The Architecture of Self-Sabotage — Interactive Edition
This is a three-part series. You’re viewing the interactive data journalism version — the most visual and approachable entry point. Also available: the long-form text analysis (deeper detail, all the numbers) and the full source audit with bias analysis (every claim traced to its origin).
Can’t see the interactive version below, or want full-screen? Open it directly.
How to navigate this series
This piece exists at three levels of depth, depending on how much time you have and how much you want to verify:
| Tier | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive Edition (you are here) | Scrollytelling, animated charts, visual data | Quick engagement, sharing, getting the gist |
| Long-Form Analysis | ~3,000 word text with inline data | Reading deeply, referencing specific numbers |
| Sources & Methodology | Claim-by-claim audit with bias ratings | Verifying claims, challenging methodology |
The interactive version contains the same core argument and data as the long-form, presented through animated bar charts, a scrollytelling waffle chart of farm subsidies, a friendship recession timeline, and counter-example cards showing what works when defaults change.
Research assisted by Claude. Data from CDC, PLOS, PNAS, PMC, NIH, USAFacts, Gallup, Survey Center on American Life, and cited studies. Full source audit: Sources & Methodology.