Iterate Weekly - Issue 116
This week we're looking at Reddit's latest controversy, the future of museums, Rivian's take on a car dealership, putting an end to ticket "junk fees", and "The Other Two"!
Welcome to issue 116 of Iterate Weekly!
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Let’s jump into this week’s stories.
🤖 Tech
The Reddit moderator battle
If you’ve spent any time on Reddit over the last few weeks, you’ve likely witnessed the ongoing protest and fallout regarding changes to the company’s stance on 3rd party apps.
Some popular subreddits went dark for one day, several days, or permanently in an attempt to raise awareness of the increased pricing for 3rd parties to use the Reddit API.
Well, it doesn’t seem like Reddit’s CEO is going to be relenting to the pressure anytime soon.
CEO Steve Huffman is holding strong to the new pricing model to use the Reddit API. Some popular 3rd party apps could see their operating costs raise into the tens of millions of dollars based on this new pricing structure. That obviously wouldn’t be sustainable and could cause large sections of the site to permanently go dark.
Huffman’s approach seems to be to allow users of each sub to vote out moderators in some sort of pseudo-democracy. It’s a complicated battle over who actually holds the power when it comes to the survival of popular subs. Is it the users, the moderators, or ultimately the powers that be who run Reddit itself.
This feels like something that will rage on for the foreseeable future despite the claims that roughly 80% of all subreddits are back up after the initial protest. With rumors long circulating about a Reddit IPO, this could be a crucial move in plotting their profitability. But how valuable is the company really if its most prolific users are unable to pay the exhorbitent fees needed to make use of the API?
I’ll have more to come on this one in the coming weeks and months I’m sure.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
The future of museums
What will museums look like in ten, fifty, or even one hundred years?
Sure, the most famous places will likely remain more-or-less unchanged, but new museums will need to keep pace with technology and try new things to keep the attention of its visitors.
Well, New York’s American Museum of Natural history is trying to breathe new life into its 154-year old displays.
Their new “Invisible Worlds” exhibit is using technology to rewrite the expectations of what a science museum can be. The video below will give you a better idea of what I’m talking about:
The new displays are incredibly immersive. We’re talking about full floor-to-ceiling projectors along with digital displays at your feet. The museum attempts to win over new and longtime museum goers in a way that feels authentic rather than gimmicky.
It can be a huge challenge to remain relevant and use technology in a way that aids in the learning experience rather than overshadow it. I love seeing these new examples of innovation in the education space. I’m certainly going to be taking my daughter to check it out the next time we’re in New York.
♻️ Health & Environment
Rivian’s take on a car dealership
The automotive industry in the United States is frequently slow to change. There is a preconceived idea of what a new car dealership should be like right? Slick sales people, confusing pricing structures, high-pressure test drives and maybe some free snacks and beverages to warm people up. Sounds pretty miserable right?
Well, new electric automakers like Rivian, are looking to revamp our vision of what a car dealership should be.
They’re actually refraining from using the words “dealership” or “showroom” and instead they’re calling these stores “Rivian Spaces”.
Ok, so what, it’s just some new marketing angle right? Well maybe, but the experience will certainly be different when you’re looking to purchase a Rivian. It will be less about the physical vehicle itself and more about the experience. There may be one or two cars on-site but it’s really a place for families to hang out and interact with the brand in creative ways.
Of course there will still be plenty of education and marketing materials for the brand as well. You’ll be able to learn a bit more about the process of creating the electric vehicles and their impact on the environment. I’m picturing it as somewhat of a branded museum with subtle Rivian reminders around every corner.
It’s also interesting to see where they’re placing these spaces. Laguna Beach, California makes sense. New York City makes sense. But then they’re skipping the proper Bay Area in favor of a more outdoorsy location near the entrance to Yosemite and another spot overlooking Austin, Texas with access to trails right from the site.
It’s an interesting gamble for the embattled young automaker. We’ll see if it’s a tactic that actually gets more people into their vehicles or it’s just another marketing gimmick that consumers see right through.
🛍 Grab Bag
Biden wants to put an end to “junk fees”
Americans are sick of all the hidden fees (or “junk fees” as Joe Biden calls them) involved when purchasing concert tickets. And it’s about time that someone does something about it.
Companies like Ticketmaster have long been criticized for their monopolistic nature and unclear pricing structure. While this industry won’t just change overnight, they will now be required to share the “all-in” price of a ticket rather than showing you the base price before all the fees are added.
The changes will be rolling out over the coming months when you buy tickets from Live Nation, SeatGeek, and xBk. The fees won’t necessarily be disappearing or shrinking, they will just be shown to you before you get to the final purchase page. It’s a step in the right direction in what is still a very flawed system.
Kudos to the Biden White House for tackling this issue. Hidden fees in general are a pretty big problem in this country. If we can slowly make prices more transparent across the entertainment and hospitality industry, it will be better for everyone.
So keep your eyes peeled for those extra costs if you’re purchasing concert tickets this summer!
💬 Quote of the Week
"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it."
-Frank Zappa
📺 Content Recommendation
The Other Two
If you’re looking for a new comedy show to watch, I highly recommend “The Other Two” streaming now on Max.
The premise is simple. How do the lives of siblings change when their younger brother becomes a huge pop star overnight? As farfetched as it sounds, it’s a great commentary on our star-obsessed culture.
Lots of comedic heavy hitters are involved with this one. It’s executive produced by Lorne Michaels of SNL fame and features former SNL star Molly Shannon as the mom of pop star “Chase Dreams”.
Shannon teams up with former “Wet Hot American Summer” co-star Ken Marino who really shines as Chase’s manager Streeter.
The show doesn’t take itself too seriously but does have an emotional side as well. It’s really well done and you can stream all three seasons now on Max.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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