Is Quora on death’s doorstep?
The platform once deemed a barometer for quality responses to user queries has lost its way. AI is largely responsible – in more ways than one. Have you ever heard of ‘Dead Internet Theory?’ It subscribes to the idea that both bots and content created by algorithms will soon overtake the...
Current in Offbeat
Why do we love mocking scam victims online?
You can try and deny it, but we love laughing in the face of innocent scam victims. The more elaborate the scam, the louder the taunts. But at a time when anti-bullying agendas are everywhere, why are we so quick to mock the internet's most vulnerable? A very shoddy photoshop...
US court rules that elephants are not people
A court has ruled that five elephants from Colorado zoo are not people after an animal rights group argued that they were effectively imprisoned. A court has ruled that elephants are not legally regarded as people. This bizarre judgement is the result of an ongoing bid to free five elephants...
Is crochet anti-capitalist?
Are we so obsessed with watching other people document their creativity for profit that we’re unable to separate our own creativity from capitalism? Crochet has gone through several evolutions since its (debated) origins in Europe. It is widely agreed that Chinese craftsmen introduced a needlework style known as tambouring to...
Is it really lonely at the top?
It’s long been posited that money can’t buy happiness – apart from maybe the £9.90 it costs for prescribed antidepressants – but can alienation caused by excessive wealth harm our ability to form interpersonal connections? The other day I was walking through the display rooms in a well-known, Swedish, affordable...
Opinion – Gen Z are becoming more about crochet than clubbing
Gen Z seem to be more about crochet than clubbing these days. When did this shift happen and what are the probable causes, though? I love going out. I love the loud music and the pulsating walls. I love dark rooms and sporadic lighting. I love the throng of...
‘Fogvid’ was our favourite conspiracy theory of 2024
As barmy conspiracies go, Fogvid 24 made a late play for the title of most baseless and far-fetched of 2024. Let’s get into the details still spreading throughout the tendrils of Facebook. Last year was a great year for conspiracy theories, creatively speaking – in terms of plausibility, perhaps not. In April, Elon Musk apparently replaced pigeons with AI-powered drones to gather data for Space X, Taylor Swift was outed...
The power of swearing in positions of powerlessness
Is being explicit how we cope with how out of control things are – and how out of control we feel? Recently, internationally acclaimed Irish popstar CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) posted an Instagram story responding to someone who criticised how much she swears on social media. She explained that, sometimes, when there’s nothing else you can do to relieve yourself from the shittyness of a situation (like an underpaid job that...
Exploring Mexico’s tradition of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
When culture, tradition, and religion meet From October 13th to December 12th, the streets of Nuevo Leon, Mexico are painted with colors, street vendors, and food stalls in preparation for the hundreds of pilgrimages arriving at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe. When we think of Mexican celebrations, what comes to mind is usually the Day of the Dead, a celebration characterized by the fact that anyone can celebrate it,...
Exploring how cultural traditions encourage violence and sexism
To what extent can violence be justified by cultural tradition? Traditions are bits of knowledge, beliefs, or customs that are passed down through generations. They help children form their identity and create a sense of belonging within a community, while keeping alive the cultural heritage of our regions. However, many traditions of the past – some of which have been handed down to our present generation – have sexist and violent...
