Blame it on the Internet [#132]

Sephora tweens, Boomer iPhones, and a theory for why the internet is so conspiratorial.

Happy weekend and hello to new subscribers!

This too-short month is doing its too-short thing. I celebrated my burfday last weekend at a sticky-floored, wood-paneled LA dive bar with a great group of friends. Usually I like to throw a themed, costume bday party, but Deck The Balls The Holiday Potluck™ became such a big gathering that I toned it down this month. (Let’s keep partying, though. Americans have tragically stopped hanging out, in the aggregate. Let’s all do our part by hanging out more!)

This week I visited the University of Michigan, home of the national champion Michigan Wolverines, and the largest sports stadium in the United States. I hadn’t been back to the midwest in a minute and forgot about the dominance of macaroni and cheese on every menu. Not complaining, merely appreciating.

“The Rock” at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, which students paint weekly in response to current events.

Reading

Alexei Navalny’s good-humored letters from prison, in his final months. “Enshittification” explains why, over time, social platforms all get so awful. “Evidence maximalism” explains why conspiracies spread like wildfire on the internet. Speaking of conspiracies, this is my favorite take on Republicans thinking Taylor Swift is psyops. “I am a Boomer iPhone and I will not be silenced,” hilariously written from the perspective of a baby boomer’s iPhone. A much buzzed-about piece from Vox about, how, “The internet has made it so that no matter who you are or what you do — from nine-to-five middle managers to astronauts to house cleaners — you cannot escape the tyranny of the personal brand.” Speaking of brands, Chik-Fil-A is stubbornly closed on Sundays and lawmakers can’t stop them. Janet Yellen’s In-And-Out order, revealed. Does your cat play fetch? Mine does. Apparently it’s something only 16 percent of felines enjoy doing.

Werk Werk Werk

The skincare girlies at Sephora are the topic of my latest for The Atlantic. On WBEZ’s Nerdette podcast, I dropped in to talk pop culture headlines, like the lawsuit against dating apps for being “too addictive”. And I’m busy at work on the Flawless feature film adaptation, with the Academy of Motion Pictures president and Goldhouse co-founder Janet Yang, and Joe Zee, the longtime creative director of Elle Magazine. They are super fun to collaborate and be Asian with. So far this experience has consisted of primarily of lunches and dinners. Five out of five stars, would do again.

Watch and/or Listen

• The Zone of Interest, and this Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast conversation about it after. (In theaters or for purchase on Apple TV)

• Bill Hader on Ten Percent Happier, on how he manages his anxiety and imposter syndrome

• Navalny, the 2023 Academy Award winning documentary about the Russian opposition leader killed last weekend while in custody in the Arctic circle (Streaming on Max)

Thinking about any of the ideas in today’s newsletter? Drop me a line or leave a comment. And I’m eager to hear what you think is worth a read/watch/listen. Ever since the demise of Twitter I’m exposed to less of the zeitgeist, so I seek out your recommendations.

Until next time,

Elise