In which I refer to em dashes as manspreading hyphens (complimentary).
06.03.2026 13:35
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In which I refer to em dashes as manspreading hyphens (complimentary).
That rhythm is so distinctive - I think it’s a certain kind of US journalese mixed with mildly dated ad copy. Makes sense considering what it’s hoovered up. Of course soon humans will write like that because they read so much of it
I taught English as a Foreign Language for about ten years. AI texts sound like very advanced foreign language learners. They have all the right words, but they just don't sound exactly right.
So true - you can hear AI voice if you read something aloud, almost more easily than you can see it . It’s the rhythm
Been years since I wore one and still find myself reflexively placing a hand to my chest when I sit down to prevent phantom lanyard swings.
Yes! There are so many YouTube channels on geeky subjects (aviation, infrastructure etc) I used to really enjoy that now all sound the same and it's like brain rot.
Or, in ChatGPT-speak:
"Ultimately, this not only highlights the complex and evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human expression — it also quietly underscores the broader systemic importance of maintaining authenticity in an increasingly digital world."
I now actively avoid words, phrases and rhythms that sound generative, even if I might have used them in prelapsarian times.
But I draw the line at dropping em dashes, which I will continue to deploy at scale until the robots pry them from my cold, arthritic index fingers.
5. The reflective rhythm (often deployed mid-paragraph)
"At its core, the debate was about power."
6. The conclusion rhythm
"Ultimately, the incident revealed the complexity of the system."
3. The tripartite* rhythm
"The reform had economic, political and social consequences."
4. The cause–effect rhythm
"This shift reflects deeper changes in society."
*AI obviously didn't invent the rule of three, but it sure as heck loves it.
A quick and dirty list of red flags:
1. The contrast rhythm
"The decision seemed simple, but its consequences were far-reaching."
2. The “not only… but also” rhythm
"The law not only affected businesses but also influenced everyday citizens."
The problem isn't so much AI slop, which can still be swerved. It's the YouTube channels *I actually like* but can no longer watch because they all exhibit the same, generative verbal cadence.
As an em dash user of longstanding, I have learned to marvel at its sheer versatility. The em dash can make space for additional information, mark a sudden break and emphasise a conclusion — it truly is the Meryl Streep of punctuation!
"They weren’t just sneakers — they were a signal."
Forget em dashes and the sudden ubiquity of "quietly" as a modifier. The real giveaway a text is AI-assisted? Cadence.
My newsletter, out now.
Q: What's more bloke-coded than starting a Substack?
A: Writing about what you've learned one year on.
Newsletters can be such a personal medium. I'm always conscious that one of mine can land in a reader's inbox between an email from their sibling and a bill from a utility company. It's super important not to be a dick.
4. Copyright
I don't miss writing leader columns but I do miss having licensing agreements with photo wire services. YouTube embeds can at a pinch make for decent thumbnails but most look like this.
I try to remind myself that ‘If you build it, they will come’ is a business model about as successful as Kevin Costner’s film career post-1993.
3. Promotion anxiety
I haven’t asked anyone out on a date in about a decade. Instead, I get my fill of potential humiliation every weekday, when I promote the newsletter on Bluesky.
2. The difference between having an idea and not is wider than a mile.
I keep a rolling iPhone Notes app in which I jot down little thoughts, often after several jolts of caffeine. They seem inspired at the time, but when I actually refer to them, they're completely unusable.
That 'why are you doing this now' meme from the 2017 general election
1. I'd written a daily newsletter for several years at The Standard, but still underestimated how hard this would be.
When you have an employer, there's a readymade excuse for why you're doing a thing. But Lines To Take somehow needs to justify itself. No one is forcing me to do this!
Q: What's more bloke-coded than starting a Substack?
A: Writing about what you've learned one year on.
Forecast vs Reality
An energy shock threatens Rachel Reeves's entire growth strategy.
My newsletter, out now.
Now that we have all the boxing metaphors, do we really need to keep doing the sport?
Such as buying First Division football clubs?
Incredible opening par here:
LONDON, Dec. 17—The British Government abandoned its goal of economic growth today and chose instead a policy aimed solely at economic survival.
Also, quite funny to use the Spring Statement as promo for your Mais Lecture.
Today's statement felt a lot more like Sunak's March 2020 Budget, when his announcement to allocate £30bn felt like a substantial response to Covid-19 (before UKG went on to spend a further £300bn).
This is a government that — pre-energy shock — had pencilled in spending cuts for an election year. Presumably Reeves was banking on lower borrowing costs to fund higher spending when the time came. She may no longer have that option.
A £500 jump in the energy price cap is obviously bad for households, but it's truly toxic for the government.
Higher energy prices = higher inflation = higher interest rate expectations = higher gilt prices.