Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends

This Substack explores digital culture, internet phenomena, and the impact of technology on daily life, emphasizing themes like privacy, grief, social media trends, AI, wellness culture, consumerism, and personal narratives. It critically reflects on changes in internet use, the commodification of personal life, and the evolving landscape of online interaction.

Digital Culture and Internet Phenomena Technology and Society Mental Health and Wellness AI and Automation Social Media Trends and Impacts Consumer Culture Personal Narratives and Storytelling Internet and Technology Critique Public Health and Misinformation Media and Content Consumption

The hottest Substack posts of Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends

And their main takeaways

Personally, I'm faking it.

0 implied HN points • 27 May 14
📰 News Violence Media Internet Social media
  1. The #YestoAllWomen movement sheds light on societal misogyny and class-based ideas that still persist today.
  2. Media representations, like Hollywood movies, can sometimes reflect and perpetuate harmful narratives, as seen in a nuanced column about Elliot Rodger's story.
  3. Exploring 'the manosphere' can provide insight into the ideologies that may have influenced Elliot Rodger's misogynistic beliefs.

The whole shebang should feel pretty old by brunch

0 implied HN points • 23 May 14
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Memory Self-care Sleep
  1. The morality and economics of Upworthy are debated: Is it a force for good or evil by attracting attention to important subjects while polluting the web with clickbait?
  2. Research suggests that taking too many pictures with smartphones may lead to memory loss and impact the passing down of memories through generations.
  3. Contrary to common belief, coffee does not ruin our brains, debunking several myths associated with caffeine.
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This one's gonna be trouble.

0 implied HN points • 19 May 14
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. The world has more information than ever, but access is limited due to corporate interests and copyrights. A world digital library could provide access to books and journals that are currently expensive.
  2. Online anonymity holds power, and revealing someone's identity can be a form of protest and manipulation. Anonymity is a complex dynamic in online spaces.
  3. Over 1 million people use 'Farmers Only' dating site, showcasing how identity and efficiency play a role in niche dating preferences.

Definitive signs the end is near

0 implied HN points • 09 May 14
🕹 Technology Social media Gaming Copyright
  1. Facebook left graphic photos of a marine's suicide up, revealing insights on veterans, grief, and understanding.
  2. World of Warcraft serves as a great model to understand how diseases spread.
  3. NPR discusses copyright, creativity, and money in the context of internet lyrics and songwriters.

Octopi terrify

0 implied HN points • 08 May 14
🎭️ Culture Social media Reality TV Humor Food & Drink Celebrities
  1. Twitter can be effective for raising awareness and promoting change, but also comes with its issues like imperialism and laziness.
  2. Reality TV star Susie Meister has been on multiple shows despite having a Ph.D., challenging stereotypes.
  3. Using 'ahahahahahaha' instead of 'lol' saves time and characters - who needs all those extra letters anyway?

You're not special.

0 implied HN points • 07 May 14
🕹 Technology Security Psychology
  1. Philip Welsh's murder investigation was challenging due to his lack of digital footprint.
  2. Debates about porn addiction are contentious, even within recovery groups like Fight the New Drug.
  3. Ordering food online may lead to ordering more food, with potential regulations coming to address this issue.

Shame is the ultimate algorithm.

0 implied HN points • 06 May 14
🎭️ Culture Internet Social Issues Food Entertainment Media
  1. #BringBackOurGirls gained significant attention with nearly 1 million tweets, standing out as a new form of 'slacktivism.'
  2. Lacey Spears, a blogger and suspected of her son's murder, manipulated online sympathy by fabricating her son's illness over the years.
  3. The concept of 'trigger warnings' has become widespread online, raising the question if the internet itself is a constant trigger warning.

Let’s hope they come in peace.

0 implied HN points • 02 May 14
🎭️ Culture Media Social media Events Photography Journalism
  1. Facebook's new community manager used to be a war photographer, bringing unique perspectives on photography and social media.
  2. Teaching software engineers social skills can be challenging and pricey, but important for effective communication.
  3. Hallmark's Mother's Day operation is very pink, giving an inside look at how the company celebrates the occasion.

Carrier pigeons or something

0 implied HN points • 01 May 14
🕹 Technology Social media Innovation Online Services Science fiction Emerging technologies
  1. When powerful entities dislike your social media content, consequences abound, from reprimands to unexpected repercussions.
  2. Despite the idea that technology should spread power, it can also consolidate it in unexpected ways.
  3. The existence of luxury services like the 'Seamless for rich people' suggests that decadence and exclusivity are becoming more accessible in the digital age.

How to be cool

0 implied HN points • 04 May 16
🕹 Technology Internet Meteorology Navigation Podcasts
  1. A viral website from a joke to a meme led to a genuine meteorological discovery.
  2. Following digital maps blindly can lead to dangerous situations, known as 'death by GPS.'
  3. Podcasts like For Colored Nerds and Call Your Girlfriend have regained popularity and quality.

Cartwheels on the water spout of a giant whale

0 implied HN points • 30 Jul 15
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Tech Memes
  1. Going viral is like doing cartwheels on the water spout of a giant whale - interesting comparison of viral content and the psychology behind it
  2. Beware of mob mentality on the internet - while someone may be in the wrong, online outrage can sometimes go too far
  3. Seeking validation through Twitter verification is unproductive - it's not necessary and doesn't hold much meaning

Yr a special snowflake

0 implied HN points • 05 May 16
🕹 Technology Social media Online Privacy Internet culture Artificial Intelligence Technology Trends
  1. The best window into American political strife is your Facebook feed, showcasing clashes between different groups and the influence of online mobs.
  2. In the digital age, forgiveness becomes harder with our past actions staying present, raising questions about the 'right to be forgotten.'
  3. Discussion on the evolution and impact of memes, highlighting how they can spread, change, and sometimes even die out.

Omg/wtf.

0 implied HN points • 31 Jul 15
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Internet Trends Entertainment
  1. More than 70 young women have accused YouTube stars of sexual abuse, showing a troubling issue with uncertain solutions.
  2. Trying to erase yourself from the Internet is extremely difficult, as demonstrated by Latoya Peterson's unsuccessful attempt after eight hours.
  3. The ice bucket challenge trend overshadowed the actual cause of raising awareness for ALS, illustrating how the stunt became more prominent than the charity purpose.

A bit over my head

0 implied HN points • 03 Aug 15
🕹 Technology Social media Virtual reality Crowdfunding
  1. The story of Google+ facing off with Facebook and failing is a tale we all know.
  2. Businesses in the sharing economy are pushing for a focus on shared public good over corporate profits.
  3. There's a conceptual Facebook satire that might be confusing, but it's still worth exploring.

Talking grief and Goodreads with "Seeing Ghosts" author Kat Chow

0 implied HN points • 24 Aug 21
🎭️ Culture Literature Memoir Writing Grief Family
  1. Writing a book can be a profound process of navigating grief and loss, shaping personal identity, and connecting with family history.
  2. Publishing a memoir can be a vulnerable experience as the book's narrative becomes open to interpretation and projection by readers.
  3. A memoir reflects a part, not all, of the author's life, offering a narrative with a collection of memories that mirror the complexity of grief.

One of these things is not like the others

0 implied HN points • 03 Jun 22
🎭️ Culture True Crime Social media Music
  1. The trial between Depp and Heard revealed the intense toxicity levels in various fandoms and the dangers of projecting personal biases onto public figures.
  2. The trial showcased how social media and platforms like TikTok can manipulate and distort reality for entertainment and viral content.
  3. The trial highlighted the issue of parasocial relationships between fans and celebrities, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, leading to concerning behaviors.

It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right

0 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Twitter Cults AI Romance Workplace dynamics
  1. Twitter is going through a tough time with outages, controversial decisions, and Elon Musk considering the fate of the platform.
  2. There is a growing interest in AI relationships from different perspectives, such as to cope with personal issues or explore different experiences.
  3. Companies are using personality tests for remote work decisions, but the effectiveness and accuracy of these tests are uncertain.

Dude, relax!

0 implied HN points • 17 Aug 15
🎭️ Culture Internet Social movements Trends Pop culture
  1. Who really runs #BlackLivesMatters? It started as a hashtag, turned into a protest movement, now a disruptive political organization.
  2. On the Internet, it's all about videos and cats. Some find cat videos exhausting and a disconnect, like small talk after dinner.
  3. Chartreuse is a trendy color in Silicon Valley, maybe symbolizing maturity or money reference, seen in companies like Zendesk and Google.

Sick moves brah

0 implied HN points • 26 May 16
🕹 Technology AI Online Dating Privacy Digital Advertising Social media
  1. Does Siri believe in God? AI advances could lead to software grappling with faith in the future, raising intriguing questions.
  2. Modern daters on Tinder aren't just looking for hook-ups. Sociologist Jessica Carbino found that 80% of users seek long-term relationships.
  3. The Internet's perception of you may be quite different from how you see yourself. Data collected online can create an eerie portrait that doesn't always match reality.

Will we ever learn?

0 implied HN points • 24 Aug 15
🕹 Technology Online Harassment Online Communities
  1. When women harass other women online, it often goes unnoticed in discussions about online harassment.
  2. Amazon's impact on culture is debated by authors, who argue it may hinder diversity but also acknowledge Amazon's role in facilitating discourse.
  3. Some individuals are seeking a return to a more private internet, away from the oversharing culture created by platforms like Facebook.

It's no longer hip to be square

0 implied HN points • 27 Aug 15
🕹 Technology Social media Internet culture Plagiarism
  1. Meet Reddit's unsung traffic king, GallowBoob, who generates viral content but faces controversy for his power on the platform.
  2. Twitter's growth is stagnating, with declining user numbers and activity, particularly lacking users from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
  3. The viral comedy scene is fraught with plagiarism and unoriginality, with examples beyond just the Fat Jew.

Far-out

0 implied HN points • 16 Jun 16
🕹 Technology Internet Social media Blogging Viral Content Digital Trends
  1. Medium is like the Whole Foods of the internet, trying to improve while making a profit.
  2. WeChat in China serves as a mega-app, combining various online services like Facebook, Uber, and Amazon.
  3. Lonelygirl15 was a pioneer in online fiction before viral phenomena like 9M9H9E9, with potential to become a TV show.

A queasy sense of prophecy and prescience

0 implied HN points • 08 Oct 21
🎭️ Culture Social media Literature Technology Internet Pop culture
  1. The movie 'The Social Network' has been recognized for its prophetic depiction of attitudes towards Facebook, contrasting with initial criticisms.
  2. Explore intriguing reads: the disappearance of alt-lit figure Marie Calloway, TikTok's focus on trauma responses, and the impact of vaccine denial stories on empathy.
  3. Consider the implications of constant personal data tracking and the paradox of freedom in a world where every move is monitored.

I refuse to type that word again.

0 implied HN points • 03 Mar 14
🎭️ Culture Movies TV Journalism Internet culture Art
  1. A scathing and hilarious dispatch from a Vanity Fair Oscar Party raised eyebrows and may not ensure future invitations.
  2. Wikipedia has shown some ability to predict the Oscars and elections, which is intriguing.
  3. Television is evolving into a new form of literature, replacing traditional narratives like novels.

I would never violate a pancake like that.

0 implied HN points • 28 Feb 14
😂 Humor Satire Comedy Parody Jokes Entertainment
  1. A funny story emerged about a person having a curious interaction with a Hot Pocket, leading to a comedic interview that's worth a read.
  2. Romantic comedies seem to be declining in popularity, with not a single one in the top 100 films of the year, reflecting a change in viewer preferences.
  3. There's a fascinating world that blends elements of 'Fight Club' with geeky fantasy, as seen in the realm of hardcore international med.

Separate, but forever plugged in

0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 16
🕹 Technology Social media Mental health Big Data Wearable Technology Online Dating
  1. Technology has disrupted the truth by prioritizing clicks over accuracy, causing misinformation to spread rapidly.
  2. Apps on our phones may not change our lives dramatically, but they can contribute positively to our mental health.
  3. Big data meeting the porn industry can lead to subtle shaping of views on sexuality by companies targeting advertisements.