Contraptions by Venkatesh Rao

Contraptions is a Substack newsletter written by Venkatesh Rao, a longtime technology and business thinker known for his work on Ribbonfarm. The publication describes itself as offering janky, wobbly models of everything from philosophy to technology and everything in between, signaling an approach that favors provisional thinking tools over finished frameworks.

The core appeal is Rao’s habit of constructing conceptual models and then stress-testing them in public. Posts often span multiple domains at once, linking ideas from philosophy, economics, software, and culture into speculative structures that readers can borrow, adapt, or argue with. The writing is dense but conversational, and the newsletter has attracted over 25,000 subscribers.

It is aimed at intellectually curious readers, including strategists, founders, researchers, and writers who want new lenses for interpreting technology and society. Those seeking practical how-to guides or breaking news will find little here; the value lies in the quality of the framing and the willingness to think out loud.

New readers can browse the archive before subscribing, which is advisable given the idiosyncratic style. Subscribing delivers new posts by email, and the free tier provides access to public essays. Reading a few recent issues first will show whether the models resonate with your own work.