Jessica Bennett and Susie Banikarim, co-hosts of In Retrospect podcast, join Rachelle and Candice to discuss the impact of nostalgia on our current cultural moment. They explore their first fandoms, embarrassing internet moments, and the complexity of nostalgia in the age of the internet. They also discuss the impact of social media on teenagers and the positive aspects of internet culture.
Nostalgia shapes our internet and cultural experiences, but we should question our uncritical embrace of the past.
Finding a balance between online accountability and protection is crucial, considering the conflicting need for revealing identities and safe spaces.
Deep dives
Nostalgia and Internet Culture
Nostalgia seems to be the currency of the decade, with people looking back at the past with rose-colored glasses. This trend is reflected in the resurgence of old TV shows, movies, and fashion items. The hosts of the podcast 'In Retrospect' discuss how nostalgia shapes our current internet and cultural experiences, as well as the complex nature of nostalgia, questioning the uncritical embrace of the past. They also explore how the internet has played a role in documenting and preserving nostalgic moments, along with the challenges of disappearing online content.
Engaging Online and Personal Rules
The hosts share their personal rules for engaging online. One rule is to avoid getting into arguments with children on the internet. They also discuss the conflicting idea of whether people should be required to reveal their identities online. While it may help combat anonymity and hate speech, it may also hinder those who need safe spaces to express themselves. The hosts grapple with finding a balance between accountability and protection on the internet.
Internet Conspiracy Theories
The hosts discuss humorous internet conspiracy theories, including the idea that Beyoncé was not really pregnant and that Harry Styles is secretly bald. They reflect on the way these conspiracy theories can circulate online and offer harmless entertainment.
In Retrospect: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
The hosts predict that coverage of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard situation will be explored in an in retrospect episode in the future. They discuss the complexities of the case and how public opinion and media coverage can shift over time, prompting reevaluations of past events.
On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Jessica Bennett and Susie Banikarim, the hosts of In Retrospect, a newly-launched podcast that explores pivotal moments from the ‘80s and ‘90s that shaped them. Bennett and Banikarim crack open the pages of their internet diary, revealing their first fandoms and the internet fights that still loom large in their memory. The four discuss the way that nostalgia shapes our current cultural moment and how it’s become the currency of the decade.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.