This is interesting and very well written, but maybe a bit unfocused and does not have a discernable thesis. What does the decline of age specific communities online have to do with Liam Payne's death? I have also noticed everyone seemed to forget about him so quick so I was interested to hear your fully fleshed out thoughts. Overall I feel like there are a lot of interesting ideas in this post that are only semi-related to each other and I'd defs read more from this author, but this particular piece lacked direction/intent. Also, you didn't offer any evidence that online subcultures are "dead" per se so idk if I agree.
I will seek out more of l'angelique's work because I enjoyed reading this, though :)
Totally agree! It was more of a place to put my thoughts than a full essay. I really appreciate your feedback! I have some plans in the works for some similar topics/themes, so maybe those will be good spaces for me to take these critiques. Thank you for supporting~
Well thank you for sharing your work, your writing style flows great and is enjoyable. This read like an intro to a nonfiction book I wanted to keep reading. I had to comment because you have a fantastic voice- you came across as a dry and sharply observant narrator, after reading this I want to hear what you have to say.
FWIW, I got similar feedback on a couple of university essays I submitted thinking that I was making a coherent point when I was just circling. I stopped having this problem once I made sure to write down my thesis before I started the essay & pre-determined the effect I was hoping to have on the reader (persuade, empower/impassion, inform, etc). Unfocused writing was really the issue for me. I sensed reading this post that maybe you're overwhelmed by the number of interrelated ideas you have when writing stream-of-consciousness? You're a skilled writer, you defs deserve the platform to write as many pieces as it takes to effectively disseminate your ideas. A narrower focus/ thesis, and/or space to go in depth would elevate your writing a lot🙌
Thanks for these thoughts. I find the generational comparisons feel very manufactured/commercial and isolating, even for my parents who technically fit in boomer territory but don't fit the stereotypes. It's weird.
I miss the community feel the Internet used to have for me but I figured that's largely on me for being pulled out of it and not actually finding another space(s) or interest. It moves a bit fast for my damaged neurology these days and when I returned to it I can't find my way anymore. I'm too old school, pre algorithms and apps maybe? Doesn't matter. I'm still here, just like that meme.... You think I'm not online but I am....
Absolutely. I tried to write out those kind of comparisons in that manner on purpose, because I feel like that’s what it is “seen” online. It’s alienating and confusing, and really, how did it get to this point, you know? I don’t think that it’s anyones fault for not finding a space left here. But you’re still online, still commenting, still moving. That’s what matters most. Thank you for reading~
"That’s why we’ve got senior-age office coworkers talking about, “I can’t believe Gen-Z is cancelling ankle-socks…” over their microwaved paleo salmon patties." Made me snort because it's true.
So I'm late to finding this piece but I completely agree with the overwhelm of social media content/advertising that flattened any opportunity for subspaces to flourish.The superwholock days take me back and even though all my friends were on tumblr we had very different ideas of the app based on the spaces we were in. It was like the golden years with both an overriding monoculture and thriving internet subcultures. Everything feels either chaotic or stale and algorithmic these days.
“That’s why we’ve got senior-age office coworkers talking about, “I can’t believe Gen-Z is cancelling ankle-socks…” over their microwaved paleo salmon patties.”
Made me laugh out loud. I’m cancelling paleo salmon patties.
Thank you for the meandering read, I tried to keep up as someone who didn’t grow up online. But, I’d say the variance you describe is true of my experiences lately. I can be watching someone fix a musical instrument in great detail, and be astonished someone else dorks out on the same niche stuff as me. Then get just as depresssed by a million engagements on a motivational statement that’s more than misleading or piece of thinking from my industry that’s presented as new but is as old as time. Net it’s everything, you have to be careful where you place your attention, when it’s nearly impossible to figure out where to consistently hang out. And, of course, the flow of ad dollars (or AI scrapes) sat on top of all this stuff, only goes in one direction.
That something is born, risen, dead and obsolete within 13 years is another talk show.
*blows cigar smoke* “SuperWhoLock… I haven’t heard that name in a long time”
This is interesting and very well written, but maybe a bit unfocused and does not have a discernable thesis. What does the decline of age specific communities online have to do with Liam Payne's death? I have also noticed everyone seemed to forget about him so quick so I was interested to hear your fully fleshed out thoughts. Overall I feel like there are a lot of interesting ideas in this post that are only semi-related to each other and I'd defs read more from this author, but this particular piece lacked direction/intent. Also, you didn't offer any evidence that online subcultures are "dead" per se so idk if I agree.
I will seek out more of l'angelique's work because I enjoyed reading this, though :)
Totally agree! It was more of a place to put my thoughts than a full essay. I really appreciate your feedback! I have some plans in the works for some similar topics/themes, so maybe those will be good spaces for me to take these critiques. Thank you for supporting~
Well thank you for sharing your work, your writing style flows great and is enjoyable. This read like an intro to a nonfiction book I wanted to keep reading. I had to comment because you have a fantastic voice- you came across as a dry and sharply observant narrator, after reading this I want to hear what you have to say.
FWIW, I got similar feedback on a couple of university essays I submitted thinking that I was making a coherent point when I was just circling. I stopped having this problem once I made sure to write down my thesis before I started the essay & pre-determined the effect I was hoping to have on the reader (persuade, empower/impassion, inform, etc). Unfocused writing was really the issue for me. I sensed reading this post that maybe you're overwhelmed by the number of interrelated ideas you have when writing stream-of-consciousness? You're a skilled writer, you defs deserve the platform to write as many pieces as it takes to effectively disseminate your ideas. A narrower focus/ thesis, and/or space to go in depth would elevate your writing a lot🙌
Thanks for these thoughts. I find the generational comparisons feel very manufactured/commercial and isolating, even for my parents who technically fit in boomer territory but don't fit the stereotypes. It's weird.
I miss the community feel the Internet used to have for me but I figured that's largely on me for being pulled out of it and not actually finding another space(s) or interest. It moves a bit fast for my damaged neurology these days and when I returned to it I can't find my way anymore. I'm too old school, pre algorithms and apps maybe? Doesn't matter. I'm still here, just like that meme.... You think I'm not online but I am....
Absolutely. I tried to write out those kind of comparisons in that manner on purpose, because I feel like that’s what it is “seen” online. It’s alienating and confusing, and really, how did it get to this point, you know? I don’t think that it’s anyones fault for not finding a space left here. But you’re still online, still commenting, still moving. That’s what matters most. Thank you for reading~
"That’s why we’ve got senior-age office coworkers talking about, “I can’t believe Gen-Z is cancelling ankle-socks…” over their microwaved paleo salmon patties." Made me snort because it's true.
So I'm late to finding this piece but I completely agree with the overwhelm of social media content/advertising that flattened any opportunity for subspaces to flourish.The superwholock days take me back and even though all my friends were on tumblr we had very different ideas of the app based on the spaces we were in. It was like the golden years with both an overriding monoculture and thriving internet subcultures. Everything feels either chaotic or stale and algorithmic these days.
“That’s why we’ve got senior-age office coworkers talking about, “I can’t believe Gen-Z is cancelling ankle-socks…” over their microwaved paleo salmon patties.”
Made me laugh out loud. I’m cancelling paleo salmon patties.
Thank you for the meandering read, I tried to keep up as someone who didn’t grow up online. But, I’d say the variance you describe is true of my experiences lately. I can be watching someone fix a musical instrument in great detail, and be astonished someone else dorks out on the same niche stuff as me. Then get just as depresssed by a million engagements on a motivational statement that’s more than misleading or piece of thinking from my industry that’s presented as new but is as old as time. Net it’s everything, you have to be careful where you place your attention, when it’s nearly impossible to figure out where to consistently hang out. And, of course, the flow of ad dollars (or AI scrapes) sat on top of all this stuff, only goes in one direction.
That something is born, risen, dead and obsolete within 13 years is another talk show.
Thanks for the read, I was sure to subscribe.
thank you for this!! as a gen-z who was heavily entrenched in fandom culture, it makes me sad to see how sterile the internet has gotten lately