Why the race to the bottom isn't inevitable

Seth Godin argues that competitive pressure toward mediocrity—faster content, dumber listicles, lower effort—is a choice, not destiny. This reframes the strategic position of brands: the companies winning aren't those matching the lowest common denominator, but those willing to exit the race entirely and build for a specific audience willing to pay attention differently. Sustained competitive advantage increasingly comes from refusing to optimize for scale, not from matching the Silicon Valley playbook of growth-at-all-costs.