Partying on the Web Like It's 1999, Anita Sarkeesian Speaks Out and More #Mustreads

Good morning!

The Internet, like most things in life, can be overwhelming and difficult. Re/code is here with some great content to ease your burden:

1. In 2014, the new cool thing is to use the Internet the same way you would if it were the late ’90s. Whether it’s posting GIFs, using bare-bones social networks like Ello or hanging out in a closed Facebook Room, a lot of what’s in vogue on the Internet of today is either rehashing or inspired by stuff that already happened. For more on why nostalgia is the new black, read Kyle Chayka’s feature on the “Web 1.0 Revival” in Gizmodo.
2. If Gamergate has taught us anything, it is that its core constituency of angry white men will not go gentle into that good night. But neither will its critics, including Anita Sarkeesian, a feminist video game critic who’s at the center of the Gamergate shitstorm. Her op-ed in the New York Times is fierce and insightful, discussing both her own history as a video game lover and why the death of the “gamer” is a good thing.
3. This is a rap music video composed entirely of stock footage of generic corporate offices. The song it uses is “She a Go” by DJ Rashad. It will make you laugh very hard. Digg has the clip.
4. The University of Pennsylvania’s Kenneth Goldsmith (a professor who, friends tell me, is known for gimmicky classes and an obnoxious “hip dad” vibe) is teaching a course next semester where students will waste time on the Internet. That’s the whole class. Checking Facebook and refreshing Gawker. Read more about it at Motherboard.
5. There’s a lot of chatter about how Uber treats its drivers, but not a ton of testimonials from the drivers themselves. This anonymous account from one such driver, in LA Weekly, makes a persuasive case that Uber’s rapid success may not last if drivers lose faith that the company will look out for the people who make it run.

If you see any stories you’d like to send our way (or have any questions/comments about stories we’ve recommended), feel free to shoot an email to noah@recode.net.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

We're here to shed some clarity

One of our core beliefs here at Vox is that everyone needs and deserves access to the information that helps them understand the world, regardless of whether they can pay for a subscription. With the 2024 election on the horizon, more people are turning to us for clear and balanced explanations of the issues and policies at stake. We’re so grateful that we’re on track to hit 85,000 contributions to the Vox Contributions program before the end of the year, which in turn helps us keep this work free. We need to add 2,500 contributions this month to hit that goal. Will you make a contribution today to help us hit this goal and support our policy coverage? Any amount helps.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via