Looking Sideways: 10 Things
Some brilliant outdoor writing, Larry David on fine form, and more on the Outside debacle.
1. My favourite book of the year so far is I Am Dynamite! Anne Prideaux’s brilliant biography of Nietzsche. Who knew Nietzsche was a wild swimming freak, or that he ended up self-publishing his most famous works due to a complete lack of commercial interest? Or that he was so upset by one pal’s review of his music he didn’t leave the house for three months?
I enjoyed this book so much I ended writing a short Insights piece about it (usually behind the paywall, but this one is now free to read).
Expect a few reflections on the book itself, and a few thoughts on how Nietzsche’s views have a certain diabolical resonance today.
But mostly, it’s a reminder that the creative meltdown has a long and noble tradition - and that even history’s tortured geniuses were just trying to figure it out, like the rest of us. Read it below.
2. Quite a few people have sent me links to these fascinating videos doing the rounds, in which Chinese manufacturers are supposedly calling out luxury American brands for the price gouging that is essentially the basis of all modern manufacturing. Are they real? Are they Chinese state propaganda? Was this all part of Trump’s plan? Who knows? We really are all through the looking glass at this point.
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3. There’s some really good outdoor writing on Substack right now, so I’m going to share a couple of pieces I particularly enjoyed this week.
First up - Immy Sykes on the problem with brands co-opting community.
4. I also thought this Em Hartova piece was really interesting.
5. Finally, the satirists are turning up. I liked Larry David’s brutal piss-take of Bill Maher’s craven account of his dinner with Trump.
6. The Outside debacle gets the in-depth New Yorker treatment, in which owner Robin Thurston gets properly skewered.
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7. Big thanks to my friend Tyler for having me on his Swell Season Surf Radio podcast to chat all things Announcement. This was a super enjoyable chat, and Tyler had some really interesting perspectives on the series. Listen above
8. On topic: Patagonia have a new book out - Tools to Save Our Home Planet: A Changemaker's Guidebook. More here.
9. This incendiary John Harris piece on RFK Jr’s latest utterances on autism is really worth reading. I stand by my view that the high profile members of our community who backed RFK Jr should be ashamed.
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10. Finally, a question for my many American readers, listeners and subscribers - in a week where Trump has openly spoken about disregarding habeas corpus, and questioned the independence of the judiciary (above), how is this all working out for you? Are you happy with the direction of travel? Do you support the actions of the current administration? Have the tariffs impacted you personally?
I’m genuinely curious, and would love to hear some honest perspectives from across the pond. Let me know using the button below.
No6 Was a very good read Matt. A very state of affairs, seems so crazy to gut the fabric of outdoor culture for board members that seemingly have no idea or interest in the outdoors.
Thanks for the mention Matt! A lot of good stuff in this one 🙏