Maekan It Up

Eugene and Charis discuss an essay written by Paul Jun, “The Four Dirty C-Words of the Internet”, and breakdown the usage of the words content, culture, community, and creator. They also talk about memes as shared language and the conduit through which beliefs are transmitted. 00:07:18 Four dirty c-words 00:33:20 Memes The Four Dirty C-Words of the Internet by Paul Jun How Memes Control Everything by Nathan Baschez Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about the global appeal of Squid Game and the possibility of supposedly niche cultural entertainment going viral. They also discuss the importance of Frances Haugen, the latest Facebook whistleblower, coming forward to testify about the need for social media platform regulations. 00:06:44 Squid Game 00:24:20 Facebook whistleblower Planet Squid Game by Josef Adalian Here are 4 key points from the Facebook whistleblower's testimony on Capitol Hill by Bobby Allyn Facebook whistleblower testifies company 'is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny' by Samantha Murphy Kelly and Clare Duffy Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis discuss Star Atlas, a space-fantasy RPG built on the Solana blockchain, that indicates the promising possibilities of funding game development through digital asset ownership. They also talk about the prevalence of captions on TikTok and how the use of captions signals considerations of design and inclusion. 00:04:18 Blockchain video games 00:28:05 TikTok captions Star Atlas: The Most Ambitious Blockchain Game by Ryan Foo Why captions are everywhere on TikTok: ‘Glasses for your ears’ by Brian Contreras Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about the Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market brand-development division called Dover Street Market Paris that is similar to an incubator for emerging brands. They also discuss digital fashion as seen in how Farfetch recently seeded influencers their latest lines of clothing via digital fashion items. 00:04:40 CdG 00:26:45 Digital fashion ‘Lack of strategy is the strategy’: what Comme des Garçons did next by Alexander Fury published in Financial Times Influencers are wearing digital versions of physical clothes now by Maghan McDowell published in Vogue Business Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis discuss what makes a critique good as well as how to give and receive feedback well. Plus, they talk about overcoming Web3 bias in the context of understanding paradigm shifts. 00:03:37 Critiques 00:25:16 Paradigm Shifts How to Take Criticism by Chapell Ellison Google Slides from Charis’ PolyU class Overcoming Web3 Bias | How to navigate strange new paradigms that could change everything—unless they don’t. by Nathan Baschez Cryptopilled by Drew Coffman Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about a single topic inspired by “Nike’s End of Men” by Ethan Strauss. Their conversation covers a shift in Nike’s values (whether internal or what they project to the public), target audience, and marketing strategies. 00:04:17 Change at Nike Nike’s End of Men by Ethan Strauss Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis talk about the illusory nature of tech solutions for the climate crisis as well as personal responsibility in the face of it. They also discuss the artistic merit of the release of Kanye West’s DONDA. 00:04:42 Climate crisis 00:24:15 DONDA It’s Time to Replace Ambition with Adaptation by Rosie Spinks The Other Crisis by Jon Leighton DONDA, Kanye West Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about the attraction to and difficulty in thinking rationally. They also discuss the awkward relationship between tech and fashion. 00:05:52 Rationality 00:27:39 Tech/fashion Why Is It So Hard to Be Rational? by Joshua Rothman Worn Out by Drew Austin Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis discuss “Ghosts” by Vauhini Vara, a creative writing piece written with the assistance of the language AI GPT-3 (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3). They also talk about sexism and double standards in sports as seen in recent discussions around uniform requirements in women’s sports. 00:07:02 Language AI 00:29:01 Sexism in sports Ghosts by Vauhini Vara Facing Outrage Over Bikini Rule, Handball Federation Signals ‘Likely’ Change by Jenny Gross Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about the factors that lead to the prominence of curators and curation. They also discuss the trend, as WGSN calls it, of “genuinfluencers”, who interact with their audiences differently and share content that is a departure from the traditional influencer fare. 00:07:54 Curators 00:33:39 “Genuinfluencers” Curators All the Way Down by Gaby Goldberg Meet the “genuinfluencers” who don’t want to sell you anything by Kati Chitrakorn Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis discuss why elite female athletes are turning away from formerly major sponsors in favor of alternative options. They also talk about the launch of the Culture Pass in France which gives all 18-year-olds €300 to spend on a selection of cultural offerings. 00:05:45 Female athletes 00:24:51 France’s Culture Pass Why Elite Female Athletes Are Turning Away From Major Sponsors by Sapna Maheshwari France Gave Teenagers $350 for Culture. They’re Buying Comic Books. by Aurelien Breeden MAEKAN Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about how our memories of the pandemic will differ and what narrative arcs the stories we tell of our lives usually take. They also discuss the term “wang hong” (Chinese for internet famous) as written about in Chaoyang Trap. 00:04:18 Pandemic memories 00:29:34 “Wang hong” You Won’t Remember the Pandemic the Way You Think You Will by Melissa Fay Greene S01 Episode 9: We Built This City on a Camera Roll in Chaoyang Trap Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

In a different format to the usual Making It Up episodes, Eugene and Charis announce the launch of the online MAEKAN Shop. They discuss the process that lead to this point and talk about the products that are available. 00:01:52 MAEKAN Shop MAEKAN Shop MAEKAN Patreon supporters receive exclusive discounts on online products as well as access to the members exclusive tee. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about Naomi Osaka’s essay in TIME magazine that elaborates on her relationship to the press and the subject of the mental health of athletes. They also discuss an article about “the inner ring” of the internet and how that affects the creative work you do. 00:07:35 'It's O.K. not to be O.K.’ 00:30:58 The inner ring Naomi Osaka: 'It's O.K. Not to Be O.K.' The Inner Ring of The Internet by Ali Montag Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis do an episode completely on sports. They talk about the new NCAA ruling that allows student athletes to make money in whatever way they like: co-founding businesses, as YouTubers, as country singers, etc. They also discuss Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton’s attempt to ride the full Tour de France route on his own with no support and to beat the peloton to Paris. 00:03:39 NCAA 00:22:40 Alt Tour Let's make a deal: NCAA athletes cashing in on name, image and likeness by Dan Murphy Lachlan Morton is bikepacking the entire Tour de France route, transfers included by Iain Treloar Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about new Kotaku editor-in-chief Patricia Hernandez’s letter to readers on the subject of the future of video games and video game writing. They also discuss erratic sizing within the fashion industry and the sustainability as well as psychological issues that creates. 00:04:33 Video game writing 00:24:12 Sizing issues Hello Kotaku, It's Me, Your New EIC by Patricia Hernandez How fashion’s erratic sizing is fuelling a clothing waste crisis by Sophie Benson Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis talk about why the funding model of venture capital is flawed and doesn’t build the things society needs. They also discuss the rise of curation as a strategy brands and individuals are adopting, plus what makes for good curation. 00:04:33 Venture capital 00:23:38 Curation Why venture capital doesn’t build the things we really need by Elizabeth MacBride Creativity is dead, long live curation by Ana Andjelic Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about cohort-based courses as compared to massively open online courses. They also discuss the Barbell Strategy method of balancing security and risk as a structure for creative careers. 00:04:00 Cohort-based courses 00:28:18 The Barbell Strategy The Barbell Strategy: How Not to Be a Starving Artist by Richard Meadows In Online Ed, Content Is No Longer King—Cohorts Are by Wes Kao Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Eugene and Charis discuss how the nature of the internet collapses time, space, and context, resulting in a volatile environment that breeds bad faith discussions with no room for nuance or complexity. They also talk about the cooperation economy as the next phase of the creator economy/the passion economy. 00:03:28 The internet is flat 00:22:25 The cooperation economy The internet is flat. by Charlie Warzel The Cooperation Economy Or How to Build a Liquid Super Team by Packy McCormick Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message

Charis and Eugene talk about Naomi Osaka choosing to not do press at the French Open and what the relationship is between press and athletes should be. They also discuss the shift in perception of creatives signing corporate deals. 00:04:40 Sports journalism 00:38:28 Selling out Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open highlights the tenuous relationship between athletes and the media by Scottie Andrew Welcome to the post-sellout era by Yasmin Gagne Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message