Making It Up

In episode 208, Charis and Eugene discuss the case of an NYU professor's contract termination after the school received a number of student complaints. They talk about teaching methodologies and some of the ways schools are lacking.

In episode 207, Eugene highlights the significant role of urban planning in  setting the “energy” of a city. One short question to get at the heart of this: How is usage mixed in a city?

In episode 206, Charis talks about being fascinated by the idea of someone sitting down to watch an 857 hour movie and whether that experience uniquely gives a more tangible understanding of capitalism.

In episode 205, Eugene and Charis talk about a Blackbird Spyplane banger on trends and their various designations and why they’re so fascinating to follow.

In episode #204, Charis finds extreme hilarity in people selling fake sacrament of penance on depop and the latest frontier for what the creator economy can sell.

In this episode, Eugene and Charis highlight the impact of Instagram’s prioritization of video content for certain genres of artists. Is one’s ability to market themselves part of the job and “art” of being an artist?

Links

Charis and Eugene talk about NFTs, collectability, anti-capitalist capitalists, missing counterculture, and individualism. 

Eugene and Charis talk about efficiency, over-optimization, having slack (not the service) or intentionally holding your feet to the fire.

Charis and Eugene catch each other up about the last three months of their lives, discuss the move to Twitch, and overcome tech troubles.

Eugene and Charis discuss Buy Nothing groups/movement and what a change in platform means for their participants. They also talk about Kevin LaBuz’s article “Grandma’s Pierogis” about how corporate culture is created and knowledge passed on.

00:04:47 Buy nothing

00:20:49 Pierogis

Charis and Eugene talk about the attitude of the team behind the Italian luxury fashion brand Brunello Cucinelli toward growth and family business. They also discuss the conviction of Elizabeth Holmes, former founder and CEO of the health tech company Theranos, in a trial that ended in January.

00:04:19 Brunello Cucinelli

00:23:47 Theranos

Eugene and Charis discuss what it means to pay close attention to anything. They also talk about the benefits of tribalism.

00:10:22 Attention

00:30:37 Tribalism

Charis and Eugene talk about key moments in culture in 2021 and reflect on significant changes that will carry forwards.

Eugene and Charis discuss the new Substack started by the authors George Saunders for readers to closely read and consider short stories. They also talk about concerns raised regarding the future of web3—mainly the possibility that it will become an extension of web2 with a new veneer.

00:03:05 Story club

00:23:17 Web3

Charis and Eugene talk about The Krause House, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) that has the longterm goal of purchasing an NBA team. They also discuss the decreasing audibility of dialogue in movies and the many reasons why that’s the case.

00:03:30 Krause House

00:27:36 Movie sound

Eugene and Charis discuss an essay by Sherry Ansari published in Culture study on how Peloton provides fitness with a “Health At Every Ability” attitude. They also talk about the waning UK soft power and how soft power is growing for other countries.

00:06:18 Peloton

00:23:01 Soft power

Charis and Eugene talk about the allure of better sleep fueling an industry of sleep-related products. They also discuss how a rise in online shopping in combination with pandemic factors has lead to supply chain issues.

00:07:09 Sleep

00:24:43 Supply chain

Eugene and Charis discuss Facebook’s bet on the metaverse and what the allure of the metaverse is. They also discuss dating apps that prioritize an audio experience.

00:06:00 Metaverse

00:28:45 Audio dating apps

Charis and Eugene talk about a recently released whitepaper that summarizes findings from a recent survey of independent creators. They also discuss how to price your art as an artist.

00:07:18 Creator economy

00:33:20 Pricing art

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eugene and Charis talk about how Willie Norris is reimagining menswear from a trans perspective at Outlier. They also discuss a recent Atlantic article by Ed Yong that goes into the reasons why people aren’t necessarily feeling better as the pandemic decreases in intensity.

00:02:09 Willie Norris

00:22:48 Trauma

Charis and Eugene talk about the Disgusting Food Museum in Sweden and where disgust, as an emotion and judgment comes from. They also discuss China trying to find ways to standardize the behavior of online fan groups.

00:04:05 “Disgusting”

00:32:00 Fan groups

Eugene and Charis discuss what alternative forms of value there are, beyond financial, in engaging with NFTs in museums. They also discuss “keeping the line alive” in creative work as written about by artist Mateusz Urbanowicz.

00:02:48 Museum NFTs

00:27:21 Loose lines

Charis and Eugene talk about an article by Anne Helen Petersen describing the current US economy as the “capitalism is broken” state of things. They also discuss load management, a basketball strategy that conserves the energy of star players, in the context of creative work.

00:04:21 The economy

00:28:39 Load management

Eugene and Charis talk about the difficulties that social media managers face and how platforms as well as businesses could do a better job of supporting workers in that area. They also discuss an essay that describes the author’s life growing up on a commune and what non-commune individuals could learn from that mentality.

00:03:21 Social media

00:25:30 Commune life

Charis and Eugene talk about Eugene Rabkin’s essay, “Read This Before You Decide to Work In Fashion” published in Highsnobiety which goes through a laundry list of negative aspects of the fashion industry. They also discuss an artist zine created by Marco Marzocchi called “How To Destroy Everything”, which is connected to a discussion of digital devices as an extension of human memories and the emotional significance we give digital archives.

00:08:05 Fashion industry

00:37:37 Deleting your life

Eugene and Charis discuss our relationship to work and our sense of ownership over our time. They also talk about challenges scientists face when communicating their ideas clearly around how to present complex thoughts.

00:06:05 Time and work

00:30:33 Communications

Charis and Eugene talk at length about streetwear brand Chinatown Market deciding to rename themselves. This comes in response to people in the Asian American community expressing their concerns with the use of the name. Eugene and Charis discuss this situation in light of the current context of increased anti-Asian racism in North America as well as discussing whether personal wardrobes should carry sentimental value. 

00:04:06 Chinatown Market

00:50:42 Filipino Attire

Eugene and Charis discuss Cathie Wood’s perfect content strategy for the portfolio of ETFs she runs at ARK Invest. They also talk about A.D. Carson, a hip-hop professor, and his thinking behind getting his rap album peer-reviewed and published by an academic press.

00:03:50 Cathie Wood

00:22:52 Peer-reviewed rap album

Charis and Eugene talk about what the pricing of the Hermès Birkin bag teaches us about setting prices according to the value in stories. They also discuss Alexi McCammond’s hiring and firing from Teen Vogue as the Editor-in-Chief in relation to systemic problems within companies and cancel culture.

00:05:34 Hermès pricing

00:23:18 Teen Vogue

Eugene and Charis discuss the creator economy from two perspectives: the impact on newsrooms and the rise of apps like NewNew.

00:07:17 Creator economy

00:29:28 NewNew

Charis and Eugene talk about how museum gift shops decide what to sell. They also discuss what it means to share authentically with audiences and the wisdom in disconnecting what we share on the Internet from our physical selves.

00:04:58 Museum gift shops

00:26:27 Sharing authentically

Eugene and Charis discuss performative positivity in relation to design and how pessimism can make design better. They also talk about how to build self-worth as someone who does creative work.

00:03:32 Performative positivity

00:32:16 Self-worth

Charis and Eugene talk about worldbuilding as a visionary, collaborative practice as described by Ryan Madson in Strelka Mag—Wakanda being an example of worldbuilding. They also discuss NFTs: what they are, what the possibilities could be, what they hype is about.

00:02:54 Worldbuilding

00:20:53 NFTs

Eugene and Charis discuss how music is a crucial part of the continued growth of the creator economy. They also talk about MetaHuman Creator, a new browser-based app released by Epic Games that allows anyone to build digital humans quickly via Unreal Engine.

00:03:20 Music creator economy

00:26:00 MetaHuman Creator

Charis and Eugene talk about luxury’s involvement in resell and how that will impact the fashion resell and retail markets. They also discuss Twitter’s flaws and whether a complete overhaul is necessary and good for everyone.

00:02:35 Luxury resell

00:25:31 Overhauling Twitter

Eugene and Charis talk about what the Dunning-Kruger Effect is (a supposed bias in our thinking regarding gauging competency), whether it’s real or not, and what our tendency to believe in it means about us. They also discuss why editorial platforms will dominate retail in the long term.

00:01:50 The Dunning-Kruger Effect

00:27:31 Editorial/retail relationship

Charis and Eugene discuss how food delivery apps are rooted in a human desire for convenience and contributing to destroying restaurants. They also talk about a new book coming out by David Yi titled “Pretty Boys” and the history of masculinity.

00:02:47 Food delivery apps

00:15:03 Masculinity

Eugene and Charis talk about the problem with perfectionism. They also discuss the pivot fashion magazines have made over the last few years towards being less superficial.

00:02:13 Perfectionism

00:28:59 Magazine pivot

Charis and Eugene talk about a new marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned subscriptions. They also break down the process of creativity and whether “jootsing” (Jumping Out Of The System) works.

00:03:50 Reselling subscriptions

00:20:00 Jootsing

Eugene and Charis discuss the recent rebranding the CIA launched to attract more diverse employees. They also talk about the 2021 Public Domain Day and what it means for works to enter the public domain.

00:04:25 CIA rebrand

00:19:42 Public Domain Day

Charis and Eugene answer a couple of questions about this past year. They talk about how they’re feeling, what a “new year” means, and what they’ve learned about work and themselves.

00:07:00 How are you feeling emotionally?

00:13:39 Is it really a “new year”?

00:18:55 What are you excited about?

00:25:41 What did you learn about work in 2020?

00:33:13 What did you learn about yourself in 2020?

00:36:34 What got you excited about creativity this year?

Eugene and Charis discuss a new collection of artwork released by the artist Beeple that is in the form of NFT. They also talk about Async Art, a new kind of art movement built on the blockchain. Their second subject of the week is the state of the web in the year 2000 compared to what it is now, based on an article written by Postlight CEO Paul Ford.

00:03:23 NFT art

00:25:17 Evolution of the web

Charis and Eugene talk about Canadian NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez playing Among Us on Twitch with other streamers. They also discuss small businesses forced to adopt start-up mentalities and what resilience looks like.

00:02:48 Politicians streaming

00:24:46 Small business resilience

Eugene and Charis discuss how data is both dangerous and useful, how it has impacted growth of all kinds and changed the way we think about algorithms. They also talk about Instagram going all-in on shopping and what we personally turn to Instagram for now.

00:01:58 Data is fire

00:27:15 Instagram shopping

Charis and Eugene talk about Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buying Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club, and making content about the process. They also discuss two different articles about friendship, shallow ones and deeply intimate ones, and what it means to value friendship.

00:03:10 Football content

00:25:21 Friendship

Eugene and Charis talk about the digital toolkit created by Airbnb Design that aims to help freelance illustrators with their client and business management so they can focus more on creating. They also discuss an interview with Stephen Satterfield, co-founder of Whetstone Media, published in Currant about empathy, origins, and fluency with food.

00:02:35 Illustrator toolkit Tyrus

00:15:49 Empathy through origins

Charis and Eugene talk about the new color choices people have made during quarantine for their interior spaces and whether that’s potentially soothing. They also discuss the importance of looking outside your area of expertise and industry to find new creative solutions.

00:02:21 Quarantine colors

00:17:40 Steal ideas

Eugene and Charis discuss the problem of harmful microplastics when using and washing synthetic materials. They also talk about Ricky Desktop, a viral Tiktok beatmaker, and the science behind crafting the perfect thing to beat the algorithm.

00:02:06 Microplastics

00:19:49 Algorithm mastery

Charis and Eugene talks about the collaborative sneaker project being run by Afew and ASICS for the 30th anniversary of the GEL-Lyte 3 that includes major community input. They also discuss an article that considers the effects of less continual documentation and publication of our personal lives on social media during the pandemic.

00:02:52 Afew x ASICS

00:21:21 Content vacuum

Eugene and Charis discuss the new tech startup BookClub and how niche groups of people formed around singular interests benefit (or not) from technological additions. They also talk about trends in art this year in relation to the pandemic and lockdowns.

00:01:43 Bookclubs

00:15:45 Pandemic art

Charis and Eugene talk about whether it’s hypocritical to criticize capitalism while also spending money on clothes. They also discuss what a wholly tech-free life looks like.

00:02:46 Socialism and capitalism

00:27:43 Tech-free life

Eugene and Charis talk about how Hong Kong’s food culture has adapted in the pandemic. They also discuss chess as a current streaming obsession and how AI is making the game beautiful again.

00:02:57 HK food culture

00:26:06 Chess changes

Charis and Eugene talk about whether New York (or any city) can die. They also talk about why successful people rarely acknowledge the role of luck in their lives.

00:02:14 Is New York dead?

00:31:33 Luck and success

Eugene and Charis talk about the challenges facing fashion design graduates due to the pandemic. They also discuss how creative peers can accelerate personal growth.

00:01:44 Fashion grads

00:23:57 Creative peers

Charis and Eugene talk about what it’s like to start a job remotely and get onboarded during the pandemic. They also discuss Telfar, a brand founded by Telfar Clemens, and the popularity of their “Bushwick Birkin”.

00:04:09 Remote onboarding

00:23:19 Telfar

Eugene and Charis talk about the appeal and value of MasterClass as it relates to education, capitalism, and constantly trying to self-improve. They also discuss how Shopify democratized e-commerce to such a degree that the real winners aren’t brands at all.

00:02:15 MasterClass

00:28:49 Shopify

Charis and Eugene chat with special guest Behzod Sirjani. They start off with some banter about Behzod’s work leading an independent research practice, plus a bit about Chloe Ting, then move on to the big topics of the episode: the reductive seduction of other people’s problems and some tips for independent creators looking to raise funds or establish a community of support.

00:15:04 Other people’s problems

00:42:32 Community funding

Eugene and Charis discuss racial bias in photography technology and terminology. They also talk about some good things happening in new age media: the formation of Defector, a new sports blog and media company started by the people who left Deadspin in 2019.

00:01:46 Photography bias

00:31:03 New media company Defector

Charis and Eugene talk about artificial intelligence in the realm of graphic design. They also discuss a Highsnobiety and Boston Consulting Group white paper on the future of luxury and the new luxury consumer.

00:01:46 AI graphic design

00:24:47 Future of luxury

Eugene and Charis talk about Toby Shorin’s latest essay, “Come for the Network, Pay for the Tool”, which talks about the emergence of paid communities from the combination of social, content, and commerce. They also discuss the recent Vogue cover of Simone Biles shot by Annie Leibovitz and the criticism that arose regarding the photos.

00:01:10 Paid communities

00:29:51 Vogue cover

Charis and Eugene discuss the modern approach to parenting and misunderstandings of childhood. They also talk about Silicon Valley’s attitude towards tech media as well as the issue of privacy in digital conversations.

00:02:58 Parenting

00:23:36 Tech Media

Eugene and Charis talk about Hey, the new email service created by Basecamp, and the issues of email in general. On the subject of work, they also talk about what going back to the office looks like in terms of necessary health and safety measures and the physicality of workplaces.

00:05:28 Hey and email services

00:26:24 Back to the office

Charis and Eugene talk about how Brain Dead and Blood Orange raised a million dollars for  charities aiding the Black Lives Matter movement. They also discuss what the “Virgilization” of Virgil Abloh means — how the artification of an individual is intentional in order to de-commercialize that person.

00:04:15 Brain Dead raises 1mil for BLM

00:26:33 The “Virgilization” of Virgil Abloh

Eugene and Charis discuss the role of small indie music venues in supporting emerging musicians and the continual growth of the music industry. They also talk about a new model of media star, where media is fragmenting further and the individuals people gravitate towards are increasingly varied. This leads into a conversation about the “passion economy” as defined by Li Jin.

00:04:38 Indie music venues

00:26:46 Passion economy

Charis and Eugene talk about the launch, rapid demise, and potential futures of Quibi, the new video streaming service. They also talk about how technology has pounced on pandemic-created opportunities and what the post-pandemic tech appetite and landscape might look like.

00:02:51 Quibi

00:28:46 Home screens

Eugene and Charis talk about two ways they’ve been spending their time: playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons and watching The Last Dance. They discuss how Animal Crossing is an interesting place for brands to add value for gamers, as well as how The Last Dance could only have been made and aired at certain moments in time to have the impact it does.

00:01:42 Animal Crossing

00:29:50 The Last Dance

Charis and Eugene talk about how artists can be good interpreters of scientific innovation. They also discuss how independent magazines are navigating the pandemic and what kinds of adaptations are necessary.

00:05:21 Art and science

00:33:31 Indie mags

Eugene and Charis talk about how our unconscious motives result in behaving in ways that revolve around signaling messages, distribution, and amplification. They also discuss the new MAEKAN membership strategy.

00:01:50 Signaling

00:25:23 MAEKAN membership

Charis and Eugene talk about how university students are gathering in Minecraft to recreate their campuses, hold commencements, and makeup for some of the loss they feel from school being closed. Eugene and Charis also discuss the pressure to be productive in this time of social distancing and how to change that mentality.

00:01:39 Minecraft

00:18:20 Productivity

Eugene and Charis talk about the millennial movement FIRE(Financial Independence Retire Early). They also discuss the Open Brief released by the UN calling creatives to help with providing engaging accurate messaging on COVID-19.

00:02:28 FIRE

00:27:47 UN Open Brief

Charis and Eugene discuss the inventiveness of virtual cultural events in the time of quarantine. They also talk about the positive magnificence and anxiety-inducing nature of connectivity. Eugene explains why luxury fashion houses are interested in having food and beverage offerings.

00:06:00 Quarantine connectivity

00:25:17 Luxury F&B

Eugene and Charis talk about the cover story of the March 2020 issue of The Atlantic written by David Brooks titled “TheNuclear Family Was a Mistake”. They dive into the definitions and history of the American family and whether it’s possible to make a new family paradigm. They also discuss how the movie “Parasite” lead to restaurants deciding to offer jjapaguri (aka “ram-don”).

00:01:02 Nuclear family

00:31:43 Jjapaguri

Charis and Eugene discuss a menswear sneaker made by Archibald London after consulting Styleforum extensively. They also talk about the launch of The Markup, a new media outlet investigating technology.

00:04:53 Participatory design

00:29:28 The Markup

Eugene and Charis talk about Spotify’s recent acquisition of The Ringer and the effects of media consolidation. They also discuss a personal essay that describes the discomfort felt in hearing black music become the default choice for high end spaces and how black music is cherrypicked as being beneficial to commercial spaces.

00:01:52 Spotify and The Ringer

00:26:26 Black music

Charis and Eugene talk about the complex conversation surrounding “American Dirt” by Jeanine Cummins (a novel about a Mexican mom and her son fleeing for the United States) which revolves around the question of who should tell what stories. They also discuss the perception of waiting staff in restaurants and what the effects are of good service on dining experiences.

00:13:44 “American Dirt”

00:43:09 Good service

Eugene and Charis discuss what it means for podcasting that there were a record number of new podcasts launched in 2019. They also talk about Brian Phillips deciding to close his art and fashion public relations company Black Frame and the shift in fashion public relations as a whole.

00:04:34 New podcasts

00:19:57 Fashion PR

Charis and Eugene talk about how to form new habits and, specifically, how to maintain good financial habits. They also discuss the past decade in fashion, including the topics of media fragmentation, online fashion, and democracy in fashion.

00:03:25 New habits

00:22:49 Decade in fashion

Eugene and Charis talk about the collaboration between Shawn Stussy and Kim Jones for Dior’s Pre-Fall 2020 collection. They also discuss “To Bring Back”, Charis’ new podcast, and air episode one. You can listen to “To Bring Back” on iTunes, Spotify, and your preferred podcast apps.

00:06:52 Shawn Stussy x Dior

00:37:03 To Bring Back

Charis and Eugene talk about an article written by Alex Danco titled “Everything is Amazing, But Nothing is Ours” about how technology has evolved to be about access at the expense of ownership. They also discuss reseller platforms such as The RealReal and what their relationship is to the primary luxury market.

00:01:05 Nothing is ours

00:21:53 Reseller luxury

00:40:18 Banter

Eugene and Charis talk about musical anhedonia, the condition where people feel no pleasure in music, and whether that has implications on the world of audio. They also discuss the anatomy of a TikTok hit and what kind of music goes viral on that platform.

00:00:55 Musical anhedonia

00:27:34 TikTok hits

00:41:19 Banter

Charis and Eugene talk about Disney+ and Apple TV+, two new streaming services, launching with series that cost an unprecedented amount of money per episode to make. They also discuss tokenism: what it is, how to deal with it, and whether there are silver linings to it.

00:01:16 Streaming services

00:16:42 Tokenism

00:37:16 Banter

Charis and Eugene talk about TikTok hiring a law firm to advise them on their content moderation policies due to increasing scrutiny of the app. They also discuss Adobe being required to block Venezuelan users from their products due to the latest sanctions on the country.

00:01:24 TikTok

00:19:32 Adobe

00:31:54 Banter

Eugene and Charis discuss Forever 21 filing for bankruptcy and the evolving role of shopping malls. They also talk about the monetization of esports apparel and the possibilities for brands within the gaming industry.

00:01:22 Forever 21

00:20:12 Esports apparel

00:40:15 Banter

Charis and Eugene talk about the 2019 MacArthur Grant winners and how money supports innovative work. They also discuss Greta Thunberg, LVMH’s Bernard Arnault’s comments about her, and the relationship between luxury and climate crisis activists.

00:01:11 The MacArthur Grant

00:21:48 Luxury and climate crisis

00:41:21 Banter

Links

Eugene and Charis talk about whether good grammar matters, especially when it comes to material written by southeast Asian influencers. They also discuss YouTube’s announcement regarding overhauling its verification program and then the quick walk-back of that announcement.

00:02:42 Influencer grammar

00:21:57 YouTube verification

00:43:15 Banter

Links

Eugene and Charis celebrate making it to 100 episodes by taking one week off to ask each other hard-hitting big picture questions about creativity plus some lightning round either or questions.

00:03:20 Big questions

00:34:55 Lightning round

Links

Charis and Eugene talk about the possible relationship between memes and brands as being top-down or bottom-up, giving the New York Times and Wendy’s as examples of each. They also discuss the new virtual influencer Liam Nikuro and what virtual influencer companies get right and what they could do better.

00:01:41 Memes and brands

00:22:39 Virtual influencers

Links

Eugene and Charis discuss only one topic this week, but go all in on it. Greg Jackson’s essay“HipsterElegies” provides the starting point for a conversation on the history of the hipster and the importance of the hipster on the evolution of culture. 

00:02:27 Effect of the hipster

Links

Charis and Eugene talk about whether we have reached peak podcast and, if not, what peak podcast would look like. They also discuss where the thousands of Bob Ross paintings are, what his appeal has been in the last five years, and how people are seeking hope wherever they can.

00:02:27 Peak podcast

00:31:46 Bob Ross

Links

Eugene and Charis discuss measures Instagram as a platform is taking to combat bullying and more generally what bullying looks like. They also talk about how the art market is changing to attract younger collectors, as well as the company Otis which is about investing in“alternativeassets”.

Timestamps

00:03:49 Instagram combats bullying

00:24:26 Millennial art market

Links

Charis and Eugene talk about what the relationship between a photographer and their subjects looks like, according to four different photographers. They also discuss two articles that seem to take a different stance on the smartphone—it’s either a planet killer or a global savior.

00:06:07 Photographers and subjects

00:28:07 Killer/savior smartphones

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Eugene and Charis discuss whether gaming subscriptions can possibly lead to more innovative and experimental video games. They also talk about what changing the rules and regulations of women’s football might do for the development of the game. 

00:02:33 Gaming subscriptions

00:27:30 Women’s football

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Charis and Eugene talk about Aaron Rodgers coming on as partner in a new venture and growth capital fund. This piece of news links to a trend towards a broader consideration of creative capital and the possibilities for how creatives conduct business. They also discuss Greta Thunberg, a teenager in Sweden striking in order to call for something to be done about the climate crisis. 

00:02:53 Creative capital

00:26:36 Teens on climate crisis

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