So I just got through the [[New Yorker]] [piece](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/25/can-masterclass-teach-you-everything) on [Masterclass](https://www.masterclass.com/), the company. As everything [[New Yorker]], it's so well written. Education is a core interest of mine, running as it does in my family. And large part of my work at EWB-SA has been to refine our education strategy. So I have, as to be expected, a ton of thoughts on this whole thing. I had supper with a friend the other night, a digital media expert (really, a proper expert), and one of the things that struck me is how quickly he could "see the angles" on anything digital media. This of course is true universally of all real experts. Or "masters", to use the term Masterclass uses. They can see the angles instantly. I wonder what my digital expert friend would say about Masterclass. Maybe he'd say, yes this is internet things but not internet media. It's education. But I don't think he'd say that, because here's the thing, I think it's absolutely media. And highly produced media at that. A minimum of $750k a pop (course), apparently. I've been tempted to subscribe to Masterclass several times, and each time it's been because of it's _entertainment_ value, not it's _education_ value. In my world, Masterclass is competing with Netflix. In fact, it reminds me largely of a [[Netflix]] series on creatives. Abstract I think it was. I really enjoyed that series, that centered (as far as I can remember) on masters of their respective creative crafts. Like [[Paula Sher]] from [[Pentagram]]. I've never taken a Masterclass ever though, and so I can't be sure of my doubt that Masterclass is less about learning and more about being entertained. I certainly cannot fathom learning _mastery_ using this format. In my mental model, mastery is going to require, at the very minimum, constant practice under a good coach. And this is something the New Yorker piece briefly engages with. At a distance, it's difficult to tell much for sure of course, so until I decide to spent twice the cost of Netflix (wait, i think I have the Netflix cost wrong) on Masterclass, i'll have to live with my uncertainty. (There's no free course on Masterclass, only small samples, which is a very interesting product decision. What does seem to be clear from a distance however, is that this is really great storytelling. Emotional, engaging, entertaining storytelling. If the Masterclass hypothesis is that great storytelling can produce mastery, then Masterclass and I happen to share a hunch that storytelling can be an important tool in progress. Which connects neatly with my current exploration of using storytelling at the intersection of the social and the technical.