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Sometimes, we encounter something in the vast sprawl of the internet—ASMR soap cutting! almost uncomfortably cute animal videos!—that sparks a smile, plus an immediate text to the group chat. This week, journalist Kate Lindsay from the digital culture newsletter Embedded is sharing 3 Good Things that feel like a breath of virtual fresh air. Plus, a rec for one of the most wholesome Instagram accounts around, and much more.—Aliza Abarbanel, Executive Editor

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3 Good Things with 3 Good Things with Kate Lindsay from Embedded

Interviews with the moderators of the Love Island subreddit. The clash between creators and journalists on paying sources for stories. This is the wide range of digital cultural journalism unpacked in Embedded, a more-than-weekly newsletter written by Kate Lindsay and edited by Nick Catucci. Kate is truly tapped into the vast corners of the internet in an unique way, and her recs already have me rethinking how I exist online. I hope you’ll enjoy.—Aliza

Posting for no one
Social media has shifted away from being a place to connect with family and friends and towards an arena to make content for strangers. For a long time, this terrified me. What if I made a TikTok video that ended up not getting any views, and people think I tried to get famous and failed? But if that's the only thing stopping you from putting yourself out there, may I humbly suggest: doing it anyway. Last year, I decided to give TikTok a try and just not care if something I made ended up only being seen by a few hundred people. It's made the app so much more fun, which should really be all that matters. Plus, the few times I have gone viral have been a nightmare. Trust me—posting for no one is better. 

Paying independent creators

To quote artist Rachel Nguyen: "F*ck buying the $5 Instagram ad, put $5 into a creator's pockets.” Companies like Netflix, Spotify, and more get money from us every month. What would art look like if we reallocated that money directly to the creators we care about? If you enjoy a YouTuber, newsletter writer, or other kind of online artist who allows for paid subscriptions—and it's financially feasible for you to do so—consider throwing a little bit of money their way. I'm a paid subscriber to the newsletters Today In Tabs and Garbage Day, and support YouTuber SunBeamsJess on Patreon (I was won over by the monthly book club!). I also just bought this amazing vest knitting pattern from designer Emma Pitters-Fisher after stumbling across her on TikTok. Changing my thinking from "what do I get for this price" to "who can I support at this price" has drastically improved my media consumption, and I can feel good knowing my money is helping someone create good work. 

Letting go of self-inflicted stress
More often than not, when I find myself a paralyzed ball of stress, it's because of a problem I created entirely myself. Make all my Christmas gifts this year by hand? Sure! Bake something on theme every week for our Great British Bake Off watch party? Why not! My 2023 resolution (for me and you) has been to stop it. Not only do I give myself permission to say no, but also to bail out halfway through if a project I thought would bring me joy ends up being more trouble than it's worth. The world won't end if I don't show up at the function with baklava. Life is stressful enough on its own—it doesn't need my help.

You can follow Kate on Instagram at @kathrynfiona and subscribe to her Embedded newsletter here.

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