Kneeling Bus $5 / month

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

Downward Is Heavenward

224 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Art Internet Media Politics Social Dynamics Reality
  1. Putting down your phone and going outside is a way to escape from the overwhelming digital world, but even nature can have its own issues. We need to realize that our sense of reality is always changing and influenced by what we see online.
  2. The idea of escaping into filter bubbles has become irrelevant because now our entire experience is made up of different realities. We are so intertwined with digital life that leaving a social media platform feels like moving away in real life.
  3. People today are finding connection in shared interests, like movies or trending topics, despite the chaos online. This new culture may seem bland compared to the past but helps pull us together when real meaning feels scarce.

Ruins in Reverse

176 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Media Art Society History Architecture
  1. Redbox kiosks were once popular but are now abandoned after the company's bankruptcy, marking a shift in media consumption. These kiosks symbolize a moment in time from when DVDs were still relevant.
  2. In today's disposable culture, we often ignore waste and discarded items, but abandoned Redbox kiosks visibly remind us of past failures and what we leave behind.
  3. Empty shopping spaces like dead malls and abandoned kiosks reflect a kind of 'creative destruction' in our environment. They serve as reminders of previous use and potential for future change.

NPCs in the Slop Mines

205 implied HN points • 12 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Social Behavior Urban Studies Digital Culture
  1. Waiting in long lines has become common, and many people don't even know why they're waiting. This reflects a tendency to follow trends and social media hype without questioning it.
  2. People can develop habits that make them behave like non-player characters (NPCs) in their daily lives. We all have routines, but it's important to be aware of how societal pressures shape our behavior.
  3. AI and the internet produce a lot of low-quality content, similar to how people can act predictably or unimaginatively. Recognizing this can push us to engage more thoughtfully and creatively in both online and offline spaces.

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.
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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.

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.

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 Digital Nomads
  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.

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.

The Museum of Sauce

117 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Aesthetics TikTok Instagram 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.

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.