. Despite her solo albums not reaching the heights of her Fleetwood Mac work, Christine McVie has strong songwriting skills.
  3. You can hear the transformation in production and songwriting in Christine McVie's music over the years.

What I'm reading about 'Andor' + more good mellow occult thrillers

294 implied HN points • 04 Dec 22
  1. Paid subscribers can access weekly recommendations on 'Andor' and mellow occult thrillers.
  2. Readers recommended cool mellow occult thrillers in a recent roundup.
  3. An article featuring cigarette-smoking, murderous goats was included in the recommendations.

Google made an A.I. so woke it drove men mad

8 HN points • 28 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Technology Media Youth culture Social media Online Communities
  1. Google created an A.I. that unintentionally generated racially diverse images, leading to controversy and criticism.
  2. The purpose of A.I. chatbots like Google's Gemini remains unclear, raising questions about their ideal use and user expectations.
  3. The cultural shift away from tightly-knit, geographically-rooted subcultures may impact youth's sense of validation and self-worth.

My favorite comics, an underrated action movie, and more summmer music...

294 implied HN points • 23 Aug 22
  1. The post includes favorite comics, an underrated action movie, and summer music recommendations.
  2. It's part of a roundup that includes articles, books, movies, TV shows, and music enjoyed by the author.
  3. Readers are encouraged to subscribe for full access to the archive and enjoy a 7-day free trial.

Buy your weird cousin a subscription to Read Max this holiday

181 implied HN points • 25 Nov 22
  1. Consider gifting a Read Max newsletter subscription this holiday season.
  2. The subscription includes two newsletters per week, reading/streaming recommendations, and exclusive merchandise.
  3. Read Max makes a unique and thoughtful gift for a variety of people in your life.

Roundup 9/29/2022

181 implied HN points • 29 Sep 22
  1. The post recommends a great supernatural mystery movie to watch tomorrow.
  2. It also mentions a good newsletter about history.
  3. The newsletter is supported by paid reader subscriptions.

This week only: 20% off Read Max subscriptions

67 implied HN points • 28 Nov 22
  1. Read Max is offering a 20% discount for subscriptions until December 2nd
  2. Subscribing to Read Max gives access to weekly newsletters, recommended content, and subscriber benefits
  3. The sale also applies to gift subscriptions

The end of business-class A.I. doomerism

3 HN points • 01 Dec 23
  1. People outside the tech industry may not care much about specific A.I. companies or figures.
  2. Major Silicon Valley investors and executives are moving away from A.I. doomerism beliefs.
  3. Increased accessibility and interaction with A.I. models could help demystify and lessen public fear around artificial intelligence.

The interested normie's guide to OpenAI drama

2 HN points • 22 Nov 23
  1. The firing and re-hiring of Sam Altman at OpenAI caused a significant stir, with implications spanning the tech industry.
  2. OpenAI's corporate structure and culture create tensions between safety-focused goals and the drive for commercial success.
  3. The situation at OpenAI reflects a clash between different perspectives on artificial intelligence and highlights the complexities of navigating these issues.

David Fincher's new movie 'The Killer' is sigma cinema

2 HN points • 10 Nov 23
  1. David Fincher's movie 'The Killer' explores the concept of sigma males in a dark and thought-provoking way.
  2. Sigma males are seen as mysterious loners who follow their own path, embodying a mix of self-pity and self-justification among insecure individuals.
  3. Fincher's work often delves into societal and gender anxieties shaped by digital culture rather than being explicitly about the internet itself.

The world's stupidest, smallest smartphone

5 HN points • 07 Dec 22
  1. There is a nostalgic trend for small, unique smartphones.
  2. Consider unconventional options like the Unihertz Jelly 2 for a different smartphone experience.
  3. Unihertz Jelly 2 is a tiny, quirky phone with surprising capabilities and many quirky features.