The Internet Is Good #1
If you're like me, you spend hours scrolling through platforms on the internet, Instagram, TikTok, BlueSky, Tumblr, over and over and over again. And after awhile, the internet just feels kinda... Meh?
When I was younger, the internet felt fascinating. It felt like there were so many twists and turns, hidden website, niche fandoms, that I'd never run out of things to explore. But as I got older, and social media platforms proliferated, everything kinda started feeling same-y. Maybe it's just because of how much content I was consuming, or how it was delivered; in either case the result was the same. This cool fascinating pinnacle of human communication started to feel hollow.
Recently, I've tried to slow down and spend some quality time on the internet, actually appreciating just how special it is. Which is why I'm starting this new weekly newsletter. Each week I'll deliver a recap of the things on the internet that I appreciate, whether it be a bit of internet lore, an artist, a weird art project, or just something I found and thought "neat."
To kick us off, here are five things on the internet I found interesting that I wanted to share with you!
#5. Wikipedia's Wikipede
I love Wikipedia, it's an incredible internet resource, and in my opinion is one of the modern wonders of the world. I mean all of human knowledge in one place? That's actually mind-boggling! But we're not here to talk about the fantastic free encyclopedia– no, we're here to talk about the Wikipede!
In 2003, Wikipedia hosted an international logo contest to find their. Community members submitted dozens of designs, thousands of people participated, and in the end, the Wikipedia puzzle globe came into existence! Wikipedia is currently celebrating it's 25 anniversary, and has a wonderful write-up about their history here. But before a final form was settled on, the "Wikipede" was born.
Look at him! He's gross, and pixelated, and he fills me with a deep unshakable fear. And I love him. I love him so much I bought myself a tote with his horrid depiction on it.
You can buy the Wikipede Tote here, and maybe even consider donating to the Wikimedia Foundation?
#4. Queer Cowboys
I love cowboys, and I love queer stories. Growing up I struggled to find a lot of queer stories that I could resonate with. While there are plenty more to be found now, I find that some of my favorite genres just don't have the stories I'm yearning for. Fortunately, a podcast colleague, Lauren Shippen is currently working on a queer Western romance, "Desperate Hollow!" You can read the first two chapters as of writing on her Patreon!
In her research for this story, Lauren found a very different history of the wild west than what I grew up with. She talks about it in a recent video, check it out below!
Note: In case this embed ever breaks in the future, as API's tend to do over time, you can also see Lauren's post here.
#3. Pringles Hot Dog Buns?
I don't know anything about this, but I love sending my friends stupid hot dog memes and this one takes the cake. Bun? I don't know. But if I see these on a shelf, I will be buying one, eating it, and reviewing it for you here.
#2. Patreon bans AI training crawlers
404 Media reported earlier this week that Patreon has partnered with Cloudflare to block web crawlers scraping the platform for AI training! This is a small win in an ongoing battle for creatives online, but in an otherwise harsh landscape, it's great to see the Patreon team taking steps to protect creators.
But if you're an artist who posts work online, and you're looking for some extra protection, maybe consider using the University of Chicago's AI nightshade?
#1. Summer Eternal - Anthology
Last, and perhaps the one thing that I'm most excited for, is the debut of upcoming game studio, Summer Eternal. If you're not in the know, here's a really quick rundown of events:
In 2019, ZA/UM released Disco Elysium, it's one of the best games ever, and is beautifully written. Unfortunately, after finding massive commercial success, the lead creatives Robert Kurvitz, Argo Tuulik, Dora Klindžić, and many others, were slowly pushed out of the studio. This resulted in many creatives going out and founding their own studios, and now there are four new "Disco-like" games on the horizon.
And then ZA/UM recently published Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, which has stirred up a lot of mixed feelings for Disco Elysium fans. The Verge and Aftermath both have great write-ups exploring the complexity of a good game that exists in the shadow of its predecessor.
Amidst all this chaos, there's one studio I've been keeping my eye on: Summer Eternal. This is where several members of the original creative team have landed, and unlike the other studios, this one has been formed as a worker owned co-op. As an artist, and a fan, I'm really rooting for whatever Summer Eternal has been cooking up.
And all of this leads me to the Summer Eternal: Anthology. As a debut project, the team has put together a combination development diary/cultural journal/game reveal. Within its pages are a series of essays from the team sharing an inside look at organizing a worker-owned game studio (which I'm incredibly eager to learn about for my own pursuits). Plus, it'll have the world's first look at "Project Red Rooster." Me? I've already pre-ordered the anthology (and its limited edition vinyl), which promises to ship this summer.
That's it for now! I'll be back next Friday with another round up of five good things I found on the internet. But hey! This is a conversation, not a monologue (though I do love to monologue). I wanna hear from you! What do you think the most magical place online is? Tell me in the comments below!
Member discussion