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it’s bad that it increasingly feels like everyone has to be a TV host now if they want to stay gainfully employed

I think the rise of person as a brand and self-promotion to climb your career, on top of creator economy demanding attention getting behavior to get eyeballs is the cultural influence. But you could point further back to killing off "company man" loyalty. Everyone has to sell themselves.

Faine Greenwood

@faineg.com

30 Aug

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the cultural freak-out over television rotting brains in the mid-20th-century (exemplified by Mike Teavee from Willy Wonka) was somewhat overblown at the time, but now seems disturbingly relevant to our current moment in 2026

Faine Greenwood

@faineg.com

30 Aug

I really need to carve out some time to sit down and review more 20th century cultural criticism of TV - as a kid in the 90s, I recall getting this message most vividly from Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin would, of course, be addicted to YouTube gamer/mascot horror slop if the strip was made today.

Bouba's Delivery Service

@fernmonkey.bsky.social

30 Aug

Calvin would like brainrot but he'd be upset by any of the real vicious stuff. Can't see him watching Tate, ever.

Faine Greenwood

@faineg.com

I mean, a key reason Tate is so evil is because he does prey on the minds of pretty innocent little boys just like Calvin.

30/8/26, 1:09 pm0 reposts3 likes

Bouba's Delivery Service

@fernmonkey.bsky.social

30 Aug

I know. It's horrible.

Delpheous

@delpheous.blacksky.app

30 Aug

Calvin wouldn't see through Tate. We'd get a good 16/24 panel arc of him treating Susie like shit getting that turned on him over and over and then realizing he's a grifrer imbecile. And Hobbes would make him feel real stupid about every watching him from the jump.