🧍
Since quarantine started in early March, I’ve had more time on my hands than usual. To fill this time usually spent with friends and outdoors, I’ve been watching Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Piker, a political commentator, streams every day to thousands of viewers and has been a great resource to help me learn more about leftist politics. For years, I found myself encapsulated in the “Instagram-activism” bubble while not really understanding the context and gravity of the things I was advocating for. I had good intentions, but if someone really dug into my positions I wouldn’t have been able to back them up confidently. Thanks to Piker, I believe I can articulate leftist talking points in a better manner while understanding the historical context and nuance that comes with them. It’s really important to understand how we’ve gotten here as a country in order to advocate for the future, and I encourage people to reflect on their own beliefs and their ability to defend them. There’s always more to learn.
Nov 5, 2020
Related Recs
đź—Ł
everything is politics. from vaccines to lgbt matters, politicians have leveraged the things conservative americans don’t understand to stoke fear and confusion.
this isn’t anything new. what is new is the algorithms that reenforce those fears. comment sections we’re told to treat like real conversation just flooded with faceless accounts saying their most vile inside thoughts. it’s easy to want to interact and easier to just read it all and be mad. but every second spent engaging is another brain scrambling distraction.
these sensationalized posts and comments do nothing for education, understanding, or empathy. even on the left, slacktivism actively hurts the cause. theres an idea that someone who holds ignorant beliefs is *bad* in all politicized fields. but let’s be real, just because uncle jeff is pissed about tuck underwear it doesn’t mean he’s a climate change denier. generalizing people is exactly what politicians want from us.
social issues are important and politics aren’t going away from that any time soon. but social media is a slippery slope and i personally refuse to engage. when it bleeds into my real life (”parents just WANT their kids to be trans”) i try to engage in conversations that get to the root of the issue. where’s this info coming from, why do you believe that? these are the kind of questions strangers won’t ask them on the internet.
misinformation is a sickness that we’re all plagued with. to find some truth and understanding we cannot be having these discussions on platforms like facebook or instagram or twitter. if we do, we’re just giving these tech ceos and politicians what they need: engagement and fear
Jun 3, 2025
🎢
Thinking, writing, and talking about how social media orgs self- and co-regulate. PI.FYI, you’re my online happy place ♥️
Feb 7, 2024
đź“°
anyone on pi.fyi will likely feel seen and heard when reading this. it basically accentuates all the redundancies and senseless aspects of social media and how it’s disrupted every industry and how we are all dominated by the algorithm and have to be our own hype person. i always feel like an idiot after i finish a record or a book that i'm really excited to share with the world, but then have to think about “content“ to promote the art itself. obviously pi.fyi feels likes a refreshing beacon of hope because artists can share their work here in a far more simple and wholesome manner. the article also addresses non-creative jobs like accountants and other professions that are all being forced to become an “influencer” of some sort or build a brand. it’s spooky, yet we’re all feeling the fatigue so hopefully we can see a less algorithmic future soon…
Feb 8, 2024
Top Recs from @seth-kaplan
🎵
Touche Amore, a LA post-hardcore band, released an amazing new record this past month. This record is already high up on my list for AOTY 2020. I thought it would be nearly impossible to top 2016’s Stage Four, but Touche may have done it. This album has pop-punk bangers, emotional heartache, and makes me feel alive.
Nov 5, 2020
đź‘•
Reese Cooper has been one of my favorite designers over the past few years. Cooper makes incredible modern Americana / workwear pieces. I recently picked up some brown cargo pants from his FW20 men’s collection and I love them. He combines a lot of tradesman/outdoorsy silhouettes with amazing fabrics and detailing. As someone who loves earth-tones, Cooper has been an amazing find.
Nov 5, 2020
🧍
This past month, I invested in a standing desk for my home office. And I’ve gotta tell you, it’s pretty sweet. Want to play videogames standing up? Now you can. Want to package orders standing up? Now you can. Want to shitpost on Twitter standing up? Now you can. With the UPLIFT Standing desk, anything is possible. They have loads of different wood types/finishes for you to choose from along with many other customizations. I went with the walnut option and it looks amazing.
Nov 5, 2020