059 - "The Internet Isn't Fun Anymore" Part I: It's More Sinister Than You Think

Sigh...this is gonna be a big one. So big, in fact, I had to split it into two parts.

In the opening chapter of our dive into the modern digital landscape, we move past the surface-level complaints of "too much screen time" to examine the structural rot making our online lives feel so hollow. We'll explore the transition from the internet as a creative "Third Space" to a monopolized factory floor where every interaction is a transaction, and every user is a product. From the "Brand Deal Dance" that compromises our authenticity to the annoying reality of building our digital legacies or leaving it all in the dust, we’re peeling back the veil on how the fun of the internet has been replaced by a quiet, persistent anxiety. 

Show notes:

• A very relevant blog post: The end of the internet
• A few podcasts that inspired this episode:
  • Taylor Lorenz's Power User: Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
  • In Bed with the Right: Tech's Vibe Shift and AI Discourse
  • Matt Bernstein's A Bit Fruity: The Campaign to Crush Chappell Roan
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• Thanks to DayFox for the intro/outro song!