Our weekly recap highlighting the best feature stories from around the internet.
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The Year We Obsessed Over Identity – by Wesley Morris, The NY Times
“I live with two identities: mine and others’ perceptions of it. So much of blackness evolving has been limited to whiteness allowing it to evolve, without white people accepting that they are in the position of granting permission. Allowing. If that symbiotic dynamic is going to change, white people will need to become more conscious that they, too, can be perceived.”
After That ‘Dope’ Review, Is It Time For Rip it Up to Rest in Peace? – by Leonie Hayden
“I feel like I’ve watched a vibrant, beloved child grow into a lumbering idiot that pushes other kids over in the playground—and other former editors and contributors feel the same. What advertisers were left I’ve no doubt will now flee like spooked pigeons, and I can only hope that it is the nail in the coffin that means my cherished RIU can finally RIP.”
Inside the world of unauthorised streaming – by Steve Deane, NZ Herald
“I've watched a major sporting event without paying a fee to those who have paid a much bigger fee for the privilege of being a rights-holder. I've had to pay for my computer, television and internet connection, so it would be inaccurate to describe the process as "free", but I've avoided paying directly for the content. I'm officially a dodgy streamer.”
What Is The Place For White Rappers Today? – by Matthew Trammell, The Fader
“Today, the white rapper’s position in hip-hop is a bit like the black citizen’s position in America: both at the center and on the fringe, a group with a complicated history that keeps throwing wrenches into the status quo.”
Getting a Job, a Short Story by Your Parents – by Monica Heisey, Vice
“You're not sure where in The Office to go, so you ask the receptionist to help you. She is young (40) like you (23) so she gets what you're going through. "Nice blazer," she says, genuinely impressed. "Very work appropriate." Everyone around you is wearing a blazer. This blazer is the best thing you have ever bought. The job is basically in the bag. "I've never smoked pot and there are no pictures of me drinking on Facebook," you tell her. She looks like she might pass out.”
Inside Reddit’s Plan to Recover From Its Epic Meltdown – by Jessi Hempel, Wired
“For ten years, Reddit had been unbreakable. It has just kept growing. The founders feuded with each other. It kept growing. The CEO quit. The new CEO quit. The web went mobile, and Reddit did not. But it kept growing. Nude celebrity selfies starting popping up, while Reddit’s employees played whack-a-mole with the trolls and tried to refute its worsening reputation. Even then, it limped along.”
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