Greg Dember
@gregdember.bsky.social
Author of Say Hello to Metamodernism! https://amzn.to/4eeuHLN
Interests: Most topics, metamodernism, progressive but plays well with others, oddball with a soft spot for normals. Yale. Seattle. Musician/Singer/Songwriter/Writer/Reader/Listener
Interests: Most topics, metamodernism, progressive but plays well with others, oddball with a soft spot for normals. Yale. Seattle. Musician/Singer/Songwriter/Writer/Reader/Listener
This was a fun conversation about metamodernism that somehow was non-linear and rambling while also covering the basics pretty well.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaS...
#4 Greg Dember: Metamodernism and the Defence of Interiority
YouTube video by The Living Philosophy
www.youtube.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
This was a fun conversation about metamodernism that somehow was non-linear and rambling while also covering the basics pretty well.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaS...
Reposted by Greg Dember
I hear from informed sources that these #NoKings rallies are more than twice as big as last time, making them easily the largest protests in US history. Thanks to everyone and especially organizers.
October 18, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I hear from informed sources that these #NoKings rallies are more than twice as big as last time, making them easily the largest protests in US history. Thanks to everyone and especially organizers.
Reposted by Greg Dember
when chatgpt was new, ted chiang famously compared it to a blurry jpeg of everything on the internet. I wrote for @theatlantic.com about how that, these days, it’s more like a fictional character that people treat as real. ☠️ (gift link)
ChatGPT Is a Fictional Character
What makes OpenAI’s chatbot so dangerous? It’s a character without an author.
www.theatlantic.com
October 16, 2025 at 12:31 PM
when chatgpt was new, ted chiang famously compared it to a blurry jpeg of everything on the internet. I wrote for @theatlantic.com about how that, these days, it’s more like a fictional character that people treat as real. ☠️ (gift link)
Reposted by Greg Dember
Our latest!
Labubu, Metamodern Little Monsters and the Contemporary Face of Consumer Cuteness
Labubu has emerged as one of the buzziest Consumer Products of 2025. They’re of interest for how they embody certain aesthetic paradoxes we talk about here at What is Metamodern? ...
whatismetamodern.com
October 11, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Our latest!
This'll cheer you right up!
September 20, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This'll cheer you right up!
Reposted by Greg Dember
My upcoming book on Sufjan Stevens' "Carrie & Lowell" is now available for preorder from my favorite bookstore, Powell's Books in Portland. www.powells.com/book/sufjan-...
Sufjan Stevens' Carrie & Lowell | Powell's Books
Upon the release of Sufjan Stevens’ seventh studio album, Carrie & Lowell, two divergent groups found themselves as strange bedfellows: the LGBTQIA+ community and American evangelical Christians. Both...
www.powells.com
September 20, 2025 at 5:39 AM
My upcoming book on Sufjan Stevens' "Carrie & Lowell" is now available for preorder from my favorite bookstore, Powell's Books in Portland. www.powells.com/book/sufjan-...
I wrote this metamodern analysis of "Heroes," a short story by O.G. Rose.
whatismetamodern.com/fiction/hero...
whatismetamodern.com/fiction/hero...
A Metamodern Reading of "Heroes" – Short Story by O.G. Rose
The opening story of Under the Wing, “Heroes,” is available to read online as a kind of teaser for the book, which has given me the wonderful opportunity to write not just a review/preview but an actu...
whatismetamodern.com
September 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I wrote this metamodern analysis of "Heroes," a short story by O.G. Rose.
whatismetamodern.com/fiction/hero...
whatismetamodern.com/fiction/hero...
Reposted by Greg Dember
my piece on "Reading and Writing Race in Law and Literature" is out in advance online, European Journal of English Studies - www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reading and writing race in law and literature
Published in European Journal of English Studies (Ahead of Print, 2025)
www.tandfonline.com
September 1, 2025 at 3:43 PM
my piece on "Reading and Writing Race in Law and Literature" is out in advance online, European Journal of English Studies - www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
THE William Gibson
We’re quite deep within the Singularity right now, though it’s turned out be the Singularity of Stupid (SoS), which effectively prevents the original concept of the Singularity from happening.
September 8, 2025 at 2:56 AM
THE William Gibson
My book, _Say Hello to Metamodernism!_ has been reviewed in the journal _English Studies_, which I understand is a rather prestigious European journal. It's overall a positive review, with a few gentle critiques, which I like because it makes it feel more real.
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/FTKAC...
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/FTKAC...
Say Hello to Metamodernism!: Understanding Today’s Culture of Ironesty, Felt Experience, and Emphatic Reflexivity
Published in English Studies (Ahead of Print, 2025)
www.tandfonline.com
September 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
My book, _Say Hello to Metamodernism!_ has been reviewed in the journal _English Studies_, which I understand is a rather prestigious European journal. It's overall a positive review, with a few gentle critiques, which I like because it makes it feel more real.
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/FTKAC...
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/FTKAC...
THIS.
Reporters, I beg you, please stop using headlines with the form “Trump does X” when X is something the president clearly lacks any legal authority to do.
NEW: Donald Trump to rename the Department of Defense the “Department of War”
“Restoring the name Dept of War will sharpen the focus of the Dept on our national interest and signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war to defend its interests.”
“Restoring the name Dept of War will sharpen the focus of the Dept on our national interest and signal to adversaries America’s readiness to wage war to defend its interests.”
September 4, 2025 at 11:45 PM
THIS.
My god. He's soooo wrong. Even if we could trust POTUS to represent the will of the people, NO we don't want the Federal Reserve's monetary policy to be set by whatever the popular view is at the moment.
Vance on undermining the Federal Reserve: "I don't think we allow bureaucrats to make decisions about monetary policy and interest rates without any input from the people that were elected to serve the American people...POTUS is much better able to make these determinations."
August 28, 2025 at 9:39 PM
My god. He's soooo wrong. Even if we could trust POTUS to represent the will of the people, NO we don't want the Federal Reserve's monetary policy to be set by whatever the popular view is at the moment.
Will be purchasing. I have not read it yet, but it looks like it would provide important background context in a study of metamodern music.
Stereogum managing editor @chrisdeville.bsky.social's debut book 'Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History Of The Indie Rock Explosion' is out today
Chris DeVille's Debut Book 'Such Great Heights' Is Out Today
Stereogum's managing editor wrote about how indie rock impacted the the mainstream and the mainstream impacted indie rock in the 21st century.
www.stereogum.com
August 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Will be purchasing. I have not read it yet, but it looks like it would provide important background context in a study of metamodern music.
I would put it more like this:
If someone promised you that you could ensure the Democrats would sweep Congress in 2026 by you praising Trump, would you believe them?
If someone promised you that you could ensure the Democrats would sweep Congress in 2026 by you praising Trump, would you believe them?
Hypothetically. If complimenting trump meant that there would definitely be 2026 elections and the Dems would sweep Congress in a landslide , would you compliment Trump ?
Or, Is is that thought so abhorrent, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. Even at the expense of staying the minority?
Or, Is is that thought so abhorrent, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. Even at the expense of staying the minority?
August 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I would put it more like this:
If someone promised you that you could ensure the Democrats would sweep Congress in 2026 by you praising Trump, would you believe them?
If someone promised you that you could ensure the Democrats would sweep Congress in 2026 by you praising Trump, would you believe them?
Reposted by Greg Dember
Speaking of the transformative nature of a bombastic horn section, this live version of The Kinks’ “Village Green Preservation Society” from 1973 is another example of elevating an already iconic song…
August 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Speaking of the transformative nature of a bombastic horn section, this live version of The Kinks’ “Village Green Preservation Society” from 1973 is another example of elevating an already iconic song…
That's just how cars *are* in dreams. It wasn't your fault and it doesn't mean you're a bad driver.
August 21, 2025 at 1:11 PM
That's just how cars *are* in dreams. It wasn't your fault and it doesn't mean you're a bad driver.
I like the fact that I can talk about and learn about politics here without getting swarmed by 1000 butt-hurt MAGAs, but what I really want on Bluesky is to see posts about cool new films and novels and music and weird ideas, and... if it's not too much to ask... metamodernism.
August 19, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I like the fact that I can talk about and learn about politics here without getting swarmed by 1000 butt-hurt MAGAs, but what I really want on Bluesky is to see posts about cool new films and novels and music and weird ideas, and... if it's not too much to ask... metamodernism.
I love how just when you've assumed that Ice-Cream trucks are no longer a thing in this world, you hear that undeniably recognizable trinkly melody moving lazily – here, then there – around your neighborhood.
July 28, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I love how just when you've assumed that Ice-Cream trucks are no longer a thing in this world, you hear that undeniably recognizable trinkly melody moving lazily – here, then there – around your neighborhood.
Sure we can rely on a Republican like Markwayne Mullin lying as a matter of habit, but also in this case I think it's that they are all so committed to the fantasy that Epstein is a Democratic scandal that it only makes sense to him that it was the Obama administration that let Epstein off the hook.
MULLIN: There was a sweetheart plea deal that was struck in 2009 under Obama
TAPPER: No. It was 2008. The US attorney was Alex Acosta. He was a Bush appointee. He went on to become Trump's secretary of labor
M: Who was in office at the time?
T: Bush
M: No. Obama was in office
TAPPER: Not true
TAPPER: No. It was 2008. The US attorney was Alex Acosta. He was a Bush appointee. He went on to become Trump's secretary of labor
M: Who was in office at the time?
T: Bush
M: No. Obama was in office
TAPPER: Not true
July 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Sure we can rely on a Republican like Markwayne Mullin lying as a matter of habit, but also in this case I think it's that they are all so committed to the fantasy that Epstein is a Democratic scandal that it only makes sense to him that it was the Obama administration that let Epstein off the hook.
If you've read my metamodernism book, you may be interested in this article in which I address several common questions I've received since it was published. If you haven't read the book it might provide a sideways introduction to the topic.
medium.com/what-is-meta...
medium.com/what-is-meta...
Say Hello to Metamodernism: Follow-up Questions and Answers
Answers to questions readers have asked about Say Hello to Metamodernism! by Greg Dember.
medium.com
July 19, 2025 at 6:58 PM
If you've read my metamodernism book, you may be interested in this article in which I address several common questions I've received since it was published. If you haven't read the book it might provide a sideways introduction to the topic.
medium.com/what-is-meta...
medium.com/what-is-meta...
Happy Independence Day!
reasons for revolution against a tyrant 249 years ago:
"he has refused his Assent to Laws"
"obstructing Laws for Naturalization"
"made Judges dependent on his Will"
"kept among us Standing Armies w/o Consent of our legislatures"
"cut off Trade"
"transporting us beyond Seas for pretended offences"
"he has refused his Assent to Laws"
"obstructing Laws for Naturalization"
"made Judges dependent on his Will"
"kept among us Standing Armies w/o Consent of our legislatures"
"cut off Trade"
"transporting us beyond Seas for pretended offences"
July 4, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Happy Independence Day!
Reposted by Greg Dember
We are pleased to have published this guest piece from Troy Campbell, examining the metamodern aspects of last summer's 'brat' phenomemon. Hashtag Charli xcx; Hastag Kamala Harris.
whatismetamodern.com/music/charli...
whatismetamodern.com/music/charli...
Charli xcx’s “Brat Summer,” Metamodern Club Culture, and Their Unlikely Influence on a Presidential Campaign
The metamodern sensibility found in Charli xcx's brat album, brat summer and the Harris Campaign's adoption of these pop-culture elements.
whatismetamodern.com
June 29, 2025 at 7:20 PM
We are pleased to have published this guest piece from Troy Campbell, examining the metamodern aspects of last summer's 'brat' phenomemon. Hashtag Charli xcx; Hastag Kamala Harris.
whatismetamodern.com/music/charli...
whatismetamodern.com/music/charli...
Has anybody ever seen a female ICE agent, in photo, video or real life? We have women in the military, on police forces, firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue, astronaut, construction and just about every other conventionally "male-coded" occupation. What about ICE?
June 17, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Has anybody ever seen a female ICE agent, in photo, video or real life? We have women in the military, on police forces, firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue, astronaut, construction and just about every other conventionally "male-coded" occupation. What about ICE?
Reposted by Greg Dember
the thing these people have not understood is that Americans don't really ~do~ military parades. it's not in our national character. that's good, actually!
June 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
the thing these people have not understood is that Americans don't really ~do~ military parades. it's not in our national character. that's good, actually!