i've written at least 7 drafts of this
and 0 of them have gone out. did this one even make it to your inbox?
Welcome to this thing.
It is Monday and the morning, and this is the first time I’ve gotten this sent out in multiple months. Pls enjoy it and applaud me for my efforts.
Some Stuff Happened… In the 2 Months I Haven’t Sent This
This is the section where I tell you things that are happening on the Internet now.
The Kanye Bowl
Yes, the Superb Owl was last night. Yes, I work in advertising and that should be most important. HOWEVER, I want everyone to think on the chaos that has become the KimYe divorce, which I honestly don’t feel good about having opinions on because of *see section below* and also because of my official policy of not commenting on people’s potential mental health diagnoses. That being said, it definitely feels like a very weird reflection of how warped and chaotic our brains have become in the last year across this country, whether from the Internet or politics or conspiracy theories or whatever else you choose to spend your brain energy on, and that is oddly interesting to me.
We need to talk about West Elm Caleb and how the Internet has collectively broken our brains
As you all know, I love the Internet. I do believe it is a good thing. HOWEVER, it is also true that access to the Internet and digital devices has re-wired our brains to some extent, and that means that the way we process and interpret information is different than it used to be. (Although for us Gen Zers, I guess we really have never known anything different, but that’s neither here nor there.)
We need to start comprehending (and this convo IS happening rn) that we are not entitled to details or information about ANYONE’S life, much less private citizens. Apps that make it easy to go viral, like TikTok, but also where millions of videos go unrecognized by the wider public, make it easy to talk about other people — whether you know them personally, or not — without considering the broad potential ramifications if it hits Couch Guy or West Elm Caleb status.
So just think on that before you jump on the next meme of an average human just trying their best (or just being mediocre) in their daily lives.
Manifest That Shit
The biggest thing on the Internet right now is ALLLL the manifestation, vision boards, hauls, and rebrands for the new year. Successful resolutions (or not) aside, this feels like an inevitable result of many many years of human beings slowly being taught that we should actually present as brands in order to control how other people perceive us.
I personally have chosen not to be perceived at all, converting my normal Instagram into a ~head empty, no thoughts, just hot~ account and making a non-finsta private account for my actual posting of things I care about — where I am, with who, having fun, traveling, etc. etc. etc.
In a way though, this is also a rebrand, despite how much I don’t want it to be. I’m rebranding as a person who is learning that privacy is good and nice and that I don’t have to (or want to) share everything with everyone all the time.
This concept of an additional private Instagram isn’t new, but it’s definitely coming into the mainstream right now, with many Gen Zers (think high school age, not my age) making these second accounts to differentiate between the mass numbers of people who follow them and the people they actually care about on their smaller private accounts. It allows many of us to be selective again with our online presences, after years of being ~public~ has allowed everyone, their mother, their dog, and their creepy uncle to follow us and see where we are at any given moment.
If I’m going to take this a step further, I would say that this is likely connected in sentiment to the growing resentment against “casual Instagram”, where users spend more time posing to look candid, and curating very specific aesthetics for “photo dumps” that are also meant to seem like no thought was put into them; we’re just always that pretty, and our daily life really is that beautiful.
Younger generations are getting sick of the constant curation and lack of privacy that they’ve grown up with in the social media age. They’re starting to take back control here in small but significant ways — controlling who sees what content, making accounts that don’t need to look perfect, or even embracing over-posed, certainly-not-candid content since that’s simply a more honest portrayal of their photo-taking behavior.
People Who Are Dating, Who They Are, Why It Matters (Or Doesn’t), + If I Think It’s Real or PR
This is the section that explains itself super clearly in the title.
Honestly, I don’t care about that many people this week, but you know who does? @DeuxMoi. Go follow that account on IG if you miss this, because there’s a lot more tea there than I care to share here.
Trendy Toks
This is the section where I tell you about trends or sounds or whatever I want related to TikTok.
Here are all of my favorite series on TikTok that I think more people should be watching/capitalizing on/giving these creators a lot of money for their time and effort.
A Thing I’m Personally Super Pumped About + Why
This is the section where I blab about something that gives me joy and energy rn.
My playlist for the start of 2022… I’m not gonna lie, I think it’s pretty solid for happy, pump-up, exciting music. I would 10/10 recommend following it as I keep adding new stuff. This song is my current fave.
I also discovered that Scotty Doesn’t Know and Rock Star by Hannah Montana have the same music, and I don’t know why or how that happened but IT DID, and that’s wild. Use this playlist to listen to them back to back.
Exposing Myself Just a Little Bit
This is the section where I give you one tiny glance into my For You Page, which exposes me and the depths of my personality just a little too much.
I’ve been very into the concept of girlsplaining on TikTok for very very serious things — although idk if I enjoy the term if I think about it too much, so I’m avoiding that. Here’s my favorite example as of late, used for the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
Also for some reason, I’m getting Elmo balsamic vinegar TikToks again, and I can’t figure out why they’re coming back.
THANKS FOR READING! And remember, there is literally no reason to follow anything Barstool, ever. Just don’t. This week, I have THIS REASON WHY.
Hasta la pasta,
Emma
^ Use this button to give your bosses, colleagues, friends, and fam my expert internet opinion too. You know they need it.