The Tumblr Files - Official Thread - An exposé on the media and people that destroyed the Internet

[Paper Machete]

its shocking how much the actions of the niche individuals and communities in obscure, autistic areas can influence the flow of culture.

I think this has a lot to do with the fact the vast majority of internet users don't create any content or discussion at all. They participate or passively watch what others do. So the ones that are capable/willing of doing so have a much larger ripple effect regardless of how small their dedicated audience is.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

im skimming this shit and im getting ass-blasted by over a decade's worth of online bullshit that i've at least orbited and watched slowly eat the internet alive over the span of 15 years, its shocking how much the actions of the niche individuals and communities in obscure, autistic areas can influence the flow of culture.

Please keep working on this, I don't think there's anyone really doing any big dives on "how we got here".

Even though The Tumblr Files is complete, a few of the threads I hope to do in the future will also be deep dives into the Internet's past, and would follow a similar format.

 

[Talmudic Ketamine]

That was an amazing finale, Bruce. Infinite thanks for your efforts and +1.5 billion Izzat be upon thee. While reading the last case a sense of dread was coming up. Knowing how bad things online have come all because of—at the time—rather innocuous and insignificant events and personas.
Again, thank you for your efforts!

 

[tetraterezi]

I love nannerpuss. He should get a picture in the op.

 

[A Deer In Headlights]

That was a really nice retrospective on how Tumblr culture as a whole was able to break into the mainstream and how it's effects can still be felt today. As with any piece of history it's hard to claim that "this" is the reason why things got so bad, but there's no denying that it definitely played a huge contributing factor. Well done.

I was hoping for a more in-depth conclusion like Verizon's acquisition of Tumblr in 2017 and the subsequent adult-content ban and how it affected the community, but I did enjoy the video timeline that seemed to hit almost every notable internet event. You think you would do a part V if Tumblr ever got completely shutdown?

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

You think you would do a part V if Tumblr ever got completely shutdown?

I hope not.

 

[Coolio55]

Furaffinity user oob uploaded a furry character maker in March of 2016, and many of the furries on both GR’s Discord and adjacent groups would use characters made in it as profile pictures. As it just so happens, the artstyle present in the character creator, and oob’s art as a whole, isn’t too far off from the kimono-based fetish art that would spread through the Internet in the following years thanks to furry fetish games like Changed.

I assume you know this but it's ironic context that oob was a massive 8chan chud. There's even the 8chan furry mascot in there.

Epic Games’s Fortnite also followed in Overwatch’s footsteps by making its character models look more plasticky or look like they came from a Dreamworks movie.

Overwatch probably did influence things but Fortnite was always cartoony and in development hell for ages.
You can even see the infamous burger in the first trailer of the game.

 

[Markass the Worst]

That was a really nice retrospective on how Tumblr culture as a whole was able to break into the mainstream and how it's effects can still be felt today. As with any piece of history it's hard to claim that "this" is the reason why things got so bad, but there's no denying that it definitely played a huge contributing factor. Well done.

I was hoping for a more in-depth conclusion like Verizon's acquisition of Tumblr in 2017 and the subsequent adult-content ban and how it affected the community, but I did enjoy the video timeline that seemed to hit almost every notable internet event. You think you would do a part V if Tumblr ever got completely shutdown?

I'd like more documentation on Tumblr's CP problem. If you search it now it's just articles whining about the porn ban and not really addressing just how much child porn was on the platform.

 

[Newcomer 42]

Can't believe it's over. I would say that Bioware it's responsible somehow as their games were trailblazers on the whole woke tumblr insanity, but maybe it doesn't fit. Was MLP mentioned already?
I like how the furries are there no matter the situation, and they'll make things worse if not kept in check. As for Paper Mario being part of the insanity... Top kek.

The one hole I feel like could have been addressed was the Netflix version of Voltron, how it was such a popular series among tumblr with their Yaoi Fanfictions and then Tumblr getting pissed at them for not giving them what they want and causing drama with that, and I know that Rooster Teeth, particularly RWBY, had its fair share of Tumblr fans and tumblr shit taking it over as well. I think that whole trend of "Western Anime" could have been discussed somewhere. But irregardless this is still a very well detailed thing over all of this shit, and I am glad I took the plunge into reading all of it and understanding it.

I remember some whining about Legend of Korra also making the MC lesbian at the last second, but I never watched the first show anyway (even better, being gay became the normal). RWBY was pure cancer and it got worse.

• Since search engines can't index Discord, it technically fits the definition of deep web There are entire communities that are buried inside Discord. There was a post about it in the search engines thread.

Once Discord collapses, FUN will happen.

My main takeaway for what the thesis of this thread has been is the slow, but ultimately relatively short change in broader "Internet culture" going from cynicism, irreverence, anonymity, while also simultaneously its users not taking themselves too seriously and enjoying and embracing a shared love of niche popular culture interests; to one of toxic positivity, ecelebrity, no anonymity and in fact building a "brand", the politics of identity that can be exploited for personal gain, not offending anybody yet offending everybody, and extreme anger and rage.

Yeah, at some point, net users became permanently enraged and bitter. The ease how you can be doxed and how often it's the first choice to counter your arguments is disturbing. At some point I also noticed that people wouldn't bother with different nicks, using the same one for everything.

REEsetera is also to blame for everything.

Even though The Tumblr Files is complete, a few of the threads I hope to do in the future will also be deep dives into the Internet's past, and would follow a similar format.

Please post them here when you do.

 

[LarpBait]

Even though The Tumblr Files is complete, a few of the threads I hope to do in the future will also be deep dives into the Internet's past, and would follow a similar format.

when are we getting the full internet culture and influence history breakdown? I adore this format of internet archeology and sociology.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

when are we getting the full internet culture and influence history breakdown? I adore this format of internet archeology and sociology.

Even I have my limits, man.

 

[LarpBait]

Even I have my limits, man.

null make one trillion dollars so you can fund this man's documentation work NOW

jokes aside, i will be awaiting whatever next you put out, if its anything like this, its bound to be kino

 

[Local User]

This whole series proves that Kiwi Farms is one of the best places for archives strangely enough, sources and everything explained in detail. Bravo man, Bravo

 

[Lizard With a Stupid Hat]

I think this has a lot to do with the fact the vast majority of internet users don't create any content or discussion at all. They participate or passively watch what others do. So the ones that are capable/willing of doing so have a much larger ripple effect regardless of how small their dedicated audience is.

I've mostly disconnected from the internet outside of KF but in recent months I've been thinking thoughts similar to this, especially after reading through this thread. I feel like if anything can steer things right, it's to encourage kiwis and any likeminded old internet nerds to create. Not big, shiny projects, not aimed rhetoric trying to counter this or debate political ideas, just create dumb silly shit and let it propagate. Look at how many 4chan memes ended up in the early games repainted stuff and how many memes kicking around now in normie/progressive circles even trace their origins to 4chan.

Seeing it all laid out like this is fascinating and infuriating, but I think it's also gonna push me to be more active in the community threads or contribute something silly to the next game or comic jam. Instead of giving up and yelling about it, focus that energy on contributing.

This thread has shown how a handful of influential weirdos has shaped internet culture, maybe we can get one of our weirdos in there on accident, at least to do something funny.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

I feel like if anything can steer things right, it's to encourage kiwis and any likeminded old internet nerds to create. Not big, shiny projects, not aimed rhetoric trying to counter this or debate political ideas, just create dumb silly shit and let it propagate. Look at how many 4chan memes ended up in the early games repainted stuff and how many memes kicking around now in normie/progressive circles even trace their origins to 4chan.

Instead of giving up and yelling about it, focus that energy on contributing.

My thoughts exactly. Too many people on this site waste their time complaining about trivial stuff, rather than acting on anything. Even if that may partially be because of this site's iron-clad policy against gay-ops, I'm kind of surprised KiwiFarms hasn't had a greater impact on pop culture given how much the site has grown post-Keffals.

 

[The_Bladder_Splatter]

Timeline.mp4

This made me feel dread, it may look like your typical doomscroll before a Post-Apocalyptic movie, but it is real and happened to internet culture.... no to society in general

 

[The_Bladder_Splatter]

The Tumblr Files is a great example of why the Butterfly Effect in my eyes is an absolutely valid. Actions we take now can have further consequences down the line, some of which can be catastrophic on a level that most people cannot comprehend or navigate while others allow for everything to work out in the end.

Can you belive all this shit we live today is the result of Hegel's schizo ramblings in the 19th century?

 

[Talmudic Ketamine]

Can you belive all this shit we live today is the result of Hegel's schizo ramblings in the 19th century?

You got me curious. What specific Hegel's ramblings got us into this mess? All I know about him is the thesis-antithesis-synthesis thing.

 

[The_Bladder_Splatter]

You got me curious. What specific Hegel's ramblings got us into this mess? All I know about him is the thesis-antithesis-synthesis thing.

This video will explain in detail

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

We have officially made it to 1000 posts and 50 pages. The reception to The Tumblr Files definitely went beyond any exceptions I had when I started this project over a year ago. Again, I can't thank you all enough for your support.