Last week, I saw more posts than I could count citing a study that claims Aug. 24 is the day of the year when the most people call out of work sick (or \u201csick\u201d).<\/p>\n
For what it is worth, I have not thoroughly vetted this study. It was conducted by an employee tracking company that offered few details about the scope of its findings, and it\u2019s the sort of too-slick data point that makes me a little wary. But, hey, anecdotally, I believe it. It\u2019s the last gasp of summer. Maybe your office is extra quiet. Maybe your city\u2019s energy feels a little lazier than usual. Maybe it\u2019s just you.<\/p>\n
There is a pet theory I\u2019ve long held about the internet. I will disclose upfront that it has absolutely zero scientific merit. The only peer review it has received is me telling my actual peers about it. You are now all my friends.<\/p>\n
My theory is that the summer makes for a boring internet. It\u2019s the worst time of year to be online. My feeds of late have felt like they have digital tumbleweeds rolling by.<\/p>\n
Which isn\u2019t to say this week hasn\u2019t had its moments. Below, you can read about how former President Donald Trump\u2019s mug shot rapidly became a meme \u2014 which, if you know anything at all about the internet, you saw coming from a mile away.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also recently become obsessed with DJ Mandy, the best\/worst D.J. on the internet. Insider called her mash-ups \u201cintentionally gawky.\u201d To even call them mash-ups is an insult to the art of mash-ups. Whatever they are, they\u2019re great. They hurt and satisfy my brain in equal measure.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also this piece from 404 Media about how Amazon is riddled with AI-generated mushroom foraging books that could get somebody killed. It has me terrified in new and fun(gi) ways. (Sorry, sorry.)<\/p>\n
Even my TikTok likes of late are sleepy. A recipe for potato salad. Tips for how to transfer my credit cards points to an airline rewards program. A video from a stylist who helps people determine what colors look best on them. Yawn!<\/p>\n
Looking through my likes I realized I\u2019d unintentionally been watching a lot of \u201cCall the Midwife,\u201d a years-old TV show I\u2019m now digesting in short clips from accounts devoted to bootlegging TV shows and movies. The show is heart-wrenching, but not exactly the weird and hyperspecific content I want from TikTok.<\/p>\n
Anyway, see you all online next week. Here\u2019s hoping we all get over our late summer malaise.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what else is happening online this week.<\/p>\n
Meet the influencer taking over men\u2019s tennis.<\/p>\n
The folding chair used in the Alabama riverfront brawl became a meme \u2014 and then a symbol of resistance.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s going on with dissociative identity disorder TikTok? (The Verge)<\/p>\n
Rizz alert. (Wall Street Journal)<\/p>\n
A new Illinois law requires the parents of underage social media influencers to set aside their earnings. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to enjoy the view. <\/span>(TikTok)<\/p>\n It has been hard to miss Trump\u2019s mug shot in the past week, that scowling, off-center photo that my colleague Vanessa Friedman described as \u201ca historic image that will be seared into the public record and referred to in perpetuity.\u201d Online, the mug shot is everywhere: It has been memed, yassified and de-aged.<\/p>\n Lately, a truly weird filter has taken off on TikTok that allows people to insert their own facial features into the mug shot. Here\u2019s an example that has more than two million views. People who are fans and opponents of Trump alike are posting videos of in which their faces softly melt into the outline of the mug shot, often with the song \u201cLocked Up\u201d by Akon in the background.<\/p>\n Apparently it\u2019s not enough to repost or even slap a new caption on a viral image anymore. To compete in today\u2019s meme ecosystem, you have to put yourself in the middle of the action.<\/p>\n \u2014 Callie Holtermann<\/em><\/p>\n Madison Malone Kircher<\/span> is a reporter for The Times. She writes about the internet for the Styles desk. More about Madison Malone Kircher<\/span><\/p>\n Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mugging for TikTok<\/h2>\n