Tasteland

This week, the conversation dives into the intriguing world of social media detox, featuring reflections on leaving Twitter behind. They explore the power of live shows within the Boys Club network and how nostalgia shapes our event experiences. A hilarious tie-in between a celebrity chlamydia outbreak and travel gossip reveals the absurdity of fame. Plus, the hosts discuss wellness trends, creator networks, and humorous riffs on reality TV dynamics, all while setting personal goals for a more meaningful 2026.

Dena Yago, an innovative artist and co-founder of trend-forecasting group K-HOLE, shares her insights on cultural shifts and visual curation. She discusses the fascinating rise of the 'Cosmos girl' aesthetic and how public domain imagery maintains its context. Dena elaborates on the enduring importance of books in the digital age and contrasts irony with the newer trend of sincere cringe. She also reveals surprising user behaviors on Cosmos, leading to fresh avenues in creative visual discovery.

Daisy and Francis bring 2025 to a close by looking back on their defining media of the year and looking ahead to the world of tech and media in 2026.__Timestamps00:00 A New England Christmas04:09 Invisible labor of the holiday season08:15 Dirt Books14:13 Songs and albums 202518:23 Is 2026 the year of the techlash22:37 The creator economy in 202629:32 Dirt reader's top books of 202531:44 Daisy's viral tweet of 2024-2025__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers

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.