Touching Grass

Welcome to Touching Grass, where two extremely online people attempt to explain internet discourse to people sensible enough to spend their time offline. This week, Lucy Reade and James Ball discuss this year’s hottest Halloween costume: the Millennial. Also, is the UK’s ban on certain types of pornography literally 1984?

Links: Are we in 1984?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmpqgepejr2ro
https://x.com/GrumpyTechBro/status/2116324884276212058?a=pMuzY_pETsF8-wzblME&s=20
https://x.com/oregonwoman/status/2115470615247573017?a=TmnDb22X18nOygWAaGk&s=20
https://x.com/sc0rpionom/status/2111199518054027424?a=PNJMwBrVqExVr2xCS0c&s=20
https://x.com/Spoopy_Potatoes/status/2115841087042453751?a=z02r7v3Fcz7EtXfcRJQ&s=20
https://x.com/JcKh_/status/2116089608857686031?a=hh3SuD37XRlOG2e0nQY&s=20
https://x.com/scarlet_rush/status/2115941458410709031?a=P3zPRcTQ7gpWDhx-T6A&s=20
https://x.com/ducktelevision/status/2115933905325047847?a=oTJnf3wbyTqkQoyglZk&s=20

Millennial optimism:

The video that started it
Ten second in is superb
I physically felt this one
There’s an interesting take from our colleague on this
Is it just depression?

Presented by James Ball and Lucy Reade

Produced by Matt Withers

Get a FREE SIGNED COPY of Alastair Campbell's new book when you subscribe to The New World. Go to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Touching Grass, where two extremely online people attempt to explain internet discourse to people sensible enough to spend their time offline. This week’s Very Special Episode focuses on Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. James Ball explains to Lucy Reade the real story behind the fraudulent startup, whilst Lucy delves into how the new documentary You Can See Everything has given Holmes a public image rehabilitation.

Clips/posts mentioned:

https://youtu.be/GrT0jKOhnD4?si=1Fw0XHBWdztlPTpt&t=15
https://x.com/Polymarket/status/2114478349020221894?s=20
https://x.com/balkanchav/status/2112649169605448154?s=20
https://x.com/jetpackjexy/status/2114523873710584046?s=20
https://x.com/powerswitchhh/status/2111835275366457827?s=20
https://x.com/cartoonghost17/status/2113712990877073692?s=20
https://x.com/maddyferg/status/2112055022028783785?s=20
https://x.com/djschlagenheim/status/2114075489531031860?s=20
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8DdsX3R/
https://x.com/malikules/status/2114350089972142185?s=20
https://www.tiktok.com/@tedteddytheodore/video/7698801620649315597?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7631514080352765462
https://www.tiktok.com/@angeltwink404/video/7699945843260017934?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7631514080352765462
https://x.com/jennifer_zilla/status/2113146120717132031?s=20

Presented by James Ball and Lucy Reade

Produced by Matt Withers

Get a FREE SIGNED COPY of Alastair Campbell's new book when you subscribe to The New World. Go to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Touching Grass, where two extremely online people attempt to explain internet discourse to people sensible enough to spend their time offline. This week, Lucy Reade reluctantly explains why so many right wing incels are now writing their own Harry Potter fanfictions. Meanwhile, James Ball brings us part two of the Kelly Clarkson mechanical bird saga. We are serious journalists.

The 2012 tumblrgirlification of the right:

https://x.com/robrousseau/status/2112226711932633173?s=20
https://x.com/ThatchEffendi/status/2112253253333446703?s=20
https://x.com/BadWritingTakes/status/2108261674163585155?s=20
https://x.com/makooor/status/2109480540328038550?s=20
https://x.com/logosoverflow/status/2112257859732090923?s=20
https://x.com/freeborn_wolf/status/2110908338578055170?s=20
https://x.com/feyriswheel/status/2112085955607695638?s=20
https://x.com/instain_mother/status/2112005855969484930?s=20

2 Kelly 2 Furious:

https://x.com/JonPaula/status/2110370590213423407?s=20 https://x.com/cutelipssx/status/2110402553636626789
https://x.com/popcrave/status/2110183559353057771?s=46
https://x.com/tommyhawkins/status/2110156221432946701?s=46
https://blisskolb.com/
https://x.com/redhotnerd/status/2110856628295647610?s=20

Presented by James Ball and Lucy Reade

Produced by Matt Withers

Get a FREE SIGNED COPY of Alastair Campbell's new book when you subscribe to The New World. Go to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Touching Grass, where two extremely online people attempt to explain internet discourse to people sensible enough to spend their time offline. This week, James Ball takes us through all the twists and turns of the latest online drama: Kelly Clarkson getting Pretty-Womaned at a magic shop. Meanwhile, Lucy Reade asks whether using ChatGPT to answer all your questions is the wisest move…

Kelly Clarkson-gate:

The story begins
Art of Play
Solidarity with Kelly
Anti Kelly
The shop tried to explain
The mood turns!
Kelly with the comeback!
And now we’re going full OSINT on this thing

ChatGPT:

Original post
Tiktok making fun
In her defence...

Presented by James Ball and Lucy Reade

Produced by Matt Withers

Get a FREE SIGNED COPY of Alastair Campbell's new book when you subscribe to The New World. Go to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Touching Grass, where two extremely online people attempt to explain internet discourse to people sensible enough to spend their time offline. This week, Lucy and James discuss the Green Party’s motion declaring that Zionism equals racism, as well as catching up on the latest Elon Musk drama.

Zionism:
https://x.com/EtanSmallman/status/2107059923771072911?s=20
https://x.com/anne_hegerty/status/2106789742230872375?s=20
https://x.com/MrTCHarris/status/2107081257452781780?s=20

Elon links:
Elon and the right to vote
Elon on stealth tech / and again (rebuttal)
Politico article
Verge article
Breakup texts

Presented by James Ball and Lucy Reade

Produced by Ruby Mitchell

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.