The Computer Room

Latest Episodes:

Clam Chowder For Idiots Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Katherine and Steff are joined by Perry Abbasi, a Chicago-based lawyer whose Twitter presence recently "made headlines" -- in other words, revealed just how reliant on Twitter modern-day journalists are. Katherine has also, once again, fucked with the theme. Someone help her.

Pieces cited:Police district candidate’s social media full of racist and misogynist postsHow the Online Right gave up on reality

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No Cowtipping Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

A little stroll through the history of the Internet's favorite gossip sites: Pretty Ugly Little Liars, KiwiFarms, The Dirty, lolcow.farm, Perez Hilton, and Lipstick Alley. And of course...honorable mention, the Encyclopedia Dramatica.

This was recorded weeks before Katherine had her moment of enlightenment about random Internet strangers.

Theme: Computer Love, covered by Envelope Generator

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Overworked, Overpaid, Undertaxed Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Overworked, overpaid, and probably undertaxed: today, we dive into the world of /r/overemployed.

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(ed)iets Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Happy New Year! Steff and Katherine the wonderful world of Internet fad diets: keto, paleo, carnivore, frugivore, Bulletproof Diet, Ana Boot Camp, Ray Peatism, Raw Egg Nationalism, and Whole30.

Correction: At some point, Katherine incorrectly states Susun Weed was pro-raw veganism! Susun Weed merely debated raw vegans. Stuff gets fuzzy that far back.

Link:Salo Forum Archive

Theme: Computer Love by Kraftwerk, covered by Envelope Generator (This is the final, static theme. I promise.)

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The Iowa Pariah Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

While Kat is in Colombia having a mental health episode, Steff interviews Alex Perez, "the Iowa Pariah," whose controversial interview with editor and writer Elizabeth Ellen inspired the entire staff of Hobart Magazine to resign.

Read the interview here.

Outro: "Guantanamera" by The Sandpipers

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Finally, Some Good News (An Episode) Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

Default Friend is joined by a new cohost, Poetry Grifter, to talk about two digitally native pieces of literature, Finally, Some Good News and Bronze Age Mindset.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit default.blog/subscribe

Broadcast Yourself: Fandom and YouTube Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

As a paying subscriber, you receive this episode a week early. Last week’s episode with Oliver Bateman is now available for free. Listen here:

In this episode, I talk to the YouTube personality and fellow Fan Studies guy, Peter Coffin about YouTube, politics, and the mob.

Check out Peter across the web:

* Twitter

* YouTube

And his books here:

* Cancel Culture: Mob Justice or a Society of Subscriptions?

* Custom Reality and You

Subscribe and receive early podcast releases, a link to my Discord community, movie nights, the advice column, and a whole lot about Internet culture.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit default.blog/subscribe

Casual Sex Doesn't Exist May 25, 2022

Show notes

One of my favorite TikTokers, Rayne Fisher-Quann, joined me to talk about TikTok, cancel culture, the futility of the culture wars, how people talk about casual sex, and a shared favorite topic, the Internet.

You can find Rayne’s reading recs, advice column, and internet culture observations here (and you can follow her on TikTok here).

Theme: You’re Standing On My Neck by Splendora

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The Tokenization of Everything May 18, 2022

Show notes

Meta-Nomad, the host of another one of my favorite podcasts, Hermitix, and I talk about cyclicacklashes, the frontiersmen of the Metaverse, walking the walk, and the importance of starting a garden.

I cut this one a little short because towards the end, it got a little inside baseball and we went on a long tangent about a specific book. Initially, I was planning on this being released in written format but was pleasantly surprised that the audio quality wasn't too too bad.

Theme: Telekon by Gary Numan

Listen to Hermitix here. Listen to The Computer Room on other platforms here.

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The Ghost of Adam Lanza, Pt. 1 May 13, 2022

Show notes

Part one of a special series about Adam Lanza’s digital footprint.

In episode one, I speak with the author of the essay, “The Ghost of Adam Lanza,” BlitheringGenius.

This is still a work-in-progress— the un-paywalled version may see slight changes (certainly improved audio quality). Please feel free to flag anything in the comments.

I’d also like to add a content warning. We don’t discuss the tragedy at Sandy Hook, but the nature of our discussion may upset some listeners.

Theme: Beehive Days by Locust Toybox

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