PODCAST · arts
Making It Up
by MAEKAN
Making It Up by MAEKAN is a weekly podcast exploring the latest news in the creative world and analyzing how and why it'll impact culture at large. Head over to patreon.com/maekan if you're interested in supporting us and being part of our larger community which includes regular newsletters and a vibrant Discord community.
Episodes
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208: Who’s responsible when the majority of students fail a class?
In episode 208, Charis and Eugene discuss the case of an NYU professor's contract termination after the school received a number of student complaints. They talk about teaching methodologies and some of the ways schools are lacking. At N.Y.U., Students Were Failing Organic Chemistry. Who Was to...
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207: How does urban planning impact the “energy” of a city?
In episode 207, Eugene highlights the significant role of urban planning in setting the “energy” of a city. One short question to get at the heart of this: How is usage mixed in a city? Tweet by @culturaltutor #191: Ascension by Drew Austin
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206: What does an 857 hour movie about capitalism signify?
In episode 206, Charis talks about being fascinated by the idea of someone sitting down to watch an 857 hour movie and whether that experience uniquely gives a more tangible understanding of capitalism. I Watched An 857-Hour Movie To Encounter Capitalism’s Extremes by Ashley Darrow
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205: Blackbird Spyplane breaks down the foundation of fashion trends
In episode 205, Eugene and Charis talk about a Blackbird Spyplane banger on trends and their various designations and why they’re so fascinating to follow. You're locked in a prison of trends by Blackbird Spyplane
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204: Twitter, Depop, and religion
In episode #204, Charis finds extreme hilarity in people selling fake sacrament of penance on depop and the latest frontier for what the creator economy can sell. Tweet by @roselyddon
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203: Instagram reels and artists
In this episode, Eugene and Charis highlight the impact of Instagram’s prioritization of video content for certain genres of artists. Is one’s ability to market themselves part of the job and “art” of being an artist? Links A New Refrain From Artists: We ‘Almost Gave Up on Instagram’ By Kalley...
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Post-hiatus episode
In our first recording after a long-ass hiatus, Eugene and Charis update us on what they’ve been up to, what they’ve missed, and what’s to come with Making It Up!
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202: Collectability, cooperation, and capitalism
Charis and Eugene talk about NFTs, collectability, anti-capitalist capitalists, missing counterculture, and individualism. Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community. Watch us on Twitch at twitch.tv/maekantv Links: The NFT Collector | Richard Kim in Right Click Save Hope Beyond…
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201: Over-Optimizing Creative Work & GeoGuessr
Eugene and Charis talk about efficiency, over-optimization, having slack (not the service) or intentionally holding your feet to the fire. Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community. Watch us on Twitch at twitch.tv/maekantv
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200: First Twitch livestream
Charis and Eugene catch each other up about the last three months of their lives, discuss the move to Twitch, and overcome tech troubles. Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community.
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199: Pierogis and buy nothing
Eugene and Charis discuss Buy Nothing groups/movement and what a change in platform means for their participants. They also talk about Kevin LaBuz’s article “Grandma’s Pierogis” about how corporate culture is created and knowledge passed on. 00:04:47 Buy nothing 00:20:49 Pierogis #107 - Grandma’s...
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198: Brunello Cucinelli slow growth and the Theranos trial
Charis and Eugene talk about the attitude of the team behind the Italian luxury fashion brand Brunello Cucinelli toward growth and family business. They also discuss the conviction of Elizabeth Holmes, former founder and CEO of the health tech company Theranos, in a trial that ended in January....
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197: Attention and tribalism
Eugene and Charis discuss what it means to pay close attention to anything. They also talk about the benefits of tribalism. 00:10:22 Attention 00:30:37 Tribalism attending to the other by Jasmine Wang The Myth of Tribalism by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel Support us at patreon.com/maekan and...
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196: 2021 Wrap Up
Charis and Eugene talk about key moments in culture in 2021 and reflect on significant changes that will carry forwards. Support us at patreon.com/maekan and join our community, which includes weekly newsletters and a vibrant Discord.
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195: The Story Club with George Saunders and the possibly corporate web3
Eugene and Charis discuss the new Substack started by the authors George Saunders for readers to closely read and consider short stories. They also talk about concerns raised regarding the future of web3—mainly the possibility that it will become an extension of web2 with a new veneer. 00:03:05...
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194: The Krause House and movie dialogue audibility
Charis and Eugene talk about The Krause House, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) that has the longterm goal of purchasing an NBA team. They also discuss the decreasing audibility of dialogue in movies and the many reasons why that’s the case. 00:03:30 Krause House 00:27:36 Movie sound...
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193: Peloton and soft power
Eugene and Charis discuss an essay by Sherry Ansari published in Culture study on how Peloton provides fitness with a “Health At Every Ability” attitude. They also talk about the waning UK soft power and how soft power is growing for other countries. 00:06:18 Peloton 00:23:01 Soft power What It...
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192: Better sleep and supply chain issues
Charis and Eugene talk about the allure of better sleep fueling an industry of sleep-related products. They also discuss how a rise in online shopping in combination with pandemic factors has lead to supply chain issues. 00:07:09 Sleep 00:24:43 Supply chain Nice Try! by Curbed, Season 2…
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191: Metaverse and audio-focused dating apps
Eugene and Charis discuss Facebook’s bet on the metaverse and what the allure of the metaverse is. They also discuss dating apps that prioritize an audio experience. 00:06:00 Metaverse 00:28:45 Audio dating apps Heart to Heart raises $750K to bring sweet, sweet flirtation to your ear holes by…
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190: Future of creator economy and pricing art
Charis and Eugene talk about a recently released whitepaper that summarizes findings from a recent survey of independent creators. They also discuss how to price your art as an artist. 00:07:18 Creator economy 00:33:20 Pricing art From Dependence to Independence | The Rise of The Independent...
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189: Four dirty c-words and memes as shared language
Eugene and Charis discuss an essay written by Paul Jun, “The Four Dirty C-Words of the Internet”, and breakdown the usage of the words content, culture, community, and creator. They also talk about memes as shared language and the conduit through which beliefs are transmitted. 00:07:18 Four dirty...
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188: Facebook whistleblower and Squid Game
Charis and Eugene talk about the global appeal of Squid Game and the possibility of supposedly niche cultural entertainment going viral. They also discuss the importance of Frances Haugen, the latest Facebook whistleblower, coming forward to testify about the need for social media platform...
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187: Blockchain video games and TikTok captions
Eugene and Charis discuss Star Atlas, a space-fantasy RPG built on the Solana blockchain, that indicates the promising possibilities of funding game development through digital asset ownership. They also talk about the prevalence of captions on TikTok and how the use of captions signals...
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186: The Comme des Garçons strategy and the continued rise of digital fashion
Charis and Eugene talk about the Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market brand-development division called Dover Street Market Paris that is similar to an incubator for emerging brands. They also discuss digital fashion as seen in how Farfetch recently seeded influencers their latest lines of...
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185: Good critiques and overcoming Web3 bias
Eugene and Charis discuss what makes a critique good as well as how to give and receive feedback well. Plus, they talk about overcoming Web3 bias in the context of understanding paradigm shifts. 00:03:37 Critiques 00:25:16 Paradigm Shifts How to Take Criticism by Chapell Ellison Google Slides…
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184: “Existence dissonance” at Nike
Charis and Eugene talk about a single topic inspired by “Nike’s End of Men” by Ethan Strauss. Their conversation covers a shift in Nike’s values (whether internal or what they project to the public), target audience, and marketing strategies. 00:04:17 Change at Nike Nike’s End of Men by Ethan...
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183: Climate crisis responsibility and Kanye West’s DONDA
Eugene and Charis talk about the illusory nature of tech solutions for the climate crisis as well as personal responsibility in the face of it. They also discuss the artistic merit of the release of Kanye West’s DONDA. 00:04:42 Climate crisis 00:24:15 DONDA It’s Time to Replace Ambition with...
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182: Rational thinking and the tech/fashion relationship
Charis and Eugene talk about the attraction to and difficulty in thinking rationally. They also discuss the awkward relationship between tech and fashion. 00:05:52 Rationality 00:27:39 Tech/fashion Why Is It So Hard to Be Rational? by Joshua Rothman Worn Out by Drew Austin Patreon supporters...
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181: Creative writing with language AI and sexism in women’s athletic uniforms
Eugene and Charis discuss “Ghosts” by Vauhini Vara, a creative writing piece written with the assistance of the language AI GPT-3 (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3). They also talk about sexism and double standards in sports as seen in recent discussions around uniform requirements in women’s...
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180: The rise of curators and “genuinfluencers”
Charis and Eugene talk about the factors that lead to the prominence of curators and curation. They also discuss the trend, as WGSN calls it, of “genuinfluencers”, who interact with their audiences differently and share content that is a departure from the traditional influencer fare. 00:07:54...
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179: Female athletes choose new sponsors and France launches the Culture Pass
Eugene and Charis discuss why elite female athletes are turning away from formerly major sponsors in favor of alternative options. They also talk about the launch of the Culture Pass in France which gives all 18-year-olds €300 to spend on a selection of cultural offerings. 00:05:45 Female…
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178: Memories of the pandemic and “wang hong” (internet famous)
Charis and Eugene talk about how our memories of the pandemic will differ and what narrative arcs the stories we tell of our lives usually take. They also discuss the term “wang hong” (Chinese for internet famous) as written about in Chaoyang Trap. 00:04:18 Pandemic memories 00:29:34 “Wang hong”...
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177: The MAEKAN Shop launches
In a different format to the usual Making It Up episodes, Eugene and Charis announce the launch of the online MAEKAN Shop. They discuss the process that lead to this point and talk about the products that are available. 00:01:52 MAEKAN Shop MAEKAN Shop MAEKAN Patreon supporters receive exclusive...
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176: 'It's O.K. not to be O.K.’ and the inner ring of the internet
Charis and Eugene talk about Naomi Osaka’s essay in TIME magazine that elaborates on her relationship to the press and the subject of the mental health of athletes. They also discuss an article about “the inner ring” of the internet and how that affects the creative work you do. 00:07:35 'It's…
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175: NCAA athletes can start making money and Lachlan Morton’s alternative Tour de France
Eugene and Charis do an episode completely on sports. They talk about the new NCAA ruling that allows student athletes to make money in whatever way they like: co-founding businesses, as YouTubers, as country singers, etc. They also discuss Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton’s attempt to ride the...
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174: Video game writing and apparel sizing issues
Charis and Eugene talk about new Kotaku editor-in-chief Patricia Hernandez’s letter to readers on the subject of the future of video games and video game writing. They also discuss erratic sizing within the fashion industry and the sustainability as well as psychological issues that creates....
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173: Flaws with venture capital and curation as brand strategy
Eugene and Charis talk about why the funding model of venture capital is flawed and doesn’t build the things society needs. They also discuss the rise of curation as a strategy brands and individuals are adopting, plus what makes for good curation. 00:04:33 Venture capital 00:23:38 Curation Why...
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172: Cohort-based courses and the Barbell Strategy
Charis and Eugene talk about cohort-based courses as compared to massively open online courses. They also discuss the Barbell Strategy method of balancing security and risk as a structure for creative careers. 00:04:00 Cohort-based courses 00:28:18 The Barbell Strategy The Barbell Strategy: How…
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171: The internet is flat and the cooperation economy
Eugene and Charis discuss how the nature of the internet collapses time, space, and context, resulting in a volatile environment that breeds bad faith discussions with no room for nuance or complexity. They also talk about the cooperation economy as the next phase of the creator economy/the…
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170: Sports journalism and selling out
Charis and Eugene talk about Naomi Osaka choosing to not do press at the French Open and what the relationship is between press and athletes should be. They also discuss the shift in perception of creatives signing corporate deals. 00:04:40 Sports journalism 00:38:28 Selling out Naomi Osaka's...
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169: Outlier designer Willie Norris and ongoing pandemic trauma
Eugene and Charis talk about how Willie Norris is reimagining menswear from a trans perspective at Outlier. They also discuss a recent Atlantic article by Ed Yong that goes into the reasons why people aren’t necessarily feeling better as the pandemic decreases in intensity. 00:02:09 Willie Norris...
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168: What “disgusting” means and out-of-control online fan groups
Charis and Eugene talk about the Disgusting Food Museum in Sweden and where disgust, as an emotion and judgment comes from. They also discuss China trying to find ways to standardize the behavior of online fan groups. 00:04:05 “Disgusting” 00:32:00 Fan groups The Gatekeepers Who Get to Decide…
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167: Museum NFTs and keeping the line alive
Eugene and Charis discuss what alternative forms of value there are, beyond financial, in engaging with NFTs in museums. They also discuss “keeping the line alive” in creative work as written about by artist Mateusz Urbanowicz. 00:02:48 Museum NFTs 00:27:21 Loose lines What Makes A Museum Object...
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166: The “capitalism is broken” economy and organizational load management
Charis and Eugene talk about an article by Anne Helen Petersen describing the current US economy as the “capitalism is broken” state of things. They also discuss load management, a basketball strategy that conserves the energy of star players, in the context of creative work. 00:04:21 The economy...
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165: Social media managing and the commune lifestyle
Eugene and Charis talk about the difficulties that social media managers face and how platforms as well as businesses could do a better job of supporting workers in that area. They also discuss an essay that describes the author’s life growing up on a commune and what non-commune individuals…
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164: Everything bad about the fashion industry and deleting your life
Charis and Eugene talk about Eugene Rabkin’s essay, “Read This Before You Decide to Work In Fashion” published in Highsnobiety which goes through a laundry list of negative aspects of the fashion industry. They also discuss an artist zine created by Marco Marzocchi called “How To Destroy...
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163: Ownership of our time and communicating complex ideas
Eugene and Charis discuss our relationship to work and our sense of ownership over our time. They also talk about challenges scientists face when communicating their ideas clearly around how to present complex thoughts. 00:06:05 Time and work 00:30:33 Communications Scientists need to get better…
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162: Chinatown Market Name Change
Charis and Eugene talk at length about streetwear brand Chinatown Market deciding to rename themselves. This comes in response to people in the Asian American community expressing their concerns with the use of the name. Eugene and Charis discuss this situation in light of the current context of...
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161: Cathie Wood’s content strategy and the first peer-reviewed rap album
Eugene and Charis discuss Cathie Wood’s perfect content strategy for the portfolio of ETFs she runs at ARK Invest. They also talk about A.D. Carson, a hip-hop professor, and his thinking behind getting his rap album peer-reviewed and published by an academic press. 00:03:50 Cathie Wood 00:22:52...
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160: Story-driven pricing and the Teen Vogue “cancel culture” news
Charis and Eugene talk about what the pricing of the Hermès Birkin bag teaches us about setting prices according to the value in stories. They also discuss Alexi McCammond’s hiring and firing from Teen Vogue as the Editor-in-Chief in relation to systemic problems within companies and cancel...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Making It Up by MAEKAN is a weekly podcast exploring the latest news in the creative world and analyzing how and why it'll impact culture at large. Head over to patreon.com/maekan if you're interested in supporting us and being part of our larger community which includes regular newsletters and a vibrant Discord community.
HOSTED BY
MAEKAN
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Making It Up have?
Making It Up currently has 207 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Making It Up about?
Making It Up by MAEKAN is a weekly podcast exploring the latest news in the creative world and analyzing how and why it'll impact culture at large. Head over to patreon.com/maekan if you're interested in supporting us and being part of our larger community which includes regular newsletters and a...
How often does Making It Up release new episodes?
Making It Up publishes regularly with 207 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Making It Up?
You can listen to Making It Up on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Making It Up?
Making It Up is created and hosted by MAEKAN.
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