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Much of Clubhouse is boring or, at least, disproportionately filled with the awkward in-between of group interaction.
That I personally find much of the app boring is a subjective contention, of course.
On that front, I often find little of comparable value, even when there is spectacle.
Yet I am compelled, because there is something genuinely compelling about the Clubhouse experience.
Again, I rarely find anything worthwhile, but thats part of the pleasure I get from it.
And lets be clear: Boringness is not antithetical to pleasure.
Its kinda why Ive developed great affinities forlo-fi hip-hopandenvironmental sound ASMRYouTube livestreams.
Part of the positive feedback loop here is rooted in novelty, I reckon.
(Put crudely, it tickles the voyeuristic part of my brain.)
But its not lost on me that both of these appeals are temporary in nature.
Whether the Clubhouse experience is scratching a fundamental itch remains to be seen.
There are, in truth, two stories about Clubhouse.
And to extend the inquiry: Will this new live group audio format affect podcasting in either direction?
Well, the answer is yes, of course, probably.
(Product and M&A possibilities abound for the audio-streaming platforms.)
They compete, sure, but they also co-exist.
(For what its worth, podcast folk seem pretty mixed on the matter when I asked around.
The majority believe its a fad; others believe itll stick around and will offer strong marketing opportunities.
More interesting impacts can be theorized on the creation side.
(Though, with the on-going rise of programmatic advertising options in podcasting, who knows?)
Personally, I dont necessarily interpret this as a negative outcome.
And thats certainly what Ill be looking out for.
The more interesting question, to me, is this: What is Clubhouse supposed to be, anyway?
There are even rooms replicating lo-fi hip-hop YouTube livestreams, opening up questions about the potential for music distribution.
Its stuck with me, though.)
As that happens, the lanes of competition will open up, and thats where things can get interesting.
In that imagined future, what will Clubhouse look like when all that sorting is done?
The open nature of podcast publishing has recently attracted concerns about the harms it could potentially facilitate.
Many haveturned to the medium accordingly.
The conversation can be more casual and open.
She thinks somethings afoot.
(This phenomenon ischaracteristic of what has been referred to as a shadow ban.)
Im told that the tags a podcaster submits should indeed display.
A Spotify spokesperson was unable to comment on why Sapphires tags have not gone into effect.
Thisunites some; it divides others.
And thus, even on relatively open audio platforms, sex workers can be even further marginalized.
Take Clubhouse, for instance, where Sapphire thought shed feel more comfortable than she has on Instagram.
Sex work is not and shouldnt be a disgusting word.
Its an umbrella term, she says.
But fear, whether of stigma or retaliation, is real, says Westwood.
Many workers may keep to themselves; after all, theyre just trying to make a living.
The relief that I felt from her thats what Im looking to have on the podcast.
In that way,Sapphires EarplayandA Sex Workers Guide to the Galaxytouch this goal of destigmatization.
I feel like my podcast is an outlet, says Sapphire.
Its almost therapeutic for people that feel like they dont have other outlets to go to.
I still work in the adult industry, says Sapphire.
I edit porn in the morning, and I report traffic in the afternoon.
At the end of the day, sex work is work, she says.
Ive just been kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But what about the ones that dont?
I started it for my own amusement, Jon Mooallem tells me when asked about the creation ofWALKING.
The act of passive listening is nothing new, but its rising popularity is noteworthy.
And more people during 2020 were telling me, I need something as a mental break from the day.
Audio really excels at that.
I have been listening for the past year, and have never heard the end, says another.
Some shows are able to provide passive entertainment for years after publishing, despite a lack of updates.
So, I think theres a personal reward just in taking that time to listen, I guess?
And then a joy if it means something to anyone else however they hear it.
The passive listening space seems to be overwhelmingly white.
(No pun intended.)
In other words, lo-fi hip-hop is boneless jazz rap instrumentals by way ofweeaboos.
There are shades of that idea in McDowalls assessment of passive audios appeal.
As noise to fill an empty room, to help someone sleep, to offer a feeling of companionship…
I love the multitude of ways audio can hold meaning to people.
However those meanings may be defined is entirely up to the listener.
In tomorrowsServant of Pod…Travis McElroy is on the show this week.
So, I have a theory that the McElroy Brothers are among the most famous people in America.
(The only other podcast person that gets brought up with that frequency is Joe Rogan.)
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