Dr. Jessica Maddox: Pretty Furious About Social Media’s Impact on Politics & Critical Thinking, AI as a Net Negative, & Why ACOTAR Sucks

This week’s guest is Dr. Jessica Maddox, an incoming Associate Professor of Screen Media at the University of Georgia. In this conversation, Mallory, Maggie, and Jess discuss the influence of social media on political discourse, the rise of the Manosphere, and the role of influencers in shaping public opinion, and the implications of social media on youth. This episode emphasizes the need for critical thinking and social media education, as well as the accountability of platforms for their societal, economic, & environmentall impacts. Mallory, Maggie, & Jess dissect the multifaceted impact of social media on society, discussing its addictive nature, the importance of media literacy, and the representation of reality. They explore the role of AI in shaping perceptions and the dangers of misinformation, particularly in the context of political discourse. The discussion also touches on the need for critical thinking regarding personal social media use and the significance of understanding media encoding and decoding. They may also reference Moodang… you’ll have the find out for yourself.

Jessica Maddox is an outgoing Associate Professor of Digital Media at the University of Alabama and incoming Associate Professor of Screen Media at the University of Georgia. She is a researcher and teacher of social media, content creators, influencers, and media studies. Her work examines how pop culture and labor function on social media. She is the author of The Internet is for Cats: How Animal Images Shape Our Digital Lives (Rutgers University Press, 2023) and of Anatomy of an Internet Scandal: Content Creators and the Politics of Going Viral (University of California Press, forthcoming). She has written over twenty peer-reviewed academic articles on social media and has appeared in over 200 international news outlets to discuss internet culture. When she’s not working, you can find her cooking, baking, reading fantasy novels, or on her Peloton.

Chapters

00:00 The TikTok Dilemma: National Security or Business Competition?

02:50 The Impact of Social Media on Personal Branding

05:44 The Fragmentation of MAGA and the Manosphere

08:09 Health Care and Political Consequences

10:54 Introducing Dr. Jessica Maddox: Social Media Insights

22:42 The Impact of Social Media on Personal Experiences

23:36 Jess's Journey into Social Media and Academia

24:31 Social Media's Role in Politics and Misinformation

25:33 The Vibes-Only Culture in Political Discourse

28:31 The Rise of Conspiracy Theories on Both Sides

33:11 Addressing Misogyny and Influences on Young Boys

34:04 Education and Accountability in Social Media

39:05 Changing Online Behavior and Personal Responsibility

45:43 The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

47:57 Encoding and Decoding Media: Understanding Bruce Springsteen

51:40 The Role of AI in Society: Opportunities and Threats

53:38 The Aesthetic of AI and Its Political Implications

58:48 Navigating the Digital Landscape: Finding Joy in Chaos

01:02:32 Cultural Critique: The Gen Z Stare and Literary Trends

This Week’s Product Mentions:

Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner

L'Oréal Panorama Mascara

Olay Skincare

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