I liked the two essays. The one about the symptoms is helping me cook on an idea I've been cooking for weeks, inspired by Compact Magazine: the war between IRL and URL. And yes I am not being dramatic it is a fucking war. The second essay was also great. What particularly stood out to me is the glut of celebrity 360 deals. As much as I've razzed the Dimes Square micro celebs (who were at the center of the New York vibe shift), they are the opposite in a way: they are not even famous for their works so much as for their parasocial personalities. Their auto fiction introduces people to their IRL shenanigans. But then I guess this goes back to the performance culture referenced in the first essay. Good stuff!
Hard agree: Patricia Lockwood, hard disagree: crystal deodorant. Never been smellier! The book drama brings to mind Andrea Long Chu’s scathing Lapvona takedown: https://www.vulture.com/article/ottessa-moshfegh-lapvona-review.html
I liked the two essays. The one about the symptoms is helping me cook on an idea I've been cooking for weeks, inspired by Compact Magazine: the war between IRL and URL. And yes I am not being dramatic it is a fucking war. The second essay was also great. What particularly stood out to me is the glut of celebrity 360 deals. As much as I've razzed the Dimes Square micro celebs (who were at the center of the New York vibe shift), they are the opposite in a way: they are not even famous for their works so much as for their parasocial personalities. Their auto fiction introduces people to their IRL shenanigans. But then I guess this goes back to the performance culture referenced in the first essay. Good stuff!