I wrote a few weeks back about a major blowup that happened in the historical costuming community, when a prominent member outed herself as a bigot. This is only one of many recent events that seem to be constantly shaking this subculture, likely as its membership grows and changes, and as it responds more to and reflects more the social issues that are on everyone’s lips these days. As Bo Burnham has observed, the outcome of all this pain and consternation is more content. Lots and lots of videos about racism, whitewashing, colonialism, and of course the global system of capitalism. Those videos all essentially express the same message: history, especially European and North American history, is not as white as we have been told, and we need to reflect that more, even in play.
Read MoreTag: the internet
The loneliness of creative work
A few months late to the party, I finally watched Bo Burnham’s Inside. And then I watched it again. And then I listened to the soundtrack on repeat for several weeks.
Read MorePerformative outrage and its discontents
Hey, have you heard of this thing called cancel culture?
Read MoreEverything I could say feels trivial
The US had an attempted coup on Wednesday.
Read MoreWhat is historical research in the internet age?
How the digital age is democratizing history, and spreading misinformation.
Read More "What is historical research in the internet age?"
This dissertation is brought to you by…
A running list of things/people that have been sustaining me for the past year, in no particular order: Read More
