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The ethical failings of "Lowcow" culture

One of the more troubling outgrowths of the propagation of the Internet is the rise of the “lolcow” culture, which is mocking and dissecting Internet figures for entertainment. Figures like DSPGaming, Wings of Redemption, or LowTierGod have become recurring targets, with YouTube documentaries and commentary channels exploiting their struggles for views. Many alleged documentaries blur the line between journalism and pure harassment, turning personal hardships into spectacle. Sensationalized narratives encourage dogpiling, making real people into endless sources of ridicule. As audiences reward negativity, the question remains: should platforms and creators be held accountable for the harm they perpetuate?

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    Tim Heidecker and The Art of "Bombing"

    Since 2016, stand-up comedy has become a recurring battleground in the never-ending jobs program that is online culture war discourse. Comedians who once sought laughter now chase applause, pandering to their audience’s sensibilities and falling into the hackiest, laziest tropes.

    In 2020, Tim Heidecker released an hour-long YouTube special that took the idea of bombing and stretched it into an art form. By delivering a performance filled with forced crowd work, hack premises, and faux-political grandstanding, he exposed the formulaic nature of modern stand-up. What does this say about the state of comedy, and why did an intentionally bad special feel more honest than most real ones?

    • Originally dismissed as just another internet horror story, Sonic.exe has defied expectations, evolving into a staple of gaming culture. The story, which first emerged in 2011, followed the familiar "haunted game" trope—a corrupted Sonic the Hedgehog game tormenting its player. While its writing was often criticized as cliché, its eerie concept, unsettling imagery, and nostalgic connection to a beloved franchise struck a chord with fans of horror and gaming alike. – clark2025 1 day ago
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    A Thousand Bags of Popcorn: What On Cinema Reveals About Modern Online Film Discourse

    On Cinema is a review series that first started in 2011 as a podcast and then pivoted into video before ending up on Adult Swim.com
    In its 15 years of running the show has maintained a startling consistency with regards to the characterization of it's two leads.
    While mainstream critics debate objectivity and audience reviewers chase engagement, On Cinema sidesteps the entire conversation by embracing cluelessness. Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington’s arbitrary ratings, personal vendettas, and refusal to engage with films meaningfully feel like an exaggerated version of real-world criticism.

    From YouTubers like Nostalgia Critic, who's reviews serve almost as lackluster replacements for Hollywood films, to Chris Stuckmann and Jeremy Jahns, who prioritize likability over depth, and even to culture war-fueled channels like The Critical Drinker, On Cinema unintentionally mirrors how film discussion online is often more about branding and personality than actual analysis. How does the show’s absurd approach expose the flaws in modern criticism?

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      How self-improvement podcasts shape concepts of masculinity?

      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 Rabbani 2 months ago
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      • 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. – CherryVVine 2 months ago
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      • Maybe identify one podcast that the writer can listen to and use it as a point of reference – Laurika Nxumalo 1 month ago
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      There Will Be Brawl: The Nature of Parody

      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 Kondo 2 months ago
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      Shifts in YouTube and the Rise of Short Video Media Like TikTok

      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.

      MatPat's Farwell: (link)

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        Hatedom and the consequences of Para-Social relationships

        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. – AnnieEM 8 months ago
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        Super Mario Bros. Z and the cultural impact of crossover in the digital age

        "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.