The Phronimost

heterodox philosophy // political commentary // cultural criticism

By blake harper

Magic-Pilled

Investors aren't going to buy this story for much longer

Jun 11 • blake harper

Cameras are good, actually

My quixotic attempt to convince Seattle progressive that crime deterrence is woke

May 9 • blake harper

The Self-Improvement Fantasy at the Heart of the AI Bubble

Recursive self-improvement is the fantasy propping up trillion-dollar valuations, but we have little reason to believe it will happen anytime soon.

Mar 8 • blake harper

Culture Bites Vol. 1: Untroubled Animals

What Marcus the Worm, Le Poisson Steve, and Y Penguin can teach us about the internet in 2026.

Mar 2 • blake harper

The (Cultural) Omnivore's Dilemma

W. David Marx's latest book is good, but fails to address his biggest shortcoming as a critic

Jan 20 • blake harper

Top 25 albums of 2025

Because I couldn't pick just 10. Too much good music.

Jan 15 • blake harper

Can Katie Wilson's "sewer socialism" deliver the abundance that Seattle needs?

Only if she and her constituents are humble enough to prioritize outcomes over ideology

Jan 7 • blake harper

Can you trust the critics?

What the response to One Battle After Another, After the Hunt, and Sydney Sweeney's GQ interview teach us about the imperiled power of art in public…

Nov 22, 2025 • blake harper