Rec | CORNINESS & CRINGE

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I'm of the mind that the fear of being corny or cringe will eventually lead to excessive uniformity and a general aversion to risk taking. Like "such and such is so cringe" so it's probably safer to do nothing instead.
This is impossible to say without mad clichés and platitudes but let me try to cook for a second.
I think that detaching yourself from the thoughts of others is very freeing. None of our decisions are made in a vacuum and we’re all going to be influenced by something, but redirecting your thought process back towards "what do EYE like/enjoy?” and away from "what do other people THINK about the things I like/enjoy?" has become a healthy reset for me.
I’ve also been thinking about the amount of art we’ve probably lost out on because someone internalized or felt discouraged by a negative reaction to something that shares a similar vision or concept. I feel that dislike is a guarantee with everything. It’s very easy to do and it’s bonding (I do it all the time) but it also helps me realize that there are always going to be things that someone hates and letting that stop you from doing things that bring you joy, will inevitably kill your spirit.
I can’t imagine a world where Viola Davis didn’t cry until she was covered in snot and out of breath, or where Jim Carrey didn’t act with his entire body, or where Madonna never rolled around on stage in a wedding dress. A lot of those choices came from doing what other people at the time wouldn’t do. Behaviors that people believed were worthy of contempt.
Thinking about how if Joni Mitchell didn’t write Blue, Fiona might not have written When The Pawn, and SZA might not have written Ctrl, or what would happen if any of them fell into the belief that honesty and vulnerability were cringeworthy acts or something you should run from.
People respect a full SEND. If there’s a question of whether or not you should send, choose a full send EVERYTIME. None of these people were praised for their vanity or willingness to be reserved, they were praised for the exact opposite.

@burybusy

Feb 28, 2024

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@gabz

I agree. I don’t even know if those these notable artists you mentioned were scared of what we define now as “cringe“ but what’s most admirable is their audacity to be so daringly vulnerable and to be so vulnerable means you have to rid yourself of shame embarrassment and fear of judgement. Which is what you noted upon so well. I think in a culture where we are so ensconced in the internet where it’s so easy to place judgement and give out harsh criticism “cringe” and more hateful rhetoric- snap judgements limit people’s abilities to have at least an ounce of critical thinking skills when it comes to anything out of the mainstream when it comes to art fashion and the likes.… “micro trends“ are for SHEEP.

Feb 28, 2024

@burybusy

gabz thank you for adding this. I was writing this as a reminder initially to give myself time to enjoy things before jumping to dislike, and to quell that fear of embarrassment. “Snap judgements limit people’s ability to have an ounce of critical thinking skills” I love this because people’s opinions turn around so quickly. Very high praise to sudden backlash. Or critical failures to suddenly receiving retroactive praise. So important to just do what you like to do and create what you feel needs to be created

Feb 28, 2024

@gabz

burybusy thank you for speaking on it in the first place it bothers me so much

Feb 28, 2024

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BEING YOUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELF

I read a TikTok slideshow about how we attach our personalities to the things we buy like Labubu’s, matcha, vintage clothing, etc., etc. and it really woke me up. It made me realize how often we treat objects like identity badges, hoping they’ll somehow communicate who we are to the world. But maybe we don’t need to buy a personality. Maybe it’s okay to just be you without the aesthetic, without the branding, without needing to “match” a vibe.
The phrase “to be cringe is to be free” has been living rent-free in my head, and honestly, it resonates. Because at the end of the day, who really cares what other people think? Okay, I do sometimes. I’m human. But when I quiet the noise, I know the truest version of myself isn’t curated, it’s just me. Messy, weird, sincere. And I think that’s enough.
We’re not the sum of what we consume. We’re allowed to just exist, unbranded, unfiltered, and still whole.
I think I’m not my truest self yet, but I’m getting there and I really do hope my truest self reflects beautifully to the people around me.

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STOP CARING ABOUT CRINGE

If you are a grown adult, who has interests, hobbies, friends, a job, family… why the fuck are you caring about what other people do? Cringing at people who are different is small-minded thinking. Confining yourself to what you know and what is palatable to others doesn’t allow you to stay relevant or have your ideas and concepts last throughout time. Most of the best artists were judged and thought to be weird, and that’s who lasts. Hating what you don’t understand at its core is not only bias but also prejudice, which enabled being bigoted.
I am a level-2 autistic person who makes disability advocacy content and actively posts on socials as if it’s a diary. I do a lot of cool things (opening a sick af irl business as an event organizer/promoter/social media person), make sick art, but I also unironically love S3RL, Dorian Electra, anime, vocaloids, dating simulators that are often gay, speedcore, and Weezer. I’ve been into most of these things since 2010 and I was not popular for it. I also couldn’t have a back and forth conversation I was 7 and didn’t have friends up until 2 years ago… but the cool thing about it is that I was myself the entire time without shame and now my life is awesome. Be yourself and be open minded and curious, and maybe you will also not be miserable. Happiness is found without instilling judgment; to be free is to welcome knowledge and understanding. You can use your energy for literally anything else and you will find more purpose than being a hater.

@trailblazerej

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I think the aesthetics of Internet LIFESTYLE content are very conformist and limiting

Not really a revolutionary sentiment; this is something people talk about a lot. But it leads to people living their lives as if they’re on a stage in a literal sense where their homes become set dressing for the aspirational lifestyle they want to project with the purpose of creating monetized content that’s palatable to an audience and to advertisers. Tiktok seemed to democratize this landscape quite a bit to where people who didn’t fit the narrower expectations set on Instagram and YouTube were able to carve out niches for themselves, but these niches were still subject to specific visual languages, trends, and “rules.” And now that it’s almost certainly on death’s doorstep, it should be interesting to see how this evolves.
If you want to share your authentic life you should do it authentically—it’s scary to bravely offer yourself up in such an unfiltered way but it’s where you currently are and it’s part of your story. You may not be happy with the way your house looks now but viewers might enjoy seeing your journey of becoming and the way the space you live in evolves with that! Sometimes you don’t have to feel ready or confident enough to do something; the confidence can come with practice and familiarity. The hardest part is showing up! 💌

@taterhole

Jan 14, 2025

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