"Words Matter" (w/ Matt + Bowen)

Big Little Lies is a 2014 novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty. Set around a beachside primary school, it follows three women whose lives become entangled through friendship, family conflict, bullying, and hidden pasts, all building toward a deadly mystery. The book became a New York Times bestseller and later inspired the HBO television series.

Kathryn Jezer Morton investigates how social media has reshaped storytelling and everyday life by interviewing people across the U.S. She shows how algorithms, metrics, and platform formats push users toward attention-grabbing, simplified narratives. The book examines effects on home decor, vacations, celebrations, and personal identity, and how these mediated stories can feel disciplinary and limiting. Morton also documents people pulling back from posting while still consuming social feeds, and explores alternatives like family albums and offline memory practices. Throughout, she balances critique with an appreciation for creative uses of social media, like memes and private sharing.