#and the modern internet and social media

[threadmonster]

I think a (potentially) generation defining thing is how you feel about the phasing out of internal optical/DVD/CD (however you say it) readers in laptops.

I do not want to have to buy an extra external device that has to be plugged in. That (in my opinion) is way more inconvenient than a laptop that's heavier.

I have plenty of physical media I still want to enjoy! (I also want to collect more before things disappear.) I already own them!! so, I'm sorry, the only way I'm experiencing it digitally is if I can rip it or if I download it by other means.

[miscartz]

John getting cancelled ♥️

[whereserpentswalk]

There's a cult that practices a strange and dark magic. They're strange, even to other wizards and sorcerers. They let in all beings, from mortals, to experienced mages, to demons and angels lost from the underworld, to the last of the goblins and orcs who still wander the dark woods of North America.

The cult is very secretive, and they fear the names of all gods. Their holy places are abandoned buildings, not even churches most of the time, abandoned stores, abandoned towns, abandoned malls. The type of place that cryptids would go to. And if you find them, they'll let you engage in their one and only ritual, silently, without ever talking to another member.

Their ritual is thus. They'll place a machine on your head, a strange thing made from wyrm intestines, and faerie bones, and old computer parts that nobody uses, and scrap metal, and chewed wires. And they'll turn it on over your head, and there you'll see everything, all the things from countless souls and countless planes, for as long as you wish.

But there is a catch. The machine decides exactly what to show you. Perhaps, if it wishes to impress you, it'll show you distant lands, and great creatures, and forgotten knowledge. That's useally the type of thing it'll show you at first. But it'll show you other things too. Glimpses of other people's lives perhaps, to give you a vague hint at someone you wish to know. Something shocking and disgusting that you'll never forget. Things that make you sad and worried. Perhaps even the tense nothingness of an empty dimension if it needs it.

See, the machine does not care about how you feel. It wants one thing, to never be put down forever, and to remain on your head as long as you want. It's not the only machine in the cult, every member has their own. And it'll show you things that make you afraid to take it off, warnings of coming dangers without a way to stop it, but it'll tell you to keep watching to know more if you want to be safe. It'll show you tragedy and people in pain, and tell you it's your fault for not paying attention, and denying the victims their right to have their assault watched, it won't tell you what could help them. If you could help you might be satisfied, but keep watching, you wouldn't look away like some sort of heartless monster. And it'll show you people who are better than you, people, real or half real, who'd shame you for not being like them, who want to tell a failure like you how to act, who need you to keep watching them or else your the fool. Just keep watching.

It'll show you whatever you want, though never let you interact. And eventually it'll tell you to do things more directly, if it trusts you, and soon you may be a priest of the machine cult. More and more are worn every day. More and more people are tuning into to the eternal broadcast.

[unsolicited-opinions]

I've been thinking about Neil Postman on Orwell (author of 1984) and Huxley (author of Brave New World).

Postman hits differently in 2024 than he did in 1990.

Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

... Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions."

In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us.

...

When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience, and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; culture-death is a clear possibility.

[idkneverthoughtofit]

While reading vent posts around here, I realized that being annoying is a major source of worry among users. Honestly, I’m concerned about that too, but I have a theory:

With the rise of the internet, short-form content, and the algorithm, we are constantly pleased with what we see. We expect to be pleased—it’s a kind of hedonistic cycle. I believe this expectation extends to real-life socializing, where we assume people should always be perfectly pleasant, while also seeking approval as universally enjoyable.

However, we all know that’s simply impossible (even if you try really hard). The result? A growing aversion to real-life interactions—since people aren’t carefully curated like their online counterparts—and an unprecedented anxiety about how we are perceived by others.

I’m not a psychologist, so don’t take my word for it. But if you’re passionate about this fascinating field, I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if not, still—please share your opinion.

[lalithemidnightmuse7]

is fiction disagreement our new way of fighting ?

I do wonder—have we always been this hostile about fiction, or is this a new-age affliction? I’ve seen nations divided by politics, by war, by faith. But a movie? A character? Was my opinion on a piece of human imagination really that threatening? Did I have to love what you love to be good, to be lovable, to be sane?

Once, we crossed oceans and cultures to build bridges. Now, we tear each other down just to feel taller. We sharpen our words, not for insight, but for the thrill of being right. to be suprior!

‘I know this story better. I understand this character more. You just don’t get it.’

what if I don’t?

Stories were meant to unite us. So why are we fighting?

Maybe a person’s opinions on fiction reveal something about them. Or maybe they reveal nothing at all. Maybe, just maybe, some of us are just here for the pleasure of the story.

truly yours,

laly.

[memintomori]

i hope they never make a smashbros again

[goldensunset]

when I chose to move over to this site it was because I had also noticed the links struggling to show me the other type of blog without the modern tracking. It took me forever to do it but that was always in my mind. Anyway just wanted to say that I checked ur blog from the outside and seeing you lock down would have also pushed me to join if I hadn’t already whenever you turned that on

SWAG CITY!!!! I AM ONE OF THE HANDS THAT GRABS PEOPLE AND PULLS THEM INTO THE PIT WITH ME!!!!

[onemillionfurries]

[kalcat-sketches]

So I mostly play D&D, but one of my friends roped me into a one-shot-to-try-out-the-game-but-it's-turned-into-a-thing Cyberpunk 2020 game

This is my character I ended up drawing in game during other players character stuff (gotta keep the ADHD occupied), her name is Frostbyte and she's the face of a reality show

[sw4mpc0re]

Internet lover

I'm so done with it all. The internet, social media, phones as a whole. I'm just coming here to vent sorry if this ends up long or maybe I'm not idk. It seems like one of those things everyone's going through, but no one wants to hear about. Now, obviously, we've all always been aware that phones and socials are addicting. But lately, it's just....getting to me so much. It sucks because I spend so much time alone at home, and I've made what I felt to be genuine friendships online, but if i leave those spaces, that's that. Gone forever are people I've known for years because no ones gonna text.

I don't blame them.

It's heartbreaking because I'm getting to this point where I feel I just may have to for my mental health, and just lose those friendships. Specifically I do mean Facebook, I'm aware it's dated but my friendships on the platform have spanned that long. It's hard to let go. But that is by far not all that's going on here.

God scrolling is so fucking boring like oh my God what the fuck are we actually doing?

No one wants to hear that but we must all think it.

I'm trying to make better use of my time and I think....I think I'm getting better. It's a process. I'll be using timers soon but everytime I'm on my phone all I can think about is how I'm

On my phone

Wasting my time

I open social media just to close it.

And I'm not trying to be biased. I still find comfort in small corners of online spaces.

Tumblr, my youtube channel, sharing music and art through Instagram and never actually looking at it.

I'm aware I am a hypocrite.

I find some comfort in throwing my feelings into the void as much as the next person but God I'm tired of scrolling. I miss the old internet. The one that had to be accessed by a computer and the world felt separate from technology. You had to put in effort.

Now they've mutated together like some amorphous monster

All consuming of our precious fleeting attention

I've watched people I love waste away to propaganda and misinformation based fear.

I've seen really interesting creative people (such as myself) stifled out because of a crippling addiction to screens

I've seen people do wonderful and amazing and horrible and shameful things in the name of some omnipotent entity that we all just casually accepted, and now we can't turn back.

Hell, even the internet is now consuming itself to death.

We've been given too much information. When are we going to stop acting like this is normal?

[jentlemahae]

-

[kvothe-kingkiller]

[ladyeckland28]

### The Dear David Twitter Thread: A Modern Tale of Haunting

In the digital age, where much of our entertainment comes from screens and social media, Adam Ellis’s "Dear David" Twitter thread in 2017 brought an old genre into a new medium. Ellis, a cartoonist by profession, recounted his haunting experiences with a ghostly child named "Dear David." His narrative, rich with disturbing dreams, eerie photos, and unexplained events, captivated millions and redefined how we consume horror stories.

**A Modern Storyteller’s Medium**

Adam Ellis’s choice of Twitter, a platform known for its brevity and immediacy, was unconventional yet oddly fitting for a ghost story. Each tweet, limited by character count, heightened the suspense and left readers in a state of perpetual anticipation. This fragmented style of storytelling allowed for real-time engagement, making the audience feel as though they were part of the unfolding mystery. As Ellis shared photo evidence of strange occurrences in his apartment and recounted his vivid, unsettling dreams, the threads between reality and fiction blurred.

**The Eerie Allure of Dear David**

The story begins with Ellis dreaming of a young, deformed boy named David who appears at the foot of his bed. In his dreams, David can answer only two questions correctly; any deviation leads to a fatal encounter. These initial details cast a spell on readers, combining the innocence of a child with the terror of the supernatural. As Ellis's dreams become more vivid and his waking life begins to mirror the hauntings, the gripping narrative takes a dark turn. Eerie photographs and videos posted by Ellis show household objects moving on their own, odd shadows, and inexplicable phenomena, compelling readers to question their understanding of the paranormal.

**Crafting Viral Horror**

What sets the "Dear David" thread apart is not just the spine-chilling content, but Ellis’s adept use of social media to craft a viral horror sensation. His updates were strategically timed, creating periods of agonizing suspense between revelations. This method of storytelling transformed the thread into an interactive experience, with followers dissecting every post, analyzing photos, and speculating on upcoming events. The widespread sharing and engagement turned "Dear David" into a communal experience, fostering a shared sense of fear and curiosity.

**The Impact and Legacy**

The "Dear David" thread is more than just a sequence of ghostly events; it is a pioneering effort in the realm of digital storytelling. It underscores the potential of social media platforms to bring traditional genres into new light, offering immersive and interactive experiences. Additionally, the phenomenon reflects modern society’s insatiable appetite for horror, amplified by the internet’s ability to connect and engage audiences worldwide.

In essence, the "Dear David" Twitter thread is a testament to how storytelling has evolved in the digital age. By blending age-old ghost story elements with the immediacy and reach of social media, Adam Ellis created an unforgettable narrative that continues to haunt the imaginations of many. As we move further into the digital future, the legacy of "Dear David" will likely inspire new modes of storytelling that capitalize on the unique features of contemporary platforms.

[bobthedragon2]

soooOOooo sick of feeling creatively unhealthy

[niggadiffusion]

What Are Your Favorite Emojis? (And Why I Side-Eye Mine Sometimes)

What are your favorite emojis? Let’s not lie to ourselves—emojis have become emotional punctuation marks for a generation that texts instead of talks. They’re digital side-eyes, virtual hugs, passive-aggressive shade throwers, and flirty little nothings in pixel form. But ask me what my favorite emojis are, and suddenly I’m holding a mirror up to my entire emotional catalog, wondering, who am I…