The Work of Body Positivity Gone Negative

Eldritch horror meets the influencer slop of the newsfeed

Today I'm sharing something a bit different — a work of fiction¹ based on a longer upcoming research article.² This story explores the psychological dimensions of cancel culture and online pile-ons through the lens of (get ready for this) Lovecraftian cosmic horror.³

Our tale follows Amber Reeves, a body positivity influencer who struck it rich with her signature "boditivity" platform after recovering from an eating disorder, only to find herself consumed by the very community she helped nurture. What begins as a typical day spent scrolling through notifications transforms into a nightmarish descent into the Stygian depths as she discovers she's become the target of the internet's collective wrath.⁴

I wrote this story not merely to entertain (though I hope it does), but to illuminate several truths about our digital ecosystem:

• First, how quickly online communities can turn on their own members, particularly when those communities are built around folk notions of identity and authenticity. The story examines how the performance of virtue can itself become a kind of prison, where one's legitimacy is constantly under scrutiny (you’re always already on the way out in that world, so act accordingly).

• Second, how the mechanics of social media — notifications, likes, comments, and shares — can warp our perception of reality and self-worth. The story's supernatural elements serve as metaphors for how the weight of these ceaseless digital interactions can take on a physical presence in our lives and consciousness.

• Third, how the boundary between our IRL and URL selves has grown increasingly porous. For influencers especially, this blurring can be existentially threatening when a digital mob forms. How the wrath of such a mob be avoided when one is spending every spare second glued to their various feeds?

This story isn't meant to dismiss legitimate criticism or accountability. Rather, it's an exploration of how our well-intentioned systems of community policing can sometimes morph into something more sinister — a force that feeds on our collective anxieties and vengeful impulses.

And as you read, make sure you click on the footnotes — as always, I’ve included dozens of fun Easter eggs, even though that holiday is now in the rear-view mirror.

You folks are ripping me off and I’m here for it