Topic: Instagram Filters

The hosts debate the severity of online harassment, suggesting that public figures should expect criticism as part of their roles. They discuss the concept of intersectional identity and observe that political discourse on the left can be more brutal than on the right. A side observation is made regarding the ubiquitous use of filters by women on platforms like Instagram.

Botox sales have surpassed $1 billion as people spend more time looking at themselves on Zoom calls. The hosts discuss "catfish filters" on Instagram and reports of people using stimulus money for cosmetic procedures, including a surge in butt lifts.

A new Executive Producer, Sir Benonymous, donates $1,013.33 and explains his habit of listening to podcasts at 1.5x speed. He shares his background as a listener who found the show while looking for Dvorak's old netcasts and reflects on how the show provides mental balance. The hosts discuss how high-speed playback and digital filters are changing human perception and the quality of modern audio.

Instagram COO Marne Levine discusses new tools for comment filtering designed to make users feel "safe" and "positive." The hosts argue that this creates an artificial environment where users only receive "love," making them more susceptible to advertising. They suggest that "safe spaces" on social media are a commercial tactic to keep users in a buying frame of mind.

The hosts critique the "selfie" phenomenon, popularized by Ellen DeGeneres at the Oscars. They argue that people post happy, filtered photos to gloss over "sad, pathetic lives" and seek dopamine hits through "likes." Curry suggests that increased selfie-posting is a symptom of depression and a reaction to being "poisoned" by mainstream media lies.