My ex-bf Matt C. once said that the basic premise of any Slate article is “here’s the conventional wisdom, and here’s why it’s wrong.”

Matt was right about this, and Slate acknowledges as much today. Surprisingly, Matt isn’t cited directly.

Although I enjoyed all of the anti-Slate writing published today (click here and here for more of it), the whole thing is a little self-serving. Slate isn’t any better for having owned up to its formula. Just like the new Mac ads that Seth Stevenson wrote “[parody] its own image while also cementing it,” What I Hate About Slate day just reinforces what people already do hate about Slate.

But as you can see from the links, I don’t hate Slate. I kinda like it. But all online magazines can’t be read every day. The respective tones of Salon, Slate and TNR Online become tiresome after a while and their articles become predictable. But I guess this happens in all opinion journalism.

Anyway, the point is, if you’re a nerd, check out Slate’s coverage of itself. And if you’re an aspiring nerd, check out online news sites, but don’t read boring articles that appear on an interesting web site.