We apologize for missing this hot Matt Yglesias take over the weekend, but better late than never, right? Get a load of this steaming load:
Here’s what gets me down about the Facebook discourse.
Consider a normal industry like beer.
People disagree about how to regulate beer in order to minimize various harms while also preserving things people enjoy, avoiding perverse consequences, etc.
Not an easy issue.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) May 25, 2019
But nobody pretends that, like, beer company CEOs and the marketing team at beer companies and the beer lobbyists are earnestly plugging away and wrestling with how to reduce alcoholism.
They love alcoholism because they love money!
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) May 25, 2019
They wake up every day and ask themselves what they can do to make more alcoholics so they can make more money.
Their marketing aims to create more alcoholics and their lobbying aims to stop the government from reducing alcoholism.
It’s their job. They sell beer for money.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) May 25, 2019
How to balance all the relevant interests really is a hard problem, but it’s a hard problem for the rest of us not for the people who work at the beer companies.
For them it’s easy — the more people drink the more money they make.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) May 25, 2019
Remember, folks. This guy gets paid for his insight.
Is there any evidence for this hot take or is this straight out of your imagination of how business works?
— Greg (@DoppelGregor) May 25, 2019
We’re gonna go with the latter on this one.
matt, hi, person in recovery here, no one "creates" alcoholics, this is nonsense
— patrick mcmahon (@patrickmcmahonn) May 26, 2019
JFC dude I am a sober alcoholic (19+ years) and there is so much wrong here!!!
— Farrell McManus (@farrellmcmanus) May 27, 2019
I've been sober for almost 32 years now.
I find your conspiracy theory incredibly offensive.
But I shouldn't be surprised.
Liberals aren't known for their ability to understand personal responsibilty.— Slovydal (@Slovydal) May 27, 2019
As someone who works in beer sales I can say we put zero effort into “making new alcoholics.” We dont focus on the non-drinker at all. Most of our focus is to try to get people to consume our product by pulling them away from the competition.
— Tony Coleman (@tonycoleman2826) May 27, 2019
I work in beer marketing and can 100% guarantee there isn’t a single brewery that considers alcoholics their target demo.
This take is ignorant and irresponsible. https://t.co/SSNdeNdFZI
— Zach Fowle (@ZachFowle) May 26, 2019
Own a brewery. This is a horrible take.
— AJ5 (@allenjoseph5) May 26, 2019
There is literally nothing Yglesias can’t be wrong about. It’s an impressive track record.
— GribWrites (@GribWrites) May 26, 2019
It's more like we wake up in the morning and think "How do we get the people who do drink to drink our brand and not another?" I don't know anyone in my industry who wants consumers to become alcoholics so that we sell more beer. This is such a bad take it hurts.
— Benjamin Rohal (@BStacy17) May 28, 2019
Nah dude, this take ain't it
— Chris Knecht (@JeffNector) May 27, 2019
No, wrong.
— Craig Mycoskie (@GAbrewerCraig) May 27, 2019
Yeaaaah……no
— Patrick Wade (@ptw79) May 27, 2019
What an absolute idiot. pic.twitter.com/NAzAeaoLiF
— Rasputin's Murderess???⚰ (@pipandbaby) May 27, 2019
Yglesias said something profoundly stupid?
Must be a day ending in "Y". https://t.co/z9zNzZoPns
— Dodd (@Amuk3) May 27, 2019
You really are a blithering idiot. https://t.co/4Qnz5O19dK
— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) May 27, 2019
Dude. You are so insanely wrong.
— Craft of the Brewer (@Aleonychteuthis) May 27, 2019
This take is as bad as takes get.
— qoqqʎ pᴉƃᴉʇɐl (@r0cketfr0g) May 26, 2019
Until Matt’s next one, anyway.
I think you're wrong about this. Then again, I think you're wrong about everything. Cheers!
— Kirk (@rougblog) May 27, 2019