Theranos Archives - Mpelembe Network

The Anatomy of Monomania: Why We Soul-Settle and Suffer for Our “White Whales”

Mon, July 27 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This analysis explores the intersection of biography, media criticism, and the material culture of corporate failure. One primary text provides an in-depth review of Walter Isaacson’s biography of Albert Einstein, focusing on the physicist’s unique creative process and the tragic history of his son’s mental illness. Another review critiques the unconventional documentary Zodiac Killer Project, which examines the formulaic nature of the true-crime genre through the lens of a failed film production. Complementing these are accounts of bird watching as a psychological pursuit and a discussion among collectors of “fucked company” swag. This latter community values authentic artifacts from collapsed or fraudulent entities like Theranos and Enron as tangible reminders of human hubris and historical mismanagement. Together, these sources highlight how society documents and remembers extraordinary lives, notorious crimes, and industrial catastrophes. Continue reading →

Will Harvey, University of Bristol

A reputation can be damaged by a single mistake, or after months or even years of bad behaviour. Organisations may turn a blind eye to such behaviour by employees or business leaders, and sometimes it is tacitly enabled by a toxic culture that prioritises an end game – profits or “winning” – over people or planet.

In either case, research can tell us about the drivers of reputational loss, as well as how to rebuild a reputation, and ways to avoid damaging it in the first place. But while reputations can be protected, my research shows this shouldn’t happen at all costs – there is a dark side to reputation management that can, and should, be avoided.

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Tag Archives: Theranos

Why we hunt monsters and failed startups