Although necessarily speculative, this was an amazing take.

We can't know for sure if they intentionally favoured longer reads, socially appropriate topics and writers, and ensured the winners checked all the PC and diversity boxes (I mean, I'd bet they did, but we can't be 100% factually sure they did).

What is 100% factually sure is that Medium is trying to be something that is not. The staff is pulling in one direction and the whole weight of its users is pulling in a different one.

I don't think "William Shakespeare beats Eminem in a rap contest" is accurate. I think Medium's full of Eminems publishing rap content, and in goes the staff and organizes a historical play writing contest, which then the William Shakespeares of other corners of the internet come and win. The contest wasn't designed for Medium writers, and that's the problem.

But anyway. Great points mate