Needlehooks

Since media income is driven by the number of "clicks" any given article receives, the contemporary practice is to write something stupid, like "air conditioning is sexist", to invite attention, commentary, and, naturally, criticism, and then mock the critics in as sophomoric a manner as possible, thus enabling even more "clicks".

To paraphrase a band from Akron, "Gosh, we're all devolving".

Free-floating, petty gripes are a result of Miserabilism as a world view, the idea that viewing Western Civ as a hellish, gruesome burden destined to collapse of its sins and conceits is the only possible worldview for a Serious Person. Hence the more fault you find, the deeper you are. It comes from being grounded in nothing but the shallow soil of the present, with no sense of history except for a series of pre-approved narratives intended to culminate in an argument against the recent past, which was bad because it prevented the wonderful possible Tomorrow from happening Today. It’s a recipe for life-long alienation.