The Costco Theory of the Internet

JA Westenberg: For 20 years we built the internet around abundance: more products, more creators, more opinions, more newsletters, more podcasts, more apps, more tools, more marketplaces, more feeds. The founding promise was access: anything, from anyone, anywhere, instantly. No gatekeepers, no scarcity, no permission. The shelf went infinite. For a while that felt like freedom. And then it turned into drudgery… I’ve been a Costco member for a couple of years now and it always fascinates me how many things have been done with intentionality. Many of these are to either make things more efficient or work around the segment of the population that just seems to be unaware how to behave in public. Ultimately, they are to serve the interests of Costco, but often benefit members, too. There are both implicit and explicit rules and if you abide by them, the experience is pleasant. One recent instance that stuck out for me is the gas station—it’s often quite a bit cheaper than anything else…