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Kneeling Bus explores the intersection of the digital world and physical environments, examining how the internet shapes perceptions of reality, urbanism, social media, and architecture. It addresses themes like the impact of technology on society, digital clutter, urban development, and the influence of online platforms on physical spaces and vice versa.

Internet and Society Urbanism and Architecture Social Media Dynamics Technology's Impact on Living Spaces Digital Aesthetics and Design

The hottest Substack posts of Kneeling Bus

And their main takeaways

Jackals, False Grails

215 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture
  1. The distinction between material and immaterial is blurring, with physical objects being infused with digital information, like Shein creating clothes based on online data.
  2. Branding has become crucial in the commoditization of physical objects, with companies like Anbernic using minimal branding elements to make products easily discoverable online.
  3. In a world where information is key, the value of materiality diminishes, showcasing how data and mobility reign supreme.

All My Apes Are Going to Be Strangers

224 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Internet Sports Technology Social media Digital Content
  1. The future of the internet may involve a personalized experience with content made just for us, but ultimately, human connection remains a fundamental desire.
  2. Despite the push towards connectivity online, there are also strong forces leading to isolation and individualization in the digital age.
  3. Sports betting apps represent a shift towards solitary engagement even in traditionally communal activities like watching sports, altering how one engages with content and the overall experience.

Margaritas at the Mall

215 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Exercise Internet culture Urban life Evolution Consumer behavior
  1. The concept of exercise is portrayed as peculiar and counterintuitive in modern society, with emphasis on the trend towards optimizing the self.
  2. The digital age has paradoxically renewed focus on physical appearance and maintenance, despite the technological liberation that was once presumed.
  3. There is a critique on contemporary gym culture, illustrating a disconnect between the adapted physical ideals and the practical lifestyle in today's society.

Deeper Into Movies

117 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Wearable Tech Virtual reality Future Tech
  1. Apple Vision Pro allows for immersive experiences in public spaces like Times Square.
  2. Casey Neistat's testing shows potential for futuristic computing interfaces.
  3. The use of Vision Pro might lead to a future where public areas transform into tech-heavy workspaces.
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Bugman Ratrace

78 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Digital Platforms
  1. Enshittification describes the gradual degradation of digital platforms.
  2. Platforms deteriorate by prioritizing business needs over user experience.
  3. Enshittification also affects physical products through quality declines and market consolidation.

The Pavilion of Dreams

244 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Architecture Urbanism Society Inequality
  1. Architects focus more on urban cores than suburban areas in America.
  2. Suburban landscapes are mostly designed by real estate development, not architects.
  3. Urban housing shortages are intentional to increase real estate value, benefiting investors over accommodating everyone.

Inertia Creeps

185 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Transportation Self-driving cars Mobile technology
  1. Driving in Los Angeles is time-consuming and inconvenient for everyone, regardless of wealth.
  2. Transport options like ridesharing apps have transformed urban travel and made distant places more accessible, albeit at a higher cost.
  3. Advancements in transportation technology suggest a future where travel becomes a space of its own, separate from the physical world we traverse.

Speak No Evil

244 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Internet AI Digital Media SEO Algorithm
  1. Internet platforms are becoming visually chaotic and cluttered with junk, impacting user experience.
  2. The messy aesthetics of the internet reveal a shift towards desperate monetization strategies.
  3. AI may help clean up the internet's clutter by automating processes and reducing visual chaos.

Heaven Is a Truck

176 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🎭️ Culture Architecture Urbanism Media Literature Technology
  1. Twitter urbanism discourse often reflects a dissatisfaction with the physical environment.
  2. The contemporary city has vast voids that shape our frustration with the built environment.
  3. Rethinking traditional urbanist theories is crucial to understanding our evolving cities.

Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found Here)

146 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Fame Urban life Aesthetics
  1. In the age of social media, everyone has the potential for some level of fame, even if it's just to a small group of people.
  2. Social media platforms encourage constant engagement by transforming real estate in people's minds into smaller, more frequent units.
  3. Attention on social media is securitized to keep content flowing, blurring the lines between creators and consumers.

Ex Lion Tamer

166 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Social media Search Music Internet
  1. Spotify is incorporating AI and TikTok features to improve user experience.
  2. AI and TikTok are revolutionizing the traditional concept of internet search.
  3. The integration of AI and human elements is crucial for creating engaging content.

The Museum of Sauce

117 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Aesthetics TikTok Pop culture
  1. TikTok has become a powerful force in shaping aesthetics and design in contrast to Instagram's influence.
  2. TikTok's native aesthetic is described as baroque, tactile, kinetic, and loud, setting it apart from other platforms.
  3. TikTok's impact extends beyond the digital realm, influencing physical environments and incentivizing creativity in a way that differs from Instagram.

Dub Housing

156 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Housing Urbanization Luxury goods Globalization
  1. Housing shortages are common in desirable areas like Lake Tahoe due to a surplus of people and limited housing supply.
  2. The demand for housing in luxury tourist destinations can outstrip supply, turning basic human needs into luxury goods.
  3. There is a growing need to balance market forces with regulatory incentives to ensure fair resource allocation in areas like Lake Tahoe.

Manhattan Hotel Futurism

136 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Nostalgia City Planning Architecture Cultural Preservation
  1. Cities are facing an existential crisis as urban activities move online, disconnecting from physical spaces.
  2. New York is clinging to past eras due to powerful nostalgia, which hinders progress and adaptation to emergent forces like technology.
  3. The future city may resemble suburbs more than traditional urban areas, with less inertia to hold onto the past and more openness to embrace technological advancements.