Making It Up: Recent Episodes
MAEKAN
Making It Up by MAEKAN is a weekly podcast exploring the latest news in the creative world and analyzing how and why it'll impact culture at large.
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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.
At N.Y.U., Students Were Failing Organic Chemistry. Who Was to Blame? by Stephanie Saul
Tweet by Jesse Stommel
Tweet by Emily Nussbaum
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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?
Tweet by @culturaltutor
191: Ascension by Drew Austin
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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.
I Watched An 857-Hour Movie To Encounter Capitalism’s Extremes by Ashley Darrow
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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.
You're locked in a prison of trends by Blackbird Spyplane
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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.
Tweet by @roselyddon
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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
A New Refrain From Artists: We ‘Almost Gave Up on Instagram’ By Kalley Huang
Deb JJ Lee Twitter
Maddy Mueller Twitter
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In our first recording after a long-ass hiatus, Eugene and Charis update us on what they’ve been up to, what they’ve missed, and what’s to come with Making It Up!
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Charis and Eugene talk about NFTs, collectability, anti-capitalist capitalists, missing counterculture, and individualism.
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Links:
The NFT Collector | Richard Kim in Right Click Save
Hope Beyond Rugged Individualism by Tara McMullin
14 Warning Signs That You Are Living in a Society Without a Counterculture by Ted Gioia
The young, rich, anti-capitalist capitalists by Whizy Kim
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Eugene and Charis talk about efficiency, over-optimization, having slack (not the service) or intentionally holding your feet to the fire.
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Charis and Eugene catch each other up about the last three months of their lives, discuss the move to Twitch, and overcome tech troubles.
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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
107 - Grandma’s Pierogies from Below the Line by Kevin LaBuz
Buy Nothing exploded on Facebook — now it wants a platform of its own by Mia Sato
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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
Brunello Cucinelli says 2021 growth spurt “not rational” by Luke Leitch
The Dropout, a podcast hosted by Rebecca Jarvis produced by ABC News
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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
attending to the other by Jasmine Wang
The Myth of Tribalism by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel
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Charis and Eugene talk about key moments in culture in 2021 and reflect on significant changes that will carry forwards.
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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
Story Club with George Saunders
@iamDCinvestor tweet
NIKE, Inc. Acquires RTFKT
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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
Buy your Ticket to Krause House
Here's Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It) by Ben Pearson
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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
What It Means to Ride at Any Ability by Sherry Ansari
Harrods CEO on the threat to London’s cultural status by Sarah Shannon
What makes a cultural superpower? by Noah Smith
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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
Nice Try! by Curbed, Season 2: Interior, Mattress episode
How Our Online Shopping Obsession Choked the Supply Chain by Cam Wolf
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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
Heart to Heart raises $750K to bring sweet, sweet flirtation to your ear holes by Haje Jan Kamps
Founder’s Letter, 2021 by Mark Zuckerberg
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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
From Dependence to Independence | The Rise of The Independent Creator (The Whitepaper)
Ask the Experts: I’m Just Starting Out as an Artist. How Much Should I Charge for My Art? by Francesca Gavin
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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
The Four Dirty C-Words of the Internet by Paul Jun
How Memes Control Everything by Nathan Baschez
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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
Planet Squid Game by Josef Adalian
Here are 4 key points from the Facebook whistleblower's testimony on Capitol Hill by Bobby Allyn
Facebook whistleblower testifies company 'is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny' by Samantha Murphy Kelly and Clare Duffy
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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
Star Atlas: The Most Ambitious Blockchain Game by Ryan Foo
Why captions are everywhere on TikTok: ‘Glasses for your ears’ by Brian Contreras
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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
‘Lack of strategy is the strategy’: what Comme des Garçons did next by Alexander Fury published in Financial Times
Influencers are wearing digital versions of physical clothes now by Maghan McDowell published in Vogue Business
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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
How to Take Criticism by Chapell Ellison
Google Slides from Charis’ PolyU class
Overcoming Web3 Bias | How to navigate strange new paradigms that could change everything—unless they don’t. by Nathan Baschez
Cryptopilled by Drew Coffman
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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
Nike’s End of Men by Ethan Strauss
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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
It’s Time to Replace Ambition with Adaptation by Rosie Spinks
The Other Crisis by Jon Leighton
DONDA, Kanye West
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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
Why Is It So Hard to Be Rational? by Joshua Rothman
Worn Out by Drew Austin
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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
Ghosts by Vauhini Vara
Facing Outrage Over Bikini Rule, Handball Federation Signals ‘Likely’ Change by Jenny Gross
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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”
Curators All the Way Down by Gaby Goldberg
Meet the “genuinfluencers” who don’t want to sell you anything by Kati Chitrakorn
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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
Why Elite Female Athletes Are Turning Away From Major Sponsors by Sapna Maheshwari
France Gave Teenagers $350 for Culture. They’re Buying Comic Books. by Aurelien Breeden
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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”
You Won’t Remember the Pandemic the Way You Think You Will by Melissa Fay Greene
S01 Episode 9: We Built This City on a Camera Roll in Chaoyang Trap
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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
MAEKAN Shop
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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
Naomi Osaka: 'It's O.K. Not to Be O.K.'
The Inner Ring of The Internet by Ali Montag
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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
Let's make a deal: NCAA athletes cashing in on name, image and likeness by Dan Murphy
Lachlan Morton is bikepacking the entire Tour de France route, transfers included by Iain Treloar
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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
Hello Kotaku, It's Me, Your New EIC by Patricia Hernandez
How fashion’s erratic sizing is fuelling a clothing waste crisis by Sophie Benson
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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
Why venture capital doesn’t build the things we really need by Elizabeth MacBride
Creativity is dead, long live curation by Ana Andjelic
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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
The Barbell Strategy: How Not to Be a Starving Artist by Richard Meadows
In Online Ed, Content Is No Longer King—Cohorts Are by Wes Kao
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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
The internet is flat. by Charlie Warzel
The Cooperation Economy Or How to Build a Liquid Super Team by Packy McCormick
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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
Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open highlights the tenuous relationship between athletes and the media by Scottie Andrew
Welcome to the post-sellout era by Yasmin Gagne
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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
This Designer Is Reimagining Menswear From a Trans Perspective by Michael Love Michael
What Happens When Americans Can Finally Exhale by Ed Yong
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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
The Gatekeepers Who Get to Decide What Food Is “Disgusting” by Jiayang Fan
China Targets ‘Chaotic’ Online Fan Groups to Tame Teen Culture by Yuan Ye and Liu Mengqiu
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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
What Makes A Museum Object NFT Valuable Beyond The Scope Of The Technology? by Frances Liddell
Keeping the line alive. by Mateusz Urbanowicz
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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
The 'Capitalism is Broken' Economy by Anne Helen Petersen
Try this NBA strategy to help manage hybrid work by Tim Sanders
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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
What It Was Like Growing Up on a Commune by Kathryn Jezer-Morton
I’m a social media manager. Facebook and Twitter have made my job an ethical nightmare by Amy Brown
Let’s Talk About Leaving Social Media...Maybe? by Rachel Karten
The Raiders, Social Media Managers And The Vortex of The Internet's Hate by Ed Zitron
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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
Read This Before You Decide to Work In Fashion by Eugene Rabkin
Marco Marzocchi: How To Destroy Everything by Brad Feuerhelm
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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
Scientists need to get better at talking to the public. Why doesn’t training seem to help? by Robert Wyss, Margaret Rubega, and Robert Capers
Against “Feel Free To Take Some Time If You Need It" by Anne Helen Petersen
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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
Chinatown Market to Undergo Name Change by Obi Anyanwu
Amid Anti-Asian Hate Crimes, I Found Beauty in Filipino Attire by Isiah Magsino
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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
Cathie Wood and Content Strategy by Ranjan Roy
Hip-hop professor looks to open doors with world’s first peer-reviewed rap album by A.D. Carson
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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
What Luxury Brands Can Learn from Hermès About Pricing by Daniel Langer
Teenage Mistake: What's missing from the Teen Vogue story, and who's responsible by Elizabeth Spiers
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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
Creator economy vs. newsroom leadership: A fight for talent by David Tvrdon
For Creators, Everything Is for Sale by Taylor Lorenz
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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
The Authenticity Trap: Fear and Loathing in the Virtual World by Amanda Greeley
How museum gift shops decide what to sell by Antonella Crescimbeni
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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
Against Performative Positivity by Danah Abdulla
Building Self-Worth by Ward Andrews
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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
Worldbuilding Forever: Bold Ideas for Our Collective Futures by Ryan Madson
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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
Music is the creator economy catalyst by Maarten Walraven-Freeling
Epic’s new MetaHuman tool lets you craft realistic faces inside a browser by Nick Statt
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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
Luxury's Involvement in Resell Could Be the Beginning of the End by Karl Thomas Smith
The Capitalist Case for Overhauling Twitter by Scott Galloway
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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
Why Editorial Brands Will Dominate Retail’s ‘Long Tale’ by Doug Stephens
The Dunning-Kruger Effect Is Probably Not Real by Jonathan Jarry
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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
The True Cost of Convenience by Deepti Sharma
David Yi on History’s ‘Pretty Boys’ by Alexa Tietjen
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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
The Problem With Being Perfect by Olga Khazan
Magazines Pivot Beyond Fashion as Age of Superficiality Ends by Tianwei Zhang
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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
“Jootsing”: The Key to Creativity by Farnam Street
Unloved, a marketplace for pre-owned tech subscriptions
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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
CIA rebrands to encourage diversity but identity of logo designer remains top secret by Cajsa Carlson
Start of 2020 Ushers Thousands of Once-Copyrighted Works Into the Public Domain by Katherine J. Wu
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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?
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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
The Proof of NFTs — $3.5M Beeple Drop by Loop
Web Conversation From the Other Side by Paul Ford
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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
Can a Start-Up Mentality Save Small Businesses? by Eilene Zimmerman
AOC’s Among Us livestream hints at Twitch’s political power by Tanya Basu
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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
Data is Fire by Yancey Strickler
We’re All Trapped in Instagram’s Digital Mall Now by Hazel Cills
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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
Hollywood's New Multi-Million-Dollar Sports Investment Vehicle by Joseph Pompliano
What If Friendship, Not Marriage, Was at the Center of Life? by Rhaina Cohen
You Are Supposed to Outgrow Some Friendships by Brianna Wiest
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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
Tyrus: A free digital toolkit from Airbnb Design that helps freelance illustrators optimize their business, so they have more time to focus on what they love
At Whetstone Media, Stephen Satterfield Builds Empathy Through Origins by Sarah Cooke
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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
The Surprising Power of Color to Ease Quarantine Anxiety by Kyle Chayka
Great Ideas Are Yours to Steal by Bob Roitblat
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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
Should synthetic clothing be sold with a warning? by Bella Webb
Meet Ricky Desktop, the most viral beatmaker on TikTok by Jacob Kastrenakes
Adapting to the algorithm by Kyle Chayka
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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
The Wild Silence by Drew Austin of The Kneeling Bus
Afew x ASICS Take Community Engagement to the Next Level by Fabian Gorsler
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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
From New Faces to Hug Art, Here Are 5 Major Trends to Be Found in Art Basel’s New Online Fair Devoted to Work Made During Lockdown by Artnet News
The first rule of BookClub? No boring book clubs. by Natasha Mascarenhas
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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
Would socialism KILL cool clothes?? by Blackbird Spyplane
Marxist memes for TikTok teens: can the internet radicalize teenagers for the left? by Joshua Citarella
Gen Zers Say Silicon Valley Is Elitist and Exclusive. Can They Build a New System? by Taylor Lorenz
Not So Simple, Notes from a Tech-Free Life by Mark Boyle
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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
A Freshly Killed Chicken Is Mightier Than the Coronavirus by Daisann McLane
Chess (Yes, Chess) Is Now a Streaming Obsession by Kellen Browning
AI Ruined Chess. Now, It’s Making the Game Beautiful Again by Tom Simonite
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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
NYC IS DEAD FOREVER. HERE’S WHY by James Altucher
Affluence Killed New York, Not the Pandemic by Kevin Baker
New York or Nowhere meme by Ronnie Lordi
So You Think New York Is “Dead” by Jerry Seinfeld
Successful people rarely admit how lucky they were. Here’s why they should by Michiel De Hoog for The Correspondent
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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
Breaking into fashion was already hard. Amid Covid-19, is a design generation lost? by Bella Webb
How Creative Peers Accelerate Personal Growth by Ward Andrews
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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
It Just Got a Lot Easier to Secure a Telfar Bag by Emilia Petrarca
Meet the New Guy by Lindsey Underwood
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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
Shopify and the Hard Thing About Easy Things by Packy McCormick
What is MasterClass Actually Selling? by Carina Chocano
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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
The Reductive Seduction of Other People’s Problems by Courtney Martin
Tips for Community Funding In Challenging Times by Siena Oristaglio
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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
Color film was built for white people. Here's what it did to dark skin. by Vox
The Staff of Deadspin Is Taking Their Talents to Defector. Here's What Happens Next. by Alex Shultz
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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
How an AI graphic designer convinced clients it was human by Thomas Macaulay
Culture Culture Culture: Quantifying What Matters Most to the New Fashion & Luxury Consumer by Highsnobiety and BCG
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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
Come for the Network, Pay for the Tool by Toby Shorin
Vogue Slammed for Hiring Annie Leibovitz for Simone Biles Cover Instead of Black Photographer by DL Cade
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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
Meet the parenting expert who thinks parenting is a terrible invention by Irene Caselli and Lynn Berger
Silicon Valley Elite Discuss Journalists Having Too Much Power in Private App by Jason Koebler, Anna Merlan, and Joseph Cox
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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
Hey is a Wildly Opinionated New Email Service from the Makers of Basecamp by Casey Newton
Physical workplaces important for "preventing the loneliness epidemic in an increasingly digital world" says Vitra by Marcus Fairs
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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
How to Raise a Million Bucks for Charity with T-Shirts, According to Brain Dead’s Kyle Ng by Cam Wolf
The Virgilization of Virgil Abloh by Ana Andjelic
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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
Small Clubs Are Where Rock History Is Made. How Many Will Survive? by Ben Sisario
The New Model Media Star Is Famous Only to You by Ben Smith
How the Passion Economy will disrupt media, education, and countless other industries by Li Jin
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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
Quibi Is What Happens When Hollywood Overvalues Content And Undervalues Community by Mike Masnick
Home Screens by Drew Austin
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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
Animal Crossing is emerging as a media channel for brands in lockdown by Katie Deighton
The Last Dance (TV series) - Wikipedia
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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
Are Artists the New Interpreters of Scientific Innovation? by Gisela Williams
How Are Independent Magazines Navigating COVID-19? by Tianwei Zhang
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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
Signaling as a Service by Julian Lehr
MAEKAN Patreon
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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
Minecraft: https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200972/college-students-graduation-minecraft-coronavirus-school-closures
Productivity: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/style/productivity-coronavirus.html
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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
FIRE: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2020/3/18/21182018/financial-independence-retire-early-fire-early-retirement-mr-money-mustache-pete-adeney
UN Open Brief: https://www.oneclub.org/articles/-view/global-call-to-creatives
Hello (from the Inside) An Adele Parody by Chris Mann: https://youtu.be/M5azNpTwVk8
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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
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/technology/coronavirus-how-to-live-online.html
https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/luxury-fashion-houses-restaurants-louis-vuitton-tiffany-bergdorf-goodman-browns
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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
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/
https://ny.eater.com/2020/3/6/21153398/jjapaguri-ram-don-specials-nyc-parasite
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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
https://www.gq.com/story/archibald-london-crowdsourced-sneaker
https://themarkup.org
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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
https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/5/21124201/bill-simmons-the-ringer-spotify-acquistion-podcast-purchase
https://slate.com/culture/2020/01/black-music-white-restaurants-gyms-shops.html
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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
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jan/15/restaurant-waiters-front-of-house-service-britain-respect
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/25/arts/american-dirt-jeanine-cummins.html
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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
http://www.insideradio.com/free/there-were-a-record-number-of-podcast-launches-in/article_c86c57e6-305c-11ea-866f-5fc96803d150.html
https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/brian-phillips-closing-black-frame-major-shift-fashion-pr-kenzo-nike
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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
https://www.thecut.com/2019/12/how-to-budget-in-the-new-year.html
https://dieworkwear.com/post/189986615919/how-well-remember-this-decade
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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
https://www.gq.com/story/dior-stussy-collab-announcement
http://tobringback.com
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/to-bring-back/id1485009829
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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
https://alexdanco.com/2019/10/26/everything-is-amazing-but-nothing-is-ours/
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-12/realreal-poshmark-other-resale-sites-are-good-even-for-gucci
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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
https://reallifemag.com/vox-populi/
https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-anatomy-of-a-tiktok-hit/
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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
https://qz.com/1735700/apple-and-disney-are-creating-an-explosion-of-tv-series-budgets/
https://qz.com/844918/with-the-crown-the-grand-tour-and-westworld-tv-shows-have-become-insanely-expensive/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/46571/1/how-to-deal-with-tokenism-as-an-artist-according-to-the-white-pube
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Eugene and Charis discuss why new technology is difficult to convince people to adopt. They also talk about the habits of the ultra wealthy as well as a new study that shows a key factor in becoming very rich is luck.
00:01:20 Ultra wealthy
00:27:22 New tech
00:44:45 Banter
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610395/if-youre-so-smart-why-arent-you-rich-turns-out-its-just-chance/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/style/rich-people-things.html
https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/tech/
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/10/17/18647521/capitalism-age-of-addiction-phone-david-courtwright
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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
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/15/tiktok-taps-corporate-law-firm-kl-gates-to-advise-on-its-u-s-content-moderation-policies/
https://stratechery.com/2019/the-china-cultural-clash/
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/evjmqj/venezuela-will-be-cut-off-from-adobe-products-because-of-trump-sanctions
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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
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/29/business/forever-21-bankruptcy.html
https://hypebeast.com/2019/9/esports-apparel-fashion-adidas-ninja-nike
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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
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-luxury-environment/luxury-leader-lvmh-in-green-mode-laments-thunbergs-pessimism-idUSKBN1WA2AY
https://www.businessinsider.com/macarthur-fellowship-genius-grant-winners-2019-9
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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
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/style/influencer-grammar-watchdog-accounts-southeast-asia.html
https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/19/youtube-overhauls-its-problematic-verification-program/
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Charis and Eugene discuss Frances Bean Cobain launching the “Kurt Was Here” clothing collection and what the purpose is of releasing posthumous products. They also talk about the union drive occurring at Kickstarter and how unions can function within companies.
00:03:04 Posthumous work
00:19:00 Unions
Links
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kurt-cobain-clothing-collection-881429/
https://slate.com/technology/2019/09/kickstarter-turmoil-union-drive-historic-tech-industry.html
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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
https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/story/career-myths-making-good-money-means-selling-out-creatively/
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/carly-ayres-the-end-of-hawraf-graphic-design-180319
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Charis and Eugene talk about why products for older people are poorly designed and how to include older people in the design process. They also discuss Johanna Hedva’s disability access rider and why constructing society around what we often see to be niche groups is actually the best course of action.
00:03:10 Older people
00:28:11 Disability access
Links
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614167/why-are-products-for-older-people-so-ugly
https://sickwomantheory.tumblr.com/post/187188672521/hedvas-disability-access-rider
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Eugene and Charis discuss the future of Diet Prada, the media company run by Tony Liu and Lindsey Schuyler that aims to hold the fashion industry accountable. They also talk about the use of gender-neutral pronouns and the possible effects shifting language can have on shifting culture.
00:01:30 Diet Prada
00:28:51 Pronouns
Links
https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/professional/the-future-of-diet-prada
https://www.wired.com/story/actually-gender-neutral-pronouns-can-change-a-culture/
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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
https://breakingsmart.substack.com/p/memes-brands-and-missions
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/07/e2037ca6e34d-feature-japanese-pop-culture-takes-world-stage-through-virtual-influencer.html
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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
https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/reality-and-its-alternatives/articles/hipster-elegies
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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
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/style/why-are-there-so-many-podcasts.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/arts/bob-ross-paintings-mystery.html
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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
https://withotis.com/about
https://news.artnet.com/market/how-to-sell-to-millennials-1581577
https://time.com/5619999/instagram-mosseri-bullying-artificial-intelligence/
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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
Links:
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-photographers-owe-subjects-four-photographers-weigh
https://www.fastcompany.com/90165365/smartphones-are-wrecking-the-planet-faster-than-anyone-expected
https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-environment-consumption/
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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
Links:
https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/18/18682700/gaming-subscriptions-ea-microsoft-ubisoft-netflix-streaming
https://the18.com/soccer-entertainment/size-of-womens-soccer-fields-debate-hope-solo
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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
Links:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2019/06/05/aaron-rodgers-launches-50-million-venture-capital-fund-with-roth-capital/#1cfb1f1c2b41
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/greta-thunberg-climate-crisis
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Eugene and Charis discuss a recent WWD interview with Rei Kawakubo, founder of COMME des GARÇONS and Dover Street Market, where she makes distinctions between her relationship with fashion and business. They also talk about whether the role work now plays in people’s lives can be considered equivalent in any way to the role religion used to have.
00:02:53 Rei Kawakubo
00:26:36 The role of work
Links:
https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/the-originals-rei-kawakubo-on-the-genius-grind-1203137382/
https://www.fastcompany.com/90350861/how-work-became-the-millennial-religion-of-choice
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Charis and Eugene talk about art collective Meow Wolf and the concessions necessary to make art profitable. They also discuss the health of the Internet particularly as it pertains to the world’s population increasingly gathering in cities.
00:02:53 Experience as art
00:26:36 Internet health
Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/01/magazine/meow-wolf-art-experience-economy.html
https://internethealthreport.org/2019/the-power-of-cities/
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Eugene and Charis talk about whether or not an issue of political correctness censoring fashion design exists, a discussion revolving around an op-ed written by Eugene Rabkin. They also talk about how the age of the influencer is starting to come to an end while appreciation of the slacker and slacking off is on the rise.
00:02:23 Politically correct fashion
00:29:27 Rise of the slacker
Links:
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/fashion-age-political-correctness/
https://qz.com/quartzy/1588115/instagram-influencers-are-out-slackers-are-in/
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Charis and Eugene discuss the emergence of increasingly lengthy captions on Instagram and the implications of this trend. They also talk about the newly opened MUJI Hotel in Tokyo and what it takes for a brand to successfully extend itself.
00:01:46 Captionfluencers
00:19:00 MUJI Hotel
Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/style/instagram-long-captions.html
https://maekan.com/2019/03/muji-hotel-ginza-opening/
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Eugene and Charis talk about the partnership between the big tobacco company Philip Morris and the media platform VICE in relation to the idea of whether good things can come from bad money. They also discuss the issue of increasingly large museum collections and what museums might do collectively to make art more accessible.
00:01:48 VICE Philip Morris
00:27:15 Overflowing museums
Links:
https://notvice.com/vice-and-philip-morris-international-partnership-c0cd977738df
https://maekan.com/2019/03/museum-artwork-full/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene discuss whether it’s possible to become a mega-influencer anymore. They also talk about the reasons China might tax luxury goods and how that might affect consumerism in the country.
00:00:54 Mega-influencers
00:24:32 Luxury tax
Links:
https://fashionista.com/2019/03/top-instagram-social-media-influencers-marketing-success
https://jingdaily.com/china-luxury-debt/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis talk about Goldman Sachs telling employees that they can start dressing more casually and how that might affect the fashion landscape. They also discuss an argument for veganizing design and the counter-argument against applying that ideology.
00:18:40 Losing the suit
00:35:14 Vegan design
Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/dealbook/goldman-sachs-dress-code.html
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/03/01/sebastian-cox-vegan-design-sustainable-opinion/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene talk about the latest video ad for Nike titled Dream Crazier that features women in sports and a voiceover encouraging women to attempt even more. They also discuss the phenomenon of being professionally successful on paper but miserable in actuality.
00:10:17 Women in sports
00:28:55 Miserable at work
Links:
https://news.nike.com/featured_video/dream-crazier
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/21/magazine/elite-professionals-jobs-happiness.html
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis discuss when skepticism is good and when more trust is needed. They also talk about the increase in artist-endowed foundations and the work that these foundations are doing in terms of cultural philanthropy.
00:20:20 Healthy skepticism
00:33:58 Art philanthropy
Links:
https://medium.com/s/reasonable-doubt/when-healthy-skepticism-really-isn-t-e95594d1e380
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ongoing-artist-as-philanthropist-report-tracks-the-rise-of-endowed-foundations-1463578
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene talk about consumer power and the responsibility that comes with spending money on anything. They also discuss the potential funding Reddit might be accepting from Chinese tech giant Tencent and how that could shape the Internet in the States, in China, and globally. This episode attempts to unpack what it means to follow the origins and effect of each dollar.
00:11:55 Consumer power
00:41:53 Chinese investment money
Links:
https://noahny.com/blogs/news/consumer-power
https://gizmodo.com/reddit-banned-in-china-is-reportedly-set-to-land-150-1832375439
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis discuss the influence of Nardwuar on the hip-hop world and how his persona plus interview style gets great results. They also talk about why CAPTCHA exists, what the future of CAPTCHA looks like, and what the progress of CAPTCHA says about our pursuit to find the universal quality of humanness.
00:13:58 Nardwuar’s influence
00:30:35 Evolution of CAPTCHA
Links:
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/nardwuar-hip-hop-significance/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/1/18205610/google-captcha-ai-robot-human-difficult-artificial-intelligence
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene talk about how restaurant websites are being visited less and losing personality, and therefore are in need of a purpose and identity overhaul. They also discuss how billionaires are being critically panned and what the responsibility of the wealthy is to the world.
00:09:50 Website personality
00:22:36 Billionaires’ responsibility
Links
https://www.are.na/blog/restaurant-websites
https://www.axios.com/billionaires-economic-inequality-davos-world-economic-forum-85d51f38-6a7f-4017-9566-169cb6732f83.html
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis talk about the newly proposed “flexitarian” diet configured by 37 scientists to not only be healthy for humans, but to take care of our planet. They also discuss what it looks like to be creative while clean as described by nine musicians interviewed by GQ regarding all aspects of their journey through substance abuse into sobriety.
00:16:22 Flexitarian diet
00:33:42 Creating while clean
Links:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46865204
https://www.gq.com/story/clean-musicians
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene discuss Don Norman’s concept of how pizza could save the world—metaphorically speaking—as pizza is a way to view and solve problems. They also talk about millennial burnout and why the generation born between the early 1980’s and late 1990’s experiences errand paralysis, engages in self-destructive behaviors, and have tough mental battles to wage.
00:07:57 Pizza solution
00:20:47 Millennial burnout
Links:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90288282/how-pizza-could-save-the-world
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/millennials-burnout-generation-debt-work
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis discuss the new hit app Zepeto and how the virtual avatar platform can lead to the continued rise of virtual influencers and digital exclusives in consumer goods. They also talk about the non-stop growth of big tech and the ongoing relationship individuals must navigate with technology.
00:09:45 Virtual influencers
00:23:41 Big tech
Links:
https://jingdaily.com/virtual-avatar-china-luxury-brands/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/technology/big-tech-troubled-just-getting-started.html
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
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Eugene and Charis talk about how the future book is already here even though its form may be different from what we expected. They also discuss the comeback of physical books, in part thanks to social media.
00:15:57 The future book
00:30:03 Book resurgence
Links:
https://www.wired.com/story/future-book-is-here-but-not-what-we-expected/
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/19/18146500/independent-bookstores-instagram-social-media-growth
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis talk about a Nike football shirt created in collaboration with The NATIVE and use that subject as a launching point for discussing projects done well that are inspired by heritage. They also discuss why Air France’s airline Joon, which targets millennials, isn’t working and what could possibly make airlines more appealing when you control for price and schedule.
00:17:13 Heritage projects
00:33:25 Millennial airlines
Links:
https://news.nike.com/news/native-lagos-football-jersey
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/13/18138423/millennial-airline-air-france-joon
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Eugene and Charis discuss how advertising on podcasts can be done well and what makes an ad work particularly well for specific podcasts. They also talk about the effects of the recent Tumblr ban of NSFW adult content and how the internet is continuing to shrink—to the detriment of all of us.
00:11:34 Podcast advertising 00:33:05 Tumblr’s NSFW ban
Links: https://medium.com/that-good-you-need/malcolm-gladwell-and-exceptional-advertising-198a21af8fba https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/catesish/internet-is-getting-small-and-boring-long-live-tumblr
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Eugene and Charis talk about how Cambridge Analytica data found that fashion profiling reliably showed political leanings and what that means for fashion brands. They also discuss Amazon HQ2 being built in Queens, New York and Crystal City, Virginia and what that means for those neighborhoods in the context of gentrification.
00:11:42 Fashion profiling 00:29:41 Ethics of gentrification
Links: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/style/cambridge-analytica-fashion-data.html https://www.fastcompany.com/90274295/is-gentrification-ever-ethical
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week the discussion revolves around the impact of Craigslist on decreasing waste production and the possibilities for encouraging a wider culture of reusing and sharing items. Tavi Gevinson writes a heartfelt Editor’s Letter to explain the end of Rookie Mag. Eugene and Charis discuss how to stay true to personal interests while remaining responsible to others.
Links https://www.fastcompany.com/90272357/craigslist-is-quietly-changing-how-much-americans-throw-away http://www.rookiemag.com/2018/11/editors-letter-86/
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene brings up the subject of the annual Forbes 30 Under 30 in relation to the feeling of envy. He and Charis talk about under what circumstances envy can be good and bad. Charis points out the constant stream of NASA-inspired apparel and considers whether more can be done for women in STEM.
Links https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/11/30-under-30-millennials-in-congress-envy.html https://www.history.com/news/human-computers-women-at-nasa
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week Eugene looks into the business of background music and the art of curating audio qualities that’s appropriate for brands and spaces. Charis discusses the shifts in the influencer economy towards nanoinfluencers and considers how this changes the prospects of influencers at various levels plus the actual overall effectiveness of these tactics.
Links https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/nov/06/inside-the-booming-business-of-background-music https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/11/business/media/nanoinfluencers-instagram-influencers.html
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Unexpected Connections was a conference hosted by Imprint and MAEKAN which happened November 7, 2018 in Long Beach, California. In this episode, Eugene and Charis discuss what went well, what could be improved on, and what lessons they’ve learned. Unexpected connections are the simplest way of describing creativity. In its most basic form, it’s pattern recognition, and at its most complex, it’s a tangled web that humans have become surprisingly great at deconstructing. The conference brought together people from disparate walks of life to speak in conversation with each other on stage. Speakers included John Maeda, Julia Huang, John C Jay, Jason Mayden, Jun Cha, Jennifer Ferro, Lindsay Jang, David Choe, James Bailey, Charis Poon, Eugene Kan, Jeff Staple, Karen Okonkwo, Madeleine Brand, Helen Zia, and Kenya Hara.
Links https://unexpectedconnectionsevent.com https://www.instagram.com/unexpectedconnections https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/unexpectedconlb
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Charis expresses interest in a McKinsey study that analyzed copious amounts of data over the past 5 years to determine what impact design decisions have on business performance. Eugene wants to talk about the algorithm IBM and Symrise, a major fragrance company, developed specifically for making new fragrances.
00:13:23 Design impact study 00:27:30 AI-created scents
Links: https://www.fastcompany.com/90255363/this-mckinsey-study-of-300-companies-reveals-what-every-business-needs-to-know-about-design-for-2019 https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/24/18019918/ibm-artificial-intelligence-perfume-symrise-philyra
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Eugene is interested in considering whether the new full version of Adobe Photoshop on the iPad with cloud syncing capabilities might change the ways people create. Charis wants to talk about the Chinese art market and how what it looks like on the surface isn’t a good indicator of what’s really happening.
00:23:19 Photoshop on the iPad 00:35:05 The Chinese art market
Links: https://www.dpreview.com/news/0367513073/a-fully-featured-photoshop-is-finally-coming-to-the-ipad https://news.artnet.com/market/5-biggest-myths-chinese-art-market-1371619
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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This week Eugene looks into the current state of fashion as described by 36 industry people in an article published by Elle. He and Charis dive into the perception of fashion as a superficial area of interest and discuss the possibilities of fashion with regards to identity and depth. Charis describes the competitions being organized by African governments that award money to entrepreneurs. These competitions are intended to encourage business innovation and to create jobs.
00:12:40 Fixing fashion 00:26:30 Money for entrepreneurs
Links: https://www.elle.com/fashion/a23568834/how-to-fix-fashion https://qz.com/africa/1327833/kenya-is-following-nigeria-in-running-a-massive-business-plan-competition
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Eugene is interested in talking about the efforts of Low-Tech Magazine to reduce the energy use required to access their content by building a low-tech, self-hosted, and solar-powered website for themselves. Charis comes to the podcast wanting to talk about Banksy trolling (or possibly being in complicity with) the art world by orchestrating the self-destruction of his painting right after it had been sold at auction by Sotheyby’s for $1.4 million USD.
00:12:40 Low-tech websites 00:26:30 Self-destructing Banksy
Links: https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2018/09/how-to-build-a-lowtech-website https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/arts/design/uk-banksy-painting-sothebys.html
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week Charis discusses the landscape of video games and how many more new games have come into being over the past four years. How has this affected the video game industry and what does the future of it look like? Eugene wants to talk about an opinion piece written by Tim Wu that praises the pursuit of mediocrity in certain areas of life and the practice of having hobbies.
00:12:28 Indiepocalypse 00:28:38 Hobbies and mediocrity
Links: https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/28/17911372/there-are-too-many-video-games-what-now-indiepocalypse https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opinion/sunday/in-praise-of-mediocrity.html
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene brings up the subject of the OSTRICH PILLOW HOOD Kickstarter as a way to talk about the use of products to perform individual pursuit of well-being. Charis discusses a report titled "The Diminishing Marginal Value of Aesthetics" published by Subpixel at length as a way to talk about visual culture and the challenges creators face.
00:20:00 Performative well-being 00:27:25 Diminishing marginal value of aesthetics
Links: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studio-banana/ostrich-pillow-hood-shape-shifting-for-focus-and-c https://subpixel.space/entries/diminishing-marginal-aesthetic-value/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene and Charis discuss what "authenticity" means. They take a look at authenticity in food culture specifically and then expand on the subject to look at authenticity more broadly. Charis and Eugene also discuss the social credit system being adopted in China and the implications of it on real people.
00:11:49 Authentically What? 00:26:00 China's social credit system
Links: https://www.thecleaverquarterly.com/stories/hybridized-chinese-food http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-18/china-social-credit-a-model-citizen-in-a-digital-dictatorship/10200278
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Another long intro in part because Charis is moving to London. Feel free to skip ahead to the middle point of this episode when Eugene discusses the importance of analytical media in connection to an op-ed written by Lawrence Ware about The Source magazine. Charis' topic this week is about the online museum called Conserve the Sound which carefully catalogs images and audio snippets of analog items. This topic leads into a larger discussion about what is conceptually lost when new technology replaces older items.
00:19:22 Analytical media 00:31:24 Conserve the Sound
Links: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/opinion/what-the-source-taught-me.html https://www.conservethesound.de/en/
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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An eventful week of news leads to an eventful (and long) series of discussions. This episode covers three things that happened: The Outline’s most recent round of layoffs leads to a freelancer boycott of the publication, The New Yorker announces Steve Bannon as a speaker at their upcoming Festival and then rescinds their invite after Twitter outrage, and Colin Kaepernick is revealed as the face of the 30th Anniversary “Just Do It” Nike campaign.
00:03:11 Recent The Outline layoffs 00:16:48 Steve Bannon uninvited from The New Yorker Festival 00:26:00 Colin Kaepernick in 30th Anniversary Nike Campaign
Links: https://observer.com/2018/09/media-layoffs-the-outline-freelancers-study-hall/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/opinion/bannon-new-yorker-festival-remnick.html https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/09/04/the-open-future-festival-and-steve-bannon https://qz.com/1378192/a-nike-boycott-over-colin-kaepernick-is-unlikely-to-hurt-the-swoosh/ https://youtu.be/Fq2CvmgoO7I
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week’s intro is a long one and covers Kindles, reflections on death, and some discussion of what’s recently been published on MAEKAN. The main topics for discussion are the purpose of art in space and ways for companies to incentivize better cybersecurity.
00:16:48 Art in space 00:26:00 Fortnite encourages cybersecurity
Links: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/08/orbital-reflector-trevor-paglen-space-art-humanity-star/568858/ https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/23/epic-games-just-gave-a-perk-for-folks-to-turn-on-2fa-every-other-big-company-should-too/
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week Eugene and Charis talk about reckoning with luck, the circumstances we have no control over, in our lives and how that affects our perception of others. In relation to this first topic, the second half of their conversation discusses the origins of different parts of language and how the way we speak is both uncontrollable and can result in differing opinions on us.
00:10:05 Nike balaclava controversy 00:15:12 Acknowledging luck 00:35:37 Linguistic heritage
Links: https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/nike-balaclava-gang-culture https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/21/17687402/kylie-jenner-luck-human-life-moral-privilege https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/08/17/606002607/ready-for-a-linguistic-controversy-say-mhmm
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis and Eugene discuss whether a time-tracking feature utilized by Upwork that takes screenshots of a freelancer's screen and logs keystrokes is too intrusive and what leads to healthy freelancer client relationships. The also talk about a t-shirt released by Advisory Board Crystals that raises funds to support the Wikimedia Foundation
00:11:12 Intrusive Upwork feature 00:27:06 Advisory Board Crystals x Wikipedia
Links: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/upwork-freelancers-work-diary-keystrokes-screenshot https://www.advisoryboardcrystals.com/wikipedia/abc-x-wikipedia
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week Eugene and Charis go live on Hong Kong Community Radio. They talk about the misperception of narcissism being newly on the rise in Western culture and the handling of Alex Jones and Infowars by various companies and publishing platforms.
00:14:12 Narcissism in the West 00:24:40 Censoring fake news
Links: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/7/19/17518086/selfie-will-storr-book-psychology-west https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/technology/tech-companies-online-speech.html
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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This week Eugene and Charis talk about the controversy surrounding the new Netflix Originals show Insatiable and discuss whether it promotes fat-shaming. The show’s creators state that their intention is to deconstruct unhealthy thinking and behaviors. Also discussed on this episode is the way the perception of expensive food for rich people has changed.
00:12:45 Netflix Originals Insatiable controversy 00:24:40 Rich people food
Links: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/08/insatiable-netflix-controversy-fatty-patty-petition-creator-lauren-gussis https://qz.com/quartzy/1335095/the-expensive-food-that-rich-people-eat-has-evolved-over-the-years/
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene brings up a New York Times article that looks into the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% to see if the shoe really does improve running times. Eugene considers the wider affects of the rise in technical performance apparel and footwear. Charis talks about a Jonah Hill interview published in 52 Insights that connected with her recent thinking about the idea of origin stories.
00:11:05 Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% 00:27:36 Jonah Hill and origin stories
Links: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/07/18/upshot/nike-vaporfly-shoe-strava.html https://www.52-insights.com/interview-film-jonah-hill-its-not-like-i-enjoy-being-famous-very-much/
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis Poon is joined by MAEKAN summer apprentice Alek Rose while Eugene Kan is out of town. Alek is interested in discussing the aftermath of a viral series of screenshots comparing a Russian AI assistant and the Google assistant. The article from Aeon on the subject suggests that the increasing reliance of humans on AI and technology for help with emotional health issues is something to be cautious about. Charis wants to talk about the new Nike App at Retail and whether there are better ways to merge digital technology and physical spaces.
00:05:43 Emotional help from AI 00:22:45 Nike App at Retail
Links: https://aeon.co/essays/can-emotion-regulating-tech-translate-across-cultures https://news.nike.com/news/nike-app-at-retail-shopping-experience
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Alek Rose, MAEKAN summer apprentice, discusses the news of the death of 3 Canadian vloggers in connection to how social media has warped our perception of others. Charis brings up the subject of increasingly advanced surveillance technology and how this impacts privacy and societal norms.
00:13:26 Social media’s erosion of empathy 00:22:40 Surveillance technology
Instagram’s Facade of the Perfect Life Has Made Us Lose Our Empathy by Dan Ginn https://petapixel.com/2018/07/09/instagrams-facade-of-the-perfect-life-has-made-us-lose-our-empathy/
‘Big Brother’ surveillance state? As facial recognition use grows, so do privacy fears by Rob Lever https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/07/08/big-brother-surveillance-state-facial-recognition-use-grows-privacy-fears/
Inside China’s Dystopian Dreams: A.I., Shame and Lots of Cameras by Paul Mozur https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/business/china-surveillance-technology.html
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Charis discusses her disappointment in the fashion industry’s inconsistent attitude towards the #MeToo movement by talking through the issues brought up by Julie Zerbo in a recent The Fashion Law article. Eugene brings up the subject of the Michelin Guide having recently covered Guangzhou and how the mission of the guide doesn’t include reviewing street food. Alek Rose, MAEKAN summer apprentice, joins as a guest on this episode.
00:11:42 Fashion industry and #MeToo 00:31:53 Michelin Guide
Paris Fashion Week's Front Rows Speak to Fashion's Complicated Stance on #MeToo by Julie Zerbo http://www.thefashionlaw.com/home/paris-fashion-weeks-front-rows-speak-to-fashions-stance-on-metoo
How Would the Michelin Guide Understand Chinese Street Food? by Echo Huang https://quartzy.qz.com/1317909/how-would-the-micheline-guide-understand-chinese-street-food
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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MAEKAN It Up — #050: The potential challenges for Grailed and what makes a good CV
Eugene has some concerns as to the future of Grailed in light of their recent investment round of $15 million. Charis wants to talk about what makes a good CV, but it turns out that the answer to that question is very context-dependent.
00:11:42 Grailed 00:31:53 Good CVs
Missed the Latest Supreme Drop? Head to Grailed by Matthew Schneier https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/style/grailed-ebay-for-hypebeasts.html
“Even if you cover a shit in glitter it’s still a shit”: top creatives show us their CVs by Lucy Bourton Lecture in Progress https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/the-graduates-2018-2018-cv-advice-210618
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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Eugene has a bone to pick with the news that Jay-Z has been appointed as the creative director of Puma Basketball. Charis gets excited about the Kickstarter spin-off Quickstarter that champions small projects.
00:17:58 Jay-Z as Puma Basketball creative director
00:36:34 Quickstarter
Puma Clarifies: Jay-Z Is Not Actually President of Basketball Operations by Aric Jenkins
Kickstarter — Quickstarter: It's okay to think small
"Quickstarter" Encourages Creators to Crowdfund their Small-Scale Passion Projects by Emily Engle
Oscar Lhermit
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Charis brings up the subject of tennis legend Roger Federer possibly signing with Uniqlo since his Nike deal has expired. The conversation turns to covering iconic sponsorship deals in general. Eugene is interested in discussing how Grindr's online publication Into launching a new production studio that supports LGBTQ+ creators impacts the media landscape.
Roger Federer Reportedly Leaves Nike for Uniqlo (and Stacks of Cash) by Cam Wolf
Grindr’s online publication Into launches production studio for LGBTQ+ creators by Laura Isabella
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Eugene questions whether Nike has done a good job with their BETRUE campaign this year in honor of Pride Month. Charis thinks an email campaign sent out by adidas is cringe-worthy.
Nike BETRUE 2018 Collection
Pride for Profit? Nike Catches Criticism for Using the Pink Triangle on Its BeTrue Sneakers by Maiysha Kai
Sorry adidas, I won't try to make my sneakers go viral by Philip Sherburne
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Charis's topic this week is Spotify's decision to roll back their hateful conduct policy. Eugene is interested in the connection between the different phases of sleep and creativity.
Spotify’s hateful content policy was ‘rolled out wrong,’ says CEO by Megan Farokhmanesh
A New Theory Linking Sleep and Creativity by Ed Yong
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-supported publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
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Eugene brings up an essay in Logic magazine that recounts the history of venture capital. Charis wants to talk about new features in Instagram that are meant to help users develop healthier digital habits.
- The Unicorn Hunters by Kim-Mai Cutler
- Instagram will soon let you know just how much time you waste on it by Hanna Kozlowska
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-supported publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop
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Eugene wants to talk about the product line Sorry I Have No Filter launched by Sagmeister & Walsh to raise money for its not-for-profit Ladies, Wine & Design. Ladies, Wine & Design was started two years ago after Jessica Walsh got to the heart of some of the hate she was receiving. Charis is interested in an exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum called “Night Fever” that surveys night clubs in history and how they were important places for culture to grow.
- Sorry I Have No Filter
- Ladies, Wine & Design
- Step 07: Kill Them With Kindness By Jessica Walsh
- Jessica Walsh by Anita Magaña
Eugene and Charis catch up after a bit of a break in the regularly scheduled programming. Charis wants to talk about the lo-fi hip-hop community that emerged on YouTube. Eugene brings up the question of what it means to be an artist's muse.
- What It's Really Like To Be An Artist's Muse by Priscilla Frank
- YouTube & Chill: A Glimpse Into The World Of Lo-fi Hip-Hop by Kevin Cortez
What is MAEKAN?
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In MAEKAN It Up #042, Eugene welcomes a special guest in Scott Masek. With Charis traveling in San Francisco, Scott brings an opinionated point-of-view over a podcast that is packed with insights about Apple as an insurance company, the idea of performance testing for job optimization, and how helicopter parenting is affecting the future of society.
- Zuora IPO and how subscriptions changed how we do business
by Denis Pombriant - How USA could win the World Cup with an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain assist by Graham Parker
- Are Helicopter Parents Ruining a Generation?
by Julie Lythcott-Haims
In MAEKAN It Up #041, Eugene and Charis examine what it means for tech companies and consumers when innovative products get ripped off. We also look at the idea of conflicting opinions in the NY Times' Op-Ed section and what it means for critical analysis.
- Huawei’s wannabe AirPods look and feel good by Vlad Savov
- The real problem with the New York Times op-ed page: it’s not honest about US conservatism
by David Roberts
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Eugene and Charis tackle some recent big topics in this episode. First is a discussion of the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica Facebook news and what this means for the future of Facebook. Second is a dissection of the responses to Louis Vuitton appointing Virgil Abloh as its new artistic director of menswear.
- The Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, explained with a simple diagram by Alvin Chang
- Louis Vuitton Names Virgil Abloh as Its New Men’s Wear Designer
by Vanessa Friedman and Elizabeth Paton
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Charis listened to an episode of Invisibilia that resonated strongly with her. The episode discusses the UN-backed reality tv show held in Somalia with the goal of changing the population's perceptions of what's normal. Eugene wants to discuss why people in working environments don't ask for help and what creates bad work culture.
- The Other Real World by Invisibilia
- Why We Don’t Let Coworkers Help Us, Even When We Need It
Mark C. Bolino and Phillip S. Thompson
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While Eugene was traveling, Charis invited Scot Cheung to co-host an episode of MAEKAN It Up. In this episode, Charis talks with Scot about the ideas that author and culinary historian Michael Twitty puts forward in a video interview he did with Eater. Also, Scot wants to talk about how success on YouTube is hard to achieve and how even relative success doesn't bring in lots of money.
- Why Are People of Color Left Out of the American Food Story? by Jessica Valenti
- ‘Success’ on YouTube Still Means a Life of Poverty by Chris Stokel-Walker
What is MAEKAN?
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On MAEKAN It Up #037 Charis and Eugene discuss Drake's new music video for his song God's Plan, the premise of Derek Jeter's media enterprise The Player's Tribune which puts the narrative in the hands of the athletes, and why so many tech company logos are starting to resemble each other.
- Drake and the Strange Spectacle of Charity
- What Happens When Athletes Do The Sportswriting
On MAEKAN It Up #036, Charis wants to talk about the shifting nature of Asian-American identity and the history of that identity. She ties it to perceptions of Chloe Kim, the 17-year-old Korean-American snowboarder who took a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Another subject hit upon include Gidra, an Asian-American zine from the 1960's. Eugene brings up an op-ed by Tim Wu, professor at Columbia University and contributing opinion writer to The New York Times, called The Tyranny of Convenience.
- The Forgotten Zine of 1960s Asian-American Radicals by Jaeah J. Lee for Topic
- Kim Yo Jong, Chloe Kim, and the Shifting Images of Asian and Asian-Am
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On MAEKAN It Up #035, Charis talks about the pros and cons of higher education. Eugene and Charis work through whether higher education is a waste of money and time or not. Eugene brings up a book he came across called Hello Web Design which is written for non designers to understand the fundamentals of design. Should non designers learn design and what good comes from that?
- The World Might Be Better Off Without College for Everyone by Bryan Caplan
- Hello Web Books
Per usual, MAEKAN It Up features the individual illustrative talents of Charis and Eugene as they visualize the show's topics. Be inspired as you watch Eugene slowly improve week to week.
MAEKAN It Up draws from our topical newsletter “the Briefing,” published twice a week. You can subscribe to MAEKAN It Up and other audio storie
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On MAEKAN It Up #34, Charis is joined by Edward Barnieh while Eugene is out of town. They talk about the devaluation of writing as the result of contributor networks such as the one HuffPost used to run. The second half of the show has Charis and Edward discussing how China might start exporting their cultural goods.
- Goodbye, Contributor Network. And thanks for nothing by Jen A. Miller for Poynter.
- China wants to reshape the global order by Bill Bishop for Axios
Per usual, MAEKAN It Up features the individual illustrative talents of Charis and Eugene as they visualize the show's topics. Be inspired as you watch Eugene slowly improve week to week.
MAEKAN It Up draws from our topical newsletter “the Br
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On MAEKAN It Up #33, Charis and Eugene examine the Japanese concept of space and how it pertains to her own recent travels in Japan. On the flipside, we look at what it means to be an expert generalist and how it holds up to the 10,000 hour rule.
On MAEKAN It Up #32, Charis and Eugene record remotely and look at the normalization of grammar and spelling. Are we experiencing a new normal when it comes to how we communicate and the rules it entails? We also examine a personal essay by Hasselblad's Chief of Strategy and photographer Ming Thein, who discusses how he's viewed his photography career and work over the last few years in light of his successes working for big brands.
- The Revolution will not be proofread
- Creative integrity – or, the Struggling Artist Myth explained
Per usual, MAEKAN It Up features the indi
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On MAEKAN It Up #31, the first episode of 2018, Charis returns from holiday but is still located in Kyoto. Eugene and her discuss Rich Chigga, the 18-year old rapper from Jakarta changing his name to Rich Brian. They discuss what a name change signals and what role Asian rap plays. The second topic on the table are the pay-to-win mechanisms of GTA Online that allows players with deep pockets to purchase powerful weaponry and destroy weeks worth of grinding in unexpected moves. They discuss whether pay-to-win is fair and what makes a game fun.
- Rich Chigga Officially Changes His Name to Brian
- Rich Chigga Changes His Name To Brian & Drops New Single “See Me”
On MAEKAN It Up #30, we do our best to unpack the NY Times' expose on VICE and the unerlying issues that exist within company structures. There are no clear-cut answers, but we wonder how to best improve upon the situation and create balanced structures that are devoid of inequal opportunity. Almost 10 years ago, John C. Jay outlined his process behind empathy and how to best uncover meaningful relationships in culture. It all sounds strangely relevant in a time dominated by filter bubbles. We look into the words behind the short video and discuss how this philosophy is applicable more than ever today.
- At Vice, Cutting-Edge Media and Allegations of Old-School Sexual Harassment
On MAEKAN It Up #029, we explore the ramifications of a Disney and 20th Century Fox merger. We weigh the pros and cons and what this means for the creative landscape. We also look at the world of MUJI and why we feel it's such a compelling brand case study. Everywhere you go, the MUJI experience is generally the same and subsequently represents a nice snapshot of Japanese retail culture.
- Disney's Acquisition of Fox Could Change Streaming Forever
- Wikipedia: Kevin Smith
- Kevin Smith Reveals Clerks Budget
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On MAEKAN It Up #028, we delve into the idea of Apple pivoting into a hardware subscription service. Would you subscribe to the opportunity to have access to a full suite of Apple products, with all the fixings such as AppleCare, iCloud, and insurance thrown in? We also discuss new-found tools for journalism that focus on gamification. What does this mean for storytelling and when is it applicable?
- Apple needs to switch to a subscription model like Netflix to unleash the stock
- Volvo’s car subscription service sounds like good way to get the new XC40
On MAEKAN It Up #027, we try to take a non-tech approach to the week's topic and land on how one lady is fighting to preserve her tribe's cuisine. It somehow ended up being a food-focused episode as we explored the future of airplane food.
- How One Restaurant Owner Is Fighting for Her Tribe’s Cuisine
- Airline Food Conundrum – Paid Meals Winning Out Over Freebies
- Wikipedia: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
- Wikipedia: Poon Choi
Per usual, MAEKAN It Up features the individual
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On MAEKAN It Up #026, we take an deep look into the recent FCC movements around Net Neutrality. At its core who will this affect and in what capacity? We also acknowledge a piece of #fakenews they inadvertently highlighted. Our second topic discusses whether kids and the youth deserve a pass for some of the ignorant things they say online. Shouldn't our youth be about making mistakes and learning?
- Net Neutrality II: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Americans are spending Thanksgiving fighting for net neutrality
- Without net neutrality in Portugal, mobile int
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On MAEKAN It Up #025, we examine why we feel so compelled to put our hands on the artifacts at the museum and the purpose of touch in learning. Another topic we explore focuses on the factors that go into critical thought and the role of analysis and motivation.
- Why Can’t People Stop Touching Museum Exhibits?
- To think critically, you have to be both analytical and motivated
- Could eating like our ancestors make us healthier?
- Th
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On MAEKAN It Up #024, we go in-depth into what merchandise means for "non-fashion" brands such as apps, journalists, magazines and more. Is merchandise the key towards unlocking a new and potent revenue stream? We also look at the dark and twisted world of YouTube for children and what responsibilities YouTube has in the space.
- New York Magazine rolls out apparel with ONLY NY
- Narduwar's T-shirt
- Overcast the podcast app drops merch line
- Thrasher Mag's Jake Phelps and his Interview with HYPEBEAST
On MAEKAN It Up #023, look at some of the industry insights into ComplexCon 2017, a direct-to-consumer tradeshow around street culture. After a great debut in 2016, a series of incidents overshadowed an otherwise fascinating real-world insight into a culture that's been defined by what happens online. We also look into the recent news behind the shuttering of DNAinfo and Gothamist after its billionaire owner rejected a plea to unionize. What does this mean for the future of media when rich, powerful individuals can withdraw support at the drop of a hat?
- Bobby Hundreds' reflections on ComplexCon 2017
- Jeff Carvalho's insights on what transpired at ComplexCon
- <
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On MAEKAN It Up #022, we invite our first-ever guest, Mikey Scott to chop it up over the US military's adoption of video games as a high-level training tool. We also examine the relevance and meaning of iconic graphic designer Barbara Kruger's art project with the New York Mass Transit Authority (MTA).
- The Video Game That Could Shape the Future of War
- There's a Better Way to Board Planes
- Hey, quick question: Why are models so bad at planking?
On MAEKAN It Up #021 Charis co-hosts with special guest Nathan Kan. Nathan is an editor at MAEKAN and together with Charis they make it an episode all about dystopia. Charis talks about the Social Credit System in China that will soon assign ratings to all Chinese citizens. Nathan brings up the increased use of AI and hypothesizes about when robots might takeover creative jobs.
- Big data meets Big Brother as China moves to rate its citizens
- Black Mirror Season 3 Episode 1 "Nosedive"
On MAEKAN It Up #020 (we made it to episode 20 somehow), Eugene and Charis discuss the case for adding sneaker culture to the school curriculum based on its importance within youth and popular culture. Eugene manages to show how out of the loop he is when it comes to memes. Also, we explore how media companies currently strategize their push notifications and what are things we should be aware of.
- Why Sneaker Culture Should Be Taught in Schools
- Bella Hadid Goes Sneaker Shopping With Complex
- Hey, quick question: Why are models so bad at planking?
On MAEKAN It Up #019, Eugene and Charis discuss the future of "corporate" geo-tagging based on a recent project between Snapchat, and Jeff Koons' balloon dog sculpture. It incorporates insights from Sebastian Errazuriz, a Chilean artist and a designer based in New York City who's been outspoken on the role of brands in our digital public spaces. We also discuss the big picture behind Dropbox's colorful rebranding and the suggestion that Dropbox is losing its focus on product.
- Jeff Koons’ augmented reality Snapchat artwork gets ‘vandalized’
- Watch: Sebastian Errazuriz on corporate geo-tagging
On MAEKAN It Up #018, Eugene and Charis discuss an Apple Music interview that featured Jimmy Iovine, Zane Lowe, and Larry Jackson. Some interesting insights led them to dig deeper into how the future of streaming music will play out and Apple's positioning. Furthermore, we highlight a really great project that featured Daily Paper, a streetwear brand out of Amsterdam, and PUMA. The project focused on the creation of a football pitch in Ghana at an all-girls school as part of the 20th anniversary of sponsorship between PUMA and various African nations.
- Apple Music's Long Game: Why Jimmy Iovine Thinks They're 'Not Even Close' to Success With Streaming
On MAEKAN It Up #017, Eugene and Charis discuss the what it means for Coca-Cola to sponsor a video game character and how social media and technology has changed and normalized food reviews.
- Coca-Cola nets its first ever virtual athlete in Fifa 18’s rising star Alex Hunter
- What Coca-Cola's sponsorship of Fifa 18 virtual footballer Alex Hunter means for the future of influencers
On MAEKAN It Up #016, Eugene and Charis discuss the efforts by The Undefeated's photo editor Brent Lewis on improving diversity amongst photographers and the return of a familiar classic with Polaroid Originals.
- Diversity in Photojournalism: ‘Talk Is Cheap’ (4:37)
- Chicago Sun-Times fires photographers, gives reporters iPhone camera training
- Polaroid Originals
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On MAEKAN It Up #015, Eugene and Charis examine the cultural currency of objects, starting with a New Yorker magazine tote bag, and how Detroit's hiring of a Chief Storyteller makes us wonder about the idea of who can tell what stories amongst different demographics.
- How a free canvas tote became a bigger status symbol than a $10,000 Hermès bag (5:45)
- A Birkin Might Be a Better Investment Than the Stock Market (6:00)
- The New Yorker Subs
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On MAEKAN It Up #014, Eugene and Charis debut a new "collaborative" drawing and start the podcast off with some good news. Then they delve into what it means to decentralize social media with blockchain and cryptocurrencies. They cap things off by discussing the idea of "hard work" and what is the line drawn with working too hard.
- Decentralized social media is peer-to-peering into the future (5:45)
- steemit
- What is Blockchain and why are we exploring it at This Place?
Illustration by Charis Poon
On MAEKAN It Up #013, Eugene and Charis discuss the bold move by Black Girls Code to say no to a $125K USD donation from Uber, and how creatives should look at their relationship with money thanks to a 2Bobs podcast (shout out to Myke for putting us onto it).
- Eugene talks about the anxiety doing MAEKAN It Up (1:51)
- Black Girls Code says it turned down $125,000 from Uber (3:43)
- Black Girls Code
- Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber by Susan J. Fowler (4:45)
- Would you take money from somebody you didn't fundamentall
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Illustration by Charis Poon
On MAEKAN It Up #012, Eugene and Charis discuss the idea of creativity as we age and why a child-like approach to problem solving embraces psychedelic drugs and what does it mean for a PR agency like Derris to simultaneously invest and provide services for?
- Typhoon Hato talk in Hong Kong(1:00)
- Changes in cognitive flexibility and hypothesis search across human life history from childhood to adolescence to adulthood (2:45)
- What Happens to Creativity as we Age? (3:00)
- Exploitation vs. Exploration thinking (4:53)
On MAEKAN It Up #011, Eugene and Charis look into the different sides of streetwear released by churches, and what does it mean when a tech-based mindset that focuses on innovation over regulation enters food with the Impossible Burger?
- Recap of Alex and Eugene's presentations at the Taku & Dropbox 823 event in Tokyo (0:45)
- The results of the speed listening experiment (2:07)
- Slowing down audio during emotional moments (3:33)
- This American Life Episode (clip heard)
- When's the best time to speed listen? (4:40)
- Is church merch the next big thing in streetwear? (7:07)
On MAEKAN It Up #010, Eugene and Charis discuss whether we should "speed listen" to our podcasts, and what does it mean when meme media companies are popping up and financially supported by politics?
- Does speed listening compromise our comprehension of podcasts (4:20)
- Seven interviews with podcast heavyweights on speed listening (5:45)
- Overcast app, Eugene's preferred podcast app (7:25)
- Speed reading vs. speed listening (13:10)
- Twenty Thou
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On MAEKAN It Up #009, Eugene and Charis discuss:
- Nike issues A$AP Bari statement to GQ (2:00)
- WeTransfer looks to continue audio innovation by creating a $10,000 grant for ex-Soundcloud employees. (4:40)
- WeTransfer x Central Saint Martins Art Scholarship (6:28)
- WeTransfer x FKA Twigs (6:30)
MAEKAN It Up #007 returns with Eugene and Charis and Eugene are back in the same timezone, albeit they're a bit behind in releasing this latest MAEKAN It Up #007. But along the way, they've made some tweaks to the show. In this episode, Eugene and Charis reminisce over:
- 90s web design (05:00)
- The differences between web design then and now (9:00)
- The aesthetics of a website being part of a brand's identity (15:00)
- A$AP Bari's sexual assault allegations (25:00)
- How it relates to Nike's campaigns empowering females (27:00)
- How Nike should've reacted (30:00)
UPDATE: Since the recording of the show, Nike has issued a private statement over email to GQ announcing they're no longe
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On another weekly episode of MAEKAN It Up, Eugene and Charis discuss:
- A new social media creation camp in LA (05:00)
- The potential storytelling/communications skills that could be nurtured (07:00)
- The dangers that come with social media (14:00)
- Whether this camp will become important in the current social media era (21:00)
- Deloitte swapping out diversity advocacy groups for inclusion counsels (23:00)
- The potential benefits/downfalls and of this initiative (29:00)
As per usual, MAEKAN It Up features the individual illustrative talents of Charis and Eugene as they visualize the show's topics. Be inspired as you watch Eugene slowly improve week to week.
MAEKAN It Up draws from our topical newsletter “the Briefing,” published twice a week. You can subscribe to MAEKAN It Up and other audio s
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message
In this latest MAEKAN It Up, Eugene and Charis talk about the creation of a "Netflix for education," and whether there's a need or market for continued education that offers legitimate certification. We also delve into the role of awards in creative culture such as the Cannes Lions, and whether they've lost their true direction? Finally, we strip away the layers and investigate the reasons why a photographer would release his war photos for free after being unable to find a suitor for them.
As always, MAEKAN It Up features the individual illustrative talents of Charis and Eugene (not so much actually) as they visualize the show's topics.
MAEKAN It Up draws from our topical newsletter “the Briefing,” published twice a week. You can subscribe to MAEKAN It Up and other audio stories via your favorite podcast app or platform.
**Sh
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message**
In this latest cross-time zone MAEKAN It Up, Eugene and Charis talk about the latest casualty in long-form online publishing and the price of fame. With an inability to monetize effectively and a lack of journalistic support from the very industry it reports on, MTV News has recently cut its long-form content and pivoted toward video. On the somewhat less serious side, Brooklyn Beckham's become the laughing stock of photographers and the Internet itself with the release of his new photography book “what I see.”
As always, follow Eugene’s journey as the budding illustrator that never was as he learns (or fails to learn) from Charis’ example.
MAEKAN It Up draws from our topical newsletter “the Briefing,” published twice a week.You can subscribe to MAEKAN It Up and other audio stories via your favorite podcast app or platform.
MAEKAN It Up #004 continues despite timezone differences to tackle four topics inspired by our twice-a-week newsletter, the Briefing. This week we discuss Spotify’s relationship with major music labels and how it influences their playlists, Brian Anderson coming out and representations of sexuality in sport, the community formed around The Toast, and how net neutrality loses an outspoken advocate with Tumblr's CEO, David Karp.
MAEKAN It Up features Editor-in-Chief Eugene Kan, and MAEKAN Community Manager and Designer Charis Poon. The podcast uses our twice-a-week MAEKAN Briefings as a starting point from which we dig deeper into the meaning and impact of changes happening within creative culture.
As an added element, each week, Eugene and Charis will contribute on-the-spot illustrations of the topics heard over the course of the podcast
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maekanitup/message
MAEKAN It Up #003 tackles four topics inspired by our twice-a-week newsletter, the Briefing. Today we discuss the award-winning movie trailer Everything and the relationship between movies and gaming, the NY Times' AI-moderated commenting system, when sponsorship goes south due to politics, and TONL, a diversity-minded stock photography platform.
MAEKAN It Up features Editor-in-Chief Eugene Kan, and MAEKAN Community Manager and Designer Charis Poon. The podcast uses our twice-a-week MAEKAN Briefings as a starting point from which we dig deeper into the meaning and impact of changes happening within creative culture.
As an added element, each week, Eugene and Charis will contribute on-the-spot illustrations of the topics heard over the course of the podcast. Take away a new sense of confidence in yourself having seen Eugene's work.
MAEKAN It Up returns with #002 with a diverse range of discussion. We tackle the concept of news and what constitutes the best way to tell it, Wonder Woman's impact in the entertainment industry, Google's new fashion project, and Agnes Gund's remarkable Roy Lichtenstein art sale to create a new criminal justice fund.
MAEKAN It Up features Editor-in-Chief Eugene Kan, and MAEKAN Community Manager and Designer Charis Poon. The podcast uses our twice-a-week MAEKAN Briefings as a starting point from which we dig deeper into the meaning and impact of changes happening within creative culture.
As an added element, each week, Eugene and Charis will contribute on-the-spot illustrations of the topics heard over the course of the podcast. Take away a new sense of confidence in yourself having seen Eugene's work.
**Show Notes & L
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MAEKAN It Up marks the debut of our weekly podcast series featuring MAEKAN Editor-in-Chief Eugene Kan, and MAEKAN Community Manager and Designer Charis Poon. The podcast uses our twice-a-week MAEKAN Briefings as a starting point from which we dig deeper into the meaning and impact of changes happening within creative culture.
As an added element, each week, Eugene and Charis will contribute their illustrations of the topics made while recording and you can take away a new sense of confidence in yourself having seen Eugene's work. In #001: The Pilot Podcast, we look into Apple's latest releases at WWDC, whether art thrives under political turmoil, and what role Kodak can play in championing the analog arts.
Show Notes & Links