Where to find media to consume instead of doomscrolling
My ultimate guide of publications, magazines, podcasts, YouTube channels and fun corners of the internet where I source my media from.
Finding the media that you want to consume when there is a vast and endless sea of information can be quite overwhelming. When I started on my journey of mindful media consumption I had zero clue of where I could start, however, slowly but surely, I began to find so many amazing sources that are now part of the ecosystem I have built for myself. I wanted to make this process slightly easier for you by sharing the knowledge that I have gathered so far. Even though I love sharing my media roundups every week, I thought of doing something a bit different as I believe that having access to an array of resources to be able to do independent research and to tailor your own digital experience is SO important. Hope you find this useful <3
Online Publications & Magazines
I did my very best to categorize these as there are A LOT of them, however, a great deal of these have a wide array of content that doesn’t necessarily fit into just one category. I decided to organize them by the content I personally enjoy from each place, but feel free to explore as all of these are filled with incredible pieces.
I also highly suggest subscribing to the newsletters of the publications you enjoy, that way you can keep track of all of them in your inbox, while at the same time creating a digital space where you can find exclusively long-form content. If you have a secondary email that you don’t use much, use that one, if not, create a new one so that your personal emails don’t get mixed. I have found that having this has allowed me to scratch the itch of scrolling, especially the one I get first thing in the morning (even though ideally there should be no screen time so soon after waking up), as it allows me to plan out what I want to read throughout the day/week.
Philosophy, Psychology and Cultural Commentary
Aeon: Philosophy, Culture, Society. I think this is my favorite place to find essays, they cover such a wide range of topics and they are all written by leading experts on the topics. Whenever I can’t seem to find anything compelling to read I know I will find something on Aeon, and I find myself returning every single week.
Psyche: Psychology, Healing, Spirituality. This is the sister site to Aeon with a slightly different focus, while Aeon usually delves into external matters, Psyche has a more introspective approach, focusing on improving and understanding yourself as well as the people around you.
The Hedgehog Review: Contemporary Culture, History, Philosophy. It was hard to narrow down the keywords to explain what you can find on here as they cover such an incredibly wide array of topics that also include ethics, economy, politics, education, religion, technology, and more. The great thing about it is that on the browse tab, you can find the pieces sorted by topic, so that way you can explore whatever you’re interested in.
Byline: Contemporary and Pop Culture, Personal Essays. I particularly enjoy the personal essays that can be found here, there are always very touching and relatable stories with very unique tones. Additionally, their commentary is always so weird in the best way, it’s usually very fun and unexpected (also the website design is gorgeous so that’s always a plus).
Global Context, Politics and Technology
The Atlantic: Politics, Culture, Society. The Atlantic is by far one of the best publications out there, they truly have something for everyone as it seems like they cover every single topic you could think of. I really enjoy the quality of their investigative journalism as well as their coverage on AI.
Noema: Geopolitics, Technology, Philosophy. They publish incredibly fresh and thought-provoking pieces, I’m particularly interested in their coverage of the connection between technology and humans.
Vox: Technology, Culture, Politics. I mostly enjoy their tech and culture pieces, they have extremely insightful and up-to-date pieces about AI that I find extremely interesting.
The Ideas Letter: Critique, Global Politics, Activism. I have found some of the most thought-provoking and impactful essays on here, I find that they have an incredibly unique approach to politics as they always do it in a human-centered way which I often find can be lacking elsewhere.
Al Majalla: Middle East Politics, Society, Culture. Even though most of the publications here are Western-centric, mostly due to language, I find that having different perspectives is essential. Their coverage of the genocide in Palestine is particularly insightful and important.
Africa is a Country: African Politics and Culture. Another non-Western publication with such brilliant pieces, I have found that they have allowed me to understand and dive more into African culture and the issues that they face, something that otherwise would be too far from my personal experience to ever get to see firsthand.
Literature, Essays, and Book Culture
The New Yorker: Essays, Fiction, Cultural Criticism. This is definitely one of my favorite publications, I also quite enjoy their podcasts. They generally have some of my favorite authors writing pieces there, especially fiction which I find is a definite standout from them.
The Paris Review: Fiction, Poetry, Writer Interviews. I have found some of the most incredible and life changing interviews here, I adore just digging into their archive as it is full of gems. I also love how I can always find excellent poetry there.
The New York Review of Books: Literary and Political Criticism. I would say they also cover a very wide range of areas, I find their coverage on the intersection between literature and politics extremely interesting. I also find myself coming to this publication whenever I want clarity on certain current political issues as they are incredibly thorough.
The Yale Review: Essays, Literature, Poetry. This is one of the most comforting places for me, they have deeply personal and beautiful pieces of both fiction and non-fiction. They are deeply focused on the literary world, including deep dives and interviews of certain authors.
Literary Hub: Book Culture, Essays, Writer Interviews. This is another publication that has a wide range of coverage, however, I find myself here often for their book recommendations as well as their general commentary on literary culture.
Science, Nature, and Systems
Atmos: Environmental Justice, Sustainability, Design. This has turned into one of my favorite publications ever, their coverage of current events in connection to the environment is unmatched. Additionally, I find that it has a hopeful tone as well as a forward-thinking direction which isn’t always easy to find when reading about these topics.
Emergence Magazine: Ecology, Culture, Spirituality. I stumbled upon this magazine while working on a project for uni but it has been on my radar ever since. They have incredibly beautiful and unexpected pieces, interviews, editorials, and podcasts regarding spiritual ecology, they are all about the integration and symbiosis between humans and nature.
Nautulius: Science, Philosophy, Interconnectedness. This publication has a much more science-forward approach, I come here to learn about new things that would never be on my radar otherwise. They do a great job connecting current issues to science.
Art, Visual Culture, and Criticism
Art Review: Contemporary Art, Global Perspectives. It is one of the most relevant art publications with a strong focus on the intersection between art and contemporary culture where you can find news, essays, interviews, features, and of course, reviews.
Artsy: Art Market, Collecting, Artist Profiles. This is definitely more of a collector focused website, however, they have really insightful editorial spotlights for interesting artists and pieces with thought-provoking commentary.
Art News: Art Industry, Trends, Reporting. They have really thorough coverage of art in connection to politics as well as latest news, and current state of the art world. It is great if you want to stay up-to-date.
Apollo: Art History, Current Events, Artist Profiles. What I particularly like about this publication is the fact that they cover art across a wide range of movements so it is an amazing place to learn about art history from different moments in time.
Cultured Magazine: Design, Interviews, Creative Culture. They have really great coverage across so many areas of the arts, what I like the most on here is how they manage to connect it to pop culture as well as getting to see glimpses into the lives of interesting creatives.
Fashion and Beauty Industries
The Business of Fashion (BoF): Industry Analysis, Market Trends. As a fashion business student this is such an essential place for me, I find their profiles incredibly useful to get familiar with the most relevant fashion figures at the moment. If you want to understand the fashion industry better this is a great place to start.
Vogue Business: Retail, Consumer Insights, Sustainability. This is another great place to start to dig deeper into the fashion industry, I think their coverage on technology, sustainability, and supply chain is one of the most thorough and relevant out there at the moment.
1Granary: Fashion Education, Emerging Designers, Industry Insights. I always find myself reading their interviews and their coverage on emerging designers. Additionally, I find their pieces regarding how to navigate the industry and about managing the creative process incredibly useful.
i-D Magazine: Contemporary Culture, Editorial, Identity. I once did a project on this magazine and I truly fell in love with it, if you can get it in print please do as their editorials are breathtaking. When I read it online I thoroughly enjoy their coverage on the latest events in the fashion world.
Dazed: Fashion & Art, Culture, Beauty. Their beauty section is so amazing, they have so many brilliant pieces regarding very important discussions we should be having around certain topics, particularly trends and beauty standards.
Purple Magazine: Fashion & Art, Editorial, Current Events. This is my favorite magazine in the world, whenever I get the chance I love popping by the fashion bookstore next to my uni to check it out, and whenever I can, I get it on print. What I love the most about them is the way that they showcase the intersection between fashion and art.
AnOther Magazine: Pop Culture, Celebrities. This magazine is really good if you want to be up-to-date on the latest news in the fashion and design worlds with more of a focus on pop culture, celebrity spotlights, and interviews.
Podcasts
As you can see I absolutely adore podcasts, I think they are a great way of consuming media, especially when you’re on the move. I struggle greatly with my focus so I really enjoy listening to them while I’m doing something with my body, it could be walking, cleaning, crocheting, drawing, or getting ready. I have found that is the only way for me to be able to focus so if you also struggle like me that’s my best tip for you.
I broke these down by category, including one episode of each podcast that I have enjoyed in the past so that perhaps you have an idea of where to start with each :)
Social and Cultural Commentary
The Gray Area: Culture, Technology, Politics. What I enjoy the most about this podcast is their philosophy-minded look at some of the most pressing issues that we are facing today by bringing experts on the topics discussed.
A Bit Fruity: Queer, Internet, and Pop Culture. I have followed Matt for years on Instagram but I recently started listening to his podcast and I really enjoy how he deals with complex topics, particularly regarding queerness and politics connected to pop culture with such grace and humor.
Culture Study Podcast: Pop Culture, Media Analysis. This is such a fun podcast, I love how they really dive into so many different topics and trends relevant in pop and contemporary culture, I believe there is something for everyone here.
Self-Improvement and Advice
How to by The Atlantic: Advice, Expert Interviews. I am generally not the biggest fan of “self-help” podcasts as I find they are often not helpful or filled with out-of-touch hosts. This is definitely the exception though. They dive into how to improve different areas of your life each season and I can say some of these have been catalysts for genuine change in my life.
Wild Geese: Creativity, Slow Living, Meaning. I love Anna, she is so warm and welcoming, this is such a cozy beautiful space to get in touch with yourself, your creative energy, and your imagination. She also provides incredibly useful insights into how to navigate the digital world in a productive way.
Clearpilled with Sigh Swoon: Spirituality, Internet Culture, Philosophy. I find so much of the spiritual content out there so detached from reality so this podcast stands out to me as it is extremely grounded in reality. Most of her content is behind a paywall on Patreon but there are still some gems available for free.
A Mug of Insights: Learning, Reading, Self-Improvement. Robin provides incredibly useful tips and insights, both on his podcast and on his Substack. You will most likely enjoy his content if you’re into reading and academia, as well if you want to improve your literacy and attention span.
Interviews
On Being: Ethics, Meaning, Spiritual Enquiry. This podcast is one of the most impactful ones I’ve ever had the treat of listening to. The interviews on here touch on such important and profound topics and so many of them have stayed with me throughout the years.
The A24 Podcast: Films, Creative Process. Two actors/directors/producers have a conversation about their work. If you’re into movies as well as all of the behind the scenes this is a no brainer.
Dialogues: Art, Literature, Film, Fashion. David brings some exceptional thinkers and figures to discuss an array of topics all pertaining to the arts. This is also one of those podcasts where I think everyone will find something they’re interested in.
Art and Fashion
Fashion Neurosis: Interviews, Identity, Cultural Reflection. This is one of my absolute favorite podcasts, I listen to it almost every week. The way in which we get to see such vulnerable sides of some of my favorite artists/designers/celebrities while connecting these conversations back to fashion is totally delightful.
The BoF Podcast: Industry Insights, Insider Perspectives. They have both debriefs and interviews so it’s almost like a two-in-one podcast. Really great for staying updated on the latest fashion news as well as for listening to some of the most relevant figures in the industry at the moment.
Brendawareness: Commentary, Industry Insights, Contemporary Culture. I adore this woman, she is one of the freshest and most authentic voices in the industry right now. I’m always happy to listen to whatever she has to say, definitely one of my comfort podcasts.
The Great Women Artists: Art History, Interviews. I’m always eager to learn about artists I previously didn’t know about so I have found this podcast really interesting. Especially in such a historically male-washed industry, I love seeing women getting the recognition they deserve.
The Lonely Palette: Art Analysis, Storytelling. This podcast is great to have a really deep dive into art one painting at a time. Additionally there are some excellent interviews with key figures in the art industry full of amazing insights.
Literature and Poetry
The New Yorker: Fiction: Author Readings, Literary Commentary. This is one of the greatest literary podcasts available, I love exploring their archives as they are full of readings by so many of my favorite authors. I have also found some incredible stories and authors I previously didn’t know about.
Close Readings: Poetry, Literary Commentary. This podcast makes poetry much more accessible as you can listen along as the host and her guests (both scholars), break down and analyze one particular poem. It really pushed me to fall in love with poetry as it guided me in my personal journey with understanding it.
The Slowdown: Poetry, Daily Readings. This is one of my favorite ways to start the day, I particularly like listening to it on my walk to uni, it sets such great energy for the rest of the day. I think it is so important to not only read, but also listen to poetry and this podcast has allowed me to incorporate it easily into my routine.
Other
Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!: Mythology, Storytelling. This podcast tells some of the most entertaining and enraging stories from ancient Greek and Roman mythology in a contemporary and sarcastic way. If you love Greek mythology as much as I do this is the podcast for you. I really love the way in which Liv connects these stories from thousands of years ago to the issues and events that we are facing today.
Philosophize This!: Philosophy, Accessible Education. I found this podcast ages ago while I was having some trouble in my high school philosophy class and it has remained one of my favorites ever since. This is the perfect podcast if you want to start getting into or diving deeper into philosophy as Stephen does a wonderful job covering an array of different philosophers across time, analyzing their work and their arguments in a very humorous and digestible way.
Stanford Psychology Podcast: Research, Interviews. This is a student-led podcast where leading psychologists are invited to talk about what’s on their mind lately. They do a wonderful job covering new findings from psychological science and how they can be applied to everyday life. This podcast has a much more academic tone and as someone that knows absolutely nothing about psychology it can feel a little challenging at times. However, it is completely worth it as I have learned so much.
YouTube Channels
I watch a decent amount of my podcasts on YouTube and I also watch a lot of the videos that are recommended on my home feed but these are some of the channels I find myself coming back to again and again. I also watch a lot of Kurtis Conner, GMM, and loads of cooking shows in case you wanted to know if I ever watch anything “fun” (I’ve gotten a few comments of people asking about this lol).
Commentary and Philosophy
Mina Le: Fashion History, Cultural Commentary. I follow Mina Le everywhere, on YouTube, TikTok, and also on here on her Substack. I think she has such great takes as well as a great sense of humor. I particularly love her fashion and trend breakdown videos.
OliSUNvia: Philosophy, Internet Culture. She is the one who got me into video essays a while ago and I always find myself returning to her channel. She always speaks on such interesting topics and I really enjoy the amount of research that she does as I often go into her sources to dive deeper into the topics discussed.
Manifestelle: Femininity, Cultural Commentary. I think right now that there is so much discourse regarding femininity that is bordering, or even just straight up falling into the alt-right pipeline, this channel is so important. I think she handles all of these very complex issues women are faced with every day in such a grounded and objective way.
Madisyn Brown: Internet Culture, Social Commentary. I am such a chronically online person so I find Madisyn’s inputs on current internet discourse so refreshing as she always manages to get to the bottom of a lot of seemingly superficial happenings and she contextualizes them in the broader scope of things.
Jared Henderson: Philosophy, Books, Critique. I discovered Jared’s channel rather recently but it has made its way into my rotation as everything he discusses aligns so much with my interests. He does a lot of literary commentary and general content about literacy and media.
The Financial Diet: Personal Finances, Politics, Consumerism. What I love most about this channel is their commentary on consumerism, they do absolutely brilliant breakdowns of the current events that are leading to certain consumer behavior trends.
Eternalised: Philosophy, Psychology, Meaning. I used to listen to this podcast on Spotify but I’ve recently started watching it on YouTube as the visual storytelling they have is pretty great. They dive into really big topics, particularly regarding existence and meaning as well as breakdowns of the arguments of different philosophers and spiritual phenomena.
Horses: Visual Culture, Storytelling. It’s difficult to narrow down what goes on in this channel but these are basically some of the most intriguing and interesting visual essays that I have ever come across. Both the visual and narrative storytelling is so incredibly compelling and whenever I find myself here I am sure to be left with lingering thoughts.
Art and Fashion
Louisiana Channel: Interviews, Creative Process. This is one of my favorite places of the internet and that is saying a lot coming from me. They have the world’s largest archive of contemporary art curated by the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. They have so many incredible interviews featuring some of my favorite writers and artists as well as a really lovely selection of documentaries.
Great Art Explained: Art History, Analysis. I have been watching this channel for so many years now. The name of the channel is pretty self-explanatory, I find myself here whenever I come across a new artist, painting, or movement and want a more thorough understanding of them. It’s great for some post-museum activities in case you find a video on some of the most important pieces from your visit.
The House of Tabula: Visual essays, Art & Film Analysis. They provide amazing breakdowns regarding the arts and generally visual culture across different fields with impeccable visual storytelling. I always find myself with an array of new references to explore after watching their videos.
Bliss Foster: Fashion Commentary, Industry Insights. I particularly enjoy his fashion week and runway breakdowns, he provides useful insights into current fashion events. His trend commentary and analysis, even though I haven’t watched as much, is also pretty interesting.
Atiya Walcott: Styling, Wardrobe Curation. This is my go-to channel when it comes to styling, aesthetics, and personal style. I feel myself getting lost to the theory and industry areas of fashion quite often and I neglect the personal fashion side of it. This channel has allowed me to ground myself back into the more practical elements of fashion and has served as a reminder for why I fell in love with it in the first place.
Newsletters and Fun Corners of the Internet
These are all of the things that didn’t necessarily fall under the other categories but are still some really cool and interesting sources that are essential elements of my digital and media sourcing experience.
Perfectly Imperfect: Curated Recommendations, Internet Culture. This is one of my favorite newsletters ever, I’ve been subscribed to it for years. It basically sends out interviews where some of your favorite celebrities, creatives, or online personalities provide fun recommendations. They also have a social media platform which I recently started using, I’m still not totally familiar with it but it’s very reminiscent of the old internet, so if that sounds appealing to you, you should totally check it out.
The Creative Independent: Artist Interviews, Creative Process. This is an absolutely delightful place of the internet, I get so happy whenever I see one of their emails pop up on my inbox. They basically publish interviews, tips, essays, or how-to guides featuring a different type of working artist’s wisdom. If you consider yourself a creative person this is a must for you.
The Marginalian: Reflections on Literature, Art, and Philosophy. This is a bi-weekly newsletter by Maria Popova that covers reflections on life through so many different topics. I always enjoy the poetry recommendations, book picks, and author deep dives that she provides, however, she covers so much more than that.
Longreads: Weekly Reading Picks. Especially at the beginning of my journey, this was a really great resource as it allowed me to find a lot of the resources listed on here as they send out weekly reading picks of long-form content. I don’t use it as often anymore as I’ve managed to find what I like on my own but it’s still useful from time to time.
Arca: Media Curation Platform. I love Arca so much, it’s another one of the platforms that has played a major role in my journey. You can explore and curate media across so many different places across the internet. From articles, to videos, to podcasts, to social media posts. It makes your life so much easier as you can find everything in one place and find new pieces. I come back here almost every week and if you’re already there, my username is @mapauc3.
Are.na: Visual Organization and Archiving Platform. This is more of a social media structured as a database, it’s a bit difficult to grasp at first but once you do it is one of the best places for inspiration and archives ever. It is incredible for visual and design research, so much better than Pinterest if you are doing more serious research in my opinion. I have also found so many great fashion archives of editorials and past runway garments.
This is a token of my gratitude for the immense amount of love and support you guys have given me on here, I cannot fathom that there are so many of you here already. I started posting on TikTok with the long-term goal of being able to build a community on here, and needless to say, it came much sooner than I was expecting. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here. Having a space where my unfiltered, authentic self is heard is something truly priceless <3
This is truly amazing! Thank you so much for creating this list. I can only imagine how much time and effort this took. It’s not unnoticed and it’s extremely appreciated!
I love this, and am keen to pick through some of the ones I’m less familiar with. Discovering new stuff is fun and I’m really grateful to have discovered your Substack.
I have a question, which is how do you filter what you decide to read/listen to watch without getting overwhelmed? Whenever I’m on any of these sites I find myself wanting to read everything, then rushing through it all without taking it in, and then getting burnout and ignoring this part of my life for months on end ad infinitum