I’m going through a bit of what the boys back home call an “existential crisis,” which in this particular instance means I’m in the process of totally overhauling this newsletter.
I think meta-posts are boring so I resent every word I type right now, but the plan is to elevate this from a pseudo-monthly rage column and content dump to a twice-weekly thoughtful missive about the internet and the youths.
For my first series, I’d love to hear from you about what little corner of the internet you’re obsessed with. So far, I’ve heard about ex-Scientologist Facebook groups, snark subreddits, niche TV network drama, Mormon mommy bloggers, raccoon influencers and genuinely so much more I don’t wanna give it away.
I’d love to hear from you — are you an expert on a bizarre lil internet-friendly topic? Reply to this email directly or DM me on Twitter!
You can be a fellow journalist, a friend, a longtime listener/first-time caller, a total rando — don’t be afraid to reach out. And if I haven’t responded yet, I’m on it this week! I’ve gotten so many responses but I’m a glutton for content and I could keep this series going as long as the posts are a'flowin’.
To keep this from being a boring announcement post, let’s look at some links.
Content dump, article version
The Ideological Battlefield of the "Mamasphere" (Culture Study)
Why is Gen Z acting like Boomers right now? (MEL)
One crossword-solver’s enthusiasm inspired an entire TikTok subculture (Polygon)
The new Satanic Panic is bigger than you think (MEL) + TikTok isn't stopping a demonic conspiracy theory (Rolling Stone)
How a TikTok subculture helped me realize I have ADHD (Insider)
How much are artists really making on Twitch? (Water & Music)
People aren't meant to talk this much (The Atlantic)
What's going on with Instagram taking away the link sticker for some creators? (BuzzFeed)
How much money do you really need to quit your job? (Refinery 29)
The horror century (Vox)
Bad Religion Friend (Tablet)
I just love that Nylon's celeb beauty secret series is called "a lot of you have been asking"
How the rise of the softboy fueled the culture wars (Politico)
Horror influences in the goth subculture (Far Out)
The most valuable influencer-founded brands (Insider)
The "ghost stores" of Instagram (Vox)
What happens when your favorite thing goes viral? (Vox)
The grand unified theory of aesthetic vlogging (TechCrunch)
Is fanfiction legal? (Inverse)
How the Duolingo owl became a TikTok star (NBC News)
Why men simply love throwing rocks into water (Vice)
Food TikTok, I am worried about your posture (Gawker)
Petey's earnest songs and unique TikToks (New Yorker)
Inside the strange, satisfying world of sheep-shearing TikTok (Mashable)
Hating work is having a moment (Vox)
Randonautica promised adventure. It led to garbage. (Wired)
For the modern man, a new friend is just a podcast away (MEL)
How Gen Z and the TIkTok generation are becoming (legitimate) spies (Washingtonian)
Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" and the weaponization of memory (NY Times)
The enduring power of the claw clip (Vox)
What it's like to be a moderator of Reddit's AITA forum (In The Know)
How plagiarism helps explain Facebook's youth problem (Platformer)
The Art of the Boyfriend ‘Soft Launch’ (The Atlantic)
The cringe couple is back (The Cut)
For momfluencers, Reels present a brand new challenge (Slate)
How Pinterest utterly ruined photo search on the internet (Input)
Content dump, video version
Brittany Dawn explainer (Fundie Fridays)
The systemic abuse of celebrities (Broey Deschanel)
The liminal spaces iceberg (Broogli)
"Looking Expensive" & the class implications of how we dress (Tiffany Ferguson)
The evolution of Taylor Swift’s style and image (ModernGurlz)
The downfall of the ACE Family (SWOOP)
Have fun out there. I’ll be back scarily soon