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Nine hundred and fifty editions of yap, sat in one place. One long read every friday morning. Always free.
Nine hundred and fifty issues.
The new G cometh.
Mobile World Congress 2026 is hyping 6G but we've seen this before with 5G. The promises were revolutionary with self-driving cars, remote surgery, and smart cities. Five years later we got slightly faster internet that's sometimes available. The gap between promise and reality follows the same pattern as Tesla's self-driving, the metaverse, and early AI hype.
What are dark forests of the internet (and why are people retreating to them)?
The public internet has become hostile with bots, AI slop, and constant surveillance. People are retreating to private internets called dark forests where real humans gather in invite-only spaces outside algorithmic chaos. This movement rejects the scale and reach playbook for depth and genuine connection in communities of 20 to 200 people who actually want to be there.
You can do anything. But you’re becoming nothing.
We live in an era of impossible contrasts where infinite choice and access haven't brought freedom or belonging. The promise that more equals better has curdled into constant fragmentation and exhaustion. When you can be anything, do anything, and access everything, the self fragments into nothing. Maybe the solution isn't optimising every choice but accepting the freedom in not becoming something at all
Not everything is about you and that's ok
The bean soup theory explains how social media has killed our ability to accept that not everything is designed for us. People now weaponise personal preferences and identity to demand that creators and brands cater specifically to them. If something doesn't resonate with you, the solution is simple. Scroll past it and find what actually is for you.
There's no better time than now to touch grass
The touch grass movement is gaining ground as adults organise hide and seek competitions, singles wrestling events, and combat rings at parties. These deliberately offline activities require presence and physicality. They're modern carnivals where you can suspend being a serious adult and just play for no reason other than joy.
Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model wants you to believe times have changed. Have they?
Netflix's new docuseries about Tyra Banks and ANTM wants you to believe the fashion industry has changed and grown since those toxic days. But the toxicity just got better at hiding. Now it's wellness influencers selling disordered eating as self care and fitness accounts using Ozempic then selling you workout guides that promise their results.
Ok, like, can we talk about the actual good stuff that’s happening right now?
While everyone has been spiralling with doomerism online, genuinely good things are happening. Punch the monkey was rejected by his mother and clings to an IKEA plushie. The CEO visited and donated 33 more toys. A friend learned to make Iranian pastries to help someone feel at home. The UK passed a law requiring platforms to remove intimate images within 48 hours.
BREAKING: Reddit figured out how to sell ads without pissing everyone off.
Reddit went from ignored marketing platform to legitimate channel with 121 million daily users in 2026. Brands are succeeding by using nostalgia driven storytelling, real user generated content, niche inspired campaigns, and serialized approaches that unfold over time instead of one off launches.
You met me at a very Chinese time of my life
What started as internet memes about being Chinese became genuine cultural adoption happening in real time. Gua Sha, lymphatic drainage, Chinese cooking, and Lunar New Year traditions have gone mainstream through social media at unprecedented speed and scale.
Why no one is engaging with your content (and how to fix it)
You've written great copy with professional visuals but get zero engagement. The problem isn't the algorithm. Your content is either too self focused, too safe, has weak openings, lacks interaction, or follows a post and pray strategy with no real plan.
How to make your brand culturally relevant (not just trendy)
Cultural relevance happens when consumers actively talk about and champion your brand because it genuinely resonates with their world. Brands like Nike, Spotify, SKIMS, and BeReal didn't chase trends. They created them by becoming part of the larger cultural conversation.
Your Brand Voice Sounds Like Everyone Else's. Here's How to Fix It.
Your brand voice sounds like every other brand because you're all using the same copywriter called ChatGPT. AI homogenization creates copy that's technically correct but completely forgettable with the same cadence and phrases that feel slightly off.