Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week, we’re tackling a question that feels more urgent than ever: what happens when culture fragments into a million tiny bubbles? We start with the rise of “parochial bubbles,” the niche communities where creativity once thrived like Seattle’s grunge scene or LA’s metal bands, and we ask what happens when the internet erases the isolation that made them possible. Is hyper-specialization the new “scene,” or does it leave us with nothing truly shared? From there, we take a good, long look at reboots, and how they MIGHT be our last common language. Superman, Batman, and Star Wars aren’t just franchises – they’re cultural life rafts in a sea of hyper-segmentation. Why do we continue to cling to stories from the past, and what does that say about us now? We also unpack the paradox of choice in everything from entertainment to dating and beyond. With infinite options at our fingertips, are we actually less satisfied than when we all rushed home to watch Cheers or MASH together? We round things off by asking the big question that’s been on OUR minds: what does all this mean for creators? Should you go all-in on your niche, or try to reach everyone? What happens to storytelling when there’s no longer a shared morality, or even a shared frontier? Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for supporting the show. We’ll see you next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices