James Hardaway has a reputation among his friends and family for being a reviews guy. Before making a big purchase, he’ll check Wirecutter and Consumer Reports, do a drive-by of Reddit, and see what’s being said on YouTube. He’s an avid film fan, and he eagerly combs through Rotten Tomatoes scores and media writeups ahead of new releases to make sure he’s in tune with the cultural moment. He feels that if he’s not doing his homework, he may not be making the best use of his money.
Still, Hardaway, a 38-year-old manufacturing manager in Texas, isn’t sure if all the ratings-related rigamarole is meaningfully improving his life. He and his wife…
