Podcasts have a massive impact on shaping the identities of young boys and men. Recent research has shown that young boys and men are falling behind in what consumerist societies consider successful worldwide. In the last decade, we have seen the rise of podcast industries that promise to motivate and change men to be successful. We know this is a business. However, we may need to ponder if these podcasts change or deconstruct the concepts of masculinity. Do they reinforce or deconstruct what we know as "toxic" masculinity? Many of them focus on building successful relationships in family and workplaces. How do you think 21st-century young boys and men respond to them? How do these podcasts interact with feminity and queer identities?
I kept the topic statements generic to maintain the openness of ideas. Mentioning the research citations may create disciplinary and contextual limitations. If somebody chooses this topic to expand, he or she may wish to limit the research and geographical contexts. And change the title accordingly. The purpose of this topic is to generate ideas and then explore either Western or non-Western or English-speaking or non-English-speaking settings and countries. – Golam Rabbani2 weeks ago
I'm fascinated by this proposal-but I think it needs to be narrowed down a bit. Also, it may be a bit difficult for you to find citations. – CherryVVine2 weeks ago
Maybe identify one podcast that the writer can listen to and use it as a point of reference – Laurika Nxumalo1 week ago
There Will Be Brawl is a 2009 parody based on the video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A contentious game in its franchise, this web series has little overlap with the game it's inspired by or the movie There Will Be Blood.
It's a detective noir where Luigi takes center stage trying to piece together the mysterious deaths of various video game icons.
Its legacy is that many of its stars, from Matt Mercer as Ganon to Kyle Herbert, have gone on to bigger and better things.
But the writer should seek to explore what did this story of a gritty Mushroom Kingdom say about the world of 2009 and more than that what if anything can be gleaned from it over a decade later?
The writer could also examine how There Will Be Brawl reflects 2009’s cultural anxieties—economic instability, political distrust, and moral ambiguity—and whether its darker take on nostalgia still resonates in today’s era of reboots and reinterpretations.Don't you think? ;) – Beatrix Kondo2 weeks ago
Following the departure of the creator of channels The Game Theorists, Film Theorists, Food Theorists, and Style Theorists, MatPat, from YouTube, there has been discussion about the changes of YouTube's platform and if viewers of the platform are going to see other long-standing YouTubers leave. In MatPat's goodbye video, he references other YouTubers who have decided to leave the platform and notes that "the platform is changing". We have also seen the trend of short-style videos in the vein of TikTok rise in popularity. The topic taker should address what changes they see taking place, possibly using the host of recent goodbye videos as a jumping off point, for the web-video platforms and analyze what those trends might mean for others looking to get into the content creation space.
The topic taker is free to include the psychological impact of content creation, especially with the constant stream of short-form videos, has on a person. In addition, the topic taker can compare and contrast the platforms of YouTube and TikTok on multiple levels, such as monetization strategies and algorithms if they wish in order to predict where the trends might be going and indicate what those trends suggest for viewers and creators alike.
Online spaces are known for the communities they attract. One unfortunate element in the modern digital era is the rise of the hater. "Hatedom" in the common parlance is the community of haters a creator attracts.
This perversion of the fandom space into a space of toxic hatred has contributed to numerous creators abandoning their respective fields online as it becomes more trouble than it's worth for them.
Some examples for the writer are Vivziepop, creator of "Helluva Boss" and "Hazbin Hotel" Hasan Piker, political analyst and streamer, and DarkSydephil, video game let's player. All of these people have large communities of people who hate them. This aspect of para-sociality has led to a culture of harassment of these creators. What can be done to address the problems this trend creates?
Interesting topic! I'm sure there have always been people complaining about media as long as there has been media, but the internet has definitely allowed people to spread their opinions further more easily, and establish groups of haters. I'm not entirely sure that what can be done to address these problems is quite in the scope of a single article (or at least, that's not where I'd take this topic personally), but there's definitely plenty of stuff to make this an interesting discussion. – AnnieEM7 months ago
"Super Mario Bros. Z" (SMBZ), created by Mark Haynes (Alvin-Earthworm), is a fan-made web series that masterfully blends the Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises into a dynamic, nostalgic crossover. Initially released on Newgrounds, SMBZ captivated audiences with its complex storytelling, deep character development, and innovative sprite animation, all while navigating intellectual property challenges. This series not only spurred a vibrant fan community but also inspired numerous other fan projects, highlighting the significant impact of fan creativity on the media landscape. Writers can explore the cultural significance and technical achievements of SMBZ, its role in shaping fan-made media, and its enduring legacy in the context of nostalgic reimaginings and crossovers.
Analog Horror refers to the genre of horror created with the aesthetic of Analog technology, that is to say shot on video, "found footage".
Within the subgenre there exists quite a number of breakthrough hits such as "Backrooms" "Local 58" and "The Mandela Catalogue"
What draws people to this genre and what can be said about the genre tropes and themes? What is the appeal and is there a lesson that can be garnered from the creation of these works?
Good start, but you might want to delve a bit more into what analog horror is, or how your examples achieve it. If you don't know what found footage is (and I, for one, only have a vague idea), you might be a bit confused. – Stephanie M.2 years ago
I was just thinking of leading a topic for this subject too. I think the evolution of analog horror is fascinating, its origins (I think) layered from many concepts and ideas from YouTube. I think constantly about what makes this niche sub genre scary, and what draws people in. This would be a great topic, especially to see where it’s grown from. – eaonhurley2 years ago
On June 3, 2013, comedian and actor Greg Edwards began a series of web videos called Thug Notes. Using the persona Sparky Sweets, Ph.D., Edwards summarized and analyzed classic novels using a mix of modern language and "street slang" (e.g., a character who is murdered is "iced" or "murked," a hard-working character is said to be "hustlin'.")
Thug Notes' mix of humor, slang, and absolute respect for classic literature helped the series carve a unique niche in the world of web and educational videos. Each video has garnered a plethora of views, and the series' popularity has encouraged viewers to read or reread books that might not have felt accessible before (many "newer" videos contain a promotion that begins, "Hey, get the book!" followed by a web address at which to do so).
Discuss the impact of Thug Notes, using any of these or other elements. You might choose to discuss favorite episodes, or compare and contrast certain episodes. Also, discuss whether Thug Notes, which has not posted new content in a while, would be an acceptable platform for discussions of more contemporary literature, particularly that which is currently under censorship. Discuss whether a series similar to Thug Notes would work for other subjects. For instance, could there be a Thug Notes-style series for math? History? Theatrical productions?
While I am not familiar with Thug Notes, I think it is worth mentioning that there have been other similar things for other subjects- while it's aimed at a slightly younger audience, Horrible Histories similarly aims to educate in a more 'accessible' and fun manner than, say, a more conventional history book. While Thug Notes may be the first internet example, and it a popular choice, it's been preceded by many other authors and creators attempting to do similar. – AnnieEM2 years ago
Youtube and Twitch have quite notable political niches respectively, but with regards to Leftist Thought, there was/is a loose subgroup of notable creators, Contrapoints, Philosophy Tube, Big Joel, Hasanabi, amongst others who all in someway were affiliated with the term, "Breadtube", taken from "The Conquest of Bread" by Kropotkin.
As universal marker there was a general tone of rebuttal to right-wing political talking points and media but as time has gone on and the subgroup more tenuous it can be asked what is/was "Breadtube" and why did/does it exist?
There has been a marked pushback against many of the creators for a variety of reasons such as their seemingly lacking political advocacy and poor racial representation.
It could argued that there was never a "Breadtube" and that fans of the creators were reading too much into various creators friendships.
There is also room for discussion of the idea of using vaguely Anti-Capitalist talking point a brand without delving into what the concepts actual mean.
