It’s 2026 and everything is fake.

Fake content by fake influencers with fake engagement from fake followers, launching fake products with fake testimonials. A Potemkin village on a global scale, a glossy facade propped up by heaps and heaps of beige slop. Temu for content.

In this world, the real has never been more precious, refreshing, special, and... See more

High differentiation, low durability. There’s a lot of fashion, luxury, travel and entertainment brands and the entire genre of DTC brands that are very much talked about for a moment, only to fade into obscurity/low consumer preference once the negative effects of their fractured internal cultures, lack of new funding/revenue, lack of... See more

Consider the difference between Trader Joe’s (a beloved grocery store with a wide variety of goods, all of which you can trust) and whatever new CPG goods are popular on TikTok. Hype is a flash in the pan. Narrative network effects are durable, long-lasting, and broadly applicable.