Welcome to this week’s collection of articles, links and talking points for Media Mothership.
The show airs live on Thursday 4 June from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. The topics listed below are intended as discussion starters, and the conversation may develop in unexpected directions during the broadcast.
Feel free to join the live chat on YouTube or Twitch or sms in direct to the Edge Radio station 0488 811 707
Topic: What happens when human creativity, communication, and culture become increasingly mediated by large technological systems and corporations?
The Dead Internet Is Here: Bot Traffic Tops Human Traffic for First Time
- If much of the internet is machine-generated, what happens to online culture?
- Is “Dead Internet Theory” becoming less conspiracy and more observation?
Predictive Text in “Demonstrable Decline” After AI Introduction
- Are AI tools making us better communicators or worse?
- Has autocomplete become less useful because it tries to be too clever?
- What happens when language tools optimize for prediction rather than clarity?
The Pope’s AI Warning Could Help Workers Seek Religious Exemptions
- Do workers have a right not to use generative AI?
Leave The Lord of the Rings Alone Already
- Why do corporations keep returning to established franchises?
- What happens when stories become brands?
Citizen Sleeper Creator’s New “Fungalpunk” RPG
“Playing as a parasite”
Steven Spielberg Writing on an iPad Notes App
- Great art often starts with simple tools.
- Professionals using ‘ordinary’ consumer technology.
Diablo 4 Statistics Story
- What do class preferences reveal about player fantasy?
- Why are “dark mage” archetypes often more popular than holy warriors?
Euro Truck Simulator Project
We’ve been talking about how technology shapes culture and identity online. So what happens when people deliberately enter simulated spaces to build identities, communities, and even professional aspirations? That brings us to Euro Truck Simulator.
I’ve been thinking about doing a music show where I play Euro Truck Simulator while presenting radio. At first glance that sounds ridiculous. Why would anyone want to pretend to be a truck driver while also pretending to be a radio host?
| Example | Identity Being Performed |
|---|---|
| War photographer in The Last of Us | Journalist / conflict photographer |
| DayZ war photographer | Embedded correspondent |
| Liberty City tourism | Tourist / travel writer |
| GTA travel photography | Tourist photographer |
| Wedding photographer in Uncharted | Professional photographer |
| Euro Truck Simulator radio host | Trucker / radio DJ |
| Media tourism research | Pilgrim / tourist / fan explorer |