Tasteland

This week on Tasteland we're joined by writer and editor, Daniel Spielberger. Daniel is also the executive editor of Study Hall and the host of the Study Hall Podcast. Read the Farmer's Almanac article we discuss here.__Daniel SpielbergerStudy Hall PodcastDaniel DocsLinkedInTwitterInstagram__Timestamps00:00 $45 well spent, $5 poorly spent07:36 Surprise proposal and tweets going viral11:09 Influencer culture in media17:50 We need storytellers24:39 Daniel Docs28:09 Study Hall33:08 Too much media about media44:32 Olivia Nuzzi did it all for nothing53:43 Grown men shouldn't have birthday parties58:29 Worst movie of 2025__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers

This week on Tasteland we're joined by Jamie Wilkinson, co-founder of Know Your Meme, VHX, and most recently, Glif.__Jamie WilkinsonGlifWebsiteGitHubTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Coke and Wall St03:26 Memes are a business of their own11:30 The evolution of memes17:03 Relationships with social media by generation26:45 Software sub-cultures of consuming and creating34:37 The intention of creation38:45 Creating for yourself45:02 The state of vibecoding50:40 The art and value of software creation__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers

This week on Tasteland we're joined by Ochuko Akpovbovbo, creator and writer of the culture and marketing newsletter as seen on.__Ochuko Akpovbovboas seen onLinkedIn__Timestamps00:00 Naturist, not nudist05:38 Resident of nowhere10:07 Books of 202514:20 Nuremberg is boring17:00 Writer vs. Substacker27:22 An aversion to defining34:30 Avoiding the parasocial42:21 For business reasons, I need to be perceived52:32 Influencers shaping brand narratives__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Zane Kind, a visionary technologist and artist, is the co-founder and CEO of Silk, a unique blogging platform focused on creative research and subcultures. He discusses the concept of Silk as a community-driven 'Zoomer Facebook,' prioritizing connections over vanity metrics. Zane explains how the platform fosters distinct tastes and identities while curbing isolation through thoughtful design choices. He also delves into the evolving nature of celebrity and community engagement, emphasizing curation as a valid creative expression.

This week on Tasteland we're joined by Ethan Sawyer, a field producer at CBC and curator of the newsletter Human Pursuits, a newsletter for navigating modern existence with help from need-to-know names in media and culture.__Ethan SawyerHuman PursuitsTwitter/XLinkedIn__Timestamps00:00 beats to write/edit to04:08 Writer's block is not real07:57 Nights in the Gardens of Brooklyn11:46 An analysis of social climbers18:40 Olivia Nuzzi did it all for love24:23 The art of guest selection32:15 Francis tells a bad joke32:57 Music for work and focus37:46 Music is so good43:16 Defining slop54:46 Introducing the "content economy"__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

No guest this week on Tasteland so Daisy and Francis discuss whether Frankenstein should've shown hog, the introduction to the polycene and quote tweeting the Pope.__DaisyDirtTwitter/XLinkedInFrancisCreator SpotlightTwitter/XLinkedIn__Timestamps00:00 The hog of Frankenstein09:55 It was all yellow16:29 Welcome to the polycene27:15 Gambler's wives30:24 Don't die, take mushrooms34:00 Marc Andreessen vs. the Pope39:29 Vibe shifts are vibe shifts44:00 Affordability vs abundance in politics46:50 But I'm not a rapper, I'm mayor__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Adam Voith, a novelist and the mind behind Little Engines magazine, dives into the dynamic world of publishing. He advocates for putting readers first, arguing that the industry often neglects them. Voith shares insights on treating books like consumer products versus cultural artifacts. He stresses the importance of building relationships with writers, likening his approach to that of a record label. The conversation touches on the challenges of marketing for artists and how writers can embody small business principles to thrive.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Nick Susi, a strategy executive and entrepreneurial builder for 13+ years, exploring the technological, societal and psychological forces that shape our identity, perception and culture.__Nick SusiWebsiteSubstackLinkedInInstagramTwitter/X__Timestamps00:00 Creators are consumers of the self07:51 Posts are the cheetle of your identity15:19 Presence in marketing17:11 Start a war, create a monoculture29:16 Building trust vs capturing attention36:59 How myths shape modern media and technology45:25 Separating the technology for the myth51:45 Ice Cube got it right__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by startup founder, developer, and runner, Cole Townsend. Cole has been a product designer for over a decade and is the head of tech and co-founder of Sole Retriever.__ColeWebsiteSole RetrieverLinkedInX/Twitter__Timestamps00:00 Jury duty06:54 Post Tokyo crash17:20 Every app is a marketplace or dating app24:49 Running is becoming lifestyle29:53 Crewing an ultramarathon34:12 Performance culture37:17 Founding Sole Retriever43:36 Never had a New Balance50:20 Moth tech__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week on Tasteland, Daisy and Francis are joined by NYC based journalist, Claire Landsbaum. Claire is the Deputy Editor at HighSnobiety and has formerly held positions at The Cut, Vanity Fair, and Business Insider.__ClaireWebsiteHighSnobietyLinkedInInstagramX/Twitter__Timestamps00:00 Show and tell09:02 The bowling alley is the new afterparty11:27 Writing for magazines15:06 Finding journalistic honesty19:03 Fake adult in Berlin26:53 Are Veronika and Kyle for real?32:40 I saw this tweet37:08 Can The Daily Beast be saved?48:35 Revenue and editorial integrity54:29 Tattoos and steaks57:53 The dream profile__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.