A category of person I think of a “life’s losers”, who are incredibly status obsessed at the cost of basically everything else for Slate.
Wanting narratives of female behaviour which afford us more complexity, and the currency female abjection is awarded in a patriarchal society (I see this as a companion piece to the previous link) for Slate.
The sorry state of the personal essay thanks to the tendency to write in a register I think of as “Pity Me, Pity Me” for Gawker.
One of my key enemies, another Belfast novelist named Michael Magee, for The Guardian.
Those essays that are like ‘this thing is late capitalism’ for The Baffler.
The contradictory reaction to the Queen’s death, from “progressive” brands for New York Magazine.
A decade of online dating and ghosting and conflict aversion for New York Magazine.
The dubious nature of narratives that universalise the female experience, in a review of The Crane Wife, for The New Republic.
Abortion access issues currently forcing people to travel for basic healthcare in Northern Ireland and Scotland for The Guardian.
The monarchy as it looks from Belfast, from Novara Media.
The flattening online trend for saying “this thing is just like that thing which is just like this other thing” on and on until nothing seems serious (also known as: stop calling America a failed state) for The Guardian.
The life lessons to be learned in a cemetery for The Guardian.
My fantasy home: The hotel from Lost in Translation, for The Financial Times.
Gilles Peress’ extraordinary documentation of The Troubles for Elephant Magazine.
Mainstream influencers as the vanguard of cultural banality, how very dubious social justice posturing is used to sell the banality, the regular social media smear campaigns etc etc etc for The Guardian.
An exhibition interrogating how the changing role of the bedroom has impacted on making art for The Financial Times.
The value of substance in world where everything feels transient, in a piece unpacking the furor around Joan Didion’s estate sale for The Guardian.
The psychedelic brilliance of the Dreamachine for ArtReview.
A trend for podcasts based on a friendship, which speak to millennial alienation for The Financial Times.
Why I think privacy is a good thing because it lets us get away with doing bad things sometimes for Rolling Stone.
How dating apps have made everyone act loopy for The Guardian.
The ‘lolll rich people’ shows and why Succession is the best of these, and my boyfriend: Logan Roy for The Guardian.
Receipts culture and how the aura of scandal rarely leads to anything more for the new (in my opinion very fun) Gawker.
Why I prefer fun New Year’s Resolutions for Novara Media.
The endlessly bland offerings of high street clothes shops for The Guardian.
Trying to keep things in perspective for Novara Media.
The double standards that arise from the way we interact with criticism on social media for Elephant Magazine.
How nice it is to change your mind and the perils of stubborness for Novara Media.
My love of advice columns and how they lack a clear resolution for The Guardian.
How laughter operates on the internet (and one of my favourite emojis:🤣) for Art Review.
A certain kind of front facing comedy video (that I call the ‘funny voice videos’) and British people’s perception of satire for The London Review of Books (online).
What unhealthy behaviour online can look like and how to talk to friends about it for ID.
The new Cruella movie and being a bad person (my favourite topic) for Art Review.
My extreme disappointment over the new Gossip Girl (it’s not good!) for The NewStatesman.
Cat Person and the limits of power dynamic analysis for The NewStatesman.
The moral panic over increased ‘workplace surveillance’ during the pandemic, and the long history of monitoring employees for The Guardian.
The problem with millennial commentary that frames ~us all~ as financially precarious for The Guardian.
The trend for art exhibitions celebrating the hedonism of rave culture, while raving irl becomes more corporate and sanitised for The TLS.
How a change in working habits during the pandemic could fix the ‘London bubble’ and make it a more livable city for The Guardian.
The weirdness of Elon Musk launching a rocket in the middle of a pandemic for The Baffler.