My first interview in 2014 I was so excited for because it was big

When we started the call he was really nice, complimentary, "great work" etc

When he started recording:

"Why are you exploiting third world country people?"

Me never having done interviews before: 👀 the fuck

Another interview in 2019:

journo: how much money do you make with nomadlist?

me: it's on my site, $300k/y

journo: do you know that's a lot of money Pieter???

me: 👀 the fuck is happening

journo: do you feel guilty about that?

me: help

journo after: do u have a job for me?

Another interview in 2016:

journo: i want to show the reality of nomad life

me: agreed, let's be real, sometimes it's ups, sometimes it's downs, it's just like normal life

journo 2 weeks later: PIETER LEVELS IS QUITTING DIGITAL NOMAD LIFE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK

Another interview in 2016 by big tech publication that only writes about VC funded startups:

me: spends an hour commuting to the place to meet up

journo: *records 3h interview*

me: spends an hour commuting back

journo: NEVER POSTS THE INTERVIEW ON THEIR SITE EVER

I have so many more stories. The point is I don't talk to journalists anymore. I have PTSD. They've hardly ever reported factually on me or my sites. That's why I do my own PR on here to 110,000 people and if it goes viral millions can see it. Usually more reach than they get.

I'm all for the classic institution of journalism when I grew up and it had ethics and values and it wasn't like this due to clickbait which is due to shrinking revenue. I get it. But most journalism how it's now isn't good. Paid subscriptions are getting better though.

If you read this and never been interviewed you must think I'm exaggerating or insane. But most of my founder friends had the same experiences. I mean Paul Graham did!