Exploring the modern chains of technology, consumerism, and digital culture.
If you wanted to trap someone a few centuries ago, you’d have to forge physical chains out of iron, drag them around, and hire someone to guard them. It was a logistical nightmare. Today? We’ve streamlined the process significantly. We simply hand you a shiny plastic card, whisper the words “0% APR for the first … Read more
You’re sitting on the couch. Your thumb flicks upward. A video of a golden retriever. Flick. A hot take on macroeconomic policy by a teenager. Flick. A satisfying loop of a pressure washer cleaning a driveway. Flick. Suddenly, it’s forty-five minutes later. The sun has gone down, your leg has fallen asleep, and you have … Read more
Wake up. Grind. Hustle. Drink an overpriced iced coffee. “Crush” your goals. Fall asleep. Repeat until you either hit the Forbes 30 Under 30 list or collapse from adrenal fatigue. Welcome to the golden era of hustle culture, where your worth as a human being is measured exclusively by your output. We’ve managed to take … Read more
Picture this: It’s 9:00 PM. You sit down on the couch after a long day of pretending to be thrilled about your company’s “new strategic direction,” pull out your phone, and open your favorite app. The goal? A quick five-minute mental break. When you finally look up, your coffee is cold, your dog is judging … Read more
There was a time when success in America meant a white picket fence, a deed with your name on it, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing you owned your slice of the pie. Fast forward to today, and the picket fence is a micro-transaction, the deed is a monthly subscription, and your slice of the … Read more
Picture this: You’re holding a glowing rectangle. It vibrates. Your pulse quickens. You swipe. You get a little burst of joy. Ten minutes later, you look up, and two hours have vanished into the abyss. Sound familiar? Welcome to your new cell, prisoner. Your warden isn’t a person with a baton-it’s an algorithm, and it’s … Read more
If you have ever felt guilty for sitting on your couch on a Sunday afternoon because you “should be doing something productive,” congratulations! You have been successfully indoctrinated by the most insidious scam of the 21st century: Hustle Culture. *Cue dramatic eye roll.* We have completely confused being busy with being valuable, and the people … Read more
There used to be a very simple playbook for success: get a job, buy a house with a white picket fence, own a reliable car, and eventually retire to Florida to play terrible golf. That was the American Dream. Now? You’re lucky if you can afford the monthly subscription fee for the golf app on … Read more
Let’s play a fun game of ‘Where did my morning go?’ You wake up, grab your phone ‘just to check the weather,’ and suddenly it’s 45 minutes later and you’re watching a teenager in Ohio review an air fryer. How did you get there? You didn’t drive. You were escorted by the most efficient, ruthless … Read more
Let’s be real for a second. If someone walked up to you on the street, slapped a pair of heavy iron shackles on your wrists, and handed you a 9-to-5 schedule, you’d probably scream for the police. But what if they slapped a glowing rectangle in your hand, offered you same-day shipping on a blender … Read more