From The Diving Board

Earlier this year, Avi Schiffman’s poster campaign for his brand Friend—an AI-pendant promising to “listen, respond, and support you”—was vandalised almost as soon as it hit New York’s subway walls. Yet while critics mocked the idea of an artificial ‘friend,’ Schiffman smiled; the backlash was part of the plan. In this video, we unpack the loneliness epidemic, what friendship looks like under neol...

A few weeks ago, British Vogue did the impossible - she broke the internet with long form content. The article was called ‘Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now?’ and everyone had something to say about it. Today we’re unpacking the theme of ‘decentering men’ from a slightly different angle - is it men we should blame, or systems of patriarchy & capitalism (& can it be both?) Huge thank y...

thank you for watching!! xx Follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Tiktok <3 Source list found on YouTube. Business enquiries only: charlichats@outlook.com timestamps: 00:00 intro 04:16 Bali, the Paradise Myth & moral absolutism 15:40 influencers in Afghanistan 21:48 ‘self discovery’ through tourism 26:40 do travel boycotts work? 33:50...

Why is it that women are far more likely than men to have 'buy now pay later' debt? From morally questionable 'girl math' advertising to rebrand debt as 'cute,' to regulatory loopholes and sneaky marketing - let's dive into the world of buy now pay later. We'll also unpack whether the buy now pay later industry has 'commercialised' social welfare payments, and take a look at recent regulatory amen...

Ocean Vuong recently stated that cringe culture is holding us back from following our dreams - but why is the fear of being cringe so pervasive among young people right now? A chit chat podcast episode unpacking surveillance culture, our obsession with being 'nonchalant' and widespread apathy, and how these factors may influence our fear of judgment. Thank you for listening!! So curious to hear yo...

Unpacking nostalgia as both a cultural coping mechanism and a political tool, to examine its role in shaping online identity as well as mobilising conservative political movements. Follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ <3 Source list found on YouTube. Business enquiries only: charlichats@outlook.com #tradwife #tradwives #2016core #nostalgia #genz #genalpha...

What I've been reading recently & whether I think they're worth the hype (they are) xxxx Follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram, ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ <3 Source list found on YouTube. Business enquiries only: charlichats@outlook.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do Sydney Sweeney & American Eagle's 'good jeans' advert and Jojo Siwa's constant rebranding suggest about personal branding, outrage marketing, and the commodification of identity? Is there ever anything harmless about profiting off of anger and outrage? And how does this look in an era of increasing political polarisation, echo chambers and rising intolerance? Follow along on ⁠⁠⁠Instagr...

Why do relationships feel so strained right now? Let's unpack the capitalist history of marriage, the nuclear family, and why centring platonic friendship could be the solution we all need right now. Also... we have been selected as a Spotify RADAR Creator!! THANK YOU for supporting FDB - so much love! Follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram, ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ <3 Source list found on YouTube. B...

What does the Bezos-Sanchez wedding represent in an era of major wealth inequality, and what's the solution? Let's unpack whether charitable donations by the extreme wealthy are enough, what taxing the rich really means, and whether billionaires should exist...at all. Based on the incredible theory of limitarianism by Dr Ingrid Robeyns. Follow along on ⁠Instagram, ⁠ ⁠Substack⁠ , ⁠YouTube⁠ <3 So...

Gen Z have decided that Carrie Bradshaw is the ultimate villain & should be booted off SATC. Yet without her flaws, would Carrie even be worth watching? Let's unpack the unrealistic standards that we hold female protagonists to, and why now, more than ever, we need more flawed female characters on screen. Follow along on Instagram, Substack , YouTube <3 Source list found on YouTube. Bus...

The Cannes Film Festival decency rules brought a conversation about 'decency' in fashion, and whether celebrities have gone 'too far' in revealing their bodies on the red carpet. Is this just another case of policing what women wear? Or does the conversation run deeper - how are women's bodies portrayed in public spaces, and who gets to undress? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I quit TikTok! So I'm sharing the long form media I've been consuming instead of (or in addition to... let's be honest,) doomscrolling. Listen to hear my recommendations on books, substack pieces & articles to read at the moment! Follow me on Instagram , Substack & YouTube ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psst! Did you hear? Gossip may not be AS bad as you think it is - well... in certain contexts, and depending on whose talking... actually I just heard this on the grapevine & may not have the facts straight so you should probably just listen to find out more... From rumour spreading & slander to whisper networks that exist to support oppressed people in society - what do we actually mean w...

Why are teens using wrinkle cream before they have wrinkles? Why is baby botox booming before 25? How does politics shape our views about beauty? From anti-aging influencers to a total erasure of older women in media, this video unpacks how our culture turned aging into a crisis... and why we’re so scared of it happening to us. socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charli.chats...TikTok: h...

From Ozempic to the pilates body to the AI chubby filter on TikTok, it's no question that our social media feeds are starting to give mid-2000s (in the worst possible way). It feels like we're collectively unlearning any efforts to achieve body positivity and neutrality, and I want to know why. Are beauty trends a microcosm for what's happening in the political and social zeitgeist, and if so, wha...

Let's get chatty about the quarter life crisis. Are you in it? Or are we just living in an era of excessive self-optimisation culture, cost of living increases and an obsession with anti-aging... Instagram: @charli.chats TikTok: @ charlichatss Substack: https://charlichats.substack.com/ #quarterlifecrisis #genz #selfoptimisation #tiktoktrends See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamala is brat, Trump has weird vibes and Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half time performance was political commentary. Today we're unpacking how pop culture & politics are barely distinguishable, whether modern media has shaped this, and what the 'attention economy' means for culture. This episode was inspired by OliSUNvia, "drowning in entertainment: the age of distraction", https://www.youtub...

From Victoria Beckham’s working class childhood to gentrification in the streets of Fitzroy Melbourne… what’s with the obsession with appearing less wealthy than you really are? Let's unpack quiet luxury, 'homeless chic', Naarm-core and what this all means in the context of an oligarchy & increasingly splintered leftist spaces... timestamps:00:00 intro02:42 quiet luxury in different fonts10:31...

Welcome back to From The Diving Board! In this episode I reflect on my experience solo travelling & unpack what loneliness means, and how it differs from solitude… Follow me on Instagram . #loneliness #solotravel #alone #lonely #lonelinessepidemic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Sonny Angels to Stanley Cups, gen z has a new(ish) obsession with collecting things. But when does collecting become overconsuming, and who do we blame for its impacts? Is overconsumption always bad? Let's dive in! Follow me on Instagram & TikTok . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are tanlines trending on social media, where does this beauty trend come from, and what does it suggest about race, class & health? Follow me on Instagram . #Tanning #SkinCancerAwareness #BeautyStandards #Blackfishing #ArianaGrande #Kardashians #TanlinesTrend See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to From the Diving Board! What’s on my bingo card for 2025? We’re talking pop culture, internet trends, politics and media. A big shoutout to Nicky Reardon for the inspiration, you can find his video linked here . Follow me on Instagram . #trendpredictions #media #fashion #internetculture #jojosiwa #narasmith See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to From The Diving Board! In this video, we use the recent controversy surrounding Matilda Djerf and Djerf Avenue as a diving board to investigate the world of influencer-led fashion brands at large. With a rising sense of disillusionment about influencer-led fashion brands, we take a deeper look at the challenges these brands face in meeting customer expectations. Is it possible for...

Welcome to From The Diving Board! In this episode we explore the intersection of conservative values, choice feminism and traditional gender roles across mormon trad wife content and ‘girl’ culture on social media. Is it okay to enjoy this content under the guise of irony? Or are we dehumanising the experience of womanhood? Let’s dive in. Follow me on Instagram. #tradwives #narasmith #ballerinafar...