Let’s argue about the definition of “hot take”
Hot take: an opinion or statement that’s deliberately provocative, bold, or contrarian—usually expressed quickly, without much nuance, and often intended to spark debate or grab attention.
Some signs your hot takes are not hot takes
- When you share them, a lot of people agree with you. Example: I like pineapple on pizza
- They’re boring and don’t elicit much reaction
- You feel comfortable sharing them at work or on first dates
How do I know if my hot takes are real
If you answer yes to all of the following questions, you may actually have a hot take
- Are you scared to share this opinion with other people, especially at work on first dates?
- Does your opinion take a clear stance on something and avoid nuance, avoiding caveats and baked-in apologies?
- Do people yell at you in disbelief and outrage when you share this opinion or say “wow…” followed by awkward silence?
- Do you lay awake at night regretting what you said?
If you answer yes to most of these, then you may actually have a hot take.
“Publish a list of your hot takes,” you say
No. I don’t have enough courage to put all of that on the internet and hot takes are, by definition, likely to met with disagreement and in some cases offense and anger…. Okay maybe I will publish some later.
Some Hot Takes I’ve Heard (Not Necessarily Mine)
- No one has ever learned anything from reading
- antinatalism
- Politicians are all lizard people (okay… maybe this one is actually not a hot take)