Quillette, IDW, and Conspiracy with Claire Lehmann (S3 Ep.28)
Aug 26, 2022
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Claire Lehmann, the founder of Quillette, discusses the origins and purpose of Quillette, the COVID divide within the intellectual dark web, audience capture, and gun control in Australia and America.
Maintaining editorial independence is crucial for Quillette's scientific perspective and integrity.
Substack's rise has diversified the media industry but comes with risks of limited editorial oversight.
Avoiding audience capture and prioritizing quality over clicks ensures truth-seeking journalism.
Deep dives
The Origins and Purpose of Quillette
In this episode, Claire Lehmann, the founder of Quillette, discusses the origins and purpose of the online magazine. She explains that she started Quillette as a way to publish her own writing and fill the gap for a publication that would publish articles with a scientifically rational perspective. She also highlights the importance of maintaining editorial independence and the benefits of a small and flexible company structure.
Challenges of Keeping a Magazine's Ethos
Claire Lehmann shares insights into how she steers the ship at Quillette to maintain the magazine's original ethos. She explains that while she is a flexible boss, she remains firm on preserving editorial independence. She emphasizes the importance of not trading off integrity for financial gain and the value of taking issues on a case-by-case basis rather than lumping them into a single package.
Benefits and Risks of Substack
The rise of Substack and the impact it has had on the media industry is discussed. Claire Lehmann welcomes the diversification and the opportunities it has provided for talented writers. She notes that while Substack has disrupted the traditional publishing model, it also presents risks such as the potential lack of editorial oversight for some writers. She explains how Substack's success has contributed to a healthier media ecosystem in terms of diversity of ideas.
Addressing Audience Capture
The issue of audience capture and its potential dangers are explored. Claire Lehmann highlights the risk of content creators becoming influenced by the reward stimuli of online platforms and producing content that aligns with their audience's expectations rather than seeking truth and objective analysis. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining editorial integrity and valuing articles for their quality rather than solely focusing on clicks and shares.
Different Perspectives on Gun Control
The different approaches to gun control in Australia and the United States are discussed. Claire Lehmann acknowledges the historical and cultural differences between the countries, which have influenced their respective attitudes towards firearms. She explains that in Australia, there is generally less fear and mistrust of the government, allowing for stricter gun control measures. She notes that while there are valid arguments for gun ownership in the U.S., the extreme polarization and paranoia surrounding the issue can hinder meaningful discussions.
My guest today is Claire Lehmann. Claire is an Australian journalist and the founder of Quillette, which is the online magazine that I use to write for.
In this episode, Claire and I talk about why she founded Quillette, and how she maintains its original purpose as a magazine. We discuss the so-called "IDW" (the intellectual dark web) and the perception that it fractured into two camps on COVID issues. We discuss the difference between Australian and American COVID policy. We talk about the phenomenon of audience capture and how to fight it. We also talk about gun control in America and Australia, and much more.
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