Essays & Dispatches
The Herder Editorial
Thoughtful essays on social dynamics, the psychology of group plans, software enshittification, and product philosophy.
Tech Critique & Utility Philosophy6 min read•2026-10-17
The Death of the Consumer Web Utility (Or: How Private Equity Broke Doodle)
In 2008, Doodle was a fast, clean, beloved utility that solved date polling in 10 seconds. Today, it deploys 97 ad cookies, video banners, and corporate paywalls. What happened to simple software?
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Social Dynamics & Group Psychology5 min read•2026-10-17
The Tyranny of 'Whatever': Why False Politeness Ruins Group Plans
When everyone in the group chat replies "I'm down for whatever!", they think they are being agreeable. In reality, they are trapping the host in decision paralysis.
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