Hi! Welcome to the twenty-sixth issue of The Good Side of the Internet! Super glad to have you here. For a brief run-down on what all the hullabaloo is about, please visit the About page for this publication.
This newsletter has been split into two sections. The first is external links that I truly adored, sometimes with my own little endorsements. The second is similar, but within Substack. There once was a third, compiling all the recommended readings on over the last month. I’ve since discontinued the mini-TGSotI, so all links can be found in one place, right here.
All of these come Highly Recommended (by me). Please do heed the trigger warnings if they’re present.
Happy reading!
PS: For (mostly) weekly micro-essays on growing up, poetry, and song recommendations, I’d be happy to have you over at .
TGSotI Reviewed
I See More Lives Than I Ever Lived | Jeevitha Kannan, The Rumpus (poetry comic)
The Alchemists | Kim Cross, Bicycling
They led a cycling revolution in Afghanistan where women were forbidden to ride. When the Taliban returned to power, their only hope was a harrowing escape to an uncertain future.
Fandom reciprocity: Why sustaining a community requires give and take | Laura Fisher, MIDiA
Fans want real engagement, not just content – prompting artists and labels to hire community managers and create spaces for fan participation. The artists who give back will last, as true fan loyalty now depends on connection and reciprocity, not just popularity or scale.
The Rise Of Stationerycore: Why A Digital Generation Is Falling In Love With Analogue | Kate Hardcastle, Forbes
In a world where almost every aspect of life is digitised—calendars, notes, shopping lists, even signatures—a surprising movement is taking hold. Across social media, in boutique shops, and among a growing community of enthusiasts, stationery is experiencing a revival.
Natural Teeth Are So Back. Or Are They? | Darshita Goyal, REFINERY29
If you’re taken aback by this highly anticipated return to ‘normal’ teeth and are wondering what replaced them in the first instance, let me introduce you to the world of veneers. In this cosmetic dental procedure, natural teeth are shaved down and fitted with custom-made porcelain or resin shells to improve the appearance of the smile and smooth out any imperfections. Cardi B, JoJo Siwa, Hilary Duff and Doja Cat are a handful of celebrities who have publicly acknowledged theirs. While veneers aren’t new — the first pair was created by California dentist Charles Pincus in 1928 to temporarily cover actors’ teeth during filming — the industry has developed into a different monster in recent years. What was once reserved for camera-facing celebrities has grown into a global phenomenon, fuelling insecurities while making everyone’s teeth appear white, straight and uniform.
The Age of Anxiety | Rohitha Naraharisetty, The Swaddle
Anxiety is the mood of the moment, but is that normal in an abnormal world?
The future of the internet is likely smaller communities, with a focus on curated experiences | Edwin Wong, Andrew Melnizek, and Samar Haddad, The Verge
Our research makes one thing clear: power is shifting back to the consumer (the fediverse signals this). Consumers crave community, but on their own terms — seeking deeper, more meaningful connections with those who truly matter (something we identified in 2014). Authenticity is at the heart of it all, supported by a foundation of safety and security. The future of community is personal, intentional, and built on trust.
Bringing Back The Magic Of Dreaming | Leo Kim, NOEMA Magazine
It’s only once we’ve re-enchanted ourselves with the possibilities of our own dreams that we can begin to build a better society.
The Painful Pleasures of a Tattoo Convention | Jackson Arn, The New Yorker
The art endures partly because it’s rooted in the moment—the surrender of one person to another.
There Is No Place like Home, Whatever That Is | Jeannette Cooperman, The Common Reader
The house I share with my husband and dog is home for me. It is the place I long for when I am exhausted, sad, or cranky; the place where I can hide and stop worrying what the world thinks of me. The dog clearly agrees; the minute we turn onto the crunchy gravel drive he leaps up and runs back and forth between passenger seat and hatch in a frenzied blur, beside himself with joy. But for my husband (who I sometimes wish were less honest), the house where he grew up will always be home, too, in the most primal and maudlin sense of the word.
Early in our marriage, that particular house came up for sale, and I held my breath. The neighborhood was no longer the sweet one of Andrew’s boyhood, but I feared that would not matter. I pictured the house as he might, its windows glowing as dark falls. It represented the safety, love, and warmth that had shaped him. If you have someplace like that to return to, why would you not?
Pigs Rooting for Truffles | Jenny Li, The Rumpus
The game takes place after dinner, as often as we can work up the energy to play it. I call out, Let’s play cards, and regardless of what has happened that day, we make our way to the table. My parents eat breakfast here every morning. It’s just the right size for two people unlike the rest of this house, which is too big for a couple with an only daughter who doesn’t come home often enough.
In-house Links
This section contains links to pieces from different Substack publications.
That’s a wrap for April ‘25! Had a piece you absolutely loved/hated? Let me know!
For almost-weekly micro-essays on growing up, poetry, and song recommendations, we’d be happy to have you over at .
If you’d like, please share this with your friends. Or your mother. Or on your Instagram story that you share a Spotify link on once in six months. Or anybody whom you think would enjoy it. I am deeply passionate about telling people what to read.
Thank you for reading, and see you next month!