The Polyester Podcast

Discover the bizarre world of aura points on TikTok, where teens compete for coolness. Explore the harmful trend of looksmaxxing, leading to body dysmorphia in men. Reflect on how self-commodification and external validation are shaping modern society.

We're all desperate to get the tories out, but for the first time in our hosts lives as voters, there's been an inescapable apathy in the air. As it seems certain that Labour will take over as the new British government, is it time to vote independent or spoil the ballot? This week Ione and Gina are getting knee deep in the culture war that's surrounding election year, discussing the pros and cons of voting for different parties and why our generation is feeling so miserable about it all.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The name on everybody's lips is: Charli XCX. The musician's sixth studio album Brat dropped this month and all of a sudden everything is Brat. But while we continue to wonder if every lime green car is planted by charli herself or just pure coincidence, in this week's episode, Ione and Gina are taking on the behemoth Brat marketing rollout.Is this is truly Charli's most relatable album yet? Or does the music itself not match up to the genius of its rollout?P.S - we recorded this before the Lorde remix dropped!!Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast explores the rise of Literary It Girls, the BookTok phenomenon, and the historical context of men watching women read. They discuss the changing literary culture, the evolution of book sharing platforms, and the influence of fashion brands on book promotion. The conversation also covers the history of men observing women reading, the gender biases in artistic depictions of reading, and concludes with gratitude and an invitation to visit Cambridge.

The past two weeks have seen a new debate arise in the world of online activism - what is the place of AI in conversations around raising awareness of important political issues? In this episode, Ione and Gina ask whether all is fair in getting All Eyes On Rafah or if we need to be cautious of the intentions behind those creating viral images to be shared across social media.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast explores how the internet has turned being neurodivergent into a trend, discussing the pros and cons of sharing mental health conditions online. It delves into the commodification of neurodiversity on social media and the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in society.

Following the luxury of the Met Gala - and one influencer's mistimed 'Let Them Eat Cake" lip synch - the internet is demanding action from the celebrity class in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. The #BlockOut2024 encourages social media users to block celebrities and cut short their income streams until they voice their opinion on the conflict - but is this a useful form of activism or just virtue signalling from people hoping to win the game of social media? This week Ione and Gina are getting into the pros and cons of digital activism, celeb altruism and the internet's dilution of what it means to be politically active.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has polyamory become a hot topic? The hosts dive into the complexities and misconceptions surrounding non-monogamous relationships, contrasting them with monogamy. They explore the historical context of love and community child-rearing practices, shedding light on diverse familial structures. With a nod to modern challenges, they address emotional dynamics and societal perceptions that shape today's polyamorous landscape. Through engaging discussions, they redefine love while critiquing the commodification of relationships.

Recently, Twitter was set ablaze by another creepy move by the incel community: AI generated women to have sex with while pumping into a boxed fleshlight. The viral video, which promises to put an end to declining birth rates, has sparked debates on the morality of combining intimacy with AI; and in this week's episode, Ione and Gina are getting into the root of it all. Is it gamification? Is it fetish content? And what does gene warfare even mean?Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been less than three weeks since Netflix dropped the true crime, true story drama Baby Reindeer and the discourse surrounding the show feels inescapable. As internet sleuths take it upon themselves to wreak vigilante justice on the real life people the series was based on, those who know Richard Gadd - the writer and star of Baby Reindeer - suffer the consequences. Is it a failure in safeguarding or a marketing ploy? Is this the final form of parasocial relationships? In this week's episode Ione and Gina are picking apart how social media's obsession with true crime has truly killed any kind of empathy and nuance we have for one another.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.