In the past few years, I’ve had to accept and reckon with the fact that a tendency to err on the side of sincerity and earnestness is not built for the current internet landscape. And that’s okay. It is, however, built for more genuine interactions out here on the grass-touching side of the world. I believe that sincerity, wearing your heart on your sleeve, and being the person bold enough to hit the nail on an opinion that’s only being shared in its most watered down version are all traits possessed by people who know their own minds (and therefore can find healthier ways to cope with the general state of everything). The pendulum will swing again and the masses who prefer to be told how to perceive the world will clamor around old rules made new again.
really enjoyed this post! and i wholeheartedly agree with you on sincerity being the price of appearing cool when younger. you put it into words way better than I've been able to!
You’re right, the politics of affect is a relevant topic these days. If you wanted to develop this idea more, I’d suggest defining more specifically what you mean by sincerity—do you mean emotional openness, earnest displays of caring about culture and current events, a general anti-irony movement? What exactly is sincerity, how do you think people perceive it now, and how would you want to rebrand it?
Thank you Clara :) I think my definition of sincerity, in this piece at least, extends to all of those things really - a sense of earnestness and openness; a capacity to express emotions. When all of our expression is hardened with irony, we lose our capacity for honesty and tenderness.
This is such an interesting POV on how irony and sincerity are shaping culture! I really appreciate how you framed the analysis through the lens of group conversation dynamics. It’s exactly where these opinion shifts seem to play out most obviously!
I haven’t read your stuff for a while— and only because I read people in waves, there aren’t enough hours, and so forth— but this popped up, I read it, and it’s just nice to be reminded, as I try to make sense of crazy 2025 USA— that you’re one of the people who have quality prose, and quality ideas— not literally the same thing, but you have both— in every essay. My compliments to the chef, as they say.
Wow, another brilliant write up (and dress-down ;) and dissection, Madison! “For others, ‘activism’ remained a matter of online signaling.” Bullseye. 👏
In the past few years, I’ve had to accept and reckon with the fact that a tendency to err on the side of sincerity and earnestness is not built for the current internet landscape. And that’s okay. It is, however, built for more genuine interactions out here on the grass-touching side of the world. I believe that sincerity, wearing your heart on your sleeve, and being the person bold enough to hit the nail on an opinion that’s only being shared in its most watered down version are all traits possessed by people who know their own minds (and therefore can find healthier ways to cope with the general state of everything). The pendulum will swing again and the masses who prefer to be told how to perceive the world will clamor around old rules made new again.
really enjoyed this post! and i wholeheartedly agree with you on sincerity being the price of appearing cool when younger. you put it into words way better than I've been able to!
You’re right, the politics of affect is a relevant topic these days. If you wanted to develop this idea more, I’d suggest defining more specifically what you mean by sincerity—do you mean emotional openness, earnest displays of caring about culture and current events, a general anti-irony movement? What exactly is sincerity, how do you think people perceive it now, and how would you want to rebrand it?
Thank you Clara :) I think my definition of sincerity, in this piece at least, extends to all of those things really - a sense of earnestness and openness; a capacity to express emotions. When all of our expression is hardened with irony, we lose our capacity for honesty and tenderness.
I will be thinking about the idea that Trump was elected out of sarcasm for the whole day now x.x
This is such an interesting POV on how irony and sincerity are shaping culture! I really appreciate how you framed the analysis through the lens of group conversation dynamics. It’s exactly where these opinion shifts seem to play out most obviously!
oh this is so brilliant and i absolutely agree with everything
Aw thank you Elle <3
i love this
Thank you! :)
I haven’t read your stuff for a while— and only because I read people in waves, there aren’t enough hours, and so forth— but this popped up, I read it, and it’s just nice to be reminded, as I try to make sense of crazy 2025 USA— that you’re one of the people who have quality prose, and quality ideas— not literally the same thing, but you have both— in every essay. My compliments to the chef, as they say.
Thank you so much Karl :) happy to have you back here!
Wow, another brilliant write up (and dress-down ;) and dissection, Madison! “For others, ‘activism’ remained a matter of online signaling.” Bullseye. 👏
The things I learn from you, Madison! Wowza! Also, good grief!