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The internet doesn't destroy us — people do
Executive overview
People blame the internet, social media, and politicians for cultural toxicity. The real issue is individual choice. Those who tear others down for clout aren't conscienceless — they're hurting.
Hurt people hurt people — and compassion, not outrage, is the only fix.
Jets talk and quarterback decisions
- Breece Hall would have been top-two in rookie of the year without injury
- Not ready to give up on Zach Wilson — he's at rock bottom, which reveals character
- Wants a veteran QB who sees the Jets situation as an opportunity — not just a stopgap
- That QB should also have capacity to mentor Wilson
- Baker Mayfield is a possibility but hadn't hit the radar yet
TikTokification of content
- All social media is converging toward short-form, viral content
- Anyone making content about pizza, sports, or gardening now has a real shot at a breakout clip
- That single clip can change the course of someone's life
Who's really responsible for online toxicity
- Social media pipes are empty — humans fill them
- People get addicted to engagement numbers, but addiction doesn't make negativity right
- Burying people is easy and generates clips; it's a choice, not a platform feature
- Someone paid $8M/year to shit on LeBron is a TV problem, not an internet problem
- The question isn't "does negativity pay?" — it's whether you want to live with that trade
Hurt people hurt people
- People who attack others online aren't lacking conscience — they're in pain
- Micro-joy from someone else's suffering signals something broken internally
- The only real fix is compassion and empathy for people who are hurting
Buying the Jets
- Gary has wanted to own the Jets since fourth grade
- VaynerX is a $350M revenue business; a 10-year runway could produce a multi-billion-dollar exit
- VFriends (NFT intellectual property) is still performing when most NFTs have failed
- Even if the acquisition doesn't happen, the attempt is the win
On adversity and being a Jets fan
- 12-year playoff drought creates pent-up, high-stakes fandom
- Dealing with adversity at scale is a feature, not a bug
- Self-esteem wrapped in a winning team leads to confusion when the dynasty ends — Patriots fans being the example
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