#backlash

[makingsenseofwhathappened]

Old tweet. Same old story. PROTECT YOURSELF. XO 💙

[punksrhea]

IYO SKY & ASUKA WWE Backlash, May 9th, 2026

[moxleyrollins]

"An emotional Asuka tonight… Her former protégé, and it appears Asuka is extremely proud of what Iyo Sky has accomplished."

WWE: BACKLASH | 05.09.26

[thedaddycomplex]

Uber's COO says it's getting harder to justify the money spent on AI tokenmaxxing

Operations chief Andrew Macdonald said he's not seeing proportional productivity gains from increasing AI costs within Uber.

This reminds me of a story...

In the social media boom of the 2010s, I was a social media professional (a new career thanks to this very tumblr account and a short-lived career because I like my mental health).

Back then, it was obvious what platforms companies needed to be on: Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. Becase that’s where their customers and potential customers were.

Then, there came a rumbling through the profession. Our colleagues were told we had to be on Google+, it was going to be the new king social platform.

A lot of social media pros got their companies or clients to jump in with both feet. Some of us, however, took a beat and asked a simple question: “Who told you Google+ was necessary?"

We asked this because it felt like the reverse process of what had come before. Previous platforms grew into something first. No one could have predicted what a cultural juggernaut Tumblr became, the result of a sense of community among the users that formed organically and was fostered by the staff. Twitter started as a place where people dropped clever one-line jokes and became the largest and most critical breaking news outlet in the world (RIP Twitter).

But, in the case of Google+, no one seemed to be rushing to the platform. The user base was nearly non-existent. Yet, the buzz that it would be the next big thing was loud and, for that reason, many comapnies started official accounts and shifted a part of their social strategy to the platform. But still, if the numbers weren’t there, who was saying this?

The source of this new push to join Google+, it turned out, inevitably led back to Google. Yes, upper level Google staff had been telling tech bros, investors, and tastemakers Google+ was the future of social media. That trickled down to us plebes, the ones who would dutifully fulfill the prophecy.

Needless to say, it wasn’t the future of social media. It was a trainwreck that saw its few actual users spend 3-5 seconds per day on the platform compared to the hours per day people spent on Facebook.

Now, the “buyer’s remorse” over AI we’re seeing from all of these corporations feels very similar. It’s not users saying we need AI in every goddamn fucking thing, it’s AI companies. They're pushing a product tech overlords claim is the solution to a host of non-existent problems. And the companies got in line.

The difference this time is two-fold: Us plebes and commoners are fighting back and the companies that bought in are losing money. (At least a Google+ account was free.)

But, the truly shocking revelation is how fucking gullible these big CEOs are. They were told by AI salesmen that their already successful product will only continue to succeed if they bake in AI.

And what happened? One super fun example is how Google touted themselves as the best search engine in the world. Now, the first result on any search is an AI summary, followed with this warning in very small print:

That seems like a pretty clear admission that Google is not a reliable search engine any more.

So, I guess the moral of this story is: If you want to sell something for millions of dollars that no one needs, talk to a CEO.

Bonus moral: Google Search is the Google+ of Google.

[arakkne]

you know how people are calling everything a recession indicator these days? I propose we start calling shit out for being backlash indicators.

If you haven't read Backlash by Susan Faludi (go do so: there's free pdfs online), the basic theory is this. As women gain hard-won rights and independence, society goes through a period of tolerance where feminism almost becomes the norm, butttt ultimately the forces of patriarchy + capitalism feel threatened by the smallest step of progress. These forces snap back hard in the media, culture, churches, and workplace, and they all try to insidiously manipulate women back into the familiar oppressed status by subtly suggesting that feminism, not society, is to blame for all of their current struggles. Meanwhile, commercial forces push hard for gendered products (that usually demean and objectify women) to profit from and perpetuate the cycle.

Faludi describes this as a cycle that seems to peak every 20 years or so, reliably going back to the 1920s when women gained suffrage in the USA. The book focuses on the 1980s Backlash era; I'd argue we felt Backlash also in the 2000s and now we're entering a Backlash period again in the 2020s.

Based on that description, I'm sure you can already think of examples of backlash indicators in today's society. (and please do share examples! we need to wake people up to this cycle)

I'll start. Backlash indicator I saw yesterday, it was so absurd I couldn't help but laugh: Monster's got a new energy drink for women. FLRT. Meet your new crush in a can. (barf)

Note that this lineup is sugar free (women need to watch their weight) and randomly supports things like skin and hair health (women need to focus on being pretty).

Note also that Monster energy drinks are on their own *very popular* with women and teenage girls. They've got multiple pink colored cans for one thing to cater to this market. Teen girls are probably the main demographic keeping them afloat. They've captured that market already. Why feel the need to make Monster: for girls ?? And in such a demeaning way??

What else could it be? Backlash indicator.

[biteghost]

Happy #WebcomicDay!

Check out my long-running, 500+ page long comic, BACKLASH!

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The universe is full of life. Planets, stars, even black holes are sentient, living organisms, capable of thought and emotion like any other creature. Celestials move through the galaxies capable of unimaginable feats, ancient and god-like power their birthright, while mortals can only pray they do not catch the attention of such beings. Laura “Leadfoot” is a young woman on a mission. Famous Celestials – including Jupiter and Mars – have vanished from the Sol System, and she feels it’s her duty to learn what happened to them. On an unfamiliar planet and being hunted by two of the most powerful individuals on it – one a Black Hole, the other the King of the Criminal Underworld – Leadfoot seeks sanctuary with a strange group of people who work for a Witch. This Witch claims to be able to grant any wish – for the right price.

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Recommended for audiences 14 and older.

Content & Trigger Warnings include: violence, blood, bodily injury, body horror, smoking, abuse (emotional, mental & physical), cannibalism, fascistic imagery

Read BACKLASH here for free!

And if you enjoy what you've read, consider coming back here and sharing this post with your friends or others you think would also enjoy it! The only way to grow is by word of mouth in the webcomic word, and I appreciate every recommendation and share you can spare. 🙇

Thanks for reading!

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[dynamitekansai]

shinsukefotos: Tales of strong Japanese women

[punksyeetgifs]

Roman Reigns Entrance

WWE Backlash - May 9th, 2026

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