Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #internet-culture, aggregated by home.social.
my grilled cheese needed better bread, not a personal brand
this week’s life-changing hack is to buy a sliced loaf from the bakery section and make grilled cheese with it. that’s the hack. we can all go home.https://tacobout.online/2026/10/19/grilled-cheese-bakery-bread/
Economist Robin Hanson did not invent the Great Filter
Humanity seems to have a bright future, i.e., a non-trivial chance of expanding to fill the universe with lasting life. But the fact that space near us seems dead now tells us that any given piece of dead matter faces an astronomically low chance of begating (sic) such a future. There thus exists a great filter between death and expanding lasting life, and humanity faces the ominous question: how far along this filter are we?
Robin Hanson, 1996 or 1998
During the Cold War, it was a commonplace that we might make ourselves extinct or end industrial civilization. After all, humans were lighting navigable rivers on fire, producing mountains of waste with no good plans to dispose of it, and putting weapons more terrible than the Sun into hands with the self-control of an ornery chimpanzee. It seemed very plausible that the Third World War might start, some junior officer would drop a nuclear warhead on an armoured division in Bavaria or Thuringia, and a few days later there would be mushroom clouds over every city in the Northern Hemisphere with more than 10,000 people. The main thing to debate was whether some remote parts of the world might survive more or less intact to repopulate the Northern Hemisphere (Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand were among the more realistic choices). Science fiction fans extended this idea to other hypothetical civilizations and suggested that any species like humans would be in danger of starting devastating wars just as it became capable of reaching space. Let’s look at some examples:
With more time I could add many more examples of science fiction which uses aliens to talk about the Cold War and the possibility that humanity or industrialized civilization would annihilate itself, such as Piper’s First Cycle from around 1960 or Murray Leinster’s “Second Landing” from 1954. Most of these do not explicitly say that destruction is the most likely outcome, because they were written for people who understand subtext and can generalize. A science-fiction story is not an academic treatise, but ideas flow back and forth between science fiction and academic futurism.
In 1996 or 19983 a PhD student named Robin Hanson called this the Great Filter. He acknowledged that this idea was not new:
A devastation scenario is implicit in the usual formulation of the Drake equation. For prior evolutionary steps the equation asks for the probability that the system will reach the next step, but at our level of evolution, the equation asks for the expected time until the civilization disappears, and once gone it is assumed to never return.
…
I personally think that most of the Great Filter is most likely to be explained by the steps I think we understand the least about: the steps in the biological evolution of life and intelligence. However, many physical scientists focus on explaining the filter via the area they seem to think we understand the least: social science.
Astronomers Sagan and Newman, for example, claim that either we will destroy ourselves with nuclear weapons, or learn to “live with other groups in mutual respect” by losing “our own predispositions to territoriality and aggression. … This adaptation must apply … with very high precision, to … every individual within the civilization”, so that we become the “least likely to engage in aggressive galactic imperialism” [Sagan & Newman].
Similarly, Papagiannis claims that “those that manage to overcome their innate tendencies toward continuous material growth and replace them with non-material goals will be the only ones to survive this crisis,” implying a galaxy “populated by stable highly ethical and spiritual civilizations” [Papagiannis 84]. And Stephenson claims that “for a truly advanced intelligence the drive for quality rather than redundant quantity would be paramount” [Stephenson 82].
The early Internet was scholarly, and it was hard not to know in 1996 that many educated people thought humanity had almost extinguished itself or civilization had almost ended itself. So Robin Hanson naturally cited earlier versions of his idea. However, time passed, and people got distracted from nuclear war by other dangers. Hanson and his friends like Eric Drexler and Toby Ord are still around and promoting themselves, while writers from the 1960s and 1970s are not. And so I meet people online, and read Wikipedia pages, which say things like “The concept originates in Robin Hanson’s argument …”
This is clearly incorrect. The idea that a civilization able to build radios and travel into space would likely destroy itself was common in the 1960s and 1970s, and featured in an extremely popular TV series in 1980. Therefore, the idea existed long before Robin Hanson gave it a catchy name in 1996 or 1998.
I am not as amusing as those old science-fiction writers and futurists, and I would much prefer to be writing about ancient roads and medieval doublets. But someone was wrong on the internet, and dreams of yesterday’s tomorrows seem more important than zombie ideas about ancient Greek cleavers. If you can, please support this site. If not, continue as I point to some other context for Hanson’s ideas.
What we have forgotten and what we have learned
Hanson’s post has some curious ideas, like the idea that a “bright future” for humanity requires filling the universe with life, and perhaps disassembling Jupiter or Sol for spare parts. When he shared it, I think most readers ignored them and went back to arguing about whether Captain Picard could beat Darth Vader or which operating system to use. This was a mistake, just as the magazine article a few years earlier which called some similar ideas the California Ideology. His ideas came from places much older than California, and some of them could first be found in monasteries not think-tanks.
Sagan and Hanson and Hanson’s disciples like to contrast light with darkness. That is theological language out of Zoroastrianism via Jewish and Christian thought. If you tell yourself that all that matters is whether eternity is filled with life and light or death and darkness, you can screw yourself to the sticking point and do terrible things to actually existing human beings today. Elsewhere Hanson envisions a future of countless simulated humans working themselves to exhaustion for a bare minimum subsistence while biological humans live in luxury (The Age of Em, 2016), and in 2023 he was still concerned about fertility decline even though the world population was the highest it had ever been and still growing.4 The same righteousness that comes out of dualistic theology is the righteousness that might let someone launch the A-bombs or unleash the Berserkers. Words have power and these are dangerous visions.
I am a scholar of ancient Iran, not of apocalyptic religions. I don’t want to explore all the places that Hanson’s ‘s ideas come from here. But for now, I will leave you with two questions. If you think that expanding across the universe is the most sacred of all causes, and machines seem better suited to doing that than humans, do you really love life? And what if the interests of life as we know it clash with what would be required to launch that first von Neumann probe? Bertolt Brecht saw what happens when men who love ideas more than people find that the ideas lose their stark beauty when human beings are ordered to carry them out.
Wäre es da / Nicht doch einfacher, der Philosoph / Löste Menschheit auf und / Schäfte etwas neues?
Further Reading
Charlie Stross, We’re sorry we created the Torment Nexus, speech at Next Frontiers Applied Fiction Day, Stuttgart (2023)
And did you notice that I wrote this post as a truth sandwich?
(scheduled 18 October 2026)
🚫🍪 Ah, the great saga of the vanishing freedom of speech—a tale told by "Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue." Truly, the pinnacle of intellectual discourse: navigating cookie settings. Who needs debate when you have browser settings anyway? 😂
https://expression.fire.org/p/campus-deplatformings-hit-record #freedomofspeech #browsercookies #techhumor #internetculture #digitalrights #HackerNews #ngated
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN
・How Myspace helped independent artists find audiences without traditional gatekeepers
・Why friend networks made music discovery feel like exploring a scene
#Myspace #MusicHistory #InternetCulture
youtu.be/E1U-NezCxBk
How Myspace Turned the Interne...
The toy store, $15m bird and famous singer at the centre of an online feud
By Hanan Dervisevic
A mechanical bird named Molly has become the unlikely epicentre of a public dispute between singer Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn toy store.
#PopularCulture #SocialMedia #InternetCulture #Entertainment #HananDervisevic
Tubefilter: TikTok says yes to more creator-led microdramas from Made By Us and HOORAE. “As you probably know, ‘microdrama’ is the current format du jour for everyone hoping to make a buck in the entertainment industry, from Hollywood studios to major social media platforms. That includes TikTok, which just announced a new microseries-focused partnership with production company Made By Us […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/17/tubefilter-tiktok-says-yes-to-more-creator-led-microdramas-from-made-by-us-and-hoorae/
New York Times: When a Social Media Mob Came for Cornell’s Jane Doe. “Within hours of Mr. Thompson’s post, another user had offered a bounty of $5,000 for the name and photos of the woman who had sued Cornell University under the pseudonym, claiming she had been gang raped at a fraternity party. Within a day, commenters were circulating a woman’s name and images of her from a social media […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/17/new-york-times-when-a-social-media-mob-came-for-cornells-jane-doe/
If I could be granted one magical wish for the Internet it would be to change every web browser so that it refuses to access a site until the user adds it to their bookmarks, and the bookmark dialog will show the site domain/https in bold 24pt font and it will have a delay so the user cannot just click-through.
I would also change domain name rendering so that characters which don't belong to the language of the first character in the domain show up as boxed or bright pink etc. This makes homoglyph attacks look obvious and inauthentic.
A little could go a very long way...
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN
・Why memes communicate complex ideas through simple formats
・How remixing turns audiences into cultural participants
・Why shared jokes create belonging and social boundaries
#MemeCulture #InternetCulture #DigitalCulture
youtu.be/ZUQZtIfbrQU
Why Memes Became Culture
Manosphere experts warn if we lecture boys 'we lose them'
By Georgia Hitch and Anna Levy
We asked a panel of experts to answer your common questions about the manosphere, masculinity and how to approach conversations about it.
#InternetCulture #GenderEquality #GenderRoles #GenderIdentity #MentalHealth #MentalWellbeing #GeorgiaHitch #AnnaLevy
Variety: ‘SNL’ Sets Druski as First Online Content Creator to Host. “Comedian and internet personality Druski will host the Nov. 7 episode of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Druski, aka Drew Desbordes, will be the first online creator to host the sketch show. Variety confirmed the news with multiple sources, though reps for ‘SNL’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment and a rep for […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/14/variety-snl-sets-druski-as-first-online-content-creator-to-host/
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN
・How shared interests can become a powerful source of identity.
・Why niche communities can thrive without geographic proximity.
・How memes, music, and specialist knowledge create group belonging.
#InternetCulture #DigitalTribes #OnlineCommunities
youtu.be/hPL3TBpk1io
Why the Internet Created New T...
cool kids are writing in all lowercase now. does that make you mad?
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/the-case-for-lowercase/
Wikipedians Believed AI Would Come and Go. They Were Wrong
Wikipedians Believed AI Would Come and Go. They Were Wrong
Cosmic Book News: Cartoon Network Gigaleak Hits Days After Skydance Merger: Teen Titans, Gumball, Adventure Time. “A massive leak of Cartoon Network production files is spreading online, and fans are calling it the Classic CN Gigaleak. Reports put the trove at more than 200 GB of internal material from over 30 shows, including The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time, The Looney Tunes Show, […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/12/cosmic-book-news-cartoon-network-gigaleak-hits-days-after-skydance-merger-teen-titans-gumball-adventure-time/
Family estrangement: I haven’t heard from my mother for years. Then a stranger brought me into her dark world.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Technology #family #InternetCulture #Mentalhealth #Parenting #relationships #SocialMedia
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/879902/
Teenagers who disengage with manosphere still fed misogynistic content
By Jordan Bissell
Teenagers have told the ABC that even when they go out of their way to not engage with manosphere content, they are shown misogynistic videos in their social media feeds.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-12/qld-manosphere-content-teenage-boys-online/107230416
The punks trying to reclaim the internet from 'big tech'
By Rhiannon Stevens
This might be a (raspberry) pie in the sky plan, but it's part of a global movement searching for answers to digital sovereignty and tech resilience.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-12/reclaiming-the-internet-from-big-tech/106726208
#Internet #InternetCulture #ClimateChange #DisasterandEmergencyResponse #RhiannonStevens
YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV: A Treasure Trove of Weird and Wonderful Movies
One of the things I love about exploring media is discovering things that are a little outside the mainstream. Not everything has to be a blockbuster. Not everything has to be the latest Hollywood release. And not every movie needs to be critically acclaimed to be worth watching. Sometimes, I want something strange. Something obscure. Something that makes me wonder who came up with the idea in the first place. And that's where platforms like YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV can be surprisingly […]
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN
・Why niche communities create new cultural trends.
・How social media accelerates the path to mainstream attention.
・Why brands seek out underground credibility.
#Subculture #UndergroundCulture #InternetCulture
youtu.be/C6VkC_17oMw
Why Everything Niche Eventuall...
Found in my RSS feeds: ASCII.rest. “217 animated ascii pieces for web pages: 15 full-colour scenes like the one above, loaders, charts, type, 29 language logos, 21 company logos and 23 Linux distros in colour or one ink, and 3D shapes, physics and creatures. Each is a small, typed TypeScript module with no dependencies, for React, Next.js, Astro, or a plain HTML page, and free to use and change […]
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/10/ascii-rest/
Inside the world of looksmaxxing where flaws can be fixed at a price
By Audrey Courty
Looksmaxxing promises young men a way to improve their faces, bodies and lives. But the pursuit of perfection comes with risks of self-harm, misogyny and endless insecurity.
#BodyImage #Men #InternetCulture #HumanInterest #CommunityandSociety #Psychology #AudreyCourty
A fake “Fête de la Musique Part Two” used AI-generated posters, suspiciously memorable DJs and British FOMO to lure people towards protest calls. A very French lesson in social engineering—and a rather elegant prank.Hashtags: #SocialEngineering #CyberSecurity #France #Paris #FeteDeLaMusique #AI #Disinformation #InternetCulture #TikTokNews #DigitalLiteracy
Study flags ChatGPT for Teens as ‘unacceptable risk’ for children
Study flags ChatGPT for Teens as ‘unacceptable risk’ for children
The Most Unbothered Cyclist in Connecticut Just Rode Through a Formal Ceremony
When you accidentally become the most memorable part of the ceremony.Dear Cherubs, if there is one lesson to take from the internet this week, it is that no matter how formal the occasion, there is always a bicycle somewhere with other plans.
In two widely shared Instagram clips, a cyclist calmly rides across an outdoor stage area while a local official is delivering a formal speech. He passes directly between the speaker and the seated audience, apparently treating the carefully arranged ceremony as little more than an unusually well-decorated cycle route.
The footage has been reported as taking place in Connecticut, during a public memorial or town-hall-style ceremony. The exact event, location and identity of the cyclist could not be independently verified from authoritative sources available at the time of writing, so those details are best treated as reported rather than confirmed.
THE RIDE-BY
What makes the moment so wonderfully awkward is not simply that someone cycles across the stage. It is the cyclist’s complete lack of urgency.
There is no sudden braking. No frantic wobble. No visible attempt to explain himself. He simply keeps rolling in a remarkably straight line, apparently committed to the idea that this is precisely where bicycles are supposed to be.
Meanwhile, the audience slowly begins to notice.
Heads turn one after another, producing the visual equivalent of a stadium wave. For a few seconds, the official appears to have acquired an extremely unexpected supporting act.
The contrast is what gives the clip its comedy. On one side: a formal public ceremony, a podium, seated attendees and the unmistakable atmosphere of Serious Civic Business. On the other: one man on a bicycle quietly crossing the scene as though he has an appointment three streets away.
It is difficult to stage something quite this perfectly.
WHY EVERYONE IS WATCHING
There is also something beautifully universal about the audience reaction. Nobody appears to know whether they should laugh, stare, ignore it or simply accept that this is now part of the programme.
According to Connecticut’s official event records, the state regularly hosts outdoor memorial ceremonies involving public officials, formal remarks and assembled audiences. The state’s annual 9/11 memorial ceremony, for example, is held at Sherwood Island State Park, while municipalities across Connecticut conduct their own Memorial Day and remembrance events. That makes the general setting described in the viral posts entirely plausible, even though the specific ceremony in the clips remains unconfirmed.
And perhaps that uncertainty is fitting. The internet has supplied us with the footage, but not the backstory. For now, the cyclist remains an accidental supporting character whose greatest achievement may be maintaining exactly the same speed while an entire audience collectively thinks, “Is this actually happening?”
As noted by thisclaimer.com, moments like this are a reminder that public life occasionally produces comedy without anyone having to write a joke.
The cyclist did not appear to panic. The audience did not appear to riot. The official kept speaking.
And somewhere between the podium and the audience, a bicycle simply carried on with its day.
Honestly? Bet.
Sources:
Instagram Reel 1 — https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZut6kTgnCL/
Instagram Reel 2 — https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZXtKYNSUDf/
Connecticut Office of the Governor — 2026 Annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony — https://portal.ct.gov/governor/news/press-releases/2026/09-2026/governor-lamont-and-lt-governor-bysiewicz-invite-public-to-connecticuts-annual-9-11-memorial-ceremony
Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice — 2026 Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony — https://portal.ct.gov/dcj/dcj-news-stories/06012026policememorial
CT Insider — Connecticut Memorial Day ceremonies and events — https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/ct-memorial-day-parades-2026-22267158.php
Thisclaimer — https://thisclaimer.com/
Thisclaimer YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@thisclaimer?sub_confirmation=1
The Internet Runs on Cats and Porn. It’s About to Get Cattier and Pornier
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/icann-top-level-domains-meow/
Associated Press: Mormon leader decries explosion in sports betting, prediction markets. “A leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints warned Saturday that an explosion in gambling driven by online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed, particularly among youths, while producing ‘nothing of value.'”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/05/associated-press-mormon-leader-decries-explosion-in-sports-betting-prediction-markets/
Associated Press: ‘Jane Doe’ solidarity posts flood social media after Cornell rape lawsuit. “It was one woman, then another, and another, until a trickle became a flood. Countless women, and some men, posting on social media that they were Jane Doe, in support of a young woman using that name to file a lawsuit against Cornell University and seven fraternity members she accuses of raping her.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/10/04/associated-press-jane-doe-solidarity-posts-flood-social-media-after-cornell-rape-lawsuit/