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Love this, but as a writer/interviewer, I'm a little thrown by this being part of the article framework: > Some may claim that this is simply a modern fad, a c

Love this, but as a writer/interviewer, I'm a little thrown by this being part of the article framework: > Some may claim that this is simply a modern fad, a case of "hashtag horticulture" that lends itself to eye-catching posts. But terrariums have a long and fascinating history that predates social media by more than 150 years. > "People will often say it's been driven by social media..." OK, it's a century-old fad... I understand there COULD be an issue if someone jumps in because of ~aesthetic~ only to grow bored and toss their terrariums. But so what if someone discovers terrariums "as a fad"? Or if then they build a social following around it? They either actually enjoy it, which is great, or they're so committed to a performative image that it's lucky they latched onto plants in jars and not something more intense. Just a weird angle imo that doesn't deserve the few sentences it takes to address lol, just jump straight into the interesting stuff

themodelplumber 5y ago
You are getting at a pretty fluid and open concept of authenticity...wish we all (gestures at everybody but also a bit at self at the end) felt so unencumbered, but it does kinda conflict with patterns that a lot of experts and would-be experts really treasure--for example the idea that there's a qualitatively better way to develop one's identity and interests. And the "it's a fad" perspective carries a lot of stodgy but kinda relevant baggage for people like them-us. That aspect of stepping into an exciting new role as part of a performance of what one sees in their feed, may be only part of a sort of ephemeral-passion-first route leading to more and deeper passion later, but a lot of times it is also a feed-candy-first thing in which the entire cultural or historical narrative of that hobby is effectively told to shove off. Carrying that narrative forward are a lot of people who have deep, relevant experience but who are effectively voiceless in comparison to feed-churn content creators. Plus there are a lot of deeply-qualified experts who look out onto that feed-world every day and wish for even just a few seconds of recognition for their own difficult-to-relate depth of interest, and instead they see shallow content, the /r/stupidfood of whatever it is they're good at. Just offering perspectives--
meristohm 5y ago
Blindboy spins some yarn about terrarium history in “ Custard Creams and the CIA”. Here’s the blurb: “Boiling Hot Take. An exploration that links Victorian Fern fanciers with Custard Creams and the CIA interrogation of houseplants.”

themodelplumber 5y ago

You are getting at a pretty fluid and open concept of authenticity...wish we all (gestures at everybody but also a bit at self at the end) felt so unencumbered, but it does kinda conflict with patterns that a lot of experts and would-be experts really treasure--for example the idea that there's a qualitatively better way to develop one's identity and interests. And the "it's a fad" perspective carries a lot of stodgy but kinda relevant baggage for people like them-us. That aspect of stepping into an exciting new role as part of a performance of what one sees in their feed, may be only part of a sort of ephemeral-passion-first route leading to more and deeper passion later, but a lot of times it is also a feed-candy-first thing in which the entire cultural or historical narrative of that hobby is effectively told to shove off. Carrying that narrative forward are a lot of people who have deep, relevant experience but who are effectively voiceless in comparison to feed-churn content creators. Plus there are a lot of deeply-qualified experts who look out onto that feed-world every day and wish for even just a few seconds of recognition for their own difficult-to-relate depth of interest, and instead they see shallow content, the /r/stupidfood of whatever it is they're good at. Just offering perspectives--

meristohm 5y ago

Blindboy spins some yarn about terrarium history in “ Custard Creams and the CIA”. Here’s the blurb: “Boiling Hot Take. An exploration that links Victorian Fern fanciers with Custard Creams and the CIA interrogation of houseplants.”