5/27 - abstaining from plot based media
Tuesday’s Newsletter: 5 events to know about, an influencer to avoid, and smoking shorts
It’s the Tuesday after a long weekend. Prayers up.
I’m hosting a froyo meetup every two weeks, the next one is June 2nd, 6 pm - RSVP!
If you want to get in on Wishlist Offline, the new project I’m launching, please fill out this form. More to come on this bbs 🫶
: )
Thought Starters
The lore of live shows
*article*
I saw this TikTok from a woman explaining that in an effort to bond with her Gen Alpha sister, she asked her what her favorite Disney channel shows were. Her sister looked her dead in the eyes and said, “I don’t engage with plot-based media.”
Humans are innate storytellers, but the media at our fingertips dictate how those stories are told: around a campfire, through the newspaper, on a blog, via Snapchat messages. In the past 20 years, the tools we’ve grown accustomed to using to disseminate information, value brevity and branding. It’s no wonder, Gen Alpha and Gen Z are resonating with artists that choose to communicate the plot differently.
“People always love a bit of lore,” says Stallion. “We like stories. That’s how we function. That’s how we build empires and also how we bring them down.”
“Label people were saying that they really just wanted you to become a TikTok influencer or make confessional-type video, and that just never felt like something we were going to do,” says Matthew Lewin, the band’s 29-year-old other half. “The reality is, the medium we’re working with is music, and it just doesn’t get more personal and authentic than someone listening to the music,” adds Tenenbaum. “We don’t need to be vlogging our day.”
“That’s really what makes the difference between a rock star and an influencer,” says HorsegiirL. “The modern-day influencer would let you in on every single small thing. But if you think of rock stars or pop stars, there’s always this kind of question: Who are they really?”
EDs reincarnated
*article*
Massive TW but I think it’s important to read about how eating disorders are being repackaged and sold to the next generation. If you don’t know who Liv Schmidt is, consider yourself lucky. I’ve been dodging her skinnytok content for a while and she is one of the premier influencers, explicitly endorsing disordered eating. Of course, she wouldn’t own up to it but this article, exposing her subscriber-only group chats, paints a very clear picture.
“Both TikTok and Meta, Instagram’s parent company, have policies against encouraging eating disorders. But if you search skinny or SkinnyTok on TikTok and Instagram, in addition to a warning and a list of resources for people struggling with eating disorders, you’ll also see thousands of videos of very thin women showing off their extremely low-calorie diets.”
“Her rule of thumb is simple: Eat whatever you want — just eat as little as possible. ‘You’re not restricting. You’re regulating. It’s chic,’ she says in another post, next to a photo of a woman in a scarf and sunglasses in front of the Eiffel Tower.”
“I knew that my history of disordered eating could make me vulnerable to Schmidt’s advice, but I also hoped that nearly a decade of therapy would protect me. It didn’t.”
“Those I spoke to felt the same way. ‘Since the age of 13, I’ve been tracking calories and always striving to be skinny,’ Annie said. ‘After joining this group, I realized that I don’t see this thought process ending anytime soon.’ She said there were women ‘as old as 28’ in her group thread who were obsessed with being thin. ‘I fear my life will be the same,’ she said. As someone who is much older than 28, I wanted to tell her honestly that there are more important things in life than being thin. What I couldn’t tell her honestly is that the noise will ever stop.”
Things to do
Warmly Zine: Issue 2 Launch Party
When: Wednesday, May 28th, 6:30 pm
Where: Our Wicked Lady, 153 Morgan Ave.
What: Rooftop show with live music, hot dogs, and plenty of zines to celebrate the newest issue of Warmly. I’ll be there and I want to see you!
n+1: Issue 50 Reading and Launch Party
When: Thursday, May 29th, 7 - 10 pm
Where: 37 Greenpoint Ave.
What: Readings kick off at 7 pm from their newest issue: HARSH REALM! After the readings, the n+1 office will turn into a hot party with cheap drinks available for purchase.
Vaquera Sample Sale
When: May 31st - June 1st, 11 am - 7 pm
Where: 52 Walker St., 3rd Fl
What: Arrive early because this queue is going to be insane. There will be racks of rare Vaquera pieces, samples, vintage designers, home goods, and you know that you’ll get inspo from just being around fellow Vaquera fans.
Le Book Club: Why Can't We Ever Make Anything New?
When: Saturday, May 31st, 2 - 4 pm
Where: SAA, 154 Scott Ave.
What: Gather with fellow cultural philosophers and ponder an essay from the 90’s that still rings true today. The reading will cover postmodernism and the logic of late stage capitalism that we experience echoed through moodboards and TikTok trends. It’s going to be fascinating.
Brooklyn Spark Grand Opening Party
When: Saturday, June 7th, 5:30 pm
Where: 75 Stewart Ave., Suite 110
What: Brooklyn Spark is a new community makerspace in Bushwick that hosts classes on everything from knitting to 3D design. Get to know the space and the creatives in it by stopping by this casual party. Enjoy complimentary N/A bevs but also feel free to BYOB.
Products
Sundae School Shorts
*apparel*
Gym shorts made by a gummy company. Doesn’t get cooler than that.
What is it? Beige Mochi Waffle Sweatshorts
How much? $75