About time. Vaguely embarrassing for humanity that books for children were so strongly dominating adult reading. https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2023/03/why-are-ya-sales-declining-this-week-in-books

Blogger at ribbonfarm.com, running summerofprotocols.com, host of /gloom ☀️

Aliens arrive, are hanging out in orbit, ship cloaked, wondering whether to engage.

Alien flunkey: Captain, this entire planet suffers from arrested development.

Alien boss: Surely can’t be that bad? They live to 80-100, no?

Flunkey: Half their leaders base their leadership on fantasies for 13-year-olds.

Boss (searching scan reports): I see books about a Frodo are very popular?

Flunkey: Those are for 14-15 year-olds. There are ones about a Harry Potter for 12 year-olds and ones by an Ayn Rand for 8 year-olds that are even more popular.

Boss: Ok, abort contact mission. Broadcast “dumb planet” on subether relays.