In The Buzz Cut, we give our take on all of the intellectual and Internet-famous, celebrity and bizarre, buzzy and overlooked news we gossiped about all week.
The stories behind us. We’re all the sum of our life experiences, especially this woman, who shares the story behind her five pregnancies and three children. Or this mother, who talks about what it’s like when your son is the world’s most wanted terrorist. Or this couple, who reflect on what led to their divorce a decade earlier. Or even this comedian, whose comedy routine is based on jokes written by his partner’s 6-year-old daughter.
The stories told by us. What do celebrities Lil Miquela, Hatsune Miku, Betty Crocker and Shudu and all have in common? They’re all man-made — computer-generated, in fact — their narratives shaped to market various brands. Elsewhere, here’s why we convince ourselves the truth is untrue. And speaking of untruths, here’s a glimpse behind our curated existences on social media, as people share the painful, real story behind the perfect selfie that belies it.
The stories told to us. Whether a narrative is persuasive or manipulative is often in the eye of the beholder — here’s how to refine your ability to spot the difference. Some big tech brands are pushing the message that smart home devices will make life immeasurably better — but is that true if interacting with Alexa inhibits kids’ empathy? Another common narrative is that Internet access will spread democracy — but this story about Internet use in China suggests that’s not necessarily true. Finally, women are in the listener’s seat a lot more than men — which is why one women decided to make a handy chart that helps men identify when they are mansplaining (so they can immediately stop).
