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

[A Pale Shadow]

This is mainly about dissecting the cultural aspects of the Internet and the media that influences it.

The internet was a mistake. To make a really long story short, I'm a firm believer that the biggest central problem of civilization is that technology and society have outgrown our monkey brains that are meant to be chucking spears at gazelles in a friend and social group no bigger than 100 or so. The internet has enabled us to be connected like never before in history, and our minds are not equipped for that level of knowledge. Our brains do really poorly outside the scale of that primitive social group, and it makes a lot of us go pretty crazy.

Now this isn't to say I'm a total Luddite, you'd be a fool to deny the good modern civilization has done, and the internet absolutely can be used for personal good with moderation. But there's the rub. Most people don't have the discipline to self moderate. They gleefully indulge in tik tok shorts, rage bait, social media propaganda, and all other manner of slop.

 

[Newcomer 42]

The two big ones I think you'd have to tackle is the Deviant Art and the OC/fanart side of the fandom and Arin Hanson. I think the art side did things is...pretty self explanatory. Arin Hanson on the other hand I think has shaped the discourse around the series for a decade whether he intended to or not. He's bad at games and a shit commentator, but clueless kids who aren't old enough to remember the game's he plays take his word as authoritative gospel.

Don't forget Chrischan. And Ken Penders, who although he focused mostly on the comic stuff, I'm sure he made the fandom insane by his own insane takes.

Now this isn't to say I'm a total Luddite, you'd be a fool to deny the good modern civilization has done, and the internet absolutely can be used for personal good with moderation. But there's the rub. Most people don't have the discipline to self moderate. They gleefully indulge in tik tok shorts, rage bait, social media propaganda, and all other manner of slop.

Social networks are to blame. Internet was good back when only nerds were online. Clearly, Dune and related were onto something with the idea of intentionally limiting tech to ensure a harsh environment that would raise strong and capable people.

 

[A Pale Shadow]

And Ken Penders, who although he focused mostly on the comic stuff, I'm sure he made the fandom insane by his own insane takes.

In my opinion, the Archie/SATAM side of the fandom is the most degenerate and psychotic of the bunch. And Penders' is directly responsible for feeding that for a decade and some change with his weirdly sexual storylines in a child's tie-in comic. I'll die on the hill that Sally Acorn would be a by and large forgotten character without Penders' run of the comic, and by extension Sally is one of the great furry gateways alongside Lola Bunny and Krystal.

Social networks are to blame. Internet was good back when only nerds were online. Clearly, Dune and related were onto something with the idea of intentionally limiting tech to ensure a harsh environment that would raise strong and capable people.

I don't allow my son internet access at all and plan to avoid giving him a phone for as long as possible. Even then it'll be a prepaid dumb phone. With any luck he won't have a smart device until he's an adult and will by then be able to self moderate a bit.

 

[Outer Space Traveller]

Even though all 4 files are done, I would definitely like to keep this thread alive somehow. Remember, the 4 cases are meant to double as a foundation for the rest of the site to build upon. Fill free to do your own research. The stuff we uncovered about Undertale/Toby and co. is a good example of that. There are also a few smaller things I'm open to writing about in the future that I wasn't able to cover in the cases, or further elaborate upon that I didn't previously.

While discussions about how this stuff stems back to post WWII ideology/colleges/etc. is neat and all, I feel it would be a better fit for its own thread. This is mainly about dissecting the cultural aspects of the Internet and the media that influences it.

I like it, how can it be best kept alive, through updates or new findings?

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

I like it, how can it be best kept alive, through updates or new findings?

Both, but I would appreciate if frequent posters in the thread could bring forth new findings or info that's relevant/adjacent to what I covered. For example, doing more research on Tumblr's impact on the retro gaming fandom. I've already talked about it a few times, but have yet to do any serious research into it myself. Another example would be doing more research into Auntie Pixelante. He's been mentioned on this thread a few times by Coolio, and was even cahoots with Phil Fish back in the day.

If you want, I could post a few Tumblr blogs you could all skim through for any leads.

 

[Aero the Alcoholic Bat]

The internet was a mistake. To make a really long story short, I'm a firm believer that the biggest central problem of civilization is that technology and society have outgrown our monkey brains that are meant to be chucking spears at gazelles in a friend and social group no bigger than 100 or so. The internet has enabled us to be connected like never before in history, and our minds are not equipped for that level of knowledge. Our brains do really poorly outside the scale of that primitive social group, and it makes a lot of us go pretty crazy.

Now this isn't to say I'm a total Luddite, you'd be a fool to deny the good modern civilization has done, and the internet absolutely can be used for personal good with moderation. But there's the rub. Most people don't have the discipline to self moderate. They gleefully indulge in tik tok shorts, rage bait, social media propaganda, and all other manner of slop.

I often wonder if somehow the internet got factory reset, or more accurately, something destroyed the internet infrastructure (like a solar flare) if the internet we would replace it with would wind up being better because we would have learned from our mistakes the first time.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

I often wonder if somehow the internet got factory reset, or more accurately, something destroyed the internet infrastructure (like a solar flare) if the internet we would replace it with would wind up being better because we would have learned from our mistakes the first time.

All we would have to do to "reset" the Internet is to close down every currently active social media site. Facebook, TwiXer, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, BlueSky, and especially Reddit.

 

[Coolio55]

I often wonder if somehow the internet got factory reset, or more accurately, something destroyed the internet infrastructure (like a solar flare) if the internet we would replace it with would wind up being better because we would have learned from our mistakes the first time.

They'd replace it with the Iphone internet. Pockets like us are the "problem", not everything becoming an avenue to sell you stuff and lie to you.

 

[Noto Bok]

Warchamp7

That name was like a flash bang to me.
He was a member of the Trolling/Griefing group 'Team Avolition'.
I remember watching their Minecraft griefing videos. They're a fun watch, though my standards for entertainment have changed since, I still find them funny.
I know there's a video where he explains he got trolls remorse.

 

[harmy.kook]

They'd replace it with the Iphone internet. Pockets like us are the "problem", not everything becoming an avenue to sell you stuff and lie to you.

I think it's comparable to the information and tech locked behind the Black Wall in Cyberpunk.

Too valuable to completely be rid of, but hated by everyone.

 

[The_Bladder_Splatter]

yet behind the scenes he berated a ton of women and treated them poorly anyway,

Late reply, but we can also point out the man was such a fedora that he is also alleged to specially harass and mock people who where religious in his productions

 

[Obscene Majesty]

Excellent writeup! This really helped make sense of how "Woko Haram" won the culture war over the last decade; though I do have one thing to add that I think contributed quite a bit on the Tumblr fandom side of things.

Love Live: School Idol Project. The 2014 anime produced by Sunrise and Lantis.

You touched on it briefly when going over Triple-Q and the mashup community in Case II, but I think its influence went a bit deeper than that. "Shipping" has always been a core part of Tumblr culture. Anyone who was within sniffing distance of the Love Live fandom, especially on Tumblr, was bombarded with yuri shipping; perhaps more than any other anime that was starting to gain traction in the West around that time. I think this is due in part to Love Live not having any major male protagonists that might've made for potential love interests; and the yuri fujos went CRAZY for it.

https://cloggie.org/wissewords2/2020/12/20/love-live-has-always-been-queer/

Neither the original show, or any of its spinoffs were explicitly "gay-coded" according to the franchise creators; but that didn't stop Tumblr from viewing the show through their rainbow-colored lenses and trying to claim it as a "queer anime".

I'm sure this is a hell of a rabbit hole to dive into; but unfortunately I don't quite have the time to conduct a thorough deep-dive.

 

[The_Bladder_Splatter]

Neither the original show, or any of its spinoffs were explicitly "gay-coded" according to the franchise creators; but that didn't stop Tumblr from viewing the show through their rainbow-colored lenses and trying to claim it as a "queer anime".

You mean western intersectional theory?

 

[Obscene Majesty]

You mean western intersectional theory?

I think it's more of a case of yuri-obsessed lesbians projecting their own sexuality/fetishes onto characters out of a narcissistic desire to "see themselves represented" in the media they consoom. As a franchise, Love Live was explicily designed to avoid any and all hints of direct romance within the show so that all of the most hardcore otaku will readily continue to empty their wallets for their waifus. Real life Japanese idol groups operate the same way, with many making their members sign contracts that explicity fobid them from dating.

I've noticed this has two different effects on either side of the Pacific. In Japan, it results in otakus forming parasocial relationships with their chosen waifu; while in the West you get the LGBTQIAPZ+ community shipping everyone with everyone.

 

[Coolio55]

You touched on it briefly when going over Triple-Q and the mashup community in Case II, but I think its influence went a bit deeper than that. "Shipping" has always been a core part of Tumblr culture. Anyone who was within sniffing distance of the Love Live fandom, especially on Tumblr, was bombarded with yuri shipping; perhaps more than any other anime that was starting to gain traction in the West around that time. I think this is due in part to Love Live not having any major male protagonists that might've made for potential love interests; and the yuri fujos went CRAZY for it.

https://cloggie.org/wissewords2/2020/12/20/love-live-has-always-been-queer/

Neither the original show, or any of its spinoffs were explicitly "gay-coded" according to the franchise creators; but that didn't stop Tumblr from viewing the show through their rainbow-colored lenses and trying to claim it as a "queer anime".

I'm sure this is a hell of a rabbit hole to dive into; but unfortunately I don't quite have the time to conduct a thorough deep-dive.

It wasn't just Love Live. It was MLP: FiM. Touhou.
Basically any "Slice of Life" thing with a mostly female cast.
Fuck it. Any piece of media with more than one female character.

I think it's more of a case of yuri-obsessed lesbians projecting their own sexuality/fetishes onto characters out of a narcissistic desire to "see themselves represented" in the media they consoom.

You say that ...but there was also an army of greasy beta-males fawning over it because they're technically sitting in the corner chair.
Paradoxically, it's something you're implicitly supposed to be aroused by - and the only such thing allowed in modern media - but "non-objectifying" and "non-toxic" because you "aren't".

Otherwise, anything is allowed during a Lesbian relationship. It's like "The Purge" but for the writer's creepy sexual hangups.

It's such a multifaceted bugbear; roots tangled through modern writing, modern sexuality and modern society as a whole.
It nicely encapsulates the malicious social order we're currently living in ...and it keeps showing up!
You could write an entire book on it. There's weird skin-crawling details wherever you pry.

 

[A Pale Shadow]

Shipping" has always been a core part of Tumblr culture. Anyone who was within sniffing distance of the Love Live fandom, especially on Tumblr, was bombarded with yuri shipping; perhaps more than any other anime that was starting to gain traction in the West around that time

It's such a multifaceted bugbear; roots tangled through modern writing, modern sexuality and modern society as a whole.
It nicely encapsulates the malicious social order we're currently living in ...and it keeps showing up!
You could write an entire book on it. There's weird skin-crawling details wherever you pry.

Okay this is going to sound insane, but bare with me here. This issue goes somewhere deeper, and I think I'm uniquely qualified to discuss it. Love Live? Tumblr? No the hypersexual shipping obsessed culture you see in today's fandom spaces grows from something deeper, darker, and more insidious. Something I think would also be worth a dedicated write up in a thread like this. Fanfiction.

All this shit is the fanfiction community spilling over into the greater internet. Creepy obsession with who's fucking who or who could fuck who, broken down in autistic detail? Fanfiction. LGBTLMNOP jamming sexual relations in every non-romantic relationship ever? Fanfiction is the biggest breading ground for that you'll ever see, and they've been doing it for half a century when fanfiction as we know it today sprang out of Star Trek zines and incubated on the early Internet.

Shit infects everything. I don't know how much you guys read for funsies, but it's utterly infested western literature. The plague of horny New York times best sellers like Morning Glory Milking Farm a few months back is just fanfiction culture spilling into the mainstream. It's hyper specific sexual fetishes refined and weaponized, and these people spend so much time getting off on it they can't have normal relations anymore. Shit gets in literature, shit gets in anime, shit gets in western television.

Now I know you're not supposed to power level, but higher up in this thread I said that I was balls deep in several red flag hobbies and fandoms that usually indicate pure degeneracy, but I've somehow remained unaffected by it. Fanfiction is one of them. It's been my dirty little secret since the 90's and I've come out of it without any weird fetishes and a virulent hatred for the gay community. This is why I know. I've had a front row seat to the this bullshit for decades.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

"Shipping" has always been a core part of Tumblr culture. Anyone who was within sniffing distance of the Love Live fandom, especially on Tumblr, was bombarded with yuri shipping; perhaps more than any other anime that was starting to gain traction in the West around that time. I think this is due in part to Love Live not having any major male protagonists that might've made for potential love interests; and the yuri fujos went CRAZY for it.

Neither the original show, or any of its spinoffs were explicitly "gay-coded" according to the franchise creators; but that didn't stop Tumblr from viewing the show through their rainbow-colored lenses and trying to claim it as a "queer anime".

Based on what I know, this 1000% bled into the culture that SiIvaGunner fostered, since it and Triple-Q single-handedly popularized it amongst the aspiring mid-2010s "meme community."

 

[Ayana Otonashi]

That name was like a flash bang to me.
He was a member of the Trolling/Griefing group 'Team Avolition'.
I remember watching their Minecraft griefing videos. They're a fun watch, though my standards for entertainment have changed since, I still find them funny.
I know there's a video where he explains he got trolls remorse.

Team Avolition reunited some years ago in a couple griefing campaigns in 2b2t and pay to win servers btw

 

[Noto Bok]

Team Avolition reunited some years ago in a couple griefing campaigns in 2b2t and pay to win servers btw
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bYaUiFd7eFo

From what I can tell, most of the group has gone off to do their own things.
The video you shared is Storm_surge (the main view point/recorder/camera guy) of the group joining newer 2b2t griefing groups for a griefing. So, it's less of a reunion and more of a collaboration with new blood.
Nowadays, as far as I know, Storm_surge, Krysk, and someone else, do Sea of Thieves trolling.

Anyway, I'll drop this topic, since it's off-topic.

 

[I_Am_Not_Bruce_Willis]

Anyway, I'll drop this topic, since it's off-topic.

Except Warchamp7 is both the founder of Smashboards, and a member of Japan Time, a Smash Bros. and Nintendo-focused podcast, which also includes other YTers like RogersBase, ZEF, GamesCage, and ARUUU. I'll have to write about it, sometime.