Taste
But taste requires subtraction. It means not participating in every viral moment. It means not resharing something just because it’s getting attention. It means opting out of the churn.
That doesn’t mean being contrarian for the sake of it. It means noticing when the culture’s default setting no longer reflects what’s true for you—and walking away.
That doesn’t mean being contrarian for the sake of it. It means noticing when the culture’s default setting no longer reflects what’s true for you—and walking away.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
“Everything we come into contact with has the potential to influence our taste. So the art of living well includes the art of feeding your input stream.” — Rick Rubin
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
That’s why taste is a responsibility. It’s not just about what you like. It’s about what you allow in.
Taste is how you protect your mental environment.
Taste is how you protect your mental environment.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
And that’s what real taste is: a deep internal coherence. A way of filtering the world through intuition that’s been sharpened by attention.
stepfanie tyler • Taste Is the New Intelligence
I have yet to find a single writer who’s grown a serious following without some kind of niche.
That doesn’t mean boxing yourself in. It means starting with something clear enough for people to get what you’re about, and specific enough for the right readers to find you.
The first six months are for you. Experiment like crazy. Write about anything. Te... See more
That doesn’t mean boxing yourself in. It means starting with something clear enough for people to get what you’re about, and specific enough for the right readers to find you.
The first six months are for you. Experiment like crazy. Write about anything. Te... See more
Benjamin Antoine • The Golden era of Substack is over. Now what?
The 2025 tastemaker navigates this tension with remarkable dexterity. They aren't anti-digital but post-digital, using online tools with intention rather than compulsion. The crucial distinction lies in their relationship with attention: Internet Cool seeks it desperately; Scene Cool appears indifferent. This studied indifference isn't affectation ... See more
Sarah Johnson • Issue 007: The Curation Renaissance
‘Scene Cool’ values high quality over high sales, fellow tastemakers over mass-market followers, and specific geographical context over post-geographic audiences. While ‘Internet Cool’ chases clout and virality across global digital networks.
The ‘Scene Cool’ practices a studied absence from digital performance. Their power derives from what they wi... See more
The ‘Scene Cool’ practices a studied absence from digital performance. Their power derives from what they wi... See more
Sarah Johnson • Issue 007: The Curation Renaissance
In this new era, founders—of every kind—must become tastemakers, and venture capitalists the arbiters of taste. Because in a world where
anyone can create anything
, taste is what matters.
anyone can create anything
, taste is what matters.