July 5, 2021

Chat and social media reactions, images, and poetry

"When so much of life is mediated through WeChat, stickers become a necessary mask. A way to be visible without committing. Communication without actually communicating." Chaoyang Trap (previously, cofounded by MeFi's Own beijingbrown) delves into "laziness-as-resistance" in China (discussed in a recent New York Times article), the process of making and selling these images, how they differ from reaction GIFs, copyright, woodblock prints, fandom, and more. Related: the poem "This Language That We Share" by Judith Kingston. [more inside]
posted by brainwane at 9:00 PM PST - 5 comments

Shannon Lee: Does Quentin Tarantino Hate Bruce Lee?

I’m tired of hearing from white men in Hollywood that he wasn’t really a martial artist and just did it for the movies.
posted by Francies at 7:38 PM PST - 68 comments

From Syria to Lebanon, Saving the Seeds That Could Save Humanity

The story behind the seed genebank, or “doomsday vault,” and how it thrives despite war and displacement.
posted by Ahmad Khani at 4:35 PM PST - 3 comments

When a Song’s a Classic, It Can Ride the Line of Kitsch

“Somebody That I Used To Know”: A 10th Anniversary Oral History
posted by chavenet at 4:20 PM PST - 47 comments

The Pokemon we left behind

Stars and Stripes takes an unusual look at the withdrawl from Bagram Airfield. As America pulls out of Afghanistan, their influence is visible not only in the war-torn country and a complicated legacy from nearly two decades of occupation, but also in a number of low-level Pokemon guarding gyms at on-base locations.
posted by jackbishop at 9:25 AM PST - 50 comments

the Go! Team

If you're looking for bands, you may be looking for UK's the Go! Team. The 'post-genre' band plays feel-good party music; their latest single (slyt).
posted by kfholy at 7:05 AM PST - 19 comments

Because wanting to leave is enough

Leaving a man isn't easy. This is a collection of letters written to Sugar, who writes back with unrivalled compassion and affirms that our cultural understanding of women’s autonomy isn’t totally in sync with the logistics of 21st century partnership.
posted by antihistameme at 6:48 AM PST - 26 comments

Truth in Advertising?

The same word can mean different things in different cultures, "Thongs" in Australian English and British English for example. However seldom has such a difference in meaning had such a dramatic effect as in the launch of Nonce Finance's partnership with a crypto company. For the non-British,"nonce" is a colloquial term used for child sex abusers. This is a useful reminder that you should always check before using a word which may have multiple meanings. Fortunately, cryptocurrency and NFTs are classically famed for only being used for good things and not being at all associated with grift, money laundering and paying for illegal services...
posted by fallingbadgers at 6:14 AM PST - 42 comments

Do you see a girl stuck in concrete or hiding behind a wall

The internet's latest obsession. Can You Figure It Out? KnowYourMeme helps out.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 2:36 AM PST - 65 comments

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