Attention Recession

'Anora,' Shopping Addiction, r/NYCInfluencerSnark

Nicola and Magdalene discuss Anora’s Oscars sweep, “no buy” challenges, and the people who spend their time on influencer “snark” Reddit.  Including: ‘Gone With the Wind’ (1940), Temu, rational optimism, Dunkin’s $6 meal deal, filming videos alone in your car, bed rodding, ‘The Secret Lives of Pets 2’ (2019), and the Call Her Daddy podcast aesthetic. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/opinion/anora-oscars-russian-propaganda.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/opinion/anora-oscars-russian-propaganda.html]  https://internetprincess.substack.com/p/anoras-american-dream [https://internetprincess.substack.com/p/anoras-american-dream]  https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/business/shopping-addiction-no-buy-2025.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/business/shopping-addiction-no-buy-2025.html]   https://www.thecut.com/article/reddit-influencer-snark-confessions.html [https://www.thecut.com/article/reddit-influencer-snark-confessions.html]  https://amyodell.substack.com/p/brands-prepare-for-the-great-exhaustion [https://amyodell.substack.com/p/brands-prepare-for-the-great-exhaustion]

Elon’s IVF Army, Low-Tech Teens & Bianca Censori’s ‘Invisible’ Dress

Nicola and Magdalene discuss the dramatic Valentine’s Day outing of Elon Musk’s latest baby (and the twin lawsuits delivered days later), the NYT’s follow-up on the low-tech “Luddite teens,” and Bianca Censori’s “invisible” Grammys dress.  Including: IVF, pronatalism, 2014 Tinder, the tyranny of two-factor authentication, Kanye and Bianca’s divorce, the difference between a loser-loser (Jonah Hill) and a loser-winner (Adam Sandler), and Nick Cannon’s brood. https://www.usermag.co/p/scoop-ashley-st-clair-sues-elon-musk [https://www.usermag.co/p/scoop-ashley-st-clair-sues-elon-musk] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/style/luddite-teens-reunion.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/style/luddite-teens-reunion.html]

Black Tie with Dark MAGA (w/ Magdalene Taylor)

The girls discussMagdalene’s coverage of the Coronation Ball for GQ [https://www.gq.com/story/new-right-party-of-the-year⁠], the Inauguration, andthe latest “algospeak” code words [https://www.usermag.co/p/tiktok-cute-winter-boots-meaning-explained-algospeak⁠ ] TikTokers are using to #resist the Cheeto.  Including: Steve Bannon vs. the tech oligarchy, the intersection of Pizzagate and Dimes Square, Elon’s “salute,” Lauren Sanchez’s bustier, cozy games, Disney adults, Six Flags adults, a return to basicness, the lazy narcissism of organizing on TikTok, “cute winter boots,” “wireless automatic hole punchers,” and the brief TikTok ban.

Fighting Fire with Ire: LA Wildfires, Changes at Meta, TikTok Ban (w/ Magdalene Taylor)

Nicola and Magdalene discuss online response to the fires in LA, Meta’s new content policies, and the latest effort to ban TikTok.

In-n-Out: 2024 in Review & 2025 Predictions (w/ Magdalene Taylor)

WriterMagdalene Taylor [⁠https://magdalene.substack.com/⁠ ] joins Nicola on New Year’s Eve to reflect on the social, political, and fashion trends of 2024 and make some guesses about 2025. Including: TheSkims Nipple Bra, politics and politeness, angry single people, the gender war, post-carnivore dietPETA comeback, microplastics, AI slop, the future ofElon andTrump’s situationship, the Raw Milkmaid Dress, whatTikTok has done to New York City,Botox, made in USA, country music, “trad,” Los Angeles, beef tallow, crimes of passion, MAHA, indie sleaze, Boston, and why Dry January is on so many “out” lists. Thanks toAndru Marino [http://awylatt.com⁠ ] for editing.