I can’t say that I ever paid attention to Pitchfork — I really didn’t even know about the blog which started in 1996 and earned a reputation as an important music critic covering alternative and independent songs — but now, everywhere I turn, I’m hearing about Condé Nast’s decision to merge Pitchfork with its men’s magazine, GQ. Anna Wintour, the chief content officer (I guess that’s something like an online editor?) of Condé Nast, which acquired Pitchfork in 2015, told the staff, “This decision was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork’s performance, and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company.” Her announcement included notification that there would be layoffs within the online publication. Among the casualties was Puja Patel, the site’s editor-in-chief since 2018, who had replaced Pitchfork’s founder, Ryan Schreiber.
What it means is that the critical voice is likely to be replaced by aggregated ratings based on algorithms. Rather than a reviewer giving his or her opinion about a song meriting a listen, algorithms boost music based on how many people have purchased that song. It reinforces success for the successful while ignoring “unknowns” who might offer something new and different and more compelling.
It is the problem that most social media share: The focus is on “clicks” rather than what is important, and it creates the echo chamber where one only hears what the algorithm determines will be of interest to you, rather than introducing something new.
It is a problem that has affected the New Hampshire Presidential Primary. With the Democratic National Committee engaging in voter suppression — convincing fellow Democrats in the Granite State that they should just stay home because their votes will not count toward convention candidates, now that the DNC is making South Carolina’s primary the first official one — and Nikki Haley saying she won’t participate in a Republican debate unless Trump does, and with Ron DeSantis now dropping out of the race, both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have chosen to make the primary meaningless. They have already made the decision that there should be another Trump-Biden contest, and no other candidates matter.
The New Hampshire Primary, which offered a chance for the candidates to meet, answer questions, and gain an understanding of peoples’ concerns have been replaced by campaign mailings, video advertisements, and rallies where there is no opportunity to actually interact with their would-be consituents. Nikki Haley’s January 17 rally at the American Legion post in Rochester allowed only three questions from the audience before she left — a far cry from the house parties such as one where Bill Clinton took part in a Lakes Region pig roast.
It is no wonder that so many people feel abandoned by the system, and so willing to turn to Trump in the belief that his reckless approach will solve everything.
We all need to hear from different people with other perspectives. They don’t have to be “right” to be helpful in reaching the right decision. Rather than a numbing group-think that is a substitute for thinking at all, we need the stimulation of different minds, different backgrounds, and different beliefs to get our own minds thinking again.
Café Chatter
On ‘Preserving The Right To Know’: We will truly miss Barbara. Thank you for the lovely tribute.
— Susan Duncan