Hi everyone. I’ve kept Utilitarian Review going weekly for a year or so since the blog stopped running regularly, but I think it’s time to stop. I will be posting weekly updates on my writing at my Patreon, so you can follow me over there if you like. If you contribute, the post will show up in your inbox every week—or you can just check in on Friday or Saturday, as you prefer.

Thanks for your interest in me and my writing, and in this old blog. The community here meant a lot to me. I hope you’ll stay in touch.

 
Patreon

I wrote about the dirtbag left and why vulgarity isn’t praxis.

The best album countdown continues with 93, Yma Sumac’s Mambo.
 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At A Beautiful Perspective I interviewed Juniper Fitzgerald about her new children’s book, sex work, mothers, and woman’s labor.

At Quartz I wrote about why #MeToo empowers men as well as women.

At Playboy I wrote about toxic masculinity and the Phantom Thread.

At NBC I wrote about 12 Strong and how war films only care about American lives.

At Splice Today I wrote about an entertainingly lousy Tarzan comic from my childhood.

At the Reader I wrote about a lovely blues/roots rock album by Samantha Fish.

 
Patreon

My best albums ever countdown continues with Le Tigre and a Peruvian noise comp.
 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At the Washington Post I wrote about the Good Place and television show runners as gods.

At Quartz I wrote about Marvel’s Runaways and how kids are oppressed.

At Playboy I wrote about

—Black Mirror’s USS Callister and ignoring Star Trek’s female fandom.

—Bright and how we can imagine orcs but not a police squad that deliberately targets marginalized people.

At Splice Today I wrote about

—how Black Mirror sucks, especially that Arkangel episode.

—a Captain Carrot comic from my childhood.
 
 

(cover of Torres’ album Three Futures, one of the best albums of the year.)

Patreon

97 in the list of best albums of all time: Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes— Os Afro-Sambas.

Are centrist dems too weak or too strong?

On how free college is a neoliberal plot (or maybe it isn’t.)

The 30 best albums of the year.

I listed the best essays I wrote this year.
 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At the LA Times I said, down with naive cynicism!

At Playboy I argued that The Post is not the media criticism we need right now.

At NBC I wrote about

—a new book arguing that we should regulate hate speech.

—how the ubiquity of superheroes reduces opportunity for diversity.

At Splice Today I wrote about:

—copyright and Joker fish.

—Leonardo da Vinci’s history of child abuse.
 
 

 
On Patreon

I wrote about why the left should focus on voter suppression rather than on finding inspirational candidates.

In my best album ever countdown I wrote about The Gospel Tradition: The Roots and the Branches.

A haiku about everyone else being wrong.

 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At Quartz I wrote about Kayla Moore and why saying someone is “a Jew” sounds anti-Semitic.

At the Forward I wrote about Star Wars and a universe without Jews.

At Splice Today I wrote about

—why the anti-Balthus petition isn’t censorship.

—an old Batman and the Metal Men comic in which sad robots are discriminated against and die.

At the Reader I wrote about

—Chicago pop punk band Daymaker.

—evil heavy grind core band Cloud Rat.

News

My new book on fascism in film came out this week! Buy it now! Buy it again just to be safe!

On Patreon

The 100th best album ever, Risque Rhythm, a collection of dirty jump blues. (and why comps on best of lists aren’t cheating.)

I wrote a couple haiku.
 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At Public Books, Lucinda Elliot wrote about why Georgette Heyer is reactionary and romances for working people. (This is part of an occasional series on romance novels that I edit.

At Quartz I wrote about

—the Supreme Court wedding cake case and how denying people service contributes to restrictions on free speech.

—Al Franken resigning, and why it’s a sign of Democratic strength.

At Splice Today I wrote about:

—why the Democrats aren’t to blame for the tax bill.

—a Superman comic from my childhood Part of a new series; this one’s about not wanting to be a superhero and Superman as un-castrator.