EP 485: Broken Links

Feb 6, 2025

This discussion dives into the challenges of maintaining a meaningful online presence amidst a cluttered digital landscape. It explores the metaphor of 'broken links' and how fragmented identities can feel like digital homelessness. The emotional toll of digital clutter and the struggle to curate our online archives is examined. There’s a nostalgic look at the past creativity of the web, along with a call to rethink how we manage our digital identities. Get inspired to navigate this chaotic environment with fresh perspectives!

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Intro

00:00 • 8min

Fragmented Identities in a Digital Age

08:26 • 9min

The Fragility of Digital Connections: Broken Links and Hoarding

17:13 • 12min

The Anxiety of Accumulation: Navigating Digital Clutter and Identity

29:27 • 5min

Reimagining Digital Spaces: Curating Our Online Archives

34:44 • 7min

I'm back! Maybe you noticed or maybe you didn't—but the show (and my newsletter) has been on its longest hiatus since its inception. In the final quarter of 2024, I decided I wanted to (re)consolidate my web presence, abandon most "platforms," and breathe some new life into my work.

This episode reflects on both my own challenges with wrangling my online presence and the ways the state of the web has made it extra challenging. While there’s a lot to complain about when it comes to social media platforms and the billionaires wreaking havoc in online and offline spaces, this isn’t that kind of episode. It’s an effort to illuminate some less obvious issues that, in turn, can help us figure out what we want to do next.

If you've been feeling a bit blah or displaced or just overwhelmed in your online work lately, I hope this episode gives you a fresh mental model for making sense of those feelings. And I hope that model gives you the inspiration it's given me.

Footnotes:

Check out the new (and hopefully improved) whatworks.fyi!
"For the Love of God, Make Your Own Website" by Gita Jackson, Aftermath
"Decoder guest host Hank Green makes Nilay Patel explain why websites have a future" on Decoder
"Digital Homelessness" by Venkatesh Rao
"The Web Renaissance takes off" by Anil Dash
"The Creator Economy Is Eating Creative Acts" by Tara McMullin, featuring Kate Tyson & Charlie Gilkey
"Wait, I Think You're Platform-Pilled" by Tara McMullin
"Is it OK to say the word 'homeless?' Or should you say 'unhoused?'" on The Guardian
Alienation by Rahel Jaeggi
Possessed: A Cultural History of Hoarding by Rebecca Falkoff
American Bulk by Emily Mester
Creating Digital Exhibitions for Cultural Institutions by Emily Marsh

You can check out the What Works archive at whatworks.fyi - where you’ll find a written essay version of this episode. Plus, you can find out more about working with me to turn your own meaningful ideas into remarkable content.

(00:00) - What even is a website today?
(05:17) - 1. Website Metaphysicsp
(11:32) - 2. Digital Homelessness
(18:05) - 3. Google Hates Broken Links the Way NIMBYs Hate Tent Cities
(22:37) - 4. Digital Hoarding
(34:51) - 5. Rebuilding
(40:59) - Credits

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