Who Runs the Internet? With Alice Cappelle

SUMMARY

Our podbro, the illustrious German Villegas, graces our podwaves this week as we drop his episode on internet royalty from his current season of Modern Manhood, Man Vs. Machine.

• Remember NFTs? So many of those are worth a lot less than they were in 2023, but German questions why so many men used the internet this way and how it led to the crypto-bro. 🧐:

• In our latest episode of the season titled “Man v/s Machine”, we unravel the fascinating world of online fandoms and how gender influences the way we talk, socialize, and action on the internet.

• For years, fandom has been the heartbeat of the internet. But did you know that the way men and women engage with their fandoms varies significantly? 

•  Women have harnessed the power of fandom to create nurturing communities, driving trends like the massive sale of Stanley Mugs. They have been the ones who have turned the “social” in social media, and their thriving support of artists like One Direction, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, K-Pop, and others have shaped the way we think about online discourse. 

• Men, on the other hand, have channeled their fandom into the digital economy, pushing the possible dangers of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. As well as pushing up people like Jordan Perterson, Joe Rogan, Andrew Tate, 4chan, and others. 

• And who better to guide us through than YouTuber and Writer Alice Cappelle? Known for her youtube videos diving into sociology, and online interactions. Alice shares about her perspectives being a female YouTuber as well as her knowledge of fandom online. As well we look a bit at her book “Collapse Feminism”

• How do these diverse fandom expressions shape the internet we navigate daily? Do they bring positive culture or do they bring harm?

Be sure to follow German’s substack The Ferdinand to hear additional thoughts on the subject! This blog serves as a great companion for Modern Manhood, and you know we love a companion piece.

Referenced in the episode

• Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty on all seven criminal fraud counts

• When Sneako Meets His Fans

• Alice Cappelle's Collapse Feminism

COMPANION PIECES:

• Kaitlyn Tiffany's Everything I Need I get from You

• One Direction fangirls created the internet as we know it

• How the alt-right uses internet trolling to confuse you into dismissing its ideology

• ‘Crypto bro’ isn’t just slang.

• Alice Cappelle questions whether positive masculinity is overrated

OUR GUEST THIS WEEK:

German Villegas

German Villegas is a community developer by work, educator by trade, podcaster by hobby, and a laugher by heart. German has been involved with ideas around gender since 2013 mostly with volunteering and serving on the board of Next Gen Men. German is also the producer of the Modern Manhood podcast, a podcast about the systemic issues of masculinity since 2015. New season is OUT NOW!