Explain It to Me Surviving online cringe
9 snips
Feb 1, 2026 
Amelia Knott, a psychotherapist focused on online wellbeing, talks self-compassion for archived digital identities. Alexandra Samuel, tech journalist, covers social media curation and practical cleanup steps. E.J. Dixon, writer who once published candid personal essays, reflects on internet-era cringe and how her voice changed. They discuss deleting, archiving, apology, and how old posts shape self‑esteem.
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Embarrassing 2016 Essay Recalled
- E.J. Dixon recounts a 2016 essay she now finds embarrassingly linked to Trump and Melania's marriage.
- She explains the personal context of insecurity before her own marriage and why the piece aged poorly.
The Personal Essay Era Of Oversharing
- E.J. Dixon describes writing very personal, vulnerable pieces during the clickbait era of the internet.
- She says the industry pushed young writers to overshare for attention and small pay.
Curated Social Media Replaced Messy Earnestness
- Alexandra Samuel notes today's social media is heavily curated and branded compared with earlier messy platforms.
- She observes genuine, messy self-sharing is now rare and often mocked online.
