tw: emails // max's new streaming strategy is literally assaulting my nervous system

trigger warning: mentions of the words "hard work", capitalism, electronic mail, desk chairs, and perceived expectations.

i am literally shaking right now. i had to take three days off from posting just to regulate my nervous system before typing this, and i'm still dissociating. holding space for everyone who might be triggered by this entertainment news, but we need to talk about what warner bros. discovery ceo david zaslav is doing because it is literal violence.

instead of producing actual movies or shows, max has just launched a new streaming tier called 'max raw.' the entire premise is just livestreaming celebrities doing their own administrative life tasks because actual productions cost too much money. right now, tom holland is live on the homepage, and he is just... sending emails.

i watched for thirty seconds and started hyperventilating. he had to type the phrase 'per my last email' and you could see the trauma leaving his body in real time. sending an email is a violent, aggressive act, and broadcasting it as entertainment is so toxic. my therapist says my parasympathetic nervous system was completely hijacked by watching him attach a pdf. (if you also need to self-soothe after reading that, you can buy the weighted anxiety turtle plushie i'm holding right now on my amazon storefront, link in my bio, it's a lifesaver for when the vibe gets heavy).

zaslav released a statement saying this new format will 'showcase hard work' (cw: toxic phrases, hustle culture) and 'relatable struggles.' the economy is so deeply broken and toxic that even spider-man is being forced to do unpaid clerical labor for content. i literally cannot. expecting human beings to sit in ergonomic mesh chairs and perform administrative tasks is a violation of our boundaries as viewers.

apparently, sydney sweeney is scheduled to do a four-hour stream next week where she just argues with an insurance adjuster about a co-pay. i am putting up a boundary and refusing to engage. we need to normalize actors just laying in a dark room with an iced matcha, completely detached from this violent physical reality. anyway, i'm going to go stare at my ceiling projector to recalibrate. don't forget to check out my storefront for my favorite aesthetically pleasing grounding stones. stay safe out there besties.