Populism, Pokémon, and the Election
Plus: Are AI-written short stories any good?
Illustration by The Walrus
While Donald Trump’s brand of populism seems to be working in America, The Atlantic has noticed a “backfire effect” in other places, with citizens souring on MAGA-friendly parties in Europe, the UK, and Canada. John Lorinc explored what the political term means, in “The Prophet of Populism”:
cautions that far-right populism can appear with surprising speed—like a stubborn virus that digs into the body politic and continues to re-surface. “Populists,” he wrote in Slate, on the subject of Doug Ford’s victory, “are incredibly adept at surviving in office despite disappointments; at handing the reins of power over to political friends or blood relatives; and at infecting the political system with populist energy even if their own movement gradually fades.” He noted how Doug Ford, in his 2018 drive to become premier, capitalized on the brand (straight-talking, lumpen, careful with taxpayer’s money, etc.) deployed so effectively during the early years of his late brother Rob’s mayoralty. “Even when things go wrong,” Mounk says, “populism does not implode: It just hibernates.” [Read more]Pokémon cards are a hot commodity, so much so that thieves are targeting game stores as card values keep rising. As collectors and hobbyists hunt for cards that could be worth thousands of dollars, Mel Woods looked into the craze:
When my girlfriend purchased her small Pokémon collection as an eight-year-old in 1999, she was more interested in the pretty pictures of her favourite characters than in actually playing the game. But that half-hearted interest—coupled with her hesitation to throw things away—paid off. The same millennials who collected those cards as kids but didn’t hold on to them are now adults with jobs and money to spend, and since social activities, travel, and big-ticket expenses have been largely on pause, it makes sense that some people would invest those excess funds into collectible cardboard. [Read more]
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced that a new AI model is being trained to be “good at creative writing.” Is AI ready to be the next bestselling author? Some writers are very skeptical. Case in point:
questioned the style of a chatbot, in “Margaret Atwood Reviews a ‘Margaret Atwood’ Story by AI”:Take heart! Not all is gloom! So far, generative AI chatbots don’t seem able to reflect on what they’re saying, though that in itself wouldn’t differentiate them from some actual human beings. Also, they’re bad at verbal texture, and they have a poor grasp of metaphor and sometimes even of punctuation. Well, they’re learning from us, so why wouldn’t that be true? [Read more]
Looks like Canada is headed to the polls very soon. To stay up to date on all the election headlines, sign up for our weekly newsletter or keep an eye on our coverage here. We’ve been very busy following all the recent political plot twists:
Carney Won the Battle. Can He Win the War? (
)From Landslide to Toss-Up: The Stunning Conservative Collapse
)
(Why Poilievre Is Always Looking for a Fight (
)With the NDP Dropping in the Polls, What’s Left for the Left? (Drew Nelles)
When Chrystia Freeland Ran Out of Patience (Catherine Tsalikis)
If Pierre Poilievre Wins (Various Contributors)
Check out our new books podcast, What Happened Next, hosted by Nathan Whitlock. This week’s conversation is with Jowita Bydlowska, about her book Monster.
Read a poem by Ellie Sawatzky: “Love Letter to My Recent Poems”
Read a short story by Frances Itani: “What We Are Capable Of”