I wonder: How much of this (any?) is related to the fact that the "old" internet was mostly words & therefore attracted many of us who preferred to communicate in written words? The shift to video as the primary thing on social media has definitely affected how I use & interact with social media. Maybe I grew up w TV, video is more a thing I consume vs create? Also: I don't want to be on video! I don't want to make videos (says the woman who has recently been sharing video clips on Substack & Instagram...b/c that what it seems you have to do these days).
Wow, thank you for this! It feels like there's a very specific cohort/microgeneration of folks who found their voices online at a certain time. And that entire world jsut doesn't exist anymore. I too really, really miss the old internet. I used to visit so many websites daily and weekly, and now it's down to three.
loved this so much. I feel a really strong visceral nostalgia for various nets of yore, but this slice in particular. it's more like grief than fondness! I guess because I know it's really gone. I was doing research for some article once about something from the early/mid '00s and the number of dead links kind of emotionally destroyed me. it was late at night, but still. anyway it's really cool to see these four important and formative minds gathered here in one place!! restorative for my brain to tip into the 'fondness' side of the ledger for awhile <3 <3 <3
I miss old internet too, but I think what we really miss is being young. Life possibilities shrink as you get older - the ghost ship that didn't carry us, as Cheryl Strayed called it. I'm really proud of any parents out there cutting down or quitting drinking. My husband is an ACoA and it really impacted his relationship with his parents. Take care everyone.
I can't believe that thing that happened in New York was already that long ago.
I have the shit-poster gene but I can't engage it due to my line of work. Guess I'll never go viral unless I retire.
Aww, I loved this. I miss the old internet. I took email off my phone after going off social media for the year and now it's a map/camera/texting device and not much to look at. My life feels a million times better but sometimes I wish I could go on an AOL chatroom and then look at artsy photos on Tumblr. The golden age!
I’m a little older than a lot of you but also miss a simpler internet experience. For me it was McSweeney’s in the late ‘90’s and the original wave of ‘mommy bloggers’ who were such a balm in the early years of parenthood. Also Twitter of 2008-12 was so great. I really miss that the most.
my husband and I met because we both wrote for websites that were offshoots of/inspired by McSweeneys and we admired each others headlines. If you know Lindsay Robertson (of Lindsayism) I also met her the first night I met my husband, at the 1st anniversary party for the website Haypenny.
I've been having nostalgia for the pre-social media internet too, so this made my day! I have so many good memories of slacking at work, reading Gawker and Jezebel and the comment sections. I think the comment section is where I first learned of your work (but I could be wrong on that).
I also think my nostalgia for the internet is also conflated with my nostalgia for my life pre-kids, when I had so much time on my hands and freedom, and I didn't appreciate it.
same! That’s why I don’t know if I trust my emotions. And also there were fewer people online back then so is it problematic to say it was better when it was less accessible.
I wonder: How much of this (any?) is related to the fact that the "old" internet was mostly words & therefore attracted many of us who preferred to communicate in written words? The shift to video as the primary thing on social media has definitely affected how I use & interact with social media. Maybe I grew up w TV, video is more a thing I consume vs create? Also: I don't want to be on video! I don't want to make videos (says the woman who has recently been sharing video clips on Substack & Instagram...b/c that what it seems you have to do these days).
Ugh videos. It’s true
Wow, thank you for this! It feels like there's a very specific cohort/microgeneration of folks who found their voices online at a certain time. And that entire world jsut doesn't exist anymore. I too really, really miss the old internet. I used to visit so many websites daily and weekly, and now it's down to three.
loved this so much. I feel a really strong visceral nostalgia for various nets of yore, but this slice in particular. it's more like grief than fondness! I guess because I know it's really gone. I was doing research for some article once about something from the early/mid '00s and the number of dead links kind of emotionally destroyed me. it was late at night, but still. anyway it's really cool to see these four important and formative minds gathered here in one place!! restorative for my brain to tip into the 'fondness' side of the ledger for awhile <3 <3 <3
I miss old internet too, but I think what we really miss is being young. Life possibilities shrink as you get older - the ghost ship that didn't carry us, as Cheryl Strayed called it. I'm really proud of any parents out there cutting down or quitting drinking. My husband is an ACoA and it really impacted his relationship with his parents. Take care everyone.
I can't believe that thing that happened in New York was already that long ago.
I have the shit-poster gene but I can't engage it due to my line of work. Guess I'll never go viral unless I retire.
Thanks Holly. (What did we do to express the emoji version of 🧡 before smartphones mainstreamed emojis?)
<3
8======D
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Aww, I loved this. I miss the old internet. I took email off my phone after going off social media for the year and now it's a map/camera/texting device and not much to look at. My life feels a million times better but sometimes I wish I could go on an AOL chatroom and then look at artsy photos on Tumblr. The golden age!
I’m a little older than a lot of you but also miss a simpler internet experience. For me it was McSweeney’s in the late ‘90’s and the original wave of ‘mommy bloggers’ who were such a balm in the early years of parenthood. Also Twitter of 2008-12 was so great. I really miss that the most.
my husband and I met because we both wrote for websites that were offshoots of/inspired by McSweeneys and we admired each others headlines. If you know Lindsay Robertson (of Lindsayism) I also met her the first night I met my husband, at the 1st anniversary party for the website Haypenny.
I feel like we did this interview 20 years ago.
I know. our kids are grown now
I've been having nostalgia for the pre-social media internet too, so this made my day! I have so many good memories of slacking at work, reading Gawker and Jezebel and the comment sections. I think the comment section is where I first learned of your work (but I could be wrong on that).
I also think my nostalgia for the internet is also conflated with my nostalgia for my life pre-kids, when I had so much time on my hands and freedom, and I didn't appreciate it.
same! That’s why I don’t know if I trust my emotions. And also there were fewer people online back then so is it problematic to say it was better when it was less accessible.