A Chat with the Guy Who Shaped What’s Cool
The Main Idea in a Nutshell
- This is a conversation with Graydon Carter, a legendary magazine editor, about how magazines used to decide what was cool, how the internet changed everything, and what might be next for our culture.
The Key Takeaways
- A Magazine Legend: Graydon Carter was the super-influential editor of Vanity Fair magazine for over two decades, where he helped shape pop culture, celebrity, and journalism.
- The Golden Age of Magazines: In the 1980s and 90s, magazines were incredibly powerful, with huge budgets and the best writers, basically telling everyone what was important and trendy.
- The Internet Changed the Game: The rise of the internet and the 2008 financial crisis hurt magazines badly because advertisers left and people started getting their news online for free.
- America's Biggest Export is Culture: The hosts argue that America's biggest influence on the world isn't things like cars, but its culture—movies, TV shows, music, and fashion—which spreads everywhere.
- Privacy Might Be the New Cool: Carter and the hosts predict that people will get tired of oversharing on social media, and that in the future, being a private person will be seen as more interesting and valuable.
- Fun Facts & Key Numbers:
- Fact: Graydon Carter was the editor of Vanity Fair for 25 years.
- Fact: He started his first magazine when he was only 23 years old.
- Fact: In its prime, a single ad page in Vanity Fair cost about $100,000.
- Fact: Today, about 9/10ths of the New York Times's business is online, not in print.
Important Quotes, Explained
Quote: "> The pendulum in America swings in great arcs like this... and it will settle somewhere in in the middle. You just hope that it does sooner rather than later."
- What it Means: Carter is saying that American culture and politics tend to go to extremes. Think of a pendulum swinging way out to one side (like the super-liberal 1960s) and then swinging way back to the other (like the super-corporate 1980s). He believes things are at an extreme right now but will eventually swing back to a more balanced, middle ground.
- Why it Matters: This is a hopeful idea that even when culture feels crazy or divided, it's part of a natural cycle. It suggests that the current intense political and social climate won't last forever and will eventually calm down.
Quote: "> I think a private life will have greater currency in maybe three to five years than it does now. And it'll be... much cooler for young people than having a social media presence."
- What it Means: He's predicting a backlash against social media. "Currency" here means value. He thinks that soon, having a mysterious, private life will be more impressive and respected than sharing every single detail of your life online.
- Why it Matters: This is a big prediction that goes against the current trend of being an influencer or constantly posting. It suggests that the constant pressure to perform and share online might fade, and people might start valuing their privacy and real-life experiences more.
The Main Arguments (The 'Why')
- First, the speakers argue that magazines used to be the ultimate "tastemakers" because they had the money to hire the most talented writers and photographers, who then told the world who and what was important.
- Next, they explain that this era ended for two main reasons: the internet made information free and instant, and the 2008 financial crash caused companies to stop buying expensive magazine ads.
- Finally, they point out that culture is now shaped by digital media like TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, which have made American culture (our shows, fashion, and celebrities) one of the most powerful forces in the world.
Questions to Make You Think
- Q: In the age of TikTok, do people even read long articles anymore?
- A: The text says yes, but they do it differently. Carter points out that publications like The New York Times are more successful than ever because of their online readers. He believes that even if teens don't read a lot now, they often grow into big readers later in life, and that technology like audiobooks can help.
- Q: What is Airmail, Graydon Carter's new project?
- A: It's a digital newsletter that's designed to feel like a weekend international newspaper. Instead of a busy website, you get an email with a few interesting stories from around the world. The goal is to be less overwhelming and to focus on cool, well-written stories that you might not see elsewhere.
- Q: Is it okay for journalists to be mean or make fun of people?
- A: The text suggests there's a place for it. Carter's Spy Magazine was famous for being "vicious" but also funny and accurate. The hosts argue that it can be healthy for the media to call out things that everyone is thinking but is too afraid to say out loud.
Why This Matters & What's Next
- Why You Should Care: The shows you binge-watch, the celebrities you follow, and the news you read don't just appear by magic. For decades, powerful editors like Graydon Carter were the ones deciding what stories got told and who became famous. Understanding this helps you see how culture is made and lets you think more critically about the media you consume every day.
- Learn More: To get a fun, dramatic idea of what the world of a high-fashion magazine editor is like, check out the movie The Devil Wears Prada. It's famously based on Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, who is a real-life colleague and contemporary of Graydon Carter.