In this particular case it’s fine, because the offending website (VICE) is unpaywalled. I hope some enterprising journalist has investigated this question, and I will be happy to compensate her with money for satisfying this weird curiosity of mine.” No, instead, I was perfectly and innocently happy not knowing anything about this, right up until I read the name of that article at which point I became consumed with curiosity, ie a feeling that I will be unhappy until I know the answer. I didn’t wake up this morning thinking “I wonder whether men are pointing loaded guns at their dicks, and, if so, why. Here are some articles I’ve seen advertised recently (not all on paywalled sources): “Why Trump’s Fight With Obama Might Backfire”, “This Tech Guru Has Made A Shocking Prediction For 2020”, “Here’s Why Men are Pointing Loaded Guns At Their Dicks”. If so, what could be going on?įirst, paywalled newspapers sometimes use a clickbait model, where they start by making you curious what’s in the article, then charge you to find out. Take a second and check if you feel the same way.
I think I would be happier in a world where major newspapers ceased to exist, compared to the world where they exist but their articles are paywalled.
So you can either accept their deal – pay money for the articles – or refuse their deal – and so be left no worse off than if they didn’t exist.īut I notice feeling like this isn’t true. They need to earn a living just like everyone else. You are not entitled to their product without paying them money. Journalists are providing you a deal: you may read their articles in exchange for money. Otherwise they’re just “helping you less than you wish they did”, not hurting you.Īnd so the standard justification for paywalls. But in general, if you’re angry at a business, you need to explain how one of these unusual conditions applies.
There are some exceptions, like if they outcompete and destroy another business you liked better, or if they have some kind of externalities, or if they lobby the government to do something bad. Absolutely hate them.Ī standard pro-business argument: businesses can either make your life better (by providing deals you like) or keep your life the same (by providing deals you don’t like, which you don’t take).
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