Intro

Welcome! Much like the rest of the internet, I have thoughts about the media I consume. Media writing has become a bit of a hot topic lately; not to be a hipster about it, but I've been sharing my thoughts on my favorite media since I was a teenager on LiveJournal. While the Internet can be a solitary place, the stories we create as a society are meant to be consumed as a society, shared and discussed. Stories are how we have communicated to and about each other for thousands of years; they represent a way of understanding and empathizing with people unlike us, as well as a way to join people with similar experiences from half a world away. And so, I wanted a place dedicated to the sharing of these stories.

As this is a project devoted to looking at the stories I find myself consuming this year, I won’t be talking about those high-quality stories that I just can’t get into. As a now-sadly-defunct podcast I love articulated for me, there is a difference between quality and enjoyment. Sometimes you don't like good quality stories; sometimes you love things that aren't well-thought out or constructed. I can't guarantee my enjoyment will line up with good quality, though I hope we'll have something to share, regardless.

The stories I will be discussing have a common through-line and can be roughly sketched as: character-oriented, dealing with serious topics, but usually with a feeling of hope and optimism. Sometimes, this will take the form of "grimdark" and gritty stories that can bring catharsis with their pain; sometimes, it'll be focusing on the heights of human joy, rather than the depths of human depravity.

If you’re interested in hearing about character-driven stories, often with important social implications, and a healthy dash of hope and joy, stick around.